08 Apr 2024: PIB Summary for UPSC

08 Apr 2024 PIB
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Traditional New Year in various parts of the country
2. Tri-service Conference ‘Parivartan Chintan’

1. Traditional New Year in various parts of the country

Syllabus: GS-1, Art & Culture

Prelims: Various traditional new year celebrated across India

Context:

Ugadi, Gudi Padava, Chaitra Sukladi, Cheti Chand, Navreh and Sajibu Cheiraoba greetings from the President of India.

Details:

These festivals mark the beginning of the traditional New Year in various corners of India, symbolising hope, prosperity, and renewal.

• Ugadi: 
  • Ugadi is also known as Yugadi and is celebrated on the first day of the beginning of the year. 
  • It marks the first day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar’s month of Chaitra.
  • It is celebrated in states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana.
  • Under Hindu beliefs, it is believed that Lord Brahma started the creation of the universe on the day of Ugadi. 
  • It’s a nine-day festival that celebrates nine forms of goddess Durga as Chaitra Navratri. 
  • The 12th-century mathematician Bhaskaracharya identified Ugadi as the beginning of a new year, new month and a new day. 
  • Geographically, it is identified as the onset of spring and the milder weather after the harsh cold of the winter.
  • The Yugadi derives from the word ‘Yuga’ which means period and ‘ Adi’ means the commencement of something. 
• Gudi Padava:
  • It is a spring festival marking the start of the new year for Hindus of the Marathi and Konkani heritage.
  • The festival is characterised by colourful floor decorations called rangoli, a special gudi dvaja; which is a saari or dhoti or other piece of cloth garlanded with flowers, mango, and neem leaves; a sugar crystal garland called gathi, topped with upturned silver or copper vessels. 
• Chaitra Sukladi:
  • Chaitra Sukladi marks the beginning of the harvest season and the first month of the year based on the Hindu calendar which starts with the new moon in March or April. 
  • The festival is observed under different names including Gudi Padwa and Ugadi in different states in India. 
• Cheti Chand:
  • This marks the beginning of the Lunar Hindu New Year for Sindhi Hindus.
  • It also marks the arrival of spring and harvest.
  • Sindhis also mark this day as the birth anniversary of Jhulelal, considered an incarnation of God Varuna.
• Navreh:
  • Navreh is the first day of the Kashmiri Hindu New Year.
  • Kashmiri Pandits dedicate the Navreh festival to their Goddess Sharika and pay homage to her during the festival.
• Sajibu Cheiraoba:
  • Also called Sajibu Nongma Pānba or Meitei Cheiraoba (Meitei for ‘Meitei New Year’).
  • It is the Lunar New Year festival of the Meitei people of Manipur who practice Sanamahism.