Ugadi ushers in New Year & it’s time to plan for the future

Yashaswini Krishna | NT

Bengaluru: Ugadi, also known as Yugadi, is a festival celebrated in the southern states of India, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka and Goa in India.

The word 'Ugadi' is derived from two Sanskrit words - 'yuga' meaning era or age and 'adi' meaning the beginning. Therefore, Ugadi signifies the beginning of new year.

It is considered an auspicious day as it is believed that Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, started the creation process on this day.

Ugadi has been an important and historic festival of the Hindus, with medieval texts and inscriptions recording major charitable donations to Hindu temples and community centres on this day.

The same day is observed as a New Year by Hindus in many other parts of India, such as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and is a national public holiday in Mauritius.

Maharashtran Hindus refer to the festival, observed on the same day, as Gudi Padwa. The Sindhi’s celebrate the same day as Cheti Chand, which is the beginning of their calendar year. Manipuris also celebrate their New Year as Sajibu Nongma Panba on the same day.

The Hindus of Bali in Indonesia also celebrate their new year on the same day as Nyepi. Ugadi is one of the five Hindu national public holidays in Mauritius.

Significance of Ugadi

Ugadi is a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. It is believed that whatever happens on this day sets the tone for the rest of the year.

People clean their homes, buy new clothes, and prepare festive meals to welcome the New Year with positivity and enthusiasm.

The festival also holds religious significance as it marks the onset of the spring season, which is considered a time of renewal and rejuvenation.

It is believed that Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, wakes up from his cosmic sleep on this day, and the world comes alive with new energy.

The festival is celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm in the southern states of India. The day begins with an oil bath, followed by prayers and offerings to the deities.

People decorate their homes with mango leaves and rangolis, which are intricate designs made with coloured powders.

One of the main rituals of Ugadi is the preparation of 'Ugadi Pachadi,' a unique dish made with six different tastes - sweet, sour, bitter, salty, tangy, and spicy.

The ingredients symbolise the various emotions and experiences of life, and the dish is eaten to remind people that life is a mixture of different flavours.

On this day, business people start new ventures and many undertake construction work. On the occasion of Ugadi, people lay emphasis on preparing a special dish that incorporates the six different and distinct flavours of life.

This dish is called Bevu Bella or Ugadi Pachhadi. Bevu means bitterness and bella means sweetness. This dish is made from a mixture of neem flowers or buds, tamarind, chilli powder, unripe mango, salt, and jaggery.

It is the first dish to be had on the Ugadi day. It is a symbolic dish that signifies the essence of life through its ingredients. So, the dish has all the flavours, starting from bitterness and ending in sweetness.

Bevu Bella denotes that life is a mixture of different experiences, emotions, and events that one must learn to face bravely.

Suryamana Ugadi

The Sun's position in relation to the movement of the earth is called a Solaramana.

There are twenty-seven stars orbiting the sun and the moon.