Gudi Padva - Celebration of New Year

New Year is celebrated in different states of India under various names, for e.g. Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Gudi Padava in Maharashtra. The Sindhis celebrate it as Cheti chand.

The Meaning

Gudi means a banner raised to announce victory and joy and "Padva" is another name for "Pratipada" which is the first day of a lunar month. The Maharashtrian New Year's Day is celebrated in March/April, on the first day of the Hindu month - Chaitra and marks the beginning of spring or "Vasant". This day is said to be the one on which Lord Brahma created the world after deluge. It is a day of great festivity and rejoicing as it commemorates the triumphant expeditions of the Maratha armies of the great Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the most beloved leader of the Maharashtrians. It is a day when the brave Marathas returned home from their successful expeditions of war.

The Customs

People get up early and clean their houses, decorate them with intricate rangoli (colored rice flour designs for the floor) designs. This worship to the "Gudi" is supposed to drive away evil from the house and are expected to usher in prosperity and good fortune.

A brightly colored silk cloth is first tied to a wooden pole with a brass or silver goblet or kalash is placed upturned atop it. Then garlands of sweet sugary battasa, neem leaves and orange -yellow marigold flowers are tied to the pole. This is called the "Gudi". The "Gudi" or decorated pole is placed where it can be seen by passers by.

This auspicious day also marks the beginning of the consumption of summer foods like melons, jack-fruit, mangoes , sprouted gram and more. A variety of sherbets such as Mango Panha and special sweets like Puran Poli are served. Traditional Maharashtrians have the custom of eating a couple of bitter neem leaves fried in ghee and mixed with sugar. They are eaten on Gudi Padva to ensure good health. The neem paste is believed to purify the blood and build up immunity in the body against diseases.

Gudi Padva is considered one of the auspicious days in the year when people start new ventures. 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 the Universe was created by Brahma on this day and Satyuga (The Age of Truth and Justice) began.

Some other Facts

Chaitra is the first month of the Hindu calendar and the very first day of this month begins the new year in Maharashtra, Andhra and parts of Karnataka. The people of these states follow the ShaUvahan Shaka, one of the two eras used in the lunar calendar
Since Gudi Padva is considered one of the four most auspicious days in the year, people start new ventures on this day. It is believed that Brahma created the world on this day-hence he is worshipped specially at this time. Vishnu is also said to have been incarnated as Matsva. the fish, on this day.

Time for Celebration

There is a family gathering and Maharashtrian delicacies are prepared for everyone. The Maharashtrians make puran poli or sweet rotis, soonth pak and usal.

Houses are cleaned prior to the festival. Colourful rangoli designs are drawn at entrances. New clothes are worn on this day. There is a family gathering and Maharashtrian delicacies are prepared for everyone. The Maharashtrians make puran poli or sweet rotis, soonth pak and usal.

The prasad of Ugadi/Gudi Padwa is the bitter leaves of the neem tree with jaggery. There are special foods prepared for this festival. In the southern states, puligore-a sour tamarind rice dish, bobbatlu, holige- a 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-a fried puffy bread is prepared.
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"The word Sankranti means changing direction from one to another and this is the time when the sun changes its direction from one constellation to another. At this time transition of sun takes place from Sagittarius to Capricorn during the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. The days after the festival start lengthening. Science attach great importance to the sun. The sun is the inexhaustible storehouse and the source of light and energy. Without sunlight creatures and vegetation would cease to exist.
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Hi some more information included..

Makar means Capricorn and Sankranti is transition. There is a sankranti every month when the sun passes from one sign of the zodiac to the next. There are twelve signs of the zodiac, and thus there are twelve sankranti's as well. Each of these sankranti's has its own relative importance but two of these are more important - the Mesh(Aries) Sankranti and the most important, the Makar(Capricorn) Sankranti. Transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn, during the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere is known as Makar Sankranti. From this day begins the six-month long Uttarayana, considered very auspicious for attaining higher worlds hereafter.

Traditionally, this period is considered an auspicious time and the veteran Bhishma of Mahabharata chose to die during this period. Bhishma fell to the arrows of Arjuna. With his boon to choose the time of his death, he waited on a bed of arrows to depart from this world only during this period. It is believed that those who die in this period have no rebirth.
Today Makar Sankranti is celebrated throughout India as a harvest festival. It is the time when farmers bring home their harvest. In the coastal regions, it is a harvest festival dedicated to Indra. In Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, it is celebrated as a three-day harvest festival Pongal. In Assam, the festival is celebrated as Bhogali Bihu, and in Punjab it is called Lohri.

Bathing is considered mandatory on this day. And according to a popular myth, one who does not bathe on Makar Sankranti is born a donkey in the next birth.

Khichri is eaten and distributed as prasad. Some call it Khichri Sankranti. People distribute rice and lentil on this day. Special laddoos of sesame and jaggery known as tilgul are prepared on this occasion.

A big fair is held at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers at Triveni in Allahabad on this occasion. This fair is also known as Magha Mela. Apart from Triveni, ritual bathing also takes place at many places like Haridwar and Garh Mukteshwar.

Though the festival is celebrated differently in the country, it is significant to note that Til seeds (sesame seeds) and jaggery are used everywhere. Obviously, to combat the chilly winter, til oil is used along with jaggery. Til contains oil and it is healthy. Being soft, exchanging til seeds or products made from til means an exchange of love and tender feelings.

Call it Lohri, Pongal or Sankranti, the festival conveys the same message -- the bond of brotherhood and the spirit of oneness should prevail despite all odds.

Some Beliefs
The Puranas say that on this day Sun visits the house of his son Shani, who is the swami of Makar Rashi. These father & son do not ordinarily get along nicely, but inspite of any difference between each other Lord Sun makes it a point to meet each other on this day.

From Uttarayana starts the ‘day’ of Devatas, while dakshinayana is said to be the ‘night’ of devatas, so most of the auspicious things are done during this time.

It was on this day when Lord Vishnu ended the ever increasing terrorism of the Asuras by finishing them off and burying their heads under the Mandar Parvat.

The great savior of his ancestors, Maharaj Bhagirath, did great Tapasya to bring Gangaji River down on the earth for the redemption of 60,000 sons of Maharaj Sagar, who were burnt to ashes at the Kapil Muni Ashram, near the present day Ganga Sagar. It was on this day that Bhagirath finally did tarpan with the Ganges water for his unfortunate ancestors and thereby liberated them from the curse.
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Dear, Friend
Makar means Capricorn and Sankranti is transition. There is a sankranti every month when the sun

passes from one sign of the zodiac to the next. There are twelve signs of the zodiac, and thus there

are twelve sankranti's as well. Each of these sankranti's has its own relative importance but two of

these are more important - the Mesh(Aries) Sankranti and the most important, the Makar(Capricorn)

Sankranti. Transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn, during the winter solstice in the

northern hemisphere is known as Makar Sankranti.
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