A joyful spirit prevailed in the city on the eve of Ugadi on Tuesday as people thronged markets and shopping centers to buy festival essentials.
Marketplaces such as Besant Road, One Town, Kaleswara Rao market, Vastralata and Patamata were abuzz with activity right from Tuesday morning as people flocked there to purchase the ingredients of the traditional Ugadi pachhadi.
Vendors lined the narrow, busy lanes of the markets with sacks of neem flowers, raw mangoes, tamarind and jaggery, which comprise the main components of the concoction.
Denizens were seen bargaining with vendors over the steep asking prices for flowers and vegetables. In some cases, the prices doubled towards the end of the day. While the price of a raw mango was around ₹10 in the morning, it was being sold for ₹20 by evening. Same was the case with neem flowers. A small bunch of flowers was sold for ₹15 to ₹20.
Prices of flowers at the Rajiv Gandhi Flower Market went through the roof. The traders said the prices of some flower varieties have gone up by more than 25%, while prices of some have doubled.
Meanwhile, temples and voluntary organizations have lined up a series of programs to ring in the Telugu New Year. Panchanga Sravanam is being organized at temples like Kanaka Durga, Uttaradi Mutt, and colleges such as PB Siddhartha.
Almanac writers would read out the panchangam. Government Asthana Siddhanti Kappagantu Subbarama Somayaji would read out the Shubhakruth Nama Samvatsara panchangam at Tummalapalli Kalashetram. Malladi Venkata Subba Rao Charitable Trust is organizing Ugadi celebrations at Kalakshetram.