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!

Past and Present

Time just flies, the saying time and tide waits for none... must be true!

Its August now, mid year reviews are already complete on professional front and I thought it was time to do a self review on the year thats passed by and the year that is running.

Last year (2009) this time, dad was back home after series of hospitalizations and early this year he left us to destiny to manage our own lives.

This time last year, the groom hunt was in full swing, I married the love of my life early this year. Its irony I know, to lose my dad just weeks before the wedding. A fact too hard to accept till date.

2009 remarkably year marked the welcoming of my new car. Hoping yet another good surprise in 2010 ...( 4 more months for the next year to begin)

I blogged at an average of one blog a month, while 2010 had a compressed effect of one blog in months!

Met friends more often,movies were a sure hit with most first day first shows even for the big flops, while this year I have barely managed to watch 4...Bad thats very bad to score on!

Reading has been fairly consistent with average of 8 books an year and I am glad that I have managed to maintain with 8 closing in Early August.

Travel wise, 2009 had little to be explored while I managed with a decent bit 2010.

Skills acquired in 2009 were zilch except for polishing the writers nook, credits in 2010 seems good with cooking expertise and car driving taking the lead. 2010 also earned me an additional degree now thats the feather on the cap!

Farm ville and Facebook continues to occupy my space for prime time in both the years, while every time I login I recount my fathers words " Try accommodating me in your prime time".

UNO, was a family hit in 2009, Monopoly has taken the lead this year, amazing comeback after 10 years!

Father's day was memorable last year with my little nephew entering the world,this year it left me void without the presence of my appa.

Family outings and parties were abundant last year, this year the parties have been relatively low.

Exercise and workouts were prime focus in the past, while this year I cant recount any schedule. This now rings alarms with high priority notes flagged!

Shopping has been consistent with last year,while the kind of shopping has drastically changed.

Inflexible me in 2009, has now been shaped to flexible woman in 2010.

Tolerance and Patience which were in red last year have started turning to shades closer to green, maybe one can call them yellow!

Life's frequency has been quiet varied over the years.

Things have radically changed, priorities have so drastically shifted,time has just swept its boundaries, I have already become an year older, married over 7 months.

Wow. I am now amazed at the candid evaluation I have drawn from the year that passed and the year thats running, while I know its time to buckle up shoe on few activities.

Have fun, while I take the run!

Colours in life...

I woke up to the sound of birds and brewed my coffee
As I sipped I had a thought, a thought too strong

Born as eldest and pampered most
Cared and nursed with lot of hope
Hope that one day I will raise and shine to reach the sky, glittering in the path well laid
I grew into a girl with abundant dreams to reach the sky and soar high
I learnt to lace my shoe and do my hair
At age of three that was too ahead
I carried my own satchel the mass was more than the fragile shoulder could bear
That made me strong as I moved ahead
I tendered the younger and bore their weight; they enjoyed the dance in sun and the rain
They made castle in sand ,I crafted their castle holding their hand
I let go off toys for them to play, I learnt to play right cards of life’s game
I went to school to learn, that taught me ways to earn
I went to Bank at the age of ten, to know what a fortune meant
I went up the attic to clear the muddle
Came down to find a puddle … a leaking tap
Took the rinch to tighten the gap
Only to realize I missed my nap….

I wonder what I did, in my pursuit to realize my dream
Where have the emotions run? In this dead rock
Did I get too independent, unable to connect?
Did I want to do it all alone? Or did I know It never could be done
Did I chase an unrealistic vision? A Vision to touch the sky
Have I lost hope, or have I lost the path
Am I too strong or am I a fragile rock
I know I am the wall too strong, but I also know that there is a force that holds the wall
I seek help from force above to guide the wall to stay strong for a little long

Irutu kadia experience

For those of you who are not acquainted with Tamil, Irutu means Dark and Kadia refers to shop. In whole put together it refers to Shop with no light or Dark shop.

Life has been pretty hectic over last few month, so many things to prioritize, so many things to action, both professionally and personally. Random Checklists, Mobile organizers with notes tapped on, sudden flash in the brain have now become my routine life. Travel has also become an integral part of this new life which changed so suddenly. I guess I moved from one phase to another rather too quickly.

Last weekend, we (V and me) chose to spend time with V’s parents in his hometown Tirunellveli.
I got some amazing insights from my super smart husband as to how the name was coined with also some references to history. Nell in Tamil refers to Paddy and Velli is fence.

Legend says that there lived a Tamil Brahmin in this town. He was a priest in the temple which was covered in Bamboo forest. This humble man prayed and worshipped the god ritualistically .There was time when the city witnessed famine. Being very modest he would collect paddy from people and give it away to people in need. On a fine morning he spread out the paddy to dry under the sunlight and went for his ritual ablution in the river. Suddenly a thunderstorm broke out and it rained heavily. The Priest was worried about the paddy he had spread. He ran to collect it but to his surprise he saw was nothing short of a miracle.
Not a drop of rain had fallen on the paddy he had laid out to dry. It is believed that god himself protected the paddy in priest's absence.
Since then, the city has been called Tirunellveli -- 'Tiru' meaning respectable, 'Nel' meaning paddy, and 'Veli' meaning a protective fence.
In other words, the etymology relates to the city having paddy fields as a protective fence.

Coming back to my experience, we landed in Tirunellveli on Early Saturday morning with temperatures soaring high, for a Bangalorean like me it was taking me straight from the refrigerator and microwaving me at 120C.
We took a local auto to reach home. Something that really caught my eye was the Autos which had doors on both sides. (Protective gates to ensure that Passengers do not fall) After all bargaining on fare with the Auto Drivers we sat in and started witnessing the hustle bustle on our little tour homeward.

V’s parents were earnestly waiting to welcome us. We went in freshened ourselves with hot cup of freshly brewed coffee. Later in the morning we started to Callvoy about 30 mins drive from home. Drive was an exciting experience with both sides of the road either had the banana farms or paddy fields well laid. All I could relate to was to my little virtual Farm in Face book which I religiously maintain and tend.

Calvoy is probably one place very carefully chosen by nature to experience god. A forest like experience with absolutely no human interference with a large pond (Though it was dry, being peak summer) with a small shrine amidst nature. We finished our Darshan and backward journey was filled with similar experience except that summer heat soared high with every passing minute. The only thing on my mind was to drink, drink and drink water.

Coming home was like entering a haven after an exciting but tiring journey.
We rested and started towards the Nelliappar temple located in the heart of the city in the evening .This temple is steeped in tradition and Known for its spectacular sculptures’.
Before we entered the temple we decided to purchase the Tirunellveli Halwa.

A sweet dish made primarily from wheat and sugar. Golden brown in colour with a jelly-like texture and heavily coated with ghee gives it its distinctively greasy appearance. Halwa is said to owe its uniquely rich taste to a special recipe of this region, blended with the renowned sweetness of the Thamarabarani river.

I was told the best place to buy this authentic halwa was from the famous Halwa stores Irutu Kadai (Dark Shop) around Nelliyappar Teample.
The name Irutu Kadai of the former store derives itself from the fact that the looks of the store have been kept unchanged from the date it was started Dark with no bright lights. Till date, there are no bright electrical lights or even a name board to display the shop's brand or name.

We entered the area around 6:30 pm quiet some light from the setting sun. I saw a huge crowd, crowd and assumed somebody had taken onto a brawl. I inquisitively asked V as to what was happening, he gave me a broad grin and said it was the Famous halwa stores and the crowd was to set hands on the mouth watering halwa.
Well now this was a huge task, to break into the crowd and purchase the halwa. I was wondering If ever I would be able to do all the pushing and pulling of people just to set hands on halwa. V instantly eased me and suggested he would face the crowd.
He went while I saw him in all bewilderment if I would ever get the halwa in all the commotion that was happening there, would V be safe in such a mass of people.
He is scuffled and skimmed his way through the front; I waited in all anticipation for him to return.
He had huge smile, a smile of content on winning the combat for those delicious halwas’. While he did this, I also tried to take as many pictures as possible of the famous stores and the good old crowd that gathers everyday morning and evening just to taste this halwa.

With sweet thoughts we entered the Nelliyappar temple –A Massive master piece.

A Wall So Strong

Wall:

I stand here, tall and Strong....

Here comes the Landlord, paints me blue to divulge his pride.

Then comes the Landlady, throws some green just from envy.

Here comes the Son, colours me with crimson to adore the beauty.

Then comes the Daughter,smothers some brown to feel Contemporary.

Here comes a Little Boy to smear me with gold, to sense protection.

Here comes the Wind to trample over, then comes the Rain to rubble me down

Here comes the Sun Bright and warm to say " You are a wall so strong"

Paint me Blue & Paint me Green. Bring on Pink& Bring on Gold.

Blow the wind and Bring the Rain.

But I stand there, tall and strong because I am a wall.

Art of Acceptance & Appreciation

I aimed to soar high in the sky; I realized I had no wings. I learnt the Art of acceptance.
I looked forward to walk; today I can run. I learnt the art of appreciation.

I wanted to dive deep down in the sea and swim; I realized I was not a fish. I learnt the art of acceptance.
I started to read for amusement, today I read for knowledge. I learnt the art of appreciation.

I dreamt of toy house and ginger bread house, I realized life is not a fairy tale. I learnt the art of acceptance.
I longed for a happy family; I was blessed with compassionate family. I learnt the art of appreciation.

I dreamt of cruising the world, I realized I was no captain. I learnt the art of acceptance.
I feared the stage; today I face the crowd. I learnt the art of appreciation.

I solved math to be an engineer, I realized it was too complex. I learnt the art of acceptance.
I took up business administration; I became a successful HR. I learnt the art of appreciation.

I dreamt of making life in a country far, I realized it is beyond reach. I learnt the art of acceptance.
I dreamt for a home, I live under parents’ care and family of comforts. I learnt the art of appreciation.

I called for a long holiday on a distant Island; I realized it was too far. I learnt the art of acceptance.
I sought indulgence; I enjoy the comfort. I learnt the art of appreciation.

I feared wrong decisions,I made many. I learnt the art of acceptance.
I set out to become a strong individual, I gathered courage to face the world. I learnt the art of appreciation.

I wished for un-compromised friendships, I found new, but I lost many good. I learnt the art of acceptance.
I looked for love, found it bountiful. I learnt the art of appreciation.

I longed for friendship; in him I found love. I learnt the art of appreciation.


I hope to forget the past of life’s experiences that taught me as the art of acceptance.
I wish to cherish the moments which life brings in the form of appreciations.

Life is not a bed of Roses. While it taught me the art of acceptance, it also made me realize the value of appreciation.

Me and My cooking experience

Culinary art I suppose is one of the god’s gifts to all those great cooks of the world. The list surely would top with my mothers name followed by my whole array of aunts, uncles and cousins, who are not only experts in getting the authentic Iyengar Cusine right for those perfect taste buds, who are all well versed with those buttery Panneer butter masala and those crispy gobi manchuriens.

Well for someone like me, cooking is not only an art but rocket science if I may term it. I would prefer more into analysis as to why hp/Compaq merger did not work or rather understand the market behavior during the slowdown, may be to do a little more justice to my profession I prefer to exercise my brain on how to train cross functional teams.

Well now that my wedding is planned for late February, there is enough pressure for the D day, to add a little more spice to this is, one hell a statement from all “Learn Cooking” This source of statement comes from all possible channels right from my mother to my fiancé who knows my culinary expertise is an absolute zilch. Well every time I hear that I feel like yelling to the sky “Why me??” Every time I try to ponder for an answer through various source I get to hear various hilarious response in my head ( my opinion)

Girls should know cooking; - My brain is already questioning “What about the opposite sex?” They sit and eat??? Well I love to as well.

It’s important that every Indian woman know cooking so husbands are happy- the next I can imagine is a TV ad where a happy family is portrayed while newly wed wife is serving her husband and mother in law eating in all silence, while husband gives some hard core exercise to his taste buds and tries to break the silence while saying “ Tumahara Kaana , Maa ke haath ke Kaana se accha hain” ( Your cooking is more tastier then mom cooking) While the Wife blushes and mom all shocked the camera rolls to the oil she uses.
I try to relate this, and then I get horrified, I can never do this! I say to myself “Hey I don’t need a certificate for being a good cook!” I'm not a foodie by nature, but I certainly would need an edible stubance for food.

Well before I lose the essence of this blog let me share my most awaited sought after experience of the day. The day could not have started more perfect rather imperfect after the aftermath of my experience. I wake up to the call of the milk man, get my self a sizzling hot cuppa well brewed coffee( I did my own) and sit back and relax savoring the aroma. Then my phone rings, mom on the other end, we exchange quick talks and few important stuff, later goes the instructions “ Keep the Rava Idly Batter ready by the time I am back home” Well I know this is my chance to learn the great skill and I readily agree and pounce on it.
Once I am done with my daily routine, I realize I have ample time to even make my breakfast and follow this instruction from mom; I set my self to make the most basic south Indian breakfast the great good old upma. And my upma is ready in straight 4 mins thanks to the makers of microwave and MTR for coming up with instant dishes.
Well fortunately for me the Upma is not only edible but also good to taste, my sister gobbles up the entire chunk on my pestering and dashes out… alas now I am left with no breakfast.

The speed of my learning adds to the motivation and I say to myself, why wait for amma to make the idly, I can bake them myself while I set my self to do it. After the entire process is complete I go back and open my book on “ How to Manage Cross Functional Teams”, while on the stove my Idlys are getting baked ( I assume) 15 mins up, I go, turn down the stove and carefully place the cooker on the all polished granite slab! My Fiance calls in to check how the day is faring, I answer the call with all excitement to update him on my new initiative he calls me responsible and flowers all the good praises on me !
All is fine till here, I am happy, my mood is good; I know I can survive the tales of married life.
Then there is big horror in store for me, I open the lid only to find my last two trays are no longer idlys, my last try is a watery idly soup while my second tray is a full fledged idly cake while only my top tray appears like what looks like Idly’s…. as I clean up the mess. I think on how to get the damn thing right and what went wrong, while I fail to hit the answer, my mom shows up at the door and say’s I was all right except that the water level in the stem container was a little high. Now this is something to learn.

I go back to my book on cross functional teams, as I flip the pages( I know I am not able to concentrate) I think back on all that happened, horrors grip me, I am totally flabbergasted.. .“How will I manage the great iyengar cuisine? Will I be ever able to mix the pulliyogere in its right proportions, I question myself. At this rate I wouldn’t even come anywhere close to making stuff like koolambu, kootu and keraiamdu my daily basic food which involves list of masalas and hard core processes.

Management processes are a lot more simpler then the cooking process you can be assured of that.

Then I wonder how women manage both cooking and work. There are series of unrelated question hitting my mind, without waiting for a minute I go back and put the book on the shelf while I pull out the book on Authentic Iyengar Cuisine…..I know lot of effort has to be built- in for me to achieve the level of mastery that my folks have been tagged with. With detered hope I enter the world of kitchen… invoking the blessing of Nala know for his culinary expertise.

Stock Taking!!! Its been a month ....

Its been a month since I last updated the blog

Its been a month since my old boss left and new one came!

Its been a month since I dedicated some time for myself

Its been a month of crazy travelling

Its been a month , I flew to Bangalore from Madurai booking my tickets at half past twelve in the midnight on the day of travel

Its been a month since I spoke some nice words to people who love me!

Its been a month since I learned something new

Its been a month of un-upgraded knowledge

Its been a month of hard work

Its been a month of peace and tranquility

Its been a month , my brother flew out and flew into the country

Its been a month of fights, misunderstandings and makeups

Its been a month of good and healthy discussions

Its been a month since I watched a good movie

Its been a month since my loved ones visited me

Its been a month of good shopping

Its been a month of spending good money on things essential and things unimportant

Its been a month of some search which i know not

Its been a month of mixed emotions, mixed feelings

Its been a month and now I am waiting for my payslip!

Days have passed with hopes of tomorrow dawning, there has been a mix of good and unpleasant things but hope still lies in these eyes to see a better tomorrow!

Beyond Imperfection

** Thoughts have just been spilt! There is utter randomness in this piece of write up, you may choose to ignore this post. Its my sheer frustration taking absurd shape.

Well, Its been quiet a while since I last posted! Is it that I am too busy with work that I have no time to post?, Is that i am tied up with life that I have no time for self or is it sheer laziness?

Well I still don't have an answer... While I ponder , there are bubbles of unconnected thoughts that strike the mind.

No! Its not the related answers for the question I started looking for!

Randomly I hit many thoughts,

Why is earth such a beautiful place to live in? Who created it?

God!? Science says Big Bang! but hold on!

Whats the reason for Big Bang? Who or what was behind Big Bang?

Well where did the concept of God come in? We have been all the while in total faith and belief that the person up above does exist in same existence as ours!

Well why is that we cant see him/her? Whats the power?... now its goes unconnected!

What is power? electricity? no! more than that? Qualitative? Quantitative? who was responsible, well we all know how it gets generated! Thanks to the human mind we know how to measure.... May be not completely!

who can define infinity?

I suddenly spurge to India... What about it? Well I am an Indian! So what ?...there are 1 billion+ fellow Indians... No Its not about that...

Its about the people who live in the country and still and not satisfied!

A mode of frustration sets in now! my heart just wants to spill all of those thoughts into words with no connectivity but sheer randomness I start!

I cannot sit through the conversations! - The lunch/dinner/coffee table where people rant about the country they belong to, they live, they survive, still see the sun , moon and the stars! breathe the same air as others...

Well what is that they complain about?

It starts at a very basic level of roads in India, the potholes in the roads?

I now wonder to think, have they ever for once thought how as children they must have enjoyed the joy of seeing a filled pothole after heavy rain?

if we never had potholes we would have never known what a puddle is? We could have never enjoyed our childhood splashing rain water accounted in the puddle, sailing the paper boats made from newspapers and pamphlets!...

so why is potholes and narrow roads such a big issue today and not yesterday, when we grew up in the same lanes playing galli cricket! Lagori! didn't they at that time wonder the roads and by lanes to be narrow? why are they complaing now? Because they have grown up? seen the greener pasture of other lands ? I still don't seem to get answer!

Their next latent crib is issue about infrastructure!

one say over the coffee table " Our cities infrastructure is so bad! There is absolutely no quality of work! See "XYZ" country. Boy , the city is so clean, pure and neat! and our CM says he would transform our city like XYZ! Does he even know what it takes to reach there? even in another 50 yrs we cant!"

So I wonder what is stopping you to try? and what the hell does this person want?

Well ! I know XYZ country is clean, neat and pollution free! what about it now? Does this person know what it takes to build a country which has a heritage of 5000+ years? ruled by thousands of kings and queens and how much it takes to stand together as a country and brave the odds??? Does this person have the faintest idea how many muliticultures exist within this one country? how many ethnic groups we have? Number of existing tribes in our forest? Well so what if the rest of the world think we are snake charmers? still we do earn our bread butter! we still do lead a happy life! we still do have families who care! we still have the same sun, moon and the air! We see day just the way rest of the world see it!

Yea, now the conversation slowly drifts to power! I mean Electricity! The next person now picks up this new idea of electricity! and here goes the rant " hey guys. know what there was no power yesterday evening! its so frustrating to have no power"

Yea! seconds the other! " all the work gets pending, u know i missed the sass bi serial yesterday because of it!"

Now its my turn to think... So what if there is no power? did we not eat because there was no power? did we forget to sleep? so what is the whole issue here? my thoughts jog backward how as a kid i really enjoyed these unscheduled power cuts! it only meant long chats with appa, amma, cousins, aunts and uncles till the power was restored, we sang our way to glory with antakashri's, word buildings, GK quiz... I didn't miss any fun, I was part of it all through!

why is that a power cut today such a big issue? are we so dependent on electricity? cant we survive?

Well answer is we certainly can! Just imagine how people survived centuries back with no power all day and night! I am certain we still can do it if need arises.

Is sass bi serials so important in one's life that you really forget to look beyond it??

Well these rant continues with political carnage, pollution, weather etc etc, I already know I am choking myself and cant afford to sit there any longer! Not that I didn't air my opinion! its only that people fail to look beyond!

Folks, all I want to convey is simple! " To find true happiness, look beyond imperfections! , you will certainly find it!" True Happiness does not exist in Luxury, State of Art Technology... It exist in each heart bundled as moments of bliss, experience it everyday, all through!

Just see and count all the good things we already have!

Instead of being happy and blessed, we rant and crib....Can you do something about it? change the system! Please go ahead and do! we support your cause!

Else if you are helpless like me, at least please don't turn down my country! Remember you still live here, you still breathe here! its your country, Its our country!

We certainly owe quiet a lot to existence and nature!Lets stay blissful!