As we bid farewell to another year, it’s time for introspection and anticipation. With the New Year comes the opportunity to improve oneself, explore, and reinvent. The English New Year is celebrated worldwide based on the Gregorian calendar, but the underlying theme remains consistent – rejuvenation.
The days leading up to the New Year witness a lot of hustle and bustle. Many buildings get a new paint job, updated upholstery, and refurbished rooms. As the clock strikes twelve on New Year’s Eve, fireworks light up the sky as people bid farewell to the old and embrace the new. Friends, alcohol, and food set the stage for the festivities. Party-goers flock to Bengaluru’s iconic Mahatma Gandhi Road to ring in the New Year and escape their worries and obligations. The homeless warmed themselves by making bonfires, while the devout gathered at religious sites for divine favours.
In the 1970s, the winter holidays saw stores offering special sales and discounts. Well-heeled set off on vacations to distant lands. Ironically, we made New Year’s resolutions only to break them later, but some triumphantly reinvented themselves. Some interesting resolutions involved quitting smoking, exercising regularly, avoiding junk foods and saving money.
The women embellished their houses with rangolis and scribbled “Happy New Year” alongside. Christian households flaunted massive New Year stars made of bamboo and light paper. Hindus adorned the entrance of their homes with buntings made of fresh mango leaves. The family elders unwrapped new calendars and hung them in a proper spot. Hindu calendars featured important information like Rahukala, Gulika Kalam, Amavasya, and festivals.
Both the sun and the moon influence the Indian calendar. The calendar uses a solar year but splits it into 12 lunar months. However, physical calendars have become irrelevant in the modern gadget-dominated era.
We surprised our parents on New Year with diaries or gifts from our employers or customers. We took the time to visit our family elders who lived close by and sought their blessings. The landline phone kept ringing nonstop while my parents greeted and reciprocated wishes from each caller. Today, the prevalence of smartphones has led to a surge in message traffic, whether it be greetings or otherwise. We ended the day with a visit to the Cox Town market fair, a legacy from the British Raj.
Employees at my bank job greeted each other with handshakes. Afterwards, a messenger enticed you with a tray full of chocolate as he circled the branch. A separate tray positioned at the entrance drew customers. Flower bouquets adorned the counters and the officer’s cabins. Customers gave us dairies, calendars, and small gifts, and we returned their generosity. Sparkling string lights transformed the bank building into a beautiful spectacle at night.
As the head of a bank branch, I readied for the New Year by creating a roster of valuable clients. On New Year’s Day, I went out with calendars, dairies, and presents, giving them to clients and extending my wishes. This exercise also served as a strategy for attracting more deposits. Branches also displayed banners advertising the latest products. The gift-giving tradition got a muted burial later, as the bank forbade it, dampening the excitement.
Here’s wishing you all success and joy in the New Year!
