Happy New Year !!
Today is the first day of Chaitra and the beginning of the Hindu New Year for some Hindus*. The day has a special significance for me (in my personal life) because of an event that happened many years ago – but that is a story for another day 🙂
It is widely celebrated as Gudi Padwa and Ugadi (Yugadhi) in western and southern India. Gudi Padwa is celebrated in Maharashtra and coincides with the onset of spring.
From the Wikipedia entry on Gudi Padwa:
Gudi Padwa is especially dedicated to the worship of Lord Brahma. Many legend states that this festival is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Rama over Bali.
Some Maharashtrians see the gudis as a symbol of victory associated with the conquests of the Maratha forces lead by the great hero Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Gudis are also displayed as they are expected to ward off evil and invite prosperity and good luck into the house.
The gudi, Brahma’s flag (Brahmadhvaj) is hoisted in every house as a symbolic representation of Rama’s victory and happiness on returning to Ayodhya after slaying Ravan. Since a symbol of victory is always held high, so is the gudi (flag).
…On Gudi Padwa, you will find gudis hanging out of windows or otherwise prominently displayed in traditional Maharashtrian households.
The day is celebrated as “Ugadi” in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
From a very informative and well written piece on eprarthana:
“The Hindu New Year’s Day commences on the first day of the month called Chaitra or Chithirai. It is also called Chaitra Vishu for this reason. The occasion is said to be an auspicious one because, at this time, the sun enters the sign Aries of· the Zodiac.
The people call the occasion Chaitra Vishu Punyakalam or, the sacred occasion
…The reason why the people in India compute the Indian year from this month when the sun enters Aries — the ram in the signs of the Zodiac — is said to be one philosophically derived from the science of cosmo-genesis. The Sanskrit word for ‘ram’ is aja which means ‘that which is not born.’ Therefore the sign of the Zodiac under reference stands for the ultimate cause of everything, and consequently the month in which the sun enters this sign is rightly considered to be the first month of the year. From time immemorial, the Hindu conception of an ideal life has been one of sacrifices and religious observances. Thus the information regarding the appropriate time for the observance of particular rites or ceremonies becomes important. This information is furnished by the Hindu astrologers and astronomers in the form of a calender called panchangams.
…It is also said that the Chaitra Vishu day or the opening day of the first fortnight of the waxing moon was the occasion chosen by Brahma to create this world. Hence this day is also known as yugadhi or the beginning of a yuga.
Read more here – It also has an interesting story of Narada Muni and his sixty sons in there.
Heres wishing you, your families and loved ones a very Happy New Year, Happy Gudi Padwa, Happy Ugadi and also Happy Vishu, Happy Bohaag Bihu, Shubho Naba Barsha, Happy Nau Roz and Happy Baisakhi !!
Find of the Day: Gudi Padwa
Related Posts:
* Pl. see Patriot’s comment below.
Well, happy new year to you!
But, the comment “Today is the first day of Chaitra and the beginning of the Hindu New Year” is wrong!!!
Bengali hindus celebrate “Poila Baisakh” as the first day of their new year and calendar. This is usually 14/15th of April. So, do the Punjabis.
Keralite hindus have a completely different calendar as do the Tamils.
Even our calendars are a study in diversity!
Cheers
@ Patriot: You are right. I got carried away!
Bengalis and Punjabis celebrate their New Year at Baisakhi/Vaishakhi (that is the first day of Vaisakh, the month following Chaitra) as do Tamils (Puthandu) and Kerala Hindus (Vishu).
Also, as you probably know, these are all dates derived from the solar calendar unlike Gudi Padwa/Ugadi that is derived from the lunar calendar (to the best of my knowledge).
Some day, I would like to delve deeper into this and the whole subject of lunar/solar calendars and panchanga.
But as many of you know, the Indian official calendar does begin from the first day of Chaitra – although the date is *fixed* (as March 22nd; or March 21 in leap years) and thus not dependent on the panchanga…
I would be grateful if any of you have additional information and/or links on this subject. Please add as comments. Thanks.
Happy new year to everyone here!
Traditionally, tamil new year is the beginning of chittirai. But Karunanidhi and his idiotic cohorts think it is at the start of pongal. And they have passed a law to this effect. Now they ask priests not to perform the rites for new year. Isnt this not interference by the state into the individuals freedom?
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080413/jsp/nation/story_9132123.jsp