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Vashi2Panvel.Com: Navi Mumbai: April 14: With a diverse culture in our country festivals are a routine affair. Today, the ‘calmanac’ boasts of as many as five significant events for the people of different communities. So while the Punjabis are celebrating Baisakhi today, the Tamilians have their new year. Then there's the celebration of the birthday of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar with great pomp and show. For the Bengalis, it’s Chaitra Sankranti, the end of the year. But unlike the thrill and excitement elsewhere it is not a celebration time for the Catholic community.



Good Friday marks the crucification of Jesus Christ by the soldiers of Jerusalem. It was on this day that Jesus was mounted on the Holy Cross. “Early morning we went to the church where we enacted the crucification of the Christ—his sufferings, his agony, how he was hit and ultimately crucified. In the evening, we will have our regular mass,” says Jacob Orlando, student, SIES (Nerul) College.

Baisakhi marks the New Year for our Punjabi folks. The day is considered ‘shubh’ or auspicious so “be it a marriage ceremony or the mundan, we don’t need to take out a muhurat on this day. Besides, the day is especially important for girls who will celebrate their first Baisakhi after marriage and of course for the new-borns,” beams Rani Kochchar, Old Panvel resident. Ask her about the festivities in her home and she frowns, “The festival is not of much significance for those who live in the city. It is more important for the farmers who reap crops in this season and celebrate the harvest. They dance and sing, prepare desserts and enjoy immensely which is not possible here. I’ve only made some sweets at home.”

It’s not just the Punjabis and the Sikhs who are celebrating their new year today. Even the Tamilians are celebrating their New Year, Vishu. The woman of the family worships Lord Krishna in the wee hours of morning. The children are then woken up so that the first thing they see on getting up is the Lord. But for Airoli resident Rajlakshmi Nambiar the festivities in the city are lacklustre. “When I was a kid, my siblings and I used to eagerly wait for Vishu as it was only on this day that we got new clothes, money and a grand lunch. We couldn’t have asked for more!” She says comparing it with the city life, “Now my kids get pocket-money and shopping is far more often so the festival is like just another day for them. Besides, we pray to Lord Krishna and also offer our gratitude to the food--fruits, grains and vegetables. Traditionally, we get the food from our own land but here the significance is lost as we have to buy them.”

The Bengalis are all geared up to welcome their New Year, Poila Baisakh tomorrow. They want to get rid of all the bitterness and hence the tradition of eating something bitter on Chaitra Sankranti i.e. today. While not many Bengalis are aware of the reasons for having bitter, a common notion prevails that one must get rid of bitter things in life and welcome the new year. Says Snehashish Prasad Bagchi, “For us, it’s the New year eve today. It’s also the harvesting season so a boon time for the farmers. We eat Neem today as it’s an antidote and prevents any viral diseases.”

Swati Pandey