For Gujarati families and businesses, the day after Diwali is Bestu Varas, the Gujarati New Year, when friends, relatives, and business partners greet each other with Saal Mubarak and Nutan Varshabhinandan. Traders open new account books, families visit elders, and homes fill with sweets and namkeen. This 5 x 7 inch card carries that greeting in Gujarati and English, with a design built around the red account book that marks the start of the business year.
The Design and Its Symbols
The card is a deep forest green. A mango leaf and marigold toran hangs across the top edge, as it would over a shop or home entrance for the new year. Below it sits a red chopda, the traditional cloth-bound account book, drawn with a dark spine and gold bands, a double gold frame on its cover, and the words ??? ??? (Shubh Labh, auspicious gain) lettered in gold Gujarati. Under the book, ??? ?????? (Saal Mubarak) is set large in gold Hind Vadodara, a typeface designed for Gujarati, followed by Saal Mubarak in ivory Great Vibes script.
A line in gold capitals reads HAPPY NEW YEAR, VIKRAM SAMVAT 2083. A three-line wish in Lora italic, the family name and city in gold, two brass diyas in the bottom corners, and the Office Templates Online mark complete the card.
Bestu Varas and the Vikram Samvat Year
The Gujarati New Year follows the Vikram Samvat calendar, which begins its new year on the day after Diwali, Kartak Sud Ekam. In 2026, Diwali falls on Sunday, November 8, so the Gujarati New Year is celebrated on Monday, November 9, the same day as Govardhan Puja. Vikram Samvat years run about 57 years ahead of the common era year, so the new year beginning in November 2026 is Samvat 2083. If you are unsure, confirm the year with a Gujarati panchang before printing.
Greetings in Gujarati
GujaratiTransliterationMeaning??? ??????Saal MubarakHappy new year???? ???????????Nutan VarshabhinandanGreetings for the new year??? ???Shubh LabhAuspiciousness and gain???? ???? ??????Navu Varsh MubarakCongratulations on the new year
The card uses Saal Mubarak in Gujarati as the main greeting. To use Nutan Varshabhinandan instead, type it in the Gujarati line; it is longer, so reduce the font size to keep it on one line. Ask an elder to check spelling if you type new Gujarati text.
For Families and for Businesses
The same card works for two very different audiences:
- Families: sign as The Shah Family, Ahmedabad, as in the sample, and send to relatives in India and abroad. Many families also visit elders on New Year morning and bring a card along with sweets.
- Businesses: traders, jewellers, textile merchants, accountants, and manufacturers send Saal Mubarak cards to clients and suppliers. Replace the family line with the firm’s name and city, and adjust the wish to mention business, as the sample already does with steady business and good health.
Writing a New Year Wish
The sample wish reads: May the new year bring fresh beginnings, steady business, and good health to you and your family. Other wishes that fit three lines:
- May every page of your new chopda be filled with gain and goodwill.
- Thank you for your trust and partnership. Wishing you a prosperous Samvat 2083.
- May the light of Diwali stay with you all through the new year.
Editing the Saal Mubarak Card
- Change the family or business name and city in the gold line.
- Rewrite the three line wish if you like.
- Check the Samvat year in the gold capital line.
- Recolour the book or background if needed: click the green background to change it, and select the book group to change its red and gold.
- Download as PDF to print or PNG to share.
Printing and Sending New Year Cards
Download a PDF and print on 5 x 7 inch card stock with full bleed, since the toran touches the top edge. Two cards fit on a US Letter sheet for home printing. Because the green background covers the whole card, a print shop gives the most even colour for large business runs. For digital greetings, download a PNG and send it on WhatsApp on New Year morning; it is the way most Saal Mubarak wishes travel today.
Pairing With Labh Pancham
Many Gujarati businesses reopen after the Diwali break on Labh Pancham, the fifth day of the new year, with a small puja for the new account books. If your business observes it, you can send this card on New Year’s Day and a second message on Labh Pancham, or add a line to this card saying when your shop reopens.
Saal Mubarak Card Questions
Can I remove the Gujarati text?
Yes, but it is the heart of the card. If your recipients do not read Gujarati, keep it as decoration and rely on the English script line beneath.
Which font supports Gujarati?
The card uses Hind Vadodara. Other Google fonts with Gujarati support include Mukta Vaani and Noto Sans Gujarati, available from the font menu.
Can I use the card for Diwali too?
Yes. Change the greeting to Happy Diwali and remove the Samvat line for a card sent before the festival.
Visiting Elders on New Year Morning
In many Gujarati families, the morning of Bestu Varas is spent visiting elders, touching their feet and receiving blessings, then moving on to the homes of relatives and friends for sweets and snacks. A printed card handed over with a box of mithai during these visits is a thoughtful touch, especially for elders who do not use phones for greetings. Print a few extra copies for unplanned visits.
A card in hand still means a great deal to elders.
Begin the New Year With Good Wishes
Add your name, check the Samvat year and send the card to family and clients on Bestu Varas. A greeting in their own language, on a card that honours the new account book, is a warm and respectful way to begin the year together.
