Celebrating New Year - 31st Dec or Hindu New Year?

The eve of 31st December is accepted by Hindus as a day of celebration of the New Year. They make big plans for this day, with regards to shopping, eating in a restaurant, taking a vacation, etc. This article highlights the difference between celebrating the New Year on 31st December versus Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.

Difference between 31st Dec and Chaitra Shukla Pratipada for celebrating New Year.

31st Dec	Chaitra Shukla Pratipada
Day changes at midnight	Day changes with sunrise
No change in environment	Positive changes in environment
No spiritual or scientific reasons present	Spiritual and scientific reasons present

Hindus endow more importance to 31st December!

Nowadays, from the young to the old, all wish each other a 'Happy New Year' or send greeting cards, on the night of 31st December; but Chaitra Shukla Pratipada is the New Year as per our Hindu culture. They consider this as a prestige point. In fact you will find only a handful of Hindus greeting each other on the occasion of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.

Parents of the materialistic new generation are in hibernation!

As per the Hindu religion every auspicious event begins with ritualistic worship at the auspicious time (Brahma muhurta), which is on awakening at dawn, after a bath and wearing clean attire and ornaments. As a result, the sattva component in the atmosphere creates good impressions on the doer. On the eve of 31st December people drink and make merry, in other words spend the night enjoying the pleasures of life. Thus automatically impressions of materialism are created on their subconscious minds. Besides, since at night the atmosphere is tama predominant, the tama component in them grows. People are unaware of this because of lack of religious education; the young generation falls prey to this materialism, fun and frolic. Their parents too are completely oblivious about what is happening to their children.