Yugadi (Kannada: ??????, Telugu: ?????) from yuga + aadi, yuga means era, aadi means start it means “The start of an era”) Ugadi is known as New Year day for people of Deccan region. This festival is celebrated mostly at Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
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.[1] 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.
The word Yugadi can be explained as; 'Yuga' is the word for 'epoch' or 'era', and 'aadi' stands for 'the beginning'.[citation needed] 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. Maharshi Vedavyasa describes this event with the words "Yesmin Krishno divamvyataha, Tasmat eeva pratipannam Kaliyugam". Kali Yuga began on Feb 17/18 midnight 3102 BC.
The festival marks the new year day for people between Vindhyas and Kaveri river who follow the South Indian lunar calendar, pervasively adhered to in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa.
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[2], 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
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