The Hindu New Year begins on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, the first day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra. It is known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Yugadi in Karnataka. However, the Hindu New Year is also celebrated on 14th April in other parts of India: as Vishu in Kerala, Bihu in Assam, Poila Baisakh in Bengal, Baisakhi in Punjab, Varsha Pirappu in Tamil Nadu, and Cheti Cheti Chand for the Sindhi community.

In south India, first day of the bright phase of the moon is called pāḍya  Telugu Hindus celebrate the same occasion as Ugadi, while Konkani and Kannada Hindus in Karnataka refer to it as युगादि, ಯುಗಾದಿ (yugādi). The same new year festival is known by other names in different regions of the Indian subcontinent. For many others, the new year falls on Vaisakhi between April 13 to 15, according to the solar cycle part of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, and this is by far the most popular not only among Hindus of the Indian subcontinent but also among Buddhists and Hindus in many parts of southeast Asia.