Happy Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand and more in advance, dear readers. These regional New Years are celebrated in Chaitra, the first month of the Indian calendar. Similar festivals like Vishu, Putthandu, and Baisakhi will soon follow.
Each festival has its special dishes, and one of the most interesting is the medicinal neem-jaggery pachidi or chutney eaten on Ugadi and Gudi Padwa. Its roots lie in Ayurveda, where it serves as a seasonal detox and immunity booster. On a spiritual level, the bitterness of neem leaves and the sweetness of jaggery symbolise life’s ups and downs. Known as bevubella in Kannada, bevu (neem) and bella (jaggery) are combined with other ingredients, such as raw mango, to make this unique chutney. This seasonal remedy serves a similar purpose to the heavier medicinal compound known as lehiyam, eaten during Diwali to improve digestion after indulging in festival sweets and savouries and provide a seasonal tonic to safeguard health. Lehiyam is made from coriander, cumin, carom seeds, dried ginger, black peppercorns, jaggery and ghee. It is similar to the highly popular medicinal compound chyavanaprash found up North, consumed to boost health and speed up convalescence. And so begins an unforgettable, fascinating tale.
Chyavana rishi was an ancient seer who meditated so intensely that an anthill grew around him, covering him completely. A local king visited the area with his daughter, Sukanya, and entourage. While the men went hunting, Sukanya wandered away from the royal camp and came across the anthill. She noticed two gleaming dots of light shining from two holes next to each other. Were they fireflies trapped inside? The curious princess picked up a sharp twig and poked at the gleam. Alas, they were Chyavana rishi’s eyes. Luckily, he wasn’t blinded, but it caused him great pain. Furious, he cursed the king’s party with discomfort in return. They hurried back to their base camp and found a frightened Sukanya, who confessed to her thoughtless action.
Her father was very angry and saw a way to punish her and make amends to the rishi. He offered Sukanya in marriage to the rishi, both as his companion and servant. Chyavana agreed, and the remorseful princess meekly accepted her fate. Chyavana emerged from the anthill, and the wedding took place almost immediately. The king and his entourage returned home, leaving Sukanya with her aged husband in the forest.
But Sukanya was not a poorly raised princess. Her careless act of childlike curiosity led to these severe consequences, but she was also taught personal values such as dignity, fortitude, and grace. They say she served Chyavana with sincere devotion and, in time, grew very fond of her brilliant, enigmatic husband, who treated her gently and with affectionate respect.
However, one beautiful spring morning, life took an unexpected turn. Sukanya, as usual, went to the river to bathe. Midway through the bath, she felt hot, devouring eyes watching her. Hastily covering herself, she emerged from the water to be confronted by two extraordinarily handsome men glowing with celestial lustre. They were, indeed, the Immortals—the Ashwin twins, Heaven’s healers, blessed with profound and all-encompassing medicinal knowledge.
They outright asked Sukanya to marry one of them. Sukanya replied that she was already married. Trying to escape, she told them her husband was a powerful rishi. The Ashwins let her go but followed her home to Chyavana rishi’s ashram. Sukanya went into her parnakutir (thatched hut) and told her husband all that transpired.
Chyavana, an astute and all-knowing rishi, had divined the secrets of the cosmos through extended meditation and penance, never crossing the line into black magic or using his divine powers for personal gains. However, he had an idea upon seeing his wife’s frightened face. Using his supernatural insight gained from years of meditation, he knew about the politics of devlok, the celestial realm. He knew the Ashwins were not entitled to a portion of the havis (sacrificial offering) made by mankind to the great gods, which had long been a sore point with them. So, Chyavana rishi decided to trade power for power to benefit and reward Sukanya for her loyalty and devotion.
He came out to greet the Ashwins pleasantly and offered them a deal. If they, using their powers as masters of medicine, made him young and handsome, he would, in turn, ensure they received a share of the havis and the respect it symbolised.
The Ashwins readily accepted this offer, which fulfilled their dearest wish, and withdrew to consult about Chyavana rishi’s transformation among themselves. They returned shortly after and took Chyavana rishi to the river. Once there, they chanted secret spells over him and instructed him to dip himself completely thrice in the river. On the third dip, Chyavana emerged as a glowing, strong, and handsome young man. Sukanya could scarcely believe her eyes when he returned home. At first, she was afraid of him, but with his kind words, he regained her trust.
Soon, Chyavana rishi was invited to conduct a grand sacrifice, during which he offered the Ashwinshavis despite Lord Indra’s strong objections. Chyavana rishi had his way, and the Ashwins were fully repaid to their eternal satisfaction. The touching outcome of this story is that Chyavana rishi then created the medicinal compound known as chyavanaprash to benefit humanity forever, and it continues to do so to this day.