Savya Rasa presents Ushnakala, a thoughtfully curated summer food festival that draws from South India’s time-honoured culinary wisdom, offering dishes designed to nourish, cool, and sustain through the region’s intense summer months.

Running across its Chennai and Pune outposts from April 15, the festival goes beyond a seasonal menu to celebrate the deep-rooted relationship between food, climate, and culture. Ushnakala reflects how traditional South Indian kitchens have historically adapted to heat through intuitive cooking practices and ingredient choices.

At the heart of the menu are cooling, fermented preparations such as pazhaya sooru, ragi koozh, and kambu koozh, traditional porridges brewed overnight, known for their gut-friendly and heat-balancing properties. These dishes highlight the significance of fermentation and seasonal eating in maintaining overall well-being.

The festival also features hearty, rustic offerings like ragi sangati paired with nattukodi pulusu, showcasing slow-cooked flavours and the enduring legacy of rural South Indian cuisine. Each preparation reflects a balance of nourishment and depth, rooted in regional traditions.

Celebrating the season’s most iconic fruit, the menu brings mango into focus through a variety of preparations from raw and tangy to ripe and indulgent. Dishes such as manga malli sadham and mambazha puliserry sit alongside a refined mango pudding, highlighting the fruit’s versatility across savoury and sweet formats.

Every dish at Ushnakala tells a story of adaptation, resilience, and the seamless connection between food and environment. The festival encourages diners to reconnect with the philosophy of eating locally and seasonally, making it as meaningful as it is flavourful.

With its blend of heritage, health, and flavour, Savya Rasa’s Ushnakala offers a refreshing take on summer dining—one that is deeply rooted in tradition yet relevant to contemporary lifestyles.

Event Details:
What: Ushnakala Summer Food Festival
Where: Savya Rasa
Date: April 15 – April 30, 2026
Time: 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM | 6:30 PM – 11:00 PM