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| Sri Bhaskar Sastry | Sri Venkatrama Sastrigal |
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Sree Gurubhyo Nama
Dear Friends,
Aaseerwadhams !
Noothana Samvatsara Subhakaankshalu !!
Putthaandu Vaazhthukkal !!
This year Ugaadi is celebrated on Friday, March 27th. Ugaadi marks the beginning of the New Year for the Telugu, Kannada, and Marathi communities.
Vishu will be celebrated on Sunday, April 13th. This day marks the start of the New Year for the Tamil, Malayalam and Thulu communities.
The name of the new Year is Virodhi. According to our Panchaangam (Almanac), the new year is 5111st year since start of Kali Yuga. Another interesting information from the Panchaangam is that it has been nearly 2 Billion Years since the start of Srishti. (Some geological studies do estimate the age of earth around 4 Billion Years). As many of you know, Ugaadi is based on the lunar calendar, starting on the Sukla Paksha Prathamaa (the first day following Amaavasya).
Vishu is based on the Solar calendar and starts when Sun moves into Mesha Raasi. This year Sun moves into Mesha Raasi at 3:00 pm EDT on April 13. In Washington DC area Vishu will be celebrated on April 13. Some of you might celebrate on April 14 depending on the panchangam you are following.
One of the common traditions followed on Ugaadi as well as Vishu is to listen to the reading of the Panchaangam. It is believed that the listening to the Panchaanga Patanam on this day mitigates the negative results and increases the prosperity in the year ahead. If possible, do attend such events in your neighbourhood temple or community gatherings.
It is also customary in many traditions to prepare food items that are sweet, sour, hot and bitter on the New Year Day, signifying the fact that life is mixture of good and bad times and one should be prepared to face them with the same spirit.
Another tradition that is followed, in Tamil Nadu and Kerala is 'Vishu Kani Kaanal'. A tray of different fruits and thamboolam is placed in front of a mirror in the Pooja room, the night before the New Year Day. The mirror is often decorated with jewellery. Fruits and jewellery represent sweetness, nicety and prosperity. On the morning of the New Year, everyone in the family goes to the Pooja room, looks themselves in the mirror and does a namaskaram to Swami and elders.
Planetary Naayakas:
The King for the new year is Venus (Sukra). Moon is both the minister and commander-in-chief.
We wish you all a Year of Happiness, Peace, Prosperity and Good Thoughts and Deeds. Please try to follow as much of your cultural and family traditions during the New Year celebrations and introduce them to your children.
Hari Om!
UGADI (TELUGU AND KANNADA) or GUDI PADWA (MAHARASHTRA)
Name of the year is Virodhi Samvatsara
Friday, March 27, 2009
Yuga = Era
Aadi = beginning
Yuga+Aadi= Ugadi = The beginning of New Era
On this day, people in Andhra and Karnataka wake up early and take oil bath. They do prayers to Ganesh and Lakshmi (and other Ishta Devatas) for a smooth and prosperous New Year. They also make a dish called "Ugaadi Pachhadi" (Andhra) or "Bevu Bella" which symbolizes different situations in life. There are good days, bad days, not so fruitful days, days that are cold, days that are warm, etc. However, each day is special and treated the same way.
The dish consists of the following ingredients:
| Neem Buds/Flowers | For Bitterness |
| Ram Mango | For tang |
| Tamarind Juice | For sourness |
| Green Chilli/Pepper | For heat |
| Jaggery | For sweetness |
| Pinch of Salt | For saltiness |
On this day, people in Maharashtra use "Gudi", a bamboo stick adorned with a colored silk cloth and a garlanded goblet atop it. This symbolizes victory or achievement. The New Year is ushered in with the worship of the "Gudi" and the distribution of a specific "Prasad" comprising tender neem leaves, gram-pulse and jaggery symbolic of the different experiences in a year by a person.
People listen to the recitation of the religious almanac (Panchangam) of the coming year, and to the general forecast of the year to come. This is the Panchanga Sravanam.
Meena Uttaraphalguni
Panguni Uttiram (Meena Uttaraphalguni in Sanskrit) is a very auspicious day on which Lord Ayyappa's avatar graced this earth. This is the day when Goddess Lakshmi appeared from the ocean of milk. On this auspicious day Parvathi married Lord Shiva in the form of Kamakshi in Kanchipuram.
Vasantha Navarathri
Vasantha Navarathri is celebrated for 9 nights. In some years, it is celebrated for 8 nights. Year 2009 is one of those years when it will be celebrated. During this period, it is customary to perform puja for Goddess Durga to get her blessings. Sri Rama and Lakshmana performed worship of Devi during the Vasanta Navaratri and were blessed with Her assistance in the recovery of Sita.
Sri Rama Navami Festival
On this auspicious day, devotees observe fasting, chant Vedic mantras dedicated to Lord Vishnu, offer flowers and fruit to God. Temples of Rama are decorated, special pujas are performed, and religious discourses (Satsang) are held.
Besides the usual fasting and prayers, a most delightful tradition that is practised as a part of the Ram Navami celebrations in south India is the narration of stories from the epic "Ramayana". Rama is considered as the epitome of perfection, fulfilling all his duties towards both family and subjects. Talented storytellers are known to narrate episodes of the Ramayana with the local flavour and humour adding to it. This is essentially a folk tradition and still continues in villages and small towns.
RAASI and NAKSHATRAS
| Raasi | Nakshatras (stars) in Raasi |
| Mesha/ Aries | Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika(1) |
| Vrishabha/ Taurus | Krittika(2,3,4), Rohini, Mrigasira(1,2) |
| Mithuna / Gemini | Mrigasira(3,4), Aardraa, Punarvasu(1,2,3) |
| Kataka/ Cancer | Punarvasu(4), Pushya, Aaslesha |
| Simha / Leo | Makam, Poorvaphalguni, Uttaraphalguni(1) |
| Kanya/ Virgo | Uttaraphalguni(2,3,4), Hasta, Chitra(1,2) |
| Thulaa/ Libra | Chitra(3,4), Swaati, Vishaakha(1,2,3) |
| Vrischika/ Scorpio | Vishaakha(4), Anuraadhaa, Jyeshtaa |
| Dhanus/ Sagittarius | Moola, Poorvaashaada, Uttaraashaada(1) |
| Makara/ Capricorn | Uttaraashaada(2,3,4), Sravana, Sravishta(1,2) |
| Kumbha/ Aquarius | Sravishta(3,4), Satabhisheka, Poorvaproshtapada(1,2,3) |
| Meena/ Pisces | Poorvaproshtapada(4), Uttaraproshtapada, Revati |