Skip to main content

Ugadi/Gudi Padwa

The festival marks the new year day for the people in Deccan region of India - Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra (festival called as Gudi Padwa). People from these states follow the lunar calendar with a change in moon's orbit. It is believed that the creator of the Hindu Pantheon Lord Brahma started creation on this day. Ugadi falls on Chaitra Shuddha Paadyami.
The day starts with oil bath afterwhich entrance of the house is decorated with fresh mango leaves. It is said that Subramanya and Ganesha (2 sons of Lord Siva & Parvati) were fond of mangoes. As the legend says, Subramanya exhorted people to tie mango leaves to the doorway signifying good crop and general wellbeing. This is followed by prayers, then eating of Bevu-Bella (in Kannada) / Ugadi Pachhadi (in Telugu). Bevu Bella is a mixture of - Neem flowers, Neem leaves, Raw mango, Tamarind juice, Jaggery, Pepper and salt. This symoblizes that life is a mixture of happiness, sadness, impurity, chaos, fear, anger, disgust and surprise, should be accepted together with equanimity. On consuming the bevu-bella, people will gather to listen to the recitation of Panchangam (Panchanga Shravanam).
In Maharashtra, people erect Gudis (bamboo stick with a coloured silk cloth and a garland on top). This symobilizes achievement/victory. People worship Gudi and usher in New year.

Popular posts from this blog

The 7 Main Chakras

Chakra pronounced in Hindi as Pali, in Chinese as Chakka and in Tibet as Khorlo is a sanskrit work meaning "Wheel".   Chakras are depicted as flower like or wheel like. When it is depicted as flower like, a specific number of petals are shown around the circle. It is said that human body contains hundreds of chakras that are key to the operation of our being. According to ancient scriptures, a chakra is where 216 nadis (energy channels) cross over each other, forming energy spirals. The 7 main chakras in human body refer to the 7 energy centers of which our consciouness and energy system is composed. The 7 chakras are aligned along the spinal column. Each of the 7 main chakras is their own intelligence center. It means each chakra is not only associated with our physical health but also controls aspects connected to our physical, emotional, mental and belief system.   1.Muladhara/Base Chakra (last bone in spinal cord) 2.Svadhisthana/Sacral Chakra (ovaries and prostrate) 3.M...

Sricharanam

Sricharanam is the name given to the namam used by Iyengars (caste name given to Hindu/Tamil Brahmins who follow Visistadvaita philosophy propounded by Sri Ramanujacharya), members of Sri Vaishnava tradition. Sri could be a prefix or it could refer to Lakshmi, while Charanam refers to feet. Sricharanam consists of single, thin, vertical red or yellow line in the middle of the forehead. The full Sricharanam, also called Thiruman Sricharanam includes a white U mark. Sricharanam represents the feet of Vishnu and the red/yellow line in the middle represents Lakshmi. The Sricharanam signifies devotion to Vishnu. The red namam is made out of Sindoor, red powder. Yellow namam is Sandal wood (Chandan) paste. Thiruman is made out of clay. The two iyengar sub-sects, Thengalai and Vadagalai wear the Thiruman Sricharanam in different ways. Thiruman in the case of Thengalai extends to the bridge of the nose, forming a Y shape.  Vadagalai wear the U namam.

Golden Temple & Namdroling Monastery

Golden Temple and Namdroling Monastery is in Bylekuppe, Mercara. It is better known as the ‘Little Tibet’.  The Golden Temple has a 60 feet statue of Gautam Buddha, flanked by 2 other grand images of Buddhas. Namdroling Monastery was established by His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche shortly after he came to India from Tibet .