Ugadi
Ugadi is Samvastsaradi, a New Year and it is first Hindu festival based on lunar calendar. There are 12 months in Gregorian calendar from January to December. There are 13 months in Hindu calendar, but Dhanurmasam overlaps with Margashirsha and Pushya months. Therefore Hindu Calendar is also calculated as 12 months from Chaitra to Phalguna. Once in three years Purushotham Month, Adik Month, Mala Masa, extra month occurs as 14th Month and it may occur in any month. The first month in Hindu Calendar is called as Chaitra, wherein Chitra Nakshatra occur on Purnima thiti. This month is celebrated as Ugadi.
Ugadi is formerly Yugadi Yug+Adi which means end of pervious age or era and beggining of New age or era with new hopes. According to Hindu mythology first yug is Satya yug or Krutha Yug, Second is Tryeta yug. Third is Dwaparyug and current is Kaliyug. Lord Brahma started his creation on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. According to Bhagavat Puran in Satya yug the Demon Pralamba seized four vedas and kept under ocean, then Brahma prayed Lord Vishnu to get back four vedas. Lord Vishnu incarnated as Matsya avatar and killed demon in regin of ManuUttam and retrieved Vedas to Brahma on this Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. Kruthya Yug or Satya Yug started on Vaishaka Shukla Tritiya on Akshya Tritiya. In Mahabharat period next day of Sankranti is celebrated as new year. So Yugadi vary from Age to Ages. Chaitra month falls on spring season.
There are six seasons divided among twelve months of two months duration each in a year. Spring season, Vasant Ruthu falls on Chaitra and Vaishaka Months. Summer season, Grushma Ruthu in Jyestha and Ashada month. Monsoon season, Varsha Ruthu for Shravan and Bhadrapada month. Autumn season, Sharad Ruthu comes on Ashwin and Kartik month. Pre-winter season Hemant Ruthu in Margashirsha and Pushya month. Winter season, Shishir Ruthu for Magha and Phalguna month. Ugadi comes in Spring season of Chaitra and Vaishaka months and said to be Madhumasam and Vasant
Masam. Vasant is called Vishnu and also son of Brahma, brother of Kamdeva. In Bhagavat Geeta Lord Krishna said :
“ Masanam Margashirshoham ruthchaam kusumakara:”
He says Margashirsha month and Spring season are most important in materialistic and spiritual life.
In early hours of Ugadi important ritual is taking Abhyanga snan which means apply scented oil like Badam or Navaratan from toe to hair and add neem flowers, neem leaves, turmeric in hot water and take shower bath with scented bath powder and shampoo. Wear new clothes, decorate main door with Mango and neem leaves, perform pooja, visit temple, take blessings of elders, greet family and friends, recite or listen Panchanga, a new year Hindu Calender. The Hindu Calendar is based on Astrology caluclated on lunisolar cycle of stars and planets. It is called Amavasyant and Purnimant. Sun transit from one Zodiac sign to another sign called as Purnimant. Moon complete its cycle from Amavasya tithi to Amavasya known as Amavasyant. Ugadi is further caluclated on Chandra Nadi and Surya Nadi. Chandra nadi is based on last Thursday of Shukla Paksha and Surya nadi is based on last Thursday of Krishna Paksha. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are Chandra Nadi days. Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are Surya Nadi days. Astrologers ascertain position of Saturn and Jupiter with their benefic and malafic results. In Spring season two Navaratri occurs one is Chaitra Navratri and Narasimha Navratri in Vaishaka month. There are 60 years with their respective names. This year is named as Shubhakrutha. Each year a unique God is headed by a new king with his ministers to give specific results. Devotees and Sadhak can perform sadhana in Navaratri with blessings of well known person.
The another ritual is preparing Ugadi pachadi a delicious dish consists of six tastes, Shadruchulu. Sweet, sour, salt, spicy, bitter and tangy represent valuable meaning of life. It is holy and easy to prepare receipe. Take new earthen pot wash it thorughly keep it aside. Soak new tamarind in cold water for an hour. Cut mangoes into small pieces either peel it or not. Get few fresh neem flowers, new piece of jaggery, pinch of Hing (Asafoetida), salt to taste. Take Pulp of Tamarind and pour in new pot, add water for good consistency, add mango pieces, jaggery, salt. Hing and lastly rub neem flowers in palm add it to water. Some may add banana or sugarcane pieces according to their taste. Now offer to God, first eat this chutney and then eat your traditional food.
Ugadi is celebrated in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, and Gudi Padwa is observed in Maharashtra. Both festivals mark the New Year and will be celebrated on April 10, 2025. These are national festivals in India with public holidays.
Vishu, the Malayali New Year in Kerala, will be celebrated on April 15, 2025.
Baisakhi, the Sikh New Year in Punjab, will be celebrated on April 14, 2025.
Pohela Boishakh, the Bengali New Year in West Bengal, will be celebrated on April 15, 2025.
Aakhar Bichhor (or Jude Sheetal/ Jur Sital), the Maithili New Year in Bihar and Jharkhand, will be celebrated on April 14, 2025.
Bohag Bihu, the Assamese New Year celebrated in the North-Eastern states of Assam, will span three days from April 14 to April 16, 2025.
Deepavali (Diwali), followed by the Gujarati New Year, will be celebrated on November 12 and November 13, 2025, respectively.
