Hindu New Year, also known as ‘Vikram Samvat’ or ‘Nav Samvatsar’, is celebrated in different parts of India with varying customs and names, usually in March or April, depending on the regional lunar calendar.

This New Year festival is celebrated as ‘Ugadi’ in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, ‘Gudi Padwa’ in Maharashtra, ‘Puthandu’ in Tamil Nadu, ‘Baisakhi’ in Punjab, ‘Pohela Boishakh’ in West Bengal, ‘Bohag Bihu’ in Assam, and ‘Navreh’ in Kashmir.

The festival marks the beginning of the spring season and is considered an auspicious time for new beginnings. Celebrations often include cleaning and decorating homes, preparing and sharing festive meals, making colourful rangolis, and participating in traditional dances and songs.

In many parts of India, people hoist a ‘Gudi’, a cloth-covered stick with a copper or silver vessel placed on top, outside their homes, believed to bring prosperity and ward off evil.

Gudi Padwa is celebrated as the New Year by the Marathi community. The term ‘Gudi’ stands for a flag or emblem, which is hoisted outside homes as a sign of victory and prosperity. Traditional dishes like Shrikhand and Puran Poli are prepared, and the day is marked with vibrant processions and folk dances.

Baisakhi is not just a New Year festival but also marks the spring harvest festival for the Punjabi community. It also has religious significance for Sikhs as it commemorates the formation of the Khalsa in 1699.

The term ‘Ugadi’ is derived from the Sanskrit words ‘Yuga’ (age) and ‘Adi’ (beginning) – ‘the beginning of a new age’. The festival is marked by preparing ‘Ugadi Pachadi’, a dish that signifies the essence of life combining various flavors – sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.

Each regional New Year celebration has unique customs that reflect local agricultural practices and traditions. Despite these regional differences, the central theme of the Hindu New Year is the celebration of life, prosperity, and growth.