Ugadi Celebrations

"Yuga Yugadi Kaledaru,
Yugadi Marali Baruthide
Hosa Varushake, Hosa Harushake
Hosathu Hosathu Tarutide..."




The Song of Yugadi by D.R. Bendre

I've mentioned only a part of the song. Here goes the meaning of the whole song in English.

"Ages after ages,
Millennium after millennium,
The Yugadi keeps on coming!
Bringing with it new joy
of the new year and of a new life.
I can hear the melody of the love-struck beetle,
on the golden lush fields.
As the Yugadi fills my 'neem'-filled life
with the aroma of a tender flower,
renewing the magic of the Master!

As the green leaves of Mango,
in all their magnificence,
wait for the arrow of Kama,
I can see the fleet of parrots,
camouflaged amidst the leaves, rejoicing
and singing the sweet music of a great harvest."



According to the Hindu Mythology, it is believed that Lord Brahma created the Universe on this day and hence the name YUGADI, which means 'Beginning of an era'. Also, the emperor Shalivahana(A.D. 79), who ruled India was crowned on this day. This day is also called as 'Saka era' or 'Shalivahana Saka'.
For Hindus, there are two types of calender:Chandramana(lunar) calender and Souramana(solar) calender. Those who follow the Chandramana (lunar) calender, the festival of Ugadi heralds the beginning of a New Year, celebrated on the first day of the month of Chaitra. The festival marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calender with the change in moon's orbit.




The speciality of Ugadi is that on this day, people partake a mixture of Neem flowers and jaggery. They offer the mixture, which symbolises the fact that life is a combination of happy and sorrowful events and both should be treated equally, to relatives, friends and neighbours.
The Panchanga Sravana or listening to the yearly calender either at temples or homes is a significant event of the day.


The festival is celebrated with religious fervour and grandeur in both cities as well as rural areas. Huge colourful rangolis in the front yards welcome the visitors while mango and neem leaves adorn the entrances.
Ugadi is also celebrated as Vasantha Navarathri(spring season) and Rama Navarathri. Goddess Durga and Lord Rama are worshipped on the occasion.

When it comes to the festival menu, Holige forms the main dish and is also offered as Naivendhem to the Gods.
In Maharashtra, it is celebrated as Gudi Padava. People decorate a bamboo staff with a silk cloth and keep a small silver or copper vessel on the top and tie a flag. They worship and hoist the flag on the terrace. They flag is removed in the evening and sweets are distributed to the family members.
There are sixty Samvastara(year), according to Hindu calender.
This hurt me the most(as given in Panchanga).
This year, it is Vyaya nama Samvastara(Vyaya means heavy expenditure and huge loss) as given in the Hindu Panchanga. The year 1929 was a Vyaya year.