As the gorgeous colors of Holi starts evanescing, spring begins to spread its sprightliness and freshness all around. With this comes Ugadi or Tamil New Year, the festival of joy, contentment and happiness.

The Ugadi festival is observed on the "Chaitra Shudhdha Paadyami" that is the 1st day of the Chaitra month. As per the Gregorian calendar this coincides with either March or April. In the year 2010, Ugadi was observed on March 16, while Ugadi 2011 will be celebrated on 4th of April. There is a common belief prevalent among the people that it is on this Tamil New Year or the Ugadi Day, that Lord Brahma, the Hindu pantheon created the world.

The festival of Ugadi is celebrated in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra with immense enthusiasm and festive fervor. While it is known as Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the state of Maharashtra refers to it as Gudipadawa. Ugadi or Tamil New Year also commemorates the commencement of a Hindu lunar calendar.

The name Ugadi has been altered from Yuga Aadi. The term Yugadi has been derived from 'Yuga' meaning the 'era' or 'epoch', and 'aadi' meaning 'the beginning'. Hence Yugadi or Ugadi means the beginning of a new age.

Ugadi- Celebrations and Rituals

Preparation for the Ugadi celebrations starts almost a week ahead. On the Ugadi day, people prepare themselves by waking up early in the morning and taking a head bath. Next, it is time for the Ugadi decoration wherein, the houses are cleaned and entrances are adorned with fresh mango leaves, which are the symbol for well being and good crops. In the villages, the houses are also plastered with cow-dung on the Tamil New Year Day. Colorful rangolis and floral designs are made by the women and children. The Ugadi rituals include the everyday ritualistic worship of God that is performed to invoke His blessings, before starting off with a new year. People engage themselves in praying for wealth, health and prosperity.

Happiness and excitement of people knows no bounds as they get involved in shopping for new clothes, items for rituals, gifts for the dear ones etc. While the raw mangoes fill the air with their sweet aroma, the blossomed Neem on the other hand makes the environment healthy. Its time to take pleasure in the lip-smacking delicacies and the Ugadi special dishes such as "Ugadi Pachchadi" made with the combination of jaggery, tamarind, neem flowers and raw mango. A fascinating fact behind the preparation of this particular item on the auspicious occasion of Ugadi is that, it gives out a message about life; life is all about sorrows and joy, bad and good and we have to treat them alike! Isn’t that interesting?

In the state of Andhra Pradesh, dishes like "Bobbatlu", "Pulihora", and other preparations of raw mango is typical to the Ugadi festival. In Karnataka also similar kind of dishes are made on this occasion like "Puliogure" and "Holige". Sweet Rotis and Puran Polis are made by the Maharashtrians. .

One of the typical yet unique features of the Ugadi or Tamil New Year happens to be the poetry recitation or “Kavi Sammelanam”. This literary feast acts as a platform for the upcoming poets to showcase their talent. Poems written on various topics ranging from Ugadi and politics to modern trends and social causes are presented to the people.

Significance of Ugadi

The most significant fact about the festival of Ugadi or Tamil New Year is the fact that the festival comes with a very important and relevant message for all to remember throughout their lives. All the experience that you have, good or bad must be treated with absolute equanimity. Whatever happens through out the year must be taken up calmly and faced gracefully. People should learn to rise above the happiness and sorrows, failure and success.

Apart from this, there are other significances of Ugadi as well. People believe that, it is on the Ugadi Day that the Creator of the World, Lord Brahma, created this whole Universe. Ugadi signifies the beginning of a new year and a new and a day, the arrival of the spring, new life, new and fresh beginning, vibrancy, life, color, growth, well-being and prosperity.

It is also believed that the Ugadi will mark the beginning of a new age or yuga that is the Satyuga. This will be the next upcoming age after the Kaliyuga, for the everlasting World Drama Cycle. Ugadi will usher in a new age, a new era that is believed to come after every 5000 years, wherein each yuga has 1250 years. This new age would inculcate divine and spiritual virtues within men and fill the soul with Godly knowledge. So time has come when we need to purify ourselves and take in the divine virtues.

The other significance of the Tamil New Year is that it commemorates the commencement of a new lunar calendar for the Hindus along with an alteration in the orbit of the moon. On this day, divine mantras are uttered and predictions are also made for upcoming New Year.

Ugadi bears a cultural significance as well. The festival acts as a great platform for the budding poets to display their talents. Kavi Sammelanam or poetry recital is an important feature of this festival. This provides the poets especially the upcoming ones with a stage to present their poems. The talented poets who would otherwise have got lost in the crowd, at least gets a chance to come up with their work.

Ugadi is considered to be the most auspicious and sacred time to start on a new venture. It is the festival of colorful and diverse shades. Ushering in the New Year, Ugadi or the Tamil New Year brings with it a rich flora, filling up people’s heart with contentment and joy. It is time to do away with all the sorrow and be a part of the happiness and glee around. People take this opportunity to exchange gifts, gather for family get together, thereby spreading love all around and praying for each other.



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