Gudi Padwa: Hindu New Year

Ayur Health Veda wishes you all a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Gudi Padwa, also known as Samvatsar Padvo or Hindu New Year, is a significant festival celebrated by Hindus in the Indian state of Maharashtra and other parts of India. It marks the beginning of the New Year according to the Hindu calendar, usually falling in the month of March or April.

The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor. The preparations for the festival begin days before, with people cleaning their homes, decorating them with rangolis (colorful designs made with powdered colors), and preparing traditional sweets and delicacies.

On the day of Gudi Padwa, people wake up early, take a bath, and wear new clothes. They then prepare a Gudi, which is a colorful silk cloth tied to the top of a bamboo stick with neem leaves, mango leaves, and a garland of flowers. The Gudi is then hoisted outside the house, facing the east direction, as a symbol of victory, happiness, and prosperity.

People then visit temples to seek blessings and perform puja (worship). They offer special dishes, sweets, and fruits to the deities and seek their blessings for a prosperous and happy New Year. Families also gather together to enjoy traditional delicacies like puran poli, shrikhand, and aamras.

Gudi Padwa is also celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. It is believed that Lord Brahma created the universe on this day, and therefore, the day is considered auspicious for new beginnings, buying new things, and starting new ventures.

In addition to Maharashtra, Gudi Padwa is also celebrated in other parts of India like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, with different names and customs. It is a time for renewal and rejuvenation, as people bid farewell to the old and welcome the new with open hearts and minds.