Dubai: Indian expats from various communities on Thursday celebrated their respective festivals marking the start of the traditional New Year with get-togethers, prayers and feasts.
The start of the New Year for many communities coincided with April 14.
The Malayali community, for instance, celebrated Vishu, starting the day with gazing upon an altar at home for prayer.
“When we wake up, we keeps our children’s eyes closed until the first thing they see in the morning is the deity as Vishu is an auspicious day,” said Shilpa Nair, who has been a UAE resident for four decades.
“In fact, we celebrate the New Year with more fanfare here than our home state in Kerala. Celebrations begin a month before and last a month after the day. There are special feats on traditional banana leaves, cultural performances, decorations, etc.”
Meanwhile, the Bengali community marked Poila Boishakh, beginning with sharing the traditional sweet of Rosogola served in a traditional pot.
“We also give Pranam, the traditional way of showing respect to our elders and seeking their blessings. It’s a new beginning and we only wear new clothes on this day,” said Kundan Mukherjeee, a Kathak and Odissi folk dancer and teacher in Dubai.
“We have get-togethers and focus on the positivity of starting a new year. We try not to use anything old on this day to symbolise a fresh start.”
Also celebrating their New Year were the Punjabis, who marked Baisaki (also called Vaisaki) with equal enthusiasm.
“We try to replicate the same atmosphere as found back home during this festival. There are sweets, prayers in the morning, the end of fast celebrations, get-togethers, traditional cuisine specially cooked for the occasion, and merriment,” said Rajesh Bajaj, a sales manager in Abu Dhabi. “We celebrate the New Year with happiness and enlightenment that brings another year of change. As it is linked to the solar year, the occasion is like the dawn of a new sun for us.”
Other communities from the Indian states of Assam and Tamil Nadu also celebrated their New Year. Themes of spring and harvest play a main influence in many of the New Year celebrations marked by various communities in India. Purifying the home and wearing new clothes is also common to many cultures during the day.
