British Ambassador Congratulates Georgians on Kalanda

British Ambassador to Georgia Justin McKenzie Smith has congratulated the Georgian people on Kalanda - Old New Year.

Justin McKenzie Smith published a poem titled ‘Kalanda was coming to us’ by the cherished Georgian poet Ana Kalandadze and congratulated Georgian people on Old New Year, which is celebrated on January 14.

In Georgia, New Year is celebrated twice: traditional New Year on January 1 and Old New Year on January 14, according to the Julian calendar. Old New Year is celebrated almost in the same way as the original one, but not with as big festivity and preparation. Traditional Georgian New Year's table (supra) is always arranged on this beautiful night. Old New Year is especially popular in Guria Region, the western part of Georgia. Here, this celebration is called Kalanda and is even more important than the traditional New Year marked on January 1st. 

Georgian poet Ana Kalandadze was one of the most influential female figures in modern Georgian literature. Many of Kalandadze's poems on patriotic and romantic themes have been made into popular songs. She was also a prolific translator of Russian and European poetry. 

By Elene Dzebisashvili