The net has worked & the revolution has entered the Iyer household.The family boasts of three generations who dispute to differ & conform to agree.Its a beautiful blend of youth,wisdom & experience.The patriarch is the only member untouched by the gadgets & unfazed by the day to day transitions.The landline is his lifeline.Post paids & prepaids make no sense.Online billing and he is not willing......Yet he has the final word.& as he browses thro the newspaper....all matters get the stamp of approval/disapproval on the dining table.The atmosphere is a rare blend of conflicts & agreements.The patriarch disagrees only to agree later & give in to the whims & fancies of the texting meditechs.As the day progresses manually & digitally,the temple becomes more divine catering to the needs of friends,relatives & well wishers.......

Navrathri day two !

"WOW ! Not much progress," mumbled a beaming Pattu mami.The daily Navrathri Puja was taking up most of her time .

"Please the mother Goddess for nine days.Sing hymns in her praise and chant her divine name a thousand times," Ma would say.I listened to her in rapt attention as she rendered lovely musical compositions all in praise of the Divine Mother.

Ma was married on the 1st of September 1963.A petite newly wed Iyer dame fluent in English,Tamil.Telugu and Hindi travelled all the way from Secunderabad to her inlaws home in Calcutta.

As she stepped on Bhagirathi land,Subbu said "The Durga puja is approaching.This is the best time to be here in this City of Joy and I am sure you are going to enjoy every moment of your stay in this city."

Viji was not too sure though.She had her apprehensions.Yet ! slowly but surely she was getting involved in the Bengal culture.She was on a vacation,a tourist coz !Subbu would plan a daily itenary and take her in and around the city.

It was the month of October 1963.Puja frenzy had begun.The festivities were yet to begin but the mood palpable.:Localities were gearing up for the celebrations and Viji was wonderstruck.It was during the month that Subbu suddenly planned a trip to Kumartuli

Kumartuli is a potters village in northern Kolkata. By virtue of their artistic creations these potters have moved from obscurity to international prominence. This Kolkata neighbourhood,supplies clay idols of Hindu gods and goddesses to pujas in Kolkata , its neighbourhoods and now all over the world.

Certain customs are observed religiously ,while sculpting the clay idol of Durga. On the auspicious day of the Rath Yatra festival, clay is collected from the banks of the holy Ganga. The entire process of idol-making, from the collection of clay to the final stages of decoration and ornamentation, is considered sacred.

Another important event is Chakkhu Daan, that literally means ,the donation of the eyes, which occurs on a special auspicious day when the artists paint the eyes on the face of the idol.

It seemed like a dream come true.The semi completed clay idols fascinated Viji.The deft nimble fingers that worked on the deities amazed her.She was bewildered at the sheer talent of a group of people......The clay idols were coming to life and it seemed like a trip to the abode of the Gods.

"Learn a lesson from the clay ," Ma would say."Life is not a bed of roses but you have the power and the strength to mould it as you wish.Lead a pious life and be flexible.Try to be as eco friendly as possible.Our Earth is rich in resources.Use the resources carefully.The Earth is sacred ,and worship Bhoomi Ma." she would go on....

She would repeatedly say"So !Give the Golu an eco touch.Decorate the steps with mud dolls and wooden dolls.Remember to connect with the earth .We rise from dust to go back to dust..............Yet ! as I spotted a papier mache doll in my Golu,paper eco friendly too,an inner voice seemed to question the same earthy sentiment and the story teller in me was searching for answers as a logical explanation for a break from convention,and the transition from the Simple Steps to the Elevated MODERN DAY THEMATIC GOLUS ......

NAVRATHRI DAY ONE !

Ouch ! A stiff back ! Well ! Well ! I am happy nevertheless.....Now ask me why ?

Ahem ! Ahem ! I hope some of you,will go through this post of mine and the ones who just troll feel free to do so.

As I lay on my bed last night,I did not dream of a thousand moons,I did not wander into dreamland....It was plain deep slumber....a good sleep after a hard day's work.

Before you wish to skip the read,let me tell you that the intention of this post is plain speak and you shall read the mind of a TamBrahmBong.

As a kid ,I was brought up in a rather liberal Iyer family where the elders were conservative unto themselves.I was raised to value traditions and customs in a spirit of merry making.....& the zest for life came from the celebrations.

A festival was an occasion to wander away from the routine and appeasing the Gods was an excuse to break free.Ma was just like any other over indulgent mother.I was pampered and yet i was not spoilt.I was allowed to oversleep on holidays and she made sure that the bedroom was pitch dark till I got up.

She was an early bird though .I remember watching her going about her tasks in a rather easy manner,a trait that I have picked up from her and thank my stars for that.

Mahalaya holds a special place in my memories,a day that can never skip away from my schedules however tight they may be.Ma used to tune in to the Chandi path at 4AM on the Mahalaya day.She would wake me up and I used to get up immediately.As she listened,I would be beside her.

"The stillness of the night has a calming effect and the Chandi Path can soothe your senses said Ma." I was rather naive and yet I liked to get up .The reason is simple.Ma is a good story teller and that's another trait that I owe to her.

"Close your eyes and look up at the skies.Can you hear a growl ?Can you hear the clanks of the weapons?"she woulds say."Ma Durga is fighting a battle with Mahisasur.The fierce battle has begun on this Mahalaya day and she will emerge victorious on Dashami.she would go on.....

The Chandi path done,a demure Iyer woman would get back into business.The Mahalaya chant is a melody that can infuse tremendous energy and evoke the Mahisasura mardhini in any woman.Ma was no different.Single handeddly she would supervise Navrathri celebrations at home.Dad chipped to build the steps and arrange the dolls.

As I emptied the lofts yesterday and brought down the mud dolls,a busy doc was fixing the slotted angles.The steps have been neatly arranged.I boast of a heirloom of dolls some nearly 50 years old.My collection is a blend of the old and the new,and reflects my taste for tradition as a mix of ritualistic beliefs from Tamil Nadu ,Andhra Pradesh ,and West Bengal cultures.

So that is the way i am.Back breaking work cannot stop my zeal to carry on the Navrathri festivities.I am raring to explore,waiting for creative ideas to further enhance my GOLU.....All ideas are welcome and YES ! I TUNED IN TO MAHALAYA CHANDI PATH yesterday...Vital Energy Good enough to last for one more year ....

Oh ! My God ! She's a Woman !

She is by my side all day long.She is a constant companion,a guide,a mentor,a confidante and so,very close to my heart…

Daily,I wake up without an alarm and when I get up ,she is wide awake.Mind you! she does not sleep a wink.

I love to sleep and I can fall asleep,when I wish too.That’s a gift,I inherited from her…She sings “Rock a bye Baby on the LapTop “Sleep Darling sleep," and I love to obey She is such a sweetheart…

Mother had a long list of do’s and don’t’s..She said..” We are all up by 4AM.Its perfectly ok if you oversleep upto 5AM.”…With a lump in my throat ,I had nodded my head as if to say…”Oh ! You are so generous.You are so kind.Thank you so much.”...Anyway,that was a habit,I had to cultivate, much to the annoyance of my companion.I must have really offended the kind hearted soul….

Nevertheless,since then,I have come a long way ,sometimes abiding by her wishes and sometimes not. Today my body clock is tuned in such a way that eyelids force close at 10 PM and open at 5AM sharp..I am her diehard fan ,when it comes to sleep patterns that she designs especially for me .In the midst of a one to one live conversation,one day,she had told me,”7 hours of Beauty sleep every day,keeps age defying lotions away…Needless to say ,I was thrilled….How could I go against her wishes…..

She is fresh at the crack of dawn.She likes an oil lamp burning bright,the fragrance of the sandalwood incense and the hot cuppa .So I will please her .At my back,constantly,she nags,and yet,she is a source of great motivation.The days headlines and idle surfs can wait,she says,because duty comes first.A good leader leads by example and all that he has to do is to show the correct path,for others to follow.She does just that....Inspite of her repeated warnings,I do manage a few sneak peeks....

She is perfect,she is obsessed,she claims what she says is right.I must be idolizing her otherwise why would I be blindly taking orders..I must be loving her passionately…that’s exactly another reason why I can take her for granted and also disobey her….

But for her,I would have ignored the hanging cobwebs.She reminds me of the pending laundry work and the vaccum undone.The larder is half empty,I know,because she keeps reminding me of that.She is the mastermind behind all my decisions.She decides the daily breakfast,lunch and dinner menu ,my holidays,my friends,and what I should wear to work and to party.She plans my budgets,oversees my expenses,curtailing wherever she deems fit.She approves my exorbitant purchases too and prepares my draft daily conversations minute by minute…She helps me to exercise restraint and also express anger.She teaches me to love,respect,fear,abhor,help,ignore,like,dislike be kind ,accept ,refuse and don various roles…..

She asked me to pray one day and then she gave me faith.Aspire,she said and then gave me the reason to work.She placed stumbling blocks on the way and then she gave me the strength to overcome them..She showed me the path and then I did not look back…..

She watches my movements,and brings me back to track,when I stray.She likes me to do what I like to do and I am happy doing what she thinks I like to do.She must be guilty of being crazy. She drives me nuts.She made me write all this,saying ,”Unwind my dear ! “..

She’s my conscience…..Goodness Gracious ! She is My God......

A TAMBRAHM'S TRYST WITH FOOD !

If taste buds could be tingled from afar.Oh ! Yes !I am back to my ruminating ways.The weekends give scope for increased hunger pangs and I love to wallow in the essential spices that pep up my thirst to innovate ,experiment and search for the guinea pigs.Essentially,cooking stories has always been my forte.I have to be honest.My entry into the pantry was a rather forced one.It was a compelling desire to please people and thus began the journey.

I am sure all of you would agree that we are not born with a ladle in our hands.Neither do genetic traits always carry the passion to brew,boil or stew.Mom and mother-in-law are Kitchen Queens in their own right.Having been exposed to the grind at a tender age,I look in awe at their tenacity even today.Did The aruvamanai sharpen their skills ? Could The aatu kal and the ammee be the reason for the soft behaviour.It is a story of the mortar and the pestle,a life of willing hardwork ,a teary crush and a cheerful grind.

Having been initiated into an oven, mavbe not though ,at a very tender age,I slowly developed the passion ....a passion that gave me room for creativity too.Simple management techniques come into play and I wish all the B schools could take in a tip or two from the working of an organised kitchen.With no offence meant to any particular community or person,the TAMBRAHM has not evolved much as far as cooking and eating habits are concerned.A safe guy,he still prefers to confine himself to the precincts of AATHU SAMAYAL.

The mornings still begin with the degree coffee kumbakonam style...Some households have shifted to Tea too.Yet a filter coffee continues to be a hot favourite...and any conversation during the day is sure to bring about references such as.....ANTHA KADAYIL Kapi podi Supera irrukku.Each one to his own choice...."A" Evvalavu ? "B "Evvalavu ,Chicory venuma vendama ????The coffee filter has given way to the coffee maker...Yet the priorities haven't changed,The first few drops of the decoction are still sought after.

The Puzhungarirsi kanji continues to make waves....and all that is nostalgic is yummy today.Breakfast has not changed much .Idli,Dosai,Pongal and upma continue to maintain the top slot....A hot second coffee Sip break is a must too .

Mamas and mamis are unwilling fora total change in culinary practices in the 21st century too.Its a continued tale of commitment.....commitment to savour the aroma that Patti had instilled in the veins.So we have migrated and crossed shores....but the love for the tamarind ,lime,mango and the tomato remains afresh.Our cooking is incomplete without the Kothamalli and the karuveppilai .We yearn for fruits ,vegetables and curd....hot rice ,sambar and piping hot rasam,thokku , podi & thugaiyal,ussili & paruppu.....appalam & vadam.....& that's about all on a daily basis .Less of Oil and great to taste...Simple it is ! and that's the way we all are.......descendants of a clan who have made Cooking so easy for us...Shouldn't we be ever thankful to them ?

THE IYER MARWARI CONNECTION !

Yashoda Bhavan is a landmark building on Gariahat junction.In the early seventys,Kannamani and Krishnamurthy migrated to Chennai.While the younger siblings Chandru and Lucky moved to Delhi and B'uru respectively,Subbu stayed on.The Hum Dho Hamarey Dho family moved from the dilapidated building near Triangular park to a plush third floor apartment in Yashoda Bhavan.

Nayaki was a spritely little teenager then,and Ambi was her shadow.The building housed around 50 families mostly Marwaris and the icing on the cake was the presence of kids nearly our age ,in most of the families. Infact as I grew up,in the midst of family and friends,somewhere down the line,unawares,each one of us mingled beautifully,a strange bond that helped not only to foster relationships, but also aided in imbibing the strengths from the respective cultures.

In this post of mine,I wish to bring out the influence of Marwari culture in my life....an influence that I feel has also been a factor for bringing out the best in me.I am indebted to my mother for instilling good values and I also owe some of my qualities to another strong lady.

Simple housekeeping tricks can keep you happy and stress free said Chandra the strict Marwari mom.I was amazed .It was a holiday and it was the routine practice to get up,follow a not so strict morn regimen and rush to have fun with the Khaitan siblings.The three Marwari kids and the two Iyer kids went on to earn the dubious distinction of being THE FAMOUS FIVE.They did not mind though.It was great fun to be together,laugh hysterically,discuss the craziest possible things on earth and playfully execute some of them, right under the noses of the parents.So ! while the Iyer kids feasted daily at a Marwari home and in the process learnt to make yummy Marwari dishes,the Marwari kids ,especially the older girl was always to be found inside the Iyer's kitchen......probing various Iyer Recipes.

Chandra was an immaculate lady and Viji had a penchant for cleanliness.The combo that boasted of mutual qualities of perfection and orderliness were a silent influence on all the kids.....and it is here that I would like to stress upon the importance of good housekeeping to unwind and relax..Chandra would oftenly say " Beta Kaam karo....apna kaam aur doosron ka kaam bhi karna seekho.Chotey chotey kaamon mein khushiyan milthi hai.Chowka saaf suthra rakho.Roz Bisthar aur thakiyon ka chhadar badla karo,kapda dung sey sametna seekho......aisa lagey kee isthiri kiya hua ho......aur apney Ghar sey ithna prem karo ,kee jub bhi kissee bhi kamrey kee tharaf dekho tho mun khil uthey. "

Chandra aunty was right.Her prescription is a boon for me today.I have now reached the stage where I now tell my girls.....take a break,lend a hand in the kitchen and experiment,throw a few colourful cushions around,change the curtains,bolster up a rainy day with fresh potted indoor plants,add the odd antique knick knacks in some corner,keep an aquarium if you can.........and watch the results....Its amazing...I have tried it successfully.You can too........

A STING OPERATION

Please do not flare up.I have to admit that I see a Bong link wherever I go,a Kolkata connection in whatever I do.It is common to bask on all that is old and absolutely normal to rewind and be on a flashback mode even at work.

 It was just another normal day at work....The week had begun with a few glitches.Friends reported sick with headaches and yet attended work as usual.The

home front houses a clinic too and it was a spectacle to watch....firey eyed friends in day and night glasses.

He was not a habitual offender....a stickler for punctuality ,Mr M arrived late on Monday. MrT and Mr W followed suit..on Tuesday and Wednesday......I started getting the jitters.With misty eyes and running noses predominant, the work places in and around an arterial road ,presented a bleak picture of distorted vision too. But as they say every cloud has a silver lining,and so I recommended the afflicted ones I knew, to visit the friendly neighbourhood Doc.

Its mid week and the allergy continues to be viral.As friends and strangers made a beeline to the clinic nearby, I was thrilled....Oh ! let me tell you that if you are able to understand within a split second ,what I wish to convey , when I proclaim in ecstasy "JOY BANGLA" then you undoubtedly, belong to the category "A BONG ONCE,IS ALWAYS A BONG...TAM or OTHERWISE"

Incidentally,for ChenEYETES who may be curious and for the others too, let me tell you that ,the friendly neighbourhood Doc happens to be.....a kindhearted ophthalmologist....& though I feel the sting ,I am not red eyed as yet.......I hope the meaning has been conveyed to Madrasis too :-))))))