RGB Monday

Our Colorful Pongal Kolam

Not alone Pongal, any festival or event is not celebrated without drawing Kolam in Tamil culture. Although kolam is a Hindu custom or tradition, drawing a beautiful kolam in front of or in the courtyard of an event venue draws attention and adds charm to it. In Hindu custom, drawing Kolam is a daily activity of a household (mostly the women) in front of their house; until we moved to the 1st floor of our native home, mom used to draw Kolam every day. But now, due to a knee problem and difficulty in waking up early morning, she stopped drawing Kolam; but my aunt continued to draw the kolam on our doorstep, which was common to both of us.

This year's Pongal festival was better than the previous year where the covid and some personal losses took away the festive spirit and celebration mood. Though, this year too, we missed the traditional way of celebration with mud pot Pongal, what made it special was the arrival of the two new nephews. My sister’s (cousin) son, nephew Jeswanth, went to their house to celebrate Pongal while my brother’s son Kavin came here from their maternal home for the Pongal. Now Kavin had gone back, and Jeswanth returned. I hope you guys too had a good festival time if you celebrate Pongal.

Omicron Vulnerability?

Omicron is spreading at an incredible pace in India, and the trial for Omicron has stopped here as most of the cases are the same. The possibility of catching the virus has become a no issue as I guess most of the cases of mild fever or cough and cold should be Omicron, including myself. It began with a throat cramp, improved with cold symptoms, and mild fever. After medication - 3 days of antibiotics and cold medicine, I have improved to the point where I can type this post on my laptop. Perhaps, the mild symptoms of Omicron and 2 doses of vaccine help fight this stage.

First, my brother experienced the same few days early as mine, and now, my aunt also faces the same. It stops me from doing anything that I'm interested in rather than watching tv and listening to music since tired or annoyed by the cold symptoms. I skipped two days off of regular physiotherapy. I keep checking with the oximeter that reads normal, and the temperature is too normal to keep away the anxiety.

Though I know Omicron isn't life-threatening for those who took the vaccine and even unvaccinated face any serious issue or go to ventilation condition, the weaker immunity as mine has to be cautious. Our state Tamil Nadu has gone on night and Sunday lockdowns as cases grow as 2 thousand per day, and further restricting or relaxing depends on the increase or decrease of the virus spread. But hopefully, it looks like at the speed of rising, it perhaps falls short and disappears quickly from the society. 

With two years of experience related to Covid, we should be well aware of the reasons for that and adapt to the new lifestyle, which is already 2 years old.  But I am still annoyed hearing that some people haven't taken a dose of vaccine and fall into the custom of masking their jaws. For example, our servant maid doesn't wear the mask properly - at least she took the vaccine. And because of that, my mother wears a mask whenever she enters the kitchen. 

I hope you all are safe and following the covid protocol to prevent being affected.

Take care

New Year with Nephews

We celebrated our new year by cutting the cake in the wake of the New Year, keeping ourselves awake beyond midnight like usual, but unusual about this New Year was the cake and nephew Jeswanth. After 2015 I stopped cutting cakes for the New Year, not that I don't celebrate the new year, and though I lost interest in cake cutting, the real reason was no one to celebrate. 

For the New Year 2013, all my cousins met me on New Year’s Eve and stayed at our house all night to cut the New Year's cake and celebrate with joy. That was the last time I enjoyed the New Year and later years were just we 3 - me, mom, and dad - woke up till midnight, watching television, which boomed with a loud greeting of the happy New Year and a few greeting calls from dear ones beginning our year. 

Usually, my brother used to go to bed early or visit his friends on New Year’s Eve, so it was only the 3. Now, after shifting to the native home with my uncle's family in the adjacent portion, we have at least a few people around, but I still miss the cousins' company with whom I find delight. This year, my uncle's family came up with a surprise cake, and the arrival of my nephew is the reason behind it. This being his first new year (and first time seeing a cake), he was excited only to pick up the cake to eat rather than cutting the cake.

My nephew's activities have increased a lot these days, it's fun to watch them, and he's eight months now to sit and crawl on his own, and except for the time he sleeps, it is hard to control. Keeping an eye on him has become a must. He was kept awake till midnight to cut the cake, but unhappily, he has kept away from eating the cake as we can't feed him the same without consulting the doctor because he just got well from diarrhea.

Kavin - my other nephew and brother's son - 2 months old, visited us last week. As per custom, a newborn baby has to stay at his maternal parent's home for at least 5 months before moving into the paternal home. So, they stayed only for two days, and he's too little to have fun as he smiles and cries at the same. He notices the movements and sounds to either smile or cry, and he's someone who sleeps all day and is awake through the night. So, his wake-up time is too little in the day times to play. 

Welcome 2022

The sun, setting between the row of trees in the neighborhood, Besant Nagar. The sunset here to rises somewhere as a brand-new morning or a day, as well as a year, to dismiss is impossible. However, let wish and welcome the new year to bring a lot of positivity in lives (better not to be covid positive); cheers to mind, the goodness of health and prosperity for everyone to sustain and progress in life. Wish you all a Happy New Year, 2022.

Christmas décor 2021

Last year covid has spoiled the mood of celebrating or decorating for Christmas. Though this year also the situation isn't far different. The practicalities of the mask and the vaccine have allayed concern. But still, we aren't coming out of protective wear as Omicron is speeding up in the country. I have done a simple tree decoration and put some serial lights over the balcony and indoors - the LED light from Deepavali retains the living room.

As usual, mom decorated the Christmas tree on my behalf, or to say, she did everything, on my instructions. To add fun, I bought a set of Santa caps, specs, and a band for my nephew Jeswanth to dress like a Santa. He already has a red dress to match the accessories, but he is interested in playing with those rather than wearing them for the poses.  

A candid of dad and mom with the little one

I share some photos of the decor and Santa Jeswanth here. And I wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Let the new year brings hope and ways quittance of the Covid. Stay safe and celebrate safely. 

You can see the gingerbread house and birth of christ I made with popsicle sticks in 2018.

Tree in the living room, before it put on balcony.