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March 20, 2007

Ugadi

Ugadi : (literally - the start of an era) is the new year's day for the people of the Deccan region of India. While the people of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka use the term Ugadi for this festival, the people of Maharashtra term the same festival, observed on the same day, Gudi Padwa. Ugadi is celebrated on different day every year because the Hindu calendar is lunisolar calendar. The Saka calendar begins with the month of Chaitra (March/April) and the Ugadi mark the first day of the new year.

The Telugu and Kannada people celebrate the festival with great fanfare; gatherings of the extended family and a sumptuous feast are de rigueur. The day, however, begins with ritual showers followed by prayers, and then the eating of a specific mixture of -




This mixture with all six tastes, called "Ugadi Pachhadi" in Telugu and "Bevu-Bella" in Kannada, symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of pleasure and pain, which should be accepted together and with equanimity. Certain communities in Andhra Pradesh prepare a more elaborate sauce, called Ugadi Pachchadi, which is a paste of tamarind, jaggery, mango, neem Buds/Flowers etc. The symbolism and significance of the preparation is the same.


The festival marks the new year day for people who follow the southern Indian lunar calendar, pervasively adhered to in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. This calendar reckons dates based on the Salivahana era (Salivahana Saka), which begins its count from the supposed date of the founding of the Empire by the legendary hero Salivahana. The Satavahana king Shalivahana (also identified as Gautamiputra Satakarni) is credited with the initiation of this era known as Shalivahana. The Salivahana era begins its count of years from the year corresponding to 78 AD of the Gregorian calendar. Thus, the year 2000 AD corresponds to the year 1922 of the Salivahana Era.

Posted by bpatil at 08:48 AM | Comments (0)

March 01, 2007

Annual Membership Form 2007

In order to maintain and provide an up-to-date directory and list of members to Central VSNA. We request you to renew your membership and update your information, preferably before March 11th.

Those of you that have already renewed your membership and filled the membership form to update your information. Thanks for your support.

Some of you requested the form and mailing address, and for those still working on it, please use the form below.

Download file


Make the checks payable to: VSNA-TX
Amount: $100.00

Note: $35 will be sent to Central VSNA for membership, and $65 will be utilized for VSNA -TX chapter activties.

Mail the membership form and check to:

Kalyan Kumar
8504 Clearview Ct.
Plano, TX 75025

ph: 972 747 7448

Thanks.

Regards
VSNA-TX chapter.

Posted by mamatha at 09:20 AM | Comments (0)