Hindu festival · San Francisco Bay Area
Ugadi
Dates for the Bay Area
- Thursday, 19 March 2026New Year
- Wednesday, 7 April 2027New Yearnext
- Sunday, 26 March 2028New Year
Why it matters
Marks the beginning of a regional Hindu year or solar month and is observed as a time for renewal, auspicious beginnings and gratitude.
The story behind it
Different Indian calendars begin the year according to lunar or solar calculations, so New Year traditions vary by region while sharing themes of renewal and dharma.
Prayers and worship
Temple darshan, Ganesha/Vishnu/Devi or family-deity worship, reading or hearing the new Panchāṅgam in some traditions, and prayers for health and righteous prosperity are common.
Fasting and devotional customs
Homes are cleaned and decorated, new clothes may be worn, elders are honored and region-specific foods symbolize the mixed experiences of life and hopes for the year ahead.
What is typically offered
Flowers, fruit, coconuts, lamps, new-year foods and decorations such as rangoli or kolam.
Visiting a temple that day
Expect regional foods and customs rather than one uniform “Hindu New Year.” Ask volunteers which calendar tradition the temple is observing. Temple practices vary by region and sampradaya. Dress modestly, remove footwear where required, follow priest/volunteer directions, ask before photography, and check the temple’s event page for exact pooja, fasting and prasādam arrangements.
Spiritual themes
Renewal, auspicious beginnings, gratitude, resilience and dharma.
Request this pooja
Ask Sri Kumar Gurukkal about a pooja for Ugadi — at your home, at a temple, or with family joining remotely. A request is an enquiry, not a booking.
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Subscribe to the festival calendar Share on WhatsAppThe 2026–27 dates were compiled from a Northern-California Panchāṅgam reference for the Fremont / Bay Area location. The 2028 date is computed by this site’s own engine from the festival’s standard definition, tested against the 2026–27 dates: Caitra śukla pratipadā, judged at the tithi at sunrise (udaya-vyāpinī). No 2028 date has been checked against a printed almanac or reviewed by Sri Kumar Gurukkal. They can differ from a calendar computed for another city or another sampradāya. Please confirm any date on which you plan a ceremony with Sri Kumar Gurukkal. How these dates are calculated →