Ram Navmi

We all celebrate New year on 31st December. And some of us might have heard about Chinese New year and reasons behind it, but do you know about Hindu New Year? But before giving you the Information, one thing which I want to bring into attention is climate change and how it is affecting the cycle. Not only that, after turkey we experience temblor in vast areas of Asia and what else nature can do we witness recently in Mississippi. Already a lot of soldiers are sacrificing their lives in the Russia-Ukraine war and today news came from a school in Tennessee where in a shootout 7 including 3 kids were killed. It's a two way fight which we are facing in this modern civilization and we are not sure what next is coming.

Recently we witnessed a large number of people in India who are suffering with one or other infection during the months of February and March. And even now the no. of cases are increasing day by day in some states. With no rain in January and February some areas experience heat waves in the month of March which usually arrive in May and June in India. But finally it rains and it rained so heavily that even in the NCR region (outskirts of New Delhi) we see reports of heavy hail storms which one can not expect due to its geographical location. Majority of North India witnessed a drastic change in climate this year leaving us to think about these issues.

But finally the rain stops and sunshine's at its best, and that's the Hindu New Year this year. In Hindu calendar there is no fixed particular date for New Year as it all changes according to astronomical situations. This year it is 9th April, which is the first day of Chaitra Navratri, a process of 9 days, where the vast majority of Hindus avoid eating Non-vegetarian items and even consuming Liquor as a sign of acceptance and respect. Some even go on fasting during these days. And the day which comes on the 9th day is Ram Navmi (the birth of Lord Vishnu's seventh avatar, Lord Rama) which is on 17th April, 2024.

But a day before that, that is on the 8th day, people particularly prepare specific food which includes boiled black chickpeas with seasoning, fried salty pancakes and semolina pudding which is distributed along with some present among the local girls as a tradition. People invite girls to their home during breakfast/brunch time and the man of the house washes their feet with his hands as a symbol of respect towards them. And that's not all, for all of us it was the year 2024 but according to Hindu Calendar it is the year 2081, 57 years ahead of our regular calendar. So I hope you now have the knowledge to start practicing these festivals at ease in your home.