We celebrated New Years Day on April 14, 2023!

 

PHOTO CREDIT: WIKIPEDIA 
 

We had sweets to eat! You may wonder how the new year starts on April 14. Well! This is in Bengaluru and in Chennai, India. People of Tamil origin all over the world follow this practice. Several other states of India observe this day under different names. People from Kerala, the Punjab and Bengal are among those who celebrate New Year’s Day in April.

This day used to be the day of the Spring Equinox when the Sun moves from the southern part of the sky to the northern part. For people living in the northern half of the world, this used to mark the beginning of Spring – warmer days and longer hours with sunlight. The Equinox occurs earlier nowadays. In 2023, it was on March 21. However, people stick to the practice of observing April 14 as the new year day.

Srinivasan Ramani  

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