New Year celebration

'New Year' is now one of the most celebrated days around the world. Its origin can be traced 4,000 years back in ancient Babylon. Back then, it was called Akitu, which was essentially a spring festival. March 1 was considered the first day of a new year in the eighth century B.C. by King Romulus of Rome. But after Romulus' immediate successor King Numa Pompilius took over, he added January and February to the year, moving the first day of the year from March 1 to January 1. Since 46 B.C., January 1 was being officially celebrated as the beginning of the 'New Year' following the Julian calendar. But in the middle ages, this celebration was stopped due to some error in the Julian calendar. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII launched the Gregorian calendar where January 1 was restored as the day of 'new year' celebrations. Since then, January 1st is being celebrated across the world as the first day of a new Gregorian year.

I would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year 2019.

Amena Akther Farhana

Mirpur Govt. High School

[email protected]