On Friday, April 16, 2021 at 6.30 pm at Mt Eden War Memorial Hall
Venkat Raman
Auckland, April 12, 2021
Members of the Telugu community in general and those from the South Indian State of Telangana in particular and other guests will have a unique opportunity of enjoying the ‘Ugadi Pachadi’ at the Ugadi Celebrations of Telangana Association of New Zealand (TANZ) due to be held at Mt Eden War Memorial Hall, located at Dominion Road on Friday, April 16, 2021.
More than 500 men, women and children are expected to attend the New Year Festival that is set to commence at 6.30 pm.
Labour List MP Helen White (Auckland Central) will be a special guest at the event.
TANZ President Narendra Patlola said that ‘Ugadi Pachadi,’ will be served to all guests all they arrive and that it would be among the highlights of the evening’s programme.
“Ugadi Pachadi is a festive food drink that is unique to the Telugu community. It contains six ingredients corresponding to six different tastes, symbolising six different moods of human beings. The food drink will be made specially for the occasion,” he said.
As well as speeches and felicitations, the evening’s programme will comprise music, dance and other cultural items.
About Ugadi
As mentioned, Ugadi is the New Year’s Day for Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. It is observed on the first day of the Hindu Lunisolar Calendar month of Chaitra in April.
Yugadi or Ugadi is derived from the Sanskrit words Yuga (age) and Adi (beginning), denoting the beginning of a new age.
The day is observed by drawing colourful patterns called ‘Muggulu’ (Rangoli) on the floor, mango leaf decorations called, ‘Torana’ on doors, buying and giving gifts such as new clothes, giving charity to the poor, special bath followed by oil treatment and sharing ‘Pachadi.’
Ugadi has been an important and historic festival of the Hindus, with medieval texts and inscriptions recording major charitable donations to Hindu temples and community centres on this day. The same day is observed as a New Year by Hindus in many other parts of India, such as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, but sometimes observed a Gregorian day earlier because the lunar day starts and ends in Hindu calendar according to the position of the moon.
In Karnataka, the festival is also celebrated as Ugadi.
About Telangana
Although Telangana became a separate State in 2014 after decades of struggle, the region is rich in art and culture for more than 5000 years.
It emerged as the foremost centre of culture in Indian subcontinent during the benevolent regimes of Hindu Kakatiya, Muslim Qutab, Shahi and Asaf Jahi dynasties, also known as the Nizams of Hyderabad.
Their patronage and interest for arts and culture transformed Telangana into a unique multicultural region where two different cultures coexist, making the State the representative of the Deccan Plateau and its heritage with Warangal and Hyderabad being established as its epi-centre.
State of Festivals
Among the major cultural events celebrated are Kakatiya Festival, Deccan Festival, Bonalu, Bathukamma, Dasara, Ugadi, Shankaranthi, Milad Al Nabi, Eid Al Fitr (following the Holy Month of Ramadan) and Eid Al Adha.
Telangana has long been a meeting place for diverse languages and cultures. It is known as ‘South of North and North of South.’ It is also known for its Ganga-Jamuna Tehzeeb and the Capital City of Hyderabad is known as a ’Miniature India.’
Pictures from TANZ Website
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