The celebration of springtime and harvest

Gudi Padwa is a holiday celebrated in India. Also known as Ugadi, it is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu month of Chaitra, which according to the Gregorian calendar would fall sometime at the end of March and the beginning of April. This festival is supposed to mark the beginning of Vasant or spring. According to the Brahma Purana, this is the day on which Brahma created the world after the deluge and time began to tick from this day forth. The word holiday has related but different meanings in English-speaking countries. ... // Introduction Ugadi (literally - the start of an era) is the new years day for the people of the Deccan region of India. ... A Hindu (archaic Hindoo), as per modern definition is an adherent of philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, the predominant religious, philosophical and cultural system of the Indian subcontinent and the island of Bali. ... Chaitra is the first month of the Hindu calendar. ... For information on the calendar, see: Gregorian Calendar For the music style, see: Gregorian chant For medieval usage see: Gregorian reform For the music group see: Gregorian (music group) For the University in Rome: Gregorian University This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise... Spring is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. ... Brahma Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas, is a Hindu religious text. ...

This is a time of the year when the sun’s rays increase in intensity, going from mellow to hot. The crops have been harvested and the fruits of the harvest are making their way to the marketplaces. Mangoes, called "the king of fruit" in India, are in season once again. The ripe smell of jackfruit fills the air. Shrubs and trees are bursting into flower. Everything is fresh and new. It looks and smells like spring (or the best impersonation of quintessential springtime that the climate can do). Species About 35 species, including: Mangifera altissima Mangifera applanata Mangifera caesia Mangifera camptosperma Mangifera casturi Mangifera decandra Mangifera foetida Mangifera gedebe Mangifera griffithii Mangifera indica Mangifera kemanga Mangifera laurina Mangifera longipes Mangifera macrocarpa Mangifera mekongensis Mangifera odorata Mangifera pajang Mangifera pentandra Mangifera persiciformis Mangifera quadrifida Mangifera siamensis Mangifera similis Mangifera... Binomial name Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. ...

India was, and still is to a certain extent, a predominantly agrarian society. Thus, celebrations and festivals were often linked to the turn of the season and to the sowing and reaping of crops. There is a theory that the word ‘padwa’ might have its roots in the Sanskrit word for crop, which is ‘Pradurbhu.’ The word ‘padwa’ as used contemporarily means ‘New Year’, but this day also marks the end of one harvest and the beginning of a new one, which for an agricultural community would signify the beginning of a New Year. In the case of Gudi Padwa, it is celebrated at the end of the Rabi season. The term ‘padava’ or ‘padavo’ is also associated with Diwali, another New Year celebration that comes at the end of the harvesting season, thus substantiating the agricultural link to the festival. Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is an Indo-European Classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... DiwālÄ« or DÄ«pāvali (also transliterated Deepavali; Sanskrit: row of lights) is the Hindu Festival of Lights. Diwali festival symbolizes the victory of good over evil and the lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind. ...

The festivities

On the festive day, courtyards in village houses will be swept clean and plastered with fresh cowdung. Even in the city, people take the time out to do some springcleaning. Women and children work on intricate rangoli designs on their doorsteps, the vibrant colours mirroring the burst of colour associated with spring. Everyone dresses up in new clothes and it is a time for family gatherings. Specialities like soonth panak and chana usal are eaten on this day. Rangoli is an Indian decoration that uses finely ground white powder and colors. ...

Traditionally, families are supposed to begin the festivities by eating the bittersweet leaves of the neem tree. Sometimes, a paste of neem leaves is prepared and mixed with ajwain, gul(called as jaggery in english), and tamarind. All the members of the family consume this paste, which is believed to purify the blood and strengthen the body’s immune system against diseases. Ajwain (also known as Carom, Ajowan, Bishops Weed and Seeds Of Bishops Weed), is an uncommon spice except in certain areas of Asia. ... In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Gul is a military rank used by Cardassians. ... Binomial name Tamarindus indica The Tamarind (alternative name Indian date, translation of Arabic تمر هندي tamr hindÄ«) is a tropical tree, originally from east Africa but now introduced into most of tropical Asia as well as Latin America. ... The immune system is the system of specialized cells and organs that protect an organism from outside biological influences. ...

The ‘gudi’

While the ‘padwa’ part has been explained, you’re probably wondering what a ‘gudi’ is. A ‘gudi’ is a pole on 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 coconuts, marigolds and mango leaves that symbolize nature’s bounty. On Gudi Padwa, you will find gudis hanging out of windows or otherwise prominently displayed in traditional Maharashtrian households. Silk weaver Silk is a natural protein fiber that can be woven into textiles. ... Binomial name Cocos nucifera L. The Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera), is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family). ... Species About 20, see text : also numerous garden hybrids and cultivars The marigolds, genus Calendula L., are a genus of about 20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to the Mediterranean region and Macaronesia. ... Species About 35 species, including: Mangifera altissima Mangifera applanata Mangifera caesia Mangifera camptosperma Mangifera casturi Mangifera decandra Mangifera foetida Mangifera gedebe Mangifera griffithii Mangifera indica Mangifera kemanga Mangifera laurina Mangifera longipes Mangifera macrocarpa Mangifera mekongensis Mangifera odorata Mangifera pajang Mangifera pentandra Mangifera persiciformis Mangifera quadrifida Mangifera siamensis Mangifera similis Mangifera... Maharashtra (महाराष्ट्र) is a state in west-central India. ...

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. Shivaji and his faithful Maratha comrades The Marāthās is a collective term referring to an Indo Aryan group of Hindu, Marathi-speaking castes of warriors and peasants hailing mostly from the present-day state of Maharashtra, who created a substantial empire, covering a major part of India, in... Chhatrapati also Chatrapati is an honorific or title for a ruler. ... Shivaji Bhonslé, also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhonslé (Marathi: छत्रपती शिवाजीराजे भोसले) was the founder of the Maratha empire in western India in 1674 which was instrumental in the downfall of the Mughal Empire. ...

Sources

Gudi Padwa Festival at IndiaParenting.com

Gudi Padwa on Google India

Hinduism | Hindu festivals | Hindu calendar
Pongal | Holi | Ugadi | Rama Navami | Krishna Janmaashtami | Onam | Ganesh Chaturthi | Vaisakhi | Navratri | Durga Puja
Vijayadashami | Dasara | Diwali | Thaipusam | Maha Shivaratri | Ekadasi | Vaikunta Ekadasi | Mahalakshmi vrata | Raksha Bandhan | Bhai-Dooj/Bhau-Beej