YUGAADI - THE NEW YEAR
Significance:
Yugaadi is basically a Hindu festival signifying the time element of the Universe which is celebrated as a new year day coinciding with the first day of Chaitra Maasa Sukla Paksha Prathama Thithi as per the Hindu Lunar Calendar called Chandramana. As per Chandramana the month is denoted by the star on the full moon day. For example when the full moon day is in the star constellation of Chitta (Chitra) that month is referred to as Chaitra Maasa whose beginning day is celebrated as Yugaadi.
It is a festival mainly celebrated in the southern part of India and Maharashtra. In Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka it is celebrated as Yugaadi while in Maharashtra it is called as Gudi Padwa. In all the three states it is celebrated as per Chandramana. In Tamil Nadu and Kerala it is celebrated as per Souramana on the day Sun enters the Mesha Raasi in the zodiac called as Mesha Sankranthi which generally falls in March-April every year referred to as Solar New Year.
Vasantha Ruthu (Spring season) is the first among the seasons, Mesha Raasi is the first among the zodiac signs, Chaitra Maasa is the first among the Maasa, Sukla Paksha is the first among the fortnights, Prathama (Paadyami) is the first Thithi among the Thithis. The day coinciding with the confluence of the above is celebrated as Yugaadi. It is an occasion that also signifies the end of an era and also beginning of a new era. It also indicates the onset of spring season called Vasantha Ruthu first among the six seasons in a year (Vasantha, Greeshma, Varsha, Sharad, Hemantha, and Sisira).
The word Yugaadi is derived from the word Yugaadi (Yuga + Aadi). Yuga means the period or era and Aadi means the beginning. Yugasya Aadi = Yugaadi. Yuga means star movement, the day when creation was started, the day on which Yuga has commenced. It is the beginning of an Era/Yuga called as Yugaadi which specifically mentions the period in which currently we are living. Sakha calendar begins with the month of Chaitra Maasa which falls generally during March/April every year that marks the beginning of the New Year Yugaadi.
Yugaadi is said to be the day when Lord Brahma had commenced the creation called as Brahma Kalpa. Beginning of Kalpa is called Kalpaadi and beginning of Yuga is called Yugaadi. To commemorate the commencement of Creation, this day is celebrated as Yugaadi. In simple terms it is said to be the day when Kali Yuga had begun.
It is said that as per Valmiki Ramayana Sri Rama had killed the demon Ravanaa on the day previous to Yugaadi falling on the New Moon Day (Amavasya) of the last lunar Month Phalguna. To commemorate the victory and achievement next day is celebrated as a festival symbolizing the beginning of new period.
Yugaadi - The Time Element
Yugaadi means time analysis. As said earlier Yugaadi is treated as the beginning of Creation by Lord Brahma and it also signifies the present period in which we are living. Presently we are in the Era of Salivahana called Salivahana Sakha, of the first leg of Kali Yuga (the 4th Era of 28th Maha Yuga) in the 7th Manvanthara called Vaivasvatha Manvanthara of the Kalpa called Swetha Varaha Kalpa.
As per Vedamana it is believed that the creation had started approx 197 crore years back. As per Yuga pramana life span of Kali Yuga is 432,000 years out of which 5110 years have past. As per the Sakha calendar it is 1931 years since the beginning of Salivahana Sakha corresponding to the English calendar year 2009.
Chandramana Calendar has sixty year cycle and each year Yugaadi is denoted by a specific name starting from Prabhava and ending with Akshaya. After completion of sixty years the calendar starts anew with its first name again. Current Yugaadi year is called as SRI VIKRUTI Nama Samvatsara that is being celebrated on Friday the 16th day of March 2010.
TRADITIONS & CUSTOMS OF YUGAADI
Thailabhyangana
Lot of significance is given on this day to Head bath with Thila oil called Thailabhyangana. It is believed that those who do not take head bath on this day will go to hell.
Sun Worship
Yugaadi is once again a Sun centric festival. Sun is the soul of Kalapurusha (Lord of time). Without soul there is no existence of man, so also there is no time without Sun. Sun is said to be the seventh Manuvu in whose name the present Manvanthara is being called as Vaivaswatha Manvanthara the period in which we are currently living.
Lot of significance is given to Sun worship during this Manvanthara. On this day Sun sets his journey towards East and when he enters Mesha Raasi (Aries) becomes very powerful. Astrologically Sun in Mesha Raasi is said to be in exalted position. Sun worship and Surya Arghya on this day is very sacred and auspicious.
Nimbakusuma Bhakshana
Nimba means Neem and Kusuma means flower. Tradition is that on this day people eat in the morning after the bath a pickle (sauce) made with a combination of six ingredients that gives six different tastes (Shadruchi).
The ingredients are Neem flowers, raw mango, jaggery, new tamarind, dry/green chillies, and salt. In some places people use sugar cane instead of jaggery and pepper instead of chillies. It is popularly called as Yugaadi Pachhadi in Telugu, Bevu-Bella in Kannada.
It is a mixture of six different tastes viz. bitter (Neem), sweet (Jaggery), sour (Tamarind) salty (Salt), hot/spicy (Chillies/Pepper), and tang (Raw Mango). The philosophy in eating this sauce with six tastes is to say that life is not a bed of roses it is a mixture of sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, and surprise which has to be accepted together with equanimity. It is said that by eating this pickle on this day one gets courage to face obstacles in life.
There is also a scientific health message involved in eating this. Neem is good for diabetes, skin diseases and acts as a blood purifier. It is called as Sarva Roga Nivarini. Even today usage of Neem leaves is prevalent in rural areas whenever any one is infected with small pox/chicken pox. Jaggery helps in increasing the hemoglobin content of blood that help in curing iron deficiency, Tamarind helps in removing excess of kapha, vata, and pitta, raw Mango works in throat related problems and enhances the appetite, Salt gives energy, Chillies removes kapha and vatha, pepper helps in cold and works in throat related problems.
Panchanga Sravana
Panchanga means an almanac that contains the astronomical/astrological daily details mainly related to Thithi, Day (Vara), Nakshatra, Yoga and Karana called as Pancha Anga (five limbs or five elements) that helps in identifying various auspicious/inauspicious moments of electional astrology. Panchanga also indicates forecasts for eclipses, weather, monsoon, transit of planets, implications to individuals based on their birth stars, zodiac signs, raasi phala, and general trend with respect to economy, political scenario.
The almanac Panchanga involves lot of mathematical and geometrical calculations based on side real system, understanding of astronomical phenomena such as movements of heavenly bodies the Sun, Moon and other planets. Mainly Panchanga is based on Surya Siddhantha or Dhrugganitha. These panchangas are published by various authors in various regional languages based on different philosophies prevailing in Hindu religion.
On the day of Yugaadi people traditionally gather to listen from the learned, the recitation of Panchanga for the forthcoming year and the general forecast. In the present days of Television Technology this type of gatherings have come down as people listen Panchanga Sravanam from a live telecast by various regional Television Channels.
It is said and believed that by doing Panchanga Sravanam and praying the Navagraha at this moment on Yugaadi day, auspicious results can be attained.
Thithescha sriyamapnothi varaadayushya vardhanam
Nakshathradharathe papam, yogadroganivaranam
Karanathkarya siddhisthu panchangaphalamutthamam
Kala Vithkarma Kruddhimaan Devathanugraham Labheth
Meaning: Thithi (day) gives wealth, Vara (week) enhances the longevity, Nakshatra (star) removes the sins, Yoga (fortune) cures the diseases, and Karana (Half part of thithi) gives success in deeds. One who does the karma by knowing the above will have Divine blessings. That is why every day during Sandhya vandana (daily prayer) one is required to do Sankalpa where in, all the above five elements are recited.
Panchanga Sravana on the day of Yugaadi is very auspicious. It is said that it will give the result (phala) of taking bath in sacred river Ganges, blessings of Navagraha. Sun gives courage and glory, Moon gives status, Mars gives auspiciousness, Mercury gives intelligence, Jupiter gives knowledge, Venus gives comfort and happiness, Saturn removes sorrow and obstacles, Rahu gives popularity, and Kethu gives significance.
Prapadana (chalivendram)
Donating water starting from this day for 4 months (summer months) is said to be very auspicious and sacred.
Prapeyam SarvaSamanya Bhoothebhya: prathipaditha
PradanathPitharasarve Thrupyanthucha Pithamaha
Anivaarya Mithodeyam Jalammaasa Chathustayam
We would have observed in many towns voluntary organizations erecting the spots called Chalivendram where passersby are served with water stored in earthen pots covered with cloth during summer months. It is said that by doing this activity all the fore fathers gets pleased.
Udakakumbha daana
Udaka means water, Kumbha means pot. Giving charity of water stored in a pot made up of Copper, Silver, or at least earthen pot (made up of mud) covered with a new cloth to a Brahmin during this period is said to be very sacred that gives multi fold results.
* Yesha DharmaGhato Dhattoh Brahma Vishnu Sivathmaka
* Asya Pradhanathsakalam mamasanthu manoratha
Meaning this water pot called Dharma Ghata signifies the trinal lords (Brahma, Vishnu and Siva) bring unto me fulfillment of all desires.
Vasantha Navarathri
Sri Krishna said that Masaanaam Margasirshoham, Ruthunaam Kusumaakara meaning the month Margasira is the most sacred among the months and Vasantha (Kusuma) or spring season is the most sacred among the seasons.
Like we celebrate nine day festival during Dussera season, similarly a nine day spring festival is celebrated beginning with Yugaadi (Chaitra Sukla Paadyami) and ending with Sri Rama Navami. During these nine days Goddess Devi/Durga is worshipped. In some places it is celebrated as Rama Navarathri worshiping Lord Sri Rama during these nine days. People also perform parayana of sacred books during the nine days like Ramayana, Sundarakanda, and Devi Bhagavatham.
Gudi Padwa
Yugaadi is celebrated as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra state. Gudi means Dwajam and Padwa means the first day of the New Year. It is customary among the Maharastrian families to erect on this day in front of the house a bamboo stick topped with upturned silver/copper pot decorated with flowers, coloured silk cloth and coconuts. It is worshipped as Brahma Dwaja/Indra Dwaja indicating invitation to all the deities to the house on this day. It also symbolizes welcoming the New Year with victory or achievement, joy and happiness. On this day people also eat a mixture of neem leaves, tamarind, jaggery, gram pulse.
In Tamil Nadu Yugaadi is celebrated as Puthandu (Varusha Pirappuv) festival and in Kerala it is celebrated as Vishu festival. It is celebrated as a New Years day even in Punjab, Assam, West Bengal, Orissa states. In Punjab it is called as Baisakhi. In Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka it is also marked by literary discussion, poetry recitations, honoring and recognition of authors of literary and poetic works, cultural programs, Kavi Sammelana etc. In the evening people gather together and exchange greetings.
In some of the regions especially in Andhra Pradesh there is a myth that how one live on the day of Yugaadi similar will be the way one live throughout the year. More than the myth the philosophy is we reap what we sow as the old saying goes. You sow the good then you reap the good. A good thought/action has a good result and an evil thought/action has a bad result. We are the makers of our own fate. As per Karma Philosophy we sow seeds of Karma for our future births through our thoughts and vision and plan for our Karma (Agami Karma) in future births. To attain good results, the foundation we lay for our thought/action should be good from day one perhaps from the Yugaadi Day.
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