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Gudi Padwa and Ugadi 2021: Date, significance and all you need to know
This year, Gudi Padwa and Ugadi are both being celebrated in India on April 13. Gudi Padwa is celebrated in Maharashtra and the people of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh observe Ugadi. Both the festivals mark the first day of the New Year according to the Hindu calendar.
The first day of Chaitra Navratri, which is on April 13, is also known as the first day of the year according to the Hindu calendar and is celebrated with a lot of joy all across the nation. This day has special significance in various states. People of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka celebrate this day as Ugadi whereas in Maharashtra and Goa the same day is known as Gudi Padwa. Living in a culturally diverse nation such as India, the people of the country get to take part in each other's festivals on a regular basis and often have fun times. Coming to these two festivals, let's talk a little about their significance and what is the history behind them.
The date of these two festivals is based on the Hindu lunisolar calendar and they are both celebrated on the same day. Ugadi or Yugadi is made using two different words, yug (era) and adi (new beginning) that means, Yugadi literally stands for the term new beginnings. The belief behind this is that Lord Brahma created the world on this day and that is why it is celebrated as the first day of the Hindu calendar.
The concept behind Gudi Padwa is the same, it is just known by a different name in Maharashtra and Goa and is celebrated with equal joy and fervour. This is another great example of the diversity in India. Gudi means Lord Brahma's flag and Padwa stands for the first day of the new phase of the moon. During the celebrations, just like Ugadi, families come together to spend time together and have delicious food.
Not just that, they even decorate their houses, rangolis are made, neem leaves are also eaten. There are also a few special dishes that are prepared to mark this auspicious day. To celebrate Ugadi, people make a dish called Ugadi Pacchadi that is generally made using raw mangoes, neem flowers, tamarind, jaggery and salt. For the people observing this day as Gudi Padwa in Maharastra, they commemorate it by eating Shrikhand Puri.
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