Ugadi is the Hindu New Year celebrated by the people of the Deccan region of India. The 2021 Telugu Samvatsara is Ānanda 2078.
Ugadi Panchangam
- Ugadi is celebrated on the Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (1st day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month Chaitra), as per the Panchangam.
- The Pratipada Tithi must prevail during the sunrise of the day.
- In case, the sunrises of two days are witnessing Pratipada, the 1st day will be considered for the celebration.
- If Pratipada Tithi is not prevailing on any sunrise, the day will be considered when the Tithi will be starting.
- Ugadi is not celebrated in Adhik Maas (extra month added after every 32 months, 16 days, and 8 Ghatis). In Sanskrit, the day of Ugadi is called Chaitra Shuddha Padyami.
King of Nav Samvatsara (Varshesh)
The Lord of the 1st day of the New Year is considered as the Lord of the whole year. In 2021, 1st day is Tuesday. A Lord mar is the Lord of Tuesday. Hence, Lord of this New Year is mars.
Ugadi Celebrations
Arrangements for Ugadi begin a week ahead. Peoples clean and renovate their houses. Shopping of the new clothes, dress as well as necessary items for the festival is done. People bathing in early morning before sunrise and decorate the entrance door & windows with the fresh mango leaves beautifully.
The tying of mango leaves has a story behind: Karthikeya and Ganesha, the sons of Shiva-Parvati, were very fond of mangoes. Karthikeya insisted people to tie mango leaves at the entrance of their houses to welcome affluence and good harvest.
People also make beautiful colorful Rangolis in front of their houses after sprinkling in the area with the cow dung mixed water. The New Year is starting with the blessings of god’s goddess by worshipping them. People worship the god’s goddess as per their facility.
People from the various regions of Deccan plateau in India celebrate Ugadi with great rapture. Relatives gather on a magnificent feast. Festivities start from an early morning oil bath.
Ugadi Delicacies
Some people make the food items of 6 different tastes on this day. With 6 tastes, they think that life is the blend of different emotions or stage and each emotion is like a different taste. There is a famous humility for this special day called Ugadi Pachadi. It is the mix-up of all 6 tastes. Although, the recipe differs a bit from region to region, Yet most common ingredients are given below:
| Ingredient | Taste | Emotion |
|---|---|---|
| Neem Buds/Flowers | Bitter | Sadness |
| Jaggery/Gur | Sweet | Happiness |
| Green Chilli/Pepper | Hot | Anger |
| Salt | Salty | Fear |
| Tamarind Juice | Sour | Disgust |
| Unripened Mango | Tang | Surprise |
In Karnataka, people have this humility as Bevu Bella. Ugadi Pachadi is eaten as a sacred food on this day. It is the 1st thing that people eat in the festivity of this festival. At some places, people just take Neem leaves with jaggery.
Many other delicacies are prepared for the day. One of them is Obbattu/Holige/Puran Poli. It is a Roti stuffed with the paste of grams and sugar/jaggery; served with clarified butter (Ghee) or milk. Some people like coconut milk instead of dairy milk.
Later in the day, people gather and listen to the horoscope as well as details of the Panchangam of the New Year by an elder or responsible person.
At some places, Kavi Sammelan (poetry event) is also organized. Some experts display Ashtavadhaanam, Shathavadhanam, and Sahasravadhanam as well during this event. It is a very rare ability. In this, a person must remember the difficult verses presented by 8, 100, and 1000 experts of the literature; and the order of the verses must be correct. The person has to recite all the verses in order in a poetic way. It is performed at the end of the event.
Ugadi in Various Regions
People from Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Konkani community spell this festival as Ugadi. Telugu people know it both ways as Ugadi or Yugadi, depending on their region and community. In Maharashtra, majority of people know this day as Gudhi Padwa.
Ugadi festival is known by several names in different regions of India. Some of them are given below:
- Samvatsar Padvo among Konkanis in Goa and Kerala
- Konkanis in Karnataka know it as Yugadi
- Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
- Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra
- Thapna in Rajasthan
- Navreh in Kashmir
- Sajibu Nongma Panba or Meetei Cheiraoba in Manipur
- Chaitra Navratri begins from this day for North Indians.