Vikram Samvat 2081

Happy New Year

Greetings Dear Readers!

As the vibrant colors of spring blossom around us, we are reminded of the auspicious occasions that mark the beginning of a new year according to the Hindu lunar calendar. It is with immense joy and warmth that I extend my heartfelt wishes to all of you on the joyous occasions of Ghudi Padwa, Ugadi, and the commencement of Vikram Samvat 2081.

Shubh Ghudi Padwa

Gudi Padwa 🌼 is a spring festival marking the start of the lunisolar new year for Hindus, primarily those of the Marathi and Konkani heritage. 🎉 It is celebrated in and around Maharashtra, Goa & Daman at the start of Chaitra (Chaitra is the month name), the first month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar. 📅 The festival is characterized by colorful floor decorations called rangoli, a special gudi dvaja 🚩 which is a sari or dhoti or other piece of cloth garlanded with flowers, mango, and neem leaves, 🌿 a sugar crystal garland called gathi, topped with upturned silver or copper vessels. 🍬 Celebration also includes street gatherings, dancing 💃 & festive foods. 🍲

Raising gudi is the main ritual of Gudi Padwa. In Maharashtra, the first day of the bright phase of the moon is called Gudi Padwa (Marathi: गुढी पाडवा), pādvo (Konkani: पाडयो; Kannada: ಪಾಡ್ಯ; Telugu: పాడ్యమి, paadyami). Konkani Hindus variously refer to the day as sausāra pāḍavo or sausāra pāḍyo (सौसार पाडवो and सौसार पाडयो, respectively). Telugu Hindus celebrate the same occasion as Ugadi, while Kannada Hindus in Karnataka refer to it as yugādi ( युगादि, ಯುಗಾದಿ). Sindhi people celebrate the day as Cheti Chand; it is observed as the emergence of the day of Jhulelal. Prayers are offered to Jhulelal, and the festival is celebrated by making delicacies like tahiri (sweet rice) and sai bhaji. 🍛

Vikram Samvat🌟

Vikram Samvat, a traditional Hindu calendar system, is named after the legendary king Vikramaditya. Each year in this calendar is marked by cultural celebrations, religious observances, and a deep connection to our heritage. The year 2081 in Vikram Samvat signifies a journey towards prosperity, wisdom, and spiritual growth. 🌟✨

Like the Hebrew and Chinese calendars, the Vikram Samvat is lunisolar. This means that it combines both lunar and solar elements in its reckoning of time. In a common year, the Vikram Samvat year is 354 days long. However, to align festivals and crop-related rituals with the appropriate season, a leap month (adhik maas) is added roughly once every three years based on the Metonic cycle (7 times in a 19-year cycle).

Early Buddhist communities in India adopted the ancient Hindu calendar, including the Vikram Samvat and local Buddhist calendars. Buddhist festivals continue to be scheduled according to a lunar system.

The Vikram Samvat has two systems: one starting in 56 BCE in the southern Hindu calendar system (amaanta) and another in 57–56 BCE in the northern system (purnimaanta). The Shukla Paksha, the bright phase of the moon when most festivals occur, coincides in both systems.

Importantly, the Vikram Samvat calendar is about 56.7 years ahead of the solar Gregorian calendar. For example, the year 2081 Vikram Samvat begins mid-April 2024 CE and ends mid-April 2025 CE according to the Gregorian calendar. 📅🌙

In Nepal, the Bikram Sambat became the official Hindu calendar in 1901 CE, starting as 1958 BS. The new year in Nepal begins with the first day of the month of Baisakh, which usually falls around 13–15 April in the Gregorian calendar. This day is a public holiday in Nepal and is celebrated with events like Bisket Jatra in Bhaktapur. Additionally, in 2007, Nepal Sambat was recognized as a national calendar alongside Bikram Sambat.

In India, the Saka calendar is officially used for most purposes, except for computing dates of traditional festivals. However, there have been calls to replace the Saka calendar with the Vikram Samvat as India’s official calendar. 🇮🇳

To understand the divisions of a year in Vikram Samvat:

• A tithi is the time it takes for the longitudinal angle between the Moon and the Sun to increase by 12°. Tithis vary in duration and begin at different times of the day.
• A paksha is a lunar fortnight consisting of 15 tithis.
• A masa, or lunar month, is about 29.5 days and is divided into two pakshas.
• A ritu (season) comprises two masas.
• An ayana is made up of three ritus.
• Finally, a year consists of two ayanas.

These divisions help organize time within the Vikram Samvat calendar, blending lunar and solar aspects to capture the essence of traditional Hindu timekeeping. 🌸🌞

Wishing You a Happy New Year and Shubh Ghudi Padwa:

On this joyous occasion, I extend my heartfelt wishes to each and every one of you. 🌟 May the New Year bring abundant happiness, success, and prosperity into your lives. May the spirit of Ghudi Padwa and Ugadi fill your homes with love, harmony, and blessings. 🌺

As we celebrate these festivals with our loved ones, let us also take a moment to reflect on the beauty of life and the precious moments we share together. May the year ahead be filled with opportunities for growth, laughter, and cherished memories. 🌼

I urge you to take time for meditation, allowing yourself to find inner peace and clarity amidst life’s hustle and bustle. 🧘‍♂️ Feel free to write me back at agamashakti@gmail.com for any thoughts, reflections, or simply to connect. 📧

With warm regards & Love,

Yours, Vishal Rajput ❤️