Amaravati, Apr 13 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday prayed for abundant rains and victory over the Covid-19 pandemic, as he wished good luck to the farmers on the occasion of the Ugadi festival.

Reddy participated in the Plava Nama Samvatsara Ugadi celebrations and also released the panchangam (almanac) for the new year.

"The Siddanthi (priest) has said that the upcoming year will be good," the Chief Minister said.

After the ceremony, the priest blessed Reddy and served him Ugadi pacchadi (pickle), which is made out of different ingredients to produce varied tastes such as sweetness, bitterness, sourness and others to reflect the realities of life.

The CM also felicitated government priest Kappaganthula Subbaraju Somayajulu, and chief priest of the Durga Malleshwara Swami temple, Lingambatla Durga Prasad, among others.

On the occasion, Reddy released the government calendar, along with the Vyavasaya Panchangam prepared by the agriculture university.

Priests from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams also blessed the CM amid chants of vedic hymns and presented him with TTD almanac and prasadam.