Ugadi - Technically Yugadi(yuga+ aadi), which in Sanskrit means'beginning of a new era'. The states of Andhra, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra & Goa celebrate this festival every year on the first day of the first month'Chaitra' of the Hindu calendar. As with every other Indian festival, even this festival focuses on two things. God and food! Obviously the latter assumes greater importance than the former! I am still belching and burping as an after effect of a sumptuous lunch.
But one specialty makes this festival stand out for me.'Ugadi Pacchadi'(pacchadi meaning chutney). This one dish manages to impart a deep philosophical meaning not just to this festival but to life in general! Apart from the mouthwatering dishes, there is this one peculiar dish which is not tasty and which is not meant to be tasty. But people from the Telugu speaking regions prepare it and eat it. This Ugadi Pacchadi doesn’t have a standard recipe. But the formula is simple. Mix up all the six possible tastes. Sweet, salty, hot, sour, tangy & bitter(to infuse bitterness, neem flowers are used as seen in the picture) in equal proportions. So obviously it is not going to be tasty! It is a hotch-potch of all flavours and leaves you confused! Here is where the philosophy starts. This dish represents life the way it is.
Our life is full of experiences. Some are sweet, some are bitter, some are hot, some are sour, some are tangy and some others are salty. This dish symbolizes life. It tries to remind you that life is all about a mixture of experiences. No experience is permanent or long lasting. They are all temporary and subject to change. Hence, this dish tries to remind you that though a new era, a new year is beginning, maturity lies in understanding that even this new year is going to a mixed bag of experiences and emotions. Philosophically, this dish teaches you to rise above the temporary, and inquire and pursue your true purpose of life.
CA Vijay Krishna Dharani
