Press Reports
INDIA, March 30, 2006: Today is the start of the new lunar calendar year, Ugaadi, for people of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. New year on the same calendar is known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra. Ugadi signifies the first day of the month of Chaitra (March-April) in Lunar Calendar. It is believed that Lord Brahma began the creation of the universe on this auspicious day – Chaitra suddha padhyami. The Telugu & Kannada people celebrate Ugaadi with great fanfare. The day begins with ritual showers followed by prayers, and then the eating of a special mixture called Ugadi Pachhadi in Telugu and Bevu-Bella in Kannada. It has Neem leaves for bitterness, jaggery for sweetness, raw mango for vagaru, tamarind juice for sour, green chili for hot, salt for salty taste symbolizing the fact that life is a mixture of experiences that should be accepted together with equanimity. On the Ugadi day people decorate their houses with mango leaves and rangoli designs, pray for a prosperous new year and visit the temples to listen to the yearly calendar – Panchanga-sravanam as priests make predictions for the coming year. Ugadi is also an auspicious day to embark on any new endeavor. Ugadi celebrations are also marked by literary discussions, poetry recitations and recognition of authors of literary works through awards and cultural programs called Kavi Sammelanam. Recitals of classical carnatic music and dance are held in the evenings.
In Maharashtra, it is customary to erect Gudis on the first day (Padwa) of the Marathi New Year. A Gudi is a bamboo staff with a colored silk cloth and a garlanded goblet atop it, which symbolizes victory or achievement. This is also common in Trinidad. The New Year is ushered in with the worship of the Gudi and the distribution of a specific prasadam comprising tender neem leaves, gram-pulse and jaggery.