Gudi Padwa marks the beginning of the Marathi New Year and is celebrated on the first day of the year by Maharashtrians and Konkanis. It is celebrated on the same day as Ugadi which is celebrated by the people of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The day of Gudi Padwa also marks the beginning of Chaitra Navratri which is a nine-day celebration. During these nine days, people worship the nine forms of Maa Durga.
Gudi Padwa Date and Time
This year, Gudi Padwa will be celebrated on March 30, 2025. The Pratipada Tithi will begin at 04:27 PM on March 29, 2025 and will end at 12:49 PM on March 30, 2025. Since, the Pratipada tithi begins on March 29, there's confusion as to when the festival will be celebrated.
Gudi Padwa Significance
Gudi Padwa is based on the Luni-Solar calendar. This is the calendar which takes into consideration the position of the Moon and the Sun and eventually divides the year into month and days. The counterpart of the Luni-Solar calendar is the Solar calendar which takes into account only the position of the Sun and divides the year into months and days.
This is also the reason why the Hindu New Year is celebrated twice in the year with different names and at two different times of the year. Based on the Solar calendar, the Hindu New Year is known as Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam, Vaisakhi in Punjab, Pana Sankranti in Orissa and Naba Barsha in West Bengal.
Gudi Padwa is not just a religious festival but also a cultural festival as it marks the beginning of the harvest season and the spring season.
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