{{Short description|First day of the lunar fortnight in the Hindu calendar}} '''Pratipada''' ({{Langx|sa|प्रतिपदा|translit=Pratipadā}}) or '''Prathama''' ({{Langx|sa|प्रथमा|translit=Prathamā}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Verma |first=Manish |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z4gzFFLdBoYC&dq=pratipada+first+lunar+day&pg=PA52-IA3 |title=Fasts and Festivals of India |date=2013 |publisher=Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd. |isbn=978-81-7182-076-4 |pages=52 |language=en}}</ref> is the Sanskrit word for 'first', and is the first day in the lunar fortnight (''Paksha'') of the Hindu calendar.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Selin |first=Helaine |author-link=Helaine Selin |title=Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures |date=2008-03-12 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-1-4020-4559-2 |pages=1801 |language=en}}</ref> Each month has two Pratipada days, being the first day of the "bright" (''Shukla'') and of the "dark" (''Krishna'') fortnights respectively.<ref>{{cite web |title=Understanding Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha: Significance and Differences |website=mPanchang |url=https://www.mpanchang.com/articles/astrology/difference-between-shukla-paksha-and-krishna-paksha/ |date=20 December 2024}}</ref> Pratipada occurs on the first and the fifteenth day of each month.
==Occasions== * Gudi Padwa, the Marathi name for Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. It is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month to mark the beginning of the New Year according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar. This day is also the first day of Chaitra Navaratri and Ghatasthapana also known as Kalash Sthapana is done on this day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/cmcm/mumbai-over-700-participate-in-gudi-padwa-celebration-at-goregaon|title = Mumbai: Over 700 participate in Gudi Padwa celebration at Goregaon}}</ref> * Govardhan Puja, a North Indian festival, occurs on Pratipada in the month of Kartika. * Bali Pratipada, a South Indian and Maharashtrian festival, also occurs on Pratipada in the month of Kartika. * Ugadi, the Kannada/Telugu name for Chaitra Shuddha Padyami. It is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month to mark the beginning of the New year according to the lunisolar Hindu Shalivahan Shaka calendar.
== References == {{Reflist}}
==See also== * {{anl|Dvitiya}} * {{anl|Lunar phase (Hinduism)}}
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Category:Hindu calendar 01