Gudi Padwa 2021 : “Maharashtra hai maha maha” is a very catchy line from an advertisement released by Incredible India to promote Maharashtra tourism. True to its name, this maha state celebrates festivals with much pomp and gaiety. With so much of splendour and fun surrounding the festivals, Marathi New Year has to be a really special one! People of Maharashtra leave no stone unturned in making the Marathi New Year really memorable!
Maharashtrians celebrate their new year along with the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. That is, Pratipada tithi (first day) of Shukla paksha (waxing phase of the moon) of Chaitra month is celebrated as the Marathi New Year, called as “Gudi Padwa”.
What is Gudi?
Gudi is a bamboo pole decorated with mango leaves, neem leaves, flower garlands and gaathi (sugar crystals). This pole is further decorated with a yellow/green or any bright coloured silk cloth and an inverted silver/brass/copper pot. The pot is decorated with a swastika symbol using a paste made out of vermilion and sandalwood.
Significance of Gudi:
• Gudi is considered to be “Brahma Dwaj” (Lord Brahma’s flag.) According to Brahma Purana, Lord Brahma began the creation of the universe on this day.
• Gudi is also known as “Vijaya Dwaj” (flag of victory) and is symbolic of Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana, His return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and His coronation as the king of Ayodhya.
• Gudi is considered to be highly auspicious and is believed to stave off evil, dangers and bad luck.
• Gudi brings in prosperity and good luck.
Significance of Gudi Padwa and the appropriate way to celebrate the festival:
• Gudi Padwa 2021 is the first day of the traditional Marathi calendar and marks the advent of the new year.
• Wake up early on the day of Gudi Padwa. Apply oil to your hair and body and take a head-bath.
• Decorate the entrance to your home with mango leaves, neem leaves and fresh flowers.
• Decorate the front yard of your home with Rangoli designs.
• Prepare Gudi (as described earlier) before sunrise and hoist it outside the house/on the terrace or on a window.
• Worship the presiding deities at your home.
• Worship Lord Surya by offering tarpan with water, sandalwood paste and flowers. For more details on worshipping Lord Surya, please refer to our article here.
• Reciting Sri Vishnu Sahasranama, Sri Lalita Sahasranama, and Sri Lakshmi Ashtothram on Gudi Padwa is considered to be very auspicious to receive special blessings for the rest of the year.
• Prepare a paste of neem leaves, ajwain, jaggery, tamarind, salt, crushed pepper and mango juice. Have the same on empty stomach after performing puja to reap the health benefits that come from the antibiotic properties of neem, nutritional properties of jaggery and mango, medicinal properties of tamarind, ajwain, salt and pepper.
• Poori, Shrikhand and Puran Poli are the traditional dishes for Gudi Padwa.
• To treat yourself and your family in a much more mouth-watering way on Gudi Padwa, you can add Gulab Jamun, Basundi and Jalebi to your cooking list.
• Cook special vegetarian dishes on Gudi Padwa, offer the same to the presiding deities at your home and honor the remnants as prasad.
• Visit any nearby temple, meet friends and relatives, exchange greetings and begin your new year in a joyous way.
Additional Details:
• Gudi Padwa 2021 is also believed to be a celebration of the victory of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj of the Maratha empire.
• Gudi is also known as “Indra Dwaj” (flag of Lord Indra.)
• Konkani people too celebrate their new year on the same day and they call it as “Samvatsar Padvo”.
• People of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka prepare a dish called, “Ugadi Pachadi” for their new year (Ugadi) which is celebrated on the same day as Gudi Padwa.
• Wish to know more about the rituals and celebrations of the new year in your neighbouring states? Have a look here
This year, Gudi Padwa falls on sunday18th March. OnlineTemple wishes you all a very happy new year! May the auspicious Gudi bring a lot of happiness, victory, good fortune and prosperity into your lives! Gudi Padwachya Hardik Subhecha!