Hindu New Year Traditions And Celebrations Across India

When the months of March and April approach, there is a sudden flurry of activity in most households across India. A festive spirit begins to fill the air as a sense of joy and hope begins to take root in people’s hearts! Yes, here we are, right on the cusp of a brand new year, ready to usher in new beginnings and prosperity. And, this sentiment is shared by Indians all across the country. In India, the Hindu New Year and Diwali are festivals that are celebrated with great pomp and gaiety. Rooted in centuries-old traditions, the Indian New Year celebrations are a sight to behold, and each state has its own unique twist, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the country.

Hindu New Year Celebrations And Traditions In India: Hindu Solar/Lunar New Year Starting With Chaitra Month

When is the Indian New Year celebrated? Most parts of India celebrate the Hindu New Year in April. In fact, the Indian New Year, according to the Hindu calendar (a solar/lunar calendar) starts with the ‘Chaitra’ month. Typically, the Hindu New Year could fall on any of the days from the 9th to the 15th of April, as per the Gregorian calendar and the respective regional calendars. From Kashmir to Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra to Assam, many states step up their celebrations as per their traditions. The Hindu Lunar New Year traditions across India and around the world enjoy a common base – celebrating a new beginning and worshipping the ‘panchang’ for the upcoming new year. Prayers are offered for prosperity and well-being. Hindu New Year traditions in India differ from state to state. Top 10s Only brings you the list of regional names given to this festival in addition to a few facts about the Hindu New Year celebrations in these states. Read on to unravel the secrets of how much we Indians have in common despite our differences. 

Unique Indian New Year’s Traditions: Explore The States That Celebrate Hindu New Year Across India In 2024

Ugadi or Yugadi

Let’s start with one of the most traditional New Year’s traditions in India. The Ugadi festival is the Hindu New Year for those who hail from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It usually falls towards the end of March or the beginning of April. In 2024, Ugadi falls on the 9th of April. Traditionally, the celebrations include decorating the home, wearing new clothes, and offering prayers to God for a prosperous new year ahead by placing the panchang in front of the deity. One New Year delicacy is Ugadi pachadi (bevu bella), a chutney with six tastes that symbolises that the Hindu New Year will have a mix of experiences we will have to embrace.

Gudi Padwa

Gudi Padwa festival is celebrated in Maharashtra, Goa, and the Konkan regions to mark the beginning of spring and the new year’s birth. Traditionally, it is observed between the end of March and the first half of April. It falls on April 9, 2024. Gudi Padwa Rangoli is the speciality of the festival, in which there is a Gudhi flag made of flowers, neem, and mango leaves and a copper or silver vessel at the top. 

Navreh

The word Navreh was traditionally the Sanskrit word ‘Nava Varsha’, meaning new year. All Kashmiri Hindus celebrate this Kashmiri New Year throughout the world in March or April. It falls on April 9 2024. It is a belief that the Saptarishi era started on this day, and the first rays of the sun fell on the Chakreshwari. Goddess Sharika is the deity worshipped on this day. A large thali (plate) is offered to the goddess with the following items:

• rice & coins represent food and wealth
• paper & pen represent knowledge
• a mirror to help reflect on oneself
• wye (bitter herb) and walnuts, symbolising the acceptance of the bitterness in life. 

Cheti Chand

Sindhi Hindus celebrate Cheti Chand to mark the advent of the new year as per the lunisolar calendar. The first month of the Sindhi calendar is Chet. It is celebrated on the day the crescent appears after the New Moon day, i.e., the Amavasya. It is also the birth anniversary of Lord Jhulelal, and hence it is also known as the Jhulelal Jayanthi. The Sindhi community believes that Lord Jhulelal is the incarnation of Lord Varuna (God of Water). Here’s an interesting Hindu New Year fact. Folklore says that when Mirkhshah threatened them to change faiths or else face dire consequences, they prayed for 40 days on the Sindhu river banks. Their prayers were answered through a prophecy. It said that a divine child born to a couple in Nasarpur would be their saviour. So it happened that, though Mirkhshah tried to kill the incarnation, he conceded defeat in the end. Hence, Cheti Chand is celebrated as the new beginning, and prayers are offered to the Lord. It is usually celebrated between the end of March and the middle of April each year. In 2024, the Hindu New Year celebration date for Chet Chand will fall on Tuesday, April 9.

Chaitra Navratri

The Chaitra Navratri, as the name suggests, is a Nav-Ratri means nine nights. The festival is celebrated for nine days in the months March-April. It is also known as the Vasant Navratri, as it falls during the spring season. It also marks the first day of the Hindu calendar in the first month, i.e. Chaitra. The first day of Chaitra Navratri is celebrated as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Navreh in Kashmir. It is also celebrated across other parts of North & Western India. The Chaitra Navratri starts on April 9th, 2024, i.e., on the moon’s waxing phase and concludes on the Ram Navami (birthday of Lord Ram) nine days later, on the 17th. Devotees worship Goddess Durga, the destroyer of evil, by lighting diyas (lamps) and seeking her blessings.

Vaisakhi

Vaisakhi, also called Baisakhi or Basoa, is the harvest festival of Punjab celebrated during the harvesting season of the rabi crops. Pronounced as Baisakhi, this marks the beginning of the Sikh New Year. It falls either on the 13th or 14th of April. In 2024, it falls on April 13. Celebrated extensively in Punjab, Haryana and other north Indian states, Vaisakhi is the commemoration of the Khalsa Panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699. Hence it is also a celebration of the birth of the Khalsa way of life among Sikhs. It is a vibrant festival of colours celebrated with great pomp and show with men performing the ‘Bhangra’ and women performing the ‘Gidda’. Gurudwaras hold special kirtans; Sikhs visit holy shrines after bathing in rivers or lakes. For all Indians, the Vaisakhi is also a grave reminder of the Jallinwala Bagh massacre in 1919. 

Puthandu

Tamil Puthandu translates into Tamil New Year. Following the lunisolar calendar, the 1st day of Chittirai is celebrated as Puthandu by Tamils worldwide. Celebrated mostly on the 13th or 14th of April, it is a public holiday in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. In 2024, Puthandu falls on the 14th of April. Special rice flour kolam designs on the floor are drawn, creating positive vibes. The new year is welcomed by cleaning the house, wearing new clothes and worship. Like the Ugadi of the neighbouring states, Tamils also make the special Puthandu Mangai-Pachidi. This comprises of neem flowers (bitter), chillies (hot), mango (sour), jaggery (sweet) and salt (salty) to indicate that life is a combination of all flavours. A tray consisting of mango, jackfruit and banana – the three traditional Tamil fruits referred to as ‘mukkani’ is offered to the almighty along with betel nut leaves, areca nut and flowers. The new Tamil Panchang is also part of the worship. After worship, the young take the blessings of the elders in the house.

Vishu

The Hindu Malayalis of Kerala celebrate Vishu to mark the beginning of the Hindu New Year. It falls on the first day of the Medam month of the Malayalam calendar, which is mostly on the 13th-14th of April. In 2024, this Hindu festival will be celebrated on April 14. Vishu signifies prosperity for the entire span of the new year. Hence, Malayalis start the day by seeing the auspicious “Vishu Kani,’’ a mix of gold and yellow (auspicious) colours. The home is decorated and the Vishu Kani is arranged on the previous day. On Vishu morning, the whole family is ushered into the room with closed eyes, and the first thing they see is the Vishu Kani. The items kept for the Vishu Kani include a photo or idol of Lord Krishna, the Uruli (Brass vessel), fruits and vegetables like banana, jackfruit, split coconut, mango, cucumber (kani vellari), etc. The Kani also contains rice, salt, a Vaalkannadi (mirror), gold ornaments, money, sacred books, kasava mundu (new cloth), betel leaf, areca nut, kani konna (Cassia fistula flower) and lime. A lamp with five wicks is lit next to the idol of Lord Krishna. Prayers are offered for a prosperous new year ahead. The traditional Sadya is served. The elders give VishuKaineettam (the tradition of giving money) to the younger members of the family. Learn more about this Indian festival by reading our article which focuses on how Vishu is celebrated in Kerala. 

Bisu Parba

Bisu Parba is the most important festival of the farming community of the Tulus of Karnataka. It is also celebrated by people in the Kasargod, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada regions. Bisu denotes the beginning of agricultural activities and is observed according to the Sauramana Panchanga (Solar calendar) on the 13th, 14th or 15th of April each year. Bisu Parba is very similar to the Vishu festival celebrated by Malayalis in Kerala. The Bisu Kani, which is very similar to the Vishu Kani, is arranged. The Kani consists of freshly plucked fruits and vegetables, a Kalasige (wooden pot used to measure rice), gold ornaments, money, a mirror and all things auspicious. Sighting of these items, before the sun rises, is believed to give an auspicious start to the New Year. It is followed by a family get-together and lunch. The youngsters seek blessings by placing boiled rice at the feet of the elders and offering salutations. In return, the elders’ gift money or clothes. In 2024, this Hindu New Year is scheduled to fall on the 14th of April.

Sajibu Cheiraoba

The Hindu New Festival of Sajibu Cheiraoba is also known as Sajibu Nongma Pānba or Meitei Cheiraoba. Sajibu Cheiraoba is the start of the Meitei New Year for Sanamahism religious followers in Manipur. Sajibu means the first month, Chahi means year, Chei means stick, and loaba means declaration. The Meitei people celebrate the festival by offering uncooked food to their deity Lainingthou Sanamahi and serving an even number of sumptuous foods to all the gathered kith and kin. Traditionally, men cook, and women help in washing and cutting the ingredients. The Hindu New Year 2024 festival of Sajibu Cheiraoba will be celebrated on April 9th.

Buisu

Ever wondered what the Hindu New Year festival is called in Tripura? Buisu, also known as Boisu, is the new year celebrated by the people of Tripura on the 1st of the month of Vaishak. This year, the Hindu New Year will fall on the 13th of April, 2024. The Tripuri term ‘bisi’ means year. The Tripuri celebrate nature and animals the most, and on Buisu, they do the same. The domestic animals are bathed, decorated and worshipped. They wear new clothes, and family and relatives gather together for a grand feast. 

Bwisagu And Bohag Bihu

The Hindu New Year festival of the Bodo community of Assam is celebrated as Bwisagu. It’s a week-long New Year celebration that begins on the 14th-15th of April. This year, the Assamese Hindu New Year festival will be celebrated on the 14th of April, 2024. It is also celebrated as Bohag or Rongali Bihu in larger Assamese communities. It falls on the month of Bohag, and hence Bwisagu is the Bodo version of the Rongali Bihu. In both festivals, the cow is celebrated with special care. It is bathed, given new ties and offered fresh vegetables. They commemorate the faithful animal that helps them in their agriculture the entire span of the new year. The Bodos worship their deity ‘Bathou’, who is ‘Lord Shiva’, and they offer pigs, pigeons, chickens and ducks as a sacrifice. ‘Apong’ or Rice Beer is the drink everyone indulges in. In both Bohag Bihu and Bwisagu, the Husori (traditional dance) is performed in an open courtyard. The young ones and married couples seek the blessings of elders. 

Pana Sankranti

Pana Sankranti is observed as the beginning of the Yew Year by Odiyas either on the 13th or 14th of April. This year, this Hindu New Year festival will be celebrated on April 13th, 2024. The astronomical significance of the sun transiting to the Mesha Rasi (Aries constellation) shining brightly on the Equator is known as the Visubha RekhaHence,ce it is also known as the Mesha Sankranti Maha Visubha Sankranti in Orissa. People take a holy dip in the early hours of the morning and perform Homam. People offer cold, sweetened water called ‘pana’ to everyone. Pana is a mix of wood apple pulp, yoghurt, and coconut grating with seasoned pepper and ginger. Hence the name Pana Sankranti. Prayers are offered to the Thulasi plant, and as a symbolic gesture to provide relief from the coming summer, a water pitcher with a small hole is hung over the plant. This is refilled every day throughout the summer as a part of the traditions associated with the Hindu New Year.

Pahela Baishakh Or Nabo Barsho

Also known as Poila Boishakh, the Pahela Baishakh celebration is the first day in the Bengali calendar, and this is celebrated as the New Year by Bengalis around the globe. Poila means holy, and Boishakh is the name of the first month in the Bengali calendar. It is celebrated in West Bengal and parts of Assam and Tripura, no matter the religion. Pahela Baishakh is observed either on the 14th or 15th of April. In 2024, it falls on the 15th. Bhapa Chingri and Potoler Dorma are two of the Pohela Boishakh food dishes prepared for the occasion.

Jur Sital 

Read on to see how to celebrate the Hindu New Year in Nepal! The Maithili New Year is celebrated as Jur Sital by people in the Mithila region which comprises certain parts of Bihar, Jharkhand and Nepal. Jur Sital falls on the 14th of April each year following the Tirhuta Panchang. Baishakh is the first month of the Maithili calendar as well. It is celebrated as Mithila Diwas by the Government of Bihar and is a declared public holiday. It is also Jayawardhan Raja Shailesh’s birthday, the popular king who rose to power from being an ordinary citizen. 

Sangken

Popular in the Khamti tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, Sangken is a social, and religious festival that welcomes the new year. Sang-ken is derived from the Sanskrit term Sankranti. The festival falls in the month of Naun-ha of the Khamti Calendar, corresponding to the Baishakh Sankranti. The first day of the new year usually falls on the 13th and lasts until the 15th of April each year. The celebration is all about cleansing Lord Buddha with holy water to invoke his blessings. Hence, Sangken is also referred to as the ‘Festival of Water’. Traditionally, water sprinkling on people was part of the festivities, but the modern tradition involves pouring water on each other. Sangken is also celebrated in countries like Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. 

Top 10s Only’s Heartfelt Wishes For Hindu New Year 2024

It’s a wonder, a testament to the timelessness of our heritage, that such traditions related to the Hindu New Year are still celebrated according to Indian culture. The Top 10s Only team is proud to have given a glimpse of the magnificent festivals that are celebrated all across this great nation.

Be sure to check out our article that lists the top 10 Dussehra celebrations In India.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hindu New Year Traditions Across India

1. What is the date of Hindu New Year in 2024?

Typically, most Hindu New Year festivities begin on almost the same dates across the country and it will vary each year. This year, most of the Hindu New Year festivities will begin on the 9th of April. However, some states like Kerala, Karnataka, etc. will have their New Year’s on the 14th of April.

2. What is the Indian New Year called?

India is a land that is a mix of diverse cultures and beliefs. Each state and community has its own traditions regarding the new year. For instance, down in the south, Vishu is the name of the Malayalam New Year celebrated in Kerala, while up north in Kashmir, the Indian festival of Navreh marks the advent of the Hindu New Year. In Tamil Nadu, the Hindu New Year is called Ugadi, while the Tulus of Karnataka call it Bisu Parba. Jur Sital is the name given to the Hindu New Year in states like Jharkhand and Bihar, while Sangken is what the Khamti tribe in Arunachal Pradesh call their New Year. No matter how different the names may be, the sentiment is the same – the hope for a new beginning.

3. What is the difference between the Hindu New Year and the English New Year?

The English New Year is based on the Gregorian calendar and is always celebrated on January 1st. The Hindu New Year does not fall on the same day every year as it’s based on a lunar calendar, with Chaitra as the first month of the New Year.