Happy Ugadi.
A new year a new beginning. Hope to write more this year marked by the Kannada New Year.
Ugadi is like a BIG event in Karnataka (most south Indian states) .It starts with the planning of buying new clothes almost a month plus in advance ( yeaaaaaaaah shopping ).
This is how an ideal Ugadi at home is.
Scene 1 ( Day before Ugadi ,usually the evening ) it all starts with my Pappa telling me, we will go shopping to get all the pooja stuff. Me being me will say no no no noo like 10 times ,then Pappa will get angry and say BM[sorry cant say what it stands for its a code word at home ;-) ] come/or will get angry and complain to Mumma.Then Mumma will tell me once and leave it at that. Then after all the no noo nooo drama Pappa decided to go alone ( a little angry and grumpy) that is when I have a change of heart and as he is steeping out of the door there it comes "Papppaaaaa wait give me 5 minutes I will get ready and come".And like always we go together to the local market/sante(fair) and buy loads of fruits ( as many kinds as possible ) ,flowers ,Mango leaves for the main door , Neem leaves , betel leaves ,Banana leaves , a pair of small Banana tree ( if I may call it so ).
Get back home all happy ,chatting about everything possible.
Scene 2 ( Day of the festival ) : As its a holiday to all offices. I try and make the best use of it and try ( note I only try cant do it ) to get up as late as possible. The day starts with the a song from an old kannada movie being played on the radio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3O211xkJ8o and my dear loving Pappa screaming at the top of his voice saying get up its a festival day you should not sleep in late not a good omen ( in about 10 minutes Mumma will join in ).We( sis and me) wake up and then take a nice shower and wear new clothes. Then you need to eat something bitter( usually the neem leaves or flowers) and something sweet(Jaggeri) . It is suppose to signify taking all good and bad things in life or suppose to signify that the coming year will be filled with all good and bad things in it. Then the pooja preparation like everything else has to have a small drama with Pappa, Mumma,Sis and me.Usually dad wants us to do all the preparations but we are lazy and finally end up doing it any ways ( come to think of it I have always done it in fact, I feel good doing it wonder why the drama is there :-) ) .For the pooja kalasha is decorated with jewellary, new sareer and alll.
The Pappa does the pooja. Mummma makes the most tasties of the dishes -payasa , ambode , happala , kosambari , saaru, anna ( GOD my mouth is watering ).Eat all the good food and go and crash in my room for a good 2/3 hours and get up and watch some movie being played in the kannada channel as the Ugadi special and then the night poooja and eat second round of good food.Night hmmm sulk about having to get to work/school the next day and go to bed.
Ohh, almost forgot Ugadi marks the beginning of the all new things new year , the spring with all the trees in full bloom filled totally with flowers. As a kid we use to have a huge garden and there was a honge tree that use to be in full bloom.One day I guess in my summer vacation my sis and this nice maid we use to have woke me up and took me to the corner of the house on the ground floor and the maid was on the first floor terrace with a big bad of flowers and it was emptied on me and it is the best way I have been woken up every in my life. Thanks a ton sis will always love you for all those small small things you have done for me.Muuuuaaah
