Story time- Santa Time

Dear Santa

Welcome Once Again,!!

Well my little munchkin is too small to key in but let me be an voice over for her thoughts.

Even before I begin my experience last night let me recall my memory on how I played a role of Santa to my little siblings when I was little. Being the eldest , I was probably responsible by the very order of my birth. When I had a little sister and 2 little cousins, this whole thing of making them happy was my goal, every Christmas, on the eve, I would tell them stories on how Santa planted gifts in their old socks. I would sneak out to the balcony at night after they were asleep  and plant my little toffee's as gifts.
And they would wake up on Christmas morning just to find their goodies of assorted chocolates. And they would be all be elated. Little did they know I planted those chocolates which I received either from friends for their birthdays or those bought by my lovely uncles and aunts. I would literally save all those chocolates for a whole month just to plant them in the old socks. Well that is now a memory! Eventually as they grew old, they realized I was behind all these assorted toffees...

Well now coming back to present, yesterday was quiet a day, tiring day at work when I reached home I Saw a note from teacher to contribute towards the donation day.
I always make it a point not only to donate the  some of the toys that S has outgrown but also buy a few new ones for this. While I was busy sorting , S walks up to me and said, amma, why are you cleaning my toy basket? Well now I just told her  its important to keep things in order and moved on from toys to clothes.

As I opened the cupboard I was shocked at the very sight of it, now at this hour how on the earth am I going to clean this up was all I could think.
I realized that S had made  a wreck of it in last few days, and I had totally ignored it in the daily routine. It was now time for me to act on it.
While Clearing the mess was one part, teaching her the importance of keeping things clean and organized was a bigger job in hand, I thought for a while on how to begin and here is how I stitched a story.

S- Amma, now why did you open my cupboard? Are you getting me new clothes?
Me- No Baby, I am going to Clean your cupboard.
S- why, why should you clean amma. Don't clean them amma, please please tell ok!!
Me- Deep Breath, ok Sam, listen I will tell you a story.

Deep down the street there lives a old ajja/ ajji ( Grandpa, Grandma) who carry a huge bag on their back. In this bag they carry both old toys & clothes and also gifts.
They visit every house in the night open the child's cupboard and see if its neat and tidy, well if its not clean and tidy they take a pant here and a shirt there, a socks here and shoe there, when you want to wear them you will never find them in pair.
So for them not take away your stuff, I am cleaning them. I am cleaning them for you. Now I will clean this for you and you help me arrange them, but you should clean your own cupboard as you grow.
From now on you will take things and put them back in same way ok? else this ajja will take away all your clothes and toys.

Remember what chitti  told you? Cleanliness next to and she completed the sentence with GOD!!

S- Oh, really?  ok, so they took my Hoody jacket amma?
Me- Yea, they have taken your Hoody jacket, because you kept your cupboard unclean.
S- I want my Hoody Jacket amma
Me- Well, lets clean the cupboard and  tell them that you will  keep it clean and tidy from now ask them to return your Hoody jacket ok?
S- Ok ma!!

Once I cleaned the entire mess, S asked me if the old ajja /ajji would return her hoody jacket. ( Frankly, we dont know where her jacket went, but its been missing for a week now) Little child was expecting a gift or rather her hoody jacket for having cleaned the mess this morning.

Now Dear Santa, Little S was expecting her Hoody Jacket Back and she was quiet disappointed not to find her gift when she woke this morning, It would be nice to give her one, while I will also try to locate the missing one. If she gets a double treat from you and me, the other will go to her Donation Day to bring a smile on another child :)

Thank you and Bring on a Smile

An year Bygone!!

Well, its always that time of the year that brings in hyper centricity in me, Viola another year has gone by!!And, its time to bid a warm farewell to 2015 for what it has been!! 

A year full of hard work, remorse, joys & sorrow, blissful moments, tensions and reliefs, denials and eventually acceptance – It is almost coming to an end. Hopefully the New Year 2016 will be a fairly good one too.

While the year ends, it’s always an excitement to unpack the plethora of events the upcoming year will hold for me and for each one of us.

Let me list down few of the many things that I wish to do this New Year

This New year I will

The First and the foremost thing that I would like to do is to dedicate some time to myself, to read more, blog more, to write more to tread on the path of self-exploration.

While the year is always the time to celebrate, I would have double reason to celebrate with, little S, turning 4. As I look back I realize the time has just gone by, it feels like yesterday when I first held her, dropped my first tear of happiness for her and planted the first kiss on her little soft supple cheeks.

As the month of love approaches I am prepared to embrace another year of togetherness, as I pen this I realize, time certainly waits for none, and there has been much more water which has flown under the bridge then what I can think of.

This New Year is a fairly important milestone personally for me as a family. Yes, we would be moving to our own little nest, it’s taken us years of hard work, patience, a choice between luxury and necessity to reach this mile. And finally, we will soon fly to our little nest to start a brand new chapter in lives. This I am sure would be a mammoth change to cope with, New Home, New Friends, New Place, New Neighbors and certainly a New Job too. J

While there would be so much happening around, I sit here to pen down my long awaited wish list. Looks like I am so lost for words of expression. I see vivid images forming in front of my eyes on what I would do when I move to my new home.

I long to set up my new home with bright laced curtains and dance around like no one is watching.

Put up those nostalgic pictures on those big open walls, Which remind me of the great moments and great people in my life.

Plant those green little things in my kitchen garden and open my eyes to see them sprout and grow- while this has always been a dream, it’s now time to realize that.

Little Sam will start her regular School coming Academic year  and I am quiet anxious on how little S will cope and settle in a  big school. I know this too will pass!! But someone give me a pat on my back and say “come on, now be bold!!”

While these are so many asks and  so many wishes . It’s that time of the year to cope with Change, I also realize that change is the only constant; life at every stage has reinforced this lesson on me and its now a part of my daily life, I see the day with a new hope, new way and new eyes every day.

 Wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous 2016, May the year bring in good health, prosperity, peace and bliss !!Stay Blissful!!

Signing Off 2015 With a Big Thank you to the almighty and Welcoming 2016 with open arms!!

Namoora Boombe Habba- Dasara








 

Dasara is the time of the year I have always enjoyed. As a little girl, a young person and now as a lady. Though my roles in these years have drastically changed, the zeal and fervor still continues.



As a little girl I would go around with a groups of friends in the neighborhood with a small bag ( Cheela) in my hand asking the big ladies or aunties – Aunty nima mane nalli boombe itidira? (Aunty have you kept dolls for Show?) A wide smile would emerge when they would welcome us inside, not more to see the dolls, but to collect the goodies like Chakli, muruku, kodbale, shundal, gun powder , kadbu etc in boombe bagna .( goodie bag ) Again the next day we would go again to the same household to collect some more goodies. Sometimes if luck was in our favor some of the A class uncles like we called them would do a small puppet show, or switch on the battery of a talking doll etc. This ritual slowly faded with time and years, instead I started taking keen interest to help my granny/mom to set up bombe/gollu and also help them to distribute boombe bagna to little visitors visiting us. This too stopped over the years as kids got more sophisticated and stopped visiting. So we started inviting families to spend time with us and to showcase our creativity in form of doll arrangement. More so because this gave us a break from monotony of the stressed corporate life!

simple arrangement in my pooja room

After being married my role evolved yet again more so to take the entire ownership for celebrations and continue the tradition so that we have something to pass to the next Gen. Every year our Gollu celebration has been quiet good and decent. This year was one of its kinds where with a little toddler who at blink of an eye would pull down the dolls .No amount of instilling fear and coaxing her not to touch them helped. With heavy heart I had to push back the huge boxes up the attic .I took a calculated risk of keeping a simple gollu/boombe in the Pooja Room. However a guilt feeling can overrule any logic, rational or emotions, even as I am writing this blog with a huge sense of guilt I wonder why I could not think of better option for celebration and display of all the boombe/ dolls.

The entire weekend was spent with this sense of guilt. My Husband Dearest ( HD) planned a great thing for me to overcome this by promising me to take me to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan( Our erstwhile college) where they celebrate dasara habba with all pomp and glory, Just to keep up the tradition of Mysore. I readily agreed and we made big, vibrant plans ensuring even the minutest details are taken care.

Dawn Sunday morning with it came the head ache pounding itself hard and wild on me. Like always I thought if I could involve myself is some work it would give me respite and finally vanish. With that the day started with Inducting a New maid giving her instruction on what to do, how I would prefer things to be done etc. I typically became of one those women in Saas Baahu soaps, while I spent most of my time in the kitchen, making breakfast for my little one and HD, Ensuring both ate right, cooking lunch, serving HD, feeding the little one, putting her to sleep, not to forget cleaning up the dishes etc… in this went my lovely Sunday noon, by the time I realized it was well past 3 pm, I decide to take a quick nap which could ease the pounding in my head. Like they say it’s the most elaborate plans that do not work and mine was no special. So with heavy heart we had to cancel the plan, again its always the guilt over logic, my heart would not accept and my head would not let that happen. So finally I decided to call an aunt of mine, who has a great passion for dasara habba and great passion for bombe/ dolls. So after popping a pill, HD and me decided to walk across to her home with our little one. I quickly called her to confirm if they were around and within 10 min we were in her house.

Doll arrangement in Bharathi Aunty's house

The entry seemed dramatic but I soon realized we were actually experiencing it , experiencing it in our heart, in the space within us. The moment was so enchanting that It completely took us back in time to our child hood and put us in a toy land like they describe in fairy tales.

As we stepped inside her house HD and me first let a low whistle of “Vow” and instinctively looked at each other as though we had achieved our purpose. Aunty has done the dolls so well, I realized over our talk that the whole effort took her and advance 7 days pre preparation to set up the structure to keep the gollu/bombe.

A little elaborate brief of what we witnessed (Good Oxymoron if you failed to realize)

The whole dining area was converted into a virtual doll land, the lighting was all natural with serial set to add some color and glamour the arrangement and also give that true spirit.



Ramayana and Krishna Leela

 The top first 4 steps occupied the entire space where the first left half was an entire depiction of Ramayana which started with the Putrakamesthi yaga by dashratha , Rama meeting Seeta Devi, The great Wedding, 14 yrs of Vanvas (Exile), Meeting of Hanuman, Hanuman carrying the Sanjeevani, building the Setuve over the ocean ( bridge) with help of monkeys, Ravan Durbar, Great coronation of Rama ( Patabhisheka), Sending Sita to Forest and this ended with Lava and Kush challenging Rama after Ashwameda yaga.

Perumal, Asthalakshmi,Alwars





Last two steps were dedicated to our very own Krishna in his Krishna leela where he is busy dancing with gopikas or trying to steal the makkan (butter) in one while in the other sequence he is busy with kalinga narthana , kamsa samhara . Must admit Krishna quiet enchanted us with one leela or the other while we tried to recollect every story we had heard.

The right side was Oopliapan , Ranga Vittal, Periya Perumal, Srinivasa & Padmavathi while the others steps were adorned with Alwars, veda gosti Astha Lakshmi , Dashawatara and the story of how Narasimha perumal emerged from a pillar for Hirnayakasha samhara and other gods all in form of dolls with a a story attached to it.

The main area depicted Tirupati Bhramotsavam with Chatri Seva , Kalyan Utsava, Garuda seva, and OOnjal Seva and our very own Mysore Dassara to complete the aisle .The lower steps were well depicted with tales from panchtantra like the Punyakoti, Thirsty Crow, Lion and Rat, Monkey and the Crocodile all this ended with something that catches fancy of every Indian, D Cricket!

The left and right sides were again very innovatively made with Wedding Ceremony, Cost cutting Samoohika maduve ( mass wedding) Our olden days school with the traditional wooden benches ( slate and balpa of course!) Independence day celebration, life in a village and the olden life style of city and country folks, Parvathi Paremshwara in Kailash , folk dance depiction, lunch during a festival etc

All in all it ended with a good note with HD and me trying to recollect all that we had seen and trying to remember the stories we had heard as kids and trying to over burden our little one with stories of all kind. I must appreciate the effort by aunty who in her simple living has ensured to pass the richness of tradition and also encourage the next generation to continue. All these festivals and celebrations do have some kind of relevance and meaning in shaping us as individuals today. I realize our traditions are rich and pure with a culture deep, but it takes effort to learn, absorb and pass this and also try and imbibe this is our day to day life.

Today when I look back, I realize how much the tradition and rituals have played an important role is shaping us a human beings. In a similar fashion it also becomes important for us to share this with our Next gen so they too imbibe good values and feel this richness and goodness of our culture and traditions.

I also feel humble about how minuscule we are in this sea of humanity while there is so much to learn and gain from every facet of life.

P.S

I presume there is enough information on I-net which can has information on the significance of navaratri /Dasara/Dusheera and hence this post does not get into those details.

Hu Wa....

Well as the title of the blog indicates I seriously don't know what it means, I just got in my brain n out it is.
Its been so long since I even though of writing a piece on the blog. God know what brings me to this.
All I realize is times have changed colours so fast. Yesterday has now been years behind.
I cant imagine life has changed so much

Weekend masti

Wow, what a weekend it was adventrous, relaxed and still boring! It coudlnt have been much better.
Bengalooru has so suddenly changed, the skies open up just before dusk, its so naturally beautiful. Nature has its own ways to stay calm and still make noise.
I rememeber childhood when I would set to sails those little paper boats in those fast flowing lane waters.
I would manage to catch hold of some sinking instect and try to protect it be placing it in those little botes else atleast manage with a leaf so somewhere down in my heart i fealt those creatures were being safe.
Long after my childhood It was quiet an adventours weekend, after grappling to natures fury on friday, saturday sun shone bright and warm. after Good time with family I made a headway back home. soon after I reached, little drops from the sky fell beautifully on the ground in some time it picked up vigour and glamour!

Appa....

Appa -

The moment you set your first gaze on me, you fell in love with me. I can’t remember how I felt L

You picked me in your hands, as I felt the warmth of love you placed a kiss on my cheek

I wrapped my little hand over your finger tight and you smiled setting confidence in me.

You made me stand on my legs, made to take the first little flight

When I feared the fall, you opened your arms and I landed straight into them.

You brought me toys, week after week on every Sunday evening took me to Cubbon Park, enjoyed the toy train rides with me

Bought be candies, when I clumsily smeared them around my face with a smile on your face and twinkle in your eyes you cleaned them for me making me look pretty again.

You held me like a doll, pampered me like pet, when I woke up from nightmares you cuddled me close to you filling in the sense of security.

You brushed my teeth, polished my shoe, put them on me and carried my satchel till school van while I cried and moaned not to go without you.

I waited for you at the gate waiting the clock to strike 5:30, amma’s calling for milk always went in vain. I waited with batted breath to hear the horn from your scooter. Marking your arrival I ran into the front climbed over pushing your hands which obstructed my entry, while with smile you took me around showing me the entire neighborhood.

You carried me on your shoulder and crossed the KRS dam just because I wouldn’t budge till you showed me crocodiles in Ranganthittu and color fountains in KRS.

(I remember it was  bus strike and you managed to carry your 7 yr old on your shoulder half way through Srirangapatna till we got a lift till Mysore)

I sat on your lap, narrated the days incidents with all patience you heard me out. My pesters to buy me new pen/box from the market were never ever turned down. While I still cried and moaned you never ever raised your hands. You enjoyed my tantrums and I enjoyed putting some.

You ensured you gave me top class education. You made me learn on my own, you made realize my follies, and you stood by me at the time of distress and helped me overcome my fear.

You made me stay independent, you helped me make and take decisions, and you induced a sense of confidence to face the world boldly with integrity.

You were my backbone, my pillar of support my everything, my whole world.

I backed on you for every small thing or big thing I did, and never ever once did you confront me. Your trust in me is so deep rooted even when I faulted you only showed me the ways of overcoming my shortfalls.

I really cannot comprehend the reason as to why you left me alone to brave this world so early when both you and I knew I was still not prepared to take this challenge, when I needed you the most.

Its already 9 months since you left us, I feel so void without you. I have many people around me who love me, care for me still I feel so void and lonely at heart.

I always long for those moments to come back

Where I sat on your lap, cuddled in your arms, argued with you, when you caressed my cheeks and said “Pavum Kolandai”, when you would come to me and say “Come let’s discuss or I want to discuss with you” when you handed money on every karthi festival with a smile and just the same blessing “All the best” year after year. Where you carried a glass of milk everynight to my bed and ensured I had milk with no drop to spare and carried back the empty glass to mom in the kitchen.

You are irreplaceable. Life without you is so void and dull.

I wish I had a little more time to talk to you, to listen to you, to feel your presence, to feel your protection, to feel your care, to get your love.... I miss you pa...I love you pa.

Mission Akkaravadeisal- Aadi Tiruvadipooram

With marriage people say life changes and priorities change. Well fact remains they are not wrong. A person like me who had hardly entered the world of kitchen can these days manage the basics of cooking comfortably with all ease. Of course the list goes one from Kareamdu, Koolambu, Mooru Koolamabu , Kootu, Kadaarrchi Paachadi etc etc. After all I am able to manage the tales of wedded life easily.



With all this came Aadi Tiruvadipooram, a very special occasion for the Tamilians and especially the Iyengar Sect, for on this day Aandal (Goda Devi) an incarnation of Bhoomi devi celebrates her TiruNaaksharam which falls on the pooram start in the month of Aadi.

This year it was on 12 Aug 2010, Thursday. Last year was quiet memorable as I managed to make a quick trip to Srivalliputtur, Janamastanam of Aandal and do the darshan.

Aandal takes a prime seat as one of the Aalwars and also being daughter of Peri Aalwar. She has sung Tirupavai a song of 30 hymns and Nachiyar Thirumozhi a song of 143 hymns in praise of the lord Sri Ranganatha.


Akkaravedisal is one of the many dishes that takes a lot of prominence in the history.
Aandal in her pursuit to marry Raangamanar,Prays to the lord at Thirumalirunjolai (near Madurai TamilNadu ) and promises to offer butter in 100 vessels and Akkaravadeisal (A sweet dish with mixture of rice and daal cooked in Milk with jaggery and ghee ) in 100 vessels to Lord of Thirumalirunjolai so the Lord may come in person and marry her.
On her marriage with the lord when she was unable to fulfill this promise, she seeks the help of Sri Ramanujar to help her fulfill this wish. Ramanujar fulfills this wish for her and she credits Ramanujar with title Anna ( elder brother). Even to this day Nooru Thade utsavam ( Koodar Vellam) is celebrated in all glory in Melukote.



Now that I have shared the historical significance on the dish and the day let me now share with you my days experience and recipe.
It being my first Tiruvaadipooram after marriage and me being a staunch follower of Aandal decided to make this special dish. After a hard days work at office I picked up ingredients on way back and made a special request to my aunt to let me use her kitchen. Thankfully my aunt let me experiment in her kitchen.

Thanks to google , I had managed to search various methods of preparation on the Internet while I also took help from mom and acquaintance's in Srivalliputtur to put together the recipe in its proper order.


To all the readers here goes the recipe
Akkaravadeisal- This is not Sakkarpongal or Kalebele Payasa as many get confused.

Preparation Time 2 hrs minimum ( Trust me, it took this long)
Quantity- Serves 6-8
Ingredients-
Rice- Washed and Drained-1/2 small Cup
Kadalebele/Kadale parapu/- 1/2 small Cup
Hesrubele/Paitham parapu / Green Gram- 1/2 small cup
Jaggery- 2 cups ( As per taste)
Ghee- 1/2 Cup
Milk- 1.5 lts
Cardamom Powder- 1 tbsp
Pachakarpoora- 1 small piece
Safforn/Kesari- 6 strands
Milkmaid - 6 spoons ( my version, optional)
Cashew- 10-12 finely cut
Almonds- 10-12 Finely cut
Raisins- 10-12


In a mixer coarse the raw kadlebele. Make sure the powder is coarse and not fine
Take a frying pan, add 2 tbsp of ghee and on Sim flame fry the coarse Kadlebele ,Heserubele and washed and drained rice till the rice turns golden brown. Make sure you do it in Sim flame so that you don't over fry.

Take a pressure cooker and added this fried mixture along with 1 lt of milk, mix well and 2 tbsp of ghee. Pressure cook it for 8-10 whistle ( This again would depend on the pressure cooker)
The mixture should be well mashed.
Now add 250 ml milk with Jaggery, milkmaid and keep stirring, add ghee, saffron, pachakarpoora, cardamom powder and stir well. Keep adding milk till the mixture is semi solid ( Neither too thick for a burfi nor too liquid for Payasam).
Garnish with fried Cashew, almonds and Raisins


Note : The dish should be in a semi solid state, add more milk to get the consistency or if the milk is more stir well so that the consistency is achieved.


Trust me it tasted real yum, and not to forget all those who tasted appreciated the akkaravadeisal and the maker ( That is your Truly Me) for all the good efforts and taste of course.

Thankfully my aunt was happy that I didn't ruin her kitchen at the end of the day. Even more importantly I was happy that my cooking skills have really developed and reached fairly decent heights in last 7 months. Kudos! With Pat on the back "Job Well Done".


In this whole process I learnt my lessons that nothing is Rocket Science except Rocket Science.

Happy Cooking and Keep Smiling.


P.S. Note of Thanks, My aunt for letting me use her kitchen, mom and aunt in srivalliputtur for helping me with putting the recipe in order. All my uncles and aunts for tasting it, Granny and mom for helping me understand the importance of the event and significance of dish and also helping me with some historical facts.

Please forgive me if any of the historical fact is misrepresented, I have just posted what I have heard from various sources and of course Internet. And million thanks to Google for being the best search tool!