Happy 5,523! Bolivians usher in Aymara New Year

La Paz: Bolivians on Sunday ushered in the year 5,523, a turn of the page in the ancient Aymara calendar coinciding with the southern hemisphere`s winter solstice.

According to indigenous Aymara culture, June 21 -- the day when the earth is at its farthest point from the sun -- marks the first day of the new year.

Ceremonies were planned at venues across the country, including a major celebration at a temple in the village of Tiwanaku.

Another of the main ceremonies was led by President Evo Morales, Bolivia`s first indigenous leader, who introduced June 21 as a national holiday when he took power in 2006.