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No trade-off with tradition

The many faces of the Indian New Year

PHOTO:V.V.KRISHNAN

BIHU WITH A BANG Manoj and Ajanta Das of New Delhi renew their links with home through customs

Many, many summers ago, a South Delhi public school, not too far from popular cinema halls like Sapna and Paras used to welcome students to a new academic year on April 14, the Baisakhi day. The kids would stand in queues, waiting for their results. The toppers would get their awards, and all the rest a day full of festivities. There was a special treat for all, no classes, lots of fun on the swings, slides and playfields.

It was only much, much later that one discovered the true significance of the day. Indeed, Baisakhi is to many North Indians what Bihu is to many in Assam, or Vishu is to those in Kerala. All about new beginnings, a new harvest, a new year. Just like Ugadi, celebrated a little earlier, for those in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, or Gudi Parva in Maharashtra.

In short, Baisakhi, across regions, has remained a day of festivities for Indians. While some of us mark the day as Pohila Boishakh (Bengal) or Baisakhi (Punjab, Haryana), some rejoice at the return of the annual Puthandu (Tamil Nadu), Vestu Varas (Gujarat) or Loosong (Sikkim). Different names given to the celebration in different regions, but the root of it has been the same - the arrival of the pan-Indian New Year.

So, Baisakhi is here again. Many of us are away from our home states. Yet we rejoice in our own way.

Even as we adapt to life in a big city, we retain our regional identity, which emerges periodically, even if in a citified avatar. It may be different from what the traditions are, but the fun continues nevertheless.

METRO PLUS speaks to a bunch of Delhiites hailing from various parts of the country about the original and the morphed new year celebrations.

A song for your year

Among Bengalis, Baisakhi is called Nobo Borsho (New Year) or Pohila Boishakh (the first Baisakh) "On the day of Pohila Boishakh the shop keepers worship their account books. It is called `Haal Khata'," says Paroma Roy Choudhury, a communications head with a reputed company in New Delhi. "People make sure to wear new clothes and distribute gifts and sweets. Though in big cities, celebration of Pohila Boishakh is the biggest casualty."

But as the festival marks the beginning of a new year, people organise cultural programmes and sing "Aisho Hey Boishakh" and other favourites penned by Rabindranath Tagore.

"We make sure not to use `sharp words' on this auspicious day. Earlier it used to be a family celebration. Now it is almost losing its significance. I make it a point to send all my `Bong' friends messages wishing them Nobo Borsho. My husband and I buy gifts for each other and wear new clothes at least, if we can't make it a big affair," she concludes.

RANA SIDDIQUI

When Bihu beckons

The arrival of Baisakh or Bohag is celebrated in Assam for a week starting with Goru Bihu. On this day, the cows of the household are given a spring-cleaning with a paste of haldi and gram.

The weeklong fiesta is the state's main festival, Rongali or Bohag Bihu. Every individual buys at least one pair of clothes, visits at least one relation, one neighbour and takes the blessings of at least one elder.

To complete the celebrations, there are delicacies including pitha or rice cakes with different fillings.

Bihu dance groups go from door to door to sing and dance to wish people good luck for the coming year.

Manoj and Ajanta Das of Sarvodaya Enclave in South Delhi have been away from home for close to two decades. Yet, every Bohag, their heart longs for home.

Though their children, having grown up here, don't quite miss the celebrations, for Manoj and Ajanta, a longing to be with their "own people" makes them visit almost all the Bihu celebrations in Delhi every year.

"Because we don't get the bora (big) chawal here, I can't make pitha. There is no husori, no goru bihu, no tora phool, no kopou phool.

Seeing the cows in my colony on Goru Bihu, I feel like giving them a haldi-gram paste bath. Alas, you don't find raw haldi so easily here!" says Ajanta.

They will celebrate Bihu on April 27, as the Assam Association of Delhi is organising a cultural function that evening at the city's Laxmibai Nagar Sadan. "Also, we will go to Gurgaon, Noida and Dwarka to attend Bihu functions," says Manoj.

The Association's General Secretary for the last four years, Manoj says at the end of the function every year, the stage is open for all to dance to Bihu songs.

"It will be a free for all. All those who are missing home can find their way in," he adds with a laugh.

SANGEETA BAROOAH PISHAROTY

Life, sweet and sour

The Murthi family of Hyderabad has been in the National Capital Region for the last 30 years.

That never stopped them from celebrating the Telugu New Year, Ugadi, with fervour.

"It falls on the same day as the first Navaratra," explains Jyothi Murthi, a manager in a textile firm. One of the most important foods associated with the traditional new year of the Deccan region is neither a delicious sweetmeat nor a spicy savoury. It is known as Ugadi pachadi and is a concoction that must be tasted like a new year ritual.

"It is a mixture of sweet, sour and bitter tastes," says Jyothi. The Ugadi pachadi represents the flavours of life. "It contains the new flower of the neem tree, unripe mango and jaggery from the new cane crop.

The neem trees of the North do not flower at this time, but there are lots of South Indian shops that stock the flowers. Some people get it couriered from back home," remarks Jyothi.

People visit the local Ram temple with the pachadi before eating it. Despite the elaborate cooking and pujas, folks always think with a sense of longing for the celebrations back home. Recounting the events of the day, Jyothi can't help adding, "Of course, in the South the functions are very grand."

Ugadi festive food includes vadas and payasam or kheer made of new rice. All the ingredients are associated with the harvest.

ANJANA RAJAN

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