The Hindu New Years
There is no one Indian New Year's Day
Feb 7, 2007 Katrien Vander Straeten
The people of India use around 30 calendars. As a result, they have almost as many New Year’s Days.
In most cases, these are determined by the day the sun transits into the zodiac rashi (rasi) of Mesha (Aries), and event called the Mesha Sankranti. Because the Sanskrit for Aries or Ram, “aja”, means “that which is not born,” the sign is taken to refer to the First Cause: the cause of everything, but itself uncaused. In other words, a perfect, most auspicious new beginning. The belief is that on this day, Lord Brahma began the creation of the universe.
But when that is, depends on which calendar is used (cf. Hindu calendars). Some begin the New Year on the day of the Mesha Sankranti, others start counting on the first day of the month during which it happens. That month can be the lunar month or the solar month, the beginning of which is also subject to variable rules.
For many, New Year’s Day falls on the first day of the lunar month of Chaitra. In the National Indian Calendar, Chaitra begins on 22 March (21 March in a leap year), but in the many more popular religious calendars the first day varies.
- 14 March 2007: Sikh New Year’s Day on the first day of Chet in the Nanakshahi calendar.
- 19-20 March 2007: Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
- 22 March is 1 Chaitra in the official Indian Calendar, but it is ignored by most.
- 30 March: Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra.
For others, the lunar month of Chaitra begins later, around 14 April:
- 10 April: Navreh, the Kashmiri New Lunar Year.
- 14-15 April 2007: Puthandu Vazthukal, the Tamil New Year.
In other calendars, the first lunar month is Baisakh (Chaitra becomes the last month).
- 19 March 2007: the Nepali Nava Varsha on the first day of the month Baisakh according to the solar Bikarami Samvat calendar.
Most of those who count Baisakh as the first month, however, have it begin later:
- 13 April: Baisakhi in Punjab, where peoplefollow the Nanakshahi calendar.
- 14-15 April 2007: Naba Barsha in West Bengal and Pohela Baisakh in Bangladesh.
- 13 April: Rongali Bihu in Assam, where they use the Vaskar calendar, similar to the Bengali one.
Others celebrate around the same time but assign different months:
- 14 April 2007: Pooram Vishu in Kerala, the first day of the month of Medam in the Malayalam calendar.
- 14 April: New Year’s Day in Sri Lanka, called Luth Avurudhy in Sinhala and Puththandu in Tamil, at the beginning of the month of Bak.
In the West of India, New Year’s Day falls much later:
- 9 November: Kartikadi Vikram in Maharashtra and for all Jains, on the first day of the first month of Kartak. This coincides with the fourth day of Deepavali (Diwali), the Festival of Lights that is popular all over India.
- 9 November: Bestu Varas for the Gujaratis.
- 9 November is also the new fiscal year on the stock market.
Are you confused yet?
Related article:
Other Hindu/Indian Festivals and Customs:
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