Sunday 24 November 2013

mundane monday - # 27


i'm probably the only south indian on this planet who doesnt like pickles. i probably shouldnt even be brazenly admitting this, since there is a good chance that it'll get me ostracized from south indian society.

anyways, that doesnt stop me from loving the traditional indian pickle jars (called 'jaadi' or 'bharani' ). they are smooth, ceramic, and generally come in a cream-and-brown(ish) colour combo. its not feasible for me to get very large sized ones, but got myself a couple of smaller ones. there are a lot of things you can use them for - store dry goods in your pantry, use as canisters for salt or sugar, or as a caddy for holding your spoons and forks.

i had washed one of them some days back, and took a pic when it was out drying in a patch of sunshine. (somehow i liked it with the sepia'ed effect. i have a major soft corner for sepia.)

From mundane monday

Tuesday 19 November 2013

mundane monday - # 26


It was the south indian festival of Karthikai Deepam this sunday and monday. this is probably the most beautiful of festivals, where every house has rows and rows of earthen and brass lamps lit at dusk, and as it grows dark, the whole area lights up with the beautiful glow of these rows of lamps, giving a very bejeweled look to the doorsteps, terraces, balconies, walls and any other place where they are. The lamps are mostly terracota or brass, have cotton wicks and are lit with oil.

sweets most commonly made for karthikai are balls of peanuts and puffed rice, mixed with a syrup of jaggery, which is a traditional,unrefined indian sugar.

this time, personally, it was a very small-scale karthikai for me - neither too many lamps nor too many sweets - of late i find myself too cynical and reluctant to put in the efforts for any big celebration - so i just decided to cut myself some slack and take it easy.

the lamps, however are a must have for me, at least a few of them - they are such a beauty to behold, and i definitely couldnt restrain myself from taking a few pics.

From mundane monday


and one more where i tried to blur the focus on the wicks for a sort of 'bokeh' effect (but not that successful) -

From idle time output !


(oh btw - this monday post got posted on tuesday, but since the pics were taken on monday, i decided that it still counts ! )

Tuesday 12 November 2013

why life is like... a pot of soup !

this morning on tv i happened to catch a few random scenes of the movie kaakha kaakha being shown. the realisation hit me that it has been 10 years since this movie was released, and my head was filled with thoughts on how much water has flown under the bridge these 10 years.

i cant forget how much everybody was raving about it when the movie came out, and i liked the movie too, for so many reasons. (the songs are a big reason to like the movie, if nothing else ... )

i cant help feeling amazed at the ever changing kaleidoscope that is life. in the ten years that have rolled by, people and relationships in my life have changed so much. people who were so much a part of my life then have chosen to fade into oblivion that i don't even know their whereabouts. people whom i didn't even know back then have become so much a part of my life that i feel that i've known them since the beginning of time. there are people who have strengthened me with their love and there are people who've strengthened me with their lessons. there are people whom i know i've hurt irreparably that i end most of my days with a prayer for their hearts to heal.

one thing though, i have no regrets, i rue no relationship. good or bad is all a matter of perspective, and i believe its the 'bad' which makes us value the 'good' more.

relationships in life are a lot like a pot of soup (or if you prefer a more south-indian version, rasam or sambar as the case may be).

life, soup, pot of soup, soup for the soul

image source - from here 

they need time. you need to allow them time to simmer to reach the peak of perfection, to absorb all that you have put into them and give out the best of flavour and aroma in return.

you need to know when to let it simmer and when to turn on the heat  - or else you could end up with just a hot mess stuck to the bottom of a blackened pot. some of us maybe natural cooks, but a good many of us may need to blacken a few pots in the process of learning - and i guess thats ok. its the learning that you get out of it that matters. dont grudge the spoilt soup - its your lesson for the day.

you need to experiment to know what you need to put into it, to get what you want out of it. - you can keep adding whatever you want, but remember its going to take time to perfect the process until you figure out what works best for you. its not a bad idea to keep changing your approach to the recipe - adding all that you got, till you reach what you desire.

remember we all brew several pots at a time - some might be instantly ready with just a little heating, some might need continuous stirring, and some might need constant supervising so that they don't boil over and spill. with some others, you just might be done and over with - you need to know when to put them on the back burner or move them off the stove. (i see a lot of relationships run into trouble just because people constantly keep stirring the pot when its way past the time to cool down. )

but i think ultimately life gives each of us our very own pot - one that soothes us with its warmth, fills our soul with comfort on days when we are left feeling cold. it might happen sooner or later, but we know when it happens.

dont you think life is worth waiting ?