JOIN USWelcoming the year with open arms
According to the Hindu calendar, Ugadi is the beginning of a new year.
But most youngsters celebrate the New Year on January 1, irrespective of which caste or creed they belong to.
When Metrolife asked a few youngsters in the City whether they celebrated New Year on January 1 or on Ugadi, they said both days give reasons to celebrate.
Varun, an engineering student, emphasises how important both these days are to him.
“Ugadi is meant for family get-togethers. We decorate our house with fresh mango leaves and share bevu-bella with everyone around.
We have an awesome lunch with special dishes and invite our relatives. The festive spirit lasts the entire day,” he explains. And what does he do on January 1?
“While the whole world welcomes the New Year on January 1, how can we sit
quiet?” he asks.
“New Year is more about mingling with friends and having fun with them. I have a great time on New Year with a big bunch of friends,” he adds. For Aishwarya, a management student, both the occasions are meant for celebration.
“Ugadi brings in a lot of excitement for me. I purchase new dresses and attractive gifts for my cousins. Be it any festival, my family members and I celebrate it with much enthusiasm,” she says.
“Devotion and tradition play a vital role here while fun and parties rule the
New Year celebrations on January 1. New Year is more of fun, food and music which every youngster like me enjoys. I feel both the occasions are equally important,” she adds.
Debolina, a journalism student, says Ugadi and New Year mean the same to her as
she is staying away from home.
“Being a hosteller, I miss all the festivals and home food over here. But my friends don’t allow me to sit in my room on special occasions,” she says.
“Be it any festival, they take me to a restaurant and we all have good food and fun over there. It’s the same with New Year also,” she adds.
Though some youngsters celebrate Ugadi, they do not consider it as the beginning of a new year.
Hemanth, a professional, says that he observes New Year on January 1 itself.
“I celebrate New Year on January 1 as it is easy to remember. I spend the day with friends partying and remembering the good old days,” he says.
“I make resolutions on New Year day. But that doesn’t mean I don’t
celebrate Ugadi. More than a new year, it is just like any other festival for me,” he says.
For Yogitha, a degree student, “On New Year, I wish my friends over the phone or send them SMSes and greeting cards. More than the festivities, it is just an exchange of wishes.”
“But Ugadi comes with its own kind of celebrations and festive spirit. It is the coming together of friends, family members, neighbours and relatives,” she says.
“It is an occasion to have bevu-bella and obbattu, to flaunt our new dresses and roam around the street. The festival means a lot to me,” she adds.