Swalpa Adjust Madi, Maveli…..

This Onam threatened to be a dud: two people sick at home, deadlines at work, what else could go wrong to squash the festive spirit?

6:30 AM : Hubby dear, who was flat on his back, thinking up ways to get to my parents home, which is halfway around the city. Ideas included hiring a city taxi, which I promptly shot down. I know Bangalore roads intimately, and I know for a fact that they were not going to help his bad back any.

6:55 AM: It is confirmed, I am playing hookey from work. That decision made, decided to stay in bed a little longer and wallow in self pity. Hunger pangs and a charged-up monkey( my 4-year-old), jumping about put paid to our dreams of lolling about just a while longer. Breakfast: Warmed up garlic bread from last night’s dinner. Harbringer of things to come??

7:30 AM: Call from our apartment gate, a slightly irritated dad, asking that I come down immediately to let them in. I rush downstairs to see my parents, bags laden with all the makings of an Onam sadya. Hurrah for parents!!!

7:55 AM : Yet another breakfast, a more traditional one this time, dosa (mom had actually got the batter along!!) with some yummy coconut chutney.

8:30 AM: Hard at work making the Pookalam, amongst admonishments from my oh so tradition-bound dad that this had to be done really early in the morning. (Who forgot the flowers that needed to go in the middle?) A completely lop-sided pookalam thanks to Appu’s insistence on “helping”. This pookalam goes on record as one of my less elaborate creations but the one made with the maximum love. ( Is Maveli listening?)

12:30 PM: Sadya ready. Mom, u truly are the greatest!!!

MOMS AHOY!!!!

On a recent trip to Kundapur, we were put up in a typical farm house amidst sylvan surroundings. Miles and miles of green paddy fields stretched as far as the eye could see.

The home, as is common amongst agricultural homes in the area, also housed a cowshed with calves of varying ages. Appu, whose attention span is greatly limited, was fascinated with the liquid-eyed creatures. After some initial hesitation due to the size difference, he was persuaded to feed the calves with a few bananas that had survived the bus trip from Bangalore.

Our 20-minute long reverie was destroyed when Appu came rushing into the room yelling “Amma Amma, pettanu va, pashu vilikyunnu” ( Mom, come quickly, the cows are calling). Visions of some great calamity wrecked by my son flashed before my eyes and I rushed out to the cow shed.

The scene that met my eyes was entirely peaceful, with the calves calmly munching away, and everything all right with the world. Mystified, I looked to my husband for answers. He looked as confused as I was, so we looked to the only other person who could provide us with answers-Appu.

After a long interrogation where none of us understood what the other was saying (I think I need to take a few classes to develop my parent-child communication skills) realization dawned when one of the calves let out a loud bellow………..MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. Pointing excitedly to it and jumping up and down, Appu said, “See Amma, the cow is calling you.”