HAPPY UGADI |
| People in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka celebrate Ugadi or Yugadi as the first day of the year. On this day, the new Samvatsara cycle, which lasts sixty years, begins. Each of the sixty Samvatsara is given a distinct name. |
What is Ugadi
Ugadi, also known as Yugadi, is a well-known South Indian festival celebrated primarily in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana to mark the start of a new year. According to the Hindu calendar, It is celebrated on the first day of Chaitra month. This year, Ugadi falls on Saturday, April 2nd. Similarly, Marathi and Konkani Hindus celebrate Gudi Padwa, Maharashtra's traditional New Year, on the same day.
History Of Ugadi Festival
For those who live between the Kaveri River and the Vindhya River, and those who follow the lunar calendar of South India, mainly in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra, this festival marks the start of the New Year. The calendar dates from the Shalivahana era, when the legendary legend Shalivahana is said to have established it. The king Shalivahana, also known as Gautamiputra Satakarni, was the one who started the Shalivahana era.
The Lunar calendar has a sixty-year cycle, and the New Year begins on Yugadi Day, Chaitra Sudhdha Paadyami. Every sixty years, the calendar starts over with a new year. During the celebration, the spring season is said to have arrived in full force, and festive colors may be seen everywhere. The new leaves sprouting on the trees are breathtakingly gorgeous, and those celebrating Ugadi are filled with fervor and excitement. Though Lord Shiva chastised Lord Brahma, saying that he would never be worshipped again, in Andhra Pradesh, the Ugadi celebration is dedicated to Lord Brahma. Lord Vishnu is said to have taken the shape of Matsya, according to legend. On Ugadi, residents clean their homes and the surrounding environment and decorate their front doors with mango leaves. People also buy new outfits for themselves and their family members.
Significant Of the Ugadi Festival
The name Ugadi, sometimes known as Yugadi, is formed from the words Yuga, which means an age, and Adi, which means the beginning of a new age. The Yugadi refers to the current age, which is the Kali Yuga, which is thought to have begun after Lord Krishna left the planet. Maharshi Vedavyasa describes the event as "Yesmin Krishna divamvyataha, Tasmat Eeva pratipannam Kaliyugam," and it begins on the 17th or 18th of February at midnight. The event falls on the bright half of the Chaitra month of India on the "Chaitra Sudhdha Padyaami" in the lunisolar calendar, while it usually falls in April or March in the Gregorian calendar.
Yugadi is celebrated after Bhaskara II's calibrations from the 12th century. It starts after the first new moon and ends when the sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north at sunrise. The Su enters the first point of Aries on this day. Many people also celebrate the event the next morning, because, in India, the day is said to begin when the sun rises. Even though the spring equinox occurred on March 20th in 2015, the Yugadi festival was held the following day, on March 20th. It is also observed in several places in the United States.
Celebration Of The Day
The day begins with a ceremonial oil bath, followed by prayers. The Ugadi pachadi, a particular pachadi cooked with raw mango, neem flower, jaggery, tamarind, salt, and chili, is one of the many customs linked with the Ugadi celebration. According to legend, Ugadi pachadi brings out the essence of life.
On this auspicious occasion, people typically decorate their homes with mango leaves, flower garlands, delectable dishes, colorful rangoli, and floral arrangements in front of the door. They often take a special oil bath and put on new garments to show their devotion to the gods.