Ugadi is the festival celebrated in March–April marking the Telugu New Year day. As per the Telugu calendar, this festival is known as the New Year to the Andhras. Andhra people have a 60 year calendar. Every year on the Chaitra Sudda Paadyami day, Ugadi is celebrated with joy and hopefulness. Andhra being an agricultural state, this is the one festival which is associated with agriculture. It is also a festival welcoming the spring season. The day begins with ceremonial bath and new clothes are worn. On this day, a special kind of chutney is made in every household, called Ugadi Pacchadi (- in Telugu and meaning chutney). It is made with Tamarind paste, jaggery or sugar, Neem flowers, sugarcane pieces and mango pieces all mixed in a new earthen pot, symbolizing the various tastes in the human life. It is said that eating Ugadi pacchadi on this day gives strength to accept the joys and sorrows of the coming year. The chutney is offered to the deity first and then eaten by all the members of the family. Hearing and reading the Panchangam or the years Horoscope is a traditional affair. In the evening, many competitions are held like bullock-cart races, running races and so on.
