From Gudi Padwa To Vishu: Week Of Religious Celebrations And New Year Observances Across Communities In Mumbai

The second week of April is poised to be a week full of religious celebrations as multiple significant festivals across religions will be observed in the city. Multiple communities will observe their new years in this week starting with Gudi Padwa and Ugadi today and ending with Bengali new year Pohela Boisakh on Monday.

The month of April brings along a long list of new years celebrated by different communities across the country, including the Hindu New Year which is also celebrated as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra. On the same day, Ugadi is also celebrated as the new year by the Hindus of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and some parts of Goa. These communities observe the day by decorating their homes with rangoli and mango leaf torans, giving out charity, visiting temples and feasting on pachadi, a festive food that combines all kinds of flavours.

Cheti Chand For Sindhi Community

On Wednesday, the Sindhi community will celebrate Cheti Chand, which marks their new year and the birth of their deity Jhulelal. The community observes the festival with great zeal by lighting lamps representing Vairana Sahib in their homes and Jhulelal temples and distribute Taheri ka prasad consisting of sweet rice made with jaggery and chana.

“The celebrations of Cheti Chand start from two days before the new year. We indulge ourselves in satsang for two days and bhandaras are organised at various places to mark the celebrations. On the day of cheti chand, we immerse the idol of lord Jhulelal as a symbol of the beginning of the new year,” said Muskaan Chandani, a resident of Chembur.

Wednesday will also bring the celebrations of Eid al-fitr, the biggest festival of the Muslim religion, which is celebrated after a month full of prayers, charity and fasting. Although the festival does not mark the new year but is celebrated with the same enthusiasm by offering prayers, meeting relatives and enjoying delicacies.

Baisakhi And Bohag Bihu: North Indian And Assamese Communities Celebrate New Beginnings

The north Indian communities, specially the Punjabis will celebrate Baisakhi on Saturday to mark the onset of spring on the first day of the month of Vaisakh. The Sikh community also celebrates the birth of the Khalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh. The Sikh community residing across the country visits gurudwaras, organises kirtans and processions.

On the same day, the Assamese community will celebrate the Bohag Bihu which marks the Assamese New Year. The festival is celebrated for three days which includes expressing gratitude to animals, worshipping and exchanging gifts.

Vibrant Vishu Celebrations In Malayali Community

The Malayali community will celebrate Vishu on Sunday to mark the Malayali new year on the first day of the month of Medam in the Malayalam calendar. The community observes Vishu Kani by offering a flower, money and sweets to an idol of god and make sure to open their eyes in the morning to have a sight of the idol.

“The best part about Vishu is the Sadhya which is a meal consumed in the afternoon and consists of delicacies made from seasonal fruits. The elders offer money to the younger ones in the family. People celebrate the festival by lighting firecrackers but that is observed mostly in the villages,” said Vaishnav Nedungadi, a resident of Dombivali.

Puthandu for Tamilians and Pohela Boishakh For Bengalis

The Tamil new year Puthandu will also be celebrated on Sunday as the first day of the Tamil month Chithirai. It is celebrated in a similar way to Vishu by Tamilian communities living across the country. On Monday, the Bengali communities will celebrate their new year Pohela Boishakh by wearing traditional attire, meeting friends and relatives and consuming the traditional delicacy of poitabhat.