Happy Gudhi Padwa! The new year day for many Marathi households and also the day when thousands of mango, neem trees and many other plants get ripped of their leaves and flowers for a symbolic Gudi decoration.
The leaves and flowers are supposed to make the Gudhi more appealing. but maybe it is time to consider if the leaves and flowers are better off ‘alive and well’ on the plant or ‘dead’ on the Gudhi? Maybe the tree could be your Gudhi (put a silver pot over it for a day the tree wont mind 🙂 Or even better, maybe we could welcome the new year by planting a sapling?
As students of science, shouldn’t we also be examining customs and beliefs in the light of the science of the day and with the context of the times we live in?
गुढी पाडवा आणि नवीन वर्षाच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा !
Wish you a Goody Gudi Padwa 🙂