New Year Festivals in India: Vaisakhi, Vishu, Bishub, Bahag Bihu, Gudi Padwa, Puthandu

Context

The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu extended warm wishes on the eve of Vaisakhi, Vishu, Bishub, Bahag Bihu, Poila Boishakh, Vaishakhadi and Puthandu.  

• These traditional festivals mark the beginning of the new year in different states in India. 

List of New Year Festivals in India

Here is a list of traditional “New Year Festivals in India”; 

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• Vaisakhi: 

  • Celebration: Vaishakhadi is celebrated in Punjab for the Punjabi New Year.
  • Community: Sikhs community. 
  • Historical Significance: It commemorates the formation of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699.
  • Harvest Celebration: Additionally, it serves as a harvest festival, rejoicing over the readiness of crops for harvesting.
  • Traditional Customs: During Vaishakhadi, people visit gurdwaras, participate in processions called Nagar Kirtan, and indulge in traditional Punjabi music and dance like Bhangra and Gidda.

• Vishu:

  • Celebration: Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated as the New Year Day in Kerala.
  • Deities: On Vishu day, people worship Vishnu and his incarnation, Krishna.
  • Timing: Typically, Vishu falls in the month of April.

• Bishub (Pohela Boishakh):

  • Celebration: It is Celebrated on the first day of the Bengali calendar.
  • Significance: It Marks the start of the Bengali New Year. 
    • It is also known as Poila Boishakh.
  • State: This festival is celebrated in West Bengal and Bangladesh.
  • Activities: Cities host fairs where people greet each other with “Shubho Nobobarsho.”
  • Special Dish: Panta Ilish (fermented rice with hilsa fish) is a special dish for this occasion.

• Bahag Bihu:

  • Timing: This festival is celebrated around mid-April. 
  • It’s Assam’s harvest festival and also marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year.
  • Types of Bihu: There are three types of Bihu: 
    • Rongali or Bohag Bihu in April 
    • Kongali or Kati Bihu in October or November
    • Bhogali or Magh Bihu in January.
  • Celebrations: Bihu dance performances, feasting, and community gatherings are common.   
  • Meji Tradition: To signal the end of the harvest season, people light bonfires called Meji.

• Gudi Padwa:

  • Celebration: This festival is Celebrated in Maharashtra by Marathi and Konkani Hindu people.
  • Other Name: Samvatsar Padvo.
  • Significance:It marks the beginning of the Hindu solar year.
    • It is also the first day of the bright phase of the moon. 
  • Date: It occurs on the initial day of the Hindu month of Chaitra.
  • Rituals: People take a holy bath, visit temples, and exchange greetings.
  • Deity worship: Lord Brahma
  • Gudi (a decorated pole) is hoisted outside homes.
    • Gudi Dvaja: This special setup includes a cloth, often a saree or dhoti, adorned with flowers, mango leaves, and neem leaves.

• Puthandu (Tamil New Year):

• • Timing: It marks the start of Tamil Nadu’s New Year, usually in mid-April.
  • Significance: The first day of the year on the Tamil calendar is celebrated as a festival by Tamil people worldwide.
  • Traditions: People make Kolam, intricate floor designs, cook a special dish called Mango Pachadi, and visit temples.

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