Vyoma Nandi is celebrating Uttarayan in Ahmedabad for the second year in a row. This comes after a break of twenty-five years. The actress was born in Ahmedabad but grew up in Canada. She now lives in Mumbai. She recently took part in a fun shoot and shared her excitement about the festival.
Returning to Roots
Vyoma Nandi made a special trip to Ahmedabad just for Uttarayan. She explains her decision with enthusiasm. Last year, she celebrated the festival during a film promotion in the city. She enjoyed it so much that she planned this year's visit specifically for the celebrations.
Cherished Childhood Memories
Vyoma Nandi has fond memories of Uttarayan from her early childhood in Ahmedabad. She celebrated until she was five or six years old. Her uncles and their families would visit their home. Everyone would spend the entire day on the terrace flying kites.
Her mother made delicious traditional snacks. Til ni chikki and sing pak are her absolute favorites. She would snack all day long and relish undhiyu for lunch. Her grandmother had a sweet tradition of hiding a one-rupee coin in mamra na laddoo. Whoever found the coin could keep it. Vyoma recalls this as a big victory that always made her laugh.
After moving to Canada, flying kites became impossible. However, her mother kept the food traditions alive. She continued making til ni chikki, sing pak, and mamra na laddoo every Uttarayan. Vyoma admits she will miss eating those homemade treats this year.
The Unbeatable Ahmedabad Vibe
Vyoma Nandi loves celebrating Uttarayan in Ahmedabad because the atmosphere is unmatched. She compares it to a thrilling cricket match. Everyone is shouting, hooting, and celebrating together throughout the day. The food available during the festival is simply unmissable. She plans to taste every snack and every dabba on the terrace while flying kites.
Music plays a big role in keeping the energy high. While new songs are fun, she believes OG tracks like Dheel De and popular songs by Shaan, Sonu Nigam, KK, and Shankar Mahadevan are perfect for maintaining the festive vibe.
Festival Plans and Learning
Last year, Vyoma visited a pol for film promotions and flew kites there. This year, she will spend the whole day at the Heritage House. She will be celebrating with her industry friends and cousins.
Vyoma considers herself a beginner at flying kites. Last year, her cousins and friends flew the kites to a certain height. Then they handed them over to her. This time, she plans to learn properly and fly kites on her own. She has even tried tying kiniyas by herself.
For comfort during the long day, she prefers wearing a cozy hoodie or tee. She accessorizes her look with sunglasses and hats. She also uses tapes on her fingers for protection. With a laugh, she says that whether the kite flies high or not, the feeling should be that she celebrated Uttarayan to the fullest.
She does not know much about how evenings are spent during the festival in Ahmedabad. So she has asked her friends and cousins to plan something special.
A Note on Safety
Vyoma Nandi emphasizes that celebrations should not come at the cost of safety. She enjoys seeing people engage in friendly banter on terraces. However, she feels some people forget the true essence of the festival.
Cutting kites is a fun part of Uttarayan. But she questions why anyone would cross or jump across terraces to catch a fallen kite. The spirit of the festival should remain intact with happiness and sportsmanship. No celebration is more important than the safety of everyone involved.
