Various New Year’s Day’s Celebration in India

As per Christian tradition, 1 January celebrated as New Year and India is all set to celebrate this evening in both way, The Goa celebration and other traditional way of celebration. Though India celebrate New Year followed by both solar and lunar calendars system, Most of these new year festivals are celebrated based on Hindu calendar, that’s follow movement of the moon. Culturally rich India has it’s own way to celebrate New Year’s day in different times of the year at different places. Every regions in India follow a different cultures, so traditions of new year’s day celebration also vary.Generally new year is celebrated in different states of India at the time of harvesting of crops, This is the same day which celebrate at other regions of India with different name as Gudi Padwa, Baisakhi, Cheiraoba – Manipur and Diwali – Marwari New Year.

Ugadi – Telugu New Year : 

Ugadi symbolizes beginning of an age, celebrated in the state of Karnataka and Andhra pradesh. This festival fall in the month of March–April (Chaitra month ), date always vary because the Hindu calendar follow a different day every year because the Hindu calendar system. It is the festival of new beginning and time to get new clothes and some good food.

Ugadi - Telgu New Year

Gudi Padwa – Marathi New Year: 

Gudi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of Chaitra month and its a New Year day for Maharashtrians and Konkanis. On this day a gudi is found hanging out on the right side of the main entrance of the houses,  Gudi is a bright yellow cloth tied to the tip of a long bamboo and copper pot placed in inverted on it along with a sugar garland.

Gudi Padwa - Marathi New Year

Baisakhi – Punjabi New Year: 

The biggest harvest festival celebrated across North Indian states, especially in the land of Five river’s Punjab. Usually Baisakhi falls on 13th April, and some time on 14th and also celebrated as the day of the formation of the Sikh Khalsa. The main celebration takes place at the birth place of the Khalsa and at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, at Talwandi Sabo and can be seen in United States, Canada and United Kingdom.

Baisakhi - Punjabi New Year

Puthandu – Tamil New Year: 

The traditional tamil new year starts on mid-April either on 13 or 14 April, or first day of tamil month Chithirai. People wish each other “Puthandu Vazthukal” which means Happy New Year and Chitterai Thiruvizha is celebrated in the Meenakshi Temple Madurai. The main food of this festival is Mangai Pachadi, made of raw mangoes, jaggery and neem flowers.

Puthandu - Tamil New Year

Bohag Bihu – Assamese New Year: 

The spring festival “Bohag Bihu” celebrated in the middle of april as the beginning season of agriculture. The Assamese new year festival bihu is the most important festival of Assam,celebrated by fun and abundance, faith and belief. There are three bihu festivals in Assam, other two are Maagh and Kaati.

Bohag Bihu - Assami New Year

Pohela Boishakh – Bengali New Year: 

The Nabo Barsho of Bengal is celebrated with great deal of enthusiasm and energy during the mid of April. This is the day of cultural programs, shopping, prayers and also considered as auspicious time for marriages. Pohela Boishakh celebrated by tribal people in hilly areas of Tripura and also in cities of other countries.

Pohela Boishakh - Bangali New Year

Bestu Varas – Gujarati New Year: 

Bestu Varas mark the beginning of the harvest season in Gujrat and therefore is observed with great enthusiasm. It is celebrated as Gujarati New Year on the day after Diwali along with religious rituals and traditions. Marwaris of Rajasthan celebrate Diwali as a new year, the most auspicious day to start new things.

Bestu Varas - Gujrati New Year

Vishu – Malayalam New Year: 

Vishu is similar to the New Year festivals observed elsewhere in India, usually on April 14 of the Gregorian calendar. The most important event of the festival is “Vishukkani” means The first object viewed in the morning. It is one of the most popular traditional celebration festival followed by people of Kerala.

Vishu - Malayalam New Year

Losoong – Sikkimese New Year: 

The Losoong is one of the most popular and old age festival of Sikkim, celebrated on month of December. It marks as the end of harvesting season and the New Year for people of Sikkim. Losoong is also known as ‘Sonam Losar’ the farmer’s new year, Chham dance is one of the major attraction of festival.

Lossong - Sikkimese New Year

Navreh – Kashmiri New Year: 

Navreh the lunar new year is celebrated as new year in Kashmir with great enthusiasm and sanctity. It’s fall on first day of Chaitra Navratri and is regarded as sacred in Kashmir as the Shivratri. It is observed as the New Year’s day in other part of India such as Gaudi Parva,Ugadi and cheti Chand the new year day of Sindhi people.

Navrah - Kashmiri New Year

Hijri – Islamic New Year: 

The Islamic year start on the first day of Muharram, Islamic calendar does not align with the Gregorian calendar so the date for Islamic New Year or muharram vary as per lunar calendar. The New Year is celebrated with long standing customs & traditions for incoming spring.

Hijri - Islamic New Year

Cheti Chand – Sindhi New Year: 

Cheti Chand the sindhi new year is celebrated on the second day of the Chaitra month. It is one of the very auspicious day in Sindhi community as they celebrates the festival to honor of the birth of “Jhulelal”.

Cheti Chand -Sindhi New Year

Mount Kailash - Abode of Lord Shiva

Kailash Parvat

This is the name of a mountain peak also called “Mount kailash” in the Gangdise Mountains which is the part of Himalaya Tibet. It is the perfect mountain with awesome beauty, with 4 great faces. It is the source of some of the longest river in the world, the Brahmaputra, Sutlej and The Gange one of the holiest river in India. This is one of the sacred place for Hindu as well as for Buddh. It is considered be the “Abode of Lord Shiva“. In Hinduism Lord Shiva, The destroyer of evil” reside here along with his wife parvati the daughter of Himalaya. Lord Shiva sit here in a state of meditation. It is the most significant peak in the world that has not seen any known climbing attempts. The largest rock cut template is Kailash Temple at Ellora in Maharashtra, it is named after The Mount Kailash.

Kailash Parvat 

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra: 

Every years thousand of peoples make pilgrimage to Kailash, thats called Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. In Hinduism its believe that circumambulating Mount Kailash on foot brings good fortune. The complete path of Mount Kailash is around 52 Km. Some peoples thinks that walk around Kailash should be made in one day. The Great Mountain Kailash is also known as the center of the universe in the Hindu Puranas. South  of Mount Kailash are called Rakastal also known as Ravan Hrid. Because of the border dispute with china, Indians were not allowed to visit Kailash- Mansarovar for nearly two decades. Now only a limited  number  of  people  are allowed to visit. Weather condition can change any time,so be prepare for the worst.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

Top Festival and Fairs of India

India is the land of festival and fairs, each day of year is celebrate as a festival at some part of country. To know India and its different culture and traditions explore the sites with us during these major festivals of states. There are so many major festival in India celebrate on the different point of year at different region some of the famous Indian festival and places are Makar Sankranti in Gujarat Krishna Janmashtami in Mathura and Maha Shivaratri in Varanasi and Deoghar Yatra.

Ganesh Festival - Mumbai

The Mumbai Ganesh festival is celebrated on the auspicious Occasion of birth of  the Lord Ganesha. The elephant headed god Ganesha is a Hindu deity of success,remover of Obstacles and intellect and wisdom. Lord Ganesh is the patron deity of Maharashtra but also worshiped all across India. The 11 days Ganesh Festival is celebrated with a huge pomp and show on the streets of Mumbai, Juhu Chowpatty beach is the popular immersion point in Mumbai. Ganesh Chaturthi usually falls between 20 August and 15 September every year.

Ganesh Visharjan @ Juhu - Mumbai

Durga Puja/Navratri - Kolkata

Navratri, the festival of nine nights dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Shakti.This festival is known as Durga Puja in Kolkata. Durga Puja is the biggest festival of West Bengal state and celebrated for 10 days across the state as well as in country. Kolkata Durga Puja is very famous as thousand of Durga pandals are set up across the streets and adorned with lights. Festival of Durga Puja falls in the month of September-October every year.

Durga Pooja - Kolkata

Kumbh Mela - Allahabad

Kumbh Mela is a the biggest Hindu pilgrimage where Hindus gather from every corner of the world for at the bank of holy rivers Ganges and Godavari for a holy bath for purification from sin.Kumbh Mela is the largest human gathering in the world for a religious purpose. Kumbh Mela is celebrated in every 12 years and attracts around 70 million people around the world, Major attraction of Kumbh Mela is the saints,sadhu,naga sadhus and yogis who live in caves and jungles gather here to bless the people. The Kumbh Mela will start on 27-January-2013 at Allahabad.

Naga baba's at Kuimbh - Allahabad

Carnival - Goa

The state of Goa celebrates its one of the biggest festival of the year, the Goan carnival festival. Carnival at Goa is not stop three days and nights festival of fun,entertainment,song,music and colors. Goa Carnival is one of the most awaited festival and attracts many tourists from all over the world. Konkani dance, Street plays and Grand feast are few major attraction of Goa Carnival festival, It will be starting in February 2013,get ready for food,dance,music and fun.

Goa Carnival

Braj ki Holi - Barsana

Holi is the most popular festival of colors, celebrate by Hindus across the Indian subcontinent. Its a religious spring festival celebrated for the beginning of the new season and a religious purpose of Holika Dahan and Prahlada. The Braj region of India is famous for its 16 days traditional holi celebration,some time Braj Region of Mathura, celebrate Holi for a month and two. Latthmaar Holi of Barsana is the major attractions of the city where women beat up men with sticks.

Lathmar holi in Braj

Bihu Festival - Assam

Bihu is the biggest festival of Indian state Assam, there are three Bihu festival celebrated at the different point of years Bohaag in the middle of April,Maagh in the middle of January and Kaati in the middle of October. The Bohaag is called as Rongali Bihu is the major Bihu celebrated on the occasion of the Assamese New Year. Bihu dance and Bihu folk songs are the major attraction of the festival along with the tribes of Assam.

Bihu Festival - North East India - Assam

Dussehra - Bastar

Dusshera or Vijayadashmi is the most popular Indian festival celebrated on the 10th day of Navratri. Vijayadashmi is celebrated on the marks of victory of good over evil,victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura and Lord Rama over Ravana. Bastar is a district of Chhattisgarh, where the Danteshwari Temple is located, one of the 52 Shakti Peethas in India. Every year during the Dusshera all tribes of Dantewada, Bastar region,surrounding villages and jungles gather at Danteshwari Temple to pay homage to the goddess Danteshwari. Bastar Dussehra festival is one of the most popular tourist attraction of the state.

Dusshera - Vijayadashmi - Batsar

Chhath Puja - Bihar

Chhath Puja is the oldest Hindu festival dedicated to God Sun or Surya, the god of energy and life.The festival is celebrated mostly in Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern region of Uttar Pradesh. Chhath Puja is a four days festival include holy bath,fasting and offering prayer to setting and rising sun. Its unique religious and the most respectable festival in state of Bihar. Chhath Puja will be celebrating on the month of November in 2013.

Chhath Pooja - Bihar

Jagannath Rath Yatra - Puri

The Festival of Chariots of Lord Jagannatha, held every year at Puri in the tribal state of Orissa. The 10 day’s ratha yatra is commemorates Lord Jagannath’s, annual visit to Gundicha mata’s temple a short distance away. Thousands of pilgrims come to Puri during the festival with an desire to help pull Lords chariot with ropes. This is the only day when devotees who are not allowed in the temple premises such as non-Hindus and foreigners, can get their glimpse of the deities.

Jagannath Rath Yatra - Puri - Orrisa

Sabarimala Temple - Kerala

The Grand festival of Sabarimala Temple is celebrated in honor of Lord Ayyapa, Sabarimala is located in the Pathanamthitta District in Kerala at Western Ghat mountain ranges. Sabarimala Temple Festival is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world with 45–50 million devotees per year. The Hindu God Ayyappan worship only during the days of Mandalapooja one of days between November 15 to December 26.

Sabrimala Temple - Kerala