Gudi Padwa, which marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year, will be celebrated in Maharashtra on 31 March.
Gudi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month in the Hindu calendar and the festival also marks the beginning of the spring season.
Besides Maharashtra, the auspicious festival is celebrated in other states including Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In both these states, the festival is called as Ugadi or Yugadi. The Sindhi community celebrates Cheti Chand on this day.
Histrory of Gudi Padwa
According to Hindu mythology, Gudi Padwa marks the day when Lord Brahma started the process of creating the universe. It is also said that Lord Rama killed Ravana and returned victoriously to Ayodhya on this day.
What is the Significance of Gudi Padwa?
People celebrate the festival by hoisting the gudi, a bamboo stick covered with a silk cloth. A copper pot is placed inverted above the cloth. The gudi is decorated with mango tree twigs, neem leaves, flower garland and sugar sweet garland. It is hoisted atop doors on the day of the occasion of the New Year.
The main door is decorated with garlands and torans. Beautiful rangoli designs are drawn in front of the door for the auspicious occasion.
On the day of Gudi Padwa, people rise up early in the morning and get dressed up in traditional attires. They install the gudi and offer prayers and it is believed that worshipping the gudi brings in happiness, good health, wealth and prosperity. In south, Ugadi is celebrated by doing some rituals and then visiting temples.
Delicacies like puran poli, shrikhand puri and chana ussal are prepared and served on this day. In Andhra Pradesh, people prepare a special dish called bobbattu and in Karnataka, they make holige.
They also do a lot of shopping on the occasion of Gudi Padwa and buy gold ornaments, silver items, new clothes and other stuff.
