Every year, sometime between late January and mid-February, nearly a quarter of the world – across East Asian countries – pauses to celebrate the New Year, to mark the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Today, as fireworks light up skies across East Asia with red lanterns flooding streets and kitchens getting busier with reunion dinner preparations, miles away in Bengaluru, expats and Chinese descendants, too, are indulging in their share of celebrations, welcoming the Year of the Fire Horse.
Malaysian entrepreneur Jimmy Yeoh, who has lived in Bengaluru since 2012, recalls the memories of celebrations, back home in Penang where Lunar New Year is loud, crowded and fun. “It’s open house and is constantly filled with food and conversation.” For him, instead of dozens of relatives, the rhythm is softer now with a small group of close friends in the city. “Festivals become less about geography and more about the people around you,” he shares.
For Wanming Li, executive chef and co-founder, Bao To Me, the New Year has become more meaningful over time, with celebrations becoming simpler and more family-centred. “Here, it’s less about large communal gatherings – and maybe fewer ‘Hung Bao’ (red packets considered a blessing). (laughs). What I do miss is the scale – the crowds, lion dances, firecrackers and grand banquets that make the celebration feel larger than life,” he says. Agrees Joonie Tan, team lead, Kopitiam Lah, who remembers how, back in Malaysia, Lunar New Year was structured, but in Bengaluru, her home of 15 years, the celebration is intentional. “Because family isn’t physically here, every ritual becomes something you consciously recreate. It feels quieter emotionally, especially during reunion dinner,” she explains.
Painting the town red
Marking the first new moon of the Lunar Calender, the origins of the Lunar New Year festival are steeped in the legend of Nian, a beast believed to feast on human flesh on New Year’s Day. Because Nian feared the colour red, loud noises and fire, red paper decorations were pasted to doors and lanterns were burnt all night to frighten the beast away. According to Chinese astrology, this is the year of the Fire Horse, which represents confidence, strength and intelligence.
Reminiscing about earlier celebrations in Bengaluru with large picnics at resorts, complete with lion dances, drums, games like bingo and raffles and shared meals, Li says, “Over time, though, these gatherings have faded, with families moving away, elders no longer around and younger generations less involved; there’s now a quiet sense that if we don’t make the effort, these traditions could slowly disappear.”
For Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel executive chef Ho Chi Ming, the Lunar New Year carries a layer of nostalgia of Kolkata, where his ancestors first settled and where he grew up. “It is a moment leaving behind the past year and moving on with hope of a better and more fruitful year,” he says. While based in Bengaluru, he looks forward to returning to Kolkata each year to celebrate with siblings and extended family. “The feast includes 8 to 12 dishes -- eight being a lucky number that symbolises wealth,” he says, adding, “Each dish carries meaning – whole fish for surplus and prosperity, dumplings shaped like ancient silver ingots for wealth, whole chicken for unity and completeness and noodles for longevity,” he explains.
A major challenge everyone faces in the city is sourcing ingredients. Yeoh stocks up whenever he travels home, whereas Tan notes that earlier it was difficult to find authentic supplies, but today Bengaluru’s growing network of Asian stores has changed that. According to Tan, now, the curiosity of Bengalureans has grown showing a shift in cultural appreciation. “We are asked why we toss yee sang, what phrases mean and why certain foods symbolise luck,” she says. For Ho, explaining the festival means inviting friends to experience it firsthand – through food, storytelling and memories of lion dances in Kolkata’s Chinatown.
Li has seen a similar wave of curiosity among his friends, especially about the zodiac animals and the food. He adds that emotional core of family, food and renewal is universal, which helps him make people understand the traditions. “I explain it as a mix of Deepavali and New Year’s. Living in India, where festivals are such an integral part of life, makes it easy to relate,” he shares.