Ugadi 2027 falls on Wednesday, 7 April 2027, and in Dubai the Pratipada tithi runs from 3:50 AM on 7 April to 2:58 AM on 8 April. That means the tithi is already running at sunrise, so the whole of 7 April is Ugadi. It is the Telugu and Kannada new year and the start of Telugu Shaka Samvat 1949.
Every time on this page is Gulf Standard Time for Dubai, and it holds for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman within a few minutes. Indian panchang apps show times about an hour and a half later on the clock, so use the UAE figures here when you plan your morning.
Ugadi 2027 at a glance
- Date: Wednesday, 7 April 2027
- Pratipada tithi begins (Dubai): 3:50 AM, 7 April 2027
- Pratipada tithi ends (Dubai): 2:58 AM, 8 April 2027
- New year: Telugu Shaka Samvat 1949 begins
- Same day: Gudi Padwa and the first day of Chaitra Navratri
Ugadi, Gudi Padwa and Chaitra Navratri with Dubai timings, saved to your own calendar.
What is Ugadi?
Ugadi, also written Yugadi, comes from yuga meaning age and adi meaning beginning. It marks the first day of the lunar month of Chaitra and the start of the new year in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Tradition says Lord Brahma began creation on this day.
It arrives with spring, when mango trees fruit and neem trees flower, and the festival is built around that season. Families clean the home, wear new clothes, share a special pachadi and listen to the year's almanac, the Panchanga Shravanam.
Ugadi Pachadi: six tastes for the year ahead
The signature dish of the day is Ugadi Pachadi, made from six tastes. Each one stands for a feeling the year may bring, and eating them together is a reminder to take every kind of day with equal grace.
| Taste | Ingredient | What it stands for |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet | Jaggery | Happiness |
| Sour | Tamarind | Challenge and surprise |
| Salty | Salt | Zest for life |
| Bitter | Neem flowers | Sadness and hard lessons |
| Hot | Green chilli or pepper | Anger |
| Tangy | Raw mango | Newness and anticipation |
Ugadi puja vidhi at home
Begin early on the morning of 7 April, after the Pratipada tithi has begun at 3:50 AM. Many families rise before sunrise, take an oil bath and then set up the puja.
- Clean the home, draw a rangoli at the door and hang a toran of fresh mango leaves.
- Take the traditional oil bath and put on new or freshly washed clothes.
- Set up a clean cloth at the home mandir, light a lamp and place a kalash of water with mango leaves.
- Offer flowers, chandan and kumkum, and pray to Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and your family deity for a good year.
- Prepare Ugadi Pachadi and offer it as naivedyam, then share it as the first thing the family eats.
- In the evening, listen to or read the Panchanga for the new year and exchange good wishes.
Your family or community tradition always comes first. The steps above are a common home format, and they are easy to keep in a UAE apartment.
What you need
- A pooja thali, a lamp, camphor and agarbatti
- Chandan and kumkum for the tilak
- Fresh mango leaves for the toran and the kalash
- Jaggery, tamarind, raw mango, salt, chilli and neem flowers for the pachadi
- Flowers, and rice flour or colours for the rangoli
Pooja essentials are in our Pooja Samagri range, and the daily pooja collection covers lamps and plates.
The Ugadi essentials
Thali, tilak and camphor - the three things you will reach for first.
Ugadi, Gudi Padwa and Chaitra Navratri
In 2027 all three share one date. The same Pratipada tithi is called Ugadi in the Telugu and Kannada traditions, Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, and it opens the nine days of Chaitra Navratri. Our Gudi Padwa guide covers the Maharashtrian customs, and the Chaitra Navratri guide and Navratri guide cover the nine days.
Ugadi in the UAE
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman have large Telugu and Kannada communities, and Ugadi is one of the most widely kept festivals among them. Many community associations hold a gathering around the festival, so ask your local group for its plans.
Wednesday is a working day. The tithi starts at 3:50 AM, so you can do the oil bath, rangoli and a short puja before leaving for work, and keep the pachadi and Panchanga reading for the evening. A small home puja done calmly is better than a long one done in a rush.
Ingredients. Mango leaves, raw mango and jaggery are easy to find at Indian grocery stores across the Emirates. Neem flowers are seasonal and not always in stock, so ask ahead. A pinch of dried neem is a common substitute for the bitter note.
Rangoli in apartments. Use rice flour or washable colours at the door, or a rangoli sheet on a tray if your building prefers a clean corridor. For temple timings and locations, see our guide to Hindu temples in the UAE.
Frequently asked questions
When is Ugadi 2027 in the UAE?
Wednesday, 7 April 2027. The Pratipada tithi runs from 3:50 AM on 7 April to 2:58 AM on 8 April in Dubai, so the whole of 7 April is Ugadi.
What does Ugadi mean?
Ugadi, or Yugadi, joins yuga (age) and adi (beginning). It means the beginning of a new age, and it marks the Telugu and Kannada new year.
Which new year begins on Ugadi 2027?
Telugu Shaka Samvat 1949 begins on 7 April 2027.
What is Ugadi Pachadi and what are its six tastes?
It is a dish made from jaggery, tamarind, salt, neem flowers, green chilli or pepper and raw mango. The six tastes stand for the different feelings the year may bring, and it is eaten first on the morning of Ugadi.
Is Ugadi the same day as Gudi Padwa?
Yes, in 2027 both fall on Wednesday, 7 April. They mark the same Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, and the first day of Chaitra Navratri begins on it as well.
Do the Dubai timings differ from Indian panchang timings?
Yes. Tithi timings are calculated against local sunrise, and Gulf Standard Time is an hour and a half behind India. A time taken from an Indian listing will not match the UAE window, so use the Dubai figures given here.
Do the timings change for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or Ajman?
Only by a few minutes. The Dubai figure is the one to follow across the UAE.
Can I celebrate Ugadi in a UAE apartment?
Yes. A rangoli at the door, a mango leaf toran, a small lamp at the home mandir and the pachadi are all you need. Check your building rules before hanging a toran outside the door.
Plan the rest of your festival year with the Divine Sansar Hindu Calendar, which lists UAE timings for every major festival. Wishing you and your family a happy and peaceful new year.
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