Ugaadi

The festival of Bevu and Bella (Neem and Jaggery).

Tomorrow is the festival of Ugadi. This is the new year as per Hindu calendar.

Generally what difference it makes in today's world? We are so much used to the english calendar that even on 1st January, people go to temple and offer their prayers for a successful year ahead. That's quite strange. I still do not understand on how to interpret this. People just need reasons to go to temples.

The plus point of this festival is with its symbols. On this day, people consume both neem and jaggery as a symbol of accepting both tough times as well as happier times with same level of tolerance. While neem represents the tough times, jaggery represents happier times (I still not able to understand that why sweet should be always for happiness. Why can't there be any other taste? Why not tangy? Somebody who is reading this just shouted in their mind... stupid)

But do people really carry that sense of commitment and responsibility during that year? We just freak out when tough times comes and just fly in the air as if some propeller has been kept under us during happier times. It's a clash of symbol vs. reality. Again it's all in the mindset.

Of course, the major plus point is nice lunch with Holige.... hurray... I will try freaking out on food...

But, somewhere, the festivals are loosing their value in the current shrinking world... (Is it shrinking or expanding???). No one cares for the actual meanings of the festivals which were defined based on the society at that point of time. Well certain symbolic representations still make sense like Ugadi and Sankranti and of course, Deepavali. But does it apply to real life in true sense? Need to ponder over it...

If at all anyone reading this, please leave your comments and pamper me.....

It's a long weekend.