Ugadi and Gudi Padva being celebrated in South India to mark New Year

BANGALORE - People in Karnataka on Tuesday celebrated one of their most prominent festivals ‘Ugadi’, which literally means the start of an era.

Ugadi is also considered to be the New Year’s Day for the people of the Deccan region.

The day begins with a ritual bath followed by prayers, and then the eating of a specific mixture of neem flowers for bitterness, raw mango for tang, tamarind juice for sourness, green chilli for heat, jaggery and ripe banana pieces for sweetness and pinch of salt for saltiness.

This mixture with all six tastes, called ‘Bevu-Bella’ in Kannada, symbolizes that life is a mixture of different experiences comprising sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise, which should be accepted together and with equanimity.

“As per Hindu culture, it is a new year for Hindus. We celebrate it by having ‘Bevu-Bella’, a mixture of Neem, Jaggery and some kind of sweets. We should take this life with both happiness and sorrow. So it is a New Year for Hindus mainly,” said Jai Padma, a local.

Meanwhile, people in Maharashtra are celebrating the festival of Gudi Padva with their own traditional fervour of buying gold.

Gudi Padva, celebrated on the first day of the Hindu month - Chaitra marks the beginning of spring or Vasant.

It is considered an auspicious day for new ventures. People choose to buy gold, silver or property on this day.

“Gudi Padva is obviously the New Year for Maharashtrians and being in this area, I think we need to purchase and stay with our traditions. So that is the reason we are here to buy stuff,” said Kinjan Shah, a local.

There are some legends associated with the celebration of Gudi Padwa. It is said that Brahma created the Universe on this day.

New Year is being celebrated across the country with the beginning of nine-day Hindu festival of ‘Navratri’. (ANI)