Ugadi 2018

While states like Maharashtra, celebrate their Lunar New Year’s Day as Gudi Padwa, people of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana celebrate it as Ugadi. Ugadi is also known as ‘Chaitra Suddha Padhyami’.

The Lunar New Year's Day(Ugadi) varies every year as it begins on the first New Moon after the Spring Equinox. It generally falls between March/April of the Gregorian calendar.

The name Ugadi/Yugadi originated from the Sanskrit words; ‘Yuga’(age) and ‘Adi’(starting).

Ugadi celebrates the arrival of the spring season and signifies prosperity. As spring brings in new leaves, new buds, bright sunlight and nature seem to awaken from its long winter slumber, so does the festival signify the birth of a new era.

According to Hindu mythology, the creator of the world, Lord Brahma, started his creation on this day. Thus, Lord Brahma, is worshipped on this day along with Lord Vishnu, who is the creator of ‘Yugas’(Another name of Lord Vishnu is ‘Yugaadikrit’).

This day is considered very auspicious for starting any new venture or for making new investments.

Preparations for the festival start a week before. Thorough cleaning of the house is done. New clothes are bought for everyone in the family.

On the day of the festival; ladies of the house make a beautiful and colourful ‘rangoli’ at the entrance of the house. A ‘toran’ made of fresh mango leaves, is hung on the doorway to welcome the New year.

After taking a bath and before eating anything, it is considered auspicious to see one’s reflection in a bowl full of melted ghee. The elderly women of the house, then apply ‘kumkum’ on the foreheads of all family members. The idol of the Lord is given an oil bath and adorned with fresh clothes and garland made of white jasmine flowers. The entire family gets together to offer prayers.

It is customary to worship the ‘Panchang’ after the prayers are over. An elderly person from the house-hold reads out the ‘Panchang’ for everyone to hear.

The food that is prepared, is first offered to the Lord and later distributed as ‘prasad’ among all. Bevu Bella is offered to the Lord and then to every member of the family and also to any guest who comes visiting through the day.

Devotees visit the temple in the evening, to take the blessings of the Lord. The priest reads out the ‘Panchang’ for all to hear. This tradition is called ‘Panchanga Sravanam”. It is considered auspicious to hear the ‘Panchang’ read out by a learned priest.

Special traditional dishes are prepared on this auspicious day as an offering (Neivedyam) to the Lord before it is served to the others. Some of the popular dishes are ‘Pulihora’(a tangy, spicy rice dish), ‘Bobbatlu’(Sweet, Bengal gram-coconut filled dumpling), Sweet Pongal, Mango Pachdi, Moong dal Payasam, Kodhimbir vada etc.

One important ritual during the festival is preparing a special dish called the ‘Ugadi Pachadi’ or Bevu Bella. This dish has various flavours, signifying the different experiences one goes through life-

Jaggery(sweet), symbol for happiness; Tamarind(sour), symbol for challenges; Neem flowers(bitter), symbolising the difficulties of life; Raw mango(tangy), symbolising surprises and new challenges that crop up in life; chillis(spicy), symbolises anger; salt(salty)symbolises interesting things in life.

Ugadi Festival Date and Muhurat 2018

• Ugadi 2016

  8^th April

  Pratipada Tithi Begins = 16:53 on 7/Apr/2016

  Pratipada Tithi Ends = 13:05 on 8/Apr/2016

• Ugadi 2017

  28^th March

  Pratipada Tithi Begins = 08:26 on 28/Mar/2017

  Pratipada Tithi Ends = 05:44 on 29/Mar/2017

• Ugadi 2018

  18^thMarch

  Pratipada Title Begins =18:41 on 17/Mar/2018

  Pratipada Title Ends =18:31 on 18/Mar/2018

• Ugadi 2019

  6^thApril

  Pratipada Title Begins =14:20 on 5/Apr/2019

  Pratipada Title Ends =15:23 on 6/Apr/2019

• Ugadi 2020

  25^thMarch

  Pratipada Title Begins =14:57 on 24/Mar/2020

  Pratipada Title Ends =17:26 on 25/Mar/2020

• Ugadi 2021

  13^thApril

  Pratipada Title Begins =7:59 on 12/Apr/2021

  Pratipada Title Ends =10:16 on 13/Apr/2021

• Ugadi 2022

  2^ndApril

  Pratipada Title Begins =11:53 on 1/Apr/2022

  Pratipada Title Ends =11:57 on 2/Apr/2022

• Ugadi 2023

  22^ndMarch

  Pratipada Title Begins =22:52 on 21/Mar/2023

  Pratipada Title Ends =20:20 on 22/Mar/2023

• Ugadi 2024

  9^thApril

  Pratipada Title Begins =23:49 on 8/Apr/2024

  Pratipada Title Ends =20:30 on 9/Apr/2024

• Ugadi 2025

  30^thMarch

  Pratipada Title Begins =16:26 on 29/Mar/2025

  Pratipada Title Ends =12:48 on 30/Mar/2025

• Ugadi 2026

  19^thMarch

  Pratipada Title Begins =06:52 on 19/Mar/2026

  Pratipada Title Ends =04:51 on 20/Mar/2026

• Ugadi 2027

  7^thApril

  Pratipada Title Begins =05:20 on 7/Apr/2027

  Pratipada Title Ends =04:27 on 8/Apr/2027