Ugadi (22.03.2023) (Yugadi, Samvatsarādi)
-Rohit Kumar Parmar [1]
Pic Ug 01 Ugadi Pachadi
Yugadi is derived from Sanskrit words yuga (age) and ādi (beginning): i.e. `the beginning of a new age’. Ugadi (in Telugu ఉగాది), Yugadi (in Kannadiga - ಯುಗಾದಿ), Samvatsarādi, Chaitra Suddha Paadyami or New Year for people hailing/ belonging to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana in India, is festively observed on the first day of Chaitra Maas (corresponding to March/April of the Gregorian calendar).
The year 2023-24 is called `Shubhkruth’, with `Shubh’, meaning auspicious/ good, and `Subhakruth’ meaning filled with auspicious, good deeds/fortune.
Shubhkruth is the 36th year in the 60-year Hindu calendar cycle, and is in the second part, assigned to Vishnu. 60 Samvatsaras (year in Sanskrit, used in Vedic/other ancient texts) are divided into 3 parts and each part has 20 Samvatsaras. [2] The first 20 are assigned to Brahma, the next 20 to Vishnu and the last 20 to Shiva.
Chaitra Navratri begins with Ugadi and ends with Ram Navami in large parts of India. The festival has several regional variations in the celebrations :
Gudi Padava in Maharashtra. On Gudi Padava, a bright yellow, orange or green cloth is tied to the tip of a long bamboo with gaathi (sugar crystals), neem leaves, twig of mango leaves and a garland of red flowers. A silver or copper pot is placed in the inverted position over it, which is called a Gudi.
Pic Ug 02 Gudi Padwa
Navreh, when Kashmiri pundits, celebrate New Year with Navreh thaal consisting of un-husked rice, variants of rotis, curd, sugar candy, walnuts, almonds, salt, flowers, a silver coin, a mirror, a pen and the new panchanga (almanac).
Cheti Chand New Year for Sindhis (in India and Pakistan), celebrated on the second day of Chaitra Maas, when people worship water – the elixir of life, in honour of the birth of Ishta Dev Uderolal (Jhulelal), the patron saint of the Sindhis.
Thapna, the New Year as per Rajasthani calendar (Marwari Miti).
Sajibu Nongma Panba (Manipur), is the lunar new year’s eve celebrated with family, gatherings, feasts and offerings. After the feast, family members climb a specially made hillock to pay tribute to the God of hills, signifying elevation of the spirit to a divine height.
This year, the new year festivals of Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Navreh, Cheti Chand, also coincide with the beginning of the month of Ramzan.
It is believed that Lord Brahma began creating the world on Ugadi, referring to the present Yuga i.e. the Kalyug. [3]
Ugadi is another festival coinciding with the onset of spring and the harvest season. This day is considered auspicious to start new ventures. All business transactions are carried out after certain religious ceremonies that bring good luck, wealth and prosperity.
The day is observed by drawing designs on the floor called Muggulu (Kannada: Rangoli), (Pic Ug 03); mango leaf decorations on entrance/doors called torana (Kannada: torana, Telugu: toranalu), (Pic Ug 04); praying at home and in temples; charity; exchanging gifts; taking special bath followed by perfume/oil treatment; buying new clothes; preparing and sharing a special food called pachadi. Medieval texts and inscriptions record major charitable donations to Hindu temples and community centers on Ugadi.
Muggulu (Telugu: ముగ్గు) (Pic Ug 03)
Muggulu is a form of art using rice flour, chalk, chalk powder or rock powder sometimes with natural and/or synthetic colours. Female family members clean the entrance of their house with water and apply wet mud and cow dung paste, and then draw Muggulu.
Pic Ug 03 Moggulu at the entrance
The purpose of the decoration is that ants do not have to walk too long for a meal. The rice powder also invites birds and other small creatures to eat it, suggesting harmony with nature.
Pic Ug 04 Mango leaf decorations (toranalu) on entrance/door
The practice of Muggulu/Kollams is present in Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and some parts of Goa and Maharashtra, as well as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and a few other Asian countries.
Festive food pachadi (Pic Ug 01) is prepared- ingredients, taste and significance of which are
jaggery, sweet and signifying happiness;
tamarind paste, sour and signifying unpleasantness;
raw mangoes, pungent and signifying unexpected/surprises in life;
neem flowers, (Pic Ug 05) bitter and signifying sadness;
salt, salty and signifying fear of unknown phase;
chilli, hot/spicy and signifying anger.
In Telugu and Kannada traditions, it is a symbolic reminder that one must expect all flavours of experience in the coming year and enjoy them.
The use of raw mango precedes ripe mangoes, especially in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. Tender neem flowers (Pic Ug 05) used in pachadi help clean the gut of toxins and work as an antibiotic for the upcoming summer heat.
Pic Ug 05 Tender neem flowers
Special dishes are prepared for the occasion.
Pulihora: Prepared with cooked rice, besan (chickpea flour), urad (split and washed/peeled black gram) dal and peanuts/ This delicacy is among the favourite of people celebrating this festival.
Bobbatlu: (bobbattu or baksham or oliga or bhakshalu or pole/ polae in Telugu, holige or obbattu in Kannada, puran puri or vedmi in Gujarati, puran poli (पुरणपोळी) in Marathi, payasabolli or simply bolli in Malayalam, poli or uppittu Tamil, and ubbatti or simply poli in Konkani. Payasabolli is usually served with paal payasam in meals and feasts in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Pic Ug 06 Puran Poli, Boli,
[1] Author (Free lance, IES Retd, Former Senior Economic Adviser, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution) has in posts on his website (https://rohitkparmar.wixsite.com/site), YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@rohitkparmar), twitter (https://twitter.com/rohitkparmar?s=09), facebook (https://www.facebook.com/rohit.parmar.5268750/), Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit-kumar-parmar-841b4724) been writing/ sharing varied topics and can be reached at rohitkparmar@yahoo.com. [2] The ancient text Surya Siddhanta calculates a samvatsara to be about 361 days, 4 days less than a solar year. One complete orbit of Brihaspati (Jupiter) through all the twelve signs of the zodiac, approximately equals twelve solar years. Five such orbits of Jupiter are referred to as a samvatsara chakra. [3] As per Hindu scriptures, there are 4 Yugas - Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga and Kali Yuga (current yug), in this order.
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