Ugadi marks a change in the moon’s lunar orbit and also the beginning of the Hindu lunar calendar. It is a day when mantras are chanted by the Brahmins and is an important tradition to predict the new year. An important aspect of this is PanchangaShravanam or hearing of the Panchanga.

Tradition To Predict The New Year:

PanchangaShravanam or the tradition to predict the new year is done by the priests at the temples. The presiding or officiating priest reminds all the participants of Brahma, the creator of the universe, before reading out annual forecasts as predicted in the Panchanga. The reading of Panchanga includes the reading of other Tidhis (prosperity and wealth) during the year and ends in the forecast of the different spheres of the social life and the effects of the various constellations on them.

According to the scriptures, the benefits reaped by the reader and the listener are equivalent to having a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges. The people hearing the Pangagna thank the reader, seek his blessings and offer new clothes to him.

Traditionally PanchangaShravanam or listening to the yearly calendar was done at the Town square or the temples but nowadays, with the advent of modern technology, the priest scholar can be seen on the television and people listen to the Ugadipanchangampreditionsfrom the comfort of their homes.