Mangalore: Ugadi is here - City welcomes new year with joy

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore

Mangalore, Apr 11: Festivals in India are all about sweets, celebrations, crackers, colours, fun with family and friends, and of course, rituals. The same is with Kannadigas, Telugus, Marathi and GSB communities, who welcomed the new year with the celebration of Ugadi or Gudi Padwa on Thursday April 11.

On this occasion, across the city devotees started the New Year in a traditional way by offering prayers at temples. ‘Panchanga Sravanam – listening to the almanac for the year’ is performed in temples and even at home as part of Ugadi rituals.

It is believed that the creator of the Hindu pantheon Lord Brahma started creation on this day - "Chaitra Suddha Padhyami" or the Ugadi day. It also heralds the season of spring.

Ugadi in Karnataka is celebrated with much fervour. Holige and Bevu-Bella is a must and important part of festivities, said Deepak, who stays in Bangalore and makes it a point to come home for the festival every year.

"On the festival day women decorate the entrance to the house with mango leaves and draw colorful rangoli patterns and later Puja is offered. Jaggery and neem leaves are distributed to symbolize that life has a combination of good and bad," he explained.

Visiting family and friends forms an important part of the festivities. Usually people visit the elder family members to seek their blessings in order to begin a new year in a good way.