Hyderabad/Amaravati, March 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Telugu New Year 'Ugadi' was celebrated with traditional fervour on Thursday across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
A festive atmosphere prevailed across both Telugu states as thousands thronged temples, praying for prosperity. Special prayers were held at Tirumala, Srisailam, Vijayawada and Bhadrachalam temples.
People offered special prayers, decorated the entrances of their houses and shops with strings of mango leaves, savoured traditional food, and listened to the 'panchangnam' (almanack) to usher in the New Year.
Named as “Sri Parabhava Nama’ this year, Ugadi was celebrated with gaiety and traditional enthusiasm in both the Telugu states.
People attended special functions where pundits read out the religious almanack of the coming year. Literary discussions, poetry recitations, recognition of authors through awards and cultural programmes marked the day.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was the chief guest at the main official function held at Ravindra Bharathi in Hyderabad.
Organised by the Telangana Departments of Language and Culture and Endowments, the event featured the reading of an almanack by a Vedic scholar.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, Konda Surekha, and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Mahesh Kumar Goud, MP Vem Narender Reddy, MLAs, MLCs, Corporation Chairpersons, and officials attended the event.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu participated in the main official celebrations held in Vijayawada.
Ministers Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and Kandula Durgesh, MLAs Bonda Umamaheswara Rao and Gadde Rammohan, and MLC Panchumarthi Anuradha, along with several Corporation Chairpersons and officials, participated in the event.
At both the main official events, the chief ministers, ministers, and other leaders tasted the traditional 'Ugadi Pacchadi', a mixture of neem buds, raw mango, tamarind juice, pepper, jaggery, and salt, which is a staple of celebratory dishes. The mixture symbolises various hues of life.
Both the Chief Ministers greeted people and wished that the new year brings prosperity and well-being for everyone.
Chief Minister Naidu said that ‘Ugadi Pacchadi’ reflects our lives. Just as the joys and sorrows, the ups and downs of life, are intertwined and inseparable, all these diverse flavours are intertwined and inseparable, he added.
Cultural programmes marked the main official celebrations. The state governments also presented awards to some individuals for their services in different walks of life.
The awards were presented in the fields of literature, music, arts, and social service. Chief Minister Naidu presented the Kalaratna awards to 38 individuals and the Ugadi awards to 122 individuals.
Ugadi celebrations were also held at the offices of the political parties.
The celebrations were held in a traditional manner at the TDP central office. Key party leaders and activists participated in the celebrations and exchanged Ugadi greetings.
TDP’s Andhra Pradesh unit president Palla Srinivasa Rao; former MLC and TDP central office Secretary Parchuri Ashok Babu; TDP Politburo member Varla Ramaiah, and other leaders were present.
Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and his wife, Y.S. Bharathi, participated in the celebrations at the YSRCP Central Office in Tadepalli.
Jagan participated in the festivities in traditional attire, symbolising cultural reverence and Telugu heritage.
The rituals were conducted in a traditional manner, followed by Panchanga Sravanam delivered by renowned scholar Pidaparthi Bhaskara Subrahmanya Sastry. After the ceremony, Vedic scholars offered blessings and presented teertha prasadam to the couple.
At Congress party headquarters, Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, along with other leaders, participated in Ugadi celebrations.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders K. T. Rama Rao and Harish Rao participated in the celebrations at Telangana Bhavan.
Source: IANS
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