Vikas Khanna to present it to Narendra Modi
Vikas Khanna’s latest book ‘Utsav – A culinary epic of Indian festivals’ was unveiled to the world at French Riviera in Cannes last month. This is the first cookbook in 68 years of Cannes Film Festival that a cookbook was being launched there.
It has taken more than 12 years for Michelin Star Chef to research, write, photograph this book which is setting the price of the most expensive cookbook in the World (Rs. 8 lacs or US$ 13,000).
The 43-year-old chef launched his book, titled Utsav, with actress Sonam Kapoor at Cannes. The book will be auctioned at a starting price of Rs 8 lakh, according to an official statement from Khanna’s office.
Vikas will hand deliver this cookbook to the world’s top 12 leaders who have inspired him as a gratitude and to his “Motherland to the World”. This journey will start from India’s PM Narendra Modi.
The first 12 copies of the limited-edition book would also be hand-delivered by Khanna to US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, the Dalai Lama, the President of France François Hollande, Queen Elizabeth of England and American talk show queen Oprah Winfrey.
The book celebrates India’s known and lesser-known festivals. Their rituals, ceremonies and customs of food through sacred ingredients. This is Chef Khanna’s 21st book and is dedicated to the Transgender community of India.
“The journey of anything auspicious begins with transgender community singing and clapping at the doors of our homes, their blessings are like Mother’s love. It may be a wedding, child births, first Diwali, Holi or Lohri, it’s their voices that bring the celebration in the occasion. So, I dedicate this book to them to them and applaud for their love and compassion in our Nation,” he said at the launch.
The limited edition of the book will have the following poem embossed in gold ink:
From the fertile soil of this Golden land
Eons of warm endless traditions expand
Once known as the rich Golden Sparrow
Bright yesterdays to the hopeful morrow
A new born’s first Golden honey’s taste
Million rituals are also born, so chaste
The bejeweled henna feet of the bride
Holy Golden Ganges swells with pride
Fritters on colorful Holi, Golden-fried
During Bihu, the fireflies casually ignite
Every sacred Eid’s boundless biryani pot
Darkness golden Diwali diyas fought
Through the music of the golden bells
The silent story every ceremony tells
Slowly moving Golden temple’s refection
Every blossom is an eternal celebration
First Golden earring of my little daughter
As I worship the morning sun in water
I bow to your feet, my creator my Mother
UTSAV – celebrating you like no other
“I want Mr Modi to sign those 12 books which will be given to the Queen of England, the White House… I want the book to be a gift from him,” he said. “I will make sure I will hand deliver them to the world leaders. The book will be launched worldwide on Diwali,” added the Amritsar-born chef.
