(Image source from: Ugadi Celebrations at Arizona's Maha Ganapati Temple })
'Ugadi' is being celebrated as New Year's Day by the people of entire Deccan region of India. People in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, call this festival as Yugadi/Ugadi. While people in Maharashtra celebrate the day as Gudi Padwa, people in Rajasthan observe the day as Thapna. Even the Sindhis observe the same day as New Year's day and call it Cheti Chand.
Word 'Ugadi' or 'Yugadi' is derived from the Sanskrit words yuga (meaning age) and ādi (meaning the beginning). Combined together, the word means, "the beginning of a new age".
The festival of Ugadi is celebrated on a different day every year as it is based on the Hindu calendar that is a lunisolar calendar. 'Ugadi' is the first day in the new year in the Saka calendar that begins with the month of Chaitra (March–April).
People celebrate this festival with great fanfare. All the family members gather together and enjoy a hearty feast. The day sees people observing the ritual showers (oil bath) and prayers at home and in temples.
Ugadi Pachhadi and other delicacies are eaten
Food is an important part of any festivity in India and 'Ugadi' is no exception. Ugadi Pachhadi is an important food consumed at all Telugu homes on Ugadi. This special dish is prepared by using six specific ingredients – neem buds/flower, jaggery, green chilly/pepper, salt, tamarind juice and unripe mango. The specifix mixture is prepared by cooking all the ingredients into a sauce like consistency. Every home has a different version but the basic ingredients are the same.
Each of the ingredients symbolizes the truth that life consists of specific experiences which are represented by these food items. The ingredients neem buds/flower, jaggery, green chilly/pepper, salt, tamarind juice and unripe mango represent sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise respectively.
Ugadi Pachhadi is consumed by all members of the family. Besides, home-made delicacies like Bhakshyalu or Obbatu are eaten by Telugu people.
Panchangam
Ugadi is marked by people listening to the recitation of the Panchangam (almanac) of the new year. It is basically an informal social function when the general forecast of the entire year is read out aloud. The event is called 'Panchanga Sravanam'. Usually an elderly person of the family or a respected person reads the almanac.
Maha Ganapati temple in Arizona
Ugadi in Arizona is being celebrated by the Indian community at the Maha Ganapati temple. A special Alankaram to Lord Balaji will be held on March 30 to celebrate the day. Please visit the temple and mark a pious beginning to the New Year. Click HERE to see the invitation card.
Address: Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona
51293 W. Teel Road, Maricopa City, AZ 85139
Directions: Click HERE
Temple Priests
Priest Jeyantheeswaran Bhattar :(480)3886583
Priest Anil Sharma :(302)5885890
Pandit Jeyantheeswaran Bhattar
Pandit Jeyantheeswaran Bhattar has several years of formal training as a temple priest. He hails from the Vallioor, Tamil Nadu. Panditji is well versed in Krishna Yajur Veda and Shaiva Agama. He is qualified to perform rituals and religious ceremonies according to the Hindu traditions. Pt. Jeyantheeswaran Bhattar has a formal training in the veda, agama and shastra at Veda Agama Samaskrutha Maha Patashala, Bangalore. He is conversant in Tamil and Hindi languages. Pt. Bhattar has performed a range of rituals ranging from Ayusha Homa to Hindu weddings. He has performed specialized pujas like Utsava puja, Mandala puja, Chaturkala puja, Vishesha puja, Sathyanarayan puja and Navarathiri pujs and different kinds of shanthis.
Pandit Anil Sharma
Pandit Anil Sharma has enormous experience in performing temples at several temples in secunderabad and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh India. He can speak in Telugu, Sanskrit and English. Besides performing special alankarams to deities at temples, he has been educated in atrological sciences (jyothisha praveena, jyothisha visarada). Pt. Sharma is well versed in smartha panchadasa karmas. He has over ten years of experience as a temple priest. He joined Vedic school at the age of 11 and completed his smartha course of 8years (panchadasa samskaraas including death rituals) and then did his archaka pravesa course. Sharma is a member of the indian council of astrological sciences ( ICAS ) and has completed astrology courses like jyothisha visharada and jyothisha praveena.
Events of Ugadi Celebration at Maha Ganapati Temple, Arizona
Date and Time: Sunday, March 30 2014.
Venue: Mahaganapathi Temple of Arizona, 51933 W Teel Rd Maricopa, AZ 85139
10:00 am – Sri Venkateswara (Balaji) Swamy Suprabhatha Seva
11:00 am – Sankalpam
11:15 am – Ganapati Puja
11:30 am – Punyahavachanam
11:40 am – Vara Puja
11:45 am – Maha Sankalpam
11:50 am – Kanyadhanam
12:00 – Kalyana Muhurtham and Mangalya Dharanam (Following the tradition of big temples like Tirupathi, Bhadrachalam, Madurai having the Kalyanotsvam Muhurtham at noon during the Abhijit Lagnam).
12:10 pm - Akshatharopanam
12:15 pm - Astothara Satanama Pooja and Mangalaneerajanam
12:30 pm - Panchanga Sravanam
1:00 pm - Maha Aarthi and Prasad
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(AW: Pratima Tigga)
