Different ways of celebrating New Year in India
The way we celebrated New Year
India is multicultural country with different traditions and life styles in different parts of the country. We have various ways of celebrations our festivals although all of them are related to farmers and ancient traditions in some way or the other. We have different ways to celebrate our New Years falling on different dates but one thing is common that all of them are related to harvesting season.
Tamil New Year- Citterai Thruvizha
We celebrate Citterai Thruvizha in Tamilnadu on the previous day of Tamil New Year, which mostly takes place at Meenakshi Temple. Then there is the big exhibition known as Chitterai Prutkaatchi on the auspicious occasion of Tamil New Year. As we, all know that the people in South India are more particular with traditions and celebrate their functions with floral decorations, rangoli, coconuts and fruits, which they believe bring prosperity and all round progress to their families.
Bohag Bihu- New Year of Assam
People know very little about Assamese way of celebrations, as people from Assam do not much like to cross the river Brahmputra that is one of the biggest rivers of India and almost the borderline of Assam. However, the people who have traveled in those parts of the country know about the beauty of the place and its wonderful culture.
For Assamese ‘Bohag Bihu’ is beginning of spring season and the New Year celebrated on April 15 every year. The fact is that Bihu is way of life for people of Assam and celebrated multiple times. Watching them celebrate Bihu is a treat in itself as the dances are so fascinating, which they perform on roads in full public view. People in Assam, wearing new clothes dancing and singing songs known as husuris for days together as the festivals goes on for almost three days.
The Bihu celebrated in stages as the first day the 14April is for cattle and cow known as holy animal for Indians especially Hindus are worshipped with all the traditional values. Women prepare most delicious foods and men do the jobs related to cattle. Next, the main Bihu day that is on 15 April they celebrate for their elders and departed souls with all the traditional ceremonies. Finally, the Gosain Bihu that is reserved for religious activities however, the dancing goes on every day with boys, girls, young ones and elders all participating at the beat of drums and singing sweet Bihu songs. That is one of the most wonderful ways of celebrating the New Year festival in our country I have seen anywhere.
New Year in Goa according to Georgian Calendar
We celebrate New Year's Eve the last day of December with great joy and fun throwing parties for friends and making it a point to invite all our neighbors. Almost every Major place around NCR region have special joints to celebrate the Eve with arrangements like dances, musical groups, dance troops form overseas and dining and drinking to go with the occasion. Some places organize dance competitions for the guests with lucrative gifts to the winners.
I remember a New Year that I celebrated in Goa sailing in a boat on Mandovi River with music going full blast pairs dancing and wine flowing openly. The barbecues catering in one corner of the open area of the deck and with other eateries available throughout made it a big fun ride for two hours. The gifts at the end of the cruise were added attraction of the joy ride of the Eve. The wonderful journey, which started at eight in the evening and ended at ten at the point where it started and the entire duration of two hours, was an experience unforgettable forever. The journey consisted of many newly wedded pairs on that particular ride who made the trip far more attractive with their unique dance styles etc. (Please read inside the lines for your own conclusion)
The traditional way
Traditionally people celebrate the evening with Champagne but any wine is okay as people want to make a toast to commemorate the New Year's Eve and show their joy. As every one knows that, the New Year Eve is the last day before the next year starts according to western calendar, which was brought to our country by the British when they established East India Company here. Although we still have our own Calendars with different New Years according to our own cultures but this occasion celebrated according to International norms.
Although this is not the beginning of financial year that traditionally begins on Diwali day and officially on 1 April through 31 March.
However while celebrations on the occasion of Georgian New Year have become part of our culture and we do celebrate the same the end of the old and beginning of new with all the common ways adopted any where in the world. We find fireworks and crackers occur during the evenings and nights from days before. In fact, these firecrackers start their role right from the Christmas day and go on for until the New Year day.
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