19. The Hindu New Year’s Day
EVERY nation in the world has its New Year’s Day. A year is the time of the apparent revolution of the sun through the ecliptic; and a sidereal year is the time in which the sun departing from any fixed star returns to the same. The Hindu’s astronomical year is sidereal. He calls it Samvatsaradi, the first day of the year or the Vishu-chaitravishu, the equinoctical point of Aries, into which the sun enters at the vernal equinox. This event generally falls on the 12th April and is considered by the Hindu a punaykala—a holy occasion. So on the New Year’s Day the Manes and Gods are propitiated by offerings of tarpana—oblations of water—and other allied ceremonies. In other respects, the New Year’s Day is a day of feasting.
Though thus the astronomical Hindu year falls on the 12th April, the New Year’s Day is observed on different days by different sects of the Hindus, according as they happen to follow the lunar, the luni-solar or the solar calendar. The Tamils follow the solar, and
