Chaitra Navratri 2023: See the festive celebrations in different parts of India

Celebrated as 'Ugadi' or 'Yugadi' festival, marks the beginning of a New Year according to Hindu calendar. 'Yuga' and 'Adi' - means new beginnings

People of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka celebrate Ugadi

Before you begin taking your festive lunch, teertha (sacred water) is given to all. After tasting payasa (kheer), ugadi pachdi is tasted as they are sweet and bitter in taste and they should alternate just like happiness and sorrow during the course of our lives

People in Maharashtra, Konkan and Goa celebrate the festival as ‘Gudi Padwa’. To mark new beginnings, people buy new clothes and decorate their homes with mango leaves and flowers

The word Gudi Padwa is made of two words - Gudi refers to the flag garlanded with flowers, mango and neem leaves, topped with upturned silver or copper vessel and padwa in Sanskrit refers to the first day of a lunar fortnight

The festival of Gudi Padwa is observed with colourful rangoli, street processions, dancing and festive foods like Shrikhand and Puran Poli

Gudi Padwa and Ugadi falls on March 22, 2023

The festival of 'Chaitra Navratri' is devoted to worshipping the nine incarnations of Durga; also known as Vasant Navratri

Chaitra Navratri will be observed from 'Gudi Padwa 2023' on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 to March 30, 2023

Places associated with Ram's birth and his life are decorated on this day and people come to these places to worship him as 'Ram Navami' falls on March 30, 2023, a Hindu festival that celebrates the birthday of Rama