Festival companion · Wednesday 7 April 2027

Ugadi

New Year in the Deccan: Ugadi and Gudi Padwa. Everything for one festival in one place: the story to tell, the puja, a recipe, a craft for children and a shopping list.

Tell the story

The Story of Ugadi

Ugadi comes from "yuga adi", the beginning of an age. It is said that Brahma began creating the world on this day.

It is the first day of the lunar year in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and in Maharashtra it is called Gudi Padwa.

In the evening the family listens to the panchanga shravana, a reading of what the new year may bring, and everyone eats bevu bella to accept life's bitter and sweet moments equally.

How families celebrate

Ugadi begins the new lunar year in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and the same day is Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, where a gudi flag is raised at the window. Doorways are hung with fresh mango leaves, the house is cleaned, and everyone eats a little neem and jaggery (bevu bella in Kannada, ugadi pachadi in Telugu) to accept the bitter and the sweet the year will bring. In the evening the family listens to the reading of the new year's almanac, the panchanga shravana.

Oil bath at dawn, mango-leaf toran, a gudi at the window in Maharashtra, new clothes, bevu bella or ugadi pachadi, obbattu, bobbatlu or puran poli, and panchanga shravana.

At home

The Puja

A simple home puja anyone can follow, plus the full vidhi with Sanskrit mantras.

Simple puja guide (English)

Detailed puja vidhi with Sanskrit mantras: Devanagari · Kannada script · Telugu script

Cook together

Ugadi Pachadi and Bevu Bella

More recipes →
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra · Ugadi

Ugadi Pachadi and Bevu Bella

Neem and jaggery: ugadi pachadi in Telugu, bevu bella in Kannada, kadunimb in Marathi

  • 10 min
  • Serves Whole family
Ingredients and method

Ingredients

  • A few tender neem flowers
  • 2 tbsp grated jaggery
  • 1 tsp tamarind pulp
  • A little raw mango, finely chopped
  • A pinch of salt and pepper

Method

  1. Mix everything together.
  2. Offer it at the altar first.
  3. Everyone eats a small spoon before breakfast.

Six tastes in one spoon, for all the experiences the new year will bring. Neem flowers can be bought dried online.

For children

Make a mango-leaf toran

You need

  • Fresh mango leaves (or green paper leaves)
  • A long string
  • Marigold flowers
  • A darning needle (adult help)

Steps

  1. Fold the top of each leaf over the string and staple or stitch it.
  2. Add a marigold between every few leaves.
  3. Tie it across the main door.
  4. Change it next Ugadi, or when it dries.

Get ready

Shopping List

Tick things off as you go, or print the list for the Indian store.

Shopping list

Festival companion by email

Get the next one a week early

We send each festival companion a week before the festival, so you have time to shop and plan.

Send me the companions

Join us

Looking for something, or want to help?

Ask for a festival, ceremony or recipe from your region, volunteer from your city, get featured, teach or sell your craft. It all starts on one page.

Go to Join us