Gudi Padwa Festival

Gudi Padwa is a vibrant and colourful festival celebrated by Maharashtrians and marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. I had the opportunity to attend the Gudi Padwa rallies in Mumbai Girgaon, which were a sight to behold. The streets were decorated with colourful rangolis and banners, and people were dressed in their best traditional attire.

Gudi Padwa. Illustrated by Daniya Shah, Visual Storyteller at ThisDay.

Adding Gudi Padwa to this list makes sense after exploring the harvest festivals of East and Northeast India. Traditionally, Gudi Padwa is celebrated as a harvest festival, marking the end of the Rabi crop and the beginning of the new year. People thank the gods for a bountiful harvest and pray for the coming year's prosperity. However, over time, the festival has taken on a more significant meaning for Marathi people. It has become a celebration of Marathi identity and culture, and an occasion to pay tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who established the Maratha empire.

In addition to the gudi, the festival also has other rituals such as preparing and eating neem leaves, which are believed to have medicinal properties. Women decorate their homes with rangolis made of colourful powders and draw patterns of the sun and moon to symbolise the balance of nature.

Highlights of Gudi Padwa

1. Gudi Padwa rallies

Gudi Padwa rallies are an exciting part of the celebrations in different parts of Maharashtra. People dress in traditional attire, carry banners and flags, and dance to the beat of the dhol-tasha. These rallies celebrate Marathi identity and culture and showcase the unity and strength of the community. While the rallies end at a local temple where prayers are conducted, you’ll probably get tired if you are just visiting as a tourist. My advice is to just enjoy as long as you can because the summer heat of Mumbai will make it difficult for you to stay out for long.

2. Food

Gudi Padwa is incomplete without a sumptuous feast, and the Gudi Padwa thali is a must-try for foodies. Most restaurants in Mumbai, Pune, and other major Maharashtrian cities offer this thali under varying price ranges. However, keep in mind that every popular restaurant would have a long waiting time before you get your hands on this delightful meal. The thali typically includes poori, shrikhand, batata bhaji (potato stir-fry), batata bhajji (potato fritters), papad, varan bhaat (lentil curry and rice), koshimbir (cucumber salad), suralichi vadi (gram flour rolls), and a lemon wedge. Each dish is bursting with flavour and represents the rich culinary heritage of Maharashtra.

3. Making of the gudi flag

The Gudi flag is an integral part of the Gudi Padwa celebrations. It is made of bright and colourful silk cloth and tied atop a bamboo stick. The stick is then capped with a silver or bronze pot or kalash, which signifies the victory of good over evil. The gudi is then hoisted outside homes or in public places. If you are experiencing the festival at a local home, you’d see this ritual along with many others that a tourist may miss.

4. Rangolis

Gudi Padwa is also a time when people showcase their artistic skills by creating beautiful rangolis outside their homes. These intricate designs are made using coloured rice, sand, or flower petals and often feature auspicious symbols such as lotus flowers, swastikas, and peacocks.

Changing norms, unchanged traditions

In India, agriculture has been the backbone of the economy since ancient times. The harvest season, therefore, holds immense importance for farmers and the entire agricultural community. The festivals celebrated during this season are a celebration of their livelihood and hard work.

Be it the Wangala Festival of the Garo tribes or Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, these festivals not only represent the harvest season but also the cultural identity of the people celebrating them. From the colourful gudi flag to the traditional hundred drum dance, each festival has its unique way of honouring and thanking nature for the bountiful harvest.

These festivals are not just limited to the agricultural community but are celebrated across the country, bringing people from diverse backgrounds together. The grandeur and fervour with which these festivals are celebrated reflect the love and respect that the Indian people have for their land and its resources.

In a world where modernisation and urbanisation are fast-changing the traditional way of life, these festivals remind us of our roots and the importance of our connection to the land. They are a reminder to cherish and protect our environment, which sustains our livelihoods and contributes to our cultural identity.