Ugadi, the new year festival of Kannada and Telugu communities, is just around the corner. This year, it will be celebrated on March 19, 2026, and coincides with the Maharashtrian New Year, Gudi Padwa. Just like any other Indian festival, this festival too is incomplete without loads of traditional food dishes. So, here’s your guide on Ugadi festival dishes that are prepared in South India.
Traditional Ugadi Food: Authentic South Indian Ugadi Food
Panakam
Panakam is a traditional South Indian sweet beverage that is prepared on special occasions. It is made out of jaggery, water, ginger, cardamom, and lemon. It is known for its cooling properties and hence served mostly during summer festivals. This drink is said to be Lord Rama’s favourite drink and is loved for its natural medicinal properties as well as its sweet taste.
Hollige
Hollige or Obattu is a popular South Indian sweet flatbread made on special occasions, especially on Ugadi in Karnataka. It is filled with hoorna or a sweet mixture of lentils and jaggery. There are many regional varieties of this sweet dish, like Bele or Chana Dal hollige, Sakkare or Sugar Hollige, and Coconut Hollige. This dish is known as Puran Poli in Maharashtra and Poli in Tamil Nadu.
Ugadi Pacchadi
This is a traditional and most important dish made on Ugadi in South India. It is a no-cook chutney that is prepared using six ingredients that offer six distinct flavors that symbolize six different emotions. The dish is made by mixing raw mango, neem flowers, jaggery, tamarind, chili, and salt. It is consumed early in the morning to start the celebrations of Ugadi, symbolising life’s varied experiences and its acceptance.
Pulihora
Pulihora is basically Tamarind rice, which is a traditional rice preparation in the southern states of India. It features cooked rice mixed with a tangy tamarind pulp and a spicy tempering. It is generally prepared on special occasions like weddings, baby showers, and even on Ugadi. With a nutrient-rich profile because of the ingredients, this dish is one of the healthiest ones.
Mavinakay Chutney
Mavinakay Chutney means raw mango chutney or green mango chutney. It is basically an Indian chutney that is prepared from unripe mangoes. These chutneys are tangy in taste and go well with South Indian red rice. Red rice with mavinakay chutney and curd is a staple in many South Indian villages. This chutney is also given urad dal tempering that enhances its flavors.
Payasam
Payasam is a traditional Indian milk-based pudding dish made using milk, sugar or jaggery, and sago or rice, or vermicelli. It is generally made using sago in Karnataka and using rice in other South Indian states. This classic sweet dish is prepared in South Indian households for any celebration or festival. It is first served to god and then distributed as prasadam to everyone in the house.
Mavinakay Chhitranna
Mavinakay Chitranna means raw mango rice in South India, prepared in many regions of southern India, especially Karnataka. It is generally prepared on Yugadi and summers. The dish consists of cooked rice tossed with a savory, spicy, and tangy mixture of grated raw mango, green chilies, peanuts, curry leaves, and mustard tempering. In some versions, they add grated coconut on top to add a bit of crunch.
Chhattambade
Chhattambade, also known as dal vade, is a popular lentil-based deep-fried fritter made in southern India. It is prepared by grounding the soaked split chickpeas or Bengal gram and black gram lentils coarsely with herbs and spices. These fritters are served both as an evening snack and a breakfast dish along with idlis or medu vada. This dish tastes best with hot sambhar.
Medu Vada
Medu Wada is a well-known and much-loved doughnut-shaped deep-fried South Indian breakfast dish. It is loved for its crispy exterior and soft interior, and tastes the best when dipped in sambhar and coconut chutney. This fritter is made using urad dal, curry leaves, and green chillies.
Kosambari
Kosambari is a healthy salad that is served with full-course meals. They are generally served during weddings or special occasions like Ugadi. This salad consists of lentils, grated coconut, cucumber, unripe mango, and green chillies. It is garnished with coriander leaves and lemon juice that simply add to the flavors, making it a perfect complement to the full-course meal.
Summing Up
Just like any other Indian festival, even South India’s Ugadi celebration is incomplete without traditional food dishes.
