Key takeaways
- Ugadi (Telugu and Kannada New Year) and Gudi Padwa (Marathi and Konkani New Year): Wednesday, April 7, 2027
- Pratipada in Toronto: 7:50 PM April 6 to 6:58 PM April 7; Vancouver: 4:50 PM April 6 to 3:58 PM April 7
- In Maharashtra, Gudi Padwa is one of the "three and a half" most auspicious days (sade teen muhurat)
- Many families buy a little gold or silver for the new year
- Akshaya Tritiya, the next gold-buying day, is a month later, on May 8, 2027 in Canada
When are Ugadi and Gudi Padwa in 2027?
Ugadi and Gudi Padwa are the same day: the first day (Pratipada) of the bright half of the month of Chaitra. It is the start of the new year in the lunar calendar used in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa.
| Toronto | Vancouver | |
|---|---|---|
| Ugadi / Gudi Padwa | Wednesday, April 7, 2027 | Wednesday, April 7, 2027 |
| Pratipada tithi begins | 7:50 PM, April 6 | 4:50 PM, April 6 |
| Pratipada tithi ends | 6:58 PM, April 7 | 3:58 PM, April 7 |
Source: Drik Panchang, with the city set to Toronto and Vancouver. Times are local daylight time. In India, Ugadi is also on April 7, 2027.
The Panchang day runs from sunrise to sunrise. Because Pratipada is in force at sunrise on April 7 in both cities, April 7 is the festival day. The new year is welcomed in the morning, after an oil bath.
What are Ugadi and Gudi Padwa?
Ugadi (Yugadi)
Ugadi means "the start of an age". It is the New Year for Telugu and Kannada speakers. Drik Panchang lists the main customs: an oil bath, eating tender neem leaves, and Panchanga Shravanam, the reading of the new year's almanac. Families make Ugadi pachadi, a dish that mixes six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and spicy. Rangoli (muggulu) is drawn at the entrance and mango-leaf torans are hung on doors.
Gudi Padwa
Gudi Padwa is the New Year for Marathi and Konkani speakers. Families raise a gudi, a decorated flag pole, at home, take an oil bath and eat neem leaves. A new 60-year cycle name (Samvatsara) begins on this day.
Chaitra Navratri also begins on this day in many North Indian families.
Why do families buy gold on Gudi Padwa and Ugadi?
In Maharashtra, Gudi Padwa is counted among the sade teen muhurat, the three and a half days of the year seen as auspicious all day, with no need to look up a time. The others are Akshaya Tritiya, Vijayadashami (Dussehra), and half a day at Kartik Shukla Pratipada (Bali Pratipada, around Diwali). These days are favoured for new starts: a business, a home, a car, or a piece of gold.
Akshaya Tritiya, another of these days, follows about a month later, so some families plan their spring gold buying around the two dates. Telugu and Kannada families also often buy something new for Ugadi: clothes, a utensil, or a little gold or silver.
None of this is a religious requirement. Buy only what fits your budget.
How are Ugadi and Gudi Padwa celebrated in Canada?
April 7, 2027 is a Wednesday, so most community events will likely move to the weekend of April 10 and 11. Telugu, Kannada and Marathi associations in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Calgary and Metro Vancouver usually hold cultural programs, and many temples hold Panchanga Shravanam. Check each group's event page for 2027 dates.
At home, families do the oil bath and puja on the day itself. A small gudi works well on a balcony or by a front window.
How do you buy gold for the new year in Canada?
- Choose the karat. Indian stores in Canada mostly sell 22K (91.6% gold, stamped 916). 24K (99.9%) coins and bars have the purest gold. Canadian chain stores mostly sell 10K (41.7%) and 14K (58.5%).
- Ask for the weight and making charge separately. The gold value is weight times purity times the day's price. The making charge is extra and varies a lot by store and design.
- Know your units. Family members in India may talk in tola. One tola is 11.6638 g. Many Indian stores price per 10 g.
- Compare with India if you plan to buy there. Check the price in Hyderabad, Bangalore or Mumbai before you travel, and know the customs rules for bringing gold back.
- Keep the receipt with the karat and weight.
RemitBee Gold, coming in early 2027, plans to offer pure 24K gold from $10 at the live market price, with one 0.5% fee shown before you confirm. The waitlist is at gold.remitbee.com.
What are good Ugadi and Gudi Padwa gift ideas?
- A silver lamp, kalash or pooja plate for the new year
- A 22K or 24K gold coin with Lakshmi or a family deity
- A silk saree, a Paithani for Gudi Padwa, or a new kurta
- Light gold earrings or a chain for a daughter or mother
- Sweets such as puran poli or obbattu/bobbatlu
Compare prices with the gold price in Hyderabad, the gold price in Bangalore or the gold price in Mumbai. Then check a piece's real value with our gold value calculator.