Yugaadi - the Indian New Year Day
(Shikaripura Harihareswara, Saraswatipuram, Mysore)
Annual Festivals are generally celebrated with pomp. There are several reasons for observing these festivities:, to pay our gratitude to the Supreme; praising His glory; seeking His blessings; sharing and giving; friendly reunion with dears, nears, kith and kin; resolving to do the unfinished and nobler things in life, and to chalk-out action items for the coming New Year. Celebrating as an event the dawn of the new year is very common among comminutes all over the world. Yugaadi is one such festival to herald the coming new year.
In India there are several traditional ways of counting the year- Solar year, Luni year etc., etc., In Karnataka, Andhrapradesh, Maharastra and other parts of South India people generally follow a typical Luni-Solar calendar often called as Lunar system (Chaandramaana system). The first day of this Chaandrmaana calendar is called Yugaadi- literaly meaning the start of the Era (here, the commencement of the year).
In a calendar year of the Lunar system, there are six seasons (Rutu) namely Vasanta, Greeshma, Varsha, Sharad, Hemanta, Shishira (However, in the western system there are only four seasons- Spring, Rainy, Autumn, Fall). There are two Lunar months for each season and there are generally thirty days in each Lunar month. The very first day as the Lunar Calendar Year is called- Yugaadi. (Some people call it as Ugaadi which has no meaning what so ever)
In India there are several traditional ways of counting the year- Solar year, Luni year etc., etc., In Karnataka, Andhrapradesh, Maharastra and other parts of South India people generally follow a typical Luni-Solar calendar often called as Lunar system (Chaandramaana system). The first day of this Chaandrmaana calendar is called Yugaadi- literaly meaning the start of the Era (here, the commencement of the year).
In a calendar year of the Lunar system, there are six seasons (Rutu) namely Vasanta, Greeshma, Varsha, Sharad, Hemanta, Shishira (However, in the western system there are only four seasons- Spring, Rainy, Autumn, Fall). There are two Lunar months for each season and there are generally thirty days in each Lunar month. The very first day as the Lunar Calendar Year is called- Yugaadi. (Some people call it as Ugaadi which has no meaning what so ever)
There are several eras for counting the years in India. To name a few and to give a count corresponding to the current Gregorian Christian era year of 2006, here is in incomplete list: Jewesh era (5767, Kaliyuga era 5107, Mahaveera nirvana era 2533, Budha nirvana era 2550, vikrama era 2063, Shalivahana era 1928, Muslim hijari era 1427, fasali era 1416, Bengali era 1413, Parsi era 1376, Kollom era 1182, Shree chitanya era 520 etc., etc.,)
Yugaadi is celebrated in different fashions in different parts of India. In the state of Maharaashtra and Gujarath, people hoist a specially decorated flag on this day, and hence the day is also known as Gudi Paadya. In North India, a nine-day celebration starting from Yugaadi and ending with Raama Navami - called Navaraatri, to herald the return of the victorious Sri Rama after his vanquishing the bad man Raavana.
Generally celebration of Yugaadi festival starts with an early morning grand bath. People decorate their homes especially the front door with speccially prepared mango-leaves banner (tOraNa). A distinguishing feature, however, on today's front door banner is- that is bedecked with neem leaves with its budding flowers. Special dishes are prepared such as Paayasa, Chitraana using raw green mango and HoLige (sweet stuffed cake). In the evening people visit their relatives and friends, and seek blessings from their elders. While doing so, each will give the other a pinch of specially prepared mixture of neem buds and jaggery (bEvu and bella). Life is an admixture of good and bad, sorrow and mirth, and one should try to be unpurturbed whether it rains or shines- that is the symbolism behind this exchange of sweet-bitter mixture.
Some visit Temples and other places of worship and offer prayers for the well-being of their kith and kin. Some open up the new Calender Book called Panchaanga, and give a ceremonial first reading of the Book This is called Panchaanga ShravaNa. While the elderly scholar is doing this, listeners will be curious to know what good and not-so-good things are in store for them and for the Community during the ensuing New Year. Which planet rules this New Year, and what would be the outcome? Will there be enough rainfall and will we maintain self-sufficiency? Any unprecedented natural calamities expected this year? Will there be peace and tranquility in the Nation? - are some of the predictions the Panchaanga is trying to offer!
From times immemorial, poets of all languages have described and euolized the granduer and beauty of Nature during this time of the year. And hence, several cultural festivals including Poets' Meet are also conducted in various parts of India on this day.
People welcome the freshness the Nature all around exhibiting its new look at this period of time; and celebrate with Nature the festival for peace, harmony and enjoyment,
I wish you all a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year named as Sri Vyaya Samvatsara!