January-new-year-defence

Some neo-(hindu)-traditionalists decry celebration of new year on Jan 1.

I appreciate the sentiment that new year celebration should be tied to awareness of change in nature. However, it should be noted that in Vedic times, phAlgunI (roughly the same time of the year, accounting for equinoctial precession) was considered to be new year beginning. This coincides quite closely with winter solstice (uttarAyaNArambha), which is a major event in itself.

Further, new-year celebrations of other Indian regions varies from chaitra 1 - eg. gujjus and dIpAvalI, mallus and viShu. So - no strict insistence observed on being tied to a particular season (vasanta).

Also, our (unfortunately mainstream) luni-solar and sidereal solar calendars show major drifts from the season (and shAstra-s). For a good introduction from the learned and traditional kaunDinyAyana family, see copies of their articles on this topic here . One of the best and most seasonally accurate calendars is the Iranian one (designed by the apostate Omar Khayyam), btw.

January is incidentally connected to the great God Janus.