Hoping a prosperous year

Without any celebrations malayalees welcome one another new year. According to the Malayalam calendar chingam is the first month; used in Kerala. It is locally called Andu pirappu. Every person accepts New Year with great ambitions and dreams. The first day is welcomed by special pujas and people in large numbers visit the temple.
Kerala is an agricultural state. The day is also great significance to the farmers. This day is known as ‘karshakadinam’ . Chingam is the time of harvest in Kerala. Farmers conduct special poojas with their agricultural products. After the rain drenched karkidakam with its privations, chingam is a welcome month of plenty special schemes and several new initiatives are made in the agricultural sector in this month.
Onam also celebrate in this month. Onam is the symbol or memory of a wealthy and prosperous life. Onakodi, atha pookkalam, ona sadhya and different kinds of games are examples for its past wealthyness. In Kerala the calander system was began on chingam 1, 825 AD; which happened to be 15th august. Many stories surround the commence of this calendar. Udaya marthanda varma was king of Kerala around the year AD said around the year 800AD. The kollam era has also been associated with the story of cheraman perumal and his embarkation for Mecca; others claim that, era was founded in memory of sankaracharya.
In 2008 August 17, Sunday we enjoy kollavarsham 1184. Malayalam punchangam for the year is also released in this month. It is a holy month for all religious people, with special religious practices and poojas. It is also the season of marriages.
We welcome the new-year with out any exaggerations or lavishness. But we have lot of hope and expectations; it may come to truth with prosperity and wealthyness.