#debsaristories Vikari nama samvatsara Ugadi subhakanshalu. Happy gudi padua. The day when neem blossoms, raw mango, jaggery, tamarind, chilli pepper and salt come together in harmony to remind the flavors of life. I was always big fan of ugadi pachadi. It's like a preview of the upcoming year! My tongue tasted bitter sweet today so that's my year to come!?

 Google reminded me of memories 8 years ago. Visit to Marina beach was inevitable all through my childhood. As the humid summer sets in, we all would look forward to the biggest outing of the year (nope not Europe, not cruises or Alps) the visit to Marina beach by 9 kids and 4 moms. It was necessary to be back home for when dads return from work so our battalion used to leave at 02:00pm, taking the direct bus to Gandhi Square. The excitement as the bus approaches the destination cant be expressed in words. The fact that one cant see anything except blue sky and blue waters and the slush of waves would make us want to jump off of running bus. The afternoon beach sand would still be hot to walk barefoot, but who cares, this was our annual outing after all. We would get one hour to play in water. And we wouldn't turn back to yelling moms if it were beyond an hour. We would instead hold hands and walk deeper into the waves knowing moms would not want to mess sarees and drag us out. Finally when we reluctantly get out after that salty bath, the sun dries us in mins (remember it's still only 04:00 pm ish). Each of us had the opportunity to use our 50 paise to buy mangoes with chili and salt or a popcorn bag. I loved both but allowance unpermitting would pick popcorn to munch the entire trip back home. That part was painful, the fact that the next visit would be a year later. But hey, summer has other plans for us too. Like picking the tiny mangoes that fell off the trees (vadu manga), watermelon, no homework, report card in a postcard (public display of performance). The postman would even go through the results before asking for bakshish. He knew about the neighborhood kids' aptitude better than fancy Tutoring institutes. The morning breeze, dad with newspaper, mom with filter coffee getting ready for her avakaya session or vadiyalu project, the me that used to to sketch and paint on the terrace, sister tugging along with much excitement for the amazing summer holiday ahead .. .. made me drape this mangalagiri cotton sari today.

 It was mango pulihara, radish sambar (with a pinch of sugar), papad, ugadi pachadi (mine includes patali gur) mishti for lunch today. The telugu bong tadka.