Ugadi is first day of Chaitra

Ugadi is first day of Chaitra - the first month - according to the Hindu calendar

Ugadi is an important festival for people from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is the New Year according to the Hindu calendar. The first month of the year is called Chaitra and Ugadi is the first day of Chaitra. The festival is called Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra.

The festival usually falls in March or April. This year, the festival falls on April 8 which is Friday. The pratipada tithi begins on April 7 at 4:53 PM and ends on April 8 at 1:05 PM.

The festival is celebrated with much fervour and people usually clean their houses, buy new clothes and on the day of Ugadi and put torans of raw mango leaves on their doors. They also take a bath at dawn and apply hair oil. They also make a dish called Ugadi Pachadi which is prepared this day with ingredients like raw mango, neem, tamarind and jiggery.

The celebrations end in the evening when people gather to listen to the religious panchangam or alamanac of the New Year.

Ugadi – The  New Year:

The people of Karnataka and Andhra consider Ugadi to be an auspicious time for commencing new ventures. This is the time when New Year’s Day is also celebrated in the states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab, West Bengal and Assam.

While it is called Ugadi in A.P. and Karnataka, in Maharashtra it is known as Gudipadawa.

Origin of Ugadi

The term “Ugadi” has its origin in the Sanskrit word “Yugadi”, that means ‘starting of a new Yuga or period’. This traditional festival is usually celebrated in the second half of March or in early April. People from all over Karnataka celebrate this festival with much enthusiasm and gaiety. Yugadi specifically refers to the start of the age we are living in now, the Kali Yuga. The Kali Yuga began 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 February 17 or 18, at midnight, in 3102 BCE

This calendar reckons dates based on the Shalivahana era (Shalivahana Shaka), which begins its count from the supposed date of the founding of the Empire by the legendary hero Shalivahana. The Satavahana king Shalivahana (also identified as Gautamiputra Satakarni) is credited with the initiation of this era known as Shalivahana. The Salivahana era begins its count of years from the year corresponding to 78 CE of the Gregorian calendar. Thus, the year 2000 CE corresponds to the year 1922 of the Salivahana Era. In the terminology used by this lunar calendar (also each year is identified as per Indian calendar, Yugadi falls on "Chaitra Shudhdha Paadyami" or the first day of the bright half of the Indian month of Chaitra. This generally falls in the months of March or April of the Gregorian calendar. In 2013, Ugadi falls on April 11. In 2014, Ugadi falls on 31 March. In 2016, Ugadi falls on April 8th.

Lunar calendars have a 60-year cycle and starts the new year on Yugadi i.e., on "Chaitra Sudhdha Paadyami" (Chaitram is the name of the first month, Suddha Padyami is the first day in the 15 days lunar cycle). After the completion of 60 years,the calendar starts a new with the first year.

The Yugadi is based on Bhāskara II lunar calculations in the 12th century. It starts on the sunrise immediately after the first new moon after Sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north on the spring equinox and enters the First Point of Aries. However, people celebrate Yugadi on the next morning as Indian day starts from sun rise. Many Indians in America also celebrate Yugadi.

Legend Associated with Ugadi:

The popular legend associated with the festival is that the Lord Brahma startedcreation of the vast universe on the auspicious day of Ugadi or Chaitra suddha padhyami.Lord Brahma created the days, weeks, months and years in order to count time and then created all other elements present in the universe.

Significance of Ugadi:

Ugadi marks a change in the lunar orbit as well as the beginning of the new Hindu lunar calendar. It also heralds the advent of spring. Mother Nature awakes from her deep slumber to give birth to new plants and cover earth in a blanket of green.

As spring accompanies new life on earth, this festival of New Year accompanies a feeling of joy, growth and prosperity. The nine day long spring festival of Vasanta Navratri begins on this day and concludes on Ramnavami.

Ugadi marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar. It is a day whenmantras are chanted and predictions made for the new year. The most important thing in the festival is Panchanga Shravanam – hearing of the Panchanga.

The Panchanga Shravanam is done at the temples by the priests. Before reading out the annual forecasts as predicted in the Panchanga, the officiating priest reminds the participants of the creator – Brahma, and the span of creation of the universe.

The reading of the Panchanga then involves reading of other Tidhis (wealth and prosperity) during the year and ends with h a forecast for various sectors of the social life and the strengths and effects of various constellations and their transitions.

The scriptures state that the benefits reaped by the listener as well as the reader, are equivalent to having a dip in the holy river Ganges. The individuals hearing the Panchanga should respectfully ‘thank’ the reader and offer him new clothes and seek his blessings.

Preparations for Ugadi:

Preparations for the festival start a week in advance. Houses are thoroughly cleaned and washed. People buy new clothes for themselves and their family members to enjoy the spirit of Ugadi. They also purchase several other things needed for the festival.

On Ugadi day, people wake up before the break of dawn and take a head bath. The bath is supposedly to be taken after massaging the entire using sesame oil.

Celebrations of Ugadi:

Ugadi is celebrated by decorating the temples with fresh flowers and fresh mango leaves. Among the flowers mainly the sweet smelling jasmine is used for the decorations. Most people also decorate their homes and puja rooms with flowers and mango leaves. There is an interesting legend behind the practice of decorating with mango leaves.

The legend goes that Subramanya and Ganesha, the sons of Lord Shiva and Parvati loved eating mangoes. Kartik urged people to tie fresh leaves of mango tree to thedoorway in order to indicate a good yields.

All the members of the family gather and pray together and seek blessings from the Almighty during Ugadi celebrations. Food, as is the normal trend in all festivals, occupies an important place in this festival too. Special dishes are prepared and enjoyed by the people to mark the festival.

The next step is offer prayers to Sun, before accepting Vepapoota Pachadi (Neem Flower Pickle) on an empty stomach. Entrance of the houses are decorated with fresh mango leaves. It is noteworthy that we use mango leaves and coconuts (as in a Kalasam, to initiate any pooja) only on auspicious occasions to propitiate gods.

People also splash fresh cow dung water on the ground in front of their house and draw colorful floral designs. This is a common sight in every household. People perform the ritualistic worship to God invoking his blessings before they start off with the new year.

Rituals Followed On Ugadi:

The festival is wrapped in traditions. The ceremonial day starts early, with theelderly ladies of the family getting up at around 4.30 a.m. while chanting mantras.  Several rituals are followed during the day to mark the celebration. The common rituals are:

1.      Reflection in Ghee: Watching one’s reflection in a bowl of molten ghee.

2.      Enne (Oil) Shastra: Elderly women of the family applying kumkum to the younger members and performing arathi.

3.      Abhyang: Taking of oil bath by all members of the family.

4.      New Dresses: Wearing of new clothes by all family members.

5.      Abhyang for Gods: Giving oil bath to the idols of Gods.

6.      Offering flowers: Offering flowers of neem, mango and tamarind to the Gods.

7.      Offering Puja: Puja is offered following the steps of Abhisheka, Alankara, Naivedya and Mangalarathi.

8.      Panchanga Pooje: After worshipping God, Panchanga for the new Samvathsara or Year is worshipped.

9.      Gudi or Indra Dhwaja Pooje: Indra Dhwaja Pooje is done next.

10.   Front door decoration: Decorating the front door with Kemmannu (red earth), Rangoli and Mango leaves. Sometimes neem leaves are also used.

11.   Bevu Bella: Eating of jaggery  and neem together in this festival to mark the presence of sweet and sour events in life’s journey.

12.   Oota: Offering meals to God and then eating Oota or meals as Prasada.

13.   Visiting temples: Visiting temples and seeking blessings of the Almighty.

Cuisine for Ugadi:

The main item prepared during the festival of is Bevu Bella. It is actually a paste made from jaggery, neem buds, tamarind juice and raw mango. All the ingredientsare ground together to make a fine paste. The significance of this item is that it denotes all the tastes of life.

The bitter, sweet and sour tastes each remind us the basic fact that life is a mixture of happy and sad events and we must remain ready to accept everything in life.

During Ugadi festival, all members of the family taste this paste and try to remain conscious of the fact that everything in life is temporary.

Apart from Bevu Bella, several other dishes are also prepared to celebrate the festival. Among the famous dishes cooked in Karnataka during this occasion are puliogure and holige (obbattu).

In Andhra Pradesh, eatables such as pulihora, bobbatlu and preparations made with raw mango go well with the occasion. In Karnataka too, similar preparations are made but called puliogure and holige.