Importance of Happy
New Year's Day
New Year’s Day according to the Gregorian
calendar (January 1) is one of the most popular occasions in India. Many people
throughout India celebrate this festive occasion with loved ones or in large
gatherings. People in all parts of India dress colorfully and indulge in
fun filled activities such as singing, playing games, dancing, and attending
parties. Night clubs, movie theatres, resorts, restaurants and amusement parks
are filled with people of all ages. People greet and wish each other Happy New
Year. Exchanging messages, greeting cards and gifts are part and parcel of the
New Year celebration. The media covers many New Year events which are showcased
on prime channels for most of the day. People who decide to stay indoors resort
to these New Year shows for entertainment and fun. The age-old tradition of
planning new resolutions for the coming year is a common sight. A few of the
most popular resolutions include losing weight, developing good habits, and
working hard.
Larger cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and
Chennai organize live concerts which are attended by Bollywood stars and other
well-known personalities. Large crowds gather to attend such shows, while some
individuals prefer to celebrate with their close friends and family members.
The fun filled occasion is considered a great opportunity to get closer to the
loved ones in your life and to revive contact with lost friends. The idea is to
wave goodbye to the year gone-by and welcome the New Year in the hope that it
will invite truckloads of happiness and joy in everyone’s life.
Public
Life
New Year’s Day on January 1 in the Gregorian calendar is
a restricted holiday in India. Individuals can take a limited number of
restricted holidays but government offices and most businesses remain open and
public transport remains available. Most people are known to report late to
work on January 1 due to late night celebrations. The security is tightened in
prime cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore as incidents of molestation
and fights have been rising the last few years. The arrival of foreign tourists
is at its peak during New Year’s Day on January 1, especially in locations such
as Goa which is known to be a favorite tourist destination.
Background
The New Year signifies that the time has arrived to bid
farewell to the by-gone year and to welcome the New Year. Traditionally, the
New Year was celebrated on the first of March every year. However, this date
was switched to January 1 as it is considered to have a more religious
significance. With the growth of the western culture across the globe, New
Year’s Day on January 1 in the Gregorian calendar has been one of India’s many
celebrations. There are different opinions as to when New Year’s Day that falls
on January 1 in the Gregorian calendar was first celebrated in India. Some say
that it was observed when the British colonized India while others say that its
popularity bloomed only after the 1940s.
It is important to note that different calendars are used
among different groups in India so the New Year is celebrated at different
times, based when it is marked in these calendars. This article is about New
Year’s Day in the Gregorian calendar, which is celebrated worldwide and falls
on January 1. Other New Year’s dates include Diwali (Hindu calendar).
Symbols
As such there are no materialistic symbols linked with
this event in India however one gets to experience the vibrant colors and
joyful atmosphere filled with parties, prayers and social feasts. People across
India escalate their happiness with good music, dance, crackers and lighting.
Which country
celebrates New Year first?
Fireworks exploding over Sydney harbour
symbolises the start of global New Year’s festivities for most Brits. But it
may surprise you to hear that Australia is not the first country in the world
to welcome the New Year. The tiny Pacific island of Tonga will ring in 2018 at
10am GMT on December 31 – a full three hours before it reaches Down Under.
Where will 2018 arrive
last?
After travelling all around the world, the New
Year will eventually come full circle – or near enough. The last place or
places to receive 2018 will be the tiny outlying islands of the US.
Baker Island and Howland Island will greet the
New Year at 12 Midday on January 1 – or at least they would if any people lived
there. Second last will be American Samoa at 11am – just 558 miles from Tonga,
where locals and visitors were celebrating a full 25 hours before. It's
therefore possible to get a quick flight in between the two and count down to
2018 twice. Last year's New Year celebrations lit up London
What time does New
Year arrive around the world?
Using London time, this is when the world will
welcome in 2018: Tonga and two more, New Zealand, Australia, Japan & South
Korea, North Korea, China, Philippines, Singapore, Most of Indonesia, Myanmar
and Cocos Islands,Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan.
Azerbaijan, Iran, Moscow/Russia, Greece, Germany,United Kingdom, Brazil. Argentina,
Paraguay, USA, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa (US outlying islands
(Baker Island, Howland Island etc)
Jaswinder Singh Kainaur
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