Today we are celebrating here Hindu near samwatsar 2074 and today is also first Navratra. Nine day fast begins from today. People worship here Godess Durga with different nine name. Today is day of Shail Mata.

Read more about celebration of Navratra and New samwatsar.

http://epaper.bhaskar.com/detail/1167484/3283827750/0/map/tabs-1/03-28-2017/41/4/image/

We, in AP are going to celebrate Ugadi or New year's Day tomorrow that is on 29 March, Chaitra Month.

rambabu wrote:

We, in AP are going to celebrate Ugadi or New year's Day tomorrow that is on 29 March, Chaitra Month.

Indeed here is also state holiday is on 29th but Navratra is begins from today. Tomorrow is also Chatichand. It is only festival of Sindhi community.

On Ugadi Day, there will not be a Holiday her in Vizag. Because, there is a belief that whatever one does, on Ugadi day, you will be doing the same thing throgh out the year. That is why people work . Of course just for name sake only.

anil wrote:

Today we are celebrating here Hindu near samwatsar 2074 and today is also first Navratra. Nine day fast begins from today. People worship here Godess Durga with different nine name. Today is day of Shail Mata.

Read more about celebration of Navratra and New samwatsar.

http://epaper.bhaskar.com/detail/1167484/3283827750/0/map/tabs-1/03-28-2017/41/4/image/

I was noot aware that Ugadi was celebrated for nine days ...So there are two Navaratris in your place ..

We in AP Ugadi call it as Samstaradi. It is observed on the first day of the month Chaitra. All the members of the family wear new clothes. We prepare a special preparation called Pachchade consisting of a filling  six tastes like sweet, hot sour etc and it is called "  Shadruchis"

 The same day is called as Gudipadwa in Maharashtra.

 The name Ugadi is derived from the Sanskrit word Yuga means age and Adi means beginning, the beginning of a New age.

We will also be celebrating the new year today. Its called cheraoba. We offer uncooked  vegetables,fruits, rice etc to the home deity in the morning. These are later cooked and offered to the departed souls outside the gate. We also offer candle, incense stick, currency, flowers along with the food. We also share the food with our neighbours. The married women later in the afternoon visit their maternal home and gift clothes to the elders and brothers.

Very informative. Customs and rituals pertaining to Ugadi or New year's day vary from place to place. Of course a common feature is "every thing new".

Hindus on this day wear new Clothes and visit temples and do  some Charity to the Poor.But the custom of women visiting maternal home. I think is some thing new.

Thanks for the info.

rambabu wrote:

Very informative. Customs and rituals pertaining to Ugadi or New year's day vary from place to place. Of course a common feature is "every thing new".

Hindus on this day wear new Clothes and visit temples and do  some Charity to the Poor.But the custom of women visiting maternal home. I think is some thing new.

Thanks for the info.

Earlier it was a custom for the married women to give the gifts on the new year day but nowadays since it has become a practice for families to go for hiking on hill top after a sumptuous meal prepared at home on new year, many women gift things a few days after new year.

Of course, the practice going for hiking is not there in these parts of the State.

Married women stay with their families. If some of the family members are far away, like my son lives in Kakinada and my two daughters too live in different places

For them we send New year greetings by Cell phone.