In India, we celebrate the New Year in a special way. The various states have diverse customs and traditions and they celebrate their new-year it differently too.
Ugadi in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh falls in the Chaitra month. It is celebrated by distributing jaggery and neem flowers which is symbolic to sharing both sweet and bitter experiences of life.
Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra also falls in the Chaitra month, and is celebrated by hanging Gudi (bright yellow cloth tied to the tip of a long bamboo and copper pot placed in inverted on it along with a sugar garland) on the right side of entrance of their house .
Baisakhi in Punjab comes in April, is celebrated by performing their folk dance, Bhangra and Gidda and feasting.
Puthandu is the Tamil New Year, which comes in April. It is celebrated by preparing Manga Pachadi a traditional food to ring in their new year.
Bohag Bihu in Assam falls in April and is celebrated by performing the folk dance Bihu and a grand buffet.
Bengali New Year is also known as Pohela Boishakh and they celebrate it with making many sweetmeats.
Bestu Varas in Gujarat is celebrated on the day after Deepavalli. Marwaris in Rajastan also celebrate their new year on Deepavalli.
Vishu the word derived from Vishukkani which means the first object viewed in the morning is celebrated as Malayalam New Year on April 14.
Losoong is the Sikkimese New Year and falls in December at the end of harvesting is celebrated by performing Chham dance.
Navreh in Kashmir in the Chaitra month and Cheti Chand is the Sindhi New Year on the second day of Chaitra month is to honour of the birth of Jhulelal.
All these festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm, faith, joy, belief and happiness. People wear new dress, go to temple to perform special pooja and prepare special delicacies in their houses according to their traditions.
VII, Delhi Public School, Haridwar
