6 festivals · Spring (Vasant)
फाल्गुन / चैत्र
Holi triumph of good; Chaitra Navratri begins the Vikram new year.
Wednesday · Krishna / Radha
Festival of colours marking the triumph of good over evil and the arrival of spring. Holika Dahan on the eve, Rangwali Holi the day after.
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Thursday · Brahma / Rama
Maharashtrian and Konkani New Year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. Households hoist the gudi (bamboo pole with silk cloth, neem-mango leaves, sugar garland, inverted copper kalash) at the entrance at sunrise as a victory standard. Marks Brahma's creation of the universe, Shalivahana's defeat of the Shakas, and Rama's return to Ayodhya.
Key rituals
Thursday · Brahma
Telugu and Kannada New Year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (yuga + adi = beginning of a new age). Karnataka and Andhra-Telangana households prepare Ugadi Pachadi, a six-taste chutney mixing neem flowers, raw mango, jaggery, tamarind, salt, and green chilli — symbolising that the new year will hold sorrow, surprise, joy, disgust, fear, and anger in equal measure.
Key rituals
Thursday · Durga
Chaitra Navaratri, also known as Vasanta Navaratri or Rama Navaratri, spans the first nine tithis of the Shukla Paksha of Chaitra and culminates on Rama Navami, the appearance day of Shri Rama. Beginning with Ugadi-Gudi Padwa pratipada ghatasthapana, devotees invoke the nine forms of Durga — Shailaputri through Siddhidatri — one each day, paralleling the autumnal Sharada Navaratri. The festival marks the Hindu New Year in much of North India, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra, and is celebrated with special fervour in the Shakti peethas of Vaishno Devi, Jwalamukhi and Chintpurni. The Devi Mahatmya of Markandeya Purana is the principal liturgical text.
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Saturday · Goddess Gauri (Parvati)
The 18-day Rajasthan festival beginning the day after Holi and culminating on Chaitra Shukla Tritiya — celebrating Parvati’s reunion with Shiva. Unmarried women observe the vrat to obtain a good husband; married women for marital harmony and the long life of their spouse. Clay murtis of Isar (Shiva) and Gangaur (Parvati) are dressed daily by women in their finest, paraded on Tritiya through the streets of Jaipur, Udaipur, and Bikaner with the queens of the erstwhile royal families leading the procession.
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Friday · Lord Rama
Birth anniversary of Lord Rama — the seventh avatar of Vishnu. Observed on the 9th day of Chaitra Shukla Paksha with fasting, Ramayana recital, and bhajan kirtans.
Key rituals