Many Scholars have told Hindu New Year is on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada .
But my question is Chaitra Month's 1st day will be Krishna Pratipada .
So why Shukla Pratipada is celebrated as New Year and not Krishna Pratipada ??
Please tell
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Sign up to join this communityMany Scholars have told Hindu New Year is on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada .
But my question is Chaitra Month's 1st day will be Krishna Pratipada .
So why Shukla Pratipada is celebrated as New Year and not Krishna Pratipada ??
Please tell
There are two traditions, one is called Amāvasyāṃta (अमावस्यांत) and second is Pūrṇimāṃta (पूर्णिमांत). Amāvasyāṃta stands for month ends on Amāvasyā (i.e at no moon) whereas Pūrṇimāṃta stands for month ends on Pūrṇimā (i.e at full moon).
Amāvasyāṃta is followed in some states e.g Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu etc. and Pūrṇimāṃta is followed in some states e.g Orissa, Uttara Pradesha etc. You can take a look at drikpanchang:
So, according to Amāvasyāṃta tradition, 1st day is Shukla Pratipada and according to Pūrṇimāṃta, it is Shukla Pratipada.
Read a section from a book on Gupta polity for more information on the origin of Amāvasyāṃta and Pūrṇimāṃta traditions.