Travel Diary page no #64 Happy Ugadi Everyone

Yesterday when I was going back to my room, I saw many people carrying these leaves to their home. Mainly mango leaves and I didn’t really understand why. From last week there was a shopping spree happening in the hostel I’m staying in Bangalore. With everyone showing the Sarees and dresses they bought, I didn't really understood what everyone was so excited about back then.

It’s Ugadi today, New year according to a Hindu calendar marking the first day of Chitra month. Yes, “a Hindu calendar” because there is another calendar followed in Kerala which marks “Vishu” as the new year. And there are different dates for different states for celebrating the new year. It happens almost during March-April months of the calendar. Pheww, a lot of calendars.

Ugadi is celebrated huge in Karnataka and other parts of India with different names. Everyone I saw in the morning were wearing new clothes, colourful traditional ones. Many had jasmine flowers on their hair. Most house doors and gates had the mango leaves tied on them like a chain, which made sense about yesterday’s uncles carrying those branches. Colourful rangoli at the gate. Temples busy with people offering pooja and praying for a good prosperous year.

I was told by my friends about the special food for today. A sweet called “dobbat” is served on Ugadi. But, most of them have gone to celebrate with their families, so no dobbat for me I guess.

In Maharashtra also the new year is celebrated today, Gudi Padva. I remember those celebrations with the orange turbans.

To all those who are celebrating today, Happy New Year. May the year ahead bring you happiness, prosperity, and everything good that you wish for.

PS: I got this sweet, which resembles "Puran Poli" by the knidness of the chef in our hostel. So, yaay, some sweet if not dobbatu!