Beginning and ending

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning” — Seneca.

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Nihal Seneviratane

So true what the philosopher proclaimed. How else could it be?

This new year arose from 2025, carrying over many problems, improvements and changes. According to Buddhism a new life is born when another dies - the body disappears but the chuthi sita or mind goes to a fetus of woman or animal according to the old life lived, karma and conditioned by the last thought of the dying person.

The earliest known record of a New Year festival is about 2000 BC in Mesopotamia where in Babylonia the new year (Akitu) began with the new moon after the vernal equinox. For the Egyptians and Phoenicians NY began with the autumnal equinox — September 21. For ancient Persians it began on vernal equinox - March 21; Greeks winter solstice - December 21. The Roman republican calendar had new year as of March 1, but after 153 BC the date moved to January 1 which was continued in the Julian calendar. (Internet).