For some Hindus, the New Year has come early. About a fortnight before it did last year.(I was literally caught in middle of my spring clean and had to step it up. Which also partly explains the delay in posting this)

                                                                                   Image Courtesy: BCCL

As per the Hindu Lunar Calendar, the month of Chaitra begins today with the Sun entering the Aries constellation and signalling the start of Spring. In the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, this also heralds the start of the New Year. Wish you all who are celebrating it today a wonderful New Year !

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For other states like Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Nepal, Orrisa, Rajasthan and Punjab which observe the Hindu Solar Calendar, the New Year follows nirayanam,  the Vernal Equinox and generally falls on the 14th of April every year.

This also coincides with the traditional New Year in Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh Nepal and Thailand.

Following up from the last post, here is another example of the confusing but wonderful diversity of traditions among the Hindus.

The first day of Chaitra is also one of three most auspicious days of the year, steeped in mythological and astrological significance. After all Brahma is said to have created the Universe on this day.  You can read more about it here.

As a postscript….I have just made the traditional prasad of puris ( fried bread) and shrikhand (sweetened curd). It’s looks and tastes pretty amazing so had to share.

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and the first offering placed in my temple :)photo-7