Ugadi is a Telugu festival, which is celebrated with pomp all over South India. According to the Hindu calendar, this festival falls on Pratipada of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month. In South India it is celebrated to mark the arrival of the Hindu New Year. This festival is celebrated with different names in different parts of the country. For example, people of Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Konkani community celebrate it as Ugadi, Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Samvatsar Padwa in Goa, Thapna in Rajasthan, Navreh in Kashmir, Sajibu Nongma Pamba or Meitei Cheiroba in Manipur.
In Sanskrit it means the beginning of a new era. According to belief, Bhagwan Brahma created the universe on this day. This festival is celebrated all over India according to its own traditions and customs. The festival of Chaitra Navratri starts from this day in North India.
Importance of Ugadi festival
According to religious scriptures, on this day Lord Vishnu was born on earth in the form of a fish. Therefore, on this day Lord Vishnu is worshiped in the traditional way. Brahmaji is worshiped on this day in Andhra Pradesh.
- This day is considered very auspicious for new business.
- On this day, people wake up before sunrise and wear new clothes after taking bath.
- People decorate their homes. An arch made of mango pallava and flowers is installed at the main entrance. Rangoli is decorated on the doorstep and courtyard of the house.
- The arch of Mango Pallava is installed because Lord Shiva’s sons Lord Kartikeya and Lord Ganesha like Mango Pallava very much.
- According to belief, this brings happiness, peace and prosperity to the house. Negative forces cannot enter the house.
Method of worship in Ugadi festival
On this occasion, the home temple is decorated with banana leaves and flowers. After this, all the members of the house together worship their presiding deity and pray for their well-being. After the puja, everyone wishes each other a happy Ugadi, and everyone enjoys traditional food specially prepared on this day.
On this festival, many types of dishes are prepared in the homes of South Indians, but one beverage is specially prepared. Neem flowers, coconut, jaggery, tamarind, raw mango in an earthen pot. A special type of decoction is made by mixing salt and chilli, which is called Pachadi. It is believed that drinking this decoction eliminates the chances of diseases occurring due to seasonal change.
Ingredients Taste Sensation
- neem flower is bitter for sadness
- Jaggery is sweet for happiness
- chilli is hot for anger
- salt is salty for fear
- tamarind juice is sour for disgust
- Raw Mango is Strong Taste for Surprise
On the day of Ugadi, people gather in the premises of the nearby temple. Here the Brahmins of the temple or the elders of the house tell everyone about the new almanac of the year and the horoscope published in it. At many places, poetry conferences are also organized after the puja. At many places, the unique arts Ashtavadhanam, Shathavadhanam, and Sahasravadhanam are performed on this day.
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