Telugu Festivals 8 A.

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Dear friends and devotees,

 

Bhakti is eternal.

 

8a.UGADI

 

It is believed that the creator of the Hindu pantheon Lord Brahma

started creation on this day - Chaitra suddha padyami or the Ugadi day. Also the

great Indian Mathematician Bhaskaracharya's calculations proclaimed the Ugadi

day from the sunrise on as the beginning of the New Year, new month and new day.

The onset of spring also marks a beginning of new life with plants (barren until

now) acquiring new life, shoots and leaves. Spring is considered the first

season of the year hence also heralding a new year and a new beginning. The

vibrancy of life and verdant fields, meadows full of colorful blossoms signifies

growth, prosperity and well-being.

 

With the coming of Ugadi, the naturally perfumed jasmines (mallepulu)

spread a sweet fragrance which is perhaps unmatched by any other in nature's own

creation! While large garlands of jasmine are offered to Gods in homes and

temples, jasmine flowers woven in clusters adorn the braids of women. Ugadi is

thus a festival of many shades. It ushers in the New Year, brings a rich bounce

of flora and fills the hearts of people with joy and contentment!

 

PREDICTIONS FOR THE YEAR

 

Ugadi marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in

the moon's orbit. It is a day when mantras are chanted and predictions made for

the new year. Traditionally, the panchangasravanam or listening to the yearly

calendar was done at the temples or at the Town square but with the onset of

modern technology, one can get to hear the priest-scholar on television sets

right in one's living room.

 

UGADI PACHCHADI

 

It is a season for raw mangoes spreading its aroma in the air and the

fully blossomed neem tree that makes the air healthy. Also, jaggery made with

fresh crop of sugarcane adds a renewed flavor to the typical dishes associated

with Ugadi. Ugadi pachchadi is one such dish that has become synonymous with

Ugadi. It is made of new jaggery, raw mango pieces and neem flowers and new

tamarind which truly reflect life - a combination of sweet, sour and bitter

tastes!

 

Ugadi is celebrated with festive fervor in Maharashtra, Karnataka and

Andhra Pradesh. While it is called Ugadi in A.P. and Karnataka, in Maharashtra

it is known as " Gudipadava " .

 

PREPARING FOR THE OCCASION

 

Preparations for the festival begin a week ahead. Houses are given a

thorough wash. Shopping for new clothes and buying other items that go with the

requirements of the festival are done with a lot of excitement.

 

On Ugadi day, people wake up before the break of dawn and take a head

bath after which they decorate the entrance of their houses with fresh mango

leaves. The significance of tying mango leaves relates to a legend. It is said

that Kartik (or Subramanya or Kumara Swamy) and Ganesha, the two sons of Lord

Siva and Parvathi were very fond of mangoes. As the legend goes Kartik exhorted

people to tie green mango leaves to the doorway signifying a good crop and

general well-being.

 

It is noteworthy that we use mango leaves and coconuts (as in a Kalasam,

to initiate any pooja) only on auspicious occasions to propitiate gods. People

also splash fresh cow dung water on the ground in front of their house and draw

colorful floral designs. This is a common sight in every household. People

perform the ritualistic worship to God invoking his blessings before they start

off with the new year. They pray for their health, wealth and prosperity and

success in business too. Ugadi is also the most auspicious time to start new

ventures.

 

The celebration of Ugadi is marked by religious zeal and social

merriment. Special dishes are prepared for the occasion. In Andhra Pradesh,

eatables such as " pulihora, bobbatlu " and preparations made with raw mango go

well with the occasion. In Karnataka too, similar preparations are made but

called " puliogure " and " holige " . The Maharashtrians make " puran poli " or sweet

rotis.

 

KAVI SAMMELANAM

 

Some find a different way of celebrating the festival. Kavi Sammelanam

(poetry recitation) is a typical Telugu Ugadi feature. Ugadi is also a time when

people look forward to a literary feast in the form of Kavi Sammelanam. Many

poets come up with new poems written on subjects ranging - from Ugadi - to

politics to modern trends and lifestyles. Ugadi Kavi Sammelanam is also a launch

pad for new and budding poets. It is generally carried live on All India Radio's

Hyderabad " A " station and the Doordarshan,(TV) Hyderabad following " panchanga

sravanam " (New year calendar) narrating the way the new year would shape up in

the lives of people and the State in general. Kavis (poets) of many hues -

political, comic, satirical reformist, literary and melancholic - make an

appearance on the Ugadi stage.

 

Festivals are celebrated every year in the remembrance of past events.

All the major Hindu festivals have their own purpose and significance, i.e., to

show their relevance and importance in the context of the eternal world cycle of

history. India's rich heritage with its numerous festivals celebrated throughout

the year, provides succor and faith, as each occasion has its own distinct

value, beauty and ritual practice. Amongst the numerous festivals of India,

Ugadi is celebrated with festive fervor in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra

Pradesh. While it is called Ugadi in A.P. and Karnataka, in Maharashtra it is

known as Gudipadava " .

Hindus have always given pride of place to festivals, as it is a time for

getting together as families. The occasion can be based on a seasonal change, a

social or religious theme. The New year festival or Ugadi comes close on the

heels of Holi. While the strong colors of Holi start fading away. Holy is the

purification of the soul by imbibing Godly knowledge, inculcating the divine

virtues. The aim is to replace the vices with Virtues. Symbolically, it

signifies thanks giving to celebrate bounteous crops as well as signaling the

end of an old era and the beginning of a new era.

Ugadi name has been changed from Yuga Aadi (Yuga + Aadi means " Beginning of New

age " ). The ages starting from a major reference point are Golden age, Silver

age, Copper age and Iron age and also known in Hindi as Satyuga or Krutha yuga,

Treta yuga, Dwapara yuga and Kaliyuga. The very end of Iron age i.e. the

Kaliyuga is refer to hell or " Naraka " or the age of ignorance, which our Puranas

or even in Srimath Bhagavath Gita mentioned that the Kaliyuga is " the night of

the Brahma, the creator of new world and the Satyuga is the Day of Brahma " .

 

It is believed that the creator of the Hindu pantheon Lord Brahma

started creation on this day - Chaitra suddha padhyami or the Ugadi day. Also

the great Indian Mathematician Bhaskaracharya's calculations proclaimed the

Ugadi day from the sunrise on as the beginning of the new year, new month and

new day. The onset of spring also marks a beginning of new life with plants

(barren until now) acquiring new life, shoots and leaves. Spring is considered

the first season of the year hence also heralding a new year and a new

beginning. The vibrancy of life and verdant fields and meadows full of colorful

blossoms signifies growth, prosperity and well-being.

 

It is believed that the Ugadi (Beginning of the yuga - Satyuga) will be

the next age of the Eternal World Drama Cycle, i.e. after the Kaliyuga. The

eternal world drama cycle repeats every 5000 years with 1250 years for each yuga

as per the teachings of Prajapita Brahma kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya. It

is the wonderful and colourful festival, because after the Holi (the

purification of the soul by imbibing Godly knowledge, inculcating the divine

virtues by replacing the vices with virtues) the New age, New yuga, and New era

will be start. So, it is the time to change ourselves or to purify ourselves by

inculcating the divine virtues.

 

Ugadi marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in

the moon's orbit. It is a day when mantras are chanted and predictions made for

the new year. Traditionally, the panchanga shravanam or listening to the yearly

calendar was done at the temples. Preparations for the festival begin a week

ahead. Houses are given a thorough wash. Shopping for new clothes and buying

other items that go with the requirements of the festival are done with a lot of

excitement. It is said in Srimath Bhagavath Gita that the Body is the Cloth for

the Soul, the eternal being, which takes many birth in the cyclic world drama

(four yugas). When the eternal, imperishable soul takes new birth, i.e., takes

new body as a kid, it is said that the soul wears a new cloth. Let us celebrate

the Ugadi as a beginning of New age - Satyuga- of the world cycle.

 

On Ugadi day, people wake up before the break of dawn and take a head

bath after which they decorate the entrance of their houses with fresh mango

leaves. The significance of tying mango leaves relates to a legend. It is said

that Kartik (or Subramanya or Kumara Swamy) and Ganesha, the two sons of Lord

Siva and Parvathi were very fond of mangoes. As the legend goes Kartik exhorted

people to tie green mango leaves to the doorway signifying a good crop and

general well-being. In Spiritual terms it is said that the Lord Shiva, the

Supreme Soul refer to the " Trimurthi Shiva " and also believed " Paramatma Shiva " ,

the one who is the Supreme Lord of even for Brahma, Vishnu, Shankar (Trimurthi)

and all other deities. As the Spiritual Father of all souls, we are the one who

have right to get Peace, Prosperity, Health, Wealth and Happiness through the

festival of Ugadi by changing ourselves or replacing the vices with divine

virtues with the help of Spiritual or Godly knowledge.

 

It is noteworthy that we use mango leaves and coconuts (as in a Kalasam,

to initiate any pooja) only on auspicious occasions to propitiate gods. People

also splash fresh cow dung water on the ground in front of their house and draw

colorful floral designs. This is a common sight in every household. People

perform the ritualistic worship to God, invoking his blessings before they start

off with the new year. They pray for their health, wealth and prosperity and

success in business too.

 

Ugadi is also the most auspicious time to start new ventures. And they

will take jaggery and Neem leaves also today because Jaggery represents joy and

happiness and Neem leaves represents sorrow. So those souls who come in the

entire cycle of World drama can celebrate Ugadi, because Jaggery represents

Krutayuga and Tretayuga which is full of purity, prosperity and peace. Neem

leaves represents Dwaparyuga and Kaliyuga which consists of sorrow, chaos and

impurity.

 

There is an ANTHYAM for Uga-ADI at one stage. But there is no antham

for one, who is called ANANTHA and the one which enables every one to reach him

is BHAKTI.

 

Let us all thrive for BHAKTI.

 

 

To be continued.....

 

With love and regards,

 

Sastry.

 

 

 

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