Showing posts sorted by date for query pongal. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query pongal. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Monday, February 03, 2020
RGB Monday
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Pongal 2020
Mom's colorful floral Kolam |
It’s more than a week since Pongal passed off gracefully, and as expected we had a traditional Pongal made
in earthen pot and firewood stove into the balcony, just like the previous
year. The day began with mom and aunt drawing colourful Kolams at the gateway
and below the balcony (what you seen in the previous post) and we got ready
wearing the latest cloths and skipped the breakfast to have an early lunch with
Pongal. Mom arranged for the bricks and firewood
a day earlier to the festival and late in the morning of Pongal aunt joined mom
in preparing Pongal and arranging of things.
The Pongal pot bubbled up well and
sustained in its overflowing state sometime for me to capture the moment. Though it is believed as a sign of welcoming
the year and good harvest, I see the real happiness and concern was getting together
with the family of uncle and thanksgiving the nature in unison because Pongal isn’t
a religious festival to hold back into the home, it is a dedication to farmers and
nature what coexists in deciding our food and stepping out of home is where
lies all. Other than the day with Thai Pongal, with holidays extended up to 5 days
wasn’t anything special and the television programs weren’t interesting and the
movies relayed were also already watched in online streams. As usual I went
around the neighbourhood to capture Pongal Kolams drawn in front of the houses
and found very few color Kolams drawing my attention. And I think of sharing it
in another post.
Monday, January 20, 2020
RGB Monday
Colorful Pongal Kolams by mom and aunt
Kolam is a cultural identity of Tamils,
as well as to the southern states of India similar as Rangoli that spread all-over
India, is believed to bring auspicious to home when it is drawn in front of the
doorway or gateway as a sign of welcome. Margali, a month of winter (mid Dec-Jan)
in Tamil, is a favourite season for Kolam, where those skipped or unpractised
it as a daily activity will make certain drew something in front of the door
and the month ends leaving way to Thai – the day celebrated as Pongal, where
Kolams take much colourful form from the plain dotted Kolams. Pulli Kolam is a
regular art form where it involves drawing a line looped around a pattern of
dots (pullis) with certain that all dots are encircled and lines closed at the
end.
Shot from the balcony and you could see my aunt coloring the Kolam down in front of home. |
Kolam take a special place in our
every custom and celebrations and drawing a Kolam creates an elegancy to the
occasion and there couldn’t be a better reception than making a smile through a
cheerful and colourful Kolam. Mom used
to draw Kolam regularly at the doorstep until we resided in the ground floor
apartment and houses in ground, now living on first floor we don’t have space other
than mom’s knee pain prevents her going down to drew a Kolam. But during the festival
of Pongal and other special occasions she takes a strain and draw colourful Kolams
in front of the house, and now along with my aunt in next door they help each
other creating the magic of colors, Kolam. I always have an interest in Kolalm and
never miss an opportunity in capturing the Kolam and what you see here is from
the recent Pongal celebration.
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Celebration of Harvest – Pongal Festival
Pongal, the traditional festival of Tamils is left by two days. Tradition is something I always admire and I
believe everything has some scientific reasons behind our customs and
traditions what in later days turned relevant to faith. Pongal, the harvest
festival of south India is a thanksgiving to farmers, cattle’s and nature in
support of cultivation, though it is celebrated all over India in different
names and custom, the core intention was to stand up for the farmers who the
reason for our daily food.
A simple Pongal kolam or rangoli from the neighborhood, last year. |
I see Pongal brings new spirit to
life and by celebrating the festival I feel grateful for the farmers and
anything related to farming and food processing. ‘Suriya Pongal’ is another
aspect of the festival devoted to prime source Sun (Suriya-n) where the Pongal
pot is placed in open area where the sunlight falls, and by boiling the rice
from newly harvested crop is a way of thanking its light and energy fuelling in
cultivating crops. And ‘Thai Pongal’ is another term refers to Pongal which
meant the beginning of Tamil month Thai, according to Tamil calendar, and the
month when the harvest begins is believed to bring hope and ways to live with
harvested grains.
A earthen pot on firewood stove getting ready to cook Pongal, from the previous pongal festival a couple of years back. |
This year the Pongal extends into
the weekend, following Pongal, Maattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal on 15, 16 and 17
respectively to 18 and 19 as weekend. Though the holidays doesn’t going to do
anything with me or change across, but I could end up watching TV programs on
special days after try to make firewood Pongal in the balcony, just like the
previous year, and others could be the routine. One thing special about this
Pongal is I gonna watch the programs and movies in my new big Led TV. Lol
Though Pongal is a piece of cake
to us compared to villages and small towns where the celebration is whole, I
always try to connect the feel and think back the times at grandparents’ home
and visits to villages on Maattu (Bull) Pongal to take part in their
celebrations, where cattle’s are decorated and their shelters being cleaned and
worshiped and kids taking joy rides in bullock carts, to cherish myself to pick
up the energy to go further. I think a festival mood couldn’t be enrich unless
added some people to make my belief true that festivals are to be celebrated
together with people rather making it a custom to celebrate alone or mark it as
holidays only. I always wish to celebrate festivals along with people or at
least surrounded by dear ones. I wish people from India a Happy Pongal and
Makar Shankranti!
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Deepavali and Its Electric Feel
Deepavali or Diwali – which is around the corner (Oct 27) doesn’t need an intro to the
world, and India is a multicultural nation with each has its own richness of colours,
dynamic, values and unique practices progresses with zeal; and Diwali is a
festival unites the nation under the limelight called festival of lights, just
like the festival of colours - Holi. Every part of the country has a reason and
belief to celebrate Diwali with common intent of good against evil and light in
place of darkness. Though not everyone celebrates Diwali in India and you
really don’t need to celebrate the festival but the mood of the festival of
lights is delight! Those who grew up in 90s and 80s and further decades below
would knew the real essence and spirit of Deepavali or any other festival in
common, and we as kids used to begin the celebration weeks ahead to Diwali by
bursting little firecrackers that we buy from the petti shops in neighbourhood.
Deepavali
is an uplifting feeling leap off every year during the festival time and it has
something to do with me, perhaps it was a favourite time of the year for me from
the beginning and bursting fireworks was the intention behind the enthusiasm. During
school days, we draw Diwali greetings on the black board on the last day in
school before the Deepavali holiday and what we draw was rockets, flower pot
fountains, sparklers… and some terror boys drew Lakshmi vedi, auto bombs and
electric crackers and the girl students drew Diyas. Those days Deepavali means fireworks
and still I could not imagine a Deepavali without the same and the sound of
firecrackers. I don’t encourage the sound and I too stopped buying fireworks
that exits sound, except for the Aerial shots, I handle only sparklers.
Apart
fireworks, Deepavali is a festival of sweets and this was the only time that we
make sweets and snacks at home. But these days many prefer buying sweets from
the shops perhaps because of laziness or workload where they are not ready or
impossible to spend time on preparing snacks at home. During our resident at
apartment (from 2005-2013) we get to taste different sweets and snacks shared
by the neighbours but we ever turned from Adhirasam and Murukku – the
traditional sweet and snack that mark Deepavali. The Adhirasam made of rice
flour and jiggery and Murukku with same flour and other ingredients produces a
distinct sense and cheerfulness as we go through the smell and hunger for same.
The snacks were later distributed to relatives and friends the same way we’re
treated by them.
Though
new cloths are part of the festival, like any other festivals, Deepavali clothes
has a special place and this was the time where purchases reach the peak and
offers come in grand what people never wanted to miss. The online shopping has
took a huge leap these days, where the festival rush to shopping streets and
malls had gradually decreased and the great Indian festivals at online websites
and apps like Amazon becomes an advantage to people who lookout for low-price
and stress-free shopping experience. I remember going to shopping for Deepavali
and Pongal festivals, when I was a kid,
even though I wasn’t much interested on dresses that was a time new dress made
sense and gave happiness showing it to others. Only in last couple of years I
took shirts for Deepavali and this year that too was nil, as I got stitched
dress only lately, but generally I wasn’t interested shopping on special
occasions.
For
me it was the feeling, the cheerfulness of celebrating a festival and gathering
of people and cherishing the memories that I hold dear from past celebrations
makes Deepavali special. For me the past is always significant, not only because
those moments unreturned but hold back the spirit and becomes a force to take
forward. I believe a festival is to celebrate
and a celebration is impossible without sharing. For me Deepavali bring a feel
of togetherness, what the sounds of fireworks on this day reproduce and I don’t
see bursting fireworks as a rite or reasonable act but I like watching firework
display that happens only during Deepavali and I buy some on my personal interest.
Enjoy your day and have fun.
Monday, February 18, 2019
RGB Monday
My aunt's colorful Pongal Kolam drawn last month during the festival of Pongal, very next to mom's Pongal pot kolam.
Kolam is a custom followed by the households in south India and it’s a daily activity for many, including ours. And Pongal Kolam is popular during this time and many put great efforts to make it look wonderful and colourful including drawing something relevant to the festival. Kolam always been my favourite thing and I enjoy watching different patterns and for me, Kolam is apart any belief and its way of exhibiting art and beauty.
Friday, January 18, 2019
Pongal 2019
I still going through the painful
arm (read here if you missed) at night and the muscle spasm have formed well on the upper arm and it’s
taking time to heal. Being a muscular dystrophy, with weaker muscles, an
extension in healing is no wonder. But I could feel better than earlier and still
shifting positions kicks pain and I continue to ice and heat therapy. In between
we had a far better Pongal and after 2010 we got to celebrate Pongal along with
our uncle’s family who lives adjacent and the extended balcony (for my wheelchair
movement) has gave enough space to lit firewood stove and Pongal was cooked in
mud pot. Pongal is a harvesting festival of Tamil and thanksgiving to nature that
nurture our lives and making Pongal in open space means dedicate to the prime natural
source Sun and make thought the year become all success and happier.
Making of sweet Pongal by boiling rice, milk and jaggery |
The weather is pretty cool all these
days and the sun is bright enough to balance the heat and the Pongal was cooked
despite the warm sunlight that kept producing heat. The night before Pongal,
mom and aunt got their hands on beautifying our front yard or the space between
the road and our house and both made two colourful Kolams aka Rangoli using colour
powders. First time mom took effort to draw a big Kolam after her surgery in
May, though it is a simple kolam for her but just put this effort for me
as I love kolams. Every year she used to
draw Pongal Kolam and adds colors according to the design and this time along
with the aunt they turned more colourful the way it used to be. Other than
paying homage to nature esp. the sun, and making Pongal on the balcony the days
were spent mostly on TV and i went around our streets in the evening to check neighbours
Kolam but to my disappointment most of them had drawn small Kolam or design
which I would sharing in another post. Hope you liked our celebration.
View on other two kolams by aunt, from balcony |
Monday, February 19, 2018
RGB Monday
One of the neighbour’s colourful Kolam
drawn for the Pongal festival. I really liked the way they created a Pongal pot
boiling over the firewood stove aside their colorful Kolam and I took this
shot in evening while coming around our street and the Kolam should
have perhaps drawn in the morning to look little distorted.
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Thursday, February 08, 2018
Pongal Pot Light
During the Pongal festival I was thinking to do something different and got the idea
of putting led lights on an old Pongal pot. It was the same serial light I used
on the Christmas tree, and I put the rice led around the pot and cut pasted
cello tapes here and there to keep the wire on place. For the overflowing part
of the pot, I blocked the mouth of the pot with a bunch of white paper and
stick lights around it.
First I
placed it on the windowsill outside the home and then shifted it to the brick
stove, that we used to make Pongal in morning with firewood at the courtyard. And
it looked really good lighting from the shutdown brick stove and we left it
that way for the four days of Pongal festival and people passing by the road
too would have got a glimpse.
Linking this post for Good Fences by Gosia... and you could see our sitout fence/rai in picture above
Monday, January 29, 2018
Pongal Kolams for RGB Monday
Here is mom’s
Pongal Kolams that she drew for the Pongal festival. As I told in my previous
post mom took enough diligence to make all the 4 kolams, two at night and another
two in morning along our courtyard and gateway. I know I was pretty slow with
blogging these days but hope to be active in coming days and for RGB Monday, I think this post had more than enough colors to keep away the Monday blue, but I know Monday is
gonna end in less than an hour. lol
The same Pongal pot and flower Kolam (as seen above) before added colors |
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Pongal Post
(Click pics for enlarge) |
I don’t
think it’s too late to post on Pongal, held last week. As always it was three of us (me, mom
and dad) celebrated the harvesting and thanksgiving festival by making Pongal
(boiling of rice and milk) at the courtyard using firewood on bricks stove. My
brother was out of town, though he isn’t interested in festivals general, I
love the tradition of making Pongal esp. in mud pot in open space as a sign of
thanking the foremost nature source sun. I always feel festivals are to
celebrate and it’s an occasion to be happy, at least for a while keeping away
things that put us down or race life. Pongal isn’t a religious festival to
celebrate independently at home and some are so reserved to come out to show up cheers while sending greetings and I
believe it’s celebration of nature and thanksgiving the farmers and cattle’s in
supporting the production of food crop.
From
night to morning mom drew 4 kolam along the courtyard and gateway, two before
went to sleep and two at early morning. I will make a post of it later and here
you could see the Pongal boiling/overflowing out of the pot. The days of Pongal
passed by watch few movies and TV shows, and alike last year I went around our
streets to check neighbours Kolam, but couldn’t see many unlike previous
Pongal. The first photo here was the Kolam of my nearby neighbour, though it’s not
a colourful kolam, I like the beautiful pattern and neat finishing from this
young lady. The backstreet boys conducted Pongal festival contest, just like
last year on Mattu Pongal day instead on Pongal and being a weekend along with
festival many were out of town and it wasn’t interesting though and contests also
went on untimed for people to participate.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Kolam Critters
Kolam is a south Indian tradition
and Tamils made it an everyday custom to draw patterns in front of the houses
and Margazhi is a Tamil month (between Dec-Jan) where Kolam takes special
attention and ends with Pongal, the harvesting and thanksgiving festival of
Tamil. Pongal Kolam is popular during this time and many put great efforts to make
it look wonderful and colourful including drawing something relevant to the
festival. Today marks the first day of the Pongal, called Bogi Pongal, and it’s
a favourite festival among kids till late 90s where people light fire in front
of the house and kids sit around and enjoy beating little skin drums, heating
up from the fire.
Usually it’s the worn-out things (from
home) that put into fire, like rush mats, winnows and broomsticks the most. It’s
a festival adapts nature way of celebration and what we fire is all natural elements,
that carries less evil to nature. But it wasn’t same in later years, when
people started to fire anything from plastic to tyres it becomes a cause for
concern. Apart that, Pongal is an auspicious festival that bring hope to life
and being a harvesting festival, nothing could bring hope and cheer to life when
farming is the base of food and we couldn’t stop thanking the farmers and natural
sources that help us living, healthily.
Coming to Kolam, I always admire
the art made on the floor and apart my mom, aunt and grandma also make lovely
designs and the critters (cat and peacock) here was drawn by grandma. Though these
are simple ones it bears a cuteness I loved. Every year mom draw one or two colour
Kolams for Pongal and I have no idea what she planned to draw this year and I would
post that after the festival. I wish people a Happy Pongal!
Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS
Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS
Friday, September 29, 2017
My Late Ayudha Pujai Celebrations
Ayudha Pujai
is a south Indian festival, means worship of instruments, and is celebrated by
all working people towards their occupation of tools. Ayudha Pujai had once
been my favourite festival next to Deepavali and Pongal, and I always looked
forward for this day (until my maternal uncle was alive) since our house was
attached to my uncle’s Maruti (car) workshop. My parent’s was an inter family
marriage and my dad married his sister’s daughter, so our relationship with my uncle
doesn’t need an explanation and we are close enough to celebrate it as a family
festival, calling close relatives, along with his co-workers the festival will
go off enthusiastically.
Actually
it was the night before the festival day we (me and bro) enjoy lot. Throughout
the night the employs will involve in activities of cleaning the workshop,
whitewashing the walls and repainting the tools and machineries. The employs
were like brothers and uncles to us and a step outside the home will land into
the workshop which means we often end up playing with the employees and have fun
during their free times. And when a night and day is left to spend with them,
how could we miss the fun in helping them and decorating the workshop to look
colourful for the festival. Even our parents put us in bed forcefully, we
couldn’t sleep really and mind kept thinking about going out and joining the
workers but we make certain being outside till midnight or uncle warns to go to
sleep.
Photos from the archives of 2007 celebration |
On Ayudha
Pujai, the day begin with a fresh feel looking at the workshop, free from all
the greasiness and floors washed off and walls painted neatly in white with
colour papers and festoons adorning the
workshop. We play songs in tape recorder to keep up the celebration mood and two
big banana trees will be tied on the entrance of the workshop and all our
vehicles will line up in front of the garage with flowers and sandal sprinkled
on them after the water wash. The items for worship like aval pori, fruits,
sweets and snacks will be bought in bundles and after puja (or worship) the
items will be distributed in carry bags to workers, customers, drivers whoever
attend the festival and also to nearby shops and friendly neighbours. Pori
(puffed rice) is the main part of the festival, so mostly it would be a big
sack to go into many carry bags and I also like watching how it take place
along with fruits and snacks. Added to this a set of cloth (to be stitched as
shirts and pants) was given to each employ apart a month salary as bonus.
I don’t think
anyone would have given such benefits to their employs like how my uncle did. He
always cared and been generous with his co-workers, friends (whom were standing
beside him when he opened the workshop) and anyone comes in need of things. I
would say he has been a philanthropist throughout his growth and until he was
alive; and our comfort level has risen almost because of him and the love and
affect he kept on us. For anyone their father used to be their hero but I would
consider him. During the festival our close relatives (whom were cousins
overall) is invited and all our aunts were honour by saris and sometime we all
have dinners together. As kids joining with cousins doesn’t need to say anything
and its joyous occasion overall. Today we quite miss the fun and celebrations; since
my uncle passed away (in 12/2001) things turned different and faced an end.
Tuesday, June 06, 2017
Staying at Sathyamangalam Guesthouse
Following Kodiveri Dam, we halt
at Sathyamangal for the night stay. My cousin had booked at the Sathyamangalam
guest house for us and it lies on the bank of Bhavani River. It was over 6
pm when we reached the guesthouse and the staffs were awaiting for us, and they took
care of our need well. Actually there isn’t a need for them, because things
were fine on their own and the couple of rooms were spacious with one air
conditioned. I was surprised to see a ramp facility at the entrance of the house,
which claims 5 steps.
I really
enjoyed staying at this guesthouse, though it is a very old house and tiled
roof, the interiors are renovated for moderate suite and its natural environment
of river and trees around turned to be my favourite. When we arrived, found
number of birds (mostly herons) perching on and off the branches of the trees
while making the river its hunting pool, there was noise of birds amid the
silence. At morning I got to listening different sound of birds and clear
picture of things around.
Orange lily, showing stamens with pollen-covered anthers shot at the courtyard of the guesthouse. |
The night spent
comfort and cool under the AC and the weather wasn’t bad like the day time and
it’s less hot because of the wind. But we experienced abundance mosquitoes outside
the room and though they come and sit large on our skin doesn’t bite
surprisingly! But one or two does. The dinner and breakfast was bought from the
restaurant nearby and I really liked the ven pongal and idly as morning
tiffin. Once finished the morning activities I was out with my camera to take photos around.
The guesthouse
is built facing the river and there’s a separate stair (but locked by gate) to
get down to the river and I really liked the architecture of this house with
wide portico and corridors on both sides. The courtyard is simply beautiful
with flower pots, plants and trees giving a nice green environment to the
house. The guesthouse belong to the highways was maintained well and their
provision of ramp proves their concern for unable people and the couple of
staffs were friendly and shareable.
From the
guesthouse we could see the activities on the bridge across the river that
connects Mysore road. And beyond that a steeple rose between the trees. The
water flow in the Bhavani River is very less and this’s the water that
overflows as waterfalls in Kodiveri dam. We moved out of the guesthouse after
the breakfast and drove towards Athikadavu on the foothills of Nilgiris.
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Wednesday, February 01, 2017
My Pongal celebration 2017
I know it’s
late by two weeks to post on Pongal, the harvesting festival of Tamils, but
it’s better late than never. I think you all know about the youth revolution
that took centre stage following the Pongal and though it wasn’t an easier task
for people to come forward to protest for their rights and protection of bulls,
the entire week was like an extension of Pongal with the voices of slogans
indirectly, alongside supporting the traditional sports, emphasis the wealth of
bulls and farmers. We couldn’t think of Pongal keeping away the farmer and it
was farmers festival overall but we have the reason to celebrate as they are
our life savers, producing food for us. Pongal festival brings happiness for
farmers and Jallikattu is a part of the celebration and we got back the
traditional sport in right manner.
Coming to the
post, this year’s Pongal was different for me and was able to feel the mood
more than latter years. Though we celebrated Pongal in the traditional way, where
we lit firewood’s on the outside of the home and made Pongal (boiling of rice
and milk) in the mud pot, the Pongal event conducted in our street by the
backstreet boys was really uplifting. They created a friends group in name of
APJ Abdul Kalam and conducted Kolam contest, running race for different age
groups and couple of fun sports. The
event was started from the eve of Pongal and the Kolam contest happened at the
night itself but they came to capture our Kolam (along with the others) only in
the morning and we unknown who’s the winner. The boys and girls participated in
the races and won gifts from the organisers and what really impressed was all
showed up in traditional dresses.
But what keeps
me bothering was how I missed capturing the event or at least the kids running
around. The songs played in the speakers and people talking over the mike let
the festival feel in the air. I put some special programs and movies on record
(thanks to DTH) and moved out of the home to enjoy the festival and while
things happening around; mom prepared the Pongal in the mud pot on the firewood’s
and before it overflows I was with camera to capture the moment and once the
rice boiled the whitest foam forms and milk is poured to restrain its flow. But
it was me asked her to wait to let it overflow, though I don’t believe such
thing will change things for better but this custom of overflowing keeps me
going. Lol
The pot Kolam
in my previous post was drawn by mom along with the above one but the coloring
job for the couple of pots were given to our next door neighbour and she did it
pretty colourful. We stayed awake till midnight for them to finish the Kolams,
amid the troublesome mosquitoes and my cute lil friend Achu was also wakeful to
give company and it was fun to be along with him. The sweet Pongal boiled in
the pot was later offered to the Sun, the foremost source of energy to the
entire living on earth and helps in high yield, which is a form of thanksgiving
to nature and farmers who transforms the resource into edible. On Mattu Pongal,
the third day of Pongal, I went for an outing on ECR and visited my great
grandma’s village. I will write on it later. Follows few shots from the offering:
The offer to energetic sun |
My favorite "ven pongal and vada" |
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Monday, January 30, 2017
RGB Monday
Colourful Pongal Kolam by mom and
aunt
As you all Kolam
is a part of our custom and it is drawn in front of the houses to create an auspicious
environment. During the Pongal festival it takes a special attention and most
of houses (that follow the custom) draw beautiful patterns on their doorstep and
drawing pot Kolam enhance the mood of festival. Here I share couple of Pongal
Kolams, and the above one was mom’s contribution and it was drawn at our home
front and aunt’s (below) was on theirs in the next street. On the evening of Pongal
I come around our streets to capture some colourful kolams and I would share
them in future post.
Here’s RGB Monday to keep away your Monday Blues and make feel colourful and yet cheerful! And this Link-in feature invites your colourful photos with the content of RGB – Red, Green, and Blue. Please add your link-in at the comment section (along with your comment)and it will be mentioned at the bottom of the post.
1. Devilish Angel
1. Devilish Angel
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Wednesday, January 18, 2017
We support Jallikattu
It’s a dream come
true for me! Yes, it’s a dream come true to see our youngsters leading a grand protest
against the ban on our traditional sport, Jallikattu, the bull catching festival celebrated during the Pongal
festival. People generally have a thought that youngsters are useless and
careless about anything but the revolution broke today, supporting our traditional
sport and rights transformed the perception, indeed. Nothing survives without struggle
and here’s a voluntary movement, for not a political reason but to sustain our
identity and strengthen the chord of Tamils that was tightening by the cord from
the centre govt. and neighbourhood states. First time a protest (statewide Tamil
Nadu) without the involvement of any political party or cine personalities!
Hats off guys, I am quite with you all.
The Supreme
Court has banned Jallikattu following the case filed by Peta, a foreign based animal
rights organization, which reasons to ill-treating bulls. For every eye that watches
the Jallikattu might think of it but the reality was the bulls are worshipped
here and treated like their very own kid. Coming from a family that based on
milk business and rearing cows, I know how they are treated and many a time my
grandparents have skipped their meals but never cows hunger. And also haven’t attended
many functions only because they have to take care of them. At villages things
used to be more fine towards the wellness of cattle’s and bulls, and Jallikattu
is a way of celebrating bravery and exhibit of bovine strength. The
trained bull catchers try to control them for less than a minute mostly and let
free.
I don’t find
any logic for the Peta to ask for a ban. They never know what’s happening behind
the traditional form of Jallikattu and by banning the sports they are trying to
destroy our country breeds rather protect them. No one is intend to harm animal’s
esp. bulls here but one thing for certain was behind every existence there’s hard
work and struggle to protect. Jallikattu is a cultural identity of Tamils and
is in existence for more than 4000 years… how could we allow someone, who has
any knowledge or sense about our history and tradition to seek ban. Our bulls are one of
the strongest breeds and the ban will support the destruction of our strength. Bulls
are hardworking animals and if we haven’t let them play and treated in right
manner, it will become weaker. Experts believe that a bull with full vigour
breeds strong bovines and for that these animals must be active and endure. So
protesting is the only way of protecting our rights, identity and manner of living...
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Pongal and Pot
With a day for
Pongal, the harvesting festival of Tamils uplifts the mood quite. Being an
admirer of festivals, Pongal has a special place in my heart and the value of
tradition being preserved at least during this time feels happy. Pongal is not
only farmers festival but people who survive, eating their harvested grains should
celebrate to thanksgiving the farmers and their close associates of cattle and
the natural resources. People in cities mostly celebrate the festival (almost
every festival) in front of the televisions and Pongal (boiling of milk and
rice, which overflows to be believed as a favourable outcome) is also cooked on
cookers rather the traditional way of mud pots.
For more than a
decade we have been making Pongal on mud pots, but except couple of times on
the firewood’s it was the gas stove mostly. The Pongal cooked in mud pots has a
distinct flavour and I enjoy having it so much. Though having a spacious courtyard, we didn’t arrange
for firewood last year unlike 2015, as our city was going through difficult
time due to floods, I have requested mom to prepare for a traditional Pongal this
time. I really love to celebrate Pongal in a village atmosphere where true festival
essence exists. But living in city it’s quite difficult even though I try to
visit villages or travel around the countryside to capture the glimpses of Pongal
celebrations on the Mattu Pongal or Kaanum Pongal, the successive days of Pongal
festival that highlight bulls and entertainment consecutively.
Among the four
days of Pongal festival, tomorrow marks Bhogi Pongal where the houses are
cleaned and old things are replaced by new or disposal of unused. For last few days
our house has been going through much cleaning and mom and dad had taken care
of the task. Though it was a difficult job for them, I really got to recover
and cherish many things (that I have quite forgotten) while cleaning has left me
with ideas which I think of using in coming days.
Btw. The mud pot and stove was
captured at a restaurant in Kodaikanal and it was placed on the sunshade. It
was raining that time and the picture had little grains, so I used oil paint filter
and it gives a nice feel. Wish you all Happy Pongal
Thursday, January 05, 2017
Temporary fence @ Elliot’s Beach
Few days back I was at Elliot’s Beach
in the neighbourhood and found fences being erected along the sea front.
The fence build with Casuarina
woods is laid for the New Year eve to prevent people entering or swimming in
water. During New Year eve, people throng the beach and keeping away all from
the water is not possible and so was the fence and the fence seems to support
till Pongal festival (Jan 14-16), with Kaanum Pongal as the last day, would
pull crowd.
The photos
were shot two days after New Year and being a weekday there’s very less people around.
Linking this post for Good Fences by Gosia's Looking for identity
Linking this post for Good Fences by Gosia's Looking for identity
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
At Rajesh’s (Destination Infinity) wedding party
I know I am not regular at
blogging these days and there isn’t a specific reason rather that a mild
disturbance with health and mind-set but overall the hot and humid weather
keeps me away from any activity and make me feel tired through the dry weather.
Though the intense summer month has passed down, the radiation of heat
continues to battle our part of the country and the late beginning of southwest
monsoon doesn’t seems to help much rather downpour in southern districts. But
when things were right on track; the cold began its activity and annoyed for
some time until couple of days back make me uncertain could I able to attend
the wedding party of my friend and fellow blogger Rajesh of DestinationInfinity.
Glad I felt better on Sunday and
I reminded my parents and brother about the get-together two days earlier so
that they could prepare for the evening. It wasn’t difficult for us reaching
his place and being Sunday there was very less traffic on the road and as I
learned he stays at ground floor house I was certain not to miss the chance
greeting him in person. I was thinking about getting some gift for the newly
wed, but I couldn’t conclude with an idea and my search on internet also didn’t
give hand and there isn’t time to place an order in online too. So decided to
present a chocolate box, as I thought it would be a safest way since no one
would dislike chocolates and it only gives pleasure whoever let it be when the
creamy layer melts inside can’t resist relish. Lol
Though he lives at ground floor,
unfortunately I couldn’t enter his home due to couple of steps at their
doorstep, but it wasn’t a matter to me because I am there to greet and share his
happiness while he enters a beautiful phase of his life. Rajesh looked very
smart and tucked in shirt and his wife Ramya in traditional attire (or perhaps
their wedding suit) was beautiful and smiley. I was comfort with their porch
and they treated us with juice as soon we enter and a light meal followed
later. I didn’t expect him to arrange for an early dinner (about 6pm) at an
unusual time, but we couldn’t say anything when the food container was already
at hold. Many talk but very few act according to what they say or think and
Rajesh is one of its kind and I know he’s health conscious and try anything which
is healthy.
And why I am saying this is because
what he organized for the dinner was Vegan food. I know he’s interested in
vegan style and have attended events relevant to vegan and what he consumes have
also transformed into millets. So no wonder he tied the difference and it also
worked well. I really liked the items served in the container but the only
thing was I couldn’t eat everything. The curd rice made with peanut milk, instead
of dairy, tasted very good and wasn’t much different from the regular. And also
the jiggery pongal was sweet enough along the main dish pulao, and it also
contains chapatti kurma and couple of side dishes. We have been the first guest
at the get-together but we couldn’t stay long to see many of them.
But glad I could meet another
blogger friend Sandhya, known by many as Maradhi Manni, before we decide to
move. Though I couldn’t talk with her rather greeting either, it was good
enough at least happen to see the person behind the blog. Back to Rajesh, he’s
one of my long-time friends in blogging and we have met couple of times at my
home and I really like his cheerful and smiling attitude. And I am sure it’s
going to be double, perhaps, joining with his wife who too has a smiling face and
sure to be kind enough going to sustain their happiness and smiles throughout
their lives. Wishing both a very happy, bright and beautiful married life!
Congrats DI
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