Ganpati

Dipping the soft spongy pav in the spicy gravy.. I take a mouthful.. the heat hits me alongwith the crunch of the farsaan.. a bit of sourness of the squeezed lemon juice, and the bite of the raw onions.. Misal pav! Haaye.. the memories.. like songs.. some dishes take you back on a trip.. a trip down memory lane..

The first time I fell in love with misal pav would be when I tasted Amantran, Thane's fiery version.. the first floor eatery near Thane railway station.. it was Ganesh Chaturthi.. 

Many of my friends had "Dedh Divsaachya Ganapati" at home.. when Ganpati's idol is installed at your home and the visarjan is after one and a half days.. Ganesh Chaturthi day would be a holiday and it was spent in visiting all these homes where Ganpati Bappa would be waiting with his smiling face.. and one more reason for the gang to meet and have fun :)

So one such Ganesh Chaturthi day, after completing the Thane/ Dombivli round of darshans.. hunger pangs hit us (irrespective of the fact that we had gorged on prasad at each place).. don't remember who suggested.. Amantran chalte hai.. and the rest is history..

Happy Atham and Ganesh Chaturthi! :)

Gratitude

Some days remind me of how lucky I am to see the sun set in all its glory.. maybe not all.. some of its glory :)

Yesterday evening in the midst of a maddening day.. an orange tinge on the walls in front of me, beckoned me..

A slowly spreading blush.. as if to say.. come, take a break, rest a bit..

I got up and looked out and this is what I saw.. a beautiful sky..

Thanks to technology, I don't need to rely on words alone to describe the view..

 "Work from home" has brought such small pleasures which make me happy.. some moments of solitude, a few minutes of reflection which I used to crave earlier..

#gratitudepost #sunset #nofilters #metime #orangesky #workfromhome

Reminiscences of a childhood...

A recent visit took me back to my summer holidays.. summer holidays meant playing in the sun, eating juicy mangoes and sticky jackfruit.. it meant learning to identify birds from their sounds and to identify plants..

You got your share of "puchcham" (scorn) because you were city-bred and were ignorant..

It meant lights out at 8:30 pm, temples in the morning, updating your Malayalam slang with the help of your cousins and the latest Malayalam movies..

After you got older, it wasn't so much fun.. the mud and the frogs got to you.. the early nights were annoying.. the sprawling old house accumulated dust and spiders and what not.. the affectionate neighbours seemed nosy.. the puchcham shifted.. you were the one scorning..

Now.. none of it matters.. what you want is your child to have a childhood which has its share of the warm sun, the green pond, the "ola" puppet, the coconut shells..The flowers and the leaves.. and some of the conveniences which a city life offers.. and he/ she learns to appreciate all of them.. and be CONTENT.. isn't that what matters more than happiness?

The seat under the tree

Come, have a seat..

Don't miss a beat..

The stories we could share..

Don't think of them as threadbare..

Listen to the leaves rustle..

Stay calm, don't hustle..

Here, time is standstill..

Breathe in, to your heart's fill..

Maybe it will help you..

Write a line or two..

Of how you had peace..

Under the shade of trees.

#randomrhymes #redminote7pro #kerala

I see what you see...

I see what you see..
Aren't you a part of me?

You look at everything with wonder
Be it sun, rain or thunder..

The smell of the first rain,
The first time you fall and the pain

The first taste of ice cream..
And when you see your shadow and scream

There's so much more for you to feel
I'll be with you, that's the deal..

I see what you see..
Aren't you a part of me?

You :)

A grasp of your fingers makes us glad..
It is for real.. We are Mom & Dad!

Hop, skip and jump.. Try your feet..
You dance to your own beat.

Tiny eyes that look into ours...
So much trust and no farce.

A smile which melts our hearts..
Innocent you are, no guile no arts!

Welcome to our world, heart's delight..
One look at you and everything is alright :)

Home..

The house where I grew up.. 
The people whom I laughed with, shared my life..
The school where I went to.. The college where I chilled..
The familiar streets, the road-side food..
The tangy chats, the spicy chutney..
"Bhaiyya.. ek sookha puri!"
The glass of ganne ka juice which energised me, 
The softy ice-cream which mesmerized me..

Amma's lectures and cooking , 
Achan's non-stop worrying..
The table which held my books, 
The shelves which still hold half my library :)
The walls which know of my dreams,
The pillows which know of my tears.
The local trains, which ran my life..
The shopping for trinkets, the price haggling
The battle of wits and strength for..
that very prized.. "hawa wala window seat"

Bombay for me is all this and more.. and it always will be..
Someone rightly said, home is where the heart is..

And a piece of my heart will always stay in Bombay..