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A NEW YEAR A NEW BEGINNING

According to recorded history, New year festivals have been celebrated for over 5000 years. The date of these celebrations though varied.

The ancient EGYPTIANS began their new year with the autumn equinox, while the GREEKS began theirs at the time of winter solstice.

In early medieval times CHRISTIAN EUROPE began their year on March 25, but ANGLO SAXON ENGLAND regarded December 25th as their new year.

In the eleventh century WILLIAM the conqueror declares January 1st as the beginning of the New year, but it was not till the late 16th Century that the GREGORIAN CALENDAR established their day as the New year's day.

The JEWISH religious new year with ROSH HASHANA the first day in the month of Tishni. This day represents the day of creation and in honour of them, a TRUMPET is blown. This trumpet is called SHOFAR. According to Jewish belief, it is also the day that God passes judgement in the Book of life on each person's actions.

The JAPANESE celebrate the New year in a festival called GRANJITSU. The festival is also called SHOGATSU and refers to the belief that good fortune or bad fortune within the first few days of the year represents the fortune for the coming year.

In India with its myriad cultures, the New year is observed at many different times in keeping with local belief. Although we follow the GREGORIAN CALENDAR which is based on SUN most Indian festivals are celebrated based on the Indian or lunar calendar.

In Maharashtra, GRUDI PADVA is celebrated as New year. A brass or silver pot is hoisted on a pole and fastened to a silken cloth this is called GUDI

In karnataka and Andra Pradesh the New year is celebrated as UGADI.

In North India the festival is BAISAKHI a time for thanks giving. It is a time for celebration, for feasting and bhangra.

The Sikhs also believe that it was the day that GURU GOBIND SINGH intiated that PANCHA PIYARA or the five loved ones. It was the day he gave these FIVE PEOPLE a sermon of being a true sikh.

In Tamil Nadu the TAMIL NEW YEAR day is a day of prayer and thanks giving.

Lik any New year, there is a great deal of hope for the coming year.

A New year is always a time to look backward and forward, a time to give thanks for what

has been and hope for the best in the months to come. An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.

I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me.

As G.K. Chesterton says

The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.

Even am trying too...

LITERATURE AND CREATIVE WRITING

Great literature by definitions is transcendent, it touches your soul; it stirs your emotions. It makes you think, but it must be felt and in that way it can never be entirely explicated. Great literature occurs when writers take aim at that which is visceral that which defies understanding and manages to break through to the other side' if only for a fleeting instant.

You may ask, "What is great literature? "The answer to that is there is no formula no particular style, no particular genre, no superior time period, no subject and no ambition that results in great literature. Great literature changes you, makes you a different person simply because you read it. And, for that to happen, you make a personal connection with literature. It is not a one way street.

There is a warning and promise; the more you read, the more complex and intending the world becomes. According to Socrates ' the more you know, the more you know how much you don't know".

First Read, Read, Read. Read widely read what's new. Read classics, read magazines and everything. The more you read the clearer an understanding you will begin to have about you. The more widely you read, the more open minded you stay; the more likely that your tastes will cover what might be called good literature. The point is read! Life's too short to read bad literature.

If you are reading a book that induces sleep stop! Put it down! You owe no allegiance to a book that is giving you no rewards. Find something you like. Remember the amount of satisfaction derived from reading is exactly proportionate to the amount of yourself you invest in any given book and sometimes it is hard work.

Why do you read books? Probably because somebody - your professor your parents, if your friends have told you to read certain books. Or may be because you receive a certain book as a gift or even because you have read an intreasting book review in the newspaper. But the point here is what, you read is initiated from outside sources. There is nothing wrong with this, i.e constantly listening to people's advice and trying to read every book you get.

Find a way to connect yourself with what you are reading. The more you read the more prepared you are for the world. Every book you read prepares you for your next book.

It is important to know about the authors who write the books we like just as it vital to know about their surroundings. The exposure, intelligence adn eloquence people have when they read literature is fascinating. Use your honest reactions to fuel your brilliance; let your brilliance be your own.

You must give yourself up to the literature you read. Only then it can rock your world. If you are seriously going to engage in literature, you need to be going forward with an open mind. Read with passion. The more of yourself you are willing to give up to the task at hand the more reward you will receive. Just as you must think of yourself, you must also always read first for yourself.

REMEMBER, READING MAKETH A MAN