CHANDRAMANA UGADI | INDIAN HINDU FESTIVAL

UGADI - New Year’s Day for the people of the Deccan region of India.  

Ugadi is derived from the Sanskrit words – ‘Yuga’ means age & ‘Adi’ means beginning. 

Ugadi marks the first day of the New Year; observed by Hindus which fall on different day every year according to lunisolar Hindu calendar.

The symbolic festival of UGADI represents the start of a New Year to people of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra states in India that pronounces life as neither completely sour nor completely sweet.   

Ugadi festival food ‘Bevu (neem leaves) & Bella (Jaggery)’ are eaten in Karnataka and they signify sorrow and joy in life.

Ugadi menu is based on the symbolic eating of varied dishes with 6 different tastes such as:-

 Neem leaves signifying sadness
        Jaggery signifying happiness
        Salt signifying fear
        Green chilli signifying anger
        Unripe mango signifying surprise
        Tamarind signifying disgust

COCONUT HOLIGE | ತೆಂಗಿನಕಾಯಿ ಓಬ್ಬಟ್ಟು 

In the state of Karnataka, a special sweet dish called “holige or Obbattu” is prepared on this day which consists of flat bread with filling of gram, coconut & jaggery, consumed warm or cold with ghee (clarified butter) & milk.