This week, many communities across India celebrated their new year and spring festivals. In the east, Assam celebrated 'Bohaag Bihu', for the Assamese new year and the Spring Festival.
This week, many communities across India celebrated their new year and spring festivals. In the east, Assam celebrated 'Bohaag Bihu', for the Assamese new year and the Spring Festival.
Close by, West Bengal celebrated the Bengali new year, otherwise known as 'Poila Baisakh'. Odisha too celebrated its new year, called 'Maha Vishuba Sankranti'.
In southern India, Tamil Nadu celebrates 'Puthandu' or 'Puthuvarusham', the Tamil New Year. Kerala celebrated its new year festival on the same day as 'Vishu'.
Devotees across Punjab and Haryana thronged to gurdwaras, including the Golden Temple in Amritsar, to mark the festival of Baisakhi which marks the foundation day of Khalsa panth or the Sikh order by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh.
1. Vishu celebrations
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A south Indian family sits in front of 'Vishu Kani’ at their house in Kozhikode on April 13. Vishu is the festival held in state of Kerala on the first day in Malayalam month of Medam. Image courtesy: PTI
2. Floral preparations for Vishu
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An Indian vendor arranges flowers on a stall at a flower market in Chennai on April 13, ahead of "Vishu" or the New Year in accordance with the Malayalam calendar which is celebrated mainly in the neighbouring state of Kerala. Image courtesy: AFP
3. Community fishing as part of Bihu
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People take part in a community fishing session on April 13 during the Rongali or Bohag Bihu festival celebrations at Digholi lake in Nagaon district of Assam. Image courtesy: Reuters
4. Bihu celebrations in Guwahati
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Artists perform Bihu dance to celebrate Rongali Bihu organised by All Assam Students Union (AASU) in Guwahati on April 14. Image courtesy: PTI
5. Children celebrating Bengali new year 'Poila Baisakh'
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Indian Hindu Bengali girls in traditional dress dance during celebrations to mark Bengali New Year in Siliguri on April 15. Image courtesy: AFP
6. Celebrating the Bengali New Year
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A Hindu priest marks on accounts book with holy symbol on the occasion of the Bengali New Year in Kolkata on April 15. Traders in West Bengal open their new account books for the year on Bengali New Year after offering prayers to Lakshmi and Ganesha to bring them prosperity. Image courtesy: PTI
7. Devotees offer sacrifices before Bengali new year begins
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Devotees, with iron rods pierced through their tongues, take part in celebration of ‘Shiva Gajan’ festival at Dwarka in Birbhum district of West Bengal on April 14. This is the last day of the Bengali calendar. Faithful Hindu devotees offer various rituals and symbolic sacrifices hoping the favour of God Shiva to mark the advent of the Bengali New Year. Image courtesy: PTI
8. Performing Bhangra for Baisakhi celebrations
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Students performing Bhangra, Punjabi folk dance, as they take part in Baisakhi festival celebrations at a wheat farm on the outskirts of Amritsar city on April 10. Image courtesy: PTI
9. Celebrating Baisakhi
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Youth in traditional attire celebrating Baisakhi festival in Jalandhar on April 11. Image courtesy: PTI
