Gudi Padwa....सुरवात नवीन वर्षाची

    Gudi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar. It is the first day of the year for people of Maharashtra and Konkan region. Gudi Padwa gets it's name from two words, the word Gudi means a flag and Padwa is derived from a Sanskrit word Pratipad which refers to the first day of the bright phase of the moon. This festival is celebrated with family. People worship Lord Brahma and Goddess Saraswati on this day. 

Mythology:

    Gudi symbolizes Lord Rama's victory over Ravana and thus the happiness and celebrations that followed. Since a symbol of victory is always held high, so is the Gudi (flag). The festival commemorates the coronation of Rama post his return to Ayodhya after completing 14 years of exile. Gudi is said to be a symbol of victory.

    The festival is also linked to the mythical day on which Hindu God Bramha created the universe. It is also said that on this day Brahma introduced days, weeks, months and years. Thus Gudi is believed to ward off evil, invite prosperity and good luck into the house. 

Preparations for Gudi: 

• Wooden pooja chowky
• one big stick (Bamboo)
• one saree or any cloth(red or green or yellow)
• one whole coconut
• Betel leaves
• Batasha (a sweet made up of sugar)
• Mango tree leaves
• Kalash (tie a thread five times on the neck of it and draw KumkumSswastik on it) 
• Flowers
• Haldi, Kumkum, Akshada (rice)
• Incense sticks
• Diya 
• Toran made up of Mango leaves and marigold flower garland
• A bunch of Neem leaves

Gudi Pooja vidhi: 

1. Clean houses and courtyards. 
2. This Pooja vidhi is performed in the morning. 
3. Draw beautiful Rangoli at the entrance of the house
4. First perform a regular pooja of all the deities 
5. The Gudi is made by tying a Saree on to a long bamboo stick. Take a Bamboo stick, clean it properly and apply five kumkum tikkas over it (on the top)
6. On top of the cloth, neem leaves, Batasha mala or gathi (a Maharashtrian sweet preparation), a garland of red or yellow flowers and a twig with mango leaves are tied on the top of the bamboo stick. This stick with the various ornaments is topped off with an inverted silver or copper pot (Kalash).
7. Put the Kalash on the top of the stick (as shown in image below). Apply kumkum Swastik on the kalash. 
8. Now place the Chowky at the entrance and draw small Swastik below it. Decorate the chowky with flowers and also draw Rangoli around it.
9. Cover the Chowky with any colored cloth and spread some rice on it (in the center of it). 
10. Finally keep the Gudi on that rice (on chowky)
11. Put two betel leaves (one top of the other) with one betel (Supari) on it. 
12. Keep one coconut beside Gudi. Apply Haldi kumkum to it.
13. Offer prayer to Lord Bramha and Goddess Saraswati.
14. Gudi can be placed outside the window or in balcony also. 

Celebrations: 

    On this day, People dress up in traditional attire. All family members wear new cloths and put on jewellery as well. Women draws beautiful Rangoli at the entrance of the house. People consider this day an extremely auspicious for making new purchases, especially of gold and silver. 

    On this day, special food is prepared including a sweet dish, known as Shrikhand, which is eaten with a type of Indian bread known as Poori. Other special dishes include the sweet Indian flatbread, Aamras and Pooran Poli. 

    Another unique practice which forms part of the celebrations is the ingestion of neem leaves after Gudi pooja. These leaves can be eaten directly or ground into a paste or in the form of juice. This tradition has the importance of marking the beginning of the festivities. 

    It is believed that hoisting the Gudi outside ones home wards off any evil influences, making way for good luck and prosperity. 

Holi.... festival of colors

 

Holi is one of the major festivals of India. It is the festival of colors. It is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun as per the Hindu calendar. It generally corresponds to the month of March in the English Calendar. It is celebrated in South Asian countries, especially in India and Nepal.

Picture Credit: TOI Holika Dahan, Udaipur

    The festival is celebrated for two days. First day is celebrated as Holika Dahan. Holi celebrates the killing of Holika in order to save Prahlad, a devotee of God Vishnu and thus Holi gets its name. On this day, a bonfire is lit which is referred to as Holika. It symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Second day is celebrated as Dhulivandan or Rang Panchami. On this day, bright colors and happiness soak each and every corner of the state in India and bring much joy to the lives of the people. In some regions of India, this festival is celebrated for five days.  

Mythology of Holi:

            Once there was a demon King Hiranyakashyapu. He had a son, Prahlad. Prahlad was the greatest devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu insisted that only he be worshipped and would kill anyone who disobeys him. But his son continued to worship Lord Vishnu. This made him furious and he decided to kill his own son, so he called his sister, Holika. She had a magic robe. This robe had the power to save the wearer from burning in fire. Holika sat on a bonfire and tricked Prahlad to sit on her lap. As the fire roared, the magical garment covered Prahlad and he came out of the burning fire safely and Holika was burnt to death. Thus, this day is celebrated with colors to mark the victory of virtue and goodness over evil.

Holika Dahan vidhi:

    Holika Dahan is observed on Purnima Tithi in the month of Phalguna, Shukla Paksha. On the eve of Holi, typically after a sunset, people gather around a bonfire which they call Holika Dahan. The ritual symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Pooja is performed in different ways in different regions.

Pooja Samagri: 

Logs of wood, cow dung cake, Gangajal, coconut, a kalash full of water, Batasha or any other sweet, Thread, Diya, Kumkum, Turmeric, Akshada, Incense stick, Dhoop, Gulaal, Flowers. 

• Clean the place with cow dung water or Gangajal where you want to perform Holika dahan.
• Pile the logs of wood and cow dung cake in a pyramid shape.
• Three, five or seven rounds of raw thread are tied around the Holika after which it is burnt.
• Keep all pooja ingredients like Akshada, incense sticks, flowers, raw cotton thread, turmeric, batasha, gulal powder and coconut in a plate.
• First seek the blessings of Lord Ganesha. After worshipping Lord Ganesha, you may proceed with Holika Dahan.
• Perform pooja by offering water, haldi-kumkum, akshada, flowers to Holika. After that empty the water in kalash while taking rounds of Holika pile.
• Perform the ritual by facing towards east or north direction.
• Offer prayers to the Lord Narsimha.
• End the prayers by circumambulating the bonfire thrice, five or seven times.

    Next morning, on the day of Rang Panchami, the ash from the bonfire is collected and smeared on the body. Some people apply the ash on forehead. The ash is considered ash pious and it is believed that body is purified after applying it.

 Celebrations:

On the day of Holi, many sweet dishes are prepared at home like Puran poli, Shrikhand, Basundi etc. In Maharashtra, People prepare Puran poli as Naivedyam which they offer to Holika dahan in the evening and there is one saying in Marathi on this as, “Holi re holi Puranachi Poli”.

On the day of Holi, elder person in the house performs aarti to the children in the family and give them Batasha mala as a sweet and apply colors on their forehead.

    It is said that Lord Krishna started the trend of playing colors. He applied color on his beloved Radha to make her one like him. The trend soon gained popularity amongst the masses. No wonder, there is no match to the Holi of Mathura, Vrindavan and Barsana - the places associated with the birth and childhood of Radha and Krishna.

    People get to gather and often repair broken relationships on this day. People celebrate this festival by playing with colors. They throw colored powder and colored water on each other and enjoys this joyful festival.

Makar Sankranti... तिळगुळ घ्या गोड गोड बोला

    Makar Sankranti is one of the ancient festival in India. This festival is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm across all regions of India. It is a harvest festival in India because this festival is celebrated at the time of harvesting. This festival is celebrated in January every year. Most of the festivals in India are related to agriculture, Makar Sankranti is one of them. 

    In Maharashtra, On this day, People exchange til-gul laddoo (sweet made up of sesame seeds and jaggery) and multi coloured halwa (Sugar granules coated in sugar syrup). Married women invite friends/family members and celebrate Haldi-Kumkum. Guests are given til-gul and some small gift, as a part of the ritual. People draw beautiful rangolis at the house entrance. worship of 'Sugad' is important on this day. 'Sugad' is a clay pot filled with ripe grains. women in the family perform 'Sugad puja' on this day.

Sugad Puja vidhi:

Sugad Puja

• First of all perform regular 'Devpuja' which you do everyday.
• To perform Sugad Puja, Keep a wooden chowki adjacent to the temple and cover it with a red cloth. Draw a Swastik with red colored rangoli below chowki. Decorate chowki with toran (made up of mango tree leaves). 
• Take five Sugad (It is a clay pot available easily in market) and clean it properly. Wrap a white thread (five rounds) around the neck of the Sugad. 
• Apply Haldi kumkum to the Sugad from five sides.
• Put all the ingredients like wheat grains, carrot, sugarcane pieces, groundnut, sesame seeds or laddoo, halwa (sugar granules), haldi kumkum  in all the five  Sugad. In some places, two Sugad are worshipped. 
  
  
  
• Sprinkle some akshada (rice) on the chowky and place five sugad on the chowky.    
• Place a two betel leaves and one puja supari on it. put it beside Sugad. we call it as "Maanacha Veeda" or "Veeda Supari". Offer haldi kumkum to it.
• Place a diya (oil/ghee lamp) beside Sugad and lit it while performing puja.
  
• Now worship five sugad by offering haldi kumkum to the Sugad and cover all the sugad with a red colored cloth of any lid or diya. Offer flower to each Sugad. It is said that all the Sugad should be covered to maintain prosperity in the house throughout the year. 
• Show the offering of sesame laddoo and halwa after puja.

       In this way married women (Suvasini) perform this puja. This puja is performed in variations in Maharashtra. Married women can wear black Saree on this day. On this day, People draw beautiful rangoli in front of the house. 

    In the evening all married women invite each other at their house for haldi kumkum where they exchange small gifts (Vaan in Marathi) along with one flower and til-gul. This haldi kumkum program can be celebrated till Rath Saptami. But sugad is to be worshipped on the day of Makar Sankranti.  

    While exchanging til-gul as tokens of goodwill people greet each other with the words "तिळगुळ घ्या, आणि गोड-गोड बोला / til-gul ghyaa, aani goad-goad bolaa" meaning ‘Accept this til-gul (sweet) and utter sweet words’. The underlying thought in the exchange of til-gul is to forget the past ill-feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends.

Sankranti Bornhan / Loot: 

   

    It is a fun filled Maharashtrian tradition to nurture child's immune system. This is a special ceremony organized for the kids in the age group of 1 to 5 years. 'Bor' means berries and 'Nhan' means bath.  It is celebrated for children's good health. It is believed that performing a Bornhan keeps  evil away from kids. 

• To perform Bornhan, Child is dressed up in any traditional attire preferably in black color dress. 
• Child have to wear jewelry made out of sugar candies which is named as "Halvyache Dagine" in Marathi. It is easily available in market during Sankranti season.  
• Invite small children for this ritual.
• The child is then sit on a Chowky or Paat (wooden rectangular stool). Five married women perform Aarti/Aukshan to the child.    
  
  
  
• After this, let all other children sit around child. The mother of the child then shower berries, murmura (puffed rice), groundnut, chocolates and candies over the child and other children are asked to collect the fallen items. 

    In this way, this fun filled ritual is celebrated. Now a days people do variety of home decorations for this festivals. Celebration haldi kumkum and Bornhan are carried out on the same day. HAPPY MAKAR SANKRANTI..!!

Flavors of Makar Sankranti across India...

    Makar Sankranti is one of the major Hindu festival in India, dedicated to the Lord Sun (Surya devata). It is a major harvest festival of India which is also known as Maghi. It is considered to extremely auspicious, as it marks the transition of sun to sign of Capricorn or Makar rashi. It also marks as the end of the winter season and beginning of the spring. This festival is also known as \"Uttarayan\" because from this day sun begins it\"s northward journey. On this day, people thank the Lord Sun for a good harvest and offer the first grain to him. 

    This festival is celebrated in almost all parts of the India specially in Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Assam and Jammu. There are variations of this festival across India.  

Celebration in different regions of the India:

Maharashtra: On this day, People exchange til-gul laaddoo (sweet made up of sesame seeds and jaggery) and multi coloured halwa (Sugar granules coated in sugar syrup). Married women invite friends/family members and celebrate Haldi-Kumkum. Guests are given til-gul and some small gift, as a part of the ritual. People draw beautiful rangolis at the house entrance. 

Tamil Nadu: This festival is known as "Pongal" in Tamil Nadu. The term Pongal in Tamil means "to boil". On this day, a special dish called \"Pongal\" is prepared and offered to Lord Sun in the morning. Pongal is prepared by boiling harvested rice with milk and jaggery in a clay pot.  

Punjab: In this state. this festival is known as "Lohri". Lohri is celebrated as a bonfire. The sugarcane harvest is celebrated in this festival. One this day, people gather and dance on the folk songs around a bonfire in the evening. 

Andhra Pradesh: It is known as "Pedda Panduga" in Andhra Pradesh. People celebrate this festival with prayer, new cloths and by inviting guests for feasts. The entrance of the house is decorated with \"muggu\" designs i.e. rangoli. 

Karnataka: It is one of the biggest festival in Karnataka. As per rituals, on this pious day, everyone wears new clothes visit and greet their loved ones and exchange a special foodstuff which is a mixture includes ellu (sesame seeds) mixed with groundnuts, coconut and jaggery and the mixture is known as “Ellu Bella” and the ritual is known as “Ellu Birodhu”. 

Gujarat, Rajasthan: In these states, People celebrate this festival by flying kites so it is also known as \"Festival of kites\". In Gujarat, this festival is also known as \"Uttarayan\".

Bhogi Festival... Beginning of Makar Sankranti

    Bhogi is the first day of three-days Makar Sankranti festival. This is celebrated during Makar sankranti when sun changes it’s position from south to the north hemisphere. It is celebrated one day before Sankranti. This festival is celebrated mainly in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. In Maharashtra, it is known as Bhogi and Pedda Panduga in many other states. 

Farmers worships Lord Indra (God of Rain) on this day to seek his blessings for a good harvest. Many people worship Sun (Surya Devata) on this day.

Bhogi special Menu

Rituals of Bhogi:

• On this day, People clean and wash their houses and draws beautiful Rangolis at the house entrance. 
• People put sesame seeds in bathing water. Women wear new cloths and ornaments after taking a holy bath.
• Food is cooked with a freshly harvested rice, turmeric, Jowar and other vegetables. People cook variety of food like mix vegetable and Bhakari, Khichdi, sesame and jaggery chapati etc. 
• Women of the family worship all deities and offer food (Naivedya) to all deities.

Tilgul Roti Recipe

   

 To celebrate this day, people wish each other Happy Bhogi Sankranti. In some regions of India, a bonfire is lit with cow dung cake and wood. All old items and cloths are sacrificed in this fire. People chant mantras and sing songs to praise lord while taking rounds around a holy fire.  

Naag Diwali / Dev Deepawali...

    Dev Deepawali is a festival celebrated mainly in the temples of ‘Khandoba’. Khandoba is a popular Hindu deity mainly in the states of Maharashtra, Andra Pradesh and Karnataka. This deity is considered to be a Kula devata (Ancestral Tutelary deity) of many communities in the state of Maharashtra. Khandoba is traditionally considered as an incarnation of Lord Shiva.

    The first day of Margashirsha month is Dev Deepawali. People celebrate this festival till Panchami of Margashirsha month. One can do this puja during any one of these five days. People celebrate this festival in many ways. Dev Deepavali is celebrated in the belief that Gods descend on the Earth at this grand occasion. 

    In North India, Same festival of Dev Deepavali is celebrated on the full moon day of Kartik month. This is celebrated every year in the Varanasi on the 15th day of Diwali in respect of River Ganga. It is said that the Gods celebrated Diwali on the same day when Lord Shiva killed Tripurasura. On this day, all Diyas are lit on all ghats of Varanasi with a grand Aarti of Ganga.

    On this day, Snakes are worshipped by mothers for the sake of their children. Also, Puja and prayers are performed in Naag temples across many states in Central and south India. People celebrate this festival at home in many ways. Different sweets are made designating each family member and that sweet is called as “Diva” of that family member. It should be as per the choice/likes of the person. It can be any traditional sweet dish like Ladoo, Chirote, Pedha, Gulab jamun, Rasgulla, Shreekhand etc. (for Boys) and Karanji, Baalushahi, Basundi etc. (for girls). Same Diva will be repeated every year. One can change it after five years if they want. We have to keep this Diva (Sweet) in a plate and place a cotton wick (fulwaat) in front of each Diva (sweet) and perform aarti to deity.

Diva (Sweet) with cotton wick beside each of it

Puja Vidhi Naag Diwali:

• Clean your house early morning and draw a nice rangoli at the entrance of the house.
• Perform regular puja of all the deity.
• Take a plate (copper/steel/silver) and draw five Naag (Snake) Devata on that plate with ghee. You can use cotton buds to draw it. 

  

  Snake made with ghee

  
  
• Keep that plate inside the temple adjacent to all other deities.
• Perform puja of Naag Devata by Offering Kumkum, akshada and flowers.
• Offer Naivedya / Prasad to all the deities along with Diva (Sweet). Keep Diva (Sweet) in a plate and lit a cotton wick (fulwaat) which is kept in front of Diva and perform aarti to deity. 

If one couldn’t perform this festival during this month, they can do it on any Sunday of Pausha month (the Tenth month in the Hindu calender).

Margashirsha Mahalakshmi Vrat... Brings Prosperity

     Margashirsha is the ninth month in the Hindu calendar. Hindu people consider this month as sacred and auspicious month. The Hindu culture is full of rich history, festivals and traditions that has great significance. Each festival has a beautiful story behind it. 

    In the month of Margashirsha, on every Thursday Lakshmi puja is done and fast is observed by devotees. It is believed that, one who observes \"Lakshmi Vrat\" is blessed with spiritual growth and stability in life. This Puja is performed either at home or at Lakshmi Maa temple. The Lakshmi vrat and puja can be performed by both men and women. People who perform this puja have to observe fast for whole day on every Thursday.

Mahalakshmi Vrat Vidhi:

• To perform puja, Keep a wooden chowky adjacent to the  temple and cover it with red colored cloth. Draw a Swastik below chowky with rangoli. 
• Draw a Rangoli in front of the house with beautiful colors.
• Place a photo of Goddess Mahalakshmi on the chowky. 
• Spread some Rice (Akshada) in front of photo of Goddess Lakshmi. 
  
  
  
• Take the Kalash and draw a Swastik on it with kumkum. Fill it with water. Put five or seven mango leaves inside the kalash. Put a one rupee coin and a Betel (supari) in the kalash. 
  
  
  
• Dress the kalash with red colored cloth. 
• Now place a coconut on the top of the Kalash. The coconut is considered as a Goddess.
  
  
  
• Decorate a chowky with flowers and Diya. Many people put a Mahalakshmi Mukhavta (Face masks) on Coconut which is easily available in any pooja store during this month. 
• Offer five fruits to Goddess as Prashad. Put it in front of Kalash. one can also offer some dry fruits to Goddess. 
• To begin puja, All the offerings first made to the Lord Ganesha. 
• Now, offer Haldi, Kumkum, akshada and flower to the Goddess Lakshmi idol and kalash.
• Once this is done, Read "Mahalakshmi Vrat katha" with focused mind. (Book is easily available in any puja store or book store)  
• Finally perform Aarti of Goddess Lakshmi with offering prayers to Goddess.
• After the morning puja, the puja and aarti are performed again in the evening and lamps are lit in the courtyard.

    People perfrom this Vrat with the intention of giving wealth, food and prosperity to their family and good health to their family members. In the villages and cities of Maharashtra, this 'vrat' is prepared with enthusiasm. Women go to the market to buy masks, costumes, ornaments and worship materials of the goddess.

    It is believed that those who perform this Vrat with faith and spirit, Goddess Lakshmi will be pleased and will have a grace on them.