Chaitra Shukla Pratipadaa is known as Gudee Padavaa (in Mahaaraashtra) , Ugaadi (or Yugaadi in Karnaatak and Aandhra Pradesh). In other parts of country it is celebrated during Nau Roz (Kashmeer), Baisaakhee (Panjaab), Cheti Chaand (Sindhee), Naba Barsh (Bangaal), Goroo Beehoo (Assam), Puthandu (Tamilnaadu), Vishu (Kerala).

On this very day Brahmaa created the Universe. Therefore for Hindu, this day carries special importance. The day is celebrated with an auspicious bath, followed by decorating the doorway with a 'Toran' (a string of mango leaves to be hun on the door horizontally), performing ritualistic worship and hoisting the Gudee. Celebrate New Year only on Chaitra Shukla Pratipadaa.

Science in the Gudee Poojaa (worship of the Gudee) - The Divine consciousness emanating during sunrise, absorbed at that time lasts longer. Thus the Gudee should be worshipped within 5-10 minutes after sunrise. On Gudee Padavaa, the waves consisting of the fire principle (Tej Tattwa) and the creative Prajapati waves are activated on a large scale. The Divine consciousness emanating during sunrise, absorbed at that time lasts longer. This consciousness is stored in the body cells and is used as required. Hence the Gudee should be worshipped within 5-10 minutes after sunrise.

Position of the Gudee: Care should be taken to raise the Gudee next to the main entrance of the house. The spot selected should be on the right side of the entrance (when facing outwards from the entrance of the home). The right side symbolizes the active state of the soul.

(1) The area selected for raising the Gudee should be cleaned and then a Swastik Rangolee should be drawn on the ground. Turmeric and vermilion (Haldi-kumkum) should be offered at the centre of the Swastik.
(2) While raising the Gudee, the 'Shiv-Shakti' principle in the Universe should be invoked. This enables all the constituents of the Gudee to accept divine principles.
(3) The Gudee symbolizes the 'Sushumnaa Naadee' of our body. Hence, the Gudee should be raised at the entrance. And it should be kept tilted at an angle - A Scholar Prayer "O Lord Brahmaa, Lord Vishnu, Please enable me to absorb the Principle of Creation and the Fire Principle present in the atmosphere. Let the Divine consciousness present in these principles be preserved constantly. Let the energy thus received, be used for my spiritual practice."

Reason for raising the Gudi during war - The Gudee is a symbol of victory. Amongst the various qualities of God, Being Victorious is one and it symbolizes that God has achieved victory at the outset and at various levels. To symbolize this at every level of war, a Gudee is hoisted.

Significance of Gudee Padavaa
Read also about Calendar

There are several ways of commencing a New Year. According to the Christian calendar, 1st January marks the beginning of the year. The financial year begins from 1st April. The commercial year starts from the first day of the Hindu lunar month of Kaarttik, and so on. The Hindu New Year starts from the first day (Pratipada) of the month of Chaitra from the Hindu lunar calendar. In all these, the year comprises of twelve months. Who first proclaimed that a year should consist of twelve months and how did the world come to accept it? The foremost exponent of this concept is undoubtedly the Ved, the most ancient literary texts. The Ved say - "A year consists of twelve months". It is because they say so that the world has accepted it.

Out of all these days of beginning a year the most ideal one is the first day of the month of Chaitra according to the Hindu lunar calendar. There is no explanation as to why the 1st of January is the beginning of the New Year (read about this here). Someone conceived that it should be so and thus it began. Contrary to this, there are natural, historical and spiritual reasons to mark the commencement of the year on the first day of the month of Chaitra.

(1) Natural - Towards the first day of the month of Chaitra (Padavaa), the Sun assumes a position above the Vasant intersection (the point of intersection of the equator and the Meridians) and the spring season commences. In Geetaa, 10.35, The Lord says, "Among the seasons, the exhilarating Vasant season (spring) is my manifestation". In this season, the weather is pleasant and exhilarating. In the Shishir season (Fall) the trees shed their leaves. Towards Padavaa, trees bear new foliage and appear fresh.
(2) Historical - Raam slain Baali on this day. Raam returned to Ayodhyaa after slaying the evil demons and Raavan on this very day. The Shak too defeated the Hoon on this day. This day also commemorates the commencement of the Shaalivaahan calendar after Shaalivaahan vanquished his enemies.
(3) Spiritual - (a) Creation of the universe - Since on this day Brahmaa created the Universe and the Sat Yug began, thus this day marks the commencement of the New Year. (b) This day is one of the three and a half auspicious days (Muhoort) - Gudee Padavaa, Akshaya Triteeyaa and Dashahraa (Vijayaa Dashamee) each make up one auspicious day. The first day of the Hindu lunar month of Kaarttik comprises half of the auspicious day, thus making a total of three and a half auspicious days. The special feature of these three and a half auspicious days is that unlike other days when one has to choose an auspicious moment to perform a ritual, in contrast, on these auspicious days one does not need to, as every moment of these days is auspicious. (c) The higher incidence of Prajaapati Sanyukt (conjoint) frequencies on the Earth - The Tantra text Ganesh Yaamal states that in all 108 frequencies, one each from the four parts (Charan) of the 27 Nakshatra (lunar asterisms) from the region of lunar asterisms (Nakshtra Lok / Karm Dev Lok) 27 X 4 = 108 reach the earth. They disintegrate further into four types of frequencies - Yam, Soorya, Prajaapati and Sanyukt (conjoint). On this day, the Tej and Prajapati frequencies are effective in large measures. During Sunrise on this day, the Chaitanya (Divine Consciousness) emitted from these frequencies can be retained for a longer period. It is accumulated in the cells of the embodied soul and is used by the embodied soul as and when required. Therefore within 5-10 minutes of sunrise one should perform ritualistic worship of the Gudi.

The Method of Celebrating Gudee Padavaa
Ablution with oil (Abhyaang Snaan) - an auspicious bath : on this day one should wake up early in the morning and take an oil bath. With an ordinary bath the Raj and Tam components decrease by 1/1,00,000 % and the Sattwa component increases by the same amount for a duration of only three hours. However with an oil bath it lasts for four to five hours. An oil bath consists of an oil massage to facilitate the absorption of oil by the skin followed by a warm water bath. Oil should be applied to retain the elasticity of the skin and warm water is auspicious and pleasing to the body. Bathing after an oil massage retains only that amount of oiliness that the skin and hair require. Hence an oil massage is necessary before a bath. Application of oil after a bath is inappropriate.

One should narrate the description of the time period - Desh Kaal when taking an oil bath. The manner of narration of the time period is peculiar among the Indians. This encompasses everything from the birth of Brahmaa to the duration of his reign, the current Manvantar, the Mahaa-Yug (great era) in that Manvantar and the Upa-Yug (sub-era) in that Mahaa-Yug. It is only after narrating this vast time frame of the universe that one realizes how small and subtle one he is! This helps in reducing man's vanity and is thus a great benefit. The scriptures have recommended an ablution with oil on five days of the year that is (a) The commencement of the New Year (Samvatsar) - The first day of the celebrations of the Vasant (spring) season, that is the first day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phaalgun (Phaalgun Krishn Pratipadaa). (b) The three days of Divaalee, namely the 14th, Amaavasyaa (the New Moon day) and the Kaarttik Shukla Pratipadaa.

Decorating the doorstep - After a bath one should decorate the lintel of every door with a bunting of mango leaves and red flowers. Red flowers are used because red color indicates auspiciousness.

Ritualistic Poojaa (worship) - First ritualistic worship of God as a routine ritual is done. One should perform a Mahaa Shaanti on New Year's day. The Shaanti begins with the worship of Brahmaa, as he is responsible for creating the Universe on this day. He is offered Davna (a kind of fragrant plant) during the worship. Later a Hom or Havan or Yagya (sacrificial fire) and offering of oblations through the fire are performed and offerings to Braahmaa are made. Then Vishnu is worshipped by chanting the Mantra meaning "I bow to Lord Vishnu who manifests in innumerable forms". Then the Braahman are offered Dakshinaa in the form of money or kind and if possible historical and mythological texts (Puraan etc) are presented to them. It is said, that by performing this Shaanti one is cleansed of all sins, no new sins are generated, the lifespan is increased and one becomes wealthy.

By performing a Samvatsar worship, all sins are cleansed, the lifespan is prolonged, a woman's married life is prolonged and one acquires serenity. On this day, the Deity of that day of the week is also worshipped. The following table gives the days of the week and the corresponding presiding Deity of that day.

The table below compares the soothing effect of various substances. This will clarify why when the weather changes and summer begins Davna is offered in ritualistic worship everyday, in the month of Chaitra. Though both sandalwood and Davna have the same ability to impart a soothing effect, sandalwood can do so only when it is wet unlike Davna which is effective throughout the day.

Hoisting of the Gudee - The Gudee, which is Brahmaa's flag (Brahm Dhwaj) is hoisted in every house as a symbolic representation of Raam's victory and happiness on returning to Ayodhyaa, after slaying Raavan. Since a symbol of victory is always held high, so is the Gudee.

A bright green or yellow colored cloth adorned with brocade (Zaree or golden work) is tied to the tip of a long bamboo over which Gaohee (a type of sweet), Neem leaves, a twig of mango leaves and a garland of red flowers are tied. This is then hoisted by placing a silver or copper pot placed in the inverted position over it. Beautiful designs with special powder of soft white stone (Rangolee) are drawn on the floor in front of it. Everyone eagerly waits to usher in the New Year. Then uttering the words, "I offer obeisance to the flag of Brahmaa" one should ritualistically worship the Gudee with a resolve. Since Brahmaa created the universe on this day, this flag is called 'the flag of Brahmaa' (Brahm Dhwaj) in the scriptures. Some also refer to it as 'the flag of Indra' (Indra Dhwaj).

The Prajaapati frequencies enter the house from the atmosphere using the Gdee as a medium. (This operates just like the antenna of a television set). The next day onwards one should use the pot for drinking water as it is charged with the Prajaapati frequencies and imparts the same kind of impressions to the water in it. Thus one gets the benefit of the Prajaapati frequencies throughout the year.

Listening to the religious almanac (Panchaang Shraavan) - One should ritualistically worship the astrologer or a priest and 'listen to the benefits in the coming year. The benefits of listening to the religious almanac are as follows : "By listening to the discourse on auspicious dates (Tithi) one acquires money (Lakshmee), by that of the day of the week - longevity; by that of lunar asterisms - nullification of sins; by that of the constellation - cure of disease and success in whatever one plans. Listening to the religious almanac daily endows the merit equivalent to bathing in the holy Gangaa."

Preparation - An offering (Prasaad) of Neem - Since Neem has the highest ability to absorb Prajaapati frequencies, on this day it is partaken of as Prasaad (an offering). One should distribute this offering prepared by mixing together its tender leaves and flowers of Neem, soaked split gram lentil (Chanaa Daal) or soaked gram, honey, cumin seeds and a little of asofoetida amidst chanting of a Mantra. The following table gives the ability of certain substances to absorb frequencies. From that one will become cognizant as to why Neem is partaken of on Gudee Padavaa day and milk, curd, clarified butter (Ghee) and sugar are avoided in the month of Chaitra.

Activities - The needy should be given all kinds of donations. For example, offering free drinking water by setting up a stall appeases the ancestors. One should spend this day happily, listening to auspicious songs, musical instruments and stories of holy men. One should enjoy the night with one's wife. Thus the entire year becomes a happy one.
[Taken from   Gudhi Padawa]