Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Apr 8: Ugadi happens to be the new year eve of Hindus. This year it is being celebrated on Friday Aprill 8. As per lunar calendar, which is followed generally by the people of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Goa, new Samvatsara (year) named Durmukha comes in place of Manmatha Samvatsara that ended on Thursday April 7.

People from different regions celebrate this festival in different ways. Taking head bath, cleaning of houses and the court yard, decorating houses and puja rooms with mango leaves and flowers, drawing of colourful Rangolis at the entrance to houses, preparation of special dishes etc are however, common practices.

Ugadi happens to be the first day of Chaitra month which falls during March-April every year. People wear new clothes to welcome new year. Offering of coconuts and banana to the god, visiting temples, sharing of a mixture of neem leaves and jaggery to signify balanced approach to trying situations and celebrations, etc are part of Ugadi celebrations.

Worshipping of Lord Ganapati happens to be a vital part of these celebrations. Seeking divine consciousness and energy to pursue spiritual endeavours, apart from divine intervention to tide over difficulties during the new year, prayers are offered. Reading of Panchangam (Hindu calendar) giving what is predicted for next year as per astrological calculations, are normally arranged in temples. People throng these venues, as it is believed to be auspicious to lend an ear to these predictions. Many begin their new ventures or businesses on this day.

In Karnataka, a sweet dish, Holige, also known as Obbattu or Puranpoli, is prepared on this day. In coastal districts, people normally also make a dish out of tender cashew on Ugadi. People visit one another's home to exchange pleasantries and also mixture of neem leaves and jaggery.