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Ugadi & Gudi Padwa devotional artwork

उगादि और गुड़ी पड़वा

Ugadi & Gudi Padwa

The lunisolar new year in the Deccan and Maharashtra — a day that tastes every flavour of the year before it begins.

Date (2026)

19 March 2026

Tithi

Chaitra Shukla Pratipada

Month

Chaitra

Deity

Brahma, Vishnu and Shakti

Katha — the story behind it

01

The sacred story

One traditional account places the beginning of Brahma’s creation on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. The story looks back to a world awaiting form and order: Brahma begins the work of creation, and a new cycle of life and time opens. Remembering that beginning, households welcome the new year as a chance to put their own lives in order, renew relationships, and make hopeful resolutions. Hindu traditions describe creation in several ways, so this account is not a single universally accepted chronology. In Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, the day is celebrated as Ugadi. Homes are cleaned and decorated, पूजा is offered, and families may listen to the new year’s panchanga. In many Telugu households, Ugadi pachadi combines contrasting tastes, reminding everyone that joy, disappointment, surprise, and difficulty all belong to life. In Maharashtra, Gudi Padwa is marked by raising a decorated gudi, often with a cloth, garland, and an inverted vessel. Its meaning varies: families may connect it with Brahma, auspicious victory, or Rama’s return to Ayodhya. These regional memories share a practical spiritual lesson: greet renewal with gratitude and meet the coming year with courage and balance.

02

Meaning within the story

The lunisolar new year in the Deccan and Maharashtra — a day that tastes every flavour of the year before it begins. The rite combines renewal with realism: cleaning and raising the gudi express hope, while the six tastes refuse the promise of an effortless year.

03

How the story becomes worship

Clean and mark the threshold: The new year begins at the threshold: the household makes the change visible before beginning its prayers. Raise the gudi or kalash: The upright standard signifies renewal, victory and the intention to meet the year with steadiness. Offer the six tastes: No year contains only sweetness. Tasting all six flavours is a compact lesson in accepting experience whole. Hear the year's Panchang: A calendar is useful only when it turns attention into preparation; the reading joins sacred time to practical planning.

Where it comes from

Brahma PuranaRegional Panchang traditions

Puja samagri — what to gather

  • ·Neem leaves and jaggery
  • ·Mango leaves and a kalash
  • ·Silk cloth, garland and inverted vessel for the gudi
  • ·Fresh flowers, lamp and seasonal fruit

Vrat — the fast

No universal fast. Many begin with the neem-jaggery preparation and eat a festive vegetarian meal after worship.

Aarti & shloka — read, understand, listen

Aarti · common version

Om Jai Lakshmi Mata

ॐ जय लक्ष्मी माता, मैया जय लक्ष्मी माता। तुमको निशिदिन सेवत, हर विष्णु विधाता॥ उमा रमा ब्रह्माणी, तुम ही जग माता। सूर्य चन्द्रमा ध्यावत, नारद ऋषि गाता॥ दुर्गा रूप निरंजनि, सुख सम्पत्ति दाता। जो कोई तुमको ध्यावत, ऋद्धि सिद्धि धन पाता॥ तुम पाताल निवासिनि, तुम ही शुभदाता। कर्म प्रभाव प्रकाशिनि, भवनिधि की त्राता॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी माता॥

Roman transliteration

Om jai Lakshmi Mata, maiya jai Lakshmi Mata. Tumako nishidina sevata, Hari Vishnu Vidhata.

Complete aarti meaning

Glory to Mother Lakshmi, served continually by Vishnu and the Creator. As Uma, Rama and Brahmani, you are mother of the world; sun, moon and sages contemplate you. You grant wellbeing and abundance, illuminate the consequences of action, and carry beings across the ocean of existence.

Sung with temple-style devotional accompaniment

Shloka · with meaning

Mahalakshmi mantra

ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः

Om Śrīṁ Mahālakṣmyai Namaḥ.

Meaning

Salutations to Mahalakshmi, the principle of abundance, beauty and auspicious wellbeing.

A common Hindi Lakshmi aarti; Diwali worship also includes Ganesha and may include Kali, Rama or family deities by region.

Next in the year

Rama Navami

26 March 2026

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