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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