Ugadi 2024 - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. Ugadi, also known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, is the New Year festival celebrated by people in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
- 2. Ugadi falls on the first day of the month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar, which usually corresponds to March or April in the Gregorian calendar.
- 3. The word Ugadi is derived from the Sanskrit words "Yuga" meaning age and "Adi" meaning beginning, symbolizing the beginning of a new age.
- 4. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and involves various rituals and traditions to usher in the New Year on a positive note.
- 5. One of the key rituals of Ugadi is the preparation of a special dish called "Ugadi Pachadi," which is a mixture of six different tastes - sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent, symbolizing the different experiences of life.
- 6. People clean their homes, wear new clothes, offer prayers to the gods, and decorate their houses with mango leaves and flowers to mark the occasion.
- 7. Special puja ceremonies are performed at temples, and people seek blessings for a prosperous and successful year ahead.
- 8. Ugadi is also a time for family gatherings and feasting on traditional dishes like pulihora (tamarind rice), bobbatlu (sweet flatbread), and other festive delicacies.
- 9. In Maharashtra, Gudi Padwa is celebrated by hoisting a gudi (flag) outside the house, symbolizing victory and prosperity.
- 10. Overall, Ugadi is a time of joy, hope, and renewal, as people come together to celebrate the beginning of a new year filled with blessings and happiness.