According to the Gregorian calendar, the whole world may celebrate New Year on 31st December – 1st January, but according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar, the New Year falls in the month of March or April. This New Year, also known as Ugadi, is celebrated in the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and by other names in many other states of India. The significance of Ugadi stems from mythological times when Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, began a series of wonderful creations, including that of the earth and all the life forms that live in it. The festival of Ugadi is celebrated to acknowledge that very day on which Lord Brahma started with the task.
Leaving the past behind and starting afresh with positive expectation is one of the key aspects of Ugadi. The day also marks the beginning of spring season, which is considered to be the first of all seasons, with plants, shoots, and leaves coming to life and therefore, the day is believed to set things rolling for a fresh and successful new beginning. Devotees perform ritualistic pujas and seek blessings from God for health, wealth, prosperity, and success in businesses and work as well.
Preparations for the festival start a week in advance. Houses are thoroughly cleaned and washed. People buy new clothes for themselves and their family members to enjoy the spirit of Ugadi. They also purchase several other things needed for the festival. On Ugadi day, people wake up before the break of dawn and take a head bath. The bath is supposedly to be taken after massaging the entire using sesame oil.
The main item prepared during the festival of is Bevu Bella. It is actually a paste made from jaggery, neem buds, tamarind juice and raw mango. All the ingredients are ground together to make a fine paste. The significance of this item is that it denotes all the tastes of life. The bitter, sweet and sour tastes each remind us the basic fact that life is a mixture of happy and sad events and we must remain ready to accept everything in life. During Ugadi festival, all members of the family taste this paste and try to remain conscious of the fact that everything in life is temporary. Apart from Bevu Bella, several other dishes are also prepared to celebrate the festival. Among the famous dishes cooked in Karnataka during this occasion are puliogure and holige (obbattu). In Andhra Pradesh, eatables such as pulihora, bobbatlu and preparations made with raw mango go well with the occasion. In Karnataka too, similar preparations are made but called puliogure and holige.
