People across the globe celebrate the beginning of a new year on January 1. The date has been determined as per the Gregorian calendar, which is widely used. Various cultures and religions celebrate the New Year on different dates and times depending upon their respective calendars.
Why January 1?
New Year began in March on the day the new consul assumed office at the time when the Romans adhered to the lunar calendar. However, by 153 B.C., some months were added and the consuls took charge on January 1.
Another explanation behind the date, according to Greek-born historian and philosopher Plutarch, Romulus, the first king of Rome, who was “a warrior and lover of battle”, was believed to be the son of Mars and preferred March. Whereas, another king named Numa, who was “a lover of peace and whose ambition was to turn the city towards husbandry and to divert it from war, gave precedence to January”. The name of the month stems from Janus, the two-faced Roman god of beginnings or gates.
Later, during the time of Julius Caesar, the lunar-based Roman calendar went out of sync with the seasons. Hence, the leader along with an Alexandrian astronomer used the Egyptian solar calendar as the foundation and created the Julian calendar around 46 B.C. The New Year, as per this calendar, started on January 1.
The Julian calendar was quite lengthy and it was reformed by Pope Gregory XII leading to the creation of the Gregorian calendar. In this system too, the New Year officially began on January 1.
When is New Year marked in India?
While the majority of people kick off the celebrations on New Year's Eve or the night of December 31, the date varies in India due to different cultures and traditions. As per the lunar calendar, the i during the spring harvest time in central India. In Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated as Tamil Puthandu, as Rongali Bihu in Assam, as Poila Boishakh in Bengal, as Bishuva Sankranti in Odisha, and as Vishu in Kerala.
