Ugadi

The word Ugadi literally means a ‘new era’.  Ugadi is the also one among the renowned telugu festivals better known as the Telugu New Year day which begins in the month of The Chaitra (April or May) which heralds joy, peace  and prosperity. The people in the region celebrate this day with enthusiasm and the celebrations for the festival begins weeks prior to the festival. Ugadi is also an occasion for cultural activities, Poets join together and recite poems in Kavisammelans.  The celebrations for the festival begins weeks before the  festival. On the festival day, people decorate their house entrances with  mango leaves to please their beloved deities.  ‘Ugadi Pachadi’ is a famous  dish that is associated with the festival. The delicacy contains six types of  ingredients to signify the six different flavours in life.Ugadi Pachadi is a special dish made on this day, which symbolizes the essence of life. Here are the ingredients used to make this dish and what it symbolizes -  Jaggery (sweet) - happiness Salt (salty) - interest in life Tamarind (sour) - challenges Neem flowers (bitter) - difficulties in life Raw mango (tangy) - surprises and new challenges Chilli powder (spicy) - angry moments in one’s lifeThe dish is significant as it has all the tastes of life It teaches that life is a mixture of all the emotions Each and every ritual followed on this day has its own significance Hanging of mango leaves and placing a kalash near the door or the calling of the priest to make the yearly forecast are all part of Ugadi significance and symbolism.