Yugadi Step with a New Year Tradition Meets Festivity
Yugadi
In the conventional Hindu calendar, Yugadi, also called Ugadi, is the start of the new year. Many Indian states, especially Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, celebrate this colorful holiday with great excitement and fervor. ugadi, as its name suggests, marks the beginning of a new age or era and is associated with a feeling of rejuvenation.
Story Behind Yugadi Festival
Yugadi, or Ugadi, is a celebration with an interesting and rich cultural history. The Sanskrit terms “Yuga” and “Adi,” which combined signify “the beginning of a new age,” are the source of the word “Ugadi.” In the southern Indian states, especially Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Ugadi is celebrated as New Year’s Day. Its origins are deeply ingrained in Hindu history.
A fabled account from Hindu mythology serves as the basis for the Ugadi mythology. The universe’s creator, Lord Brahma, is said to have started the process of creating the cosmos on this day. It signifies the start of the current creative cycle, referred to as the “Kali Yuga”.
The creation cycle is said to have been divided into four ages, or yugas, by the ancient texts: the Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali ages. The Ugadi marks the change from the Dvapara to the Kali ages. In Hindu cosmology, this transition represents the cyclical nature of the cosmos and the endless repetition of cosmic time.
Another fascinating folktale connected to ugadi is that of Bali, the demon ruler. On this day, according to legend, Bali received a gift from Lord Vishnu in the form of a dwarf, named Vamana, enabling him to come to Earth once a year. On the second day of the celebration, this occasion is known as Bali Padyami.
Explain the Ugadi Tithi.
The name Ugadi, also called Ugadi, originates from the Sanskrit concepts yuga (age) and ādi (beginning), meaning “the beginning of a new age”. Ugadi or Ugadi happens on “Chaitra Shudhdha Paadyami,” which is the first day of the bright half of the Indian month of Chaitra. This usually happens in late March or early April based on the Gregorian calendar.
Different Names Of Ugadi Festival
- Ugadi: In Telugu-speaking areas and certain areas of Karnataka, this is the most popular name for the celebration.
- Gudi Padwa: In Maharashtra, Gudi Padwa is observed as the Marathi New Year. It is the same celebration as Yugadi, with certain local customs and traditions.
- Cheti Chand: In the Sindhi community, Yugadi is known as Cheti Chand, which signifies the start of the lunar calendar and the anniversary of the birth of Jhulelal, their patron saint.
- Chaitra Navratri: In certain regions of Northern India, Yugadi is also honored as Chaitra Navratri, a nine-day festival honoring Goddess Durga.
- Sajibu Nongma Panba: The Yugadi-corresponding New Year’s festival is called Sajibu Nongma Panba within the Manipuri community.
According To the 2024 Calender Date of the Ugadi Festival
On April 9, 2024, Gudi Padwa will be commemorated this year. Gudi Padwa is celebrated because it is thought that on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, which falls on Gudi Padwa, Lord Brahma created the cosmos.
