Yugadi Telugu: ఉగాది,(Kannada: ಯುಗಾದಿ, Konkani: युगादी) is the New Year's Day for the people of the Deccan region of India. IPA: [juga:di] from yuga + aadi, yuga means era, aadi means start, so Yugadi/Ugadi is "the start of an era".
It falls on the different day every year because the Hindu calendar is a lunisolar calendar. The Saka calendar begins with the month of Chaitra (March–April) and Ugadi marks the first day of the new year. Chaitra is the first month in Panchanga which is the Indian calendar.
While the people of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh use the term Yugadi/Ugadi for this festival.
The people of Maharashtra term the same festival, observed on the same day, Gudi Padwa.
Sindhis, people from Sindh, celebrate the same day as their New Year day Cheti Chand.
Manipuris also celebrate their New Year (Sajibu Cheiraoba) on the same day. While it is observed as Baisakhi in Punjab and Puthandu in Tamil Nadu. However, it is not celebrated on the same day in Tamil Nadu as Tamils follow Solar calender.
Symbolic Eating of a Dish with Six Tastes
The eating of a specific mixture of six tastes (షడ్రుచులు), called Ugadi Pachhadi (ఉగాది పచ్చడి) in Telugu and Bevu-Bella( ಬೇವು-ಬೆಲ್ಲ) in Kannada, 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 through the New Year.
The special mixture consists of:
- Neem Buds/Flowers for its bitterness, signifying Sadness
- Jaggery and ripe banana pieces for sweetness, signifying Happiness
- Green Chilli/Pepper for its hot taste, signifying Anger
- Salt for saltiness, signifying Fear
- Tamarind Juice for its sourness, signifying Disgust
- Raw Mango for its tang, signifying Surprise
Festive wishes
When you meet any Telugu people and want to wish them for Telugu New Year, you say "Ugadi Shubhakankshalu - ఉగాది శుభాకాంక్షలు (Noothana Samvatsara Shubhakankshalu - నూతన సంవత్సర శుభాకాంక్షలు)". In response they greet you with, "Meeku kooda Ugadi Shubhakankshalu - మీకు కూడా ఉగాది శుభాకాంక్షలు (Meeku kooda Noothana Samvatsara Shubhakankshalu - మీకు కూడా నూతన సంవత్సర శుభాకాంక్షలు)".
In Kannada, the greeting would be "Yugadi Habbada Shubhashayagalu" - ಯುಗಾದಿ ಹಬ್ಬದ ಶುಭಾಷಯಗಳು (Greetings for the festival of Yugadi) or "Hosa varshada shubhashayagaLu" - ಹೊಸ ವರ್ಷದ ಶುಭಾಷಯಗಳು (Greetings on the new year).
In Konkani,it would be Navin varsache shubhashyay,Samvatsar padvyachi shubheccha.
In Marathi, it would be 'गुढी पाडव्याच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा'(Gudhi padvyachya hardik shubhechcha)