Ugadi Plava Samvatsara Importance And Predictions

Radhika Kothuri 

Mar 2021

India is a diverse country with people belonging to various cultural backgrounds.  Hence, throughout the year, one will see a variety of festivals.  The month of April kick starts the regional New year celebrations all across the country. Ugadi is one such festival, it is celebrated on the first day of Lunisolar based Hindu Calendar.

Ugadi or Yugadi is the new year as per the Hindu calendar.  The name Ugadi or Yugadi is from the Sanskrit words Yuga means age or era = age and Adi means beginning or start, meaning the New Age or New Beginning.  Ugadi is celebrated on “Chaitra Shukla Pratipat” which is the first day of Chaitra month.  It is believed that Lord Brahma created the universe on this day.   Ugadi also sets the new astronomical cycle into motion.  The day marks the beginning of the spring season.  With plants, coming into life, the day is believed to set things for a fresh and successful new beginning.  This Ugadi is celebrated in various states with different names. It is known as Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka.  Gudipadwa in Maharashtra, Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamilnadu, Baisakhi in Punjab, Naba Barsha in West Bengal, and Pana Sankranti in Orissa.

Luni Solar Calendar:

India has two different calendars, broadly known as “lunisolar”(chandramana) and “solar” (souramana).  Vedas indicate that a Lunisolar calendar of the full moon (Pournamanth) was followed in older days.   A Lunar month can be counted from new moon to new moon or from full moon to full moon.  Various Indian calendars follow both.  It is generally noticed that Southern and Western states of India follow the new moon system(Amant) whereas Northern states follow the full moon (poornimant) system. 

On this Ugadi day predictions for the coming year on harvest, rains, natural calamities, along with Rasi-based yearly predictions for all will be read which is known as “Panchanga Sravanam”.

Panchangam:

Panchanga is the astrological almanac based on the ancient Vedic system of calculation.  Panchanga in Sanskrit is Pancha means five and Anga means Limb or part.  The five factors that make the panchanga are

  1. Vaara – It is the weekday
  2. Tithi – The phase of the moon
  3. Karana – It is Half a Tithi(time appropriate for certain types of works)
  4. Yoga – It is the angular relationship between the Sun and the Moon (quality of time).
  5. Nakshatra – Division of 360 degrees of the zodiac

Panchanga has important information like the dates of the festivals, auspicious days, and times to start any important work or a project.  It contains the almanac which will be useful for every person in their own way like for farmers- it gives the probable dates of rainfall, harvesting timings, etc. for a common man it has auspicious timings and all other religious information needed day today.

Naming of the months:

In a Lunisolar calendar, the month begins after a new moon and is named after the nakshatra associated with the next full moon, which depends on the position of the sun, and hence the equivalent solar month.  For example, Chaitra masa the first lunar month of the year starts after the new moon preceding the Sun’s transit into Mesha Rasi (Aries).

Whereas in a solar calendar, the months are named after the Rasi (constellation) in the zodiac, which the sun passes through in that month. 

Samvatsara:

A year is that which indicates the nature of the next few months along with the nature of the individual during that period. The term “samvatsara” is a Sanskrit word for ‘year’, it means a period of one sidereal year when the Sun enters the sign of Aries.  The Hindu calendar has 60 years which consists of one cycle from “Prabhava to Kshaya”.  The year begins on Chaitra Shukla Pratipat during April every year. 

The 60 samvatsaras(years) repeat in a cycle of 12 years.  The two planets that signify the year are Jupiter and Saturn.  Jupiter takes one year to complete one rasi and 12 years to complete all the zodiac signs. Saturn takes approximately 30 years to complete the cycle of 12 zodiac signs.  The yuga begins when Jupiter and Saturn are at 0 degrees of Mesha. Therefore, every 60 years, these major planets conjunction at Mesha Rasi significantly influencing the individuals and the year also.

The 60 years (samvatsaras) from Prabhava to Kshaya are divided into three groups of 20 years each.  The first group of 20 years from Prabhava to Vyaya is given to Lord Brahma.  The next 20 groups of years from Sarvajit to Parabhava to Lord Vishnu and the last 20 years Plavanga to Kshaya to Lord Siva.

Plava Samvatsara- April 12th, 2021 to April 1st, 2022

As per Indian timings Plava Samvatsar is starting on April 12th, 2021 at 8:01:30 hrs

Every year has its name and that name indicates its character feature for that year.  Plava means “water flow in the rivers or can even take it as flooding of rivers”. In the scriptures like Narada Samhita, it is given that in the year of Plava “Kings rule will be good, People will travel more and will use water transportation, World will have good crop harvest, Overall there will be happy mood”

If we further understand this means :

  1. Ruling party will continue doing good in the respective countries.
  2. There will be heavy rains
  3. Water flow in the rivers etc will be more this may even mean floods
  4. People will show more interest in journeys
  5. Export-import business, more water-related/marine cargo business will be more
  6. Agricultural sector flourishes
  7. There will be a rebound in the economy.
  8. There will be fear of water-borne diseases

Nava Nayakas and their  results:

Every year the planets rule certain positions in the cabinet.  The yearly results will be based on this planetary rulership. 

King

Kuja

Minister

Budha

Sainyadhipati

Moon

Sasyadhipati

Sani

Dhanyadhipati

Guru

Meghadhipati

Kuja

Arhyadhipati

Kuja

Rasadhipati

Ravi

Neerasadhipati

Sukra

 

 

 

Overall as  Mars is the king and is occupying three positions in the cabinet.  There will be less harmony between leaders and rulers.  Fire mishaps will be more.  Immoral activities will be on rise.  Diseases will be prevalent.  Heavy rains will be there.  Prices of food grains will increase, in spite of good harvest.   Communal riots will increase.  The southern part of the countries will flourish.  There will be economic growth compared to the previous year.  Markets will look better.  The price of precious metals like Gold and Silver will increase.  The price of Oil, petroleum, and agricultural products also will increase. There will be an improvement in the real estate market as well. Natural calamities will be felt towards Northeastern side of any country. People will show interest in entertainment, materialistic and slightly self-centered

Month wise predictions:

  1. Chaitra - April 1st to May 11th - There will be fewer food grains in the market.  Diseases continue to cause inconvenience to people. There will be differences among politicians.
  2. Vaishaka - May 12th to June 10th – People will spend more on entertainment, food, and materialistic conveniences. Heat will be more, earthquakes and air borne health ailments may cause inconvenience.   The economy will be good.
  3. Jyeshta - June 11th to July 10th – There will be sumptuous availability of food and food grains. The hotel and food industry will prosper.  Heavy rains will cause inconvenience. Female leader's health will be delicate.
  4. Ashada - July 11th to August 8th- This is not a favourable period. Various natural calamities related to water, fire, and air will cause severe inconvenience to the public.  There may be trade differences between countries.  Prices of precious metals will increase.  Country heads may face hurdles in taking major policy decisions.
  5. Sravana – August 9th to Sept. 6th  - Heavy flow of water may be there.  Food prices may soar. Water-borne diseases may cause inconvenience.
  6. Bhadrapada – Sept. 7th to Oct. 6th – Food grains will be cheaper.  There will be severe restlessness among the public causing communal riots. The economy will be slightly low.  Differences between party members may be there.
  7. Aswayuja – Oct 7th to Nov 4th – There will be growth in economy. Along with food grains, minerals and precious metal prices also will drops lightly.
  8. Kartheek – Nov 5th to Dec 4th – Economy continues to be good. People will be materialistic in nature, illegal activities will be rampant.  Accidents in factories etc. may cause huge financial losses.
  9. Margasirsha- Dec 5th to Jan 2nd – Severe weather conditions may be there. The economy will be good. Markets will look good. Import and export market will see a huge improvement.  Food and consumer goods prices will be reachable.
  10. Paushya – Jan 3rd to Feb 1st – Harvest will be good. Grains will be abundant. The economy continues to be good. Air and water-borne diseases may cause severe inconvenience.  There can be differences between two major nations.
  11. Magha - Feb 2nd to March 2nd – People will be happy – Supply of food grains will be good and agricultural sector will prosper. Prices of precious metals and oil will increase.  Markets will be volatile.
  12. Phalguna – March 3rd to April 1st – Concerns related to minerals and oil (anything from below the land surface) will be there. Fire mishaps (blasts) and agitations may be there. Dharma will be less prevalent.

 

May this Plav samvatsar bring us all happiness, health, and success.

 

….Sarve Jana Sukhinobhavantu….