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Ugadi/Yugadi is the New Year’s Day celebrated in the South Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Ugadi comes from the Sanskrit word yuga, which means adi, meaning beginning. This symbolises the start of a new era.
The festival coincides with the arrival of spring, marking the awakening of nature and the rejuvenation of the environment. Farmers tend to their fields and gardens on this auspicious day.
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The Six Tastes Of Ugadi Pachadi
Ugadi is the festival that celebrates the New Year in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states of India. An important part of this festival is the preparation of Ugadi Pachadi, a symbolic dish that incorporates six tastes meant to represent different aspects of life:
- Spice or heat, represents karma. It shows the challenges and difficulties that one must face in the coming year.
- Saltiness represents Uppu. It shows the positive experiences and good times that one will see in the coming year.
- Sweetness represents Teepi. It indicates moments of happiness, joy and prosperity in the year ahead.
Also Read: 5 Traditional Vegetarian Dishes Of Kerala
- Vagaru represents bitterness. It signals the possibility of sadness, pain, and unhappiness that may occur.
- Chedu is a type of sourness that evokes the unpredictability of life's circumstances.
- Pulupu is another type of sourness, reminding us that life can sometimes leave a sour taste in one's mouth.
Together, these six tastes capture a full range of experiences—both good and bad—that one is likely to encounter in the days to come. Eating this dish reminds people to accept life's ups and downs with equanimity during the New Year.
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Special Dishes Of The Ugadi Feast
Bevu Bella is an integral dish served during the Ugadi festival in India. It is a unique concoction made from neem leaves, raw mango, tamarind, jaggery, chilli powder, and salt. Each ingredient symbolises a different aspect of life's journey.
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Pachadi is another integral Ugadi dish with six distinct flavours: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy and astringent. It brings together raw mango, neem flowers, tamarind, jaggery, chilli powder and salt. The presence of all taste sensations is believed to equip people for life's diverse experiences in the coming year.
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Holige or Puran Poli, is a signature Ugadi sweet—soft, thin wheat bread stuffed with a sweet lentil and jaggery filling. It requires patience and skill to prepare, as the bread is gently cooked until the filling caramelises and the whole dish turns golden brown. The sweetness represents life's joys and the effort involved mirrors the hard work required to attain them.
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Obbattu, or Holige Saaru, is a thin, sweet and spicy lentil curry cooked specifically to be had with Holige. With aromatic spices like curry leaves, mustard seeds and asafoetida, this tangy and fiery curry complements the sweetness of Holige perfectly.
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Mango rice, or Mavinakayi Chitranna, turns raw mangoes into a tart, fragrant and colourful rice dish. The freshness of mangoes indicates new beginnings, while the rice signifies abundance. This flavorful, unique dish is the perfect ending to the Ugadi feast.
