Ugadi

Ugadi is one of the famous festivals celebrated among the Hindus with great pomp and fanfare. Ugadi is celebrated as the New Year of the Telugu and Kannada people. It is not only celebrated by the Hindus but also by Sindhis and Maharashtrian people. The festival is known by different names in different states. It is known by the name of ‘Ugadi’ by the people of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and by the name of ‘Gudi Padwa’ by the people of Maharashtra and Cheti Chand by Sindhis. Each state has its way of celebrating this festival.

How the festival is celebrated?

The festival of Ugadi is celebrated in April every year. On this day, all the people of the state unite and enjoy to the fullest together. The festival falls according to the lunisolar calendar. It is the first day of the New Year and the people welcome the first day with great joy and celebrations. It is believed that if the first day of the starting year is spent happily, enjoyment will follow the rest of the year. At this festival, all the people welcome the first day of the year with a great celebration. They also wear new and traditional clothes and prepare a special dish called ‘Ugadi Pachadi’ for relatives and friends. 

The special dish is made using ingredients like raw mango, neem, jaggery, tamarind with chilly and salt in it. Other popular dishes are also prepared including bobbatlu, holige, puliogure, and pulihora. Besides this, people also display a chain of mango leaves on their door to welcome happiness in their life.