NEW YEAR DAYS

Nau Roz - Kashmiri New Year's Day falls in March/April. It's a day of general festivity and rejoicing throughout the state.

Goru Bihu (Assam) - The Goru Bihu or the cattle festival is celebrated on the Hindu New Year's Day(April/ May). Cattle are washed and decorated. They are smeared with turmeric and are treated to gur (jaggery) and brinjals.

Baisakhi (April/ May) - Baisakhi or Vaisakhi is the first day of the month of Vaisakha - the beginning of the Hindu year in some parts of the country. A holy bath in a river, tank or well is an important feature of the day's observance. For the Sikhs in Punjab and other parts of the country, this day has a particular significance, as it was on this day in 1699 that Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa.

Naba Barsha (April 14)- The Bengali New Year's Day begin with prabhat pheries (early morning processions), songs and dance to welcome the New Year. A dip in a river or tank is another essential feature of the day's ritual. With powdered rice, the house-wife makes beautiful designs called alpana on the floor.

Gudi Padva (March/April) - This is the New Year's Day for the people of Maharashtra, a day of great festivity and rejoicing.

Ugadi (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh & Maharashtra | March/April) - Telugu New Year's Day marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in the moon's orbit. It is a day when mantras are chanted and predictions made for the new year. Traditionally, the panchangasravanam or listening to the yearly calendar was done at the temples or at the Town square.

Puthandu - On the Tamil New Year's Day, a big Car Festival is held at Tiruvadamarudur near Kumbakonam. Festivals are also held at Tiruchirapalli, Kanchipuram and many other places.

Vishu (April/ May) - Keralites celebrate Vishu, the new year of the Malayalam calendar. It is characterised in Malayali homes, by the 'first sighting' (Vishukkani) of auspicious articles ceremoniously placed before a lamp. Elders give cash presents to dependents and relatives younger to them. This is called Kayneettam (extending the hand).