HIGHLIGHTS:
• India celebrate the Hindu New Year during this period to mark the start of the Chaitra month
• Chaitra Navratri, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, and Jhulelal Jayanti etc are celebrated in month of April
• The Hindu New Year will begin on April 2 this year
The month of April is dedicated to fervently commemorating several religious festivals. Various states in India celebrate the Hindu New Year during this period to mark the start of the Chaitra month with festivals such as Chaitra Navratri, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, and Jhulelal Jayanti. According to the Hindu Lunar calendar, the Hindu New Year will begin on April 2 this year.
1. Ugadi celebrations : Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka are holding Ugadi celebrations.
The South Indian community celebrates the Hindu New Year with the Ugadi festival. Telangana, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh are the states where the festivities begin on April 2. Lord Brahma is said to have created the Universe on this day, according to folklore. The rituals begin with oil bath and neem leaf consumption. Mango leaves are often used to decorate homes.
2. Gudi Padwa celebrations in Goa and Maharashtra and nearby regions
Gudi Padwa, or Marathi New Year, is celebrated in Goa and Maharashtra on the first day of the Chaitra month. It signals the start of the spring season. Legend has it that on this day, people raised the Gudi, or flag, to commemorate Lord Rama’s triumph over Ravana. On this day, devotees take an oil bath, raise Gudi flags, and make rangolis.
3. Jhulelal Jayanti celebrations among the Sindhi community
In Sindhi community, the Hindu New Year, or the first month of Chaitra, is known as Jhulelal Jayanti. It commemorates the birth of Sindhi patron saint Jhulelal, also known as Ishtadev Uderolal, who is thought to have been born in the 10th century in Sindh. Sindhis worship water on this day and carry the Baharana Sahib (Jhulelal’s depiction) to a nearby lake.
4. In the Hindu community, Chaitra Navratri is celebrated.
Chaitra Navratri, a prominent Hindu nine-day festival, will begin on April 2 . It is also the start of the Chaitra month. The auspicious event is commemorated to honour Goddess Durga’s nine various avatars and the triumph of good over evil. Fasting is traditionally done for nine days by devotees.
