A
Acharya
Guest
The 1st of January is the beginning of a Year only in the Gregorian Calendar. There are numerous calendars in the world and almost every day is the beginning of a Year in some calendar in some corner of the world.
Calendars are not based on religion or scriptures but related to a people group. We have a Tamil New Year on the first of Tamil Month of Chithirai; Ugadi, the New Year in the Telugu/Kannada Calendar; Marathi New Year, Bengali New Year etc etc.
The Gregorian Calendar has a long history originating in Rome. There are many versions to the origin of this calendar. For instance one version says it began on the day when the city of Rome was completed by its first King Romulus whom it was named after. Another version says it was decided by Julius Ceasar. The Vatican, home to the Roman Catholic Religion, adopted this calendar at one point of time. The calendar was subjected to numerous changes during the course of history. For instance March was the first month, April was second and so on. The then seventh month was named September after the Latin word Septum for Seven, the then eighth month named October after Octum, Latin for Eight; ninth month November after Novum, Latin for Nine and the tenth month December after Decum, Latin for Ten. Latin was the language spoken in Rome those days. Consequent on astronomical discoveries made in the following years the calendar was modified and rectified numerous times. The last change made was addition of an extra day in February during a leap year which was authorized by Pope Gregory the then Pope of St. Peter's Church, the Supreme seat of the RC Church. Thenceforth it was referred to as Gregorian Calendar. Since the entire Europe was RC, the calendar was adopted by every nation in Europe, including the British who had no calendar at all. Since Britain ruled almost the entire Globe, the calendar was adopted in (rather imposed on) every British colony. From that day till date, for the sake of convenience, the calendar is being used to refer to time, all over the world.
The mind of the world has been set to assume 1st January as a universal New Year while it is not. Celebration of New Year is more a sentiment than reason. Referral to the years of the Gregorian calendar as BC and AD is nonetheless inappropriate. Ridiculously, the year of Christ's birth is fixed on 4 AD, which hardly explains the suffix AD to the preceding 3 years. Neither was Christ born on 25th December nor is the day when Christ born the first day of the calendar which further perplexes the reason behind dragging Christ into the Calendar.
This calendar is neither English, nor Christian, nor Biblical. Interestingly, the God of the Israelites, spoke through the prophet Isaiah as mentioned in the Book of Isaiah, Ch 1:13, 14, 15, saying, "Your festivals and New Moons are an abomination unto me". Ideally whoever claims to follow the Bible ought to refrain from celebrating this Gregorian New Year.
Perhaps since the British brought this to India, it is referred to as English Calendar in India. Otherwise, this calendar is strictly Roman.
In almost every home in Tamil Nadu, birthdays are celebrated on two occasions seperated by a few days; one on the day on which our so-called zodiac stars fall in Tamil Calendar (which we refer to as Star Birthday) and the other on the day on which our birthday falls in the Gregorian Calendar.
It is an individual's discretion to celebrate or not, the Gregorian New Year.
Calendars are not based on religion or scriptures but related to a people group. We have a Tamil New Year on the first of Tamil Month of Chithirai; Ugadi, the New Year in the Telugu/Kannada Calendar; Marathi New Year, Bengali New Year etc etc.
The Gregorian Calendar has a long history originating in Rome. There are many versions to the origin of this calendar. For instance one version says it began on the day when the city of Rome was completed by its first King Romulus whom it was named after. Another version says it was decided by Julius Ceasar. The Vatican, home to the Roman Catholic Religion, adopted this calendar at one point of time. The calendar was subjected to numerous changes during the course of history. For instance March was the first month, April was second and so on. The then seventh month was named September after the Latin word Septum for Seven, the then eighth month named October after Octum, Latin for Eight; ninth month November after Novum, Latin for Nine and the tenth month December after Decum, Latin for Ten. Latin was the language spoken in Rome those days. Consequent on astronomical discoveries made in the following years the calendar was modified and rectified numerous times. The last change made was addition of an extra day in February during a leap year which was authorized by Pope Gregory the then Pope of St. Peter's Church, the Supreme seat of the RC Church. Thenceforth it was referred to as Gregorian Calendar. Since the entire Europe was RC, the calendar was adopted by every nation in Europe, including the British who had no calendar at all. Since Britain ruled almost the entire Globe, the calendar was adopted in (rather imposed on) every British colony. From that day till date, for the sake of convenience, the calendar is being used to refer to time, all over the world.
The mind of the world has been set to assume 1st January as a universal New Year while it is not. Celebration of New Year is more a sentiment than reason. Referral to the years of the Gregorian calendar as BC and AD is nonetheless inappropriate. Ridiculously, the year of Christ's birth is fixed on 4 AD, which hardly explains the suffix AD to the preceding 3 years. Neither was Christ born on 25th December nor is the day when Christ born the first day of the calendar which further perplexes the reason behind dragging Christ into the Calendar.
This calendar is neither English, nor Christian, nor Biblical. Interestingly, the God of the Israelites, spoke through the prophet Isaiah as mentioned in the Book of Isaiah, Ch 1:13, 14, 15, saying, "Your festivals and New Moons are an abomination unto me". Ideally whoever claims to follow the Bible ought to refrain from celebrating this Gregorian New Year.
Perhaps since the British brought this to India, it is referred to as English Calendar in India. Otherwise, this calendar is strictly Roman.
In almost every home in Tamil Nadu, birthdays are celebrated on two occasions seperated by a few days; one on the day on which our so-called zodiac stars fall in Tamil Calendar (which we refer to as Star Birthday) and the other on the day on which our birthday falls in the Gregorian Calendar.
It is an individual's discretion to celebrate or not, the Gregorian New Year.
