10 New Year festivals India celebrates across the year

Puthandu, or Puthuvarusham is the Tamil New Year, the first day of the month Chithirai on the Tamil calendar. On this day, Tamil people greet each other by saying "Puthaaṇdu vaazhthugal. People prepare by cleaning the house the night before. They believe that for a new beginning, the old negativity must be thrown out first. The festival morning begins with a ritual called 'Kanni' i.e. ‘auspicious sight’.

Poila Boishakh is the Bengali New Year. Boishakh is the first month of the Bengali calendar, and Poila stands for First. So, Poila Boishakh literally means the first day of the month of Boishakh, thus, marking the beginning of a new year. People greet each other saying, Shubho Noboborsho where Naba means New and Barsho mean Year, together means New Year.

Vishu – Malayalam New Year. In Sanskrit language 'Vishu' means 'equal'. The festival of Vishu heralds the beginning of the Malayalee New Year and the festival is celebrated in a big way in Kerala and the adjoining areas of Tamil Nadu. This festival signifies prosperity and is a festival of harvest. The most important event of the festival is “Vishukkani” means the first object viewed in the morning. It is one of the most popular traditional celebration festival followed by people of Kerala.

Bohaag Bihu the most important festival of Assam, celebrates both the beginning of a new year and the harvesting season. It is usually celebrated with much fanfare by the Ahomiyas (natives of Assam). They seek the blessings of the almighty for a prosperous year while farmers extend gratitude for a good harvest.

Baisakhi or Vaisakhi is a spring harvest festival for Sikhs and Hindus. It marks the Sikh new year and commemorates the formation of Khalsa panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Vaisakhi is also an ancient festival of Hindus, marking the Solar New Year and also celebrating the spring harvest.

Gudi Padwa – Marathi New Year. The phrase “Gudi Padwa” is coined from two words—Gudi meaning Brahma’s flag and Padwa, Padva or Paddava meaning the first day of the bright phase of the moon. Predominantly celebrated in the state of Maharashtra, Gudi Padwa marks the beginning of the harvest season. The day is celebrated as New Year’s Day for the people of Maharashtra, as per the lunisolar Hindu calendar.

Losoong – Sikkimese New Year. Losoong is a traditional festival of the Bhutias, but the Lepchas also celebrate it and call it Namsoong. The festival has been adapted from the traditions and rituals of the Tibetan New Year 'Losar’. The festival is organised at the Phodong and Rumtek Monasteries in Sikkim.

Ugadi – Telugu New Year. Ugadi ushers in a celebratory mood in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. For the people of these states, Ugadi symbolises the beginning of the New Year as per the Hindu calendar. It is an occasion that is traditionally celebrated with day-long festivities. People undertake new ventures during Ugadi as it is considered to be an auspicious time for doing so.

Vishua Sankranti in Orissa. Maha Vishuba Sankranti is the traditional new year day festival of Buddhists and Hindus in Odisha. The festival falls on the first day of the traditional solar month of Mesha, identical to the purnimanta system of lunar month Baisakh (the 24th day of Chaitra).

Navreh – Kashmiri New Year. The word 'Navreh' is derived from Sanskrit 'Nava Varsha' meaning the New Year. Kashmiri Pandits celebrate their New Year's Day, Navreh, on the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Chaitra. On the eve of Navreh, which falls on Amavasya or the last night of the dark fortnight, they keep a thali filled with rice, a cup of curds, a bread, cooked rice, some walnuts, an inkpot and a pen, a silver coin and the Panchanga of the New Year, as the first thing to be seen at the Brahma Muhurta or the wee hours.