India, March 20 -- "The first thing we do on Yugadi is bring the new panchangam home and read it," says Sree Gururaja, now retired from senior posts in the United Nations. The Koramangala resident and long-time Bangalorean talks about the customs that she continues to uphold, all of which are described below. But specifically, Sree makes an Appi Payasam, which I have tasted in her home. "This is common in the Madhwa Brahmin community which I belong to and it is a rich basundi-type dish made with fried chiroti-rava puris, which are then simmered in sweetened thickened milk".

But first the panchangam. Yuga-adi is the beginning of a yuga, which in the Hindu imagination has much more resonance and length than a mere year. But for people in K...