Sunil Kumar D. and Geetha Patil
In 2024, Ugadi or Yugadi, also known as Samvatsarādi, is New Year’s Day falls on 9 April (Tuesday). However, every year, the festival of Yugadi is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra Masa of Sanatani Lunar calendar, also known as Chaitra Navratri.
The word Yugadi or Ugadi is derived from the Sanskrit words, Yuga (age) and Adi (beginning), which literally means ‘The beginning of a new age.’ The Kannadiga people use the term Yugadi while Telugu people use the term Ugadi for this festival.
On the same day, Marathi and Konkani Sanatanis celebrate Gudi Padwa – the traditional New Year in Maharashtra and Goa. Sanatanis in the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, as well as, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and, Daman and Diu, also celebrate the same day. People celebrate the first day of a new year under different names, which announces the beginning of something new.
What is the spiritual significance of Ugadi?
The festival of Ugadi holds a great significance and it is considered to mark the arrival of spring. It is time for a new life and new beginnings. It is also regarded as the festival of knowledge and wisdom. On this day, people pray for knowledge and wisdom for the New Year.
What are the Yugadi legends?
According to a popular age-old legend associated with the origin of Ugadi festival is that Lord Brahma began the creation of the universe on the Yugadi day.
Historically, Ugadi marks the first day of the creation of the universe. According to the Sanatani scriptures, Lord Vishnu also known as is Yugaadikrit, which means the creator of the Yugas or ages. On the day of Ugadi, devotees worship Lord Vishnu and seek his blessings for a happy and prosperous life.
What is the history and significance of Yugadi?
In the 12th century, Sanatani mathematician Bhaskaracharya identified Yugadi as the beginning of the New Year. The festival marks the onset of spring and the milder weather after the harsh winter. This joyous occasion is celebrated with happiness, togetherness with near, and dear ones. People also buy gifts such as new clothes for their loved ones, give alms to charity, prepare special dishes, and visit temples to pray.
What are the Yugadi rituals and their significance?
Preparations for Yugadi festival begin a week ahead. Homes are given a thorough cleaning. On the day of Yugadi, the traditional ritual begins with an oil bath followed by prayers. Oil bath and eating Neem flower Pachadi/Bevu-Bella mixture are the must rituals suggested by Sanatana scriptures. A super-simple Ugadi (New Year) special Pachadi, more like a drink prepared with six different ingredients. People draw colorful Rangoli/Muggulu in entrance of the main door and put mango leaves decorations on the doors called Torana.
Giving gifts to close relatives and charity to the poor, special bath followed by oil treatment with Neem leaves boiled water, preparing and sharing a special recipe Bevu-Bella/Pachadi drink, and visiting temples either in the morning or in evening with family members are some of the common practices followed on this day.
What does Ugadi Pachadi represent?
Ugadi Pachadi/Bevu-Bella drink is one of the most important Ugadi recipes that is prepared on the day and is offered to Gods for seeking their blessings for the year ahead. This is the first food we consume on the day of Ugadi after offering it to god.
There are slight variations of making this recipe. Some of the other ingredients that are used for making this tastier are roasted Chena Dal (Putnalu Pappu), cashews, almonds, raisins, and sliced bananas.
The Bevu-Bella/Pachadi drink is famous and a must have food on Yugadi day. It combines all six flavors – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and piquant/spice. In Telugu and Kannada Sanatani traditions, it is a symbolic reminder that one must expect all flavors of experiences in the coming New Year and make the most of them. It signifies that life is a mixture of happiness, sadness, anger, disgust, fear and surprise.
- Sweet taste comes from Jaggery and it symbolizes happiness
- Astringent or pungent state comes from raw unripe mango and it symbolizes surprise in life
- Bitter taste comes from Neem flowers, which represents sadness
- Sour taste comes from the tamarind and symbolizes unpleasantness
- Salty state is from salt and represents fear of the unknown phase
- Hot and spicy states comes from pepper and symbolizes anger
What are the benefits of Ugadi Pachadi?
Ugadi Pachadi/Bevu-Bella drink is rich in antioxidants and vitamins and is believed to aid digestion.
Tamarind that is sour in taste, an important ingredient in the Ugadi Pachadi/Bevu-Bella helps improve the digestion as well as help ease the stomach from any discomfort. It also helps in reducing the inflammation throughout the body and it lowers the cholesterol level. Tamarind also tends to improve the skin condition and reduces fever.
Jaggery used in the recipe is high in iron and aids digestion. Jaggery flushes out toxins and cleanses the liver.
Bitter neem flowers purify the blood and have antibacterial/anti-fungal properties.
Raw Mango and Tamarind fight infections, help in indigestion.
Pepper improves immunity and fights skin infections.
Salt prevents dehydration and adds to the loss of sodium in our body that occurs due to excessive sweating in summer.
What are the Yugadi/Ugadi special dishes?
There are many special dishes prepared for the Ugadi festival in Karnataka such as Holige, Vobattu, Karigadabu, Shavige Payasam, Saaru, Mavinakayi Chitranna, Mysore Bonda, Beans Palya, dal, plain rice, and the most popular Kosambari recipe.
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, people prepare Pulihora, Bobbattu, Poornam Boorelu also known as Poornalu, Lemon Rice also referred to as Chitranna or Nimmakaya Pulihora, curd rice also known as Thayir Sadam or Daddojanam, Sweet Pongal also called Sakkarai Pongal or Chakkara Pongal, Paal/rice Payasam, Moong dal Payasam. Tamarind rice, Keshar Bhat, Medu Vada and Kosambari.
