Chef Vikas Khanna on his gold-crusted,16 kg book 'Utsav' and more

What inspired you to compile Utsav: A culinary epic of Indian festivals? 
I have been living in New York for over 15 years and I always thought there is so much beauty in the small customs that spiritually binds us all together. The western media projects India in a very different way. So I used to wonder, would they ever know about these celebrations? I wanted to document as a much as I knew for the generations to come.

What is the book about? Is it true that some of the writing is in gold?
The book is a reflection of Indian festivals, ceremonies, rituals and sacred ingredients. And food is imbibed into it. Some of the writing in this book, published by Bloomsbury, is indeed in gold. There is a poetry at the back of the book called Pilgrim's Glory, in which I have used the word 'golden' in every line. Gold is the colour of our soil and crops. It's the colour of the Ganges at dawn. It is the hue of our little daughters' first earrings and the first taste of golden honey.
The design team is in the US. But as this book had to be a part of the Make in India campaign, it is entirely being produced here. The price of the limited edition print will be Rs8 lakh. At the Sothebys auction, it may go upto Rs50 lakh.

What are the contents?
The book is divided into four sections – sacred essentials, ceremonies and rituals, festivals and lastly, the index. The first section talks about the significance of certain ingredients. For instance, dates. While most of us connect dates to the fasting period of Ramzan, it is interesting to note that during childbirth in Jewish families, a child is weighed in dates as well. The second section is about little facts of celebrating Karwa Chauth, Khandoba (turmeric Holi) and other festivals. The third section begins with a poetry and then presents facts, myths, history and variations of celebrations, followed by several recipes. The most amazing part of Utsav... is its index, in which I write about the images I shot.

How do you intend to get the book delivered to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to the 12 world leaders you aspire to send Utsav... to?
I am a true believer of destiny. I have never followed a format... until just a few years ago, I used to sell bathura-chole for kitty parties in Amritsar. Now, Mr Modi is heading the nation and building a global family around India, and Utsav... will be a part of it. I have been very inspired by his story, his humility and vision. I will hand-deliver the book to world leaders before Diwali and then release it for the world.

Since this book is so exclusive , how you will make it reach the wider audience?
I don't know that. It's like birthing a child... no one knows the destiny. For me, every book is a book with its own fate, direction and destiny. The regular version will have the same content, but different packaging. It will cost Rs15,000 or about $250 in the US.

You have done some mammoth research to put together over 1200 pages. Share some highlights?
I have been travelling a lot for this book, but I did not disclose the project's details to anyone while researching it. I travelled to Koovagam (near Chennai) three times. I once flew from the US to attend a festival but couldn't because I got a heatstroke. The next time the dates got mixed up, and then two years ago, I captured the festival of the transgenders. Every festival is like poetry for me; that is why when I witnessed it firsthand, its melody or orchestration became the poem. In Utsav..., every festival opens with a long poem about the deeper emotions of a festival. The most cherished part of the book was when I discovered some unknown dishes. I felt as happy as astronauts do upon discovering new planets.

Tell us about a cherished memory.
I was learning to cook a certain type of smoked beef in Bihu, Assam, when the electricity went off. It was pitch dark and I decided to go to the terrace. When I got there, I saw the most amazing sight – millions of fireflies over rice fields. It was a beautiful sight.