Ugadi, also known as Yugadi, marks the beginning of the Telugu New Year and is a festival celebrated with great fervour in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Derived from the Sanskrit words ‘Yuga’ meaning era and ‘Adi’ meaning beginning, the festival marks the beginning of a new era or a fresh start. Additionally, the festival signifies the start of a new Samvatsara, a cycle of 60 years, each known by a unique name. With Ugadi falling on March 30th, 2025 (Sunday), it marks the beginning of the Telugu Shaka Samvat 1947.

Significance of Ugadi

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Ugadi, as a festival, is derived deeply from the Luni-Solar calendar, which considers the position of the Moon and the Sun to determine the months and days. While the day is celebrated in various regions as the New Year, it is also called Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam, Baisakhi in Punjab, Pana Sankranti in Odisha and Naba Barsha in West Bengal. Dedicated to celebrating new beginnings, the festival includes the worship of Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe in Hindu mythology.

How is Ugadi celebrated?

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The preparation for the festival begins a week before the day as people start cleaning their houses and decorating them with intricate rangolis and auspicious mango leaves. On the day of the festival, people wake up before sunrise, take a customary oil bath and wear new clothes. Special dishes such as Pachhadi, a type of chutney made with six ingredients namely, neem flowers, chilli powder, tamarind, mango, jaggery and salt, Holige, a sweet flatbread and Puliogre, tamarind rice are also prepared.
Many people open up new ventures and businesses on the day of Ugadi and also listen to the Pachanga for the upcoming year as announced by the priests or elders of the family.

When does the Pratipada Tithi begin and end in the US?

The Pratipada Tithi, which is the first year of the Hindu new year, begins on Saturday, March 29th at 6:57 am EST and ends on March 30th, Sunday, at 3:19 am.
Here are the Ugadi timings for major US cities located in different time zones, as per Drik Panchang: