Ugadi is a Hindu festival that signifies a new year’s day for the people of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamilnadu.
Ugadi is a Hindu festival that signifies a new year’s day for the people of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamilnadu. It usually falls in the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar and between the March-April of the gregorian calendar.
The word Ugadi comprises two different words: Yuga and Adi. ‘Yuga’ means age and ‘Adi’ is for beginning; that’s why the word Ugadi stands for the beginning of a new year. People celebrate this day with various religious and social activities. They worship Lord Brahma and consider this day as the most auspicious day of the year.
The celebration of this festival starts prior to new year’s day. First, cleaning houses, offices, and temples begins a few days earlier to make the living space fresh and welcoming for the upcoming year. Then, people wake up before sunrise, take a traditional bath followed by an oil massage, and decorate their houses with beautiful flower arrangements.
People wear new clothes and prepare colorful patterns at the entrance of their house which is also known as Muggulu. Decorating doors with mango leaves and buying and exchanging gifts are also part of this celebration. In addition, they make a special food item called Pachadi, a traditional chutney, and share it with friends and relatives to celebrate unity and love in society.
Ugadi is believed to be a spiritually blessed day to start any new venture or any special project. Therefore, people consider it as the best day to inaugurate their new business, house, or offices. They also perform puja and aarti of their existing business and office to seek blessings and luck for the new year from the deities.
Ugadi is a day of greetings, gifts, sweets, attractive decorations, cultural activities, pujas, and traditional celebrations to carry religious values and welcoming the new year with utmost joy and happiness.
