Chennai:

A twin book release came on a note of appropriate reverence on Tuesday evening as the subjects dealt with are Shlokas and the Hindu Festivals & Food. Beyond the mouth watering recipes for special occasions that are spelt out in great detail, there is a good reason for GenNext to take particular interest in the book on festivals as it explains a great deal about the culture and customs. There is also no better or quicker guide to the legends behind the festivals.

With her vast experience as the producer of popular television serials, the author of the two volumes, Vimala Ramani, narrates in a nutshell the tradition behind festivals, when they are held and how they are to be celebrated and what food is to be cooked to mark them. Coming so soon in the wake of Prema Srinivasan’s Pure Vegetarian, Vimala’s exposition on the stories, celebrations and recipes of the naivedyam to be offered to the gods before we gorge on the sweets and the savouries is bound to add to the rich cultural and gastronomic legacy of the state.

The Tamil calendar is spelt out in great detail so the uninitiated may grasp why our festivals tend to fall on different dates in the calendar each year. The notes explaining the puranas and the history behind the festivals make the book a pleasurable read that is enlightening.

If we have been celebrating without knowing much more than the fact that most festivals portray the victory of good over evil, Hindu Festivals & Food (Ram’s Creative Chamber, `900) represents the best way to gain some knowledge.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / September 11th, 2013