The rest of the world may celebrate new year on January 1, but for many Indian communities that go by the Hindu calendar, the new year is associated with spring, the time of the year when not just humans but even nature celebrates with a renewal of life and colour.

Chaitra Navratri or Chait Navratras, is the nine-day festival observed in Chaitra month. Chaitra Navratras starts on the first day in Chaitra. This is the Hindu New Year day as per Hindu calendar.   Chaitra Navratri is very popular festive season in North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, etc.

Chaitra Navratri is also called as Vasant Navratri or Basant Navratri. This festival marks the beginning of Vasant ruthu (spring season).

Navratri 2010 dates during Chaitra month are – from March 16 to March 24.

As per the legends mentioned in the Puranas and other Hindu scriptures, Chaitra Navratri is the actual Navratri during which Goddess Durga was worshipped. But during the time of Ramayan war, Lord Sri Ram worshipped Durga at the time of Ashwin month. Since then, Ashwin Navratri has become the main festive season to worship the Goddess.

In the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, the first of Chaitra month is celebrated as Gudi Padwa or Ugadi or Yugadi.

Gudi Padwa marks the beginning of New Year in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka. This festival is known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Gudi Padwa signifies the beginning of Vasant or the Spring season.

The Brahma Purana holds that it was on a Gudi Padwa that Lord Brahma created the world again after a devastating deluge and time began to tick from this day forth. The day marks the start of Satyug (era of truth and justice).

Gudi Padwa is said to be one of the 3 and a half days in the Indian Lunar calendar called ‘sade teen muhurt’. Every moment of this period is considered auspicious to start new ventures.

Gudi Padwa is specially dedicated to the worship of Lord Brahma. In Maharashtra, special flags known as ‘gudis’, also called ‘Brahmadhvaj’ or ‘the flag of Brahma’, are erected in honour of Lord Brahma.

A ‘gudi’ is a pole on the top of which an upturned brass or silver pot called a kalash is placed. The gudi is covered with a colourful silk cloth and decorated with marigold flowers, coconuts, and mango leaves that symbolise nature’s bounty.

People prepare for the New Year by cleaning and washing their houses and buying new clothes. On the festival day they decorate their houses with mango leaves and rangoli designs, and pray for a prosperous new year.

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