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
