HYDERABAD: Ugadi rang in three days ahead in Hyderabad when multi-cuisine restaurant The Spicy Venue, Banjara Hills, celebrated ‘Teluguotsavam’ on Sunday. This event was an attempt to gently remind the forgotten ecstasy of Telugu traditional celebrations.
“We visit our hometown and pay homage to the harvest on Pongal. We decorate the whole house with flowers, lights and burst crackers to celebrate victory of goodness on Diwali. But the auspicious first day of Telugu calendar, our very own New Year is sadly overlooked. We tried to make sure we celebrate new tidings with an authentic Telugu spread,” said Srinivas Sampath, managing director of the restaurant.
The restaurant was decked up in marigolds and chrysanthemums, traditional lamps. There was even a fortune teller the guests turned up in handloom sarees and dhotis. Even the welcome drinks – coconut water, sugarcane juice and buttermilk – spelt the festival.
The starters comprised vada, tamalapaku bajji (made of betel leaf, a rare local specialty) and the main course had a range of delicacies such as pulusu, ogaru, ulavacharu, karivepakannam, gongura mutton, Nellore kodi etc. The desserts comprised fresh cut fruit of Banginapalli, palathalikalu etc. Capricio, a city band, played live Telugu hit numbers. The restaurant plans to celebrate Ugadi every year, on Sunday prior to the festival.