Ugadi Festival In kavali

The Ugadi festival in Kavali, a coastal town in Andhra Pradesh, is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion as it marks the Telugu New Year. The word Ugadi comes from Sanskrit, meaning “the beginning of a new age.” On this day, people in Kavali clean and decorate their homes with mango leaf toranalu and colorful rangoli (muggulu) at the entrance, symbolizing prosperity and happiness. Families wear new clothes, visit local temples, and offer prayers for a successful year ahead. A special dish called Ugadi Pachadi—made from neem flowers, jaggery, tamarind, raw mango, salt, and chili—is prepared and eaten to remind everyone of the different flavors of life: happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust. The streets and markets of Kavali come alive with festive decorations, flower stalls, and the aroma of traditional sweets. Community gatherings, temple rituals, and the reading of the Panchangam (Hindu almanac) are important parts of the celebration. In Kavali, Ugadi is not just a festival—it is a joyful cultural event that brings families and neighbors together to welcome a new beginning with hope and positivity.