Karnataka • Andhra Pradesh • Telangana · March–April

Ugadi

The New Year of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Tags: Ugadi · Yugadi · Karnataka Festival · Andhra Pradesh Festival · Telangana New Year · South India Festivals · Indian Festivals

**Ugadi** is a traditional new-year observance important in parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Homes are decorated, special foods are prepared, families gather and the new year is welcomed with hope.

Ugadi Pachadi — The Symbolic Mixture

Ugadi is especially associated with **Ugadi Pachadi**, a symbolic mixture containing six contrasting flavors:

Neem flowers (bitter), jaggery (sweet), raw mango (tangy), tamarind (sour), salt (savory) and chili (spicy).

The pachadi reminds people that life itself contains sweetness, bitterness, surprise and complexity — and that all must be embraced.

Temples and family gatherings feature the reading of the **panchanga** — the almanac predictions for the new year.

Homes are decorated with mango leaves and rangoli. New clothes are worn. Traditional food is prepared.