Ugadi is the festival that signifies the beginning of a fresh New Year (Hindu calendar). On this basis, the first day of the next year is 9th April, which is the day when the festival Ugadi is celebrated. The festival is commemorated in a wide proportion of the South Indian states such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Telangana.
The famous festival of the Indians, known as the Chaitra usually falls in the Gregorian months of March or April. This calendar year, i.e. 2024, Ugadi falls on the 9th of April.
This day is celebrated by Hindus irrespective of their social differences. Ugadi, celebrating the onset of the New Year, is also called Gudi Padwa.
Origin/ History of Ugadi
Ugadi, or Samvatsara ,is the regional name given to this day. It is a New Year’s Day for the People of South India. It is really popular in several South Indian states, such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and of course in some parts of Tamil Nadu.
In a traditional Hindu setting, we trace the ancestry of Ugadi from the scriptures and mythology.
The name “Ugadi” stands for the Sanskrit wouldadies “yuga” which implies era and “adi” which means beginning. Thus, it becomes a signifier of a new epoch - a change in time, a change of the wheel, or a transition to a new era.
As per Hindu conceptions, Ugadi is the day when Brahma, the creator god, sets off the process of creation. It is considered that the universe was crafted on this sacred day by Lord Brahma, whose existence is beyond comprehension.
Another story from Hindu mythology talks about the day when another legend prevails and moves back to Ayodhya. It is considered a holy day which celebrates the triumph of the Lord Rama over the demon king, Ravana, according to the Hindu epic — Ramayana.
That is why Rama also returned back to Ayodhya. It also acts as a symbolic day for the commencement of an era of peace and progress.
Furthermore, the festival falls in the spring capturing this season which also signifies change in the ecosystem and transformed nature. Nature is seen coming back to life from its winter sleep and rekindling with newness and vitality.
People celebrate ugadi with blooming flowers, lush green fields, and thriving agricultural productions. The farmers sow their seeds and plant their vegetables on this day as well.
Ugadi 2024 date and Timings
Ugadi is celebrated in many households, religiously following the auspicious muhurat The following is the date & timings of Ugadi 2024 as per 2024 muhurat. It is said that devotees should perform pooja and start this festival ceremoniously.
Ugadi 2024 Begins : 11:50 PM, 8 April 2024
Ugadi 2024 Ends: 8:30 PM, 9 April 2024
Significance of Ugadi 2024
The word Ugadi is a Sanskrit term which literally translates into Yuga and Adi. The words yuga and adi are translated to 'age' and 'beginning' respectively which means the Era of the Beginning. As per the principles of Hinduism, Ugadi stands for the day when lord Brahma created this world, and hence it is celebrated as such.
Further, he made the cycle of the universe, like days, weeks, months and so on. Therefore, people celebrate the Ugadi festival as a significance when the almighty Brahmaa made this universe. The festival symbolizes the start of the spring when farmers reap the last harvest from the previous year.
The Ugadi festival is a constellation of astronomical explanations too. As per mythological stories, the new astrological cycle starts at this time of the year when Ugadi is celebrated. The northern hemisphere gets most of the light on this day due to the earth rotation which causes it to tilt our planet along its axis.
It renders the beginning of a flowering spring when nature wakes up with all its beautiful colors and with the presence of the sun.
Celebrations on Ugadi 2024
People from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka celebrate the Ugadi with elation and excitement rekindling the first day of the New Year.
People will be ready to welcome Ugadi one week ahead of the big day.
From the very beginning of the festival, ladies would start cleaning their houses, making rangoli and picking mango leaves.
On the festival day, people wake up early in the morning, have a bath, apply oil, and pray to God for divine blessings.
They come to the temples to pay homage to the gods and goddesses and recite mantras there. Celebrating a new year like this is not just a way of giving gratitude to God's abundance, but also an opportunity to take in His blessings.
On Ugadi day, new clothing items are purchased and worn by people. They cook traditional dishes together for their friends and family members to celebrate this special day.
People honor Ugadi as a special day by buying brand new cars, opening new stores or so.
On another note, people usually hear the panchang from astrologers and pundits, because they are interested in knowing about their horoscope, which they term as panchang shravanam.
On Ugadi day, many cultural events include community meeting grounds where people get together and celebrate the festivity with each other.
Special Dishes of Ugadi 2024
Be it any festival, besides its significance there are some classic dishes which should not be missed while celebrating a festival with fervor. You can find these food items in every telugu home. Below are major dishes that are prepared on Ugadi:
Bevu Bella: Almost every family in Ugadi prepares Bevu Bella which is a mixture of neem leaves, mango, tamarind, salt, jaggery, and chili. Each element of Bevu Bella has its individual symbolism hence, they reflect the various aspects of human life as a whole.
Another example of flavor symbolism is how the bitterness of neem signifies the life’s trials, the sweetness and happiness of jaggery are the surprises of life, the hotness of chili is the similar to the spiciness of life and the sour flavor of tamarind is just for the new challenges of life.
Pachadi: Pachadi is a chutney which is famous for having six different flavors together combined into a paste. The classical taste profiles that you may find in Pachadi range such as – sweet, sour, bitter, tangy and spicy. The dish is made with raw mango, neem flowers, tamarind, jaggery, chillies, and salt - this gives the preparation sweet, sour, bitter, tangy, and spicy tastes. It is much preferred because of its flavors.
Holige/Puran Poli: Holige is a sweet delicacy which is prepared in almost all the houses during the Ugadi festival. It consists of a soft and thin layer of wheat or refined flour filled with sweet lentils and jiggery. It takes a lot of time to cook due to the fact that it has to be cooked till golden brown in the ghee. It is soft and juicy, and at the same time it feels creamy and completely melts in the mouth.
Obbattu Saaru: This dish is a concoction of sweet and spicy flavors made in a medium thick soup form. It is a lentil curry which is full of flavors and shows the richness of Holige. Moreover, it is tasty because of the taste accents added by curry leaves, mustard seeds, asafoetida, and dried red chillies. It is sour and chilly to everyone's taste palate.
Mango Rice: Sounds delicious? It is also called Mangora, or Mavinakayi Chitranna, which is also part of the Ugadi menu. It is prepared using cooked rice with mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric, and grated raw mango mixed in. It brings out the tantalizing aroma of the ingredients besides being a captivating dish with bright colors, to celebrate the Ugadi festival.
Conclusion
The Ugadi festival brings with it a new feeling of awe and optimism among the people. This creates a mood of reflection, bringing to mind all the aspects of life and the dream of spiritual and material prosperity.
During the Ugadi festival time, different families come together over the tasty traditional food, and the celebration is more than just Ugadi; it is a celebration of life itself, which is filled with expectations and driven by diverse traditions.
On this day, people celebrate and embrace the New year with moments of open hearts, happiness, joy, and harmony.