Springtime is when nature is at its gorgeous best and if there’s anything that comes close to such beauty and exuberance, it’s the host of festivals celebrated across India around this time of the year. Much like the colourful spring blooms from bright yellow Indian laburnum, fiery orange flame of the forest, mauve-blue jacaranda to crimson silk cotton flowers – the celebration of these communities present a perfect amalgamation of our rich and vibrant cultural diversity.
On the first day of the month of Chaitra of the Hindu calendar the Hindus of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana celebrate Ugadi or Telugu New Year, a day they believe the universe was created by Lord Brahma. It corresponds to the day Gudi Padwa is celebrated by the Maharashtrains and Konkanis for whom the day marks when Lord Brahma restored order and justice after a catastrophic natural disaster with another story in Hindu mythology mentioning it as the victory celebration of Lord Rama over Ravana.
However communities of West Bengal and Assam regard the first day of Baisakh month as the beginning of a new year, and celebrate the day as Poila Baisakh and Bohag Bihu, respectively. It’s believed that Mughal emperor Akbar fixed a day to collect harvest tax each year that began to be celebrated as Poila Basiakh. A day or two earlier, on the 13th of April each year, except after every 36 years when it’s celebrated one day later, the Sikhs across Punjab and Haryana celebrate the harvest festival of Baidakhi, also Sikh new year’s day. And for the Malayali Hindus in Kerala, the harvest festival of Vishu, on the first day of the Malayalam month of Medam marks new year, while Puthandu, Tamil new year, is observed on the first day of Chithirai month of the Tamil calendar which also falls on or around 14 April every year.
Each community might have their own unique rituals to celebrate the auspicious day but the common, underlying objective is to usher in a prosperous new year and an abundant harvest season. So whether it’s food ingredients or items used to perform the ceremonial rituals, each has a special significance. The hoisting of Gudi or Brahma’s flag on Gudi Padwa is meant to ward off evil and the bamboo, kalasha, a piece of yellow or saffron coloured cloth garlanded with flowers, mango leaves on top of which neem leaves and sugar crystals are placed which make up the Gudi are all believed to bring good fortune and dispel negativity. The offering of ‘Vishukanni’ which is prepared a day before Vishu by setting holy books, gold, flowers, fruit and a host of other items in an Uruli, placed in the puja room, similar to the auspicious tray of fruit, ornaments, currency and flowers set on the eve of Puthandu and meant to be sighted first thing on new year’s morning – the purpose of both is to bring good luck and abundance to their respective communities.
Being the first day of the year, communities consider the day to be auspicious and ideal for new ventures and on Poila Basiakh Bengalis offer prayers to Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi and shops and businesses start a fresh accounts register to mark the beginning of a new financial year. For Assamese, with Bohag Bihu begins the harvesting season and a string of traditions span days which include the celebration of livestock, household deities, handlooms, farming equipment, domestic animals and culminate with the popular Bihu dance and Bihu Geet, all meant to invoke the blessing of the gods for a good harvest. And while Baishaki might be known for the rambunctious celebrations of colourful Bhangra and Gidda dances and showcase of martial arts skills by the youth, it also has religious significance for the Sikh community who celebrate the establishment of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Sikh Guru with religious processions of the holy book called Nagar Kirtan, and pay their respects to the Khalsa and Guru Granth Sahib.
No celebration is complete without traditional dishes and the ingredients of these customary dishes and their varied flavours that symbolize the bitter-sweet experiences of life have some striking similarities across communities. Like raw mango, tamarind, salt, green chillies, neem leaves, jaggery and water that constitute the six flavours of Ugadi Pachadi are similar to that of Mangai-pachadi which is again a combination of raw mango, neem, red chillies, jaggery and mustard and is consumed on Ugadi and Puthandu, respectively. The varied flavours of the Malayali Sadhya that include special traditional dishes like Vishu Kanji, Vishu Katta, Toran apart from an assortment of others like jaggery coated banana chips, pickles, vegetable stir-fry, curries and rice dishes too symbolize the different emotions of life.
Various versions of kheer, India’s popular milk and rice pudding are eaten across communities like on Gudi Padwa apart from the customary tender neem leaves, Puran Poli, Srikhand and Kaju Modak; Kanangachi kheer, Konkani’s version of kheer made from sweet potato, coconut milk, rice and jaggery is consumed. Meethe Peeley Chawal, Punjab’s take on kheer is also part of their sumptuous Baisahki feast alongside traditional dishes like Kesar Phirni, Lassi, Chhole Bhature, Achari Mutton, Chicken Saagwaala and others. And Joha Saulor Payox along with traditional dishes like Jalpan, Pitha, Laru, Masoor Tenga and Sagolir Mangxo complete the feast on Bohag Bihu. The Bengali’s festive platter is a lavish spread of regular favourites like Aloo Dum, Chanar Kalia, Dhokar Dalna, Begun Bhaja alongside specials that include Kosha Mangsho, Ilish Paturi, Chingri Malai Curry and an array of desserts.
Spring festivals are not only a time to come together and celebrate our culture, heritage and community spirit, they’re important reminders that we owe our existence to mother nature, our source of sustenance.
Images courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Lesley D. Biswas is a freelance writer and children’s author based in Kolkata. Her interests include nature, bird photography and cricket.
