Women dressed in traditional attire and finery take part in a procession celebrating Gudi Padwa or the Maharashtrian New Year, in Mumbai. AFP
Every spring, Hindus in many parts of India celebrate Gudi Padwa to mark the beginning of the harvest season and the traditional new year. AP
While heralding the arrival of spring and the reaping of crops, the festival is linked to the mythical day on which the Hindu deity Brahma created time and the universe. AFP
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. Reuters
Women dance during a Gudi Padwa procession in Mumbai. AP
In Maharashtra, huge street processions take place with revellers dressed in their traditional best, where they hoist gudis, or flags, and dance to music. EPA
Women dressed in traditional outfits ride motorbikes to celebrate Gudi Padwa. Reuters
Gudi Padwa is the Hindu festival that falls on the first day of Chaitra month and marks the beginning of the lunar calendar, which dictates the dates for all Hindu festivals. EPA
For observers, the day usually begins with ritual showers early in the morning and the application of perfumed oil, followed by prayers. AP
A woman takes a selfie against a rangoli in the background to mark Gudi Padwa. AP
Participants play drums as they attend festivities in Mumbai. Reuters
Gudi means flag while padwa comes from a Sanskrit word meaning the first day of a lunar fortnight. AP
A child dressed in traditional attire takes part in a procession. AFP
