Sweets, crackers and Diwali

 

The colours and celebrations of Navratri are followed by yet another festival that makes us rejoice and socialize. The celebrations start once the land, plants and man are blessed with bountiful rains. All the socio cultural activities follow the rhythm of seasonal cycles and all the different regions lend their unique flavour, colour and stories to the celebrations. 

One underlying and recurring theme in and through all these festivals is the conflict between good and evil and the victory of the good in the end. 

Diwali is the occasion of celebrating the homecoming of Ram, Lakshman and Sita after fourteen years. Some people celebrate the occasion by remembering the death of Narakasura at Krishna's hands (the day before Diwali is Naraka Chaturdasi). During the battle between Krishna and the asura, Krishna becomes unconscious; it is Sathyabhama, Krishna's wife (incarnation of Bhudevi - Earth) who finally kills the asura and he prays to her that people should remember him with joy.

For Jains the day of Diwali is important as it commemorates the anniversary of Lord Mahavir's attainment of moksha. It is said that the earth and the heavens were illuminated with lamps to mark this event of Nirvana or enlightenment. So, Jains light lamps - symbolic of their dissemination of Mahavir's knowledge.)

Yet again, there are diverse stories, interesting nuances in the customs, a variety of delectable sweets and savouries from the north, east, south and west. 

In the north, in places like Himachal, Delhi, Punjab and other states, it is generally a five day festival. Dhanteras marks the beginning of the festival and symbolises wealth and prosperity. People buy jewellery and utensils as it is believed that any metal can ward off bad luck and bring in wealth and prosperity.  This day is followed by Chhoti Diwali, Diwali, Govardhan Puja and the fifth day is Bhai Dooj (similar to Raksha Bandhan)

Oh the stories you can weave around the wonderful bond between a brother and sister! 
One version talks about Yamraj, God of death visits his sister, Yamuna (yes, the river!) after repeated invitation from her. It falls on the second day of Shukla Paksha (Waxing moon - after New moon) in the month of Karthik; thus it is also called, 'Yama Dwitiya' .

The loving sister welcomes the brother with a spread of delicacies and applies a ceremonial tilak on his forehead. The happy brother gives her a boon - Yamuna asks Yama to mark a day each year to visit her house. Thus, this is that day when brothers visit their sisters' homes to celebrate this beautiful kinship.  

The second version focuses on the love between Krishna and his sister Subhadra. The third one is a narration of the story of Lord Mahavira's brother and his love for  Mahavira and his bond with his sister, Sudarshana. 

The fourth version weaves a story around, Goddess Lakshmi, asking King Mahabali in Patala loka (the lowest realm or plane of existence according to Hindu cosmology) to treat her as his sister.

It is once again, Ma Shakthi!

Diwali in Bengal is celebrated as Kali Pooja or Shyama Pooja. Ma Kali is decked up in hibiscus flowers and offered, sweets, rice, lentils and fish.

Generally in the states of Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam and Jharkhand this day is set aside for ancestors worship. People import customs and beliefs from neighbouring states and blend them with their unique traditions  to enrich the diverse celebrations. The Odiyas not only worship Lakshmi and  Lord Ganesha, but perform Kali pooja like their Bengali neighbours. Yet, there is that distinct and exclusive Odiya touch when they perform Kauriya Kathi burning jute sticks to invoke their ancestors. 

Westwards:                                                  

If you just take a leap over to the western regions - Maharashtra and Gujarat- the soft light from the earthen diyas and candles as well as rangolis welcome you. Of course, you should not forget the 'Faral' (feast ) with the impressive spread of not only sweets like laddoo, Rava ladoo and crispy savoury items like chiwda, bhakarwadi, chakli and others.

The crispy savouries have a longer shelf life and are a unique feature of Maharashtra. Lakshmi Pooja and rangolis are other predominant features of Diwali in the western states. Gujaratis draw footprints of Goddess Lakshmi on the threshold of their houses. The new year is celebrated the day after Diwali (Sukla Paksha Pratipada, the first bright day of the month of Kartik).

To the plateau and the coasts (south)!

Diwali in this region is associated with the worship of Krishna and his wife Satyabhama's victory over Narakasura. Getting up early in the morning and taking an oil bath, bursting crackers, sharing sweets and visiting friends and relatives is a general practice this day. New dresses is another point of excitement particularly for youngsters. 

There is this early morning oil bath ritual on the day of Diwali. One should remember that this month is the time of northeast monsoon for Tamil Nadu. Elsewhere in the country, there is the slow transition to winter with a slight nip in the air. The early mornings are pleasant that is considered by most of us here as 'Chilly' weather. Guided by the senior most lady of the house, at an auspicious time, a medicated oil would be prepared, heating gingelly oil. Then special bathing powder would also be made and all the shampoo-consuming 'youngsters' would be forced to wash their hair with 'Shikakai powder.  

In many households in Tamil Nadu. mixing many herbs with ginger, a gooey concoction is prepared (Diwali marunthu (மருந்து - medicine). People eat it just before we go our eating spree. It is considered as an antidote for indigestion. 

The delicacies - hot and crispy savouries, soft melting sweets soaked in ghee are inseparable from Diwali. 

When I look around me, I can see the generous exchange of food traditions between different regions. In Tamil Nadu, there is a traditional savoury called 'Murukku (முறுக்கு) or Thenkuzhal' (தேன்குழல்) - a close cousin of chakli. Sweets blended in jaggery like Adirasam  mark the celebrations in Tamil Nadu, but who can resist milk sweets, gulab jamun or jalebi! 

(Murukku is a deep fried savoury made of a mix of rice flour and pulses roasted and powdered. Adirasam is a delicacy made with jaggery and rice flour. )

Women who take pride in their culinary skills and who love making these delectable food items make it a huge operation. From planning the list, including one new sweet, buying the materials needed, to preparing them all in the week leading up to the actual festival. I remember the days when in every household at least two women would be sharing the work and bonding over the common challenges and issues. Then this making of 'Diwali specials' would have been a fun-filled activity with cousins, uncles and aunts and grand parents playing, making fun of each other and becoming 'tasters'.

 The festival within me:

I do not know about other states and regions but in Tamil Nadu, the snacks and sweets, the particular blend and flavour varies from district to district and from one community to another. 'The pull of the soil' - they call it and people of each district have pride about their land and customs! 

The pull is strong, for people born five decades ago. Just imagine, the extent to which I had grown up smelling, tasting and enjoying the food typical of my place and even when I moved to different parts of the country, I continued making the same items and relishing them. Now I can boast of an unbroken tradition of six decades of making 'Ukkarai (உக்காரை) and 'Vellaiappam' 

 I make other snacks and sweets but these two are like the mother's loving touch. A gamut of images flash in my mind way back from 1960 to 2000. The rectangular house running from one street to another so many door ways with high ceilings,  lot of windows, the old style of cooking with firewood or charcoal and those sturdy iron pans. Two narrow passageways or corridors - one  linking the main hall with the kitchen and dining sections and the other linking the hall with the outer office room and the outer room/lobby or porch which we call thinnai (திண்ணை). 

From the passageway linking the hall with the dining section, there used to be two rooms - one on either side. One of them was like pantry/store room (There were different kinds of storages besides this!). In this room, different types of rice and jaggery would be kept on tall and huge jars. The tenant farmers from the land in the nearby village would bring the share of rice and jaggery made locally by them and these were stored here. So when Jaggery was melted to make ukkarai or any other sweet, the aroma used to move in the air to reach every corner of the house bringing the members from different parts of the house like the children of Hamelin running behind the Piper towards the strong aroma. 

Like travel or getting ready for annual show or marriage, the preparations and the mounting excitement culminating at that moment are what make it memorable! 

Colour, feast, creativity

 Festivals bring to mind, joy, feasts, colour and being together. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh - throughout the Indian sub-continent, every day is an occasion for  celebration. There are numerous stories behind each of these festivals. Music and dancing, a riotous splash of colours and multiple spreads with mouth-watering delicacies, that are distinct to each region. How can a festival be complete without these?!

Some festivals appear to be observed all over the country yet with distinct local flavour and colour. Each story, tradition and belief associated with these festivals are garnished with subtle similarities despite their different flavours.

The elusive, moody and unpredictable monsoons yet the most welcome rain bearing winds brings all of us together from the east, west, north and south under one umbrella. 

The festivals carry around them, numerous occasions. The pre monsoon wait, the wait to start farming, sowing, transplanting, harvesting; the celebrations thanking all the elements of nature along with the Sun God, Surya, the list unfurls!

The southwest monsoon engulfs almost the entire country by September. But as it retreats, the random occasional showers contrast with the high drama in the surrounding seas and oceans. Low pressure systems, depressions and wind patterns keep us guessing. Be it the intense coastal rains, particularly along the east coast or the sudden outburst of thunder showers in the interior, the high play of emotions and the action-packed scenes unfold as if in a Shakespearean play. However there is no script or plan to this drama.

As this monsoon wind retreats from the land, the other (Northeast) moves in along the coast. Rain brings hope, new life, a new agricultural season and the nurturing earth opens up providing sustenance. This season (ऋतु ) known as शरद (autumn) is the transition from the long and hot summer months to balmy weather, cool nights and winter gradually. 

Thus we see, the people, bursting out in songs and dances and celebrating the occasion with mouth watering delicacies - be it the 'vrath' food sans grains and pulses of Gujarat using kuttu, saabudhana,(sago) potato, vegetables and fruits; Durga Pujo bhog from Bengal with the fluffy mouth-watering Roshogolla, the ubiquitous kichuri, beguni or payesh; rabri, malpua, jalebi in the northern parts or varieties of 'sundal' made with cooked pulses suitably tempered from the south! Ah... 'foodies out there! I know, this land  speaks eloquently to our minds, bodies and souls with the spread of dishes that call to our palate. There is a beautiful pattern to the items offered to God during each of the festivals (of course, to be eaten and relished by us humans. ) - in harmony with the climate, the soil and the systems within our body. The food is a delight,  tickling the taste buds and captivating our attention with the aroma, providing a visual treat to the eyes while nourishing our stomach with comfort and energising our muscles. 

Fast or feast - this festival of nine nights is celebrating the victory of good over evil. In the eastern and north-eastern states it symbolises the victory of goddess Durga over the buffalo headed demon (Mahisasura); in the north and western states it is marked as Dussehra celebrating the victory of Ram  over Ravan.  in the south it is the worship of Shakthi which culminates in Ayuda Pooja on Navami (9th day ) followed by Vijaya Dashami , observing the victory. 

Again, it is not so simple with only two versions - the story and belief may be the same but the manifestation of the victory of good over evil takes a multitude of forms, artistic performances and creativity. 

Each of the Durga Puja pandal is distinct and unique under the general theme.  Ah... the bhog! Isn't it marked with specific snacks, special delicacies with distinct flavour? 

The tradition of Bhog during Durga Puja can be traced to the days of British expansion after the historic British victory in Battle of Plassey. The story goes like this - Naba Krishna Deb was appointed as the language interpreter to Clive. A beautiful bond, friendship evolved between the translator and the coloniser. Clive had persuaded Deb to showcase Durga Puja on a grand scale. Lord Clive, familiar with Hindu festivals, wanted to witness the Puja on a grand scale and it all began in Deb's place in North Kolkata as Sovabajar Rajbari Puja.  Those days, the socio economic disparities did not allow all people to participate in these celebrations but times have changed to make Pujo , a celebration of the entire neighbourhood or community. Some rare delicacies continue to tease and tempt our taste buds but the versatile and humble  Khichuri takes the centre-stage. 

Just consider this menu: A breakfast of muri, or puffed rice, batasha (sugar drops) and fruits followed by a mid-morning snack of patla khichuri (thin khichdi)…phew! then Devi Durga can get ready for a lavish lunch spread - mutton curry, rui maacher kaalia, prawn malaikari, paachmishaalir torkari (medley of five vegetables), dal, chutney, papad, curd and sweets. 

Do you wonder about the fish and mutton delicacies? Devi is considered as the daughter of the land and the people show their love with offering what they like the most. Evening is a different story in this pandal - Devi and in turn the devotees are treated to a spread of luchi, five types of fries, basanti pulao (fragrant gobindo bhog rice cooked with turmeric for a golden touch) and payesh. One of the people in charge lovingly quips, " She (Ma Durga) is a real foodie just like us."

Here again,  there is an emotionally charged story of sending off the daughter (Ma Durga) who came for just a 10 days visit to her mother's place. 

Think of Gujarat and festivals - Navratri, Garba and the 'joie de vivre' of Dandiya' is what come to mind. 

The story of Mahishasura must be a familiar story to most of us. ( Depending on the region, there may be distinct local touches to make it unique for the region.) The asura (monster, grew powerful with the boon that he could not be killed by any weapon.  So all the Gods put together their power and created Adhya Shakthi to destroy the asura. She fought with him for nine days and nights; tenth day marked her victory (Vijaya Dasami). 

It is also time to celebrate soil fertility and the nurturing monsoon showers. a mound of fresh soil represents this in which grains are sown and watered. Green shoots sprout in these nine days which is worshipped.                                       

 During these nine evenings, pujas are performed and people turn up in their fineries and sway to the rhythms of dhol and perform garba dance or swing and hit the sticks in pairs for a lively Dandiya. Garba is the clay lantern with light inside representing Devi Durga or feminine Shakthi. The dance is performed in a circle around this light which can also symbolise fetus or foetus in the womb.                                               

     The circle, certainly reminds one of the typical belief of this land - the cycle of time and of birth, death, again rebirth. The entire garba concept beautifully reveals the one constant in this endless cycle is Ma Durga (represented by the stationary light in the centre with the continuous movement around. 

And the story has a different twist when we move southwards.   

You must have heard of the majestic royal Dasara procession in Mysuru. It draws tourists from within the country and from other parts of the world. Mahisasura is from this place, according to the traditions prevalent here. " Mysuru' is in fact derived rom the word, 'Mahishur' or 'Mahisasurana Uru' to mean the town of Mahisasura in Kannada. Yes, Mysuru was ruled by the Asura and to bring an end to the difficulties caused by him,  all the gods and Devatha Log prayed to Goddess Parvathy who came down as Chamundeshwari. Those of you who have been to Mysuru and even others who know of the places to visit there! Are you thinking of Chamundi Hills? Yes, that is where the Goddess defeated and killed Mahishasura. After the event, that hills has become the abode of Chamundeshwari. How will people rejoice in the victory of good over evil - they bring together a 10 day long Dasara festival.  It all started with Vijayanagara kings around 15th century, then continued under the Wodeyars of Mysuru.  There is a special durbar (royal assembly) being held in the Mysore Palace since 1805. 

The 400th anniversary of Mysore Dasara was celebrated in 2010. 

Let's leave the royal grandeur to enjoy the creativity and imagination of people around us. 

People arrange clay/terracotta toys , painted colourfully, on steps or stairs (usually in odd number like3/5/7/9). It is Bombe Habba (Kannada), Bommai golu (Tamizh), Bommala Goluvu (Telugu) and Bomma Gullu (Malayalam). 

There appears a theme within theme - the women of the house arrange and position the dolls in  a manner that the dolls tell stories of their own. There are dolls, like family heirlooms handed down from generation to generation; then there are new set of dolls depicting a tribal life or urban life, a marriage procession or depicting a scene from Ramayana or Mahabharata.

Do you know, there is a general rule - as to what kind of dolls must be placed in each step? It is like Maslow's hierarchy of needs or like evolution from simple grass to trees, then other animals, birds and then man. It symbolises how we have to move from simple materialistic needs to evolve spiritually - thus above human beings , we can arrange saints, sages like Sri Ramakrishna, Ramana or great visionaries and leaders; then move to arrange small devatha and Navagraha  and then the top most step is allotted for Gods and Goddesses - Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Vinayaka, Krishna and Shakthi in different forms will occupy centre-stage here. It symbolises the stages by which  a human being attains divinity; how one has to rise above worldly materials, attachment, greed, ego and desires to be one with the Divine Self. 

I know of women, who hand craft items to create a theme-based golu - it may be Puranic stories one time; it can show case our technological achievements; or it can take you around places of pilgrimage or you can even see Star wars /Avengers merchandise and figures /dolls of Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Wasp, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, Admiral Motti, Q'ira and many others! 

All these theme based dolls and figures are displayed either in front of or on the side of the traditional steps. Of course, in front of all these, there will be Rangoli designs.  

Think of the self sustained community - potters, doll makers, people who make the paints, flower growers and sellers, weavers, tailors and the farmers who grow pulses, and many others. This was the way that festivals used to bind people at different levels in many layers in the past. Within the layers, there used to be space for stories, customs, creativity, music and dance. It is not the same spontaneous connection that we see today. Yes, it still lingers in the small local doll maker's outlets where people flock to buy some new dolls every year; the way, girls dress up and visit friends' houses, sing without a moment's hesitation and relish the "sundal' varieties; it manifests itself when women and girls from all social and economic strata are honoured and cherished upon their entry into the house; it is felt in the joy of creativity as it is worshipped as Goddess of learning (Saraswati). 

The streets (Maada streets - மாட வீதி) around Kapaleeshwar temple in Mylapore, Chennai come alive with sale of dolls - to suit all tastes and purses. 

Festivals draw their meaning and significance from the people. When every section of the community has a role to play and gain something from the occasion,  going along with the rhythm of the seasons, sunlight and rains , it is celebration of connection and creativity. 

 

I just have added my creations of Navratri kolam here. This is  my way of meditation to evoke the Shakthi within. 

या देवी सर्वभुतेषु क्षान्तिरूपेण संस्थिता ।

या देवी सर्वभुतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता ।

या देवी सर्वभुतेषु मातृरूपेण संस्थिता ।

या देवी सर्वभुतेषु बुद्धिरूपेण संस्थिता ।

नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥

I bow to that Goddess who is omnipresent as the symbol of motherhood, as embodiment of power, who resides in all living beings as intelligence, who is a symbol of peace.

Merging into the Limitless and Infinite with music

 I am because we are...!

I tend to think of myself in the way I am comfortable or in the way I like to project myself to the world. Perhaps, it may be a practice with many of you. But, 'comfortable' does not make it interesting! I know there is an unexplored sea of thoughts, ideas and emotions.... breathing and waiting! 

One fine day, I have decided to dive into the sea, guided by this wonderful human being, my NLP mentor, Bhavana. Deep diving requires, specific methods and focussed practice. With the ever present, persistent prodding by my mentor, I am able to appreciate the complexity of the bends, twists, the muddy and murky darkness, the sudden piercing light from around a corner, the peace, stillness and much more. It is not an easy task and I have to fight with the resistance and fear. The guiding hand of my mentor is behind me, giving me the right amount of push to lift my legs and jump deep. 

One by one, when the invisible bonds chaining me loosen up, there is this weightlessness and I float. But, believe me, it is not a smooth process for me. But I have begun the exploration  and the moments of harmony are slowly expanding from seconds, minutes to days and spread over my entire being. (Thanks to you, mentor!)

The other day in the training session, when the guest speaker, Charles Ainslie (South Africa) began his speech with reading the beautiful poem, 'Wild Geese by Mary Oliver, something shifted within me. The poem with that striking opening words, " You do not have to be good..." instantly took hold of my thoughts. 

We had some profound exercises to experience the poem and ourselves and the underlying interrelations keeping us all in a web. 

The words of the poem, his soft yet intense voice and the way we all reached out blurred the individual boundaries. 

And then, in the morning, there was this soul-stirring music coming through the flute of Jayanth. I could hear those profound phrases in the poem close to my ears like a soft breeze. 

"the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things."

The nadham (tonal quality) of flute just merged with the air and teased me gently with a suggestion of the scent of jasmine and wild jasmine (பிச்சிப் பூ). The chains fell off and my lighter self soared high in the limitless blue sky. 

I always am drawn to the raga Kalyani at some deep level. The swaras of  chatushruti rishabam, antara gandharam, prati madhyamam, chatushruti dhaivatam, kakali nishadam in different permutation combination brings high mountain ranges in hues of violet and blue, trying to pierce the blue sky to my mind. I feel the morning breeze and the soothingly warm rays of the sun; can hear and sense the whole earth coming alive to a new dawn. 

The raga, Kalyani through the flute (after my NLP session) that day, not only lifted me to fly high, it just reduced me to fine pieces like grains of sand and I just became one with the soil, the gurgling stream, the chirping birds, the swaying branches of trees and the lively little girl hopping around and her full throated laughter. 

"I" was there in all these and I experienced all these too!  

The thoughts behind the kolam

 A new dialogue evolved between my friend, Sudha and myself focusing on the daily kolam that we make in front of our houses. It led me to probe and think what was the idea behind each design; any set pattern; any preferences and the influences. I realised there was a lot of interesting beliefs about our capabilities, traditions and the things that pull our hands and fingers in a certain way. 

I found it interesting and a great exercise but, I realised I was taking quite a lot of time that affected my other routines. (Ah... once again, it was technology! -- needed to transfer my ideas and designs to some form of virtual space and that took time!!) Anyhow, I stopped sharing the designs on social media but we both exchange our kolam daily and the stories behind some of them!

During the course of the day, there would flash ideas to weave stories around the different kolam and noted some of them for a different activity. 

These designs I am sharing here, interestingly grew out of the photos shared by Neelima on FB. Her love for all life around makes her a wonderful and gifted nature photographer. She brought out a series of pictures showing different kinds of butterflies and a brief write up about them. And there are flowers in a riot of colours, leaves swinging and swaying in particular way like the various postures of a danseuse frozen and captured for eternity.

The pictures of common mormon, jezebel or the scarlet milkweed are visual treat (All her pictures are that!). Flashing the orange, black and white or the yellow, these lovely creatures flitted around me demanding attention. So, I let them flutter through my fingers on to the ground in my designs. ( Please, don't look for exact depiction! They led me to create my version, not exact image like a portrait! Creative license?!!)

As I was making the kolam, I experienced being there in the vast open wood that Neelima walks;  the cool morning breeze playing in and around the trees, the morning creatures coming out to greet the new day. This is a dedication to Neelima for she takes me to that lovely Ghats forest and letting me be just part of the environment.

The long time colleagues...

 Bonding on a virtual platform

When I used to be part of the study of vedantic texts like 'Upadesa Saram', we were encouraged to probe the question, "Who am I?" and the way we answer. It was an exercise to chip away at all these 'worldly identities' to identify that 'self' (Atman). As I walked back home from the session, all deep आत्म  विचार tended to desert me!!

Well, anytime, I think of myself as this or that, I do remember these are not to be my identities. The deep probing starts; the entire conversation takes hardly a minute or two but still reminds me that the question remains! In and through all such inner dialogues, I can't help an attachment to certain identities.  The teacher identity , though thrust on me by circumstances, got glued to me to be 'me'! (Isn't it in sync with my basic belief and constant questioning to seek the ultimate 'Truth'?) 

So here I am, part of the teaching fraternity belonging to one great institution (DAV group of schools in Chennai), bonding with fellow teachers and and others in a virtual meet! 

Every year, we meet, we try to spend time together and reach out to the community in whatever way we can. In our annual get together, our beloved students join us and infuse us with youthful energy. 

Most of us would have spent seven decades on this planet (as an approximate average). That is just for the record! The wear and tear of the body just does not dull their brains. In the true spirit of a teacher, they always ask questions and learn.  I am one of those few who are juniors to these legends in the field.  I remember those early years in my service when I was awestruck by some of them. In school, there was certainly a hierarchy but a subtle one. When we all have come together to be part of the ex staff association, it has become one of friends and associates. 

This year, the meeting became a memorable one which touched me at deeper levels. Many of the teachers are living alone with their husbands/wives, away from their children. The covid restrictions have made their lonely life, hopeless and the  transient nature of our life, very real . For some of us, the loss of our good friends and colleagues is time to pause and take stock. Against all these, the members were eager to get together. 

Some from the group until now, had no need to befriend technology. But, the idea that we should connect started as a spark and with that typical efficiency of teachers organising an event, the plan took a shape. In the wonderful tradition of working in teams, a programme was scheduled. Ah... the important thing of initiating some of the seniors into the virtual world! That was taken care of by Mrs. Radhika Parthasarathy and Mrs. Lalitha Chandrasekar. They had a trial zoom session where members could get in and familiarise themselves. A clear instruction sheet with step by step process of accessing zoom was put out by Mrs. R.P. Prayer song was taken care of by our music teacher who invoked the blessings of Goddess Durga to remove the virus in 3 languages. 

Having online meeting enabled our friends from other cities like Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Hyderabad and Mumbai and from overseas to participate.  Looking at the happy expressions, the eager and curious minds ever prepared to learn and the readiness to follow the rules - I felt thrilled about the learning field!  The initial technical glitz was accepted with equanimity and each waited for their turn to greet and talk. Friends engaged in playful banter, members suggested ways of coming together - these interspersed with profound emotional moments too. It was a pulsating  lively meeting cutting through the cyberspace. 

I looked around, positive energy flowing from every one into me and I bowed to all of them.  

Teasing the taste buds

Spice theatre

Strong, pungent, nutty, earthy, sweet, lemony.... words to describe smells and flavours. I realise that the aroma of food is the first key to open the door to the exciting world of delicious array of items. The flavours and aroma waft towards the nose and the olfactory nerve cells would wake up the taste buds to salivate. Then, we follow the nose to the food. Here would come the visual presentation to add to the sensory delight.   

The moment the oil is heating up in the pan and we add the first of the taste enhancers, the flavour has to burst forth and spread out from the kitchen to every corner of the house. Listen, Folks who cook and feed the members of the family! (Should I say, sniff around?!!) Know your spices for they are going to be your personal army /aides in making the mundane, exciting; routine, interesting!     

The kitchen with its cooking fire is considered sacred in the tradition of this land. Rightly so, as it addresses hunger and satisfies the basic need of food. Food is considered as 'gift of god' and it should be treated with respect. 

"ओ3म् अन्नपतेSन्नस्य नो देह्यनमीवस्य शुष्मिणः/

प्र प्रदातारं तारिष ऊर्ज्जं नो धेहि द्विपदे चतुष्पदे //

ओ3म् शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ! - यजुर्वेद ११.८३"

This is from Yajur veda and chanted as an expression of our gratitude for the food on our plate. 

It roughly translates as 

" O Lord Provider of food grains, & all edibles

Thanks for giving us food today.

May this food be decease-free and nourishing,

And be it good for my body, mind & soul, I pray !

O Benefactor of the donors & providers of food,

May all living receive their sustenance every day !

However, let's get back to the smelling exercise! As one who grew up savouring the distinct aroma of spices being tempered in ghee and gingelly oil, certain spices have become so close to me like those true and silent friends who always are there for you! And the person behind the magic was my patti (grand mother) whose culinary touch would lend a distinct aroma to the cooking. We call it "கை மணம்" ( kai manam) in Tamizh. The associations to the distinct flavours are strong - a zone of comfort and security, a space of joy)

My close friends are Jeera and pepper. They are the inseparable twins, the earthy jeera complemented by the hot pepper! They had been with me adding a flavour to dull moments, spicing up the low mood or simply wafting around me in their spice dance!

I can sense, the other friends from the spice box giving a dirty look - "You human! You easily forget how my presence in sambhar or rasam bursts out as mellow, yet complex aroma, moving through windows and passage ways to tickle the tips of olfactory nerve cells of any one crossing that smell zone!" said Dhania. 

"Aha! Can you think of your 'Kadi' or 'Morkuzhambu' (மோர்க்குழம்பு, a buttermilk blend) for mixing in the steamed rice or even sambhar without me?" crackled and spluttered the methi seeds in the hot pan. (Miss Methi missed her role in the pickles) Think of roasted methi powder combined with the right amount of asafoetida in hot oil poured over pickles. "High BP, cholesterol? What are they?"

You know, they all call out to me as I begin my cooking - my well laid-out plans just go in a smoke when my spice friends look up with bated breath! What are friends for if I can't respond to their call! They just edge their way into my thoughts through my nose. Yes, the distinct flavour , whirls around me as soft breath sometimes; at others, assail my nose in a gust. These trigger a particular image of the food and associated memories. I enter into this set up, touch and feel the spices and begin mixing them up to get the particular flavour and texture that I saw in the image. 

(Some days I get the result and the flavour just bursts on the taste buds, hmm... it is a moment of bliss! Then there are times when, the desired result remains elusive - perhaps I have missed the right blend and the right amount of roasting!) 

Most of the time, they reach out and blend with one another to give out that subtle yet tangible aroma. I never cease to be amazed by the way how 2 or more spices relate to each other, complement one another yet retain their unique flavour. But then, we need to know, which spice will go with which other spice and believe me! there are some who keep fighting with each other and let out an unwelcome odour! They have egos too. So you have to add and mix them with love, you should know which leads the way into the pan! 

I do not know about great chefs and those grand moms with ""கை மணம்"! This is my Kitchen dynamics or should I say kitchen theatre?

Why am I thinking about my spice friends now? The story goes like this: I got organic egg plant - long variety two days ago. (This vegetable gets its turn after months in my house and it has to be cooked only in a particular way!) 

But from the moment I got it, I was getting some images of vegetables dotted with the black nigella (Kalonji) seeds and the roasted jeera. So the flavour followed - that of panch phoran! It is a magical amalgam of five spices - a whole spice-blend rather than ground powder. It is thought to have originated in Eastern India. It is popular in northern parts of the country yet it is synonymous with Bengali recipes and cooking.

  

Five spices are added to the oil or ghee in the frying pan to let them crackle. This is what we call tempering and this is known as 'phoron' in Bengali, Baghaar' in Oriya and 'Chaunk' in Hindi. The crackling brings out the aroma and then we add other ingredients like Turmeric powder/dhania powder. The five spices are kalonji seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and "Radhuni' or 'ajmod. This last mentioned spice is typical in Bengal and surrounding areas. In rest of India, black mustard seeds is used instead of radhuni. They are dried fruits of a plant like ajwain (carom seeds). 

The five spices together, (even with mustard as replacement spice) when they pop up in the pan, the individual flavours move in sync with each other like ballerina/ballerino pirouetting and flowing to tantalise the nose!

So did I cook the baingan with panch phoron or what? Two days the image and the smells followed me demanding my attention and so I made it. Ah... ! the sense of harmony when what I cooked matched exactly with my sensory image! You need to experience it to understand the deep gratitude and harmony I had with my environment! I suppose I had spooned in a dose of care and love for the food as well as the people for whom I made it! That's how cooking a routine subji spiced up to be an intense drama!

Music in the morning

The clock struck 9 in the morning, and I rushed to tune to Chennai Vaanoli nilayam' (All India Radio, Chennai)  for my one hour connection with music. Even as the ever soothing divine voice of MS Amma was pouring out the emotion of a young woman's longing for Krishna - " in the garden where bees dance... he came and stole my heart!" {வண்டாடும் சோலை தனிலே கண்டு எனதுள்ளம் கொண்டான் சகியே!} - I realised that the life of the batteries is about to end. Seeing my excitement and recognising my desire to listen to that lilting mesmerising voice, My daughter A, installed the radio app in my mobile and tuned the radio station. Bless her - I was able to immerse myself in the magic of her music though for an hour only.

Once again, AIR rises to be a good patron. 16th September, 1916 was when the Nightingale of India, Madurai Shanmugavadivu Subbulakshmi was born in Madurai. She was hardly 10 when her first informal stage appearance happened. She said in an interview, “When it happened, I felt only annoyance at being yanked from my favourite game – making mud pies. Someone picked me up, dusted my hands and skirt, carried me to the nearby Sethupati School where my mother was playing before 50 to 100 people. In those days that was the usual concert attendance. At mother’s bidding, I sang a couple of songs. I was too young for the smiles and the claps to mean much. I was thinking more of returning to the mud.”

Her life story , like any of the other artist or any one of us, for that matter is filled with sudden twists, dreams, failed dreams, heartaches and successes. It is perhaps because of her simplicity, humility and  Bhakthi- soaked music, it is not analysed, criticised and judged with utmost disregard for others' feelings like it is done today. It is as though, people have instinctively related to all  these issues which have endeared her all the more to many of us. 

She identified herself with Meerabai when she did that role in the film. 

Jawaharlal Nehru and the Mountbattens watched the premiere of the movie (1947) and they were enamoured by her soul-stirring voice. When we close our eyes and tune our ears to listen to  "Giridhara Gopala", "More to giridhar gopal, dusaro na koi ", " Kunjan ban chhadi hai madho kahan jaun un chhaon" or the Tamil evergreen " காற்றினிலே வரும் கீதம்"  we are transported to Vrindavan and are charmed by Meera's Kanha. 

She never stopped learning and with utmost humility and respect she learnt at the feet of great musicians like Bade Gulam Ali Khan or Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. True, her name is synonymous with Bhakti and devotion, her knowledge and skill to make her music more intellectual was no less. She had chosen a path and an identity and her performances and music were in harmony with that. 

Ever heard of MS Blue and the story behind the name? Noted Carnatic singer T. N. Seshagopalan once said that  Muthu Chettiar, a weaver in Madurai, the birth place of Madurai Shanmugavadivu Subbulakshmi, had specially made a sari in ‘middle sea’ blue colour for the singer. It became ‘MS blue’, synonymous with the singer, popularly known as MS after she started wearing the blue colour saris in her concerts. (There may be others to claim credit for this. I am not able to verify this. In one version, Muthu Chetti is described as hailing from Kanchivaram.) This blue was a shade darker than sapphire and closest yet not exact to the royal.

Coming back to AIR - the programme began with " வண்டாடும் சோலை" in Harikamboji, followed by Panthuvarali kruti, रामनाथम भजेहम" and the main piece in Bhairavi - E nati nomu phalamo ( ఏ నాటి నోము ఫలమో). Then the mesmerising Punnagavarali composition of Shyama Sastri - "Kanaka Saila Viharini" was short but brought out the splendour of the raga and the bhakti of the composer for Kamakshi. 

A hip swaying "kaavadi chindhu" (காவடிச்சிந்து) marked the end of the programme. A Chindu in Tamil, originally refers to a couplet or poem set to a particular meter. Kaavadi is like yoke - carrying weight on two ends. Kavadi Chindus are sung by devotees as they carry the ‘kaavadi’ for Lord Muruga, typically up a hill, to ease out some of the strain and physical exhaustion during the journey. 

The ragas or the krutis never were given a cursory or hurried attention. It can be for 5 minutes or or for 15 minutes but in MS Amma's hands, (hands? voice/mind?), the feelings and thoughts behind the lyrics come alive as all the raga devatha  happily sit with her. 

Such good music not only lifts me up beyond the mundane things, it grounds me and align my inner self with the environment.