Happy New Year???

 

Gregorian or Julian,
New Year or Puthandu,
How am I supposed to keep my New Year resolution?
When there are so many New Year’s day every year.

Made a list of a dozen plus one
To strictly adhere to
Come New Year on January 1st
But apparently that was not the end of it

Just as I was getting used to my new lifestyle
Along came the Lunar New Year
Started playing Mahjong again
What is the Chinese New Year without it
Started drinking Soju
What is the Korean New Year without a shot or two
Started eating the Bun Cha
What is Tet Nguyen Dan without a cholesterol laden meal

Then it was Losar
The Buddhist in me said: Stop this gluttony!
And celebrate the Tibetan New Year
Getting back on the track of devotion

The Aztec and Babylonian New Year quickly followed
But these lost civilizations did not affect my commitment

Just as it seems everything was in order
Along came a string of more new years
First it was the triple celebration that had me confused
It was the Iranian New Year of Nowruz,
which fell on the same day as the Bahai New Year,
and the Zoroastrian New Year
Not that I know much of these celebrations
But it certainly messed my resolutions

It was not the end of my New Year dilemma
The Balinese New Year crept in without a warning
Should have observed the Nyepi in meditation
But was distracted by the string of Indian New Years
Ugadi, Navreh, Gudi Padwa and Sanskar Padwa

Had to draw up a new set of resolutions
Or at least update the crumbling old ones

But now that April is here
There seems to be no reprieve for me
A record number of New Year to be celebrated
Can someone help me redefine myself again

Where do I start?
Resolution number one: The hell with resolutions!

Wishing all of you a blessed
Vaishaki
Nepal New Year
Maithili New Year
Rongali Bihu
Bengali New Year
Oriya New Year
Manipuri New Year
Aluth Avurudda
Vishu
Thingyan
Songkran
Pi Mai Lao
Chaol Chnam Thmey
Pohela Baishakh
Bege Roch
Naya Barsha
Maghe Sankranti

And not forgetting
En Inniya Tamil Puthandu Nalvazhthukkal

Gregorian or Julian
New Year or Puthandu
Are there any more New Year Days in the horizon?

– S.T. Arasu