Tradition’s calendar follows different methods — Chandra-based, Sun-based, and even Brihaspati-based. Chaitra Shuddha Prathama is deemed as a new beginning by certain regions. Followed by Chaitra is the month of Vaishakha.
The full Moon glows in the star constellation of Vishakha during this summer month is the speciality. There are regions in our country that celebrate the new year starting with the solar movement in the Vaishakha month.
Regional celebrations and significance
Vishakha month typically happens during April-May. The solar transit is called Sankramanam and typically it happens around the middle of every month. Thus, around the 14th or 15th of the Vaishakha month, the new year is celebrated in different regions of the country. Punjab celebrates this as Baisakhi in a festive manner.
The short crops of the season would have come home, and the anniversary of Khalsa founding is celebrated. The Bengal region celebrates their new year beginning as “Poila Baisak”, the first of the Vaishakha month. The farther east and the down south too have significance for this day in their own festival celebrations.
Solar transition and traditional observances
The Tamil new year begins on this day and is celebrated on the first day of the month of Chitrai. The Malayali new year too gets celebrated as Vishu on the same day.
The transit of the Sun into the Mesha is a significant event. As we appreciate, the Sun would have completed twelve rashi paribhramanam (movement) after passing through or completing the Meena/Pisces rashi.
Philosophical reflections on the new year
The vatsaradi, meaning the beginning of the new year, is very important from a human perspective. The cycle gets completed and another begins. The plans get revisited, achievements and outcomes get reconciled. New plans are formed for the upcoming year.
The hopes for the new period symbolise the optimistic nature of human nature. The committed resources, the output that got received, may or may not be commensurate with the inputs. Still, the philosophical nature of human beings helps in carrying forward the larger plan of GOD called life.
There may be ups and downs too. If we learn to witness the ups and downs with equanimity, probably the “stita+pragya” nature recommended by Gitacharya will enter our lives. A mature and serene existence shall follow.
(Dr. S. Ainavolu is a Mumbai-based teacher of Management and Tradition.)
