What’s NEW about a new year? Isn’t it merely a completion of the earth’s gyration in its orbital? How is the 1st of January different from the day before or the day after? The earth rotates around the Sun for all 365 days and everyday it completes a cycle or a year (if we count each day as the first day followed by the upcoming 364 days completing a year). Everyday can be considered as day one of a new year.
Apart from the Gregorian calendar, we Indians follow many calendar years (like Shak and Vikram Samvats) which mark their individual new years. Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Bihu, Holi, Diwali….most of our festivals are the commemoration of new year according to different Samvats or Hindu calendars.
A new year is neither a celestial event like an astronomical union, eclipse etc. nor a historical one like the birthday of Jesus. Not of much significance more than just being the first day of the Gregorian calendar. Then, why such hullabaloo about it being new? Why do we create commotion out of nothing? I mean, we have many better things either to celebrate or to outcry for. Wear your thinking caps and let’s get back to work, people. There’s nothing new about this new year!
Did I sound too pragmatic in my views while questioning the new year celebrations? Well… Although, I am a hardcore romanticist in my way of expression, pragmatism is something I gained through years, slowly and inadvertently. It comes hand in hand with grey hair and wrinkles.
All this prolonged outcry is simply told in the small poem underneath. That’s the power of poetry. It speaks volumes in brevity. Read it and you may forget the aforementioned hullabaloo of words. ?
जो फूल खिले हैं आज
उन्हें कल ही मुरझाना होगा,
ये समय का पहिया है
इसको चलते ही जाना होगा !
‘साल नया‘ कहकर जिसको
बैठाया सर-आँखों पर,
निर्बाध चलेगा लीक पकड़
फिर, साल पुराना होगा !
ना जाने कितने युग बीते
कितनी ही सदियां देखीं,
धरती को फिरभी सूरज का
एक चक्र लगाना होगा !
नभ के असंख्य तारे भी
मिलकर रोक नहीं पायेंगे,
अन्धेरों को जाना, सूरज
को वापस आना होगा !
ये नए-पुराने उत्सव बस
दिग्भ्रम, मृग-मरीचिका हैं,
कर्तव्य ही अंतिम सत्य
हमें हर हाल निभाना होगा !
Glossary:
निर्बाध: Uninterrupted
दिग्भ्रम: Illusion
मृग-मरीचिका: Mirage
Picture: Winter blooms in my garden, clicked by my daughter, Maitreni
Discover more from The Style Symphony
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.