ChandUgadi or Yugadi is the first day of Chandramana or shuklapaksh (bright fortnight) of Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar that coincides with March month of the Western calendar. During this period, while people in the Deccan Plateau—especially Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh — celebrate Ugadi; Maharashtrians and Goans observe Gudi Padava and Sindhis celebrate Cheti Chand. Chaitra is considered a very auspicious month as per Hindu tradition. Ugadi originated from the Sanskrit word yuga (meaning age) and adi (beginning). Ugadi is the mark of a new year, or starting of new activities. Wearing new clothes, spraying vasantam (coloured water), eating chutney (sauce) consisting of six tastes, are important activities on the day. An Auspicious Beginning On Gudi Padava, a gudi (flag) is displayed in Marathi households. The gudi consists of green or yellow cloth tied to a long bamboo on which sugar, neem leaves, mango leaves, and a garland of red flowers are secured. It is placed towards the right side of the main entrance of the house. An inverted silver or copper pot is placed on it. The Sindhi community in India, and around the world, celebrates the second day of Chaitra month as Cheti Chand. It marks the beginning of the new year and also commemorates the birth of Ishtadeva Uderolal (Jhulelal), their patron-saint. Continue Reading
Easter Sunday Religious Ceremonies
Among the most important festivals in the Christian calendar, Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter Sunday, also known as Resurrection Sunday, marks the end of a 40-day period of fasting, called Lent, which marks repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline.The date of celebrating Easter is not fixed; it is linked to the first Sunday of a full Moon day between March 21 and April 25, around the time of the Spring Equinox. The dates follow the Gregorian ecclesiastical rules established in 325 CE by the First Council of Nicaea. This ensures that Easter Sunday is observed all over the world on the same day and the dates can be calculated for an indefinite period in future. Most churches observe Easter according to the Gregorian calendar, but a few still follow the Julian calendar.Sacred Occasion On Easter Sunday, devotees attend church services and remember the sufferings that Jesus went through for the sake of humanity. The week preceding Easter is known as the Holy Week. The Friday before Easter Sunday is observed as Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified.The festival is celebrated by Christians across the world. In India, the festivities are more visible in regions that have a large Christian population. Kerala, Goa, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram are among states that celebrate Easter with great religious fervour.
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Holi: Holika Dahan
Holi is celebrated during the spring season in India and is among the biggest Hindu festivals, especially in the northern region. It falls on the first day of krishnapaksh(dark fortnight) of Phalgun month according to the Hindu calendar, which coincides with February or March of the Western calendar. On the previous day — purnima or full Moon day — devotees observe Holika Dahan by setting alight large bonfires to signify the burning of evil. In different parts of India, Holi is called by different names. In West Bengal and Odisha, it is observed as Dol Jatra. Continue Reading
