How is New Year celebrated in India? New Year in India - how to celebrate four times How to congratulate a Happy New Year in India

New Year in India Celebrate just like everywhere else in the world. Since the country is Hindu, for the most part of its population, its celebration falls, according to Hindu canons, at the beginning of March. It's called a celebration Gudi Padva. But the number of the celebration is not constant, it changes. Depending on the lunar calendar. Since India is a very multiethnic country, Indians enjoy celebrating the new year with all the concessions residing in India. Each state celebrates the new year according to their custom. Therefore, moving from state to state, you can meet the same year several times. But all this does not mean at all that the Indians do not celebrate the new year in the Christian style.

Firstly, the centuries they spent under the yoke of the Catholic Church did not pass without a trace and many residents celebrate Catholic Christmas.

Secondly, close business contacts, with the Christian world, make their own adjustments.

Thirdly, and this is the main thing, Indians in general are very fond of holidays and would be happy to celebrate the new year even more often. True, for Europeans it looks rather strange their way of walking. Indians first sing and dance, and only then sit down at the table. At the same time, very little alcohol is consumed. They just have fun, and do not indulge in drunkenness and gluttony. Perhaps it would be worth adopting this custom from them.

Already from the middle of summer, travel companies are actively starting to sell New Year's tours to coastal resorts. December and January are the best time to visit Goa, Kerel or Andoman Islands. At this time, the temperature on the coast fluctuates between twenty-eight and thirty degrees Celsius. The warm sea is a testament to plunge into its gentle waters. There is a very large community of Russians in Goa. Naturally, they all celebrate the new year with our scope. Therefore, it is quite predictable that all the beaches will be clogged with our compatriots dancing around palm trees. Nightlife in the resorts of Goa is already quite active, and in new year's eve it's just a firework of colors and fun. With a great love of Indians for all kinds of celebrations, they are simply not able to pass by such an opportunity to have fun with all their hearts.

Adding local flavor to the celebration of the new year. Because there are twenty-eight states in India. Each state celebrates the New Year according to its own calendar, and their celebration lasts from the beginning of March to the end of April. It can be assumed that India is the country where this holiday is celebrated the longest. However, this does not prevent them from moving firmly towards economic recovery. Great amount different peoples spawned different traditions celebration of this holiday. Different states celebrate in their own way. Perhaps, one thing unites all the holidays - this is the love of Indians for flower decorations. new year celebrations also can't do without it. They just use different colors and color combinations in different places.

Holi is the festival of the arrival of spring in India

It is also called festival of colors in India. Traditional indian holiday very beautiful and bright. After winter, with its faded colors, you really want something bright and unusual, so the Indians came up with such a holiday. goes back centuries. Hindus use special, powder paints, which they paint themselves and shower everyone around with this powder. It looks like a big fireworks display, only taking place in the light of the sun. Very quickly all people become like big laughing flowers. They also sing and dance merrily.

There is nothing like it anywhere in the world. Among other things, getting these powder paints on the skin and in the lungs helps to increase immunity. After the winter, this is not at all superfluous for a weakened body. So the one who came up with this holiday. Came up like early spring, on a voluntary basis. The main thing is mass, you can carry out a general vaccination. Which, given India's population density, is a very wise thing to do. So whoever came up with this holiday, he was a very wise man. The holiday has no fixed date. It is tied to the full moon. IN different years celebrated in different time. This year, festival of colors in india came on the nineteenth of March. Any residents of the country can take part in the holiday, without age and gender restrictions. During the celebration, a special drink is brewed and served, where not only a large number of hashish.

Everyone comes to the holiday with their own set of paints of their favorite colors. Therefore, you need to dress as simply as possible, And given the ambient temperature, and as little as possible. True, you have to be respectful. The police look after this very strictly and do not allow liberties. Tourists are explained the rules of conduct in advance in order to prevent embarrassment. This colorful, cheerful holiday usually ends with general dances and songs. Watching Indian films, we are often surprised by their constant singing and dancing. But in fact, this is practically the case. Indians really sing and dance a lot.

Indians are a cheerful nation, more:.

Holidays in India

India is a very populous state with people of different faiths living in it. And every nation has many holidays. All of them have the right to celebrate important events according to their beliefs. Each state has its own holiday calendar. It is strictly observed. There are, of course, general state celebrations, but more of various religious ones. Hindus celebrate the passage of all phases of the moon, as they use the lunar calendar most of all. The harvest is celebrated, the victory of the beaver over evil is celebrated. Many holidays in india have their own tantric, philosophical meaning and have come into modern life from time immemorial. It is sometimes quite strange to watch these celebrations from the sidelines.

Tourists often take it as some kind of staged action. But Hindus are very serious about all this, very carefully observe the ancient traditions. Very carefully prepared for any holiday. Usually, all of them are accompanied by decorations from a huge number of flowers. General festivities with singing and dancing. At the same time, strong drinks are almost not consumed. Especially if the holiday takes place in the province. To intoxicate the brain with alcohol is considered a disease here. The elders look at this very strictly and can punish very severely. Holidays in India look very interesting, especially for Europeans.

New Year in India, video:

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cold warm new year

Are you sure that the New Year comes on January 1st? Then we can surprise you. In India, the beginning of the year is celebrated at least four times. And every time bright, fun and on a grand scale.


Festive fireworks in India amaze with their splendor

Four New Years. And this is the minimum

In India, many cultures and religions, beliefs and rituals intersect. Add ten to that. official calendars, and then you will appreciate the scale and diversity of only one holiday.


There are many holidays in India. Almost every day something is celebrated somewhere in the country

So, the New Year in the homes of most Hindus comes on such dates:

  • traditional Western New Year, January 1
  • Lori holiday is celebrated in North India on January 13-14
  • New Year's Eve lunar calendar falls on different dates, usually in late March - early April
  • Autumn New Year is celebrated in October

Thanks to the climate, decorating a house with fresh flowers is not burdensome for family budget
Adults do not refuse such a set of holiday sweets

Berian instead of Olivier on January 1

Gradually, Western traditions of meeting the beginning of the year penetrate into India. January 1 is most solemnly celebrated in those regions where Catholics and Christians live. Here everything is traditional, adjusted for the hot climate.


Holidays and festivals are a great opportunity to earn

Instead of a Christmas tree in India, they decorate a mango tree. He is dressed up homemade toys, sweets. Bright carnivals, competitions, fairs are held on the streets of cities. The inhabitants of the country decorate themselves with flowers. But on the table is an obligatory dish - beriane, or, in our opinion, pilaf. Moreover, it is believed that the sharper the treats on festive table the better next year will be.


Beryane can be vegetarian, but always spicy and spicy

As gifts "under the Christmas tree" you can present sweets, nuts. And of course, the beginning of the year must be met in good mood. This will ensure success in the coming year.


India is a multicultural, multiethnic and multireligious country

cold warm new year

While in our latitudes they are preparing for the meeting of the Old New Year, on January 13, the Lori holiday is celebrated in the Northern regions of India. It is believed that this is the coldest day of the year, when the Indians begin to see off the "harsh" Indian winter. During the festival, bonfires are lit. People around them perform parikrama. After the holiday, corn and baked rice are always prepared. When the sun goes down, the inhabitants will start burning a scarecrow - a symbol of the outgoing year.


To appease the gods, rice, sesame and sugarcane stalks are thrown into the fire.

But in the morning comes "children's time." Girls and boys run around the neighboring houses and sing songs for which they receive sweet gifts or money. Another symbol of Lori is the traditional Punjabi dance Bhangra. Only men are allowed to perform it.


Bhangra is danced only by men.
Living fire in the houses of Indians burns day and night

Where to celebrate the New Year in the spring?

In most states of India, the spring New Year is considered the main one. In some states, the beginning of the year is celebrated on the vernal equinox, March 21, while others celebrate the beginning of the year in April. This is due to the floating dates of the lunar calendar.


Sikhs have been celebrating this day since 1699.

The holiday itself has different names - Ugadi, Vishu, Vaisakhi. This celebration has its own traditions. For example, start the year with a celebration. For this, women prepare a special delicacy for their pets. Another ritual of this day is to present gifts to poor relatives.


Boy chanting at the annual Sikh parade

Have fun celebrating the beginning of the year and on the streets. Hindus try to celebrate the New Year in new clothes, actively demonstrating their dance and vocal talents. But the material for traditional holiday dresses are banana leaves.


There are no less excellent male dancers among ordinary Indians than women

Mass festivities are held on a grand scale: they jump over the fire and fly kites. Another favorite tradition is to “decorate” each other with colored powder or paint. But the inhabitants of Bengal must definitely swim in the river, so you can wash off all the "one-year" sins.


Ritual bathing on a festive day is sought by every Indian

Do not wait for winter - a holiday in October

In some states of India, the New Year comes in October. Diwali begins at this time of the year. This holiday symbolizes the victory of light forces and goodness. And so the October New Year is especially bright. Lanterns and candles are lit in the streets, and even the Ganges "burns" from the light of floating lights.


NASA photo: India from space on a normal day and in Diwali
In India, any holiday is not only fun, but also prayer and meditation.

Diwali is celebrated for five days. During the festival, Hindus glorify the goddess of fertility Lakshmi. "Autumn" New Year is a home celebration. Therefore, many Indians tend to come home from work and celebrate the holiday among a large family.


One of the main desserts of the festival is besan ladu

So if you adore festive atmosphere, you can safely come to India, the most New Year's country in the world. New Year is celebrated here four times a year. And this is not the limit!

Lakshmi- the goddess of abundance, prosperity, good luck and happiness born from a golden lotus. Protects from misfortune and poverty.

parikrama- Tibetan name - bark. So the Hindus and Buddhists call the ritual detour around the shrine.

India holds the record for the number of New Year celebrations in calendar year. Christians celebrate it on January 1, Muslims celebrate it on the first day of the month of Muharram (according to the Islamic calendar). Some residents of the country celebrate it in late October - early November, on the day of Diwali. The traditional Indian year begins on March 21-22, on the first day of the month of Chaitra. Each state of the country has its own indigenous traditions and celebration dates: March 10 - in Kashmir, March 26 - in Andhra Pradesh, April 13 - in West Bengal, April 14 - in Tamil Nadu.

New Year January 1

The tradition of celebrating the New Year on the night of December 31 to January 1, as in most countries of the world, entered India from Western European culture in the 20th century. The spirit of this holiday can be felt in the major cities of the country. Settlements of the Indian hinterland do not mark this date.

The most popular place for celebrating the New Year among Indian youth and guests of the country is the southwestern state of Goa. Mass festivities, parties and an electronic music festival are held on the shores of the Arabian Sea on New Year's Eve.

Traditions and rituals

New Year on January 1 in India is a young holiday. It has no established traditions. It intertwined elements of borrowed European culture and national color. Each state has its own celebration.

On the eve of the New Year, the Indians put things in order in their homes, get rid of old clothes and rubbish. Picking up someone else's discarded things is a bad omen.

Residents of some parts of India paint their skin with henna patterns that can attract happiness and good luck for the whole year.

Hindus put on new festive clothes and decorate them with fresh flowers of pink, white, red and purple.

Residents of the country of the older generation prefer to spend the holiday in the family circle at a modest table. Women try to be close to their husbands. Young people take to the streets and squares, participate in carnivals, parties and open-air theatrical performances. At midnight, the sky flares up with bright fireworks, bells ring in the temples. In port cities: Mumbai, Calcutta, Cochin, Madras on January 1 at 00.00 sirens on ships and motor ships solemnly announce the New Year.

On the first day of the coming year, Hindus are forbidden to argue, take on debts, or be in a bad mood. They believe that as you celebrate the new year, so it will pass. On January 1, they always go to temples and in prayer ask the gods for blessings for the next year.

New Year decoration

In the big cities of India new Year decoration made in European style. In apartments, houses, shopping malls and elegant artificial Christmas trees are set up in the squares, fairs and bazaars are unfolding. The streets are flashing festive garlands. Sometimes Indians dress up local exotic trees (palms or mango trees).

Locals decorate their houses magnificently and brightly. The national flavor can be traced in the drawings with which the housewives paint their homes. Patterns symbolize success and prosperity. They decorate the outside of their houses with banana leaves. Burning candles and lanterns are placed on the roofs.

New Year's table

In most Indian families, a modest table is set. Distinctive feature New Year's dishes of this country are a large number of spices and spices that symbolize diversity and abundance. Descendants of some ancient tribes avoid fish and meat dishes. They are afraid to anger the gods by eating the meat of a slain living creature for food.

Traditional Hindu New Year dishes: biryani - rice with vegetables, meat and spices, sabji - vegetable stew with curry, pickuli - vegetables and fruits marinated in mustard oil, chapatis - bread cakes, samosas - fried pies stuffed with cheese, meat or vegetable

There are national sweets on the festive table: bhuni hi chinni ka halava - semolina pudding, sweet rice with cardamom and nuts, burfi - milk fudge, rasagula - cottage cheese cakes in sweet syrup.

Present

By the New Year, Hindus give their close relatives and friends symbolic gifts in the form of baskets of fruits, nuts and natural flowers.

On the first morning of the year, mothers prepare large trays of fresh fruits, sweets, and flower buds as gifts for their children. Both in poor and rich families, mothers try to make the tray for the child beautiful and memorable. When a couple of sweets and one fruit lie on it, they lay out magnificent compositions of flowers that delight the kids.

Cities and resorts

New Year holidays in India will bring pleasure and positive emotions.

In this country there is a world-famous symbol of love - the mausoleum of the beloved emperor Shah Jahan Taj Mahal. This historical and architectural monument is located near the city of Agra. The palace is built of snow-white marble and impresses with the luxury of its interior decoration. The walls of the Taj Mahal are inlaid precious stones and pearls. There is a beautiful park around the mausoleum.

Tourists who decide to soak up the beaches of Goa can combine relaxation with sightseeing of natural attractions. The highest waterfall in the Western Ghats is Dudhsagar. Its name is translated into Russian as "Sea of ​​Milk". Falling from a height of 310 meters, the water scatters into many sprays that appear white and are a mesmerizing sight.

Not far from the capital of the state of Goa - the city of Panjim - is the Bondla nature reserve. Rivers flow through its territory, which form waterfalls. The zoo has a collection of exotic species and a center for the care of injured animals. In the arboretum, you can get acquainted with exotic species of animals. On the territory of the reserve, you can ride an elephant or rent a car for a comfortable trip.

The market in the city of Anjuna is popular among tourists. It occupies a huge commercial area. On the market for affordable prices you can find souvenirs, jewelry, handicrafts. Experienced tourists bargain with the owner of the goods before buying, which helps to reduce the cost several times.

Pilgrims and curious travelers from all over the world are attracted by the Virupaksha temple complex in the settlement of Hampi in southern India. It consists of the well-preserved main temple of Pampapathy and additional buildings. In the temple they amaze ancient beauty majestic columns, statues of mythical animals, ancient paintings and frescoes.

A holiday familiar to Europe on the night of January 1 in India began to be celebrated relatively recently. Basically, such a New Year is celebrated in large cities. It is considered secular, devoid of a religious basis, therefore, together with new date European traditions of celebration have also taken root here. Corporate parties are held at enterprises, young people have fun all night in cafes, restaurants and on the streets.

Despite the innovations, there is still no single New Year in India. This is due to the same multinationality and diversity of religions. Ancient traditions are still honored here and folk holidays, but in different parts of the state - in their own way. Each of them has its own separate date, which is a starting point and symbolizes the beginning of the next year. It is these celebrations that are considered by the majority of the population to be the “real” New Year.

Months and dates for the holidays are not taken at random - they have a historical and religious background. If we take into account that in different provinces the same celebration falls on different dates, then there will be about a dozen New Years in total.

Here are the most popular:

  • Lori - falls on January 13-14 and symbolizes the end of winter. It is celebrated in the north of the country.
  • Vishu, Gudi Padva or Ugadi is the New Year celebrated by adherents of Hinduism, so it is common in many parts of the state, but most of all in the south. The date of the holiday is determined by the lunar calendar. In some provinces, it coincides with the day of the spring solstice, and this is March 20-22. Where the Gregorian calendar is followed, Gudi Padva is celebrated in mid-April.

Attention! If you happen to be passing through Kashmir in early spring, get ready to celebrate Wisha for a whole month starting March 10th.

  • Waisaki - in fact, this is the same holiday of Vishu, it is celebrated in mid-April. But under this name it is common in the northwestern state of Punjab, among the Sikhs inhabiting it.
  • Bohag Bihu is the New Year holiday of the Assamese who live in eastern India. The celebration falls on April 15, and its first day is called Mount Bihu, which translates as "Festival of Cows."
  • Diwali is one of the main holidays in India, which many call the "autumn New Year". It is celebrated in late October - early November in different parts of the country.

India is also amazing in that one state can be visited in the past, present and future. This is due to the fact that there are several systems of reckoning in the country. One of the most popular calendars here is Samvat. The upcoming 2017 according to him is 2074-2075. The Gregorian calendar is also common, and the publishers of many magazines and books are guided by it. But according to the Unified National Calendar, adopted more than half a century ago in order to streamline the chronology, 1939 will soon come in India.

Traditions and customs of the Indian New Year holiday

Although all celebrations have different traditions and rituals, they are celebrated brightly, cheerfully, and on an unprecedented scale. No wonder in India itself big holidays called festivals. If the family prefers a quiet dinner with family and friends, then vegetarian dishes flavored with spicy spices are usually put on the table. The local population believes that the more spices, the happier and more joyful the coming year will be. The traditional New Year dish here is rice with vegetables.

Getting rid of old things is a custom that is common not only in Italy, but also in India. Clothes and shoes fly out of the windows, as well as furniture and other household items.

Attention! Walking under the windows at this time is dangerous!

In some Indian states, outdated wardrobes are burned, in others they are simply thrown away. It is better not to lift other people's things - it is believed that this is a failure.

In southern India, this tradition is popular: mothers put gifts, fruits and sweets for their children on a special tray. In the morning, on the first day of the coming year, kids are brought to him. So that the child does not see ahead of time what is prepared for him, he must sit with his eyes closed and patiently wait for his turn.

Residents of the northern states celebrate the New Year by decorating themselves with flowers - white, purple, pink, red, and orange dominates in the central part of the country. During the day, you can see bright flags of this shade everywhere, and at night you can admire the flickering lights on the roofs.

Another rite that is common in Central India is the burning of an effigy or dressed up tree. Role Christmas tree it is not a coniferous plant that plays here, but a mango or a banana. On the days of the festivities, you can see costumed carnival processions, take part in competitions where the best archer is determined. Right on the streets, actors of folk theaters show episodes from the Indian epic and skits telling about the life of the gods. And also in new year holidays Indians love to fly kites into the sky. People believe that if you make a wish during the launch, it will surely come true.

There are also special traditions that are typical for specific holidays:

  • Lori is something between Maslenitsa and the Old New Year: during the holiday, a fire is kindled, and in the morning children go around the house, sing songs and demand a “ransom” (money or sweets);
  • Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated by lighting many lanterns. Also these days they try to please the goddess of wealth Lakshmi: they pray to her and bring milk with coins dropped into it;
  • on the day of Gudi Padva, you can see village houses covered with cow dung. And the festive meal is not complete without the bitter leaves of the neem tree: by eating them, the Indians hope for health and well-being.

Walking on coals, jumping over a fire, religious dances - all these traditions also accompany the celebration of the New Year in India. If you want something not authentic, but modern, it is better to go to Goa. This popular one offers guests a sea of ​​​​electronic music, many discos and acquaintance with tourists from different countries. But in any case, regardless of time and place, the New Year in India is always a bright, unforgettable event, a holiday that, in the diversity of its traditions, certainly does not resemble any other.

Traditions of celebrating the new year in India: video

India is an ancient country that attracts tourists from all over the world. Everyone comes here hoping to find something of their own: someone dreams of the luxury of Bollywood, someone in search of spiritual balance studies ancient practices in ashvems, someone is attracted by nature's generous colors. But India always leaves a mark on the soul of everyone who was familiar with it. Most tourists come in the winter months - at this time it is the height of the season. To meet the New Year on the shores of the Indian Ocean is a real exotic. So what is he indian new year?

Let's begin with New Year in India it is celebrated more than once, but all because several calendars operate here at once: there are about ten official ones alone. And each of them has its own chronology, and therefore, a starting point.

So, Indians celebrate the new year in March, September, November. But don't worry: India was once a colony of the British, who introduced the Gregorian calendar. It is still in effect, so if you want to celebrate the New Year traditionally on December 31, you will meet it with all honors, albeit somewhat exotic ones.

Hindus love holidays no less than us and they are thoroughly preparing for the New Year. Be sure to dress up a cow, decorate your home with paper lanterns and homemade stars, and some even manage to find a miniature artificial Christmas tree- after all, a European holiday and some attributes are firmly entrenched here. Most best gift is a basket filled with fruits, sweets and nuts. Not a single feast passes without a national dish - beriane, similar to our pilaf.

The inhabitants of northern India adorn themselves with flowers - pink, red, purple or white. The streets in the central part of the country are full of orange flags, which are hung on almost every building. With the onset of darkness, lights are lit everywhere, and on New Year's Eve in the city square, local residents burn an effigy - thereby seeing off the outgoing year.

On March 21, on the day of the vernal equinox, Hindus celebrate another New Year - Vishu. The custom of giving gifts is interesting: the rich congratulate their poor relatives, and they, in turn, gratefully accept the gifts, giving nothing in return. Also on this day, it is customary to guess in the Ramayana - opening the pages at random, reading the verses that come across. Celebrations are noisy: Hindus take to the streets in new clothes, perform traditional songs and dances. In some villages, residents put on skirts made of banana leaves and masks, perform a ritual, thereby attracting good luck and expressing gratitude to God Krishna.

The classic for us New Year and Vishnu are the most popular options, but some groups of the population have their own New Year holidays. Thus, Punjabis celebrate the New Year in June, and Bengalis - in April. On the first day of the coming year, all the inhabitants of Bengal necessarily bathe in the river, washing away the sins accumulated over the previous period.

If you find yourself on New Year in India, be sure to visit the Taj Mahal - a mausoleum-mosque built by a descendant of Tamerlane in memory of his deceased wife. In addition, the Taj Mahal is included in the list of seven wonders of the world. No less interesting excursion to the holy city of Varanasi, located on the banks of the Ganges River. This is one of the oldest cities on earth, where you can see the mass bathing of pilgrims in the Ganges and the sunrise against the backdrop of centuries-old temples. You can also go to the village of Hampi in Goa, which is an important Hindu center and where there are many monuments of Hindu culture. The Ajanta caves will also amaze the imagination, they appeared in the second millennium BC and have been perfectly preserved to this day.

Christmas holidays spent in India will give a lot of vivid impressions and colorful photographs, will allow you to understand the ancient culture of the Indian people, imbued with its originality and philosophy. And for sure, India will again call you to itself, because, having let this country into your soul, you will never forget it.