The Living Rhythm of India's Year

Day 1 Dhanteras (6 Nov): buy something new, often brass or silver. Day 2 Naraka Chaturdashi: oil bath before sunrise. Day 3 Lakshmi Puja (8 Nov): lamps, puja and sweets. Day 4 Govardhan Puja or Bali Padyami. Day 5 Bhai Dooj (11 Nov): sisters pray for their brothers.

Rows of agal vilakku lamps at dusk, Karthigai appam and pori urundai, Tulsi puja, and a lamp floated on water in the north.

Draw a big rangoli or kolam, cook sweet pongal or khichdi, share ellu bella or til-gul, fly kites, sit by a Lohri fire, and give thanks to the sun at sunrise.

Yellow clothes and yellow sweet rice, books and instruments placed for blessing, first letters (akshara abhyasa) for little ones, and kites in Punjab.

Fasting, abhisheka on a Shiva linga with water and milk, bilva leaves, "Om Namah Shivaya" through the night, and a temple visit.

Holika Dahan bonfire (21 Mar), natural colours from flowers and turmeric, gujiya and thandai, and visiting elders for blessings.

Oil bath at dawn, mango-leaf toran, a gudi at the window in Maharashtra, new clothes, bevu bella or ugadi pachadi, obbattu, bobbatlu or puran poli, and panchanga shravana.

Vishukkani at dawn, Vishu kaineetam coins for children, a kolam at the door and mango pachadi for Puthandu, Sadya or a feast at lunch.

Ramayana reading, a small cradle for baby Rama at noon, panakam, neer mor and kosambari, and Rama nama japa.

Hanuman Chalisa (once or eleven times), a vada mala or plate of vadas, sindoor and jasmine oil, and a visit to a Hanuman temple.

Lakshmi Narayana puja, charity (food, water, clothes), starting something new, and a small purchase of gold, silver or grain.

Vyasa puja, visiting or calling your teachers, a thank-you card from the children, and starting a new study.

Kalasha decoration, the sacred yellow thread (dora) tied on the wrist, nine kinds of sweets as naivedya, and inviting women friends for arishina kumkuma.

Rakhi tying with aarti and sweets, gifts for sisters, Avani Avittam thread change, and coconut offerings for Narali Purnima.

Little footprints at the door, a decorated cradle, butter and sweet poha, bhajans till midnight, children dressed as Krishna and Radha, and Dahi Handi.

An eco-friendly clay idol, 21 durva grass blades, modak, kozhukattai or kadubu, Gowri Habba the day before in Karnataka, and a gentle visarjan in a bucket at home.

Pookalam flower carpets, the Onam sadya on a banana leaf, new clothes (onakodi) and the Thiruvathira dance.

Golu doll display, garba nights, evening arati and sundal for visitors, Saraswati Puja (books rest for a day), Ayudha Puja (8 Oct) and Vijayadashami (9 Oct).