Bestu Varas, the first day of Kartak, is the Gujarati new year, when the Vikram Samvat changes. It falls the day after Diwali, or two days after when a blank day, the Padtar Divas, intervenes. People rise early, put on new clothes, go to the temple, and then spend the day calling on every elder in the family with the greeting "Saal Mubarak" or "Nutan Varshabhinandan". Temples lay out the Annakut.
The story
The Gujarati year begins in Kartak, not Chaitra, by the reckoning of the old kingdom of Gujarat. It is the business new year: ledgers opened last night are now in use.
The day is also Govardhan Puja. In memory of Krishna lifting the hill, Pushtimarg and Swaminarayan temples build an Annakut, a "mountain of food" of hundreds or thousands of dishes, before the image.
નૂતન વર્ષાભિનંદન · સાલ મુબારક
Greetings for the new year
The two greetings of the day, one Sanskrit and one Persian
How the day goes
- SabrasSalt, called "all flavours", is bought at dawn from boys who hawk it through the streets.
- TempleA visit before anything else.
- Pagey lagvuTouching the feet of elders, who give a coin or a note in return.
- AnnakutThe offering of food, later shared as prasad.
- Mukhwas and mithaiSet out for the day's stream of visitors.
- Labh PanchamShops, closed since Diwali, reopen on the fifth day.
Why this date
Bestu Varas is the Pratipada of the bright half of Kartak, on the day it is present at sunrise. When that tithi is not present at sunrise on the day after Diwali, the day between is left blank.
Bestu Varas in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday | |
| 2027 | Saturday | |
| 2028 | Wednesday | |
| 2029 | Tuesday | |
| 2030 | Sunday | |
| 2031 | Saturday |
More Gujarati festivals
29 OctoberDiwaliદિવાળી
14 NovemberDev Diwaliદેવ દિવાળી
18 OctoberKarva Chauthકરવા ચોથ
9 OctoberDussehraદશેરા
8 OctoberNavratri Nomનોમ · મહા નવમી
7 OctoberNavratri and Athamનવરાત્રી · આઠમ
Where to see Bestu Varas
In Gujarat
- Swaminarayan Mandir, Kalupur, AhmedabadGujaratOne of the great Annakuts of the state.
- BAPS Mandir, Shahibaug, AhmedabadGujaratMore than a thousand dishes arranged in tiers.
- DakorGujaratThe Annakut is laid before Ranchhodraiji at dawn.
- DwarkaGujaratThe king of Dwarka receives his new-year feast.
Across India
- GovardhanUttar PradeshThe hill itself, walked round by lakhs today.
- NathdwaraRajasthanThe Annakut of Shrinathji, where by custom the local tribes carry off the rice.
- MumbaiMaharashtraThe same day is Diwali Padwa, for the demon king Bali.