Ugadi: The new year that celebrates the Spring Season

By Eugene Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

04 April 2011: The lunar new year in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh that falls on Monday,  4 April 2011 is known as Ugadi or Yugadi that marks the beginning of Sri Khara nama Samvatsara in Hindu calendar. It is also the first day of Chaitra, the first month of the traditional Hindu calendar followed in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In Maharashtra the festival is celebrated as Gudi Padwa.

 

 

Whatever the name this festival takes in different regions, it heralds the dawn of Vasanth Rutu (Spring Season), which is considered the first season of the year (Chaitra Maasam). Hence, Ugadi is not only the beginning of the new year but also the celebration of the nature, especially the season of spring. Ugadi  marks a beginning of a new year in which nature is in full bloom, symbolizing regeneration and celebrating the season’s freshness.

 

Ugadi is believed to be the day when Brahma, the Creator, in the Hindu Trinity, formed the universe. It is also the time when winter is on its way out, and spring’s round the corner, so the concept of new life and a new year is really very appropriate.

Preparations for Ugadi begin a week in advance; homes are cleaned and decorated, new clothes are bought, and, on the day of the festival itself, fresh mango leaves are strung up above doorways to denote prosperity in the new year. Pujas and feasting are, as in almost all the other festivals of India, an important aspect of the celebrations.

 

 

With the coming of Ugadi, mango season is in full swing with fresh green mangoes flooding markets, garlands of marigold, roses and  naturally perfumed jasmine flowers (mallige) which are in full bloom adorn the deities in temples and hair of women.

 

For the Telugu and Kannada speaking people, Ugadi day begins with an extensive oil bath. Rangolis or Kolams are drawn in front of homes and doors and windows are decorated with a ’thorana’ - mango leaves strung together. Then, it is time for the preparation of the famous ‘Ugadi Pachadi’ in Andhra Pradesh. In Karnataka, it is known as the ‘Bevu Bella’, which is the  most unique and significant tradition of Ugadi. This preparation with sweet, sour, pungent and bitter tastes is prepared with fresh tamarind, jaggery, fresh mangoes and neem flowers . One can add sugarcane, coconut and bananas also. The sweetness of jaggery, the sourness of tamarind, the bitterness of neem flower and the pungent flavour of the green mango skin, spice of the chilli powder, raw tender mango’s taste and lastly salt form six tastes of the sauce.

 

 

‘Ugadi Pachadi’ or ‘Bevu Bella’ has an important symbolic meaning that life brings different experiences ranging from sweet to bitter. Therefore each individual should learn to take the different experiences in one’s stride and move ahead.

 

A major event on the day is ‘Panchanga Sravanam’,  predictions for the year. It is organized at temples and by cultural and social organizations.

 

Bellevision wishes all its readers a happy Ugadi