New Year's according to different Indian region and why these days were chosen

Vishu - the Malayalam New Year, just got over on April 14th.

January 1st is the start of New Year around the world! So what is this Malayalam New year?

Even though January 1st is celebrated around the world as New Year, here in India every region traditionally celebrates another day as the start of New Year. That is, the New Year of Hindus does not start on January 1st.

Examples of New Year of Hindus in various states of India are:

Kerala -  Vishu / Chingam 1 *

Karnataka and Andhra - Ugadi  (or Yugaadi).

Bengal -  Pahela Baisakh.

Tamil Nadu - Puthandu' / Samvatsaraadi.

Maharashtra - Gudi Padwa.

Kashmir -  Navreh.

(*Vishu (April 14 or 15) celebrated as New Year day by Malayalis is the zodiac New Year. But the first month in a Malayalam calendar is Chingam.)

January 1st is the New Year's day according to the Gregorian calendar. This calendar came into existence in the year 1582 and is used only for civil purposes by Hindus.

This is the reason why we Hindus celebrate 2 birthdays - one according to the Gregorian calendar and another according to the Hindu calendar (where we do pooja at the temple).

Example: My birthday according to the Gregorian Calendar is March 27. But my 'temple birthday' is Swathi star in Meenam month.

If the Gregorian calendar is not used for religious purposes, do Hindus have a general religious calendar?

If yes, should we not celebrate the same new year's day all over India? But the New Year days of Vishu, Puthandu, Pahela Baisakh are celebrated on the same day (usually April 14 -15) but Ugadi and Gudi Padwa are celebrated on a different day.

Proof that, we do not have the same calendar. But different calendars!!

Why do different regions in India celebrate different days as their New Year?

This question had been on my mind for many years. I remember asking my father (who knows a bit of astrology) about this and him mentioning something about 'chandramanam' and 'souramanam'. But it remained an unsolved mystery until I heard a speech by Velukudi Krishnan Swami. My sincere thanks to Dr. Rajesh Shankar, who sent me this link.

In his speech Velukudi Krishnaji explained how we can find answers to the following questions:

1. Why do Hindus have a 60 year cycle?

2. Why do Hindus have different New Years' in different places in India?

3. Why should Hindus read the Panchaangam everyday?

If you understand Tamil, I will strongly advice you to listen to him than read any further.

The New Year which started on April 14th, 2016 was called DURMUKHI.

And the New Year which started on April 14th, 2017 is called HEVILAMBI.

Really? Every year has a name?

Yes. We have names for our years, starting from Prabhava, Vibhava…!!

There are 60 names used to name the years, after which, we return back to the first name - Prabhava. That makes it a  60 year cycle!

But why 60 years?

There is a lot of mathematics involved in all this. Our forefathers could predict eclipses thousands of years ago without having any access to modern equipment. The present day astrologers do it too with the calculations passed on over the generations! Amazing!

There are some basic concepts you need to know to understand these calculations:

1. One of the core concepts in Hindu astrology is of the NAVAGRAHAS, loosely translated into English as 9 planets (this is different from the modern astronomical definition of planets) which rule over every life form.

They are Soorya (Sun), Soma (Moon), Mangala (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Guru (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Rahu (North or ascending node) and Ketu (South or descending node).

2. There are 27 nakshatraas, starting from Ashvini, Bharani, Krithika and ending in Uttara Bhadrapada, Revati.

3. There are 12 months / raasi, starting from Vaisaakha (Mesha) and ending in Chaitra (Meena).

4. Thus 2 1/4 nakshatraas have 1 raasi.

(27 nakshatraas divided by 12 months or raasi is equivalent to 2.25 nakshatraas. 27/12 = 2.25)

4. Each planet travels through each raasi at its own pace.

Using these basic concepts we can now find answers.

Answer 1:

Sun, Moon, Jupiter and Saturn are the 4 important grahaas which have decided the fate of our Hindu calendar; thanks to their pace.

As mentioned earlier (basic concept: 4), all grahaas HAVE to pass through all raasis.

The Moon is the fastest and covers a nakshatra each day and the Sun covers 1 raasi (2.25 nakshatras) every month.

So the Moon takes 27 days to complete a cycle and the Sun takes 1 year.

Jupiter covers 1 raasi (2.25 nakshatras) in 1 year. That means he takes 12 years to cover all the nakshatraas.

(Titbit: In Kerala, we call 12 years - vyazha vattom or Jupiter cycle!)

The slowest is Shani or Saturn otherwise called Maandi. He is supposed to have a slight cripple and moves through the 12 raasi or 27 nakshatraas over the course of 30 years!! That is, 2 1/2 years to cover 1 raasi!

So now we know the fastest and the slowest. How can we now decide the number where they all meet? All the grahaas must have covered all raasis.

Find the LCM (least common multiple) of all grahaas. Especially Jupiter and Saturn. That is LCM of 12 years and 30 years, which is 60 years.

So Saturn meets Jupiter once every 60 years.

Thus we have a 60 year cycle!

Answer 2:

Since the Sun and the Moon are the fastest, we calculate our year using these two.

Sun takes 1 month to cover 1 raasi.

Moon takes 1 day to cover a nakshatra.

Based on this there are 2 calendars.

The Sun calendar is called Souramanam; while the Moon calendar is called Chandramanam.

When the Sun travels from 1 Raasi to next, a 'sankramam' takes place and a new month arrives.

The Moon has 2 cycles in a month. It grows after Amavaasya (new moon) or Shukla-paksha and wanes after Pournami (full moon) or Krishna-paksha. The new month starts after the day of Amavaasya.

The people of Andhra and Karnataka follow the Moon Calendar (Chandramanam).

Thus Ugaadi is celebrated on the next day after Amavasya in the month of Chithirai.

Vishu is celebrated after the sankrama of Meena-Mesha as the people of Kerala follow the Solar Calendar (Souramanam).

Why is the month of Mesha chosen as the start of New Year and not another month?

The Sun is supposed to pass through 9 streets. When he is in the northern hemisphere, it is called Utharaayana and when he is in the southern hemisphere, it is called Dakshinaayana.

Again calculating, each street will have 3 nakshatras. (9 * 3 = 27)

Mesha-veedhi or Mesha Street is considered to be the first street, as it represents the first 2 ¼ nakshatras (Ashvini, Bharani, Krithika 1/4). Thus we have the New Year at the beginning of Mesha month.

If you are good in Maths, you would have noticed that there are 30 days in a solar calendar but only 27 days in a moon calendar. That means there will be a deficit of 10 - 11 days in a particular year in the moon calendar and if this accumulates, in 3 years there will be a difference of 30 days, nearly 1 month.

So how will these 2 calendars equalize?

This is where a concept of adhika masa (extra month) comes in. The followers of the chandramanam add an extra month to their calendar every 3 years to bring it to date with the Sun calendar!

Answer 3:

Knowledge of each day's star, day and date is good . Practically, to be aware of what it is and spiritually, to do the necessary ablutions.

The book which contains all this is called the Panchaangam.

Panchaangam is the book which contains the 'tithi' (date), 'vaaram' (day), 'nakshatram' (star), 'yogam' (type of day) and 'karanam' (half of tithi).

Reading this everyday is supposed to bring auspiciousness to your home.

Knowing the Tithi makes Mahalakshmi (Goddess of wealth) happy.

Knowing the Vaaram helps in 'aayur-vardhana' (longevity).

Knowing the Nakshatram helps in alleviating 'paapam' (sin).

Knowing the Yogam is good for 'aarogya' (health).

And knowing the Karanam is good for 'kaarya-sidhi' (getting your work done).

I have tried explaining to you as well as I can - why in India, we celebrate New Year on different days in different regions.

Please do let me know your thoughts on my article.