Ugadi pachadi sans withered neem flowers

Nellore: Main ingredient of Ugadi Pachadi, margosa flowers (Vepa Putha), is now scarce in south coastal districts due to advancement of the festival. Neem flowers without withering gives bitter taste when included in the traditional recipe. In fact, Ugadi, the first day of Telugu New Year, comes during Chaitra masam Telugu month which normally comes at the end of March or first week of April.

Pundits say it was because of adhika (extra) masam during the year and the previous Telugu year Hevilambi was not having extra month and hence the festival is being celebrated in its actual time. “There was no adhika masam during last year and hence we are celebrating the festival 15-20 days in advance. Withered neem flowers are not available for the festival discouraging the people.

Though flowers are there, they are not withered and not preferred to use in the recipe, ” said Rallapalli Satyanarayana, a popular Purohit, speaking to The Hans India. Telugu New Year day ‘Chandramana Ugadi’ is celebrated in Andhra and Telangana, Yugaadi in Karnataka, Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Cheti Chand among the Sindhi community. The main ingredients are neem flower, jaggery, tamarind, tender raw mangoes, salt, and fresh pepper or green chillies.

The basic idea is to balance six distinctly different tastes and consume them that indicates all experiences of life which symbolises good and bad events in the coming year. Ayurveda says margosa flowers have medicinal qualities and consuming the Ugadi Pachadi is considered good for the body for managing the summer season ahead.

Now, majority people don’t observe the ritual and vendors are also finding it difficult to bring the withered neem flowers to the market. On Sunday, people at several places faced problems to get the ingredient. They are getting only half withered flowers to prepare Ugadi Pachadi.