Modern Dates Of New Year Festivals.

 

Festivals are celebrated every year in the remembrance of past events. All the major festivals have their own purpose and significance, i.e., to show their relevance and importance in the context of the eternal world cycle of history.

India's rich heritage with its numerous festivals celebrated throughout the year, provides succor and faith, as each occasion has its own distinct value, beauty and ritual practice. Amongst the numerous festivals of India, Ugadi is celebrated with festive fervor in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. While it is called Ugadi in A.P. and Karnataka, in Maharashtra it is known as Gudipadava".

We have always given pride of place to festivals, as it is a time for getting together as families. The occasion can be based on a seasonal change, a social or religious theme.

The New year festival or Ugadi comes close on the heels of Holi. While the strong colors of Holi start fading away, the freshness of spring lingers on with sprightliness all around. The flame of the forest (trees with bright red flowers that blossom during holi) are in full bloom signifying an affluent season.

Ugadi name has been changed from Yuga Aadi (Yuga + Aadi means "Beginning of New age"). The ages starting from a major reference point are Golden age, Silver age, Copper age and Iron age and also known in Hindi as Satyuga or Krutha yuga, Treta yuga, Dwapar yuga and Kaliyuga. The very end of Iron age i.e. the Kaliyuga is refer to hell or "Naraka" or the age of ignorance, which our Puranas or even in Srimath Bhagavath Gita mentioned that the Kaliyuga is "the night of the Brahma, the creator of new world and the Satyuga is the Day of Brahma".

The Indian National Calendar is the official calendar for the Hindus, regional variants still prevail. As a result, we have a host of new year festivities that are unique to the particular regions on this vast country. Hindus in various states of India celebrate the new year in their own ways. And not all of these fall on the same day.

The Hindus of Nepal begin their new year Nava Varsha in the third week of March, and the people of Kashmir start the Kashmiri Lunar year - Navreh - in the second week of March.

The most common modern date of new year is 1 January, The first official day of the year in the Gregorian calendar used by most countries.

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, occurs every year on the new moon of the first lunar month, about four to eight weeks before spring (Lichun). The exact date can fall anytime between 21 January and 21 February (inclusive) of the Gregorian Calendar.

The Vietnamese New Year is the Tet Nguyen Dan which is for most times the same day as the Chinese New Year.

The Tibetan New Year is Losar and falls from January through March.

Hola Mohalla, New Year's Day in the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar is on March 14.

The Iranian New Year, called Norouz, is the day containing the exact moment of the vernal equinox,

The Zoroastrian New Year coincides with the Iranian New Year of Norouz. It is celebrated by the Parsis in India and by Zoroastrians and Persians across the world.

Sindhi festival of Cheti Chand is celebrated on the same day as Ugadi/Gudi Padwa to mark the celebration of the Sindhi New Year.

The Assyrian New Year, called Rish Nissanu, occurs on 1 April

The Punjabi new year Vaisakhi is celebrated on 13 April and celebrates the harvest.

The Nepali new year is celebrated in spring, on the first day of the lunar month Baisakh. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually falls between 12 and 15 April.

The Thai and Lao New Year are celebrated from 13 April to 15 April by splashing water.

The Cambodian New Year and Lao New Year are celebrated from 13 April to 15 April.

The Bengali New Year Pohela Baisakh is celebrated on 14 April or 15 April in a festive manner in both Bangladesh and West Bengal,

Tamil New Year and Vishu are celebrated on the same day respectively in the Southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They generally fall on 13 April or 14 April.

The Marwari New Year is celebrated on the day of the festival of Diwali

The Gujarati New Year is usually celebrated the day after the festival of Diwali (which occurs in mid-fall - either October or November, depending on the Lunar calendar

The Islamic New Year occurs on 1 Muharram.

New Year begins, let us pray that it will be a year with New Peace, New Happiness and abundance of new friends, God bless you through out the New Year.

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