India ushered in the year 2024 with diverse celebrations, as people from various faiths gathered at their respective places of worship to offer prayers and welcome the new year.
Across the nation, devotees congregated at revered sites like Jhandewalan Temple in Delhi, Golden Temple in Amritsar, Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple in Pathanamthitta, and Shirdi Sai Baba Temple in Maharashtra, participating in prayers and seeking blessings for the year ahead.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal visited the Golden Temple, expressing wishes for happiness and prosperity for the country and Punjab in the new year.
Devotees thronged religious sites on the last day of the year, performing rituals and seeking divine blessings, exemplifying the diverse religious fabric of India.
Across cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Shimla, vibrant festivities marked the advent of 2024, with fireworks in Goa, gatherings at iconic landmarks like Mumbai's Gateway of India, aarti at Jhandewalan Devi Temple in Delhi, and large turnouts at popular spots like Connaught Place, Kamarajar Salai in Chennai, and Mall Road in Shimla.
Reflecting on the eventful year of 2023, India witnessed significant milestones both nationally, with the G-20 summit held in Delhi, and globally, with the successful Chandrayaan-3 moon landing at the Moon's South Pole, signifying India's advancements in space exploration.
The new year holds promise for India, with anticipated events such as the inauguration of Ayodhya's Ram Temple and the impending Lok Sabha elections, marking the beginning of a transformative period for the nation.
Notably, Kiribati, as the easternmost landmass, was the first to welcome 2024, emphasising the significance of the International Date Line in demarcating the start and end of each day globally.
Established in 1884, the International Date Line, situated at 180 degrees East or West, divides time zones, playing a pivotal role in delineating the commencement and conclusion of each calendar day worldwide.
This imaginary line, positioned halfway between the Greenwich prime meridian, serves as a fundamental reference point for global timekeeping, impacting the start and end of each day across different regions.
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