Handle every situation like a dog. If you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away.

Riiiiinnnngggg....

When the doorbell of our new apartment to which we had shifted just two days ago rang, I rushed outside to check, wondering who it could be. We are slowly adjusting to the community living in an apartment building, after living in independent house all these years.

That was our neighbour from the upstairs building, looking a bit disturbed and as soon as he saw me, he started complaining.

" Madam, please look in the lift, your dog has pooped in there, it's all so messy and disgusting.

I could not believe what I heard. As a dog mother of ten years, I know that my Pogo would never do it.

I tried to convince him saying that our helper had walked it in the morning and it would never do such things but in vain.

He insisted that he checked with the other dog owner in the building and that he had been informed that their dog had never left home.

I apologized, for no fault of mine or my Pogo, and promised him to clean it. But he insisted that I myself come out and see how messy and disgusting the lift has become.

Embarrassed to the core, I went and peeped into the lift, and " all the mess and disgusting thing " I could see was a spot of poop on the lift floor.

I once again apologized profusely and assured him that I would clean it right away.

When I narrated the incident to my husband Prakash, he was not at all willing to buy the allegation and insisted that it can't be our Pogo, a ten year well trained dog. But since I had no other option, I offered to clean it up and ventured out. 

As I opened the lift and entered inside, I took a good look. Then I stared. Again I peeped down. Then sat down there and couldn't control my laugh. Sitting on the lift floor was a brown, greenish dry leaf!

I took the leaf and carried it to our neighbour and showed him the "messy disgusting" thing.

You should have seen his face!!!

Now it was his turn to apologize profusely. I came home laughing, telling Prakash about our neighbour's faux pas.

But sitting there in the balcony with a serious offended face was our Pogo. He was not at all amused by these false allegations.

He is thinking of visiting his attorney to file a defamation suit!!!

How's T"hat"!!!

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Have you heard the slang " Topi Giraki" ? It wears many hats - pun intended!
We use the term in many variations. If someone tries to fool people, we call him " Topi Giraki ". If one behaves foolishly again the term applies to him. And yet generally at home when someone commits a silly mistake then the first reaction from us would be " Topi Giraki ".



So this happened recently when my husband was going out. He was going to our new house where a prospective tenant was coming and my husband wanted to show him the house.

I have a beautician as a neighbour. Right next to my house there is a ladies' beauty parlour. Since it's quite a popular one, we see people going in and out of the parlour constantly.

Our bedroom is on a mezzanine floor built on our car garage. So we can look down at our garage through bedroom window and can also have a look if someone is coming out of the parlour next to our bedroom.



I think it's enough of the scene creation. Well, to enjoy the story you have to visualise how we were placed!

So coming back to the story, my husband went to the garage, all ready and suddenly he realised that he has forgotten to take the keys of the house. He wanted to call me to throw down the keys from the window.

I was sitting on my bed watching the TV and was out of his sight.
We belong to that generation which has moved away from " enoondre "  and " le ivale " but has not reached to the generation which calls each other by name and are on " hogo " " bare " terms.

Now there are many ways in which my husband calls me and whistling is one among them. Yes, you read it right. Just like some slang words, there is one particular type of whistle which everyone of us - yes including me - uses at home when we want to call someone who is out of sight but within a hearing distance. It's so familiar in the family that even our dog Pogo instantly reacts to that whistle.

And here my husband whistled to me and I immediately realised that he has left the keys. Taking the keys to the window while he was whistling I threw the keys at him. Instantaneously in a self deprecating way he said " Topi Giraki".

Exactly at the time when he was whistling, I was throwing the keys and he told " Topi Giraki", something else happened. At that very precise moment the parlour door had opened and a lady who had obviously got her hair dyed stepped out covering her wet head in a plastic cover!

You should have seen my husband's face! I was out of sight to the parlour lady and he was there, standing alone, whistling and calling " Topi Giraki !"



I also gasped and held my breadth as my husband stood their averting his eyes. I am sure if not for that funny plastic cover topi on her head, the lady would have taken some time to give him a piece of her mind and would not have driven away on her scooter.

Once she was out of sight, we both heaved a sigh of relief and could not control our giggles!!!


PS : I know you too would have such interesting nick names and cliches in your family, in your circle. Please share here. Let's hear them!

O....My.... Dawg.......

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"Gandananna oorige kalisi" - After packing my husband for a sojourn, I had thought I will have some me time today. But this fella had some other plans.


He had not eaten since morning. He kept coming to the kitchen every hour and every time I take out his bowl, he vanishes.
Then at 10 o'clock in the night he comes to the kitchen with wide pleading eyes. I give him food, he eats. I give him milk, he drinks. Then again comes to the kitchen. I follow him and he demands chewstick. Fine. Everything over and I settle to watch Bigg Boss.







Within 10 minutes, there is some odd sound in the room. Alarmed, I look down and he has vomited everywhere. I clean it for 15 minutes and sit to watch TV.

After 10 minutes, he runs out of the room and I run after him. He is nowhere to be seen. After peeping into the darkness below the staircase, I see him hiding, making faces. I grab a newspaper and drag him out. After coaxing for 10 minutes, he throws up on the newspaper.

Again I clean, wash my hands and come to the room. Lo! He is missing again.
I rush to the staircase and no, he is not there. I search in the room, no luck. I call him and there is no sound.

I go upstairs and he is sleeping in a suitcase. I call him and he refuses to come. OK. I come down, enough of TV, I open the mobile and within five minutes he comes and sits on the cot and starts staring at me. I ask him to sleep. No. I pull him to get him sleep and he pulls back. I try to ignore him and he keeps staring till I give him full attention.

OK. Some tummy rub, some coaxing and cajoling and he acts as if he is sleeping. I also decide to sleep and now he wants to come inside my blanket. Ok.
No now he wants to go out of it.
Grrrrrrr....






And now again he has run out of the room and there is some sound coming from below the staircase...

There is some action replay. Sleepy eyed, I clean up everything and come to my room. Thank God he is in the room. Now I stare at him and he stares back. An indication that it is over and he is feeling confident.

I give him a hug and since the entire bed is free and also since it is a winter night, I put him on the bed, kiss him good night, cover him snugly in the sheets,  and pull my blanket over my head. God, let me catch at least a few hours' sleep...

Barely have I dozed off, I feel a wet nose over my nose......



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If you want someone to love you unconditionally forever, then buy a dog. No matter how you are feeling, a little dog is gonna love you.
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I have a biggest regret after having a dog...
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Dogs' lives are too short...
Their only fault. Really.
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Office Humour.... Humour in my workplace....

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It has been quite some time since I wrote in my blog other than sharing my recipes. I took VRS last year and so naturally got very busy! Today I want to share some funny anecdotes from my work life, the funny incidents that happened in my office in LIC. So sit back and enjoy...

Have you noticed? There is hardly any difference between the demeanour of a nursery child going to school and a forty plus lady going to office. Given a choice both would rather be left alone and would love to stay at home.And I fully endorse that feeling. Friday evening is the best time of the week and Sunday evening just flies off and I would give anything to Sun if he sleeps off for another week or 48 hours at least. But you know He is never accommodative!

But in spite of this procrastination, we have to go, because we have chosen to go and there are moments in the mundane office hours, some incidents, some innocent comments or wild and witty humour that lifts your mood and lingers like that taste of chocolate on your tongue, which you keep recalling and which gives a nostalgic smile to your lips.

Google it !!!

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The fun and frolic is more when you have a wedding, no, not in your home, but when your nephews and nieces are getting married. Since you have more of a free time and look at all the things in a free perspective and at leisure you enjoy more. Especially when you are a blogger. As one who is getting a bahu in a week, I am stealing some moments to write, ahem, for my fans :-)

It was on first Sunday of August 2014, on a friendship day, that Sumana, my would be daughter-in- law came to our house and it is one year since.Time has flew like a blink of an eye.Wedding bells are ringing next Sunday.I am squeezing in some moments to write about the wedding invitation and my family members are aghast that I am sitting in front of my blog at this crucial hour. Relax guys! After all I have done all the preparation work ( Ok Ok majority of the work ) and will finish it off !!!

When we wanted to get the invitations printed, all of us wanted it to be in the basic simplest form possible. My son didn't want the cards as he would be E-inviting friends and colleagues and daughter would be "call inviting". It has always been my firm belief that unless you want to make the press guy rich, there is no need of a glossy expensive invite. However great your invitation looks, people are going to spend just a few moments to read the details or may be cast an extra eye on the design if you have spent a fortune on it. Or if it lands in the hands of a person of my cynicism, you will get a skirmish face. Beyond watching the details, it is of no use to anyone.Period.

And I wanted to make a video invitation - for my friends. I didn't know how. But learning and creativity is my forte and it fascinates me immensely. Of late it has become a constant refrain in my home ( I am sure in most other homes ) " Google it !" The ultimate know all, the God of modern day.Started by my son, lapped up by my daughter and adopted by we both. Without referring to Google, unless I fail to find a suitable solution there, I won't approach my son. But still whenever I seek such help, he gives that look " Google it and find !"

Whatever I found was not satisfactory and then I went to Quora. That site which I admire most, because unlike many other networking sites, I find this as a thinking man's adda. And guess what!?! The person whom I asked in quora gave me a solution " Google it! "

With Picasa video maker I made a video and as I was reviewing the final product, my son came and complimented. A great accomplishment indeed!

Alas! When I converted it to send on WhatsApp, initial few seconds were getting disturbed. Back to square one :-(

Then I turned to another software engineer at home, my daughter. I am really amazed at the science of Physics and Genetics! Men are indeed from Mars and women from Venus. Preparing a presentation is a punishment for  my son while my daughter wants to use decorative fonts and borders for her project!

And then my daughter gave the App name - Photo Grid and lo and behold! Within few minutes a beautiful video invitation was ready!

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But one thing I miss and recall nostalgically - my grandmas, parents, aunts and uncles. You may be chided by them, they may not have had the solutions the Internet and Google of today have, but still I wish we can go back to those days and those type of relations and families. You can find everything else in Google, but for love, affection, caring and sharing - you need families, friends and relatives - the humanes.  Wish we can Google it !!!

How to be Happy always? How to always remain happy and positive in life?

“ Change of work is the best rest.” Thus spake Mr. Arthur Conan Doyle. Oh really? seriously?? There must be something terribly wrong either with me or with Mr. Doyle. Or maybe we both belong to two entirely different worlds. From purchasing vegetables - to cutting - to cooking - to serving - to packing lunch boxes - to cleaning - to going to work ...... No sir, sorry. The more I am changing the work, the more I am getting exhausted and neither fun nor rest are visible even from a distant mile. I want rest. Inertia. Being totally lazy. Don't look so flabbergasted! I have never experienced them in my life. And I want to. Now. Period.

Every time I yearn for those idle days and tell my friends, they advise me, “ Take leave and take rest. Never quit the job.” Since this is the common refrain from each and every friend of mine, I know this is the gospel truth. Once you become a working woman and work for a decade or two, it becomes extremely difficult to stay at home. Being idle. My well wishers scare me, “ You will be bored to death. What will you do sitting at home? It will be fun for the first few days and then you will regret.”

Really? Then what you and me are gonna do after we turn 60? Start a start up!? On a serious note, I, who am seriously planning to quit, get scared sometimes. What if? So I am being adventurous and go on taking frequent and longer leave to the irritation of my bosses and waiting for that elusive boredom to come and meet me. Either boredom is scared of me or so called scare is bored with my stubbornness, whatever it is, both are avoiding me.

Yesterday once again I was in an adventurous mood. My servant maid has quit and so I had a free evening. Sounds unbelievable! Gotcha! One girl who used to come in the evening had quit and the new girl could come and work only in the morning. So I had a free evening.

I took my purse, my mobile and informed my family not to come in search of me if I am not home early. Ah! here comes my free time and my little adventures. Only after we lose them, we start missing and  appreciating those little pleasures of life. Close your eyes, remember your childhood and try to recall your fondest memories. Those which gave you immense pleasure. When I close my eyes and recall, I get a marquee of the images. Pestering granny and getting that “ Hunasehannu bella “ -  finely grounded jaggery and tamarind with a little salt and firmly struck to an ice-cream stick! Or in Raichur's burning summer licking those orange ice candies. They used to cost one paisa per ice-cream. Because they were made from water. For milk ice cream the charge was five paisa for 2 ice-creams. If you want buy a single ice-cream, you will have to shell 3 paisa! Who wants to waste so much money! We would love to take water candies, run in the sun barefooted – no sir we didn't have the luxury of wearing slippers – even if it were Raichur sun – to home. What if the heat becomes unbearable for your feet? Easy. Bite a little candy, spit it on the ground and put your feet on it alternatively! We Indians are blessed to have indigenous solutions to every problem.  

So as I was telling, it is such little adventures and tiny pleasures that I cherish most. They bring a nostalgic memory, a smile to my lips and elevate my moods.

And to the present. I started on my evening walk. It has been more than 25 years, before my children were born, did I have this luxury. Walking alone, without any purpose. First I went in one direction and bought some “mili” - those little tamarind chocolates. Popping one in my mouth, I started off in a different direction.

I walked aimlessly, making small purchases here and there and putting them in a little bag I was carrying. A spatula, a tea sieve, some forks. My friend Meera had once showed me an aluminum plate which she used to make rotis. She would press the roti on them and put them directly on gas to prepare soft rotis. When I asked the shop keeper, he was surprised. He said he has never heard of such a thing. Same dialog repeated in five shops. I called Meera and she burst out laughing. Don't ask for roti maker, they are common aluminum lids which we vaishyas use to make rotis. Ah, here lies the secret and a solution to my problem. Aluminum lid it's gonna be!

Then some more roaming and I landed in a stationery shop which was selling a lot of plastic items. I needed a big plastic tub for my maid to put the utensils after washing. I bought one beautiful green tub. The shop was in Thyagarajanagara, barely 2 kilometers from my house. It was a small street and the chances of an auto turning up here were extremely remote. Then I grinned to myself! After all I have ventured out to have fun, and I am going to have fun! 

I paid the money and took the tub and started walking. The tub was about 2 meters in diameter and the only way I could carry it was holding it by my side! So whichever side of my body I put it, it was a no entry of two feet for the people walking near me. Unfortunately I don't have eyes on my back so I missed out a certain sniggers behind my back! But the look on the face of the people walking towards me was the one I started enjoying – a look of dismay! From far they would look at me and as they would approach nearer, they would give one look to me, one to my tub and again their eyes would come back to my face.

Oh really! If you think I would be embarrassed, better think again! Boy, I have decided to have fun and I am having loads of it! I would mischievously put the tub on my body on their side, and with a twinkle in my eye, would look into their eyes! Instead of me, they would be embarrassed and move to the other side of the road!

This continued for a while and then I came to vegetables' market. I needed my greens. The regular lady was having a hoard of customers in front of her cart. So what? I made a little room for myself and entered with my newly acquired shield, my tub. The lady standing next to me looked at me and moved a little and my tub settled comfortably between us. Lo! Two feet boundary ready! While other customers were straining their necks to meet the eyes of the vendor, me and my tub stood comfortably and finished our shopping.

Our next stop was at a fruit stall. I could see two young girls buying grapes trying hard to control their laughter and I gave them one sweet smile. Relieved, they grinned back. By the time I bought my fruits, the weight of my bag had increased considerably and a wicked idea crossed my mind. Pour everything in the tub, and put the tub on my head!

Then better sense prevailed. If any of my friends or acquaintances see me, I can explain to them and share a hearty laugh. But what if my husband Prakash's friends see me? I had to protect his reputation! On one shoulder I put my vanity bag, below the other shoulder came my tub and hugging my bag to my chest I started. Now the “No entry” zone had widened. 

When my children saw me entering the house with the tub, at first they thought I had come by auto but when I narrated the sequence of incidents, a wide grin appeared on their faces.

Why do we hesitate to have fun and live our lives the way we want to? After all it is our life and we have every right to lead it the way we want to, so long as it doesn't harm or hurt anyone. And where is the need of that constant refrain " What others may think? "

And our perceptions keep changing. When I was a kid, and the candy seller demanded 5 paisa for two candies and 3 paisa for one, I would think he is being unfair. My brother used to feel embarrassed if my sister accompanied him to school. He would avoid her by running fast to school and my sister, who used to cry, repeated it when I started accompanying her. So from childhood such false notions enter our mind. My father getting similar dresses for we sisters was a source of embarrassment, but today if I see two little girls wearing identical dresses, my eyes turn soft and I try to behold that sight.

Let us stop worrying and start living. Worrying is like rocking a chair. It gives us something to do but gets us nowhere. People who obsess about what others think tend to put ‘issues’ under the microscope and can't see the forest for the trees. If we don't get obsessed about what other people think,then we tend to look at the big picture. We only get one chance at life; are we going to allow other people’s thoughts to make it less enjoyable? Sounds silly now, doesn't it?As time goes by and as we realize how unimportant some of the things we worry about actually are, life gets easier and our constant concern starts to plummet as our confidence rises.

These seven rules of life have been making rounds on the social networking sites and many of us have received as forwards. With due acknowledgement to the unknown author, I am sharing them with you : 

Seven Cardinal Rules In Life: 

1. Make Peace With Your Past – so it does not spoil your present. Your past does not define your future, your actions and beliefs do.

2. What Others Think Of You – is NONE of your business. It’s how much you value yourself and how important you think you are.

3. Time Heals Almost Everything – give time, time. Pain will be less hurting. Scars make us who we are; they explain our life and why we are the way we are. They challenge us and force us to be stronger.

4. No One Is The Reason For Your Own Happiness – except YOU, yourself. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside.

5. Do NOT Compare Your Life With Others’ – you have NO idea what their journey is all about. If we all threw our problems into a pile and saw everyone else’s, we would grab ours back as fast as we could.

6. STOP Thinking Too Much – it’s alright to NOT know ALL the answers. Sometimes there is no answer, there is not going to be an answer, or there never was an answer. THAT is the answer! Just accept it, move on, NEXT!

7. Smile – you do NOT own all of the problems of the world. A smile can brighten the darkest day and make life more beautiful. It is a potential curve to turn life around and set everything straight.

As Salman Khan would always urge people during Bigg Boss, " Do whatever you want to do man, woman,children..... 

India vs pakistan cricket match in a world cup. India......India..............

Cricket world cup!
India Pakistan match on a Sunday morning!!
I had a very clear plan. Get up late, take a head bath, get a glass of fresh fruit juice, pick some fresh cut fruits in a bowl, toss in some dry fruits, curl up my legs and enjoy the day.

Whom I am kidding? I am a working woman, a wife, a mother of two, with a house full of expectations of a Sunday morning. Add to it an indefinite holiday of servant maid -  if I am fooling anybody, its only me.
OK I got up late. First dream accomplished! This is heavenly, getting up late on a Sunday morning. Real idea of a holiday. My hubby Prakash had gone to Mantralaya and on the way back had picked up some deliciously fresh white brinjals. Although I prepare Ennegai palya with the brinjals available here, they have skins like plastic. Don't believe me? Try doing ennegai with both of them separately and compare. Recipe? Of course it is HERE.

My mom used to say, whenever we got extremely tender brinjals in the market, that they are like young groom! Whatever that meant!!!
Well, in the morning as soon as I got up and switched on the TV, Prof. Prakash declared : I have a class and you have 45 minutes to make breakfast.
And Rohit Sharma started batting...
In a jiffy, I cut the brinjals, prepared the spices,and set to roll out chapatis.The calling bell rang. Prakash called out : " Look this boy has brought saplings you wanted." Yes, I wanted some saplings for my terrace garden and on a " working day "  I had requested him to come on a Sunday leisurely and here he was.
I did some purchases, with the fear that my brinjals may be burning nagging at the back of my mind, did some hurried bargaining - we hesitate to bargain for a few thousands in a jewelry shop but would be worried to part with a few rupees when we are shopping with these poor guys - and dumped the pots in the compound and ran inside.
Peeped in at the TV, Rohit Sharma was out and Virat Kohli had come to bat......
Thankfully Rashmi, my daughter came to help me in making chapatis. After all a daughter is a daughter is a daughter. That precious soul in every family. Thanks Modiji, for the call " Beti bachaao...". Bless them.
Once the chapatis were ready, a look at the mess in the kitchen and the sink reminded me that Saraswathi, my maid is not coming today. I remembered a lady who stays a few crosses away from me, who was willing to join in. Hoping to catch her on Sunday, I pulled on my tracks.
A peep at the TV. Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan batting. Score? 150 for 1. Not bad, soon I should be able to catch the match.
Sorry sir, the lady has locked the house and left. I came back. Shikhar Dhawan out, India 2 wickets down...
I put on some chapatis and ennegai in a plate and rushed to my room. At last! The moment is here!! Sitting in my bedroom, on a Sunday morning with something special in my plate and watch India Pakistan play in a world cup match.
Man proposes and God disposes... Nay, woman proposes and God disposes. After all I have never seen Brahma, the creator being partial to women or at least being impartial to both. Rashmi entered my room with her plate in her hand and picked up the remote.
Oh no, not again! She switched on the TV and changed the channel. Simpsons its gonna be. Please, If you want to see the match, you go upstairs and join Nikhil. For a few minutes I got hooked to Simpsons. Classroom scene, witty one liners and nostalgic memories. You step back into your childhood. The beautiful part of these cartoons are the  dialogues, written by grown up men and women. The lines are so childlike, because, of course, these writers are so young at heart!
Match!!! I rushed upstairs to join Nikhil and cricket. Virat Kohli on 98 and Suresh Raina on 48. Ah! First time in the day I watched a 50 and a century being scored. Riiiiiingggg... Door bell! Who is that again?!? " It must be my friend Nithin Ma. Do you mind watching the match downstairs or shall I take him to my room?"
Enough sir. I am staying put. Dhoni and boys, you better play and play good now. It is 12.30 PM, 43 overs, India 245 for 2. I want to catch the match. India and Pakistan. In a world cup. Mr.Dhoni, even if you and your boys don't win the world cup, we don't want to watch that man in the greens burst crackers........

Its All about Money, Honey....

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Childhood memories are so vivid and blissful! Especially there are some instances and incidents which remain with us and their memories are so bright and clear as if they happened just yesterday. Be it pleasant or otherwise, they will always remain with us, sometimes haunting  and yet most of the times making us nostalgic.
Like the first time I got my slippers. They were bright cotton candy pink plastic slippers. They were very rough and used to make some sound when I walked, and boy was I proud of them!
Unlike these days when we buy booties for the just born, I must have been at least 5 or 6 years old when I had my first slippers. Come to think of it, when we could have easily afforded, why did the parents then delayed in making such purchases? Was it really money that mattered or the materialistic matters were intentionally delayed??

plant jokes and gardening humour | How I caught my plant thief | funny anecdotes about my plant thieves

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This extended festival of lights has always enchanted and enthralled me since childhood. Amma would say " keep some crackers for Tulsi Lagna" and we would obey, eagerly waiting for the D day. I would invariably ask amma whom Tulasi is getting married to and she would smile and say " Damodara i.e Krishna ". Then she would narrate the story. 

This is the story of Vrinda, the daughter of giant named Nemi and the faithful wife of demon Jalandhar. Being born in ocean, Jalandhar claimed supremacy over the ocean and all the treasures churned out  during Samudra Manthan. He declared war over Gods and could not be conquered because of the boon that he would be free from death till his wife Vrinda was chaste. Vishnu, in order to kill Jalandhar, assumes her husband's form and beguiles Vrinda. When she realises this, Vrinda cursed Vishnu to become a stone ( Saligrama ). Vishnu regrets his action and in admiration of her impeccable chastity and piety, transfers her into the sacred Tulasi plant and promises to marry her annually on this day of Kartik month. 



The story is registered in my mind along with the heavenly aroma and the taste of laddige prasada amma would prepare on that day. ( yeah, I will give your the recipe!.)

The Tulasi plant and Parijatha flower connected with our rich culture and vibrant heritage have always remained my favorites.  Parijatha with its divine and pristine beauty and Tulasi with her love for Lord Krishna and with the  her medicinal value have been on the top of my priority list of home plants. It has been my cherished  dream to have a big Parijata tree in my aangan along with rows and rows of Tulasi plant.

Alas!  I always proposed and thieves disposed. On many occasions whenever I chanced upon Tulasi seeds, plants or saplings at resorts, gardens and friends' houses, I would beg or borrow and bring them home. Living in a west facing house, I was always forced  to plant the seeds and saplings  on the compound in planter box.

I would squeal in delight when rows of saplings would take life. But invariably in a week or so, to my chagrin,  my saplings would start disappearing. I had  neighbors who would put up beautiful pots and plants on footpath without any problem and here I was losing every single sapling to these thieves. But like a never- say-die Trivikrama and Bhageeratha I  would go on and on with my efforts and face the same results!

As if this was not enough, I had this " Gow Matha ", always pulling out my little "babies", if by any chance left by those thieves with her long tongue right in front of my eyes, disregarding my shouts and threats. I am really dismayed by their attitude and judgement! I have seen in many areas, besides their huge gardens, these "RICH(?)" people will occupy footpaths with  mini gardens and these "holy cows" sitting by the side of these gardens lazily munching with semi closed lids, never daring to even glance at the plants. Is it fear of "RICH N POWERFUL"? Naah! Methinks she just loves the taste of our little angels,  put up with all the love of our heart and soul !

I would try to deter her with some prickly boundaries. No sir! She would care two hoots for such silly tricks! As a last resort one day I put some big glass pieces as boundaries for my planter boxes. Hey! Don't look so flabbergasted! Genuinely I meant no harm, just wanted my kids to grow! Don't take side with her, she was not as innocent as she looked. I stood there when she  arrived and we both stared at each other. She would look at me and then at the glass boundary and at the plants beyond ! Did I see a glint of amusement, sarcasm or was it an indulgent motherly look  at we selfish human beings  in her eyes? Whatever -  she decided not to pursue and left me alone with my plants since then.

Before I could heave  a sigh of relief and hope that all is well, this extraordinary incident happened.  One evening around 7.30, both myself and my husband Prakash were talking  in the balcony in the first floor. Suddenly Prakash looked down and exclaimed " Look! somebody is lifting your Tulasi pot!" This fellow beat everybody else in the game! Instead of plant, he had lifted the whole pot and before I could come out of my dismay and shout, he just coolly walked off !

I pulled Prakash's hand and dragged him down, pushed him on to  his bike and hopped behind him in my nightie.For 5-10 minutes we had totally lost any trace of him. But soon we could spot him walking in the next cross, holding the pot to his chest. As Prakash drove his bike by his side, I jumped from the bike, ran across and held him by the collar of his jerkin like a Jhansi Ki Rani!

All the anger and frustration towards my unknown thieves came surging as I gave him a sound  piece of my mind. So stunned was he at being caught and at my verbal tirade that he even forgot to close his open mouth. By this time a few passersby had gathered, who were both angry at his misdemeanors  and bemused at my histrionics and  heroism! Like a trophy I carried my Tulasi back home a midst much fanfare from my husband and kids. But since then I have almost given up the hope in the face of such onslaught by these "petty" thieves, and my dream of having my little rows of Tulasi has remained just that... A dream...

One day... May be one day.............

             LADDIGE          ( Groundnut and Hurigadale Laddu )

www.chitrannaa.blogspot.in

This is sych a dekicious and mouth watering dish, hardly time consuming and so easy to make that even beyond this festival, I always prepare it which is relished by my family and friends with delightful glee.

Ingredients :

Roasted and pounded Groundnuts      :    2 cups ( They should be pounded into big pieces,size of hurigadale  )

Hurigadale                                       :    2 cups

Jaggery powder                                :    1 1/2 cups

Ghee                                               :    1  cup                      

Elaichi powder                                  :    1 tea spoon

Preparation           :

In a thick bottomed kadai heat ghee and jaggery powder only till jaggery melts. Remove from the heat. Add elaichi powder, ounded groundnut, hurigadale and mix well. Wait till the heat recedes and then roll into laddoos.

HAPPY UTHANA DWADASHI !

Laughter The Best Medicine

Where all that laughter has gone? Remember those giggles you shared in the classroom? Remember how you laughed and laughed with your friends during combined studies, holding your sides, till tears started rolling down your cheeks? Then surely you must remember the reason for that laughter. No? Try again. At least can you remember the last time you laughed like that recently ? Where do we lose that light mirth which makes us laugh at silliest possible reasons.In this bittersweet life it is the laughter which is the real elixir of life.

The earliest incident I can remember was when I was in my high school. We were studying in a school in Gulbarga and had gone to Gokak to attend the marriage of my friend shobha's brother Vijayanna. In those days it was a practice to travel in a bus all the way from boy's town to the bride's where we were put up in small vacant houses. No such thing as choultry or wedding hall way back then and especially in small towns like Gokak.Even the wedding ceremony was conducted in small houses, covering the entire road in shamiana where the food was to be served. As children we never bothered about the luxuries as what mattered most was the chance to be with friends and miss the school !

On the night before marriage, after dinner we arrived at the adjacent house, called "beegara mane" to sleep. But sleep was the last thing on our mind as we lay on the rows of carpet along with aunties, grannies and mamis. As elders were tired and anxious to get up early in the morning started their sleep and snoring simultaneously, one of the girls could not control her laughter and giggled. Lo. that was the spark for the ignition of the series of giggles that followed. If hers was just a small " khi ! " someone from the other corner joined by a " khee khee " and a third by a louder " hee hee". A grandma who was light on sleep got irritated and snapped " sumne bidkolre " ( sleep silently ). Just imagine! That snap made another giggle loudly, joined by many more. This time ajji lost her sleep and peace completely and shouted loudly " Hucchu mundera bai muchkondu malkolre". ( By the way this slang may shock the citiwallas and people of other part of karnataka,but it was the most accepted language in north Karnataka). Though it ensured a silence for a few minutes, it also ensured a louder snore by aunties and maamis and thereby as a chain reaction of a louder guffaw by the girls. 

The hysterical laughter by us awakened the other elders and without even knowing the reason they also started to giggle and like an epidemic it spread the entire house. Even those sleeping in other rooms joined in the laughter and this amused we girls all the more because we were happy that we were successful in waking up all and also avoided being scold. Someone courageous from us got up and switched on the light and we all turned towards ajji to see her reaction. Ajji was having a benevolent and indulgent smile on her face which emboldened us to carry on with our pranks whole night!

On another occasion, during Deepavali vacation I had been to my elder sister Geetha's house in Gangavathi, a small town in Raichur district. It was a joint family and her mother-in-law was very orthodox. She would keep aside a part of the lunch prepared by her aside in the big pooja room separately for her dinner so that so that nobody touches it and she can have her own cooked food and still avoid cooking in the night. 

I who was in my high school was totally was unaware of all these intricacies. In the evening when I came back from playing, she told me " Go eat some poori payasa ". She actually meant the food left and kept in the kitchen, but I while playing hide and seek in the afternoon had noticed the poories and payasa kept in the pooja room. So without a second thought I picked four poories and payasa from the pooja room, took to the veranda and ate it. When I came back to the kitchen to drink water and saw a plate of poories and payasam at first I was surprised. Then suddenly it dawned that this is the plate my sister has kept for me on hearing her mother-in-law and I was supposed to eat it.

I picked the poories and tip-toed to the pooja room and put it in the box from which I had taken the poories and heaved a sigh of relief. But the real drama was to start later. In the night when the mother-in-law opened the box, she was perplexed.She started calling my sister " Geetha I had kept six poories and two cups of payasam but now only five poories and one cup of payasam is there. Have you touched it? My sister, who was a new bride to that family was both scared and flummoxed. When she replied in negative her mother-in-law grew all the more suspicious fearing that the cat must have eaten the missing part ! By this time I had realised the whole scene and put the blanket on my head as if in deep sleep but hardly able to control my giggles imagining the looks on the faces of my sister and her mother-in-law.

It was only later that I narrated this to my sister who at first gave a sound slap for my mischief and then could not control her laughter but joined in my giggles recalling the look on her mother-in-law's face !