Facts of Gudi Padwa
Gudi Padwa Trivia
1. A number of stories are
associated with the festival, prominent among them being the theory
of creation and also the day when Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya after
defeating King Ravana in Lanka.
The year begins on the first
day of Chaitra of the Hindu calendar named as Shalivahan.
It is named so after King
Shalivahan from Paithan in Maharashtra.
2. Gudi Padwa is symbolic of
love and devotion between the wife and husband. On this day newly
married daughters with their husbands are invited for special meals
and resents.
3. Unlike other festivals,
Gudi Padwa, is a very family-oriented affair, but one can also take
part in the yatra organised the previous day, where families bring
diyas and float them on the lake.The whole lake is lit up with
floating diyas which looks really beautiful.

4. The word padwa is derived
from the Sanskrit word pradurbhu that is the first day of the year.
The festival signifies the beginning of the summer season. During
this period night and day are equally divided into 12 hours. There
are a lot of historical myths surrounding this festival, it seems
Emperor Shalivahaan of the south defeated a king from the north for
the first time. The gudi' also symbolises the victory of Lord Rama
over Ravana marking the triumph of good over evil.
The
various names of new year Characteristic
of the Indian cultural mélange, Hindus in various states of India
celebrate the new year in their own ways. And not all of these fall
on the same day! The people of Kerala in the south of India
celebrate their new year & Vishu in mid April. Andhra Pradesh, in
the southeastern part of India begins its new year Ugadi in the
second week of April. During the same time, the Bengalis welcome the
new year with the Poila Baishakh celebrations, the Maharashtrians
with Gudi Padwa, and the Assamese in the northeast with the Bihu
festivals.The Hindus in Punjab get involved with Baisakhi, the
springtime festival marking the beginning of a new year. By this
time, the Hindus of Nepal and Kashmir, however, have already began
the new year: The Nepalese new year Nava Varsha falls in the third
week of March, and the Kashmiri Lunar year Navreh starts in the
second week of March.