The New Year for Hindus is considered to be initiated with the festival of Diwali. Being one of the important festivals of Hindus, Deepavali is celebrated with much fervor by them. There are two reasons for these celebrations, one the comeback of Lord Ram to Ayodhya along with his wife Sita and younger brother Lakshman and secondly according to the Hindu calendar the day of Diwali is regarded to be the starting of the New Year for the Hindus worldwide. The occasion is commemorated by wearing new clothes, spring-cleaning and white washing the houses, decorating the entrance of the homes with rangolis and finally exchanging the Diwali gifts with each other.

All these things symbolize some thing or the other like the wearing of new clothes on the occasion of New Year or Diwali eve symbolizes the start of some thing new. Cleaning of the houses signifies the discard of the excess baggage before starting with the New Year.

On this occasion old business accounts and deals are settled and new account books are opened. Special ceremony is performed to worship the books and the participants are encouraged to get free from vices like anger, hate and jealousy from their lives. Like any other festival the New Year also has some customs and traditions associated with it. To start the day young children are required to bow down and touch the feet of their adults for blessings and good wishes.

Secondly people wear new clothes and exchange gifts, sweets, fruits and gifts among them. 56 varieties of food are offered to the deities in order to satiate their appetite and then this very food is distributed among the visitors of the temple. In the evening prayers are offered to the Hindu gods like Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Kali, Kubera and Lord Ram.

After the prayers people indulge themselves in festivities like lighting the candles and small diyas and burst the firecrackers and indulge in the yummiest of feasts.