Ugadi is the Telugu New Year day. It is specially associated with Pacchadi (chutney) in telugu. The chutney is prepared with tender flowers of neem, jaggery or sugar & new tamarind. The whole family has to eat the chutney. The chutney is offered to the deity first and then eaten by the members of the family.
The Telugu and Kannada people celebrate the festival with great fanfare; gatherings of the extended family and a sumptuous feast are de rigueur. The day, however,begins with ritual showers (oil bath) followed by prayers, and then the eating of a specific mixture of -
Neem Buds/Flowers for bitterness
Raw Mango for tang
Tamarind Juice for sourness
Green Chilli/Pepper for heat
Jaggery for sweetness
Pinch of Salt for saltiness
This mixture with all six tastes , called "Ugadi Pachhadi" in Telugu , symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise) , which should be accepted together and with equanimity.
Later, people traditionally gather to listen to the recitation of the religious almanac (Panchangam) of the coming year, and to the general forecast of the year
to come. This is the Panchanga Sravanam, an informal social function where an elderly and respected person refers to the new almanac pertaining to the coming
year and makes a general benediction to all present. The advent of television has changed this routine, especially in the cities. Nowadays, people turn on the
TV to watch broadcasts of the recitation.
Ugadi celebrations are marked by literary discussions, poetry recitations and recognition of authors of literary works through awards and cultural programs. Recitals of classical Carnatic music and dance are held in the evenings.
Ugadi is celebrated at the onset of spring as the Telugu New Year. The day marks the beginning of the Hindu lunar calendar and it is believed that Lord Brahma, the creator of the Hindu pantheon started creation on this day. Spring is the season that heralds new beginnings and on this day, new neem leaves, raw mangoes and fresh jaggery is used to make the Ugadi Pachadi – a relish that is a must-have on this day. The sweet, sour and bitter taste of the pachadi is a reflection of life and its different flavours.
Celebration:The whole family wears new clothes. Around 3.00 p.m. a brahmin sits on the pail outside the front yard door & recites the panchangam. All the nearby residents gather to listen to him about the new year, rain fall, agriculture, prices, education, eclipses, and auspicious days for marriages, health and
astrological forecasts for the individuals and the community based upon the planetary position. In the evening many competitions are held like bullock-cart races, physical duels, lifting of heavy weights, running races, card games and so on.
Here are some recipes , which you can try at home
No comments:
Post a Comment