Gudi Padwa known as ‘Marathi New Year’, is also celebrated as Ugadi in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh, and Cheti Chand in the Sindhi community. It marks the beginning of spring. It is believed that Lord Vishnu ordered Lord Brahma to create the cosmic universe as per Vedic literature on this day. The entire celebration of Gudi Padwa revolves around two major reasons: Creation of Universe & Lord Rama’s coronation in Ayodhya.
Gudi Padwa is celebrated by hoisting a Gudi at the door, decorating the house with flowers & garlands and of course not to forget the mouth-watering delicious food prepared for Prasad or Naivedya. Hoisting of Gudi is believed to bring good luck and prosperity in our life. One of the traditional rituals on the day of Gudi Padwa is to eat neem leaves and jaggery prasad. Let’s understand more about it.
Changes in the atmosphere affect our health in general. It is the beginning of the spring and the intensity of Sun’s rays increase from mellow to hot. Some changes like loss of appetite due to change in season are commonly observed. Many people who have low immunity suffer from cold, cough, fever due to changes in the environment.
To fight this change, is the ritual of eating neem leaves and jaggery. Neem leaves are a good source of Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorous and have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory properties that help to purify the blood and also improve immunity. Jaggery made from natural sugarcane juice is an unrefined sugar product. Antioxidants & minerals present in jaggery, like Iron, Magnesium, Manganese and Zinc help boost resistance against infections and build stronger immunity, aid in digestion and help cleanse the liver by removing the toxins from the body.
May the bitterness of neem remove all that is unhealthy and may the sweetness of jaggery fill our lives with good health. Wishing all our readers a very Happy Gudi Padwa and a Healthy and a Prosperous New Year !!
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