Ugadi 2026: Families Prefer Home-Cooked Meals, Hotel Rush Falls in Karnataka

Ugadi 2026 sees families in Karnataka opting for home-cooked meals, leading to reduced rush at hotels. Many eateries remain shut, while others face gas shortages. The festive break offers temporary relief to the hospitality sector amid supply challenges.

As the city gears up to celebrate Ugadi, most households are preparing to cook traditional festive meals at home. This has led to many vegetarian hotels across Bengaluru remaining closed on Thursday, as families prefer home-cooked dishes for the occasion. The festive break has also provided brief respite to the hotel industry, which has been grappling with a severe gas cylinder shortage in recent weeks.

Restaurants to Shut on Consecutive Days

The closures are expected to continue on Friday during Hosa Thodaku, when non-vegetarian restaurants traditionally remain shut. As a result, the hospitality sector is likely to experience a temporary slowdown over these two days. For hotel owners, this pause comes as a small relief amid ongoing challenges related to fuel supply.

Legal Battle Over Gas Cylinder Supply

Hotel owners are currently engaged in a legal battle over gas supply restrictions. They have approached the High Court against a decision to limit supply to 1,000 cylinders per day for the entire industry. While the issue remains unresolved, the festive holidays have momentarily eased operational pressure on restaurants.

Traditional Eateries Keep Festive Spirit Alive

Despite the shortage, some iconic Bengaluru eateries continue to uphold their long-standing traditions of serving special festival meals. Establishments such as Hallimane in Malleswaram and Annapurneshwari Holige Mane in Srinagar are well known for their Ugadi Holige feasts. With limited access to commercial gas cylinders, these outlets are turning to traditional cooking methods, including firewood stoves, to prepare festive dishes.

Turning to Alternative Cooking Methods

Chandrashekhar, owner of Annapurneshwari Holige Mane in Srinagar, highlighted the challenges faced by restaurateurs. 

“There is a huge demand for Holige during Ugadi. We cannot afford to buy gas cylinders at inflated prices, so we have decided to use firewood stoves,” he said. 

He also clarified that the price of Holige will not be increased despite rising costs.

No Wholesale Supply This Year

Raghavendra, owner of Hallimane in Malleswaram, said the restaurant has been serving special Ugadi Holige meals for over 20 years. 

“The demand is always massive. Due to the gas cylinder shortage, we will be using firewood stoves and induction cooktops this time,” he noted. 

He added that, given the current constraints, the restaurant will not be able to fulfil wholesale orders this year.