So what’s cooking this winter in Gujarati households? Well, with Uttarayan nearing, can Undhiyu be far behind? Then there’s khichdo, stuffed ravaiyo, add to it a dash of Kariavar, Akhand Saubhagyavati and garnish it with Sau Daada Sasuna! But wait, aren’t the last ones mentioned names of popular Gujarati TV serials. They indeed are but tradition being the flavour of this season, the accent is on ’Gujarati-ness’, be it on the thaali or on the telly.
So while undhiyu parties have already begun over a month before Makar Sankranti, Gujarati sitcoms too are jumping on the popularity bandwagon, with resident Gujaratis and NRGs all harking back to good ’ol Gujarati times.
“Undhiyu is symbolic of the change in season. I remember my mom calling all our relatives and friends for a undhiyu feast when I was a kid. The fashion is back, with a bang,” says Namrata Patel, a resident of Naranpura. “Even our relatives from abroad simply love the matla undhiyu (simmered in a pot on a tandoor) and tikho (spicy) or galyo (sweet) khichdo (a dish made of soaked wheat, tuvar, with toppings of coconut, cashew nut, raisins), served with stuffed brinjals and yummy, I am already famished,” she gushes. At 65, Urmilaben Vimawala, a resident of Satellite area, keeps the tradition alive by inviting her friends over for undhiyu parties.
For Dakshaben Patel, from Shahibaug area, it’s gundar paak and adadiya paak (sweet made from edible gum, almond, cashew nut, raisins) that her family, friends and relatives look forward to. “I don’t compromise. If I invite my friends over, then I see to it that undhiyu has every vegetable and all spices. And with all the more traditional sweets to go with it, one feels draped in true Gujarati colours,” smiles Dakshaben. “Even my daughter in Ontario in Canada tries to get the true flavour of the delicacy when she throws a party at her place,” she adds.
And what do TV production houses have to dish out? “We are not competing with Hindi sitcoms. The idea is to come up with something parallel to the already famous soaps. And so, you’ll find an equivalent of Parvati from Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki or a Prerna (Kasauti Zindagi Ki). Our serial Kariavar boasts of an excellent starcast,” says Sweety Jain, executive producer, Zee Gujarati.
The proof is in the packaging, says Nirav Purohit, Senior Production Co-ordinator, ETV. “If a programme is presented well and has glossy look, then it will show on the TRPs,” he says. And what do viewers want? “It’s Sau Daaada Sasuna, followed by Akand Saubhagyawati, Kariavar, that’s a hit with majority of families. Even I like to watch them,” says Surendrabhai Shah, a cable-operator from Naranpura.
Meanwhile the undhiyu parties have a pan-Gujarati appeal. For instance, Sheer-khurma with undhiyu was the flavour of the party at Dr Sheroo Zamindar’s place in Shahibaug. A gynaecologist at Apollo Hospitals, she invited some 15 friends of hers for a undhiyu-party last Saturday as they couldn’t make it for Eid.
And with Amdavadis hitting off a trend, can NRGs be far behind? “We planned an elaborate Gujarati spread at the wedding of my friend from Australia two weeks ago. The marriage took place in Bardoli and with three types of undhiyus ( tava, matla and Saurashtra undhiyu— more sweeter with oodles of muthiyas) on the menu to tempt the guests’ palate, the entire affair was an instant hit,” says Alan Ohol, operation head, Red Events India Pvt Ltd.
“As far as NRIs are concerned, our programme Lets Learn Gujarati is on popular demand in UK and US,” says Jain. Purohit too echoes the same saying “Gujarati sitcoms ride the success wave in Singapore and Dubai as well.” Food and soaps, must say, do work up an appetising lather, and with Gujarat beckoning, time to take look back and say, Halone Apda Malakma!
Source : Expressindia.com
So while undhiyu parties have already begun over a month before Makar Sankranti, Gujarati sitcoms too are jumping on the popularity bandwagon, with resident Gujaratis and NRGs all harking back to good ’ol Gujarati times.
“Undhiyu is symbolic of the change in season. I remember my mom calling all our relatives and friends for a undhiyu feast when I was a kid. The fashion is back, with a bang,” says Namrata Patel, a resident of Naranpura. “Even our relatives from abroad simply love the matla undhiyu (simmered in a pot on a tandoor) and tikho (spicy) or galyo (sweet) khichdo (a dish made of soaked wheat, tuvar, with toppings of coconut, cashew nut, raisins), served with stuffed brinjals and yummy, I am already famished,” she gushes. At 65, Urmilaben Vimawala, a resident of Satellite area, keeps the tradition alive by inviting her friends over for undhiyu parties.
For Dakshaben Patel, from Shahibaug area, it’s gundar paak and adadiya paak (sweet made from edible gum, almond, cashew nut, raisins) that her family, friends and relatives look forward to. “I don’t compromise. If I invite my friends over, then I see to it that undhiyu has every vegetable and all spices. And with all the more traditional sweets to go with it, one feels draped in true Gujarati colours,” smiles Dakshaben. “Even my daughter in Ontario in Canada tries to get the true flavour of the delicacy when she throws a party at her place,” she adds.
And what do TV production houses have to dish out? “We are not competing with Hindi sitcoms. The idea is to come up with something parallel to the already famous soaps. And so, you’ll find an equivalent of Parvati from Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki or a Prerna (Kasauti Zindagi Ki). Our serial Kariavar boasts of an excellent starcast,” says Sweety Jain, executive producer, Zee Gujarati.
The proof is in the packaging, says Nirav Purohit, Senior Production Co-ordinator, ETV. “If a programme is presented well and has glossy look, then it will show on the TRPs,” he says. And what do viewers want? “It’s Sau Daaada Sasuna, followed by Akand Saubhagyawati, Kariavar, that’s a hit with majority of families. Even I like to watch them,” says Surendrabhai Shah, a cable-operator from Naranpura.
Meanwhile the undhiyu parties have a pan-Gujarati appeal. For instance, Sheer-khurma with undhiyu was the flavour of the party at Dr Sheroo Zamindar’s place in Shahibaug. A gynaecologist at Apollo Hospitals, she invited some 15 friends of hers for a undhiyu-party last Saturday as they couldn’t make it for Eid.
And with Amdavadis hitting off a trend, can NRGs be far behind? “We planned an elaborate Gujarati spread at the wedding of my friend from Australia two weeks ago. The marriage took place in Bardoli and with three types of undhiyus ( tava, matla and Saurashtra undhiyu— more sweeter with oodles of muthiyas) on the menu to tempt the guests’ palate, the entire affair was an instant hit,” says Alan Ohol, operation head, Red Events India Pvt Ltd.
“As far as NRIs are concerned, our programme Lets Learn Gujarati is on popular demand in UK and US,” says Jain. Purohit too echoes the same saying “Gujarati sitcoms ride the success wave in Singapore and Dubai as well.” Food and soaps, must say, do work up an appetising lather, and with Gujarat beckoning, time to take look back and say, Halone Apda Malakma!
Source : Expressindia.com