The Gazetteers Department

Gudhi Padva.—The first day of Chaitra is called Gudhi Padva which is the Hindu New Year day observing the Shalivahana Shaka (era). With this day begins the new season, the spring. It is ushered in by householders by setting in front of the house a gudhi, i.e., a bamboo pole cupped with a small silver or copper pot and a new piece of cloth hanging to it as a flag and offering it the routine worship. Eating a mixture of nim leaves, gul and cumin seeds is a special observance of the day. The day is considered auspicious for any new enterprise or putting a child to school.

Ramnavami.—On the bright 9th of Chaitra anniversary of the Rama's birthday is celebrated. He is the hero of the Ramayana and the seventh incarnation of Vishnu. People flock in holiday dress to the temple of Rama where a silk doll is made to represent Rama and all the ceremonials connected with child-birth are gone through. At 12 noon, the haridasa announces the birth by tossing gulal (red powder) and the baby is cradled. Arati, distribution of sunthavda (a mixture of ginger and sugar), tirtha-prasada, kirtana and bhajana in praise of Rama are the usual functions held at the festival.

Hanuman Jayanti.—On the full moon day of Chaitra at sunrise, a festival is arranged to celebrate the birth of Maruti in a similar way.

Maha Ekadashis.—The eleventh day occurring in the bright halves of Ashadha and Kartika are considered very sacred. They mark the beginning and the end of Chaturmasa (four holy months) and are observed as fast and prayer days by a very large section of Hindus. Followers of the varkari sect make it a point to visit the temple of Vithoba of Pandharpur on those days.

Gokulashtami.—On the dark of 8th of Shravana falls the festival of Krishna's birthday. Exact midnight of this day was the time of the birth of Krishna. Next day the babe was taken to Gokula. The way the occasion is celebrated varies from place to place. Usually, people fast on the day, worship a clay image and celebrate the birth by the distribution of sunthavada. The next day is dahikala or Gokula day when a boisterous play-ritual of breaking the handi is celebrated.

Pola.—The principal festival of the Kunbis and other agricultural classes is the Pola, falling at about the middle of the rainy season (Shravana 30th) when they have a procession of plough bullocks. An old bullock goes first and on his horns is tied a makhar, a wooden frame with pegs to which torches are affixed. They make a rope of mango leaves, stretched between two posts and the makhar bullock is made to break this and stampede back to the village followed by all the other cattle. It is said that the makhar bullock will die within three years. Behind come the bullocks of proprietors and then those of tenants in the order not so much of their wealth as of their standing in the village and of the traditional position held by their families. A Kunbi feels very bitterly if he is not given what he considers to be his proper rank in this procession. Bullock and cart races are also held on this day, the winners receiving salutary prizes.

Ganesh Chaturthi.—On the bright fourth of Bhadrapada falls the celebration of Ganesha, the god of learning. A painted clay figure of Ganapati is specially purchased for the day from image-vendors and worshipped with offerings of Modakas (sweet dish made by the combination of cocoanut kernel, sugar and a covering of rice flour). A special feature of the festival is that in towns, apart from the function in the family, the worship is celebrated on a community scale by public contribution and with the added attraction of religious and semi-social programmes held each day during the festival which continues for ten days till Ananta Chaturdashi. Out of a superstition still current, a person avoids looking at the moon on the Ganesha Chaturthi day lest he might get involved in a baseless theft charge.

Gauri Pujan.—Conjoined to the Ganesha festival women hold a celebration in honour of Parvati or Gauri, mother of Ganesha. The first is Gauryavahana, invitation to Gauri, second one is Gauri-pujana, worship of the goddess, and the last day Gaurivisarjana, the immersion day.

Dasara.—In the month of Ashvina falls the great festival of Navaratra (nine nights) cluminating in Dasara, so-called from dasha (ten) and ahar (days) it being a ten-day festival in honour of the goddess Durga. It is also called by the Hindus Vijaya Dash-mi, the day of victory gained by Rama over his enemy Ravana. It is also the day on which the goddess Kali vanquished the buffalo-demon Mahishasura and in some places it was once the practice to kill a buffalo. The offering of goats is usual. The first nine days are known as navaratra; on the first day is performed Ghatasthapana or the invocation and installation of the goddess in a ghata (jar). On the 10th day, every householder worships his caste insignia represented by tools and instruments. All have sumptuous meals at noon and towards the evening, they don holiday attire and gather together to worship shami or in its absence Apta tree. Apta leaves symbolise gold on this day and they are exchanged while greeting one another. Dasara is considered highly auspicious for any new enterprise or putting children to school.

Divali.—Twenty days after Dasara comes Diwali, when Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth is worshipped. She is supposed to pass over the land distributing her gifts of riches. All, therefore, illuminate their houses and shops in order that they may not be overlooked. The lights are often tastefully arranged. The festival is one of the prettiest of the whole year. Two days after Diwali comes Yamadvitiya when Yama, the god of death, was entertained by his sister Yamuna. On this day, brothers visit their sisters and are entertained by them; in the evening sisters return the visit, perform the arati ceremony and receive gifts from brothers.

Holi.—The year closes with Holi when the demoness Holika is propitiated. This very popular and joyous festival is the occasion for a great deal of mirth, revelry including splashing of colours. The puja of Holi is accompanied by bonfires, symbolism of the destruction of evil amid joyous shouting. At some places the fire is first kindled by a Mahar. A cocoanut is hung from a pole in the middle of the fire and when it falls people secure the burnt core, eat it and smear themselves with ashes of the fire. Next day follows a period of license and enjoyment in which they throw mud and coloured water at one another and indulge in revelry. Folk-songs and group dances in the street express the people's joy.

Women's vows.—A number of ceremonies of the nature of vratas (vows) and propitiatory worship occur throughout the year. In the month of Chaitra starting from the bright third and on any convenient day Suvasinis hold in their homes the ceremony of Haladikunku. The full-moon day of Jyeshtha known as Vata-purnima is observed by married women as a day of prayer so that their husband's lives may be prolonged; a banyan tree or its bows is worshipped and vayans (special offerings) are distributed to Brahmans and suvasinis. Some observe a vrata (vow) for three days during which they live on fruits, tubers and milk only. During Chaturmasa (four months of the rainy season) some women observe the Sola Somwar vrata (vow observed on 16 successive Mondays) at the end of which they hold a grand worship of Shiva and Parvati and feast seventeen dampatis (couples). Similarly newly married girls vow to offer Shivamuth (handful of grain) to Shiva every Monday of Shravana for the first five years of their married life. They also worship Mangalagauri on every Shravana Tuesday for the same period. Fridays of the same month which go by the name Sampad Shukravars are observed by women with the worship of goddess Lakshmi drawn on a small earthen pot. On the third and fifth of bright Bhadrapada come Hartdlika and Rishipanchami which are observed as days of fast by women. The first is kept by married women and young girls in honour of haratalika (Parvati) who is said to have successfully resisted her father's wish to marry her to Vishnu and married Shiva whom she loved. The second is observed by elderly women in honour of the rishis (seers) to make amends for sins committed without knowledge. On that day, they do not eat anything that is grown with the labour of cattle or any other animal, but eat only hand-grown fruits and vegetables. Vasubaras which falls on the 12th of dark Ashvina is observed by some women in order to have children; they fast for the day and at night after worshipping a cow, give a calf in charity. The day previous to Sankranta in the month of Pausha is called Bhogi. On that day, a special dish known khichadi is offered to gods and eaten. On the Sankranti day sugads (auspicious jars) are presented to Brahmans and the following day known as Kinkranta is celebrated by married girls with lutne, a free distribution to Suvasinis of auspicious articles.

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