Seven Days of Kwanzaa Kwanzaa is a seven day long African traditional festival in the USA. The Africans, living in the US celebrate this festival to make the heritage of rich African cultural heritage alive. This festival starts on December 26 and it ends on January 1 each year. As mentioned earlier, each of the seven days is marked with a principle. Each of these seven days of Kwanzaa is observed after different principles. Given below are the principles of Kwanzaa: Umoja or Unity: First day of Kwanzaa Kujichagulia or Self-Determination: Second day of Kwanzaa Ujima or Collective Work and Responsibility: Third day of Kwanzaa Ujamaa or Cooperative Economics: Fourth day of Kwanzaa Nia or Purpose: Fifth day of Kwanzaa Kuumba or Creativity: Sixth day of Kwanzaa Imani or Faith: Seventh day of Kwanzaa The seven days of Kwanzaa are celebrated after different rituals and each day has special significance on the observance of the festival. The detailed description on the activities of the seven days of Kwanzaa, are mentioned below: Umoja or Unity: Kinara is the traditional setting of Kwanzaa. On the first day of the festival, people decorate the kinara with black candles, which symbolize the first principle of Kwanzaa, namely, unity. The member of the family, who lights the candle make one statement of the principle. The Unity Cup or Umoja is filled with the fruit juice, which is distributed among all the members and guests. In some families, each Umoja is presented to each member. The Umoja is left at the corner of the table after drinking. After Umoja, the candles are put out. Kujichagulia or Self-Determination: The used black candle is lit on the second day along with the red candle at the extreme left. This setting represents the second principle of Kwanzaa, namely Self-Determination. Ideally, people read poems on that orinciple and also state how these poems are related to their life. After drinking the fruit juice, they put out the candles for the day. Ujima or Collective Work and Responsibility: The black candle is again lit on the third day, followed by the red candle on the farthest left and green candle on the farthest right. This setting symbolizes the third principle of the festival, collective work and responsibility. The members of the family discuss about this principle and its validity on their lives. After sharing the Unity cup or Umoja, they extinguish the candles. Ujamaa or Cooperative Economics: On the 4th day, the Black candle is lit, followed by the red candle on left, green on right, and red candle next to the farthest red candle. This candle setting represents the fourth principle of Kwanzaa, the collective economics. The family members discuss on the fourth principle and then they share the Unity cup and put off the candles. Nia or Purpose: On the 5th day, the black candle is lit, followed by the same pattern. This time, the green candle next to the farthest green candle is lit. After discussing the fifth principle of Kwanzaa, all the family members share the Unity Cup and put the candles out. Kuumba or Creativity: Kuumba is observed on 31st January. The candles are lit. People invite their friends to their house in order to join in the festival. They decorate their houses, dress in traditional cloths, reads poems, and listen to African music. There is a unique tradition of asking the guests to bring some dishes to the invitation. Everyone takes his or her drink and after that, the candles are put out. Imani or Faith: On the seventh day, all the seven candles are lit. After discussing the values of the principle, the family members share the unity Cup with the guests. All the candles are extinguished and this marks the official closing of Kwanzaa festival.
Kwanzaa Recipes Kwanzaa is one of the African American festivals which is not bound by any religion. You are welcome to be a part of this weeklong celebration and enjoy the special Kwanzaa recipes. The cuisines in Kwanzaa are blend of African and American ethnicity. This is the reason that you would surely enjoy the meals on Kwanzaa. Here are few Kwanzaa recipes for you to try out and enjoy the festival. African Tomato-avocado-buttermilk Soup Ingredients 3 lb Tomatoes (peeled and seeded) 2 tablespoon Tomato paste 1 cup Buttermilk 1 tablespoon Olive oil 1 Avocado (mashed to a puree) Juice of 1 lemon 2 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley Salt and pepper to taste Hot pepper sauce For Garnishing: 1 Cucumber (peeled, seeded and diced); sour cream, plain yogurt or creme fraiche Preparations Puree tomatoes in a food processor or food mill Press through a sieve to remove seeds Now, in a large mixing bowl, beat the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, buttermilk, and oil Toss pureed avocado with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to hold the color Add the avocado, remaining lemon juice and parsley to the tomato mixture Stir to mix well Season with salt and pepper and generously add drops of hot pepper sauce Refrigerate several hours before serving Servings – for 8-10 servings At serving time, taste soup for seasonings Scoop into individual bowl and have guest garnish their portions with cucumber and sour cream Pass hot pepper sauce around to add more tartness Yassa Chicken Ingredients 3 pound chicken (cut into 8 pieces) 1 ½ cups thinly sliced onions 6 cloves garlic (halved) 1 cup thinly sliced celery (2 ribs) 1 cup thinly sliced carrots (2 small) 2 limes zested and juiced 1 fresh hot chili pepper (Scotch bonnet or habanero) (quartered) Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 quart chicken stock For Garnishing: 2 cups julienned carrots (blanched) 2 cups julienned leeks (blanched) 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon butter Preparations Marinate chicken for 3 to 5 hours in onions, garlic, celery, carrots, lime juice, and hot pepper Strain, remove chicken and pat dry Reserve vegetables Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown in Dutch oven in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Remove chicken, and pour off excess fat Deglaze pan with chicken stock and add chicken and marinated vegetables Allow cooking, covered, over medium heat until chicken is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes Remove chicken and reserve in warm place (oven preheated to 250 degrees) Strain sauce through china cap or sieve Season the sauce with lime zest, salt, and pepper Warm the chicken in sauce Warm the blanched carrots and leeks in 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon butter, plus salt and pepper Servings – You can serve this Kwanzaa dish with Cooked enriched rice or Sautéed Greens Hope you try these mouth watering Kwanzaa recipes and gather applauds from all your near and dear ones.
Kwanzaa Pictures Its Kwanzaa time and you are away from our family. You would be surely missing all your loved ones on this festive week. Check out for the beautiful Kwanzaa pictures to make your feel at home. You can get the pictures of symbols of Kwanzaa and also of the celebrations. The images of Kwanzaa are the best way of decorating your living spaces. You can send the Kwanzaa pictures to all your loved ones and convey your hearty messages. It is tradition to exchange gifts with the family members on this festive season. Handmade gifts are very much liked by the traditional families. Create Kwanzaa greeting card by attaching photos on it. With it you can write the poems and passages that would narrate the significance of each principle. This is a wonderful way of showing your love and affection to all your friends and families. You would have moved to other parts of the world and it becomes impossible to attend the Kwanzaa festival with the entire community. This is the reason people have started opting for instant messaging and emails to greet each other. The stamp on Kwanzaa was issued by the United States of America postal services to promote this festival. You can always opt for these stamps if, you sending postal cards and gifts to your loved ones. There are many types of Kwanzaa pictures that you can send to your near and dear ones. You can also, get Kwanzaa posters and wallpapers on Kwanzaa for your décor. Get the African American traditional celebration be part of your celebration. Here are some of the very famous messages you can types or print on the greetings for Kwanzaa. Happy Kwanzaa Its Kwanzaa time Celebrate Kwanzaa Conveying regards on Kwanzaa Wishing you Kwanzaa greetings
History of Kwanzaa Festival which marks community oneness, spirit of joy, harvest season and customary principles is Kwanzaa. Explore the history of Kwanzaa to know the details of this only African-American festival which is internationally acclaimed and is celebrated worldwide. Kwanzaa history and origin History of Kwanzaa dates back in 1966. This African American festival was initiated and developed by Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga on 26th December. The festival starts from 26th December to 1st January. The celebrations are week long and each day symbolizes one important principle. The seven principles are traditionally named as, ‘Nguzo Saba’. This foremost African American holiday is derived from ‘matunda ya kwanza’ which is a Swahili phrase. The term means first fruits. Swahili is the choice because of its base in East Africa that reflects the status symbol of Pan Africanism of the 1960s. This traditional festival marks the harvest seasons in different cultures of Africa. People from both Africa and African-American ethnicity follow the customs of Kwanzaa. On discovering the history you would find that Kwanzaa roots are in black nationalistic movements. The main idea behind the celebrations of Kwanzaa is to provide cultural identity to the African community. Its focus is on the seven principles which have boasted the African community and traditions. The major social and political changes in the sixties decade resulted in the emergence of Kwanzaa. This era marks the revolutionary period of African and African-American struggle for freedom. At this time when this festival was conceived by Karenga it resulted in solving cultural and economical differences. Nguzo Saba – seven principles of Kwanzaa Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems, and to solve them together. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. Present celebrations – Kwanzaa To commemorate this festival the United States Postal Services issued the first Kwanzaa stamp on 22nd October 199. This was one of the artworks by Synthia Saint James. In the 2004, another stamp was released which was designed by Daniel Minter. This stamp had seven figures in colorful robes and each signified one principle of Nguzu Saba. There was also, a film which was released in the year 2009. The movie narrated a documentary “The Black Candle” which was created by Maya Angelou. It was one of the award winning short films about Kwanzaa. Wish you all enjoy the celebrations and hope you find the information on history of Kwanzaa interesting.
Kwanzaa Food Kwanzaa is not a religious festival like Christmas. It is traditional festival, which is observed to recognize and affirm the African culture in the USA. Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration of African heritage and culture for those, who live in the United States. Kwanzaa starts on December 26 and ends on January 1. They celebrate the festival with traditional Kwanzaa food. All the Kwanzaa food items originated from the African continent. They are inspired from different tribal traditional foods in Africa. Peanut soup and fried Okra are the traditional foods of Kwanzaa. The traditional feast of Kwanzaa is organized on the sixth day in the festival. During the feast, they serve different kinds of African dishes. Some Kwanzaa food items are mentioned below: A traditional Kwanzaa dinner consists of: Koki: Koki is an appetizer, which is made of black-eyed peas. Peanut Soup: Peanut Soup is one of the main traditional African foods, which is served on the dinner table during the festival. This is a pan-African and African-American soup. Jollof Rice: This is a main dish of the dinner. Okra and Greens: This is a popular side dish in the traditional dinner. Chinua Achebe: This side dish is made with sweet potatoes. Dessert: In dessert, they serve fruit salad or coconut pie. Beverage: The Africans keep a number of beverages on the dinner table such as ginger beer or green tea with mint. Some of the recipes of the main dishes are mentioned below: Recipe of Peanut Soup: For 8 servings Ingredients: 2 chopped onions 2 chopped large bell peppers 1 to 3 mashed large garlic cloves 1 to 2 tablespoon Canola oil Chopped tomatoes with juice 8 cups of vegetable broth 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 cup of uncooked short grain rice 2/3 cup of smooth peanut butter Chopped roasted peanuts Method: Take a frying pan and cook onions, garlic, and bell peppers until the onions turn light brown. After that, add the chopped tomatoes along with its juice. Add pepper, broth, and red pepper flakes in it after some time. Cook all the ingredients for 15 minutes on low heat. Add rice and cook it for 30 minutes. Include the peanut butter in the pan and cook until the rice is melted. Garnish the soup with the roasted peanuts and serve hot. Recipe of Fried Okra: Ingredients: 16 oz of okra 1 egg 1/4 cup of all purpose flour 1/4 cup of cornmeal 1/8 teaspoon of salt 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper / cajun seasoning 1/4 cup of bacon fat/vegetable oil Method: Bring fresh okra and wash them properly. Cut the tips and stems of the okra. Cut them into small spices. Take a mixing bowl and add salt, pepper, flour, and cornmeal, and mix them well. Take a small bowl and beat the egg well. Dip the cut okra into the beaten egg, followed by in bowl of the mixture of flour. Make sure to cover all the edges of the okra with egg and flour. prepare the flying pan with low heat. Put some vegetable oil in it. Put the okra for deep frying and cook until they turn brown. Make sure the okra become crisp and deeply fried. Serve hot.
Ugadi 2024- Celebrations and Rituals Ugadi is the celebration of the New Year’s Day in the regions of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. This is the same day when the Maharashtrians celebrate the Gudi Padwa. According to traditional beliefs, this is the day when the creator of all, Lord Brahma, after a great deluge, created the Earth. Thus this day, in the month of Chaitra, according to the traditional Hindu calendar and March or April according to the Gregorian calendar marks the beginning of New Year. Karnataka calls this day Yugadi, while the Marwaris in Rajasthan call this day Thapna, the Sindhis call this day the Cheti Chand and the Manipuris call this day the Sajibu Nongma Panba. According to the scripture Chandramana, Ugadi is celebrated in the Shukla paksha or the bright fortnight of the first season and the first month of the year. Origin of the word Ugadi The origin of the word Ugadi can be traced to the Sanskrit word of Yuga meaning age, epoch or an era and Adi meaning the very beginning. On this day it is believed that the Samvatsara, or the cycle of sixty years starts. Observance of the Ugadi The day of Ugadi begins with the traditional ritualistic holy bath with oil. Prior to that all the houses are given a thorough cleaning to usher in the New Year and seek blessings from the God. Post having the bath, people decorate their houses with green mango leaves. Water mixed with cowdung is sprinkled outside the houses. Mango leaves are said to be extremely auspicious as Kartikeya and Ganesha, both the sons of Lord Shiva were very fond of Mangoes, and would advise people to tie mango leaves in their doors to indicate if they have had an excellent season of mangoes. However, post this the houses are decorated with colorful floral designs or rangolis. Pots called kalasam s with coconuts are kept to seek divine blessings. Ritualistic prayers and worship to God is done to seek their blessings for the ensuing years. Devotees seek blessings for health, wealth and prosperity for themselves and their near and dear ones. This is also considered the best time to initiate any kind of ventures. Special delicacies of Ugadi Ugadi Pachchadi is the symbolic and revered delicacy that is mandated in Ugadi to be savored. It is a ceremonial preparation. It is also known as Bevu-Bella in Kannada. It has an admixture of various ingredients symbolizing the various feeling of life. This special mixture has all the tastes that the tongue or the taste buds can perceive and is considered to be a glimpse of what life is or can be. The tastes are as following – Neem Leaves or Flowers for their bitterness, signifying the sadness in life, Jaggery or Gur for its sweetness, signifying happiness, Green chili or pepper for its hotness, signifying anger in life, Salt for the saltiness representing fear in life, Tamarind Juice for its sourness, signifying the feeling of disgust and Unripened mangoes for their tanginess signifying surprises of life. Apart from this, a special dish called Obattu or Holige is prepared in Karnataka. This is made of gram and jiggery or sugar mixed together and stuffed in a flat roti and consumed with either ghee or milk or coconut milk toppings. In Karnataka a special dish called Bobbattu or Oliga are prepared for this special occasion. In the Telengana district this same is known as the Bhakshalu. Almanac Recitation People on this day traditionally gather to listen to the predictions of the year ahead from the almanac. This is called the Panchangam Sravanam which is an informal get together where an elderly person reads out the almanac. Kavi Sammelan Kavi Sammelan or a poetry recital festival is also an integral part of the Ugadi. This is the time when people look forward to having some kind of a literary fest with aspiring and veteran poets coming together on one stage. Thus Ugadi is a festival with numerous shades in it. It ushers in the new year with ritualistic flavours filling up people’s lives with hope and joy. Indian New Year Assamese Bengali Gujarati Marwari Malayalam Marathi Punjabi Sikkimese Tamil Telugu Ugadi Happy New Year New Year Wishes New Year Messages New Year Poems New Year Quotes New Year Cards New Year Facebook Status New Year Songs New Year Traditions New Year Resolutions New Year Countdown New Year Cruises New Years Eve New Year Around the World
Tamil New Year 2024 India being a land of diversity is made of numerous states and each and every state has their own rich cultural heritage and traditions, which make this country and its innumerable celebrations so very interesting. Puthandu or Tamil New Year is the celebration of the New Year observed by the people in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in India. Tamils in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Singapore too observe this day with fanfare and enthusiasm. This very auspicious occasion is also known as Varusha Pirappu. It is generally believed that on this auspicious day, Lord Brahma started his creations, thus the day is considered to be exceptionally holy. Date of the Puthandu Following the Vernal Equinox or the Mesha Sankranti, this date should have been nearer March, but is now celebrated somewhere in the traditional Hindu month of Chaitra or April according to the Gregorian calendar. It is generally observed on the 14th of April according to the Gregorian calendar and is a public holiday in Tamil Nadu. Thus traditionally the Tamil New year starts on the 14th of April, which is the Kali Yuga 5118. Celebration of the Puthandu Puthandu is the New Year for the Tamil observed in the month of Chitterai, which is also the first month of the Tamil Solar calendar. On the last day of the last year, which is on the eve of Puthandu, all Tamilian household prepare a tray. This tray is laden with three kinds of fruits – mango, banana and jackfruit, areca nuts and couple of betel leaves, gold or silver jewellery, a mirror, some cash or money , rice, coconuts and flowers are kept. This is to be viewed the first thing in the morning. This tradition is called the kanni, which loosely translates into auspicious sight. People believe that an auspicious sight will lead the year to be auspicious and fulfilling. Post the Kanni, people have a cleansing bath and throng to the temples to seek divine blessings. The houses are all decorated with beautiful and colorful kolams. In the center of the Kolams is a lamp called the kuthuvillakku. This lamp is lit because it is firmly believed that it is that the loght of this lamp will dispel all darkness. Another highlight of the Puthandu is the reading of the Panchangam or the almanac. This is a traditional activity where people all sit together along with the most elderly person who reads out from the almanac about the ensuing year. Celebrations in Tamil Nadu In the temple city of Madurai the month long celebration called the Chithirai Thiruvizha is celebrated. It is the longest celebration in the world and goes on for a month. The first 15 days is dedicated to the Goddess Meenakshi and the rest 15 days is for Alagar, who is worshipped in a form of Lord Vishnu. Huge exhibitions and fairs are held called Chitterai Porutkaatchi, which in the southern part of Tamil Nadu is called is called the Chittirai Vishu. To celebrate this auspicious New Year, people all wear new clothes and the best of delicacies are cooked in the Tamilian households. The highlight of the festivity is the consumption of the Maanga Pachadi. This is an unique preparation made out of Jaggery, raw mangoes and Neem flowers. It is a taste which is bitter sweet and sour all in one, representing the various aspects of life and how it should be met and taken with equal equanimity. In the evening people visit their friends and relatives to exchange pleasantries of the New Year and wish each other with Puthandu Vazthukal which means Happy New Year. A huge and grand car festival is held on this day at Tiruvadamarudur near Kumbakonam. Numerous festivals are also observed in places like Tiruchirapalli, Kanchipuram etc. Celebrations at other places In Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan Tamils observe this day with the first financial dealing of the day called Kai-vishesham. It is a tradition where the elders give some money to the youngsters as a mark of blessings. They also take a herbal bath called the maruthu-neer’ and observe arpudu, or the first ploughing of the field in order to prepare for a good harvest. The Sri Lankan Tamils observe and follow the time of Punya Kalam to start all auspicious work. In Malaysia and Singapore also this day is marked with prayers, festivities and a lot of fanfare. Indian New Year Assamese Bengali Gujarati Marwari Malayalam Marathi Punjabi Sikkimese Tamil Telugu Ugadi Happy New Year New Year Wishes New Year Messages New Year Poems New Year Quotes New Year Cards New Year Facebook Status New Year Songs New Year Traditions New Year Resolutions New Year Countdown New Year Cruises New Years Eve New Year Around the World
Sikkimese New Year Sikkim is the smallest state of the Indian Union but the distinct culture of Sikkim has earned it a special position in the country. The state is located in the hills of Himalaya and the people here are known for their colorful ways of life. Sikkimese New Year celebration is therefore a grand spectacle to behold. The people of Sikkim are predominantly Buddhist and a strong influence of Buddhism can be seen in their traditions. As a result, Sikkimese celebrations are observed according to the Tibetan calendar. The Sikkimese New Year, Losoong, falls in the month of December according to the Gregorian calendar and it coincides with the beginning of the harvesting season in the hilly state. People during this time celebrate the ending of the last harvest season and pray for better crop in the coming days. Earlier, the celebration of Lossong was limited only among the Bhutias. It was then adopted by the Lepchas – the dominating tribal race of the state. Gradually, it turned into the greatest festival of Sikkim and now is known as the Sikkimese New Year. Lossong is now celebrated with equal fervor by the Bhutias, Lepchas, Nepalis, Sikkimese and other tribes of the state. Many of the traditions followed in Sikkimese New Year are influenced by Losar, the Tibetan New Year. The biggest attraction of the Sikkimese New Year celebration is ‘cham’ dance, which is also influenced by the Tibetan culture. The biggest ‘cham’ dance events are organized in monasteries like the Tsuklakhang Palace, Phodong and Rumtek Monastery. These events attract tourists from all corners of the world. The dancers are often trained in monasteries and are lamas. The dancers will dress up as Sikkimese Gods to enact their parts. Since lamas remain the main performers, the dance form is also known as the ‘lama dance’. The ‘cham’ dance is said to be an act of exorcism to ward off the evil from the valley. Colorful flags and festoons are hung which are also said to protect the Sikkimese people from evil and bring in good omen. During this time, Sikkimese are known to prepare special foods at their houses. ‘Guthuk’ is a special noodle made of grains and cheese. Special breads are prepared and items like chili, sugar, salt, wool, and coal are hidden inside those. The item that you find inside the bread is said to foretell about your nature, like the person who finds chili inside his bread is believed to be talkative, while finding salt and sugar will mean you’re a nice person at heart. Consuming domestically made liquor ‘chhaang’ is also an important part of the celebration. The New Year celebration is initiated by Bongthing, the lepcha priest and Mun, by offering the special oblation of alcohol, “Chi Fut”, to the deity. During the midnight, burning of the effigy of the demon king, Laso Mung Punu, is an important part of the celebration. This is said to destroy badness among people and ward off evil spirits. Archery competitions take place in various parts of the state. Various other sports and dancing fairs are also organized to commemorate the day. Indian New Year Assamese Bengali Gujarati Marwari Malayalam Marathi Punjabi Sikkimese Tamil Telugu Ugadi Happy New Year New Year Wishes New Year Messages New Year Poems New Year Quotes New Year Cards New Year Facebook Status New Year Songs New Year Traditions New Year Resolutions New Year Countdown New Year Cruises New Years Eve New Year Around the World
Marwari New Year 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.
Gujarati New Year 2024 The arid land of Gujarat comes alive with its many celebrations. The people of Gujarat are known for their hospitable nature, delicacies, dance, music and colorful lifestyle. Celebration of the New Year here calls for great pomp and show. It is also heavily laden with religious rituals. The Gujarati New Year is also known as Bestu Varas. Gujaratis, as the people of Gujarat province are normally known as, celebrate the day after Diwali as their New Year. It is believed to be the day when Lord Krishna of Hindu mythology worshipped the Govardhan Parbat to save people of Vraja from the wrath of Lord Indra, who vowed to drown the small village from heavy rain. Since then, Gujaratis are offering pujas to the Govardhan Parbat on the day of Bestu Varas. On this day, Govardhan pujas are organized in many temples across Gujarat and devotees gather to earn blessings from their worshipping God. In many temples, the replica of the mythological mountain is made with mud and cow dung and is worshipped. The Gujarati New Year falls in the month of Kartik, which is the first month of the Gujarati calendar. The event is also called Varsha-pratipada or Padwa and coincides with Sudekam. Many rituals are followed to usher the New Year and people put their worries behind and prepare to welcome a new beginning. Since the New Year is celebrated on the next day of Diwali, which is the biggest religious event of the region, festivities continue with equal enthusiasm. On this day, all the houses are cleaned and painted fresh. Gujaratis will decorate their houses with ‘rangolis’ and garlands. In the evening, people light up their houses with oil lamps and burst firecrackers. On this day, people dress in new clothes and visit temples to offer puja to Gods. People will buy new clothes and show respect to elders. Elaborate New Year feasts are organized in houses and friends and families are invited to join the meal. Wishing health and prosperity to each other is an integral part of Gujarati New Year celebration. Gujaratis also commemorate the day to forget about their past rivalries and misunderstanding and welcome a new beginning. Homemade sweets and desserts are prepared and distributed among the neighbors and relatives. Like the other parts of India, the New Year celebration coincides with the beginning of the harvest season in the region. Many fairs are organized in different parts of the state during this time and so, it is also the ideal season to plan a trip to the westernmost state of India.
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