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Ugadi or Yugadi in Sanskrit means 'the beginning of a new age'. Ugadi festival is to celebrate the beginning of New Year in India according to the traditional Hindu calender.
It also marks the beginning of Spring season and time of Vasant Chaitra (spring festival) which goes on till Rama Navami.
Celebrating Ugadi
Photo Courtesy: Kalyan Kanuri
Chaitra is the first month in the Hindu calender (Panchanga) which is also called as Bharatiya Nav Varsh or Vikram Samvat in some places of India. Ugadi is on the Chaitra Shudha Paadyami which usually comes in months of March or April. In 2022, the festival is on April 2.
Significance of the Name Yugadi
In Sanskrit 'Yuga' means new age and 'adi' means the beginning. Hence, Yugadi signifies the starting of a new year.
Legends About Ugadi
According to the Hindu mythology, Lord Brahma created the universe on this day. Hence, it is significantly celebrating the beginning of the universe.
There are various other legends relating to the Ugadi festival. One story among them relates to Mahabharatha and starting of 'Kali Yuga'. It is believed that Kali Yuga began on the day Lord Krishna left the earth.
Kali Yuga is calculated from the Shalivahana Era. King Shalivahana (Gautamiputra Satakarni) was the first king of this age. Traditional calendars count Kali Yuga from this time.
Places Where Yugadi is Celebrated
Ugadi festival has different names in other parts of India. In Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh it is known as Yugadi or Ugadi.
Ugadi Pacchadi
Photo Courtesy: PrashuKalyan
In Maharashtra and Konkan region it is celebrated as Gudi Padwa. In Kerala the New Year is known as Vishu and in Tamil Nadu it is Puthandu which is also in the month of April.
Traditional New Year festivals in India are known by several names and it is celebrated in many regions.
Rituals On the Day of Yugadi
Some basic rituals are followed during the festival are: Cleaning the house prior to the festive day, taking oil bath in the early morning and decorating the main doors with mango and neem leaves. Even many yummy dishes are cooked for the day.
Yugadi in Karnataka
One of the main part of the Yugadi tradition in Karnataka is eating the mixture of Neem buds/flowers and Jaggery. In Kannada it is called 'Bevu-Bella', Bev is neem and Bella mean jaggery. The mixture is eaten after the prayers.
It signifies the negatives and positives of life. Neem signifies the hardships we face and Jaggery is for the happier times.
Holige is one of the main dish in Yugadi
Photo Courtesy: Niranjan Patil
Bhagavan Kovil
Bhagavan Kovil (temple) is located in Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu. Bhagavan Kovil is known for the Ugadi festivities. Special prayers are offered to the main deity Bhagavan Thirumalaiswamy during Ugadi Festival. Many devotees also visit this temple during this time.
Bhagavan Kovil
Photo Courtesy: Bolterc
Yummy Food
Any festival is incomplete without the varieities of dishes. Obbattu or Holige (sweet roti) is the main dish prepared during Yugadi in Karnataka. Other dal salads, Pachadi (Andhra), lemon rice/ puliyogre are the some festival dishes.
Yugadi festival symbolises a new start by maintaining a balance of postive and negatives in life. An good balance between these two will make our lives more easier.
