Happy New Year 2076!

Hi friends!

Wishing you all a very happy and joyful new year!

Don't get me wrong, ...it's not the April Fool hangover. In fact, India celebrates New Year according to Hindu calendar.

Tomorrow is the first day of Chaitra month (Shukla fortnight) according to lunisolar calendar of Vikram Samvat.

It is believed that Aadi Shakti goddess Durga manifested herself on this day and asked Brahma to create this universe. So this day is the birthday of whole of existence.

Legendary mathematician Bhaskaracharya calculated the kaal (time) from Sunrise to Sunset and from months to years and devised a panchang (calendar) on this day only.

Another belief is that emperor Vikramaditya released a calendar on this day, which was later referred as Vikrama Samvat.

This day is also Lord Vishnu's avatar day. Hence Navratri festival is celebrated for next 9 days.

This festival is known by different names and legends in different parts of the country e.g. Ugadi or Telugu New Year, Gudi Padwa etc.

It's actually not an India tradition to extend wishes at midnight hour as Indian new year begins with Sunrise. However I'm wishing you all in advance as tomorrow morning, I have to go to collect new and tender Neeem tree leaves ...as it is the tradition to eat these leaves as the first thing in the morning on a new year day. After that I'd get busy in helping my mother to prepare some sweets.

So it doesn't matter if you have already fallen asleep. You will see my wishes with tomorrow's Sunrise anyway :)

मुबारक हो आपको ये नव वर्ष का गहना!
दमको आप जैसे फागुन का महिना !!
पतझड़ न आये कभी आपकी जिन्दगी में !
यही हैं दोस्त अपनी तो दिली तमन्ना!!

नव संवत्सर की अनेकानेक शुभकामनाएं!!!