1. Sivarathiri …….:
Sivarathiri night suda suda pasi paruppu kanchi. That too not in a tumbler but in thattoo.Kaiyaal nakki nakki urinji kudipom.One litre per person was not enough that day.We remember sivarathri only with pasi paruppu kanchi.It is going to be more than 15 years since I enjoyed that kanchi.
2.Thiruvathirai…..:
The sweet thiruvatharai kali with thalathai kuzambu.What a great combination.On the whole day, for all the 3 times our menu was this only.Oru periya adukku naraiya,kaliyara time theriyathu.
Everyone has started preparing this one but no one able to achieve at least 10% of the taste of the Patt’y kali.
3.Ennai Kathirikka…..:
Kutty kutty muzhu ennaikathirikka . My tongue has been lounging for that one for the past 15 years but till not.
4.Thakkali thokku……:
If thakkali thokku available, whatever be the quantum of thayir shatham would automatically go into our belly in a fraction of second.Within 2 days vazhichi vazhichi muzhungi viduvom.The tireless patty never gets tired of preparing the thokku.The Supply from Patty always ≥ the consumption of thokku.
One time when we were returning from Sabarimalai,we had a sleep upto 5 hours in the van and when we reached Kutralam, we had an hour bath in the falls.We had a gaba gaba pasi.Suda Suda cooker Satham mixed with Sabarimalai Nai and one full horlicks bottle of Patt’s thakkali thokku…… Appa…… what a devarmitham…… Still the memories and my nakku is behind the event..
5.Ishtoo…….:
Ishtoo made up off urulaikizhangu and periya vengayam….Always a very big anda preparations.This we needed for all the 3 times of that day.Still we did”nt get bored. Now a days Brindha prepares this whenever I visit her house. The taste is also equivalent to our patty’s.Favourite menu to affectionate brother from affectionate only sister.
6.Paruupu urundai…….:
Paruppu urundai kuzambu ……We fought for no of urundais.No one is now a days preparing it.
7.Seppangizhangu …….:
Vasanaiyana Seppankizangu (muzhu muzhu kizhangu) sambar…..I knew pretty well that I would be suffering from Gas trouble after taking this one,but still I went behind in tasting it. My appetite for Seppankizhangu sambar was ≥ the after effect of consuming that one.
8.Sambaar puli……:
Sambaar puli made up of Kothamalli leaves and vellam.The best combination for morunsatham. Urutti Urutti verum vaiykke muzungividuvom.
9.Vengaya Vadaam…….:
Not the one now being prepared. origination from compounder mami.The old type of vengaya vadaam.Good combination for thayir satham.When it was dropped into Keerai Masiyal the taste goes to heaven.Once upon a time Brindha used to prepare it.
10.Oothaappam…..:
Oothaapam prepared in a cheen chatty with pachai vega vaitha sundaikka springled into it…no one can compare the taste.But we were being offered only 1 or 2 oothaapam and not more than that……Kanjus patty!!!!!
11.More Koozhu…….:
More koozhu with the Thayir kudai milagai, a different ever memorable taste.
These are the items I really enjoyed from patty 15 years ago and at present my tongue has dried and yearning for the menus.Instead of going behind the taste of the food items we have now accustomed to adjust our taste to the menus being offered by the marumagals.Ethaiyum thinnum vayiru.
We have to take a marugenmam to have once again the taste of above menus from patty.
-arunachalam
Showing posts with label Paati. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paati. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, March 21, 2005
Jeeyapuram! Its a beautiful life!
(This is one of my 'yet-another-nostalgic-accounts' which has been long pending!It is the narration of a typical day at Jeeyapuram - a wonderful village located on the banks of the river cauvery in Trichy.This is where my maternal grandparents lived till a few years ago and all my childhood annual vacations were spent happily loitering around and exploring the agraharam!Its definitely a wonderful life worth revisiting at any point of time!)
One long street spanning about a quarter kilometer in length with houses packed on both sides, not leaving space for even a small whiff of air. Every house meticulously built in an extraordinarily orderly manner following a standard set of rules making sure they all align perfectly with their frontyard - thinnais touching each other. The simple houses boasted of the builder's devotion to plain geometry and Vaasthu shatra principles. The colours on the houses were predominantly red, white and Kaaavi (orange) portraying the Hindu Brahminness in every brick of theirs.
Through the railway track adjoining the village, the Erode passenger passed exactly at 4.30 in the mornings rattling the entire Agraharam, which now had become a daily alarm for the women of all the households to rise from their 'Pathamadai Paai' and start their daily activities.
The grown up men, for their part wake up to perform their daily exercise of drawing water from the wells. About 20 to 30 buckets of water is drawn as the lady picks one by one and starts filling up the appropriate containers. She then goes to the frontyard and begins the 'Vaasa thelikkal', wherein cow's dung is mixed with water and sprayed in the front of the house. This daily 5-minute activity followed by the 'Kolam Podal' event sets the trend for many more socializing episodes to come during the day, for all the maamis.
Some of the familiar areas of conversations go as follows:
'Maami,Nannaa thunginaelaa?'
'Illa Maami,engaathla Odomosum Tortoiseum theendhu poachu...Orae kosu kadi'
'Oh..Engaathla naanga goodknight thaan use panroam'
'Seri..iniku enna samayal ungaathla?'
'Iniku..arachuvitta kuzhambu..kathrika curry..Rasam'! Ungaathla?'
'Engaathla saathamadhu..Vendakka Currimedhu'
Just as the conversations begin to mature, the male of the household gives out a cry, indicating that its time to stop and begin the household activities, following which the ladies act like robots programmed to do routine tasks, without deviating from the routine.They take their baths and then enter the kitchen to cook the delicacies, which the entire house devours upon later in the day.Then its time for the moms to wake the kids and get them ready for school.In between,the males in the house are forced to perform a multitude of tasks ranging from splitting open the coconut from its hardshell,for which a unique contraption called a 'Urikoal' is used;Start the fire at the back of the house to boil hot water for the kids to bathe;Climb the paran(attic) to retrive enough rice for the day from the gunnybags etc.
With M.S singing Suprabatham in the background,followed by Yesudas singing a couple of Ayyappa songs,the ladies perform their poojas and circum-ambulate the thulasi madam in the 'Mitham' - the roofless portion of the house with a few iron grills on top, which stands right in the middle of the house.
The kids wait patiently for the moment the camphor is lit and shown across all the hundred different pictures of Gods and Godesses, after which it is the much-awaited time for the prasadam,which usually is a mixture of dry fruits and cashew or badam,followed by a sweet concoction called the 'Paanagam'!
Once the breakfast is over,the kids get ready to go to school,either by walk or in the townbus that comes every 30 minutes.Every kid carries the trademark yellow Sarathas bag,laden with old front-coverless books which were inherited from his or her elder brother;an old Nataraj pencil box with a hero-pen,an wooden ruler,a light blue-colored eraser and a piece of chalk to suck the ink in the event of an unexpected ink deluge ;a small stainless steel tiffin box for lunch,which mostly consists of Curd Rice and mango pickle.
One long street spanning about a quarter kilometer in length with houses packed on both sides, not leaving space for even a small whiff of air. Every house meticulously built in an extraordinarily orderly manner following a standard set of rules making sure they all align perfectly with their frontyard - thinnais touching each other. The simple houses boasted of the builder's devotion to plain geometry and Vaasthu shatra principles. The colours on the houses were predominantly red, white and Kaaavi (orange) portraying the Hindu Brahminness in every brick of theirs.
Through the railway track adjoining the village, the Erode passenger passed exactly at 4.30 in the mornings rattling the entire Agraharam, which now had become a daily alarm for the women of all the households to rise from their 'Pathamadai Paai' and start their daily activities.
The grown up men, for their part wake up to perform their daily exercise of drawing water from the wells. About 20 to 30 buckets of water is drawn as the lady picks one by one and starts filling up the appropriate containers. She then goes to the frontyard and begins the 'Vaasa thelikkal', wherein cow's dung is mixed with water and sprayed in the front of the house. This daily 5-minute activity followed by the 'Kolam Podal' event sets the trend for many more socializing episodes to come during the day, for all the maamis.
Some of the familiar areas of conversations go as follows:
'Maami,Nannaa thunginaelaa?'
'Illa Maami,engaathla Odomosum Tortoiseum theendhu poachu...Orae kosu kadi'
'Oh..Engaathla naanga goodknight thaan use panroam'
'Seri..iniku enna samayal ungaathla?'
'Iniku..arachuvitta kuzhambu..kathrika curry..Rasam'! Ungaathla?'
'Engaathla saathamadhu..Vendakka Currimedhu'
Just as the conversations begin to mature, the male of the household gives out a cry, indicating that its time to stop and begin the household activities, following which the ladies act like robots programmed to do routine tasks, without deviating from the routine.They take their baths and then enter the kitchen to cook the delicacies, which the entire house devours upon later in the day.Then its time for the moms to wake the kids and get them ready for school.In between,the males in the house are forced to perform a multitude of tasks ranging from splitting open the coconut from its hardshell,for which a unique contraption called a 'Urikoal' is used;Start the fire at the back of the house to boil hot water for the kids to bathe;Climb the paran(attic) to retrive enough rice for the day from the gunnybags etc.
With M.S singing Suprabatham in the background,followed by Yesudas singing a couple of Ayyappa songs,the ladies perform their poojas and circum-ambulate the thulasi madam in the 'Mitham' - the roofless portion of the house with a few iron grills on top, which stands right in the middle of the house.
The kids wait patiently for the moment the camphor is lit and shown across all the hundred different pictures of Gods and Godesses, after which it is the much-awaited time for the prasadam,which usually is a mixture of dry fruits and cashew or badam,followed by a sweet concoction called the 'Paanagam'!
Once the breakfast is over,the kids get ready to go to school,either by walk or in the townbus that comes every 30 minutes.Every kid carries the trademark yellow Sarathas bag,laden with old front-coverless books which were inherited from his or her elder brother;an old Nataraj pencil box with a hero-pen,an wooden ruler,a light blue-colored eraser and a piece of chalk to suck the ink in the event of an unexpected ink deluge ;a small stainless steel tiffin box for lunch,which mostly consists of Curd Rice and mango pickle.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Paati...
Aug 17 2004
Just as I was going through my routine rounds of India telephone calls to wish everyone of my close relatives for the new year 2004,I stumbled on my maternal grandmother's telephone number.She lives with the youngest of her sons at Pondichery,the reason being that that house has the youngest kids in the family which require "Paati"s nurturing when the parents leave for thier work.
God only knows..yeah even Paati herself wouldn't be able to recollect, how many children she has had to bring up / take care of during thier baby phases.I feel I hold a very significant place in the list because I am the eldest of all her grandchildren.It is very very difficult to explain the kind of nurturing that I got from my grandparents.It is one of the sweetest phases of my life.Although I dint get a chance to live with them ,the few months that i used to spend during my annual/half yearly vacation still stays fresh in my fast diminishing memory.
Whenever I think about my childhood days ,almost in a split-second flash,I get vivid recollections of the time I spent with Paati.As soon as the time-table for the half-yearly or annual exams was put up on the black board or notice board,the first though that would strike was the train journey to trichy for my vacation.Paati and Thaatha used to live in a place called Jeeyapuram ,which was located on the banks of the river Cauvery.It was about 10 km away from the city and possesed a unique scenic environment which I have not witnessed anywhere else.
As soon as the train came to a screeching stop at the Jeeyapuram railway station,I could see my thaatha eagerly waving hands towards us.He was an old but very energetic man sporting a monkey cap,a white vaeshti and a sparingly used shirt which had the skills of the local tailor written all over it.Even though it would be very early in the morning,we could find the streaks of vibuthi(called pattai) noticeable through the monkey cap gaps on the temple of his head and on his hands.He always had a unique smell of this Vibuthi all around him,which was a trademark for his freshness.
Once I set my foot out of the train,I would never have to walk for the next few hours.By default thaatha would lift me and carry me on his shoulders along with 2 or 3 of our luggages.Once I enter the village(known as the agraharam),my life would turn into some kind of a young prince.Almost every house in the agraharam would have got the news of my arrival,thanks to my Paati and her group of other broadcasting paatis who would have been discussing about this on thier thinnais ,since the last few weeks.
Paati ,upon seeing me used to leap in joy.She would grab me and shower me with the sweetest of all words in tamil such as 'chakara kutty,vella kutty,raaja,chellam,muthukutty,which would translate to 'sugar,jaggery,the king,the beloved,the pearl.
Once I brush my teeth with the 'Gopal pal podi',the horlicks or Viva would be waiting for me.I would be amazed to see that Paati would have been "aathifying"(reducing the temperature of a fluid by repeated transfering between 2 tumblers)the Viva for about 5 minutes to bring it to the optimum temperature.Once the morning formality drink was over,its the start of the never ending menu..the ribbon pakoda,the maida cake,the mixture,halwa and the best of all 'paal-covaa'.These were specially made by my Paati herself for me.I would relish them for the next few weeks.
Paati was a wonderful lady.She had the signs of old age very well evident all over her.She was a very thin lady,with the veins on her hands and neck almost about to pop out of her body.Her voice was so soft and carried the unique soothing tone.Yet the strenth she had was amazing.She used to move the huge containers bearing rice,floor etc with no signs of any weariness.Her day would start at 4 in the morning and I never even knew when it would come to stop as I used to sleep in her lap before her day was over.
Her devotion to God and her prayer sessions were totally flabbergasting.I had to patiently wait for the final neivaethyam(offering to God) which consisted of kishmish(dried raisins) and the wonderful Paanagam(sweet concoction containing jaggery and other condiments).Once the food was over,Paati used to specially 'pesanjify'(mix rice with dhaal or rasam) and would start ootifying (offer food to a child) me.She used to tell me wonderful stories,which sometimes had me as the protoganist.In every one of those stories,as you would guessed,I would be the victor against the demons or the raakshashas.Apart from these stories,I learnt a lot of details about the Hindu mythology from her ayyapa/krishna and other deity-related tales.
I have never seen Paati getting mad at anyone.She never spoke ill of anyone and had the kindest words for even the mean-hearted ladies of the village.She had a tender heart which always welcomed everyone.Her life has been laden with so much trials and tribulations,yet the strength she possesses conveys the iron-like heart she has.She lost her mother at a very young age and she had been brought up in a very affluent family,but with all the wonderful characteristics that a brahmin girl should possess.She has been like a mother to her sister's kids and her journey though life as a caretaker of babies has started eons ago.
Although she came from a very rich family,fate had decided that she would be a wife to a middle class man.I still hear about the travails she had as mother to cope up with the family tensions and responsibilties.
Her life has been totally dedicated for the welfare of others.She has not asked for anything for herself and I am sure If God were to appear before and give her a wish of her life,she would ask for the betterment of her kids and grandkids.
Now,let me return to where I started.As the new year dawned yesterday in India,I called her up.She picked up the phone after it had rung 8 or 10 times and when I shouted from the top of my voice.."Paati..Rajesh paesaraen America laenrthu"..I could visualise the joy that she would have had.She had the same soothing tone,soft voice which had slowly started to shiver.During the course of our conversation,she said..."Rajesh..From the money that you sent,I had all my fragile teeth pulled out and rebuilt with strong teeth.I am now able to chew the food that I eat.Rombo thanks paa.."
I felt a huge lump of sorrow in my throat and I feel the same, as I type these words.I could not talk for a moment to her.It was a complete irony of life.I still remember her putting her fingers into my mouth and also my sister's mouth to see if our first tooth had sprouted out and NOW SHE WAS IN A STAGE..where she didnt have teeth and the worst scenario that life had brought onto us, was putting her in a situation to thank me for such a tiny deed that I had done.I still don't know how I can repay her even an iota of her her kindness and all the love she has showered upon me and my cousins.
I sincerely wish that Paati has a wonderful life ahead and hope to see her soon and enjoy her company as always.
Paati..Thank you for what you are.We all owe you big time..Love you always.
-rajesh
Just as I was going through my routine rounds of India telephone calls to wish everyone of my close relatives for the new year 2004,I stumbled on my maternal grandmother's telephone number.She lives with the youngest of her sons at Pondichery,the reason being that that house has the youngest kids in the family which require "Paati"s nurturing when the parents leave for thier work.
God only knows..yeah even Paati herself wouldn't be able to recollect, how many children she has had to bring up / take care of during thier baby phases.I feel I hold a very significant place in the list because I am the eldest of all her grandchildren.It is very very difficult to explain the kind of nurturing that I got from my grandparents.It is one of the sweetest phases of my life.Although I dint get a chance to live with them ,the few months that i used to spend during my annual/half yearly vacation still stays fresh in my fast diminishing memory.
Whenever I think about my childhood days ,almost in a split-second flash,I get vivid recollections of the time I spent with Paati.As soon as the time-table for the half-yearly or annual exams was put up on the black board or notice board,the first though that would strike was the train journey to trichy for my vacation.Paati and Thaatha used to live in a place called Jeeyapuram ,which was located on the banks of the river Cauvery.It was about 10 km away from the city and possesed a unique scenic environment which I have not witnessed anywhere else.
As soon as the train came to a screeching stop at the Jeeyapuram railway station,I could see my thaatha eagerly waving hands towards us.He was an old but very energetic man sporting a monkey cap,a white vaeshti and a sparingly used shirt which had the skills of the local tailor written all over it.Even though it would be very early in the morning,we could find the streaks of vibuthi(called pattai) noticeable through the monkey cap gaps on the temple of his head and on his hands.He always had a unique smell of this Vibuthi all around him,which was a trademark for his freshness.
Once I set my foot out of the train,I would never have to walk for the next few hours.By default thaatha would lift me and carry me on his shoulders along with 2 or 3 of our luggages.Once I enter the village(known as the agraharam),my life would turn into some kind of a young prince.Almost every house in the agraharam would have got the news of my arrival,thanks to my Paati and her group of other broadcasting paatis who would have been discussing about this on thier thinnais ,since the last few weeks.
Paati ,upon seeing me used to leap in joy.She would grab me and shower me with the sweetest of all words in tamil such as 'chakara kutty,vella kutty,raaja,chellam,muthukutty,which would translate to 'sugar,jaggery,the king,the beloved,the pearl.
Once I brush my teeth with the 'Gopal pal podi',the horlicks or Viva would be waiting for me.I would be amazed to see that Paati would have been "aathifying"(reducing the temperature of a fluid by repeated transfering between 2 tumblers)the Viva for about 5 minutes to bring it to the optimum temperature.Once the morning formality drink was over,its the start of the never ending menu..the ribbon pakoda,the maida cake,the mixture,halwa and the best of all 'paal-covaa'.These were specially made by my Paati herself for me.I would relish them for the next few weeks.
Paati was a wonderful lady.She had the signs of old age very well evident all over her.She was a very thin lady,with the veins on her hands and neck almost about to pop out of her body.Her voice was so soft and carried the unique soothing tone.Yet the strenth she had was amazing.She used to move the huge containers bearing rice,floor etc with no signs of any weariness.Her day would start at 4 in the morning and I never even knew when it would come to stop as I used to sleep in her lap before her day was over.
Her devotion to God and her prayer sessions were totally flabbergasting.I had to patiently wait for the final neivaethyam(offering to God) which consisted of kishmish(dried raisins) and the wonderful Paanagam(sweet concoction containing jaggery and other condiments).Once the food was over,Paati used to specially 'pesanjify'(mix rice with dhaal or rasam) and would start ootifying (offer food to a child) me.She used to tell me wonderful stories,which sometimes had me as the protoganist.In every one of those stories,as you would guessed,I would be the victor against the demons or the raakshashas.Apart from these stories,I learnt a lot of details about the Hindu mythology from her ayyapa/krishna and other deity-related tales.
I have never seen Paati getting mad at anyone.She never spoke ill of anyone and had the kindest words for even the mean-hearted ladies of the village.She had a tender heart which always welcomed everyone.Her life has been laden with so much trials and tribulations,yet the strength she possesses conveys the iron-like heart she has.She lost her mother at a very young age and she had been brought up in a very affluent family,but with all the wonderful characteristics that a brahmin girl should possess.She has been like a mother to her sister's kids and her journey though life as a caretaker of babies has started eons ago.
Although she came from a very rich family,fate had decided that she would be a wife to a middle class man.I still hear about the travails she had as mother to cope up with the family tensions and responsibilties.
Her life has been totally dedicated for the welfare of others.She has not asked for anything for herself and I am sure If God were to appear before and give her a wish of her life,she would ask for the betterment of her kids and grandkids.
Now,let me return to where I started.As the new year dawned yesterday in India,I called her up.She picked up the phone after it had rung 8 or 10 times and when I shouted from the top of my voice.."Paati..Rajesh paesaraen America laenrthu"..I could visualise the joy that she would have had.She had the same soothing tone,soft voice which had slowly started to shiver.During the course of our conversation,she said..."Rajesh..From the money that you sent,I had all my fragile teeth pulled out and rebuilt with strong teeth.I am now able to chew the food that I eat.Rombo thanks paa.."
I felt a huge lump of sorrow in my throat and I feel the same, as I type these words.I could not talk for a moment to her.It was a complete irony of life.I still remember her putting her fingers into my mouth and also my sister's mouth to see if our first tooth had sprouted out and NOW SHE WAS IN A STAGE..where she didnt have teeth and the worst scenario that life had brought onto us, was putting her in a situation to thank me for such a tiny deed that I had done.I still don't know how I can repay her even an iota of her her kindness and all the love she has showered upon me and my cousins.
I sincerely wish that Paati has a wonderful life ahead and hope to see her soon and enjoy her company as always.
Paati..Thank you for what you are.We all owe you big time..Love you always.
-rajesh
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