Overview
Gudhi Padwa is a spring festival that marks the beginning of the lunisolar new year for Marathi and Konkani Hindus. It is observed in and around Maharashtra, Goa, and Daman on the first day of Chaitra, the opening month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar.
The festival is known for its colourful floor decorations, called rangoli, and the distinctive gudi dhvaja, a sari, dhoti, or other piece of cloth garlanded with flowers along with mango and neem leaves, and topped with an upturned silver or copper vessel. A sugar-crystal garland known as gathi is also part of the display. Celebrations typically include street gatherings, dancing, and festive foods.
The day carries different names across communities and languages. In Maharashtra, the first day of the bright phase of the moon is called guḍhī pāḍwā (Marathi: गुढी पाडवा); in Konkani, it is pāḍvo (पाडवो); in Kannada, pāḍya (ಪಾಡ್ಯ); and in Telugu, pāḍyami (పాడ్యమి). Konkani Hindus also refer to it as sausāra pāḍavo or sausāra pāḍyo. Kannada Hindus in Karnataka mark the same occasion as Yugadi/Ugadi (ಯುಗಾದಿ), while Telugu Hindus celebrate it as Ugadi (ఉగాది). Sindhi people observe the day as Cheti Chand, and Kashmiri Pandits as Navreh.
This is not, however, a universal new year for all Hindus. In and near Gujarat, new year festivities coincide with the five-day Diwali period, locally known as Bestu Varas. For many other Hindus, the new year falls on Vaisakhi, observed between 13 and 15 April based on the solar cycle of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. Vaisakhi is widely observed not only among Hindus of the Indian subcontinent but also among Buddhists and