This time, Ugadi will be a quiet celebration, with people staying indoors because of the lockdown. No temple visit, no lunch with extended family. The usual shopping amid raucous traffic has given way to muted preparations.
But what’s cooking in the homes of celebrities? Will they indulge in some cooking since they have lots of time on their hands?
A self-confessed foodie
A third-generation actor from the Rajkumar family, Dhanya Ramkumar is a self-confessed foodie. “Obbattu is my favourite and that’s made for Ugadi. My mother makes mavinkai chitranna and payasa. Every year, we usually visit the extended family and later head to my grandparent’s memorial to pay our respects. But this year, we’ve decided to connect through the virtual world and stay indoors,” says Dhanya, who eats sweets but never forgets to work out.
* Faves: Obbattu, mavinkai chitranna
Happy at home
Manvitha Harish, known for films like ‘Kendasampige’, ‘Tagaru’, Relax Satya’ and most recently ‘India vs England’, hails from Mangaluru. “Food is a big part of the festival. I love cooking and one of the dishes I make is raw jackfruit curry with pathrode. I usually buy jackfruit from Mangalurean stores. But this year, it looks like I have to skip it,” says Manvitha. She has tried her hand at making kheer and a cashew nut-based dish. Manvitha enjoys spending time at home and keeps herself occupied with writing, reading and painting. “These are things that I don’t get to do when I am working. So I am making good use of my staying indoors,” she says.
* Faves: Pathrode, jackfruit curry
Learnt cooking early
‘RangiTaranga’ actor Nirup Bhandari, whose latest film is ‘Aadi Lakshmi Puraana’, picked up the basics of cooking early on in his life. “I am from Mangaluru and we celebrate what is called Bisu. My wife is from Mysuru, so now Ugadi has also become our festival. I make ‘Puliyogare’. I am a self-taught cook and I learnt most of what I cook today through trial and error,” says Nirup. He recalls that his father and older brother Anup Bhandari would never enter the kitchen. “Whenever my mother had to go out of town, I would get into the kitchen and make coffee and dish out something like noodles or omelettes. That is how I sharpened my skills in cooking. Today, I refer to YouTube only when I make biryani. I prefer to experiment and add my own flavour to every dish that I make. I find time for cooking and make my diet food every day,” he says.
* Fave: Puliyogare
Look up to mother
‘U-Turn’ actor Radhika Narayan picks up cooking tips from her mother. “I love rasam and it is a staple for me. This Ugadi, I don’t intend to make anything elaborate but I may make kosambari which is healthy and perhaps some fruit salad with custard,” says Radhika.
Fave: Kosambari, fruit salad with custard.