Maharashtra ushers in Hindu New Year on Gudi Padva

Mumbai March 28 (IANS) Millions of Maharashtrians here welcomed the Hindu New Year on Tuesday by celebrating Gudi Padva with joy gaiety dancing music and making huge rangolis of flowers.

At the crack of dawn Maharashtrians erecting the traditional colourful Gudi or a long bamboo stick draped with a new silken cloth garlands neem twigs topped off with a silver copper or bronze pot symbolizing victory prosperity and spirituality outside their homes rooftops or balconies.

The auspicious day - a full public holiday - was marked with several inaugurations of public and private establishments and different types of muhurats to bring in prosperity and good luck.

Large processions in which men and women of all ages danced gaily in different parts of Mumbai Thane Pune Nagpur Kolhapur Aurangabad Nashik and other towns and villages.

Thousands of men women and youth clad in traditional attires and sporting the traditional Maharashtrian pheta (head-gear) danced singly or in groups to the beating of drums cymbals and lezims leading colourful floats depicting highlights of the festival.

The revelers braved the scorching early-summer heat when temperatures have already crossed 40 degrees Celsius in several parts of the state and grim forecast of further rise in mercury in the next couple of months.

The Maharashtrian women whipped out the festival favourites like shrikhand and puran-poli savoured along with sunth paak and aambe daal and other goodies.

Several restaurants and eateries also offered these dishes as a special item on the day s festival menu.

Greeting the people of the state Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: Wishing the people of Maharashtra on the special occasion of Gudi Padva. May the coming year bring happiness good health and prosperity.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi also conveyed his best wishes to the people of the country celebrating Gudi Padva Ugadi and Cheti Chand.

May these festivals marking a New Year bring happiness and prosperity for all he said in a message.

Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also greeted the people of the state on Gudi Padva marking the New Year.

--IANS
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