Ugadi Festival, the Telugu New Year Festival, is celebrated with much fervor in
Andhra Pradesh. The name has its origin in Yuga Aadi, which means the beginning of the new age. It is believed that the creator of the Hindu pantheon,
Lord Brahma, started creation on this day, Chaitra Suddha Padhyami or the Ugadi day. It is a ten-day celebration, held in March/April. People consume Bella (jaggery) and Bevu (neem), the sweet and sour tastes signifying the good and the bad, the joy and sorrow, the success and disappointment in life. The festival highlights the cultural and religious aspects, the cuisine, and costumes of Andhra Pradesh. Ugadi is celebrated in the states of
Maharashtra and
Karnataka, and in Maharashtra it is known as ‘Gudipadava’.
