Ugadi

Ugadi is the New Year's Day for the people of the Deccan region of India.
It falls on the different day every year because the Hindu calendar is a lunisolar calendar. The Saka calendar begins with the month of Chaitra (March–April) and Ugadi marks the first day of the new year. Chaitra is the first month in Panchanga which is the Indian calendar.

While the people of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh use the term Yugadi/Ugadi for this festival.
The people of Maharashtra term the same festival, observed on the same day, Gudi Padwa.
Sindhis, people from Sindh, celebrate the same day as their New Year day Cheti Chand.
Manipuris also celebrate their New Year (Sajibu Cheiraoba) on the same day. While it is observed as Baisakhi in Punjab and Puthandu in Tamil Nadu. However, it is not celebrated on the same day in Tamil Nadu as Tamils follow Solar calender.

The word Yugadi can be explained as; 'Yuga' is the word for 'epoch' or 'era', and 'aadi' stands for 'the beginning'. Yugadi specifically refers to the start of the age we are living in now, Kali Yuga.
Kali Yuga started the moment when Lord Krishna left the world. Maharshi Vedavyasa describes this event with the words "Yesmin Krishno divamvyataha, Tasmat eeva pratipannam Kaliyugam". Kali Yuga began on Feb 17/18 midnight 3102 BC.

The festival marks the new year day for people between Vindhyas and Kaveri river who follow the South Indian lunar calendar, pervasively adhered to in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa.

Observance of the festival:
The Kannada, Telugu and the Konkani diaspora in Karnataka and Kerala,people celebrate the festival with great fanfare; gatherings of the extended family and a sumptuous feast are 'de rigueur'. The day, begins with ritual showers (oil bath) followed by prayers.

Symbolic Eating of a Dish with Six Tastes:
The eating of a specific mixture of six tastes (షడ్రుచులు), called Ugadi Pachhadi (ఉగాది పచ్చడి) in Telugu and Bevu-Bella( ಬೇವು-ಬೆಲ್ಲ) in Kannada, symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise) , which should be accepted together and with equanimity through the New Year.

The special mixture consists of:
• Neem Buds/Flowers for its bitterness, signifying Sadness
• Jaggery and ripe banana pieces for sweetness, signifying Happiness
• Green Chilli/Pepper for its hot taste, signifying Anger
• Salt for saltiness, signifying Fear
• Tamarind Juice for its sourness, signifying Disgust
• Raw Mango for its tang, signifying Surprise

Special dishes:
In Karnataka a special dish called Obbattu or Holige, is prepared. In Andhra Pradesh, a special dish called Bhakshyalu or Bobbatlu (Polelu) (Puran Poli) are prepared on this occasion. It consists of a filling (Bengal gram and jaggery/sugar boiled and made in to a paste) stuffed in a flat roti like bread. It is usually eaten hot/cold with ghee or milk topping or coconut milk at some places of Karnataka.

Another dish which is prepared on occasion of Ugadi is "Pachadi". It includes 6 tastes which are Theepi,Karam,Pulupu,Vagaru,Chedu and Uppu(in telugu language). We prepare this with the ingrediants are VepaPuvvu,Bellam,Karam,Mango,Uppu and Chinthakaya(in Telugu language). Nuthana Samvatsara Shubhakankshalu to all Telugu people.

Recitation of Almanac:
Later, people traditionally gather to listen to the recitation of the religious Panchangam (almanac) of the new year, and the general forecast of the year to come. This is called the 'Panchanga Sravanam', an informal social function where an elderly and respected person refers to the new almanac and makes a general benediction to all present. The advent of television has changed this routine, especially in the cities. Nowadays, people turn on the TV to watch broadcasts of the "Panchanga Sravanam" recitation.

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