MUMBAI: Ethnic enclaves of the Punjabi, Tamilian, Malayalee and Bengali communities will come alive with the colours of Baisakhi, Puthandu, Vishu and Poila Boishakh April 14-15. The second round of Hindu new year and harvest festivals that occur in the month of Vaishakh will be celebrated with festive gatherings and feasts.
It was on Baisakhi Day 1699 that Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa faith, and the occasion is now celebrated as Khalsa Sajna Diwas. Gurdwara Dhan Pothohar, Santacruz West, one of the largest Sikh shrines in the western suburbs, has invited a ragi and kirtankar from Punjab as well as its own singers for its April 13-14 festivity.
President Inderjit Singh Sethi said, "We have a full calendar starting with Amritvela at 3.30am followed by nitnem, Sukhmani Path Sahib, Asa di vaar, Gurmat vichar, kirtan, and langar." Dhan Pothohar draws many celebrities as well as high profile businessmen among 4,000 visitors this day.
The Bengali community is looking forward to welcoming New Year 1430 at Poila Boishakh April 15. Ashim Dey of the Navi Mumbai Bengali Association, Vashi, said, "We are organising various functions on this day. Bengalis from various parts of Navi Mumbai and Mumbai visit the Kali temple at NMBA premises with their families. In the evening, 'mishti mukh' sweets will be distributed to visitors and there will be cultural performances based on New Year. Stalls selling Bengali food and saris are being set up. We will distribute the new calendar.
"Tamilians celebrate New Year or Puthandu on the first day of the month of Chittirai, which falls April 14 this year," said Matunga resident K A Viswanathan. "Families create kolam designs using coloured rice flour at the entrance of their homes, decorate the house and cook a variety of delicious dishes such as mango pachadi, pongal, vadai, sambhar, rice, payasam, papad, vegetable curry, fresh mango pickle, and curd."
Vishu or Malayalee New Year occurs on the first day of the month of Medam. The night before, the women of the house prepare the elaborate Vishukani laden with rice, whole vegetables and fruits, betel leaves, grains, silver coins, and the all important yellow Konna flower. All these are placed at the feet of Lord Krishna with a big mirror kept in the back. On the morning of Vishu, each member is blindfolded and led to the auspicious Vishukani which is the first thing to see on festival day.
Viswanathan says at Matunga's Asthika Samaj, which is also called Kochu (small) Guruvayoorappan temple, devotees start coming from early morning wearing new clothes to seek darshan of Lord Krishna and Vishukani. They also prepare a special feast similar to Onam 'Sadya' which includes rice, sambar, aviyal, rasam, pachadi, banana chips, pickle, papad and different varieties of payasam made out of jackfruit, jaggery and milk.
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