Every spring, Hindus in many parts of India celebrate Gudi Padwa to mark the beginning of the harvest season and the traditional new year.
While heralding the arrival of spring and the reaping of crops, the festival is linked to the mythical day on which the Hindu god Brahma created time and the universe. To some, it also commemorates the coronation of Ram in Ayodhya after his victory over the evil Ravana – and therefore marks the triumph of good over evil.
While it is a massive festival in Maharashtra and the South Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – where it is known as Ugadi – the festival is not pan-Indian. Hindus in other parts of India mark the occasion under different names, and on varying dates.
Gudi means flag, while padwa comes from a Sanskrit word meaning the first day of a lunar fortnight.
When is Gudi Padwa or Ugadi?
The festival marks the start of Chaitra, the first month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, and it generally falls in late March or early April of the Gregorian calendar. This year, it falls on Sunday, March 30.
The first day of the festival also marks the beginning of the nine-day Chaitra Navratri festival, observed by some Hindus. There are four Navratri festivals annually in the Hindu calendar, with the Sharada Navratri, or the autumn Navratri, considered the most important.
How is it celebrated?
For observers, the day usually begins with a ritual shower early in the morning and the application of perfumed oil, followed by prayers.
Gudis are hoisted outside homes to bring good luck. A gudi usually consists of a bright silk scarf tied to the top of a bamboo stick. Boughs of neem, considered to be of divine origin, are also tied to the top, along with flowers. The arrangement is capped with an upturned copper or steel pot. Gudis are believed to ward off evil and invite prosperity.
Homes are thoroughly cleaned and decorated with colourful rangolis – patterns on the floor or ground made using flour, rice grains and coloured chalk – to bring good fortune.
In Maharashtra, huge street processions take place, with revellers dressed in their traditional best to hoist gudis and dance to music. In South India, the festival is marked by family gatherings, sumptuous feasts and prayers.
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Sand storm
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Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
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- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
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Chief executive, Microsoft
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Chinese Grand Prix schedule (in UAE time)
Friday: First practice - 6am; Second practice - 10am
Saturday: Final practice - 7am; Qualifying - 10am
Sunday: Chinese Grand Prix - 10.10am
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Manchester United v Liverpool
Premier League, kick off 7.30pm (UAE)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Manchester United's summer dealings
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Victor Lindelof (Benfica) £30.7 million
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) £75 million
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Out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Released
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Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad) £9.8 million
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