Ugadi Marks A New Beginning For Telugus

Ugadi is a celebration which marks the beginning of a new year for the Telugu community. Ugadi is observed on the first day of Chaithra month and this year, it falls on 2nd April.

While the people of Andhra Pradesh and the Telugu community around the globe celebrate Ugadhi as their New Year, other communities celebrate it with different names and a set of different customs and traditions.

Let's take a look at some of the traditions Telugu people follow on Ugadi:

Rising early

On this day, Telugus wake up early, shower from head to toe, wear new clothes and perform prayers to ensure a great start to their new year.

Ugadi pachadi

Telugus believe life is a combination of emotions. Thus, on this day, a special pachadi is prepared with a combination of six different ingredients and tastes.

Here's what the ingredients in this dish signify:

Jaggery's sweetness signifies happiness
Neem flower's bitterness signifies sorrow
Mango's tanginess signifies surprises
Tamarind's sourness signifies challenges
Salt's saltiness signifies interest in life
Green chili's spiciness signifies anger

Panchanga sravanam

On this day, people gather at temples to listen to astrologers’ predictions for the entire year. But nowadays, most people listen to these predictions on TV. Astrologers will predict the well-being and possible dangers that might be faced by different zodiac signs throughout the year.

Ugadi delicacies

On this day, many delicious delicacies are prepared for the family feast. Among the must-have dishes are Pulihora (lemon rice), Mango chutney, bobbatlu (sweet flatbread) and boorelu (jaggery and dal stuffed rice flour balls).