In India, the New Year arrives with the onset of the Festival of Lights, known
as Deepawali or Diwali. It marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. This
festival is celebrated with a great zeal, enthusiasm and joy throughout the
country. Diwali signifies the victory of good over evil, in Hindu religion. It
is celebrated in different ways in different regions of India and is the biggest
Hindu festival in the country. People worship the deities, distribute sweets and
burst crackers on this day and relatives visit each other to give best wishes
for Diwali. However, the celebrations have a deep religious history, based on
Hindu mythology.
In major parts of North India, it is believed that Diwali is celebrated to mark
Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya, after slaying the demon king Ravana. It is widely
believed that the people of Ayodhya lit small earthenware lamps to light up the
streets of the town and this tradition has been kept alive till now. Diwali is
usually celebrated during the months of October-November. In the east, the
festival is devoted to Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and also to Goddess
Kali, a reincarnation of Lakshmi. The festival is famously known as 'Durga Puja'
in East India. The festivities in the east extend to two to three days.
In South India, New Year falls in the month of "Chittirai", which lasts from
April 14 to May 14. New Year is usually celebrated on the 14th of April and is
popularly known as "Vishu" and "Tamizh puthaandu". The day begins with an
elaborate puja of household articles, ranging from food and clothes to gold
jewelry. An elaborate feast is prepared and the entrances of homes are decorated
with flowers and the traditional 'rangolis' called "kolam". Celebrators also
offer home made snacks to the guests and visitors.
In Maharashtra, locals celebrate Gudi Padwa as the New Year, while in Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka, it is known as Ugadi. The timing of Ugadi and Gudi Padwa
celebrations is the same i.e. the month of Chaitra. In Kashmir, the lunar New
Year is known by the name of 'Navroh'. The celebrations coincide with the first
day of Chaitra. In Orissa, New Year is celebrated as Mahabishuba Sankranti. On
this day, Oriya people offer a sweet drink, known as Pana, to the holy plant
Tulsi, Lord Shiva and other deities. While customs and traditions of New Year
may vary across the various parts of the country, the basic essence behind
celebrating the New Year remains the same.
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