Ugadi holds a special place in the South Indian states of India. It is a Hindu festival that marks the new year according to the Hindu calendar, which is celebrated on the first day of the “Chaitra” month.

This year Ugadi falls on 9th April 2024, Tuesday. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it is known as “Ugadi” and in Karnataka as “Yugadi”. 

March is a month of festivals. If you wish to know more about them, you can visit

What does Ugadi mean?

Ugadi is one the most important and historical festivals in South Indian states. Ugadi is extracted from two Sanskrit words, yuga and adi, where yuga means age and adi means beginning, which translates to “the beginning of a new age”.

According to the Hindu calendar, Ugadi is observed on the first day of the bright half of the Chaitra month, also known as Chaitra Shudhdha Paadyami. This generally falls in late March or early April. 

Why Ugadi is celebrated?

According to Hindu mythology, it is said that on the day of Ugadi, lord Brahma started the creation of the Universe. This is also celebrated because it marks the beginning of milder weather in spring after the harsh winter. Apart from this, it is also said that lord Krishna left the world on the occasion of Ugadi. 

How Ugadi is celebrated in South India?

Ugadi is a Hindu festival that is celebrated in the South Indian states, which include Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Telangana. On the occasion of Ugadi, people clean and decorate the entire house with mango leaves on doors.

The house’s entrance is cleaned with water and cow dung paste and then decorated with beautiful rangoli or floral designs called Muggulu. 

People also follow the tradition of buying and giving gifts to each other, charity to the poor, worshipping and visiting temples, a special shower after oil massages are performed, and a special food is prepared and shared called pachadi.

It is believed that Pachadi should be consumed because it symbolises all experiences coming in the new year, and one must have the strength to cope with them.

Pachadi is a kind of south Indian dish that contains all flavours- sweet, sour, salty, bitter and piquant.

Conclusion

Ugadi is one of the religious zeal festivals among Hindus, which is especially followed in South Indian states, including Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Ugadi is derived from the Sanskrit word, which says “the beginning of the new year”.

On this occasion, people decorate their houses with rangoli and mango leaves. People buy new clothes like dhoti and prepare a special dish called “Pachadi”, which symbolizes all the flavours of life.

According to the legend, it is believed that on the day of Ugadi, lord Brahma started the creation of the Universe and also said that lord Krishna had left the world on this particular day. Ugadi marks the festival of joy, hope and light among the people. 

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Ugadi is almost here, and if you want to know more about it, this article is for you. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us. We welcome your contributions to the conversation.

Thank you for your valuable time in reading this article, and we look forward to hearing from you.