Gudi Padwa / Ugadi 2021

Gudi Padwa or Samvatsar Padvo is celebrated as the first day of the year by Maharashtrians and Konkanis. Ugadi or Yugadi is celebrated as the first day of the year by people of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. On this day new Samvatsara, which is cycle of sixty years, starts. All sixty Samvatsara are identified by unique name.

Gudi Padwa is celebrated as Ugadi by the people of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Both Gudi Padwa and Ugadi are celebrated on the same day.

Gudi Padwa is Marathi New Year according to Luni-Solar calendar. Luni-Solar calendars consider the position of the Moon and the position of the Sun to divide the year into months and days. The counter-part of Luni-Solar calendar is Solar calendar which considers only position of the Sun to divide the year into months and days. Because of that Hindu New Year is celebrated twice in the year with different names and at two different times of the year. The Hindu New Year based on Solar calendar is known as Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam, Vaisakhi in Punjab, Pana Sankranti in Orissa and Naba Barsha in West Bengal.

The day begins with ritual oil-bath followed by prayers. Oil bath and eating Neem leaves are must rituals suggested by scriptures. North Indians do not celebrate Gudi Padwa but start nine days Chaitra Navratri Puja on the same day and also eat Neem with Mishri on the very first day of Navratri.

2021 Vaisakhi | Baisakhi

Vaisakhi is an ancient harvest festival celebrated in the Punjab region by all Punjabis regardless of their religion. For people of Punjab, especially the Sikhs, Vaisakhi is a very significant day. Vaisakhi is also celebrated as Sikh New Year based on Hindu Solar calendar.

For the Sikh community, Vaisakhi is not only a harvest festival but also a religious festival. Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi as the day of the formation of the Khalsa (the pure one).

On Vaisakhi day, in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last Sikh Guru, established the Khalsa. He eliminated the difference between higher and lower caste communities and declared that all human beings are equal. Later the Guru tradition in Sikhism was put to an end and Guru Granth Sahib was declared as eternal guide and Holy Book of Sikhism.