Ugadi (Telugu: ఉగాది, Kannada: ಉಗಾದಿ) (literally - the start of an era) is the new year's day for the people of the Deccan region of India. While the people of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka use the term Ugadi for this festival, the people of Maharashtra term the same festival, observed on the same day, Gudi Padwa. Ugadi is celebrated on different day every year because the Hindu calendar is lunisolar calendar. The Saka calendar begins with the month of Chaitra (March/April) and the Ugadi mark the first day of the new year. Telugu (తెలుగు) is a Dravidian language in origin, primarily spoken in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, where it is the official language. ... Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ ) is one of the major Dravidian languages of southern India and one of the oldest languages in India. ... The Deccan Plateau is a vast plateau in India, encompassing most of Central and Southern India. ... Andhra Pradesh  : (Telugu: ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్, Urdu: آندھرا پردیش, IPA: ), is a state in South India. ... Karnātakā   (Kannada: ಕನಾ೯ಟಕ) (IPA: ) is one of the four southern states of India. ... Maharashtra   (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , English: , IPA: ) is Indias third largest state in terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar Pradesh. ... // The celebration of springtime and harvest Gudi Padwa is a holiday celebrated in India. ... A page from the Hindu calendar 1871-72. ... A lunisolar calendar is a calendar whose date indicates both the moon phase and the time of the solar year. ...

The Lunar Almanac of the Deccan

The festival marks the new year day for people who follow the southern Indian lunar calendar, pervasively adhered to in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. This calendar reckons dates based on the Salivahana era (Salivahana Saka), which begins its count from the supposed date of the founding of the Empire by the legendary hero Salivahana. The Satavahana king Shalivahana (also identified as Gautamiputra Satakarni) is credited with the initiation of this era known as Shalivahana. The Salivahana era begins its count of years from the year corresponding to 78 AD of the Gregorian calendar. Thus, the year 2000 AD corresponds to the year 1922 of the Salivahana Era. South India is a geographic and linguistic-cultural region of India. ... It has been suggested that lunar year be merged into this article or section. ... Andhra Pradesh  : (Telugu: ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్, Urdu: آندھرا پردیش, IPA: ), is a state in South India. ... Karnātakā   (Kannada: ಕನಾ೯ಟಕ) (IPA: ) is one of the four southern states of India. ... Maharashtra   (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , English: , IPA: ) is Indias third largest state in terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar Pradesh. ... The Sātavāhanas (Marathi:सातवाहन Telugu:సాతవాహనులు), also known as the Andhras, were a dynasty which ruled from Junnar, Pune over Southern and Central India starting from around 230 BCE. Although there is some controversy about when the dynasty came to an end, the most liberal estimates suggest that it lasted... The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used calendar in the world. ...

In the terminology used by this lunar calendar, Ugadi falls on Chaitra Sudhdha Paadyami or the first day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Chaitra. This generally falls in the months of March or April of the Gregorian calendar. In 2007, Ugadi fall on March 19th. It has been suggested that lunar year be merged into this article or section. ... Chaitra (Hindi: चैत cait or चैत्र caitr) is a month of the Hindu calendar. ... The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used calendar in the world. ...

Observance in Andhra and Karnataka

The Telugu and Kannada people celebrate the festival with great fanfare; gatherings of the extended family and a sumptuous feast are de rigueur. The day, however, begins with ritual showers followed by prayers, and then the eating of a specific mixture of - Telugu (తెలుగు) is a Dravidian language in origin, primarily spoken in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, where it is the official language. ... Kannada - aptly described as sirigannada (known to few as Kanarese) is one of the oldest Dravidian languages and is spoken in its various dialects by roughly 45 million people. ...

• Neem Buds/Flowers for Bitterness
• Jaggery for Sweetness
• Raw Mango for Vagaru
• Tamarind Juice for sour

This mixture, called "Ugadi Pachhadi"(ఉగాది పచ్చడి) in Telugu and "Bevu-Bella"(ಬೇವು-ಬೆಲ್ಲ ) in Kannada, symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of pleasure and pain, which should be accepted together and with equanimity. Certain communities in Andhra Pradesh prepare a more elaborate sauce, called Ugadi Pachchadi, which is a paste of tamarind, jaggery, mango, neem Buds/Flowers etc. The symbolism and significance of the preparation is the same. Binomial name Azadirachta indica A.Juss. ... Preparation of Jaggery Jaggery is the traditional unrefined sugar of India. ... Species About 35 species, including: Mangifera altissima Mangifera applanata Mangifera caesia Mangifera camptosperma Mangifera casturi Mangifera decandra Mangifera foetida Mangifera gedebe Mangifera griffithii Mangifera indica Mangifera kemanga Mangifera laurina Mangifera longipes Mangifera macrocarpa Mangifera mekongensis Mangifera odorata Mangifera pajang Mangifera pentandra Mangifera persiciformis Mangifera quadrifida Mangifera siamensis Mangifera similis Mangifera... Binomial name Tamarindus indica L. The Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is the only species of the genus Tamarindus in the family Fabaceae. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Kannada - aptly described as sirigannada (known to few as Kanarese) is one of the oldest Dravidian languages and is spoken in its various dialects by roughly 45 million people. ... Andhra Pradesh  : (Telugu: ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్, Urdu: آندھرا پردیش, IPA: ), is a state in South India. ...

Later, people traditionally gather to listen to the recitation of the religious almanac (Panchangam) of the coming year, and to the general forecast of the year to come. This is the Panchanga Sravanam, an informal social function where an elderly and respected person opens the new almanac pertaining to the coming year and makes a general benediction to all present. The advent of television has changed this routine somewhat, especially in the cities. Nowadays, people turn on the TV to watch the recitation. Panchangam is the official astrological calendar of practicing Hindus. ...

Ugadi celebrations are marked by literary discussions, poetry recitations and recognition of authors of literary works through awards and cultural programmes. Recitals of classical carnatic music and dance are held in the evenings. Carnatic music, also known as or Karnataka Shasthreeya Sangeetha is one of the two styles of Indian classical music, the other being Hindustani music. ...

Observance in Maharashtra

The festival is called "Gudi Padwa" in Maharashtra; it heralds the advent of new year and is one of the most auspicious days for Maharashtrians.

It is customary to erect ‘Gudis’ on the first day (Padwa) of the Marathi New Year. 'Gudi' is a bamboo staff with a colored silk cloth and a garlanded goblet atop it, which symbolizes victory or achievement. Hence, this day is known as “Gudipadwa” in Maharashtra. 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. The symbolism of tastes is the same as what is described above.

Trivia

• Vasanta Navaratri (literally - The 9-night Spring festival) starts on this day and culminates nine days later on Sri Ramanavami which falls on Chaitra Sudhdha Navami.
• The new year as per the Solar calendar followed by the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala falls around the same time of the year, in March-April.
• The Punjabi new year, Baisakhi, falls soon after Ugadi.

Spring is one of the four seasons of temperate zones, the transition from winter into summer. ... Rama Navami falls on the ninth day of a Hindu lunar year (or Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami). ... A solar calendar is a calendar whose dates indicate the position of the earth on its revolution around the sun (or equivalently the apparent position of the sun moving on the celestial sphere). ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ...   (IPA: ; , Written as േകരളം in the native language Malayalam) is a state on the Western Coast of south-western India. ... Traditional fervour and gaiety mark the celebrations of Baisakhi, which stands for the dawn of a new year in north India. ...

See also

• Yuga
• Vedic Timeline
• Hindu calendar
• Jyotish

Yuga (Devnāgari: युग) in Hindu philosophy refers to an epoch or era within a cycle of four ages: the Satya Yuga (or Krita Yuga), the Treta Yuga, the Dvapara Yuga, and finally the Kali Yuga. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A page from the Hindu calendar 1871-72. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

External link

• Ugadi, Ugadi Pachachadi
• Ugadi, About Ugadi

Festivals in the Hindu calendar

Sankranti | Hosa Varsha | Gowri Habba | Anantana Vrata | Bheemana Amaavaase | Satyanarayana Pooja | Datta Jayanti | Pongal | Holi | Ugadi | Vishu | Rama Navami | Krishna Janmaashtami | Onam | Ganesh Chaturthi | Vaisakhi | Navratri | Durga Puja | Vijayadashami | Dasara | Karwa Chauth | Deepawali | Thaipusam | Maha Shivaratri | Ekadasi | Mahalakshmi vrata | Raksha Bandhan | Bhai-Dooj/Bhau-Beej | Puthandu v • d • e