The start of the new year is the time of the year when everyone wants to treasure the jubilant spirit of the moment. Our country is a land of diversity. The long history of India has exposed it to many cultural and political transformations and as a result, the country is now a proud conglomeration of diverse traditions.
Earlier, there were many cultures which decided the New Year’s Day by considering the moon and the sun cycles. It was only when the Julian calendar came into existence when January 1 became a worldwide New Year celebration day.
It is said that New Year’s Day was celebrated in 45 B.C. for the first time. At that time, it was more of calendar adjustment than a celebration. Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator decided to reform failing the Roman calendar which was introduced in 7th century B.C. It was based on the lunar cycle; it used to fall out of phase frequently with the seasons and had to be corrected. Sosigenes, an Alexandrian astronomer advised using solar cycles like Egyptians. The year was adjusted by adding 67 Days to 45 B.C. making January 1, as first of year 46 B.C. instead of March. He also decided to add one more day to February every four years to keep the calendar on track.
The whole world solemnised the New Year’s Day with great enthusiasm and energy. This day has a special contingency for people. People from various walks of life welcome new year in their own hearty ways. The beginning of the New Year 2019 is a celebration representing new opportunities, a chance to start over and to learn from the last year and to make plans for next year.
Everyone has right to express themselves and feel comfortable in the way they want to eat, drink or act. What we need is to adjust ourselves with time too. So, along with fun and party, we should understand the real meaning of ‘New Year’ and we should try to act on it.
We, the human beings are good and bad bundled together. When a child is born in the world, the heart is pure and it takes in whatever it observes while growing. When we get matured, we shape ourselves into a good person. This can be done by washing away unwanted thoughts/habits from us and cultivating new and positive habits and disciplines as a part of life. Such a change can happen with a well-determined resolution. Every year, we can make our mind ready to accept good things that are difficult though and leave off the bad ones that are hard to leave though.
Every new year gives a little hope to everyone that, this year somehow is going to be better than the previous one. Let us cherish the New Year 2019 and say goodbye to the going year .
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(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
