Celebrations on the eve of the Western New Year, that is 1 st January, is accepted by Hindus as a day of celebration for them as well. They make big plans for this day, with regard to shopping, eating in a restaurant, taking a vacation, etc. And mind you this is not only in big cities it is also happening in villages, which do not even have the basic amenities of regular electricity and water supply! By aping the West you are not only destroying your own tradition but are also impressing materialistic values upon the future generation. Hindus are completely in the dark about this fact. This article is therefore meant to highlight these facts.
‘Conversion’ for a day!
When a person converts to a new religion he begins to follow the customs and celebrates festivals of that religion. In the same way, in neglecting our own customs if we Hindus start celebrating Christmas or New Year as per the Christian calendar, then even if it be for a day we too are like converts to Christianity! Hindus are completely oblivious to the fact that they will have to face the demerits of neglecting their own rituals and of being anti-Hindu, for following the materialistic 'Western days of celebration'. Today, to create respect for religion amongst Hindus, religious education is an absolute necessity.
Hindus endow more importance to 31st December!
Nowadays, from the young to the old, all wish each other a 'Happy New Year' or send greeting cards, on the night of 31st December; but Chaitra Shukla Pratipada is the New Year as per our Hindu culture. They consider this as a prestige point. In fact you will find only a handful of Hindus greeting each other on the occasion of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.
Parents of the materialistic new generation are in hibernation!
As per the Hindu religion every auspicious event begins with ritualistic worship at the auspicious time (Brahma muhurta), which is on awakening at dawn, after a bath, wearing clean attire and ornaments. As a result, the sattva component in the atmosphere creates good impressions on the doer. On the eve of the Western New Year people drink and make merry, in other words spend the night enjoying the pleasures of life. Thus automatically impressions of materialism are created on their subconscious minds. Besides, since at night the atmosphere is tama predominant the tama component in them grows. People are unaware of this because of lack of religious education; the young generation falls prey to this materialism, fun and frolic. Their parents too are completely oblivious about what is happening to their children.
Destroy the invasion of foreign culture in the form of the demon Ravan
Today the Hindu religion is being attacked on all fronts, influence by Western culture being the most invasive. It is the duty of each and every Hindu to combat this attack. Just as on the day of Gudhi Padva Lord Rama killed the demon Ravan and returned to Ayodhya to hoist the flag of victory, so also Hindus must now combat Ravan who has assumed the form of Western cultural invasion and raise the Gudhi this year!
Hindus! Live as a true Hindu at least for a day!
On this day one can take note of the 'do's' and don'ts' given below -
1. Do not wish a fellow Hindu 'Happy New Year' either on 31st December or 1st January.
2. If a fellow Hindu greets you that way, take time to explain to him how this is wrong and impress upon him that Chaitra Shukla Pratipada is actually our new year.
3. Instead of sending New Year greetings to relatives and friends for 1st January, do it on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.
4. Ensure that you pass on this valuable information to your near and dear ones, thus preventing them from sinning by celebrating New Year on a day other than our real new year.
5. Remember that ushering in the New Year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada will help you develop pride in your religion, nation and language.
Samvatsararambh: Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Kaliyug Varsh 5111 (27th March 2009)
The wheel of Time that begins on Samvatsar-arambh day is related to the origin of the Universe and is beneficial for mankind. The period commencing on 1st January is related to the Dissolution of the Universe and is detrimental. Hence, celebrate the Samvatsar-arambh day !
Introduction
The first Holy festival which marks the beginning of the New Year, new month and new day for the Hindus falls on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. It is known as Gudi Padwa (Maharashtra), Ugadi (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh). [In other parts of country it is celebrated during Nau Roz (Kashmir), Baisakhi (Punjab), Cheti Chand (Sindhi), Naba Barsha (Bengal), Goru Bihu (Assam), Puthandu (Tamil Nadu), Vishu (Kerala)] On this very day Lord Brahma created the Universe. Therefore for Hindus, this day carries special importance. The day is celebrated with an auspicious bath, followed by decorating the doorway with a 'toran', performing ritualistic worship and hoisting the Dhwaja or Gudi.
Significance of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada
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 Hindu new year from the first day (Pratipada) of the month of Chaitra from the Hindu lunar calendar, the commercial year from the first day of the Hindu lunar month of 'Kartik', the solar (soura) year, the lunar (chandra) year, the luni-solar year and so on. 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 Vedas, the most ancient literary texts. The Vedas 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. 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 (Padva), 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 Shrimadbhagvadgita (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 (autumn) the trees shed their leaves. Towards Padva, trees bear new foliage and appear fresh.
2. Historical: Rama slayed Vali on this day. Lord Ramachandra returned to Ayodhya after slaying the evil demons and Ravan on this very day. The Shakas too defeated the Huns on this day. This day also commemorates the commencement of the Shalivahan calendar after Shalivahan vanquished his enemies.
3. Spiritual
3 A. Creation of the universe: Since on this day Lord Brahma created the universe and the Satyayug began, it marks the commencement of the new year.
3 B. One among the three and a half auspicious days ('Muhurts'): Gudhipadva, Akshay trutiya and Dasra (Vijayadashmi) each make up one, and the first day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik comprises half of the total 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, on these one does not need to, as every moment of these days is auspicious.
3 C. The higher incidence of prajapati sanyukta (conjoint) frequencies on the earth: The tantra text Ganeshyamal states that in all 108 frequencies, one each from the four parts (charans) of the twenty-seven lunar asterisms from the region of lunar asterisms (nakshtralok / karmadevlok) 27×4=108 reach the earth. They disintegrate further into four types of frequencies - yama, surya, prajapati and sanyukta (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.
For more details visit following topics.
1. Chaitra shukla Pratipada (Gudi Padva)
https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/festivals/gudhipadwa/home.php
2.The method of celebrating Chaitra shukla Pratipada (Gudi Padva)
https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/festivals/gudhipadwa/celebration.php
Flyer creating awareness about the disadvantages of new year celebration on 1 st Jan. One of the HJS visitor has sent this to us.
flyer-1stjan-ugadi
