For Pooja Hegde, born and raised in Karnataka, Ugadi has always been a festival of togetherness. Right from childhood, it has been an occasion for friends and extended family to gather and spread warmth.
“We used to decorate our homes with rangolis, and, later in the day, we would all feast on some traditional delicacies” remembers Pooja.
The actress says she continues to celebrate Gudi Padwa even after relocating to Mumbai.
“The festival marks the start of the New Year, so it brings a lot of positivity and hope,” she shares, adding that paayasam and Kheer are made at home on this auspicious day.
“Gudi Padwa would be incomplete without paayasam,” she beams, and shares that her mother taught her how to prepare sweets and desserts.
“When at home I make sure that I make the sweet and kheer; these are Gudi Padwa classics; these desserts are especially prepared during the festival and are among my favourite dishes along with puran poli and basundi,” she reveals. She also participates in the pooja that her parents perform.
Festivals mean a lot to Pooja, as she believes they spread positivity. Though she has had to be away on work on some occasions, the actress says, “For most of the big festivals like Dasara, Gudi Padwa, Diwali, etc., I make sure that I am at home and make family and friends feel special and spread warmth in my own little way.”
“I am a good host, so I make sure that everyone around me is having a good time,” says Pooja.
The Ala Vaikuntapuram Lo actress has a slew of releases this year in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi, and she says she’s looking forward to all of them. “Because this year all the hard work I have put in over the last couple of years will be out for people to see. Each film will show me in a different light; the audience will be definitely taken by surprise and can’t wait to see their reactions,” she says, signing off.
