I clearly remember my childhood days....in my Ajji and Thatha's house--305/A,2nd Main Road,8th block Jayanagar,Bangalore-560082, where I was born and brought up till the 4th grade....values instilled,strong principles taught and culture rooted.....peaceful surroundings with Mango,sapota,pomogrenate,guava,coconut,lime,papaya trees loaded with great tasty fruits full of vitamins and minerals,...also floral plants like the hibiscus,jasmine,jaaji,parijaata,bouganvilla,ganigle(pink and white),roses,champak(sampige),chendu(marigold),pansies and others made it a true heaven.It also gave us a splendid chance of a lifetime to relate to Mother Nature.
The red oxide floors,the tanjore paintings,the several God's photos lined up in the living room,an old gramophone,old black and white photographs in the verandah,the antique furniture,the musical instruments like the veena and tambura,the 2 bedroom house with a tulsi katte in the garden,the one car garage with loads of books storages,the magazine racks with 15 monthly magazines,the radio being on at 6 am alarming us to wake up to the sunrays coming in from the windows....to welcome the new day.To finish our daily chores early,get ready for the day,eat right at the proper times.....for breakfast were sumptuous dosas,thatte idlis,akki rotis,chapatis,uppittu,shavige uppittu,chitrannas,puris,puliyogres all with a side coconut green chatni ground with the gundkallu or grinding stone,so finely ground by her arms not getting tired at all,a result of the love from my ajji..the greatest cook on earth....even though she is not amidst us now...will always be the greatest cook on earth for me forever.I truly value her lunch and dinner curries,rice and palyas too..a vegetable everyday cooked to finesse,and a compulsory fruit at night with bournvita milk.
Health was a priority and we were given such nutritious food that we owe it to her for our well being even today.Sundays were headbath days and Monday mornings were oiling the hair days...castor and coconut oils were applied on the head and the hair was plaited nicely and even today I owe it to her that my hair is strong,thick and black appreciated by all.
Home remedies,herbal remedies,ayurvedic medicines,control in food were all there.....and also pujas,bhajans,singing,reading were all a must in the morning.Deepavali was when Ajji used to get up at 3 am in the morning and light deepas to line the house entrances and tulsi katte.Each festival was celebrated in all pomp and splendour explaining significances and mythological stories.The squirrels,birds(colorful ones),kittens and cats were fed nicely too.And different types of haplas and sandiges(savouries)were prepared on the terrace and left there for the sun to dry them.
Where has all this energy disappeared in today's generation??Even though we lost that house to greedy legal matters in the family and there stands a big modern house that was built after demolishing the old,precious one.....the memories never fade away.....the place where all the grandchildren learnt lessons for life....culture,sports,cooking,values,principles and love.....even today as Ajji blesses us from heaven and inspires the future generations....there are photographs of all the grandchildren on a shelf in the rented house where my aunt lives at present.Hats off to our ancestors and their lives...............what an era !!!!
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