Happy Ugadi to all the readers. May the Lord bless you and your family with good health and prosperity all through this new year, “Manmatha” Samvatsara.
This year Ugadi is celebrated on 21 March 2015.
Ugadi/Yugadi (Kannada: ಯುಗಾದಿ)
The word Yugadi canbe explained as; ‘Yuga’ is the word for ‘epoch’ or ‘era’, and ‘aadi’ stands for ‘the beginning’. Yugadi specifically refers to the start of the age we are living in now, Kali Yuga. Kali Yuga started the moment when Lord Krishna left the world. Maharishi Vedavyasa describes this event with the words “Yesmin Krishno divamvyataha, Tasmateeva pratipannam Kaliyugam”.Kali Yuga began on Feb 17/18 mid-night 3102 BC.
Indian calendar reckons dates based on the Shalivahana era (Shalivahana Shaka), which begins its count from the supposed date of the founding of the Empire by the legendary hero Shalivahana. 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.
In the terminology used by this lunar calendar (also each year is identified as per Indian Calendar) Yugadi falls on “Chaitra Shuda Paadyami” or the first day of the bright half of the Indian month of Chaitra. This generally falls in the months of March or April of the Gregorian calendar. In 2015, Ugadi falls on 21 March 2015.Lunar calendars have a sixty year cycle (Samvatsaras) and starts the new year on Yugadi i.e., on “ChaitraSudhdha Paadyami”. After the completion of sixty years, the calendar starts anew with the first year.This year it is “Manmatha” Samvatsara.
Yugadi (start of New Year) is based on Bhāskara II lunar calculations in 12th century. It starts on the first new moon after Sun crosses equator from south to north on Spring Equinox. However, people celebrate Yugadi on the next morning as Indian day starts from sun rise.
The Karnataka people celebrate the festival with great fanfare; gatherings of the extended family and a sumptuous feast is ‘de rigueur’. The day, however, begins with ritual showers (oil bath) followed by prayers, and then the eating of a specific mixture Bevu-Bella( ಬೇವು-ಬೆಲ್ಲ) – Neem & Jaggery which symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise) which should be accepted together and with equanimity.
Special dishes
In Karnataka a special dish called Obbattu or Holige, is prepared on this occasion. It consists of a filling (Bengal gram and jaggery/sugar boiled and made in to a paste) stuffed in a flat roti like bread. It is usually eaten hot/cold with ghee or milk topping or coconut milk at some places of Karnataka.
Recitation / Reading of Almanac
Later, people traditionally gather to listen to the recitation of the religious Panchanga (almanac) of the New Year, and the general forecast of the year to come. This is called the ‘Panchanga Shravana’, an informal social function where an elderly and respected person refers to the new almanac and makes a general benediction to all present.
Festival Wishes
When you meet any people and want to wish them for New Year, you say In Kannada, “Yugadi Habbada ShubhashayagaLu” (Greetings for the festival of Yugadi) or “Hosa varshada shubhashayagaLu” (Greetings on the new year).
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