Ugadi marks the start of the new year in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It falls on the first day of the month of Chaitra in the lunar calendar, usually in March or April, as spring arrives.
The meaning of the name
The word comes from yuga (an age) and adi (beginning) — the beginning of a new age. Tradition holds that Brahma began the work of creation on this day.
How the day is celebrated
- An early oil bath and new clothes for the family.
- Mango leaf toranas tied over the door, and rangoli at the entrance.
- Panchanga shravana — listening to the reading of the new year’s almanac.
- A festive meal, often with holige (obbattu) and mango chitranna.
Bevu-bella: the heart of Ugadi
The most important custom is eating bevu-bella — a mix of bitter neem and sweet jaggery. It is a reminder that the year ahead will bring both bitter and sweet moments, and that we should accept both with an even mind.
Bevu-bella teaches in one bite what philosophers take books to explain.
For the children
Ask children to name one “sweet” and one “bitter” thing from the past year, and what each taught them. It is a lovely way to begin the year together.
