New Year's Eve

[freddi]

Happy 2016 all! I hope you had a good night wherever you went and whoever you spent it with. What are the usual ways of celebrating in India? Are there any religious events that take place as the new year comes in?

 

[Sammie]

Happy New Year's! They have beach parties in Goa and for the last week of December they have a Cochin Carnival in Fort Kochi. I'm not sure about the religious events. We had a nice quiet night at home, just the two of us.

 

[amelia88]

Can't believe it's already 2016 - where did 2015 go?!

I've never celebrated the New Years in India - maybe I'll be there this time next year, with any luck - but I'm looking forward to seeing what others say about the celebrations there! I always find it fascinating learning about traditions and customs in other countries!

 

[freddi]

A beach party sounds pretty awesome - certainly not something you could do here in wet cold Britain! I saw a documentary about Japan and how it's the custom to visit a shrine (or temple?) on NYE. Those places get packed! It seems like it's more of a time for personal reflection and spirituality, rather than the all-out drinking and partying we have here, which is what got me wondering about what happens in India.

 

[Amelie]

Happy New Year! I've never been lucky enough to ring in the New Year in India as well, but I hear the celebrations are pretty similar to those in other countries. Some attend parties, while others opt to stay indoors to watch the televised celebrations. And yes, the adventurous crowd go to the beaches in Goa or Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to name a few.

 

[Vnisha]

There in India, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery for sure. Either you are a catholic or from any other community, there you can have a big bang with friends or at alone. Either you are in Goa or In any part of India, you can Join religious ceremony. At Banaras ghat of India, you can see beautiful lighting.
Chandigarh is a beautiful city, you should visit, to enjoy delicious Punjabi street food.

 

[freddi]

If a person is not religious, would they be allowed to join in a ceremony? Genuinely curious - I don't go to church or anything, and never have done, so I don't really know how it all works. Are tourists excluded from certain things?

 

[amelia88]

If a person is not religious, would they be allowed to join in a ceremony? Genuinely curious - I don't go to church or anything, and never have done, so I don't really know how it all works. Are tourists excluded from certain things?

I'm not religious particularly, and I've been to religious festivals and celebrations in other parts of the world - so I'd like to know this about India, too! Despite not practicing any sort of religion I do still find the historical and cultural aspects of it all very interesting, so when I travel I do like learning about these sorts of things!

 

[tabby]

Celebrating the New Year in different parts of the world is one of the things I'd like to do myself. So far, I've only experienced Thai New Year and one in HongKong. I would definitely like to see and experience for myself how Indians also celebrate the New Year. I read once that Indians have several types of New Year's days. Said New Year's Days are celebrated in various regions and at various times of the year. I wonder how similar or different these Indian New Year's days are.