Gujarati New year

Celebrated on the next day of Diwali, the other names for Gujarati New Year are Bestu Varas, Varsha Pratipada, and Padwa. Legend has it that the people of Gokul stopped worshipping Indra, the Rain God; instead, they started worshipping the Govardhan Parbat and the cows. This infuriated Indra, and to punish the people of Gokul; he showed his fury in heavy rainfall. To save the people from the rain, Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan Parbat with his little finger and gave shelter to all the “Vraj vasis”, Vraj bhumi, and the animals under the Govardhan Parbat. Since then, people have worshipped the Govardhan Parbat on this day and celebrated the New Year on the first day of Kartik Shukla Paksha pratipada.

Gujarati New Year 2023

As per the Hindu Lunar calendar, the Gujarati New Year 2023 will fall on the 13th of November, 2023 (Friday), the day just after Diwali, and marks the start of the first month in the Gujarati calendar.

It is considered to be an auspicious day for celebrations. However, according to the Hindu tithi, people perform the Govardhan puja at a specific time. The Gujarati New Year 2023 Govardhan puja timing will start at 15:32 and end at 17:50 on 5 November 2023.

Significance

In the five-day-long Diwali festival, the Gujarati New Year usually coincides with the Govardhan puja, which is celebrated on the Kartik Shukla Paksha Pratipada according to the Hindu Lunar calendar.

The day holds special significance for Gujarati businessmen. On this day, the old account books give way to new account books. This ritual in the Gujarati business community is called “chopda”. On this day, the chopda is worshipped and the ritual is practised in the divine presence of Goddess Lakshmi for more business profits.

Bestu Varas

Bestu Varas holds a lot of importance amongst the people of the Gujarati community. Here is a list of traditional rituals performed by the Gujarati community on this day.

• The day starts with cleaning and decorating the house with fresh flower garlands or Toran on the door.
• People dress up in their festive finery and visit temples.
• In the evening, diyas are lit and the houses come alive and decorated with colourful lights.
• As per the tithi or timing, Govardhan puja is done in every Gujarati family.
• On Happy New Year day, Gujarati community people visit their friends, relatives and neighbours to wish them.
• People also indulge in the bursting of firecrackers.
• The day ends with delicious home-cooked vegetarian meals and lots of sweet dishes.

Places to Visit in Gujarat

After the Happy New Year Gujarati community celebrations end, visitors would do well to travel around the colourful state of Gujarat.

Dwarka

Dwarka was the capital of Lord Krishna’s kingdom in 1500 BC. Also known as the Golden City, the place is located on the tip of the western part of the Saurashtra Peninsula in the district of Jamnagar. It finds prominence as one of the four holy places (Char Dham) and one of the seven towns (Sapta Puris) of ancient times. It is said that after Lord Krishna’s death, the Yadava Dynasty ended after which a flood submerged the entire Dwarka region under the Arabian Sea.

Things to Do

• Visit the 2000-year-old Dwarkadheesh Temple.
• Exploring the submerged city of Dwarka through scuba diving is popular among visitors.

How to Reach

You can reach Dwarka by train or bus from nearby cities and towns. Redbus.in offers discounted tickets on bus services to Dwarka from Jamnagar, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Dhrol, and Khambalia, with boarding and drop points all around the city.

Gir National Park

Home to the Asiatic Lions, Gir National Park is an excellent place for animal lovers and people who wish to indulge in fun and adventure on their trip. Apart from the Asiatic Lions, you can also see other wild animals like Hyenas, Fish Owls, Black Bucks and many more.

Things to Do

• Get onto open jeeps and take a tour inside the forest. It feels surreal to be in an open jeep with Lions and other wild animals lurking around.
• Watching migratory birds like the Pygmy Woodpecker, Bonneli’s Eagle, and Flamingo is another popular activity among the visitors at Gir during December and January.

How to Reach  

The easiest and cheapest way to reach Gir is by bus, which is available from all the nearby towns and cities in Gujarat. To reach quickly, tourists can take a flight to Diu and then embark on a two-hour road journey to Gir.

Ahmedabad

Although not the capital city of Gujarat, Ahmedabad is the twin city of Gujarat’s capital Gandhi Nagar. Touted as the commercial hub and the largest city in Gujarat, Ahmedabad has a lot to offer.

Things to Do

• Visit the iconic Sabarmati Ashram, which is now a museum showcasing things associated with Gandhiji and India’s fight against British rule.,
• Take some time to visit the Bhadra Fort, which Sultan Ahmad Shah built in 1411 AD.

How to Reach

You can reach Ahmedabad either by train or flight from anywhere in India. redBus. Offers discounted tickets on bus services from nearby cities and towns like Baroda, Mumbai, Surat, Rajkot and Ankleshwar.

Visit the enchanting state of Gujarat and get an enthralling experience of a lifetime. To save on online bus tickets while travelling in Gujarat, visit redBus.in.