Ugadi celebrated today in great fervor all over Karnataka

Ugadi celebrated today in great fervor all over Karnataka

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, March 23, 2012 : The people of Karnataka residing all over the world are celebrating the New Year, also known as Ugadi, today.

 

The people living to the north of the Vindhyas observe this day as Barhaspatyamana and the people living to the south of the Vindhyas observe it as Sauramana or Chandramana. Those who follow the lunar calendar celebrate Ugadi on the bright fortnight of the first month, also known as Chaitra Masa, the beginning of the spring, the first season of the year.

According to popular Hindu legends, Brahma the creator began creating the world on this day. Bhaskaracharya, the great Indian mathematician, made calculations proclaiming Ugadi as the beginning of the New Year.

Moreover, celebrating the New Year at the beginning of spring is significant because of the presence of new leaves, new shoots, new flowers, and new life all around.

The day is celebrated by offering garlands of jasmine to deities in homes and temples. Traditionally, the Panchangasravanam or the yearly calendar was chanted on temple squares, but today, people can listen to it on TV in the comforts of home.

Preparations for Ugadi begin a day in advance. Houses are given a thorough spring cleaning, new clothes are purchased, and gifts and pooja iems are purchased.

 Ugadi, known as Gudipadava in Maharashtra, is celebrated grandly. People wake up at dawn, take head bath, and decorate the entrance to their homes with fresh mango leaves. They also draw colorful designs called rangolis in front of their houses. They then worship the gods and pray for health, wealth, and prosperity.

Ugadi Pachchadi, a dish made of raw mangoes, new jaggery, neem flowers, and new tamarind, is a special dish of the occasion. It conveys the message that life is a mixture of joy and sorrow, good and bad, and that everything in life must be accepted gracefully.