Happy Ugadi!

We've been in India for almost 6 months and I'm still very confused as to when the public holidays are. Like all the Hindu GOD's that I'm still trying to get my head around as well, there are just too many to fathom. I did a bit of research on the Public holidays/Festivals in India:

India, being a multicultural and multireligious society, celebrates holidays and festivals of various faiths and special interest groups. There are three national holidays: Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti. Hindu festivals of Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Ugadi, Dussehra, Sankranthi/Pongal and the Islamic festivals of Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha, Muharram, and Ramadan are the most popular religious festivals in India. A number of festivals are common to most parts of India. In addition, many states and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics.

Hindus celebrate a number of Festivals all through the year. From celebrating the advent of spring to celebrating the win of good over evil, Hindu religion and culture provide its followers endless reasons to celebrate. Given below is the list of just a few of these festivals that are celebrated with great zest and fervour.
Diwali or Deepawali
Ganesh Chaturthi
Dussehra or Daserra
Ugadi
Sankranthi
Pongal
Holi
Raksha Bandhan
Krishna Janmastami
Gudi Padwa
Durga Puja
Navratri
Maha Shivaratri
Basant
Bonalu
Teej
Bhaubeej (Bhai Dooj)
Ramanavami
Hanuman Jayanti
Chhath
Guru Purnima
Baisakhi
Onam
Karwa Chauth
Thaipusam
Ratha Yatra
Gita Jayanti
Kumbh Mela
Thrissur Pooram
Laxmi puja
Kumar Purnima
Saraswati Puja
PrathamAstami
Vasant Panchami
Amavasya
Kojagiri Purnima
Anant Chaturdashi
Ekadashi
Nag panchami
Sankranthi
Vat Pournima
Zatra

Today - 19 March is Ugadi

It is believed that the creator of the Hindu pantheon, Lord Brahma started the work of creation on this day - Chaitra suddha padhyami or Ugadi day. Also the great Indian Mathematician Bhaskaracharya's calculations proclaimed this day as the start of a new year, new month and new day from sunrise. Ugadi is celebrated with festive fervor in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.The Kannadiga New Year day Yugadi that falls in late March or early April is celebrated with devotion and delight.

Ugadi, marking the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar is a day when mantras are chanted and predictions made for the new year. Traditionally, the panchangasrayanam or listening to the yearly calendar was done at the temples. Ugadi is also the most auspicious time to start new ventures. On Ugadi day, people wake up before the break of dawn and take a ritual head bath, after which they decorate the entrance of their homes with a toran of fresh mango leaves signifying a good crop and general well-being. People also splash fresh cow dung water on the ground in front of their homes and draw colorful floral designs or rangolis. Usually the festival dinner starts with jaggery and neem leaves symbolic of joys and sorrows interwoven in life. In Karnataka, special dishes are prepared for the occasion called "puliogure" and "holige".