Bringing Home Ganesha

One more Ganesh Chathurthi has come and gone. My earliest recollections of Ganesh puja was when I was about 8-10 years. Awoken by 5:30 a.m we used to accompany dad to mwm market to bring home our very own Ganesha idol. It used to be a ritual by itself with me & my sister enjoying every minute of it.

Since Malleswaram market used to be a stone's throw away my Appa used to make us take a brisk walk and we used to prance behind him in our pattu pavadai's holding the brass thattu (plate) in which  will bring home our coveted idol. I recollect vividly how the colorful marketplace with glittering idols, the paper crowns swishing in the cool morning breeze and the smell of fresh roses & jasmine in the air would usher in the festive mood.

My sister & I would always have this major grouse as Appa used to always insist on purchasing a clay idol of Ganesha against the colourful Plaster of Paris (PoP) ones in different sizes and poses. We used to secretly think Appa was stingy and used to try a number of tricks to veer him towards the stalls stacked with the painted idols only to be nonchallantly sidelined by him. Once with all earnestness that a 11 year old could muster, I asked him "Appa, can't we afford a color Ganesha for once?" 

My dad laughed out aloud and said that it was our tradition to buy only clay Ganesh as the coloured models are burnt in a kiln before getting painted and that is unacceptable as a murti while the clay models are deemed to resonate the divine. Possibly it was his simplified explaination of eco-friendliness to us nagging children. Of course, we didn't buy his theory and still longed for the colored ones. The only consolation was that we got to chose the paper crowns and we usually made the seller mad by the time we chose one. Ah, those were the days!

Those were the days when we used to wait impatiently for appa to complete his puja. The aarti used to signal the end of the puja and we used to be in a hurry to place flowers at the Lord's feet and rush to tuck in the goodies on the dining table. Mom in her kancheevaram used to sprightly go about serving us large helpings of payasam & modakams and we used to fight to see who had the maximum share.

This year I drove my kiddo to the market and I was delighted to see the same sparkle in his eyes seeing the buzzing market. He looked with awe at the colorful idols and clapped his little hands on seeing the different hues of strung flowers adorning the stalls.

We bought the traditional clay Ganesha while his little fingers tried to reach out at a painted idol kept nearby. 

What's in an ID?

We as a country don't think too much of identity proofs and information security, as is known for a fact, but I did not think these things were treated with so much alacrity out here. Someone I know who is quite a well-educated professional discarded her passport just because she never used it and it had expired!

Another lady who is a teacher in a reputed school in Bangalore tore away her SSLC marks sheet as it had gotten worn out, and yet another acquaintance claims to have two Electoral cards - one was issued in his popular nickname by how he was addressed by his friends, and then he got another issued in his official legal name. These are real people who are well-educated and are holding respected positions in society. Wonder how much worse things could get if we go further into towns and villages.

There are so many who hardly feel the need to apply & get a PAN card or even understand the importance of these legal identity proofs. And to prove my point, this was taken from one of the suburbs in Bangalore

Looks like Nandan Nilekani's Unique ID project is getting to be a herculean task for a country of our proportions!   

Feeding Tales: A Harried Mother's Rant

Every time someone talks about babies and the tough parenting involved, they are quick to talk about changing umpteen nappies and sleepless nights. But what is actually more excruciatingly tough and which nobody seems to talk about is feeding them.

Almost right from the time they are born, be it breastfeeding or formula, and then progressing to the next stage of baby food and then slowly graduating them to adult food is no small matter at all. Believe me. Each stage comes with its own set of problems that one would hardly have ever foreseen.

You thought babies would cry when they are hungry? Yes, they will, apart from wailing for a host of other things. You'll be forgiven if you thought they would open their cute little mouths and ask to be fed? A big no!

Babies love to test your patience. Stock it well. As they grow, their feeding habits get to be even more adventurous.

Most parenting books say - strap them on to their high chairs and give them finger food to play around and slowly spoonfeed them. This is what happens in an ideal situation, but seldom in reality. Most of the time, toddlers want to run around, or try to get out of the chair or throw food around, and firmly refuse to open their mouth. Then you've got to have different tricks up your sleeve, like making funny faces or showing colorful toys. Brace yourself for another bitter truth - children's attention span is as much as probably the gap between teeth, and they don't like to play with the same toys. At least not my son. This ritual happens three to four times in a day.

Now, if you thought this was it, then the bigger ordeal is planning their daily diet. He would love bread and cheese today and throw up the same thing tomorrow. One day he likes mixed vegetable puree and the same thing with a little extra carrot bits will make him shun it. If they don't want it, they will gag even on semi-solids!

Despite facing all these odds in your stride, just when you think that a routine is getting set, lo! there comes a viral or cold/cough and throws everything to the wind. They sleep for about four hours late in the evening and wake up fresh for dinner time, just when you want to rest those tired limbs. When your precious is in a mood to play with mega blocks & choo-choo train at 10:00 p.m its time to bid adieu to sleep. Yawn!

IMHO, mothers need to be tax-exempt all their lives.

Quirky Me!

The other day I was pondering over the vagaries of life, as my lil son snuggled next to me for his morning nap. My trail of thoughts (its usually a long trail) took me on a self-discovery trip and I realized that I am quite quirky by nature. Now, now every man has his own share of quirks & twists, its just that the sudden realization of them made me quite unnerved. Is it like am afflicted with something or are there more like me out there?

Well here am adventourously compiling a few -

#1 I Count - I mean, when I am in a room I sub-consciously count. It could be the number of rings on the curtain rod or the number of door panels or the squares in the carpet design. I don't know why I do it but I simply like to keep a count.

#2 Creaseless Bedspread - I necessarily require the bedspread stretched and lengthend to its limit. Always. I hate to see a crumpled bedsheet or a bunch of dirty clothes on them. Hubby dearest by now knows the twitching of my eyebrow and would never leave a stray towel on our bed :D

#3 I doodle - I don't need a pen, pencil or paper....i find some pattern interesting & my finger tries tracing it out even on a desk that's in front of me.

#4 Newspapers - By now you would have got the hang of it. Yes I hate to see newspaper's strewn carelessly nor the centre page lying apart. Before I can stop myself the newspapers are all turned to the right page and neatly folded like it was just delivered :))

#5 Useless Abbreviations - It irks me no end to see people (esp senior ones) using unwanted abbreviations in sms or in mails. I completely abhor when people send messages like: "Cn U Cum 2day?" Well, its not that I never use short forms but for goodness sake if you can type "cum" so can you type "come" too.

Well I did discover a lot more things about me but I dont want to make myself appear like I am some looney-out-on-the-loose (if I haven't already managed to give that impression). Ta-ta!

Monsoon Recipe: Crispy Bread Rolls

Am not a well-versed cook as I have hardly spent any time in the kitchen. Yet here is a snack that I am quite adept at making and would like to share it with all out there. Crispy Bread Rolls is the ideal snack for a raining evening as its quite easy to make and most of the ingredients are usually available at home.

Crispy Bread Rolls

Ingredients -

Sandwich Bread - 6 slices
Baked Potato - 2
Chopped Onion - 1
Green chilli's - 2
Oil & Seasonings

Method of Preparation -

Add a teaspoon of oil into a frying pan and then slowly add the chopped onions. When it turns golden, mash the baked potato's and add them along with the finely cut green chilli's. Add seasonings like finely chopped curry leaves, appropriate quantity of salt, turmeric and mix it well for a medium flame. The filling that goes into the bread pakoda is ready.

Cut the sides of the bread slice. Slightly damp the bread with a little water but ensure it does not turn soggy or too moist. Place 2 or more spoons of the above masala filling in the central portion of the bread and slowly roll into a ball. Fry these in a pan of oil till they turn golden brown and drain them well.

Serve hot with sauce or chutney.

Cheat code -
The bread roll can be made more easily when the filling is substituted with any dry bhaji or poori masala made earlier in the day

Rediff GetAhead publishes my recipe

Did You Know? Suppandi Has A Son

Recently, I saw a couple of Tinkle comics on a coffee table that caught my attention and brought back lots of happy childhood memories. Shikari Shambu, Suppandi and the rest used to be our favourite characters. I still remember how mom used to hold up the comics with a condition to finish our evening tiffin and homework. She could have blackmailed us to jump off the roof, and we would have easily done that too.

This reminded me how my parents had inculcated the habit of reading in us. I clearly remember the newspaperwala supplying us with a regular dose of Tamil magazines, comics & other general magazines along with the newspaper. My dad used to always encourage us to spend at least 10 minutes sifting through the morning paper, and that has become such a habit that my morning cuppa coffee is not completely enjoyed without the newspaper. As we grew, the comics gave way to CSR (Competition Success Reviews) and then slowly to Readers Digest, which I still enjoy immensely.

Am not sure how many are aware of this Russian children's monthly called "Misha". My dad had taken a three-year subscription of Misha, and I still have all 36 books. Each copy of Misha would be delivered in the name of 'Svetlana', which used to thrill me no end. Just as Misha, there used to be a science mag called "Sputnik".

Suddenly I realised the conversation around the coffee table had paused, and all were looking at me puzzled. Comics and children's magazines teach values in a way that nobody else can, and every child should get a fair chance of enjoying them.

Though there are online editions for most of these comics, I am not sure how the pleasure of turning page after page, carrying them stealthily to school or hiding the magazine from your little sister, can ever be replicated. Now before I break into another reverie, thank you Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle, Champak, Chandamama, Gokulam and a host of other books that made my childhood so so very pleasant and happy.

Oh BTW, while Tantri the Mantri is still plotting ways to kill the king and Kalia, the crow & Doob Doob the crocodile are still at loggerheads, Suppandi seems to have given way to Little Suppandi.

Thinking of You, Dad

I see flashes of you smiling benevolently at me when I made a mistake, smiling indulgently at my office banter, shaking in good mirth when I lost to you at a game, and smiling sheepishly when you were wrong & I was right.

I remember those rainy afternoons when the four of us played "Rummy" and when we sisters used to gesture to each other on the sly & cheat you. And yet you somehow always won. 

I remember the times when you cooked masala dosa or poori-masal for breakfast and left mom fuming over a terribly messy kitchen.

I remember the umpteen arguments we have had and the number of silly fights we have fought.

I remember you waiting for me at the gate for my return, with an expectant look like that of a child.

I remember the customary once-a-month family dinner outings, the same restaurant and the same-old orders, and how we used to argue about how much to tip.

I remember those old anecdotes & stories of your childhood that you would narrate so hilariously.

I remember you telling the history behind those antique silverware or the story behind the winding alarm clock.

I remember you taunting our poor knowledge of English grammar and questioning us incessantly on Gerunds, participles & infinitives.

I want to hear all of it once again. I yearn to get some more of your worldly-wise advice in your loud, booming voice. I wish I could wind the clock back....Ah! I wish

The world is celebrating Father's Day, and I am thinking of you.

It's Father's Day, and I am missing you, Dad. Wish you were here.