Gudi Padwa
In Maharashtra, the new year is celebrated as Gudhi Padwa – a festival that heralds the advent of spring (March-April). In the morning of the first day of the Chaitra month, wear new clothes and decorate their houses with colorful “rangoli” patterns. The point is new and clean beginnings are always made.
A silk banner is raised and worshipped, and greetings and sweets are exchanged. People hang “gudhis” on their windows on this day to celebrate Mother Nature’s bounty. A “gudi” is a decorated pole with a brass or a silver vessel placed on it.
More or less at the same time, the Telugu and the Kannada New Year falls on the first day of the month of Chaitra (March-April). People in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states in the South of India believe that Lord Brahma began the creation of the universe on this auspicious day of Ugadi. People prepare for the new year by cleaning and washing their houses and buying new clothes. On the Ugadi day they decorate their houses with mango leaves and rangoli designs, for a prosperous new year, and visit the temples. They also listen to the yearly calendar.It is also believed that Ugadi is an auspicious day to embark on any new endeavor.
The essence is really celebration of the advent of spring which signifies life in all its myriad forms.
Wherever you are, enjoy the new season and venture into any new endeavour that you have been dreaming of.