Gudi Padwa 2025: Date, significance, rituals, muhurat, and more

Gudi Padwa is a Hindu festival celebrated during the beginning of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. It is also considered the Marathi New Year. This festival celebrates new beginnings and the win of good over evil. According to Hindu mythology, this is the day when Lord Brahma created the universe. This is why it is called the most auspicious occasion.  The festival also celebrates the Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana and also marks the victories of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

2025 Date and Muhurat

In 2025, Gudi Padwa will be celebrated on 30th of March, Sunday. The muhurat, AKA pratipada tithi, begins at 4:27 PM on March 29 and ends by 12:49 PM on March 30. The time is an auspicious Muhurat for performing rituals and hoisting the Gudi is between 6:30 AM and 8:45 AM in the morning.

How is Gudi Padwa Celebrated?

Step-by-Step Celebration

Cleaning and Decoration: The first step is to clean the entire house and decorate with colorful rangoli designs, and doors are decorated with mango leaves and torans.

Oil Bath: The first ritual in the morning is the oil bath. People take an oil bath early in the morning, as this practice is considered auspicious.

Hoisting the Gudi: On Gudi Padwa, people take a bamboo stick and decorate it with a bright silk cloth, neem leaves, mango leaves, flowers, and sugar crystals. An inverted silver or copper pot is placed on top, and the Gudi is hoisted outside homes to symbolize victory and prosperity.

Special Puja: Families perform prayers to Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Goddess Lakshmi, seeking blessings for the year ahead.

Consuming Neem and Jaggery: A mixture of neem leaves, jaggery, and tamarind is offered as prashad and eaten by the devottees. This signifies the balance of life's joys and sorrows.

Festive Meals: Traditional Maharashtrian dishes are prepared and shared with loved ones.

Special Foods of Gudi Padwa:

The festival is incomplete without enjoying delicious traditional foods. Popular dishes include:

Puran Poli: it is a sweet flatbread stuffed with jaggery and lentils.

Shrikhand and Puri: Sweet yogurt along with deep-fried bread.

Sabudana Vada: Crispy fritters made from sago.

Kairi Panha: A refreshing raw mango drink.

Rava Ladoo: Sweet semolina balls.

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Importance of Gudi Padwa:

Gudi Padwa is not just a celebration but also a cultural and spiritual significance of new beginnings. It marks the arrival of spring, the harvesting of Rabi crops, and the beginning of a new cycle in the Hindu calendar. 

Different States Celebrating Gudi Padwa:

While Gudi Padwa is primarily celebrated in Maharashtra, similar festivals are celebrated across India under different names:

Ugadi: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.

Navreh: Kashmir.

Cheti Chand: Sindhi community.

Poila Boishakh: West Bengal.

Baisakhi: Punjab.

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