OM is the holiest syllable of Hinduism. An indestructible, absolute sound that supports the entire cosmos. It is also a symbol of Brahman, the ultimate reality.
For Hindus, the year is 2056, until New Year's Eve, which most Hindus celebrate in November (2000), when it will become 2057. The Hindu calendar is complicated and is not uniform. The religion itself is considered to be 125,000 years old. One way of reckoning is from the manifestation of Krishna. According to this system, the new year falls under Diwali.
Diwali introduces the Hindu New Year festival in October/November and is celebrated in memory of the return of the goddess Lakshmi and the god Rama to their kingdom after a fourteen years' sojourn in the forest. In the temple, rites of purification are performed, offerings are laid before Lakshmi for happiness during the coming year, candles are lit everywhere and people eat together.
