Mark Twain said, "In India there are 366 festivals in a year!"
Most of us do not know why these festivals are celebrated.
However every one enjoys the festivals and the extravagant celebrations.
It would be interesting to find out their background from a scientific, logical, historical and pouranic points of view.
As Osho says, our life itself should be like a festival.
Enjoying comraderi and religiosity, achieving physical wellbeing and mental peace and tranquility is the objective.
So, instead of attaching too much of importance to the external aspects, it is better to concentrate on the meaningful activities expected in each festival.
For example, Krishnaashtami and Geethajayanti can be celebrated chanting the Gita, Ramanavami with Ramayana Paarayana, Dussera by chanting the Devi Bhagavatha etc.
Those who first introduced these practices knew the correct reasoning behind the celebrations.
The next generations performed them correctly even if they had not understood the background.
Nowadays, some of these are being conducted without understanding and in an incorrect way.
With this background, modern generation who need explanation for every thing may reject the whole thing.
It is therefore necessary to understand correctly and then explain them to our juniors.
NEW YEAR DAY:-
Yugaadi or the new year day is celebrated as a great event all over the world.
It is not only the Hindus, but people of all religions observe the festivities all over the world in different ways on different days.
Among a majority of Hindus, the first day of the bright half of chaitra month is celebrated as chaandramaana yugaadi.
This is particularly true in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
In Maharashtra, a long bamboo is decorated with a silken cloth.
At the top of it a vessel made of silver or copper is placed filled with with sweets and decorated with neem leaves.
On the Yugaadi day, (the first day of Chandramana chaitra month) this is worshipped and then tied on the top of the house.
In the evening, the bamboo pole (it is called gudi) is lowered and the sweets and the neem leaves are distributed as prasaad.
This whole process is called "gudipadva".
There is a belief that after Vaali was killed by Rama, people hoisted the flags and enjoyed the day.
Planning different projects for the year and taking a pledge to implement the same is the normal practice on that day.
It is believed that Prajaapati/Brahma, the creator started his creation in the morning at sunrise on this day.
This is mentioned in the Brahma purana.
The Shaalivaahana era (shaka) in the South and the Vikramaditya era in the North started on this day.
It was in AD 79 when King Shaalivaahana was crowned that the era in his name was started.
People in Tamilnadu follow the Souramaana system and they celebrate the new year as "Vishu" (or Chitravishu).
Similar celebrations are done in the states of Bengal, Punjab, Nepal, Kerala on 14th April as per souramaana system.
Along with Balipaadyami, Akshaya triteeya, Yugaadi is considered very auspicious.
Yugaadi marks the beginning of Vasantha Navaratri and it is in the spring season when fresh leaves are seen in all trees.
For nine days from Yugaadi upto Shree Rama navami, special prayers are offered.
Since it is a harvest season, people enjoy several cultural events like music festivals, dramas etc.
Another belief is that Vishnu took the Matsya(fish) avathara on this day and
Shree Rama returned from his life in the forest on the day.
HOW CELEBRATED:-
The houses are decorated with mango and neem leaves being tied at the thresholds.
All members of the family take Tailaabhyanjana(oil bath) and apply their respective laanchanas (like vibhooti, naama etc.).
The almanac (panchaanga) is kept before the deity and worshipped.
A mixture of young neem leaves, ghee and jaggery is offered as naivedya and later taken as prasaada.
Neem is believed to be the favourite thing for Prajapati, the controller of time (kaalapurusha).
Before taking it, blessings of elders are taken and the mantra uttered is as follows;-
shataayurvajra dEhaaya sarva sampatkaraayacha,
sarvaarishta vinaashaaya nimbakam daLa bhakshaNam.
The combination of neem and jaggery is to indicate the existence of happiness and sorrow in life and the way to face life as a mixture of them.
This yugaadi special is to remind us of Krishna's advice, "sukha dkhe same kritva laabhaalaabhou jayaajayou".
The poet has sung, "jeevanavella bevu bella, aritu baaLidare kaligaLa malla".
The neem leaves and flowers are useful in fighting infections.
Jaggery is also considered helpful in this direction by the Ayurveda experts.
It is also helpful in fighting infections and in reducing tiredness.
Some experts consider it "amrithasvaroopi".
Pepper, jeera, omakki and even salt and kallusakkare are also added occassionally to have special effects.
A grand festive lunch is prepared with payasam, Holige etc. and enjoyed with the family and friends.
Hearing to the readings from the panchaanga is an important aspect during yugaadi.
Panchaanga consists of five aspects- the Tithi, Vaara, Nakshatra, Yoga and KaraNa.
The combined effects of all these five is explained in the panchaanga reading.
The forecast for the year on the rains, crops, eclipses and on individual lives etc., are described.
After the reading, the Achaarya is honoured with lavish honorarium.
Special gifts are also given to the poor people irrespective of caste and creed.
It is expected that brahmacharya, truth and a jovial feelings are kept on the day.
The next day after the festival is called"varsha todaku".
It is a day for prayers to ward off any unexpected problems during the coming year.
It is considered auspicious to see the moon on that day.
There is a belief that whatever we enjoy during these two days would repeat during the whole of next year.
The poet has sung, "May yugaadi come year after year, may it bring peace and prosperity ".
Forgetting the difficulties, to pray for the well being during the year is the main purpose of celebrating the yugadi festival.
It is however, a pity that we Hindus do not celebrate our new year day with as much enthusiasm as others celebrate theirs.
In North India,people do not celebrate this festival at their homes and it is done only in temples.
Strangely, we celebrate the new year day (January first) with more enthusiasm.
Importance of neem trees.
Neem leaves and sticks are being used from times immemorial in our Yugadi festival and we take a little neem with jaggery on that day.
The patent office in Munich had given a patent to the American Agriculture department along with one W R Grace company.
Since some Indians objected to it, the patent was withdrawn in 2000.
But on a representation from the company, it was reconsidered and again rejected in 2005.
There are about 1 crore neem trees in the country and it is possible to earn about 1000 crores from these.
At present, we are using only a part of these and earning only about 100 crores.
We have to understand that if we do not wake up and take care about protecting our ancient cultural practices, we may have to obtain permission from some multi national company even to perform our festivals!
A poem translated
Ages after ages,
Millennium after millennium,
The Yugadi keeps on coming!
Bringing with it new joy
of the new year and of a new life.
I can hear the melody of the love-struck beetle,
on the golden lush fields.
As the Yugadi fills my 'neem'-filled life
with the aroma of a tender flower,
renewing the magic of the Master!
As the green leaves of Mango,
in all their magnificence,
wait for the arrow of Kama,
I can see the fleet of parrots,
camouflaged amidst the leaves, rejoicing
and singing the sweet music of a great harvest.
(Excerpted and Translated from Kannada Original Yugadi, by Da. Raa. Bendre)
