YUGADI – Vishu

Yugadi is celebrated in two different ways.

1. On the first day of the month of Mesha (Solar System) Paggu , Sura Yugadi
2. On the first day of the month of Chaitra (Lunar) Chandra Yugadi.

Taulava Brahmins who follow and observe Souramana System should observe Yugadi on the first day of Mesha.  Normally it falls on the day after Mesha Sankranti which by and large falls on 13th, 14th, or 15th April every year.

About Yugadi By Sri Sri Vidya Prasanna Teerthaa Swamiji, Subrahmanya Matha.

Souramana – Chandramana :

Following the relative position of the sun in relation to the movement of the earth is called Souramana.  We know that the earth moves round the sun, but for the convenience of calculation, sun’s relative position is considered for the purpose.  There are 27 stars on the orbit of the Sun and the Moon.  The time taken for the movement in the orbit of the Sun and the Moon to cover the distance of two and a half stars is taken as on Rashi.  accordingly there are twelve Rashi’s and the first on is Mesha.

The sun takes roughly thirteen days to cover the distance of one star.  The star on which the sun is seen is called the Mahanakshatra.  The sun takes 30 or 31 days to cover one Rashi.  At the end of it the Sun crosses over to another star.  That point of crossing is called Sankramana.  In this way the sun takes 365.25 days to cover these twelve rashis.  according  to the solar way of calculation of the Sun’s movement (in relation to the earth’s position), there are 365.25 days in a year.  The new year begins on the point when the sun cross the star Revathi to Ashwini, and the next day is considered the New Years Day.

Calculation of the days of the year based on the movement of the moon is called Chandramana.  According this system the next day from one new moon day to the next is considered to be a month.  Such twelve months constitute a year.  In this system there are 354 days in a year.  This result in the shortage of 11 days between the Souramana and Chandramana years.  Therefore once in three years, the difference amounts to one month and we add one month and that month is considered Chandra Adhika Masa, (month)  and it is added to the Souramana year.  For this very reason, Soura Samvatsara is considered to be the Sthirasamvatsara and Chandra Samvatsara taken as Asthira Samvatsara by the Shastras.

Asthiraschandra maasah syat sthirah samvathsakaranam

Why is this day considered Yugadi ?

Chatramasi jagad brahma sasarja prathmehani
Shuklapakshe somagrantha tatha suryodaye sati ||

We believe that the world was created on the first day of the month of Chaitra and therefore we observe that day as the New Year’s Day.  That happened to the first day of the month of Mesha.  Even today the two Yugadis fall on the same day once in three years.

Observing Soura Yugadi :

1. Seeing auspicious things. (Kani)
2. Taking oilbath
3. Wearing new clothes.
4. Reading the panchanga and phalashravna
5. Performing pooja and offering Payasam to God

On the previous night (on the night of Samkranthi) it the custom to place before the idol of god, rice, coconuts fruits, the new panchaga, (almanac),  Kumkum and some articles of jewelery on a brass or silver plate with a mirror on it.  It is called Kani.

People got up early at deem on the new years day, after morning ablutions, they go to the pooja room and look at the things place on the plate and see their faces in the mirror.  Then put a kumkum tilakam on their foreheads and take the blessings of mother, father, and other elders at home. On this auspicious day an elaborate oilbath is proibited for a gruhastha.

Vatsaradou, Vasanthadou, Balirajye tathaiva cha |
Tailabhyangamakurvano narakam pratipadyate ||
(Nirnaya Sindhu)

After normal bath, people put on new clothes and either read or listen to the special features of the year specified in the panchanga.  Then perform pooja offering payasam to the lord and have meals with family members.  It is a custum to use the new products of the year such as cashew, sweet gourd, potherb,  cucumber and others.

If the Sankramana falls on the tenth day (dashami) and Vishu (New Years Day) is on the eleventh day (ekadashi), look at the Kani and offer payasam to the Lord on the twelfth day (dwadashi).

Thulu names of Souramana months

1. Mesha          – Paggu
2. Vrushabha   – Besha
3. Mithuna        – Kaarthel
4. Karkataka    – Aati
5. Simha          – Sona
6. Kanya         – Nirnala
7. Thula          – Bonthel
8. Vrushchika – Jarde
9. Dhanu        – Perarde
10. Makara       – Ponni
11. Kumbha      – Mayi
12. Meena        – Suggi