JAKARTA - For many people, the change of year is synonymous with January 1. Fireworks, countdown, and New Year's parties are common sights in various countries. However, not all countries in the world celebrate New Year based on the Gregorian calendar.
A number of countries actually have their own dating systems that are influenced by traditions, religions, and the long history of their civilizations. Here are 9 countries that do not celebrate the Gregorian New Year on January 1, as reported by the Indian Express website.
1. China
Celebration: Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)
Date: Between January 21 – February 20
Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the most important holiday in China. The celebration takes place on the first new moon between late January and February. The traditions include gathering with family, eating together, giving red envelopes containing money, dancing lions, and fireworks shows. The festival lasts for 15 days and ends with the Lantern Festival.
2. India
New Year: Various according to region
Date: Varies by region
India has a high diversity of culture and religion, so the New Year is celebrated on different dates in each region. Some of the well-known celebrations include Ugadi in South India, Vaisakhi in the Punjab region, and Chaitra Navaratri which marks the beginning of the Hindu calendar. Each celebration follows the traditional lunisolar calendar or agricultural cycle.
3. Iran
New Year: Nowruz
Date: March 20 or 21
Nowruz marks the Persian New Year and has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years. Coinciding with the spring equinox, the celebration comes from the Zoroastrian tradition. Rituals performed include haft-seen, a table decorated with seven symbolic objects, and cleaning the house to welcome a new beginning. Nowruz is not only celebrated in Iran, but also in some Central and Middle Eastern regions.
4. Ethiopia
New Year: Enkutatash
Date: 11 or 12 September
Ethiopia uses the Ethiopian calendar, which is based on the Coptic calendar and lags about 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar. Enkutatash, or Ethiopian New Year, falls at the end of the rainy season and is celebrated with church services, traditional music, and feasts.
5. Thailand
Celebration: Songkran
Date: 13-15 April
Songkran is Thailand's New Year which coincides with the traditional solar calendar. The celebration is famous for its lively water festival, a symbol of purification, renewal, and good deeds. People visit temples, clean Buddha statues, and gather with families.
6. Majority Muslim Countries
Celebration: Islamic New Year (Hijriyah)
Date: Different every year (based on Islamic lunar calendar)
Countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan celebrate the Islamic New Year or Hijriyah which marks the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina. The celebration falls on the first day of the month of Muharram and is generally marked by prayer and reflection, not a festive party.
7. Nepal
New Year: Bikram Sambat
Date: Mid April
Nepal follows the Bikram Sambat calendar, which is about 57 years older than the Gregorian calendar. Nepal's New Year is celebrated with cultural parades, feasts, and family gatherings. The cities of Bhaktapur and Kathmandu are the most festive centers of celebration.
8. Sri Lanka
Celebrations: Sinhala and Tamil New Year
Date: 13-14 April
Sinhala and Tamil New Year coincides with the solar shift from Pisces to Aries, marking the end of the harvest season. Its festive traditions include traditional games, making sweet cakes, and cultural rituals that symbolize prosperity and renewal.
9. Vietnam
Celebration: Tết (Lunar New Year)
Date: Same as Chinese New Year in China
In Vietnam, Tết is the most important holiday. Celebrations include paying homage to ancestors, cooking special dishes such as bánh chưng, and cleaning the house to drive away bad luck.
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