Ugadi 2017

Ugadi 2017

Ugadi, is the Hindu New Year celebrated by the people of the Deccan region of India. The 2017 Telugu Samvatsara is Sādhārana 2074.

Ugadi Panchangam

1.  Ugadi is celebrated on the Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (first day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month Chaitra), as per the Panchangam.
2.  The Pratipada Tithi must prevail during the sunrise of the day.
3.  In case, the sunrises of 2 days are witnessing Pratipada, the first day will be considered for the celebration.
4.  If Pratipada Tithi is not prevailing on any sunrise, the day will be considered when the Tithi will be beginning.
5.  Ugadhi is not celebrated in Adhik Maas (extra month added after every 32 months, 16 days, and 8 Ghatis). In Sanskrit, the day of Ugadi is called "Chaitra Shuddha Padyami".

King of Nav Samvatsara (Varshesh)

The Lord of the first day of the New Year is considered as the Lord of the entire year. In 2017, first day is Tuesday. Lord mars is the Lord of Tuesday. Hence, Lord of this New Year is mars.

Ugadi Celebrations

Preparations for Ugathi begin a week ahead. People clean and renovate their houses. Shopping of the new clothes as well as required items for the festival is done. People bathe before the sunrise and decorate the entrance door & windows with the fresh mango leaves. The tying of mango leaves has a story behind:
Kartikeya and Ganesha, the sons of Shiva-Parvati, were very fond of mangoes. Kartikey insisted people to tie mango leaves at the door of their houses to welcome prosperity and good harvest.

People also make colorful Rangolis in front of their houses after sprinkling the area with the cow dung mixed water. The New Year is begun with the blessings of gods by worshipping them. People worship the gods as per their convenience.

People from the various regions of Deccan plateau in India celebrate Ugaadi with great enthusiasm. Relatives gather on a grand feast. Festivities begin from an early morning oil bath.

Ugadi Delicacies

Some people have the food items of 6 different tastes on this day. With 6 tastes, they believe that life is the blend of different emotions and each emotion is like a taste. There is a famous delicacy for this particular day called Ugadi Pachadi. It consists of all the 6 tastes. Although, the recipe differs a bit from region to region, yet most common ingredients are given below:

Ingredient	Taste	Emotion
Neem Buds/Flowers	Bitter	Sadness
Jaggery/Gur	Sweet	Happiness
Green Chilli/Pepper	Hot	Anger
Salt	Salty	Fear
Tamarind Juice	Sour	Disgust
Unripened Mango	Tang	Surprise

In Karnatka, people have this delicacy as Bevu Bella. Ugadi Pachadi is eaten as a holy food on this day. It is the first thing that people eat in the celebration of this festival. At some places, people just take neem leaves with jaggery.

Many other delicacies are prepared for the day. One of them is Obbattu/Holige/Puran Poli. It is a Roti stuffed with the paste of grams and sugar/jaggery; topped with clarified butter (Ghee) or milk. Some people use coconut milk instead of dairy milk.

Later in the day, people gather and listen to the horoscope as well as details of the Panchangam of the New Year by an elder or responsible person.

At some places, Kavi Sammelan (poetry event) is also organized. Some experts demonstrate "Ashtavadhaanam", "Shathavadhanam", and "Sahasravadhanam" as well during this event. It is a very rare skill. In this, a person must remember the difficult verses presented by 8, 100, and 1000 experts of the literature; and the order of the verses must be correct. The person has to recite all the verses in order in a poetic way. It is performed at the end of the event.

Ugadi 2017

Telugu Samvatsara 2074 Begins......Ugadi 2017

                      

Ugadi Pachadi  

                                         

Ugadi pachchadi is a dish synonymous with Ugadi. It is made of new jaggery, raw mango pieces, neem flowers, and new tamarind which truly reflect life — a combination of six different tastes (Shut-Ruchi)(sweet, sour, spicy or pungent, salty, astringent and bitter) symbolizing happiness, disgust, anger, fear, surprise, and sadness. Bevu-Bella (ಬೇವು-ಬೆಲ್ಲ) in Kannada, symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences - sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise - which should be accepted altogether with equanimity through the New Year. The eating of a sauce composed of six tastes - sourness by a raw mango and from tamarind, sweetness with molasses or jaggery, salt, bitterness from neem flowers, astringent from neem flowers as well as from a small amount taken of tender mango seed or skin, spicy/hot/pungent from black pepper or chilli powder - mixed in water, called Ugadi Pachhadi (ఉగాది పచ్చడి) in Telugu symbolizes this. The ingredients of this 'Pachchadi' may vary slightly in different regions but the symbolic meaning is the same in each case.

The special mixture consists of all the flavours which the tongue can perceive, and one could say that each flavour symbolizes a feeling or emotion which is natural in life :

• Neem Buds/Flowers for its bitterness, signifying sadness
• Jaggery for sweetness, signifying happiness
• Green Chilli/Pepper for its hot taste, signifying anger
• Salt for saltiness, signifying fear
• Tamarind Juice for its sourness, signifying disgust
• Neem Flowers and small amount of tender mango seed for making it astringent adding an element of surprise

Special dishes

In Karnataka a special dish called Obbattu, or Holige (ಹೋಳಿಗೆ / ಒಬ್ಬಟ್ಟು), is prepared. It consists of a filling (gram and jaggery/sugar boiled and made in to a paste) stuffed in a flat roti-like bread. It is usually eaten hot or cold with ghee or milk topping or coconut milk at some places of Karnataka. In Andhra Pradesh, a special dish called Bobbattu (Polelu) (Puran Poli) (Oliga) are prepared on this occasion. This special dish is called Bhakshalu in Telangana. These are eaten along with the Ugadi Pachchadi mentioned earlier.

Recitation of the Pachangam Almanac

Later, people traditionally gather to listen to the recitation of the religious Panchangam (almanac) of the new year, and the general forecast of the year to come. This is called the Panchanga Sravanam, an informal social function where an elderly and respected person will read the almanac. Panchamgam also contains astrology based on moon signs.

In Kannada, the greeting is "Yugadi Habbada Shubhaashayagalu" - ಯುಗಾದಿ ಹಬ್ಬದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು (Greetings for the festival of Yugadi) or "Hosa varshada shubhashayagalu" - ಹೊಸ ವರ್ಷದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು (Greetings on the new year).

In Telugu, the greeting is "kroththa yeta" / "ugadi panduga" palukarimpulu, or "ugadi subhaakankshalu" - "క్రొత్త ఏట" / "ఉగాది పండుగ" పలుకరింపులు, లేదా ఉగాది శుభాకాంక్షలు (Greetings for the festival of ugadi) and "Nutana samvastara shubhaakankshalu" -నూతన సంవత్సర శుభాకాంక్షలు (Greetings on the new year).

In Konkani, it would be Navve varsaache shubhaashay,ನವ್ವೆ ವರ್ಷಾಂಚೆ ಶುಭಾಶಯ್ Samsar padvyache shubhaashay.ಸಂಸಾರ್ ಪದ್ವ್ಯಾನ್ಚೆ ಶುಭಾಶಯ್

In Marathi, it would be 'गुढी पाडव्याच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा' (Gudhi padvyachya hardik shubhechcha).

Predictions for the year

Ugadi marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in the moon's orbit. It is a day when mantras are chanted and predictions made for the new year. Traditionally, the panchangasravanam or listening to the yearly calendar was done at the temples or at the Town square but with the onset of modern technology, one can get to hear the priest-scholar on television sets right in one's living room.

Ugadi

Telugu Samvatsara 2074 Begins......Ugadi 2017

Hevilambi nama samvatsara

 Pratipada Tithi Begins = 05:56 on 28/Mar/2017
 Pratipada Tithi Ends = 03:14 on 29/Mar/2017

Ugadi is also spelled as Yugadi. Yugadi word has been taken from the Sanskrit words of “yuga” meaning ‘age’ and “adi” which combination is ‘the beginning of an era’. It is a New Year day for the Deccan region, the Southern part of India. Ugadi is celebrated in various parts of India with different names and have different & unique rituals for the day. This festival is celebrated with immense enthusiasm in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh while in Maharashtra it is celebrated as Gudi Padwa. In Punjab it is celebrated as Baisakhi ‘the harvest festival’ while in Sindh, people celebrate same day as New Year Cheti Chand. In Tamil Nadu it is known as ‘Puthandu’ and ‘Vishu’ in Kerala. Ugadi, or Ugadhi, is the Kannada and Telugu New Year.

Ugadi is New Year according to Luni-Solar calendar. Luni-Solar calendars consider the position of the Moon and the position of the Sun to divide the year into months and days. The counter-part of Luni-Solar calendar is Solar calendar which considers only position of the Sun to divide the year into months and days. Because of that Hindu New Year is celebrated twice in the year with different names and at two different times of the year. 

The day begins with ritual oil-bath followed by prayers. Oil bath and eating .Neem leaves are must rituals suggested by scriptures. North Indians don’t celebrate Ugadi but start nine days Chaitra Navratri Puja on the same day and also eat Neem with Mishri on the very first day of Navratri.

                                  

On the Ugadi 2017 date i.e. 28th March, Telugu Samvatsara 2074 will begin. It is believed that God Brahma ‘one of the Hindu trinity’ had started creation of Earth on Ugadi day. Ugadi also marks thecommencement of the Spring Season. In this season Nature starts bring new and fresh leaves in plants.

Ugadi Festival Celebration:

Ugadi festival preparations start before one week in advance. People clean and wash their home and decorate it beautifully. People buy new clothes and other important items related to Ugadi festival rituals and dishes. On the days of Ugadi, people take a ritual bath early in the morning and chant mantras. After this, entrance of the home is decorated with fresh mango leaves and colourful rangolis. People do ritual worship with immense enthusiasm and devotion to get blessing on Telugu New Year. At many places, Kavi Sammelan has been organized and people also sing Bhakti songs.

On the auspicious day of Ugadi, people smeared cow dung in front of their home and place the Kalasha at the entrance of their home with coconut leaves. Various delicacies have been prepared at home some of the names are Ugadi Pachchadi, Payasam, Pongal and Pulihora. Ugadi Pachchadi is a traditional dish, especially prepared for the Ugadi festival by the people of Andhra Pradesh. This recipe is also known as ‘Bevu Bella’ in Kannada. Ugadi recipe is made with raw mango, Banana pieces, Neem leaves, Tamarind Juice, Green Chilli/Pepper, Jaggery and pinch of salt. This dish is a combination of sweetness, sourness and bitter. Sometimes only Jaggery and neem leaves will be eaten.

Ugadi Festival Facts:

There are lots of rituals and events, which have been performed during Ugadi festival. Below are some facts on Ugadi, which one must know.

1 - Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are the main states where Ugadi is celebrated with great zeal.

2 - Lord Brahma, Ganesha and Kartikeya are the main Gods of Ugadi.

3 - Cow dung is used at the outside of the home to purify the home and surrounding environment.

4 - The main ritual of Ugadi is Panchanga Sravanam.

5 - Kavi Sammelanam is one of the major events, organized in the states.

6 - Ugadi Pachadi is a compulsory dish, served during Ugadi.

7 – First day of the first month of Hindu calendar is known as Ugadi.

8 – Ugadi Pachadi six ingredients raw mango, tamarind, jaggery, neem, salt and chilli signify the six various flavors of life i.e. surprise, disgust, happiness, sadness, fear and anger.

9 – In Maharashtra, it is celebrated as Gudi Padwa, as Cheti Chand by Sindhis, as Navreh by Kashmiri Pandit, as Sajibu Nongma Panba Cheiraoba in Manipur, Thapna in Rajasthan, Baisakhi in Punjab and as Yugadi in Karnataka.

10 – This festival was started by Chhatrapati Shivaji in Maharashtra to cheer his victory.

11 – In Maharashtra, people made the special dish Shrikhand and Puran Poli at home.

12 – In Maharashtra, people created a gudi (doll) and placed it at the entrance of the home or outside the window/door.

13 – On this day, Konkani people prepare the “Kanangachi Kheer” which is cooked by using coconut milk, sweet potato, rice flour and jiggery.

14 – Special dishes prepared in different states not only show the cultural and traditional values but are helpful in purifying the blood and increasing the immunity system.

15 - According to mythology, it is believed that Lord Brahma started creation on this day - Chaitra Suddha Padhyami or Ugadi day.

16 – “Panchanga Shravanam” is a must-performed ritual of Ugadi, during this forecast of the New Year is recited.

Regional Names of Ugadi Festival:

Ugadi festival has different regional names in India. People living at the north of Vindhya hills called this festival by the name “Barhaspatyamana” and South of Vindhya hills call it by the name “Chandramana or Sauramana”. In Manipur state, people celebrate this day with the name “Sajibu Cheiraoba”.

The sixty names of Ugadi are Prabhava, Vibhava, Sukla, Pramodoota, Prajothpatti, Angeerasa, Sreemukha, Bhaava, Yuva, Dhaata, Eeswara, Bahu Dhaanya, Pramaadi, Vikrama , Vrusha, Chitra Bhaanu, Swabhaanu, Taarana, Paarthiva, Vyaya, Sarvajittu, Sarvadhaari, Virodhi, Vikruti, Khara, Nandana, Vijaya, Jaya, Manmatha, Durmukhi, Hevilambi ('l' as in Kaalika), Vilambi ('l' as in Kaalika), Vikaari, Sarvari ('Sa' as in saree), Plava, Subha Krutu, Sobha Krutu, Krodhi, Viswaa Vasu, Paraabhava, Plavanga, Keelaka, Soumya, Saadhaarana, Virodhi Krutu, Pareedhaavi, Pramaadeecha, Aananda, Raakshasa, Nala, Pingala ('l' as in Kaalika), Kaala Yukti, Siddhaardhi, Roudri, Durmathi, Dundubhi, Rudhirodhgaari, Raktaakshi, Krodhana and Kshaya.

             Ugadi subhakankshalatho ..........