News Excerpt:

The first day of the Chaitra month of Hindu calendar is celebrated as the new year in different parts of the country.

More about this news:

• This festival is recognised by different names and celebrated in various ways across different states. 
• For instance, in Maharashtra and Goa, it is celebrated as Gudi Padwa, while in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it is known as Ugadi.  In West Bengal, Poila Boishak is celebrated on this day.
• The first day of the Hindu calendar of Chaitra usually falls in March or April of the Gregorian calendar. 

History: 

• The term Ugadi, also referred to as Yugadi, is a combination of two Sanskrit words: ‘Yug,’ which signifies an era, and ‘Adi,’ which denotes a beginning, thereby meaning that this festival marks the advent of a new era. 
• The 12th century Indian mathematician Bhaskaracharya recognised Ugadi as the commencement of the New Year.

Significance:

• According to Hindu mythology, Lord Brahma created the world on this day and since then, the new year has been regionally celebrated on this day. 
• Yugadi brings with it a new era, marking the onset of the spring season and the beginning of the new year. 
• A unique aspect of this festival is the commencement of the sixty-year cycle, known as Samvatsara, with each year in this cycle bearing a distinct name.

Celebrations:

• People mark the day with fervour and enthusiasm and begin the festivities by taking an oil bath and consuming neem leaves.
• Rituals involve hoisting colourful flags. 
• Panchanga Sravanam is observed wherein an elderly person in the family recites the forecast for the coming year based on the moon signs. 
• People don new clothes, decorate their homes and welcome the new year during this time.