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Start the dawn of the New Year on
an auspicious note, worshipping God
and Goddesses, invoking their blessings.
Visit nearby temple and offer garland
of flowers, fruits and vermilion.
Recite prayers, chant mantras and
send your New Year wishes to dear
ones. As we all are embracing and
discriminating against one another,
New Year is the perfect time to step
in for a fresh start, seeking the
blessings of Lord to bestow on us
happiness, peace, and prosperity.
Hindus celebrate New Year in different
parts of the country with same festive
and religious fervor.
Bengali New Year
Joyful and culturally rich people
of Bengal, celebrate 'Poila Baisakhi'
by dutifully performing set of customs
and traditions. Early in the morning,
Bengalis take out processions known
as 'Prabhat Pheries'. Many devotees
take dip in nearby river to mark the
occasion. They worship Lord Ganesha
and Goddess Laxmi, deity of wealth
to pray for wealth and prosperity.
Tamil New Year
Tamilians celebrates the beginning
of Dravidian New Year with traditional
enthusiasm and pray, thanks to God
for prosperity bestowed on them throughout
the year. They believe that Lord Brahma-
the God of creation began creating
the world on this day. Hoards of devotees
visits temple to propitiate Hindu
deities. Endless queues of devotees
can be seen outside Meenakshi temple
in Madurai, Manakkula Vinayagar Temple
in Puducherry.
Telgu New Year
Tamil New Year or 'Ugadi' is marked
by zeal and social merriment. People
offer prayers to Sun and visit temples.
On this day mantras are chanted and
predictions are made for New Year.
The important part of the festivity
is 'Panchanga Shravanam' - hearing
of the Panchanga. The priests read
Panchanga at the temples. Before reading
out the annual forecasts, the officiating
priest reminds the devotees of the
creator - Lord Brahma.
Maharashtra New Year
Gudi Padwa marks the beginning of
'vasant' or spring. 'Gudi' prominently
hangs outside traditional Maharashtrian
households. A 'gudi' is a pole on
top of, which an upturned brass or
silver pot called a 'kalash' is placed.
It is covered with a colorful silk
cloth and decorated with coconuts,
marigolds and mango leaves symbolizing
nature's bounty. It's believed 'gudis'
ward off evil and invite prosperity
and good luck into the house.
Malayalam New Year
The pompous festival of Kerala, 'Vishukani'
or 'Kani Kanal' is the most popular
tradition followed by people of Kerela.
As per the popular belief, year's
prosperity depends upon the type of
the first object viewed in the morning.
Ladies keep gold ornaments, a new
white cloth, raw rice, yellow cucumber,
betel leaves, holy grantha and coconut,
a night before the 'Vishu', in a bell
metal vessel called 'uruli'. Behind
the vessel a bell metal mirror and
a Lord Krishna deity is kept. Two
lighted oil lamp called 'Nilavilakku'
is also placed alongside. It's the
first thing families' see in the morning.
Later, 'Vishukani' is offered to God
and distributed amongst poor. The
tradition of gift giving also takes
place called 'Vishu Kaineetam'.
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