Gudi Padwa &Ugadi

[Guest guest]

Greetings on the occasion of CHETI CHAND, GUDI PADWA and UGADI (It

falls on March 30 this year)

 

This festival marks the beginning of New Year for Sindhi Hindus and

in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka. This festival

is known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Karnataka and

Andhra Pradesh. This festival marks the beginning of the spring

season. People celebrate this festival with great spirit and joy. It

has become a custom to hold Kavi Sammelans (Poetry recitals) this

day.

 

 

Gudi Padva is considered one of the four most auspicious days in the

year when people start new ventures. It is believed that Lord

Brahma, created the world on this day and so he is worshipped

especially at this time. Lord Vishnu too is said to have incarnated

as Matsya, the fish, on this day.

 

 

People prepare for the New Year by cleaning and washing their houses

and buying new clothes. On the festival day they decorate their

houses with mango leaves and 'rangoli' designs, and pray for a

prosperous new year, and visit the temples to listen to the yearly

calendar 'Panchangasravanam' as priests make predictions for the

coming year. In Maharashtra, it is reminiscent of the valiant

Marathas returning home from their successful expeditions of war.

They honour their favourite leader, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

 

 

Traditionally, bittersweet leaves of the neem tree are eaten on this

day. A paste of crushed neem leaves, cumin seeds, jaggery and salt

is taken before eating any food in the morning. Special foods are

prepared for this festival. In the southern states, puligore - a

sour tamarind rice dish, bobbatlu, holige - sweet stuffed bread and

Ugadi Pachadi made of jagerry, raw mango pieces, neem flowers and

tamarind is prepared. In Maharastra, shrikhand-a fragrant yogurt

dessert, with poori, fried puffy bread is prepared.

 

 

On this day, gudis are hung outside the houses or in the localities.

A 'gudi' is a pole on the top of which an upturned brass or silver

pot called a kalash is placed. The gudi is covered with a colourful

silk cloth and decorated with marigold flowers, coconuts, and mango

leaves that symbolize nature's bounty. Gudi is worshipped by

offering sandalwood paste, turmeric and vermilion. Then, boys and

young men of the locality form a pyramid and the person on top of

the pyramid breaks the coconut, which is in the kalash.

 

 

Gudi Padwa is considered a very auspicious day. New ventures are

begun, house-warming poojas are performed, and people also may

choose to buy gold, silver or property on this day.

 

 

There are some legends behind the celebration of Gudi Padwa. It is

said that Brahma created the Universe on this day and Satyuga (The

Age of Truth and Justice) began.

 

 

It is also believed that on this day, Rama killed King Vali and Shri

Rama returned to Ayodhya victorious.

 

 

In these three & a half days of the Hindu Lunar calendar, every

moment is considered auspicious.