This is the beginning of Hindu New Year with fervor and day long religious activity, lighting and fireworks by a New Year Celebration Committee in Mount Abu. The day also commemorates Vasanth/Chaitra Navratri - Spring's Nine Auspicious Nights of Prayer, Penance and Fasting dedicated to a different deity every day, by all, to appease Goddess Parvati or Gauri in the form of the Goddess Ambe Mata.
The town of Ambaji, some 45 km away from Mount Abu on the Rajasthan Gujarat border, is the seat of Ambe Maa, the Mother Goddess. Millions of devotees visit Ambaji every year especially on Poornima-Full Moon days of every month with the Bhadrapadi Poornima as the main festival that falls around September every year.
The Chaitra Navratri is celebrated in Rajasthan and Gujarat to welcome the seasonal changes and the rest of celebrations of the year and also as Gudhi Padwa in Maharashtra, Samvsar Padvo in Konkan, Ugadi in Andhra and Karnataka and the Sindhi New Year-Cheti Chand, the next day.
Gudhi Padwa is dedicated to the worship of Lord Brahma. There are interesting legends associated with the festival, the most important being that on this day the Universe was created by Lord Brahma.
Ambaji, now a religiously commercial hub, is a must visit place for all foreigners and others, visiting Mount Abu and vice versa.
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