New Year 2021: From Chinese New Year to Nowruz, 5 cultures that do not ring in the New Year on January 1

January 1 is a day the entire world is excited for. It marks the beginning of a new year, a fresh start, and a clean slate. We party the entire night just to celebrate the earth completing its revolution around the sun in 365 days.

While several cultures celebrate the first day of January as New Year’s Day, there are many cultures that do not do so. Due to customs and traditions, their new year is marked on another day and month that sets them apart from the rest.

Many cultures such as Chinese, Iranian, Indian, etc. have a stipulated date to celebrate the New Year. In India, some regions have their days to celebrate the same.

Without further ado, here are 7 cultures that do not ring in the New Year on January 1.

Chinese New Year ( February 12, 2021)

Also called the ‘Spring Festival’, the Chinese New Year is celebrated with great pomp and show not just in China but in Southeast Asian countries that follow the Lunar calendar and the large Chinese community living overseas. It falls between January 21 and February 20 every year and the date varies depending on the Lunar calendar.

Each year, this festival marks the beginning of a zodiac animal year. Everyone’s birth years fall in these zodiac animals. They are 12 in number- Rat, Ox, Tiger, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. This year is the year of the Ox.

On this day, Dumplings are eaten in Chinese households as they represent wealth. The more you eat, the more money you are bound to get. Fish is also consumed on this auspicious day as its word in Chinese sounds like the word ‘surplus.’

Nowruz (Iranian New Year) ( March 21, 2021)

The word ‘Nowruz’ means ‘New Day’ in Persian. The Iranian and Zoroastrian communities celebrate this festival. It falls on the day of the vernal equinox, i.e, March 21. The evening before Nowruz is called ‘Charshanbe Suri’ that is celebrated in Iran where people come together around bonfires and burst firecrackers.

Before Charshanbe Suri, the evening is marked with a Halloween-like custom where people wear costumes and go to houses in the neighborhood, bang spoons against bowls or other utensils, and receive delicious snacks in return.

On Nowruz, family and friends get together and decorate a ‘Haft-Sin’ table where they wait for the exact moment of March 21 when the new year beckons.

Ugadi, Baisakhi, Puthandu, Poila Boishakh (April 2021)

In India, many states observe their own New Year at different times of the year. Ugadi or Gudi Padwa is celebrated in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. This year it is on April 13. The Sikh New Year, also known as Baisakhi, is celebrated on April 14 and is also known as a harvest festival. Puthandu, which is the Tamil New Year is also observed on the same day as Baisakhi, same Poila Baishakh, the Bengali new year.

Many others that are also observed around the same days are Vishu in Kerala, Pana Sankranti in Odisha, Rongali Bihu in Assam, etc.

Islamic New Year (August 9 and 10, 2021)

The Muslims around the world welcome the New Year in August. The first of Muharram marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar year. They look for the crescent moon which symbolizes the arrival of the new year. Unlike other New Year celebrations, this day is observed quietly and special prayers are said in the mosques.

On this day, the story about the Flight of Medina is told on the radio for everyone else to hear and know about.

Aluth Avurudda (Sinhalese New Year) (April 14, 2021)

With Sri Lanka having both Tamil and Sinhalese population, April 14 calls for a double celebration in the country. The Sinhalese New Year known as ‘Aluth Avurudda’ coincides with Puthandu, which is the Tamil New Year. Unlike the midnight marking the New Year, the Sinhalese counterpart depends on astrological calculations to determine the timings of the New Year.

An oil lamp is lit and houses is cleaned up to celebrate the festival. Local Sinhalese delicacies are enjoyed and families come together to indulge in fun and games to celebrate the New Year.

Indeed, these festivals really showcase how diverse and multicultural our world is. Here’s hoping that 2021 has a lot of blessings to give.

Happy New Year!