Ugadi, Gudi Padwa 2023: Date, Puja Vidhi, Timings, Importance & Significance

On the day, people take ritual oil-bath which is then followed by prayers. Both oil bath and eating neem leaves are rituals suggested by scriptures, notes drikpanchang.com. North Indians do not celebrate Gudi Padwa but start nine days Chaitra Navratri Puja on the same day and also eat Neem with Mishri on the very first day of Navratri, it reads.

Here’s the auspicious timings of Padwa, according to drikpanchang.com are

Pratipada Tithi begins – 10:52 pm on Mar 21, 2023
Pratipada Tithi ends – 08:20 pm on Mar 22, 2023

The festivities begin with houses being decorated with mango leaves. Rangolis are put. People wear new clothes and meet and greet their loved ones.

As for the food, traditionally, on Ugadi, Ugadi pachadi is prepared with raw mango, tamarind, neem flowers, salt and jaggery. The idea is to make the dish representative of various flavours — sweetness, sourness, bitterness, etc that one may also experience in life.

People prepare and eat shrikhand puri on Gudi Padwa which is a dish made out of creamy, chilled yogurt which is topped with saffron, and cardamom along with crispy, lip-smacking hot puris.

On Gudi Padwa, gudi flags are made with red or orange clothes, decorated with flowers. On top of this flag, a copper or silver vessel is placed upside down. It is said that it signifies prosperity and victory of good over evil.

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