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April 2007 Edition

Significance of the Month of April in Hindu Calendar

The month of April Chaitra continues with the regional New Year festival of ‘Tamil Varsha Parapu’, ‘Vishu’, ‘Poila Baishak’, ‘Bohag Bihu’, Baisakhi and ‘Akshaya Tritiya’!

Most of the Hindu new years have been celebrated in March. The Hindus of Nepal begin their new year Nava Varsha in the third week of March, and the people of Kashmir start the Kashmiri Lunar year - Navreh - in the second week of March. The southern Indian states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh begin their new year - Ugadi - in late March or early April. The Maharashtrians celebrate their new year Gudi Padwa, during the same time. This month commences with the others…

The Boisterous Bohaag Bihu of Assam!

Bohag Bihu - The northeastern state of Assam ushers in the New Year with the spring festival of Bohaag Bihu or Rongali Bihu, which marks the onset of a new agricultural cycle. Fairs are organized where people revel in games. The celebrations go on for days together, and it's a good time for young people to find a companion for themselves!

Young belles in traditional attire sing "Bihu geets" and dance the traditional "Mukoli Bihu". The festive food of the occasion is the "pitha" or rice cakes. People visit each other's homes, exchange gifts and sweets and, greet each other.

Shubho Naba Barsha on Poila Baishakh in Bengal!

Naba Barsha is celebrated as New Year for Bengalis. It falls on the first day of the month of Baishak, the first month of the Bengali year. This festival is known as the Poila Baisakh in Bangladesh and is celebrated as a national holiday. The festival is celebrated with songs, dances, regional games, kite-flying, ox- fighting or reciting of poems. Even before the Naba Barsha, the last day of the last month of the Bengali Year known as Chaitra-Sankranti, which bids farewell to the past year, is celebrated with equal festivity. Naba Barsha marks a new beginning, a new hope, a year full of joy, well-being and prosperity. To welcome the New Year, people clean and decorate their homes. Women draw rangolis known as Alpana in front of their homes as well as inside. In the middle of the design, an earthen pot decorated with a red and white swastika is kept. The pot is filled with water and mango leaves. This is considered as an auspicious sign and symbolizes a prosperous year for the family.

People worship goddess Laxmi for the well-being and prosperity of their families. Ladies in traditional Bengali sari (white sari with red border) and flowers in their hair and men in dhoti kurta take part in early morning processions. This day is the beginning of all business activities in Bengal. On this day businessmen and traders purchase their new accounting books and start their new accounts known as Haalkhata. In this ceremony, Lord Ganesha is worshipped, mantras are chanted and swastiks are drawn on the accounting book by the priests. All the old dues are settled with the customers. The day is spent in feasting and participating in cultural activities. People wish each other "Shubho Nabo Barsho!"

Colorful and Bountiful Vishu!

Vishu is one of the important festivals of Kerala. It comes in the month of April usually on the 14th. According to the traditional Malayalam calendar, it is the 1st day of Malayalam month which is the astronomical New Year. Traditional rituals are followed to bring in another year of prosperity. Kani-Kanal is the main event of the day. The night before Vishu, they prepare the Kani. In a big pot, coconuts, a gold ornament, a new cloth, fruits, cereals and Konna (cassia fistula) flower is kept. Behind the pot a mirror and the garlanded deity of Krishna is kept. Around the deity, lighted lamps will be arranged. Early morning on the Vishu day, the master of the house sees the Kani and then the rest of the family follows.

Children's are brought blind folded from their beds to where the Kani is kept. The bountiful spread is the first thing the child sees when the blindfold is removed. The elders in the family give money to the youngsters (Vishu kaineetam) and bless them. It is believed that the Kani we see and its good tidings will stay with you till the year ends. In Kerala, the Kani in the temples of Guruvayur, Ambalapuzha and Sabarimala are famous. Special pujas are held in these temples where the people go and pray for a prosperous New Year. The families then celebrate the day with the feast or the 'sadya' is prepared by the women of the household and the whole family sits down to enjoy the vishu lunch together. People wear new clothes - "Kodi vastram" - and celebrate the day by bursting firecrackers and enjoying a variety of delicacies at an elaborate lunch called the "sadya" with family and friends. The afternoon and evening is spent in the "Vishuwela".

Tamizh Varsha Pirappu in Tamilnadu!

In Tamilnadu - Chithirai/Chaitra has arrived and with it the Tamil New Year’s Day. Greetings of “Puthandu Vazthukal”, (Happy New Year), are exchanged on this day, which is supposedly the day when Lord Brahma (The Creator of the world, according to Hindu mythology) started creation. The day starts with viewing the 'kanni' (the auspicious sight) at dawn, in the expectation that beginning the New Year by looking at auspicious or favorable things will bring good fortune throughout the year. The auspicious things include gold and silver jewelry, betel leaves, nuts, fruits and vegetables, flowers, raw rice and coconuts. This is followed by the ritual bath and a visit to the temple to pray for a prosperous and happy New Year. After which, the Panchangam (almanac) is read. The ladies adorn the entrances of their houses with ‘Kolam’ (design made with rice flour) and deck the doorway with mango leaves.

A grand Car Festival is held at Tiruvidai marudur near Kumbakonam every year on April 14th. Also during the month of Chithirai the marriage of Goddess Meenakshi to Lord Sundareswarar is celebrated as ‘Chitthirai festival’. The highlight of the festival is the 'Maanga Pachadi' (a dish made of raw mangoes, jaggery and neem flowers), which is at the same time sweet, sour and bitter. This signifies all the different aspects of our life.

The Bright Baisaki of Punjab!

Baisakhi - traditionally a harvest festival is celebrated on the 13th of April every year, marking the Punjabi New Year.

People celebrate the joyous occasion by performing Bhangra and Giddha to the pounding rhythm of the dhol and rings in the New Year. Baisakhi also marks the founding of the Khalsa brotherhood by Sikh Guru Govind Singh.The birth of the Khalsa is celebrated by Sikhs every Baisakhi which marks anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh's gift of Panth Khalsa to all Sikhs everywhere. To mark the celebrations, devotees, irrespective of their religion, throng gurdwaras - the Sikh place of worship - and Mandirs- the Hindu place of worship, in different parts of the area. The celebrations start early as devotees, with flowers and offerings in their hands, proceed towards the gurdwaras and temples before dawn. Processions through towns are also common. Baisakhi is the day on which the Sikh Nation, the Khalsa (The Pure Ones) was born and Sikhs were given a clear identity and a code of conduct to live by. The event was led by the last living Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who baptised the first Sikhs using sweet nectar called Amrit. Around the world at Baisakhi time, Sikhs reflect on the values taught to them by their Gurus and celebrate the birth of the Khalsa.

Akshaya Tritiya!

Hindus believe in the theory of “mahurats" or auspicious timings in every step in life - be it to begin a new venture or making an important purchase. Akshaya Tritiya is one such momentous occasion, which is considered one of the most auspicious days of the Vedic Calendar. It is believed, any meaningful activity started on this day would be fruitful. Akshaya Tritiya falls on the third day of the bright half of Vaishakh month (April-May), when the Sun and Moon are in exaltation; they are simultaneously at their peak of brightness, which happens only once every year.

This year, Akshaya Tritiya falls between 19th and 20th April, 2007.It’s the third day of the bright half of Vaishakh, Sukla Paksha. Which means that white is the most auspicious color of the day. It’s the fourth most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar. A day that brings eternal good fortune. Each year, this day is anticipated with enthusiasm, as the most auspicious day to bring Goddess Lakshmi home. And this year, along with gold and silver, buying the white metal – platinum – is considered most auspicious.

Akshaya Tritiya, also known as "Akha Teej", is traditionally the birthday of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. People conduct special Pujas on this day, bathe in holy rivers, and make a charity, offer barley in a sacred fire, and worship Lord Ganesha & Devi Lakshmi on this day. The word "Akshaya" means imperishable or eternal - that which never diminishes. Initiations made or valuables bought on this day are considered to bring success or good fortune. Buying gold is a popular activity on Akshaya Tritiya, as it is the ultimate symbol of wealth and prosperity. Gold and gold jewelry bought and worn on this day signify never diminishing good fortune. Indians celebrate weddings, begin new business ventures, and even plan long journeys on this day.

The day also marks the beginning of the "SatyaYug" or the Golden Age - the first of the four Yugas. In the "Puranas", the holy Hindu scriptures, there is a story that says that on this day of Akshay Tritiya Vedavyas along with Lord Ganesha started writing the great epic Mahabharata. Ganga Devi or Mother Ganges also descended to earth on this day.

It is also believed that people born during this time shine bright in life. Many luminaries were born during this period: Basaveshwara born on May 4, Ramanujacharya and Adi Shankaracharya on May 6, Swami Chinmayananda on May 8 and Lord Buddha on May 16.

Sources:

http://hinduism.about.com

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