Gudi Padva
celebrates the start of the Hindu New Year and is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu month of Chaitra. It is believed
that this was the day the Lord Brahma created the Universe. Thus
it is viewed as one of the most auspicious days on the Indian calendar.
The
Gudi: An upside down silver/ copper tumbler with a brightly colored cloth on a stick
is called a "Gudi" This picture is from the 2007 Gudi Padwa
festival @ my home.
Historically
this festival was celebrated for Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's safe and
victorious return from the battle in Maharashtra. Thus the banners of
victory. Gudi means a
"banner" which raised to announce victory. Culturally
this festival denotes the arrival of spring.
How to make a
Gudi for Gudi Padwa?
That's
me (Medini) and my daughter Nikita at my mom's home in Mumbai in
1994 making the gudi. I love the festivals that we celebrate because
there is always special festival food that goes with it.
Tie a brightly
colored cloth adorned with brocade (zari) to the tip of
a long bamboo. Add strings of a sugary sweet - made only in India -called "Gathi", neem leaves, and a string
of mango leaves along with a garland of red flowers.
Then
place a a silver or copper pot upside down over
it. Hoist and place the Gudi in front of the house, on the right
side. of your main door. The grounds on which the gudi is placed has
to be leaned and a beautiful "Rangoli" on the floor
in front of it maybe drawn.
The word
"padwa" or "padva" comes from the Sanskrit word
"pradurbhu" which means the first day of the new year. "Padva"
is another name for "Pratipada" which is the first day of a
lunar month. The
word ‘padwa’ is also associated with the Festival of Diwali, another New Year celebration that comes at the
end of the harvesting
season.
Gudi Padwa is a
very Auspicious day!
The Maharashtrian
New Year's Day marks the beginning of spring or
"Vasant". This is one of the 3 and a half days in the Indian Lunar calendar called
"Sade-Teen
Muhurat", whose every moment is considered auspicious in general to start a new activity. New ventures are begun,
house-warming poojas are performed, and people also choose to buy
gold, silver or property on this day.
Its a good day to start any business.
Gudi Padwa is
associated with new harvest & the coming of Spring
This vibrant
spring festival following the festival of colors - Holi - is as festive if
not more. It is a time for spring cleaning of homes - big and small
- making them sparkle from top to bottom to mark a new beginning.....a
beginning of SPRING and warmer days.
With warmer
temperatures around the corner and as the sun's rays get hotter from
this day onwards, crops begin to be harvested. In Karnataka, the
farmers light seven, nine or eleven haystacks. The ashes are
kept aside to mix into the soil after the harvesting is done. This
brings good fortune. Fruits like mangoes,
guavas and jackfruit begin to flood the
local markets. Sunflowers bloom
and the nature bursts into color again.
Hindu
New Year is celebrated in different ways
New Year is
celebrated in different states of India under various names
- Ugadi
in Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka
- Gudi
Padva
in Maharashtra.
-
The
Sindhis celebrate it as
Cheti chand.
- Bengalis celebrate the
Poila Baishakh
festival
- is
celebrated as Nau Roz
in Kashmir
- In the north the Assamese bring in the new year with the
Bihu
festival
- Puthandu
in Tamil Nadu
- Vishu in
Kerala
- The Punjabis get light up camp fires with
Baisakhi.
- The
Nepalese however bring in the new year in the third week of March
- and in
Bengal everyone wishes Naba Barsha
or Happy New Year!
Why the
"Gudi"?
An upside
down silver tumbler with a red or brightly colored cloth on a stick is called a
"Gudi" The Gudi is
a symbol of victory.
It is a day when the brave Marathas
returned home triumphant from their expeditions of war lead by the
great Maratha hero Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj. A
Gudi was displayed historically to mark this victory
Nowadays, it
symbolizes
good luck. It and is erected near the entrance of almost every
Maharashtrian house to ward off evil and to invite prosperity, good luck
and happiness into the house. This ceremony is done "before sunrise"
and the gudi puja is done as soon as the suns rises.
The day of
Gui Padwa is very very auspicious
Gudi
Padwa is considered a very very auspicious day. New ventures are begun,
house-warming poojas are performed, and people also choose to buy
gold, silver or property on this day.
Its a good day to start any business.
How to celebrate Gudi Padva?
People get up
early and clean their houses, decorating 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.
Gudi
Padwa Recipes
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.
In the southern
states, Puliogare
-a sour tamarind rice dish, Bobbatlu,
Holige- sweet
stuffed bread and Ugadi Pachadi made of jaggery, raw mango pieces,
neem flowers and tamarind is prepared. In
Maharastra, Shrikhand
-a fragrant yogurt dessert, with Poori-a fried puffy bread is
prepared.
Eating of
Neem a tradition
Traditionally
Maharashtrians have a 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.
Also some people make a paste of
crushed neem leaves, cumin seeds, jaggery and salt is eaten before
eating any other food in the morning on Gudi Padwa..
