A very Happy Pongal to all: Sridevi

Today’s a special day for Sridevi. It’s Pongal, and Sri has been eagerly looking forward to the day. The actor was born and brought up in Tamil Nadu and has been celebrating everything Tamil, including the New Year, ever since she can remember. Of Pongal, she says, “It used to a grand affair at home when I was in Chennai. There used to be a traditional pooja, a huge family get-together, and a special lunch cooked in traditional spices and served on banana leaves. The house would reverberate with aromas of lemon rice, aivviyal and pongal.” But today things stand differently for the actress who is happily settled in Mumbai. “My house has a typical Punjabi atmosphere. Even the cooks we have are Punjabi. I crave for Tamilian food sometimes, but I have to wait for my next visit home, which happens every two months,” says the actor. Sri doesn’t know how to cook. “But I supervise the cooking and nothing goes on the table without me looking into it,” she laughs. Today, Sri will do a pooja at home with her husband and daughters Khushi and Jahnavi. And for food, they will settle for the usual Punjabi fare. “We usually fly down to Chennai and celebrate Pongal with my family. This time, due to the kids’ schooling, we are not able to go.” Sri says her daughters have been raised to respect all religions and imbibe values from them. “I never bring about the division, regional or religious. I want them to grow up as good human being,” she says.