Marwari New Year is celebrated on the day of Diwali. According to the Hindu calendar, the New Year falls on the last day of Ashwin month.
Diwali being an auspicious occasion for the Marwari community, they consider it to be the beginning of the New Year. Even business professionals prefer coming up with new project ventures on this auspicious day. Celebrated with immense exuberance and charm, this New Year is usually celebrated in the months of October or November.
Marwari Rituals for New Year
Every festival in India is associated with some rituals and Marwari New Year is not an exception as well. In fact, there are some rituals, which are practiced a month before the new year commences. For example, Ahoi Ashtami- a popular ritual amongst Marwari women is celebrated one week before the New Year. Women keep fasts for the long lives of their better halves during this period.
This ritual is extremely popular amongst the Bania community of the Marwaris. In some families, women make a geru paste (prepared mixing water and red powder) so as to draw a sketch of Ahoi Mata. The Goddesses picture is sketched on the wall, layered with a coat of cow dung and fresh lime. Marwaris consider this to be a holy wall and offer their puja offerings on the day of Diwali here. All family members gather for worshipping the deity.
The rituals are performed to bring in good luck and wealth for all members of the family. Besides Goddesses Lakshmi, Lord Ganesh is also worshiped on Marwari New Year. Satyanarayan arti forms an integral part of the puja rituals. Charnamrit ( a mix of sugar, tulsi leaves, unboiled milk and curd) is prepared and distributed amongst all worshippers.
As mentioned earlier, Marwari New Year, celebrated on the eve of Diwali holds immense importance for business professionals. They start the New Year by creating new accounts. They keep a betel leaf inside their account books and consider this to be a good omen. Marwari women purchase silver coins on Diwali so as to mark the beginning of a prosperous new year.
Celebrations on Marwari New Year
The victory of good over evil marks the beginning of the Marwari New Year. Being one of the auspicious occasions in India, the celebrations on this New Year is equally grand. With over-crowded sweet and firecrackers shops teamed up with streets flooded with lights you can very well add glory to your New Year celebrations. The houses are well decorated with rangolis, diyas and lights. Besides, you will find the kids busy burning their favorite fire-crackers.
Delicacies to Fall for on Marwari New Year
New Year calls for endless entertainment and good food treats. ‘Pucca Khana’ or more popularly delicacies like sweet vermicelli, halwa and puri prepared in ghee or oil is something that you don’t want to miss out. Sweets like Gulab Jamun, Badam Phirni, Besan Ke Ladoo, Peda, Rasmalai, Jalebi, Karanji, Channar Payesh, Doodh Pak, Rawa Ladoo, Shakkarpare, Gajar Ka Halwa, Kesar Kaju Barfi, Lapsi, and Kheer Ghathia are also prepared on the eve of Marwari New Year.
Last but not the least, as the New Year is celebrated on the eve of Diwali, the day is declared as a holiday not only in India but also in neighboring places like Fiji, Singapore, Malaysia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Mauritius, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Nepal.