Aahaa Chennai

The taste has you screwing up your eyes trying to figure out the unique flavour. The clues are plenty... Crunchy  with the juice tickling your taste buds. Removed from the back of the vegetable rack, washed and chopped fine, I am soaked in buttermilk to retain my colour I await the dressing. Ah! I can hear the crackle of the seasoning ingredients, a heady mix of fragrances zooming towards me. A touch of mustard and the ever present green chilli enhanced by a dash of curry leaves, stringy bits of mango ginger and a sprinkling of split lentils with busy hands tossing in a spoonful of sprouted green gram and stirring in some turmeric powder. A gentle mixing sans the buttermilk and I turn yellow. While the flavours seep in, I get the benefit of full treatmrnt with the required salt and drops of lemon juice and I must mention I do look pretty with wee bits of coriander leaves tucked in here and there. I land at the table and stand prou...

Walking for ages under the hot sun, your legs stumble and as your eyes desperately dart here and there, searching the landscape  ahead for a  sign of a bench or even a flat stone, nothing is visible as far as your eye travels. You prod on... when you suddenly stop and gape, for nature has done it again. No soft cushions, not even a backrest, not one you can swivel around. A no-frills low seat that lets you rest awhile while you enjoy  the shade above your head. Wait a minute. Looks like somebody who shouldn't be there, someone white and fluttery has spotted it already.

Believe it or not... My day at the office is pretty cool.               No eyes glued to  computers. No deadlines. No brainstorming sessions. No troublesome co workers.             Shh! Just have  to peer here and there for some edible stuff.              

A panorama of differing hues and shades... Trying to decipher the the eye-catching foliage... if it is a shade of vermilion or a touch of pale maroon with the mind wavering between light pink or a mix of yellow, orange and purple, having a closer look and coming to conclude it could be a shade of mahogany or those berry tints with a fresh feel and ultimately settling on russet set off by a tapestry of pleasant green  topped with tints of pale yellow. So many many variations but the point is           we part of the same family.

   Hello! Are you stopping by to stare?                 Seriously, I've given up finding something to eat  in this mess. Looks like I have to start learning 'the new something' doing the rounds these days if I am to fill my tummy. "SEGREGATION" I've heard  that it's a less complicated procedure unlike escaping from the leash. So long, folks! Woof,Woof!

You're desperate. Apart from big gulps of water, a cold towel to wipe your face, ice cold juice or those tempting ice cream prints which stare at you from atop the shop's billboard making you go crazy, you long for an umbrella as you wilt under the heat outdoors. The solution is nearby, beckoning you from high up, if you fancy some cool shade with a bit of fanning  too.                         Waving green and yellow fronds whisper  'welcome' with a cool current of air swishing to and fro leaving you ... 'Hands Free'.

Here I am.           This must rank as the find among this season's cosiest places. A  sort of hidey hole with the the right amount of light, and a soft squishy wetness which keeps my skin cool away from the harsh sunlight. I've  been lounging here as the hours creep past a 'lazing around on a beanie bag' kind of feeling creeping through me as I dart in and out, backtracking fast when those huge wheels arrive alongside a honking noise, hoping to make a move when the coast is clear. Darkness has fallen. The street lights are on. Time to move.. . straight ahead over the grass.                   Take a left turn past the hedge, down a slope, towards the tree just ahead to a brown friend who harbours my lil' ones. Croak!Croak! It's a happy homecoming. No change in my itinerary today!

Curious and eager eyes gaze around for those  banana peels and thrown away fruits/ veggies The chattering monkeys and the hungry deer  have arrived. Oh no! Under lock and key plus segregation too. Not diamonds nor cash but trash.               A 'Swachh Bharat' (Clean India) Cleanliness drive... made more meaningful.

The shears were out . Snip, Snip. Standing still, I bore it stoically. Looking around, I felt bare and ugly when  compared to the rest. Much like a coiled spring which when pressed down springs back, I was back to my old self bit by bit  though it took a while.                         The key to  'resurgence' was waiting patiently. Bravo! Those little wisps of green have not let me down.

For ages, I've always had a quarrel with the sun. It seems to be sending extra hot rays over me and my white hued, fragile offspring.                 I needed to change this and my determination grew stronger as the months passed by. Doubts were raised since I was rather old but crushing those doubting  Thomases, the change did happen one fine day.                       'Anything is possible,' say your friendly neighbourhood Bougainvilleas. 😉

When the sweat simply pours and shopping is such a chore and the heat makes you want to shift to the polar regions and be a polar bear, when the bottles of water are gone in a second and heat radiates from your once cool head bringing in insane thoughts... how on Earth do mosquitoes keep cool, the solution arrives on the table. C+B  A heavenly combination. Trying to figure out the math? Simple. Look below.           Bite into roundels of cucumber and savour the coolness with quick gulps of buttermilk.                         Vote for C+B👍                  

T-I-R-E-D An apt description of how we feel after slogging the whole day . Busy at building a... Wait and watch. Call us the 'fighting fit' construction workers (you may even learn stuff from us) and we do deserve some refreshments. Bring them on fast coz we've been asked to speed up the work by the supervisor and carrying sand is a tough job much like carrying a school bag. Gather around to watch us in action but do not disturb.  You do feel we deserve 'likes', don't you?             

Nimble fingers plucked and deposited. The collection grew. It was time to say goodbye. A little someone bent down to whisper...                   Don't worry, you'll be back...soon. The collection was carefully tucked away into a once throwaway box,                                               now decorated proudly by caring hands and gifted.                       The doll carried the basket dangling from her arms. What lay inside?                           Seeds, precious seeds, yearning to bring back the green.

News spreads: The messengers carried the exciting news to the underground cavern through its many  passages, nooks and crannies. 'An unexpected treasure has been spotted.' Hurrying but nevertheless in an orderly fashion we arrived at the site. Yes! It was a treasure indeed. Serious business: See us working hard to finish the job before darkness sets in. Call it a joint effort for a common cause,  which is certain to fill many a hungry tummy. No quarrels, mind you... with demarcation lines set clear Each one assigned a part, we work silently, until only the sand beneath us remains.                         

Oh! Oooh! Someone does not like me... and kicks really really hard with their shoeclad foot.                   It hurt but then it turned out to be a blessing. From hard ground, I landed on the soft sand.                         After a while, it again hurt. The hot sun had no mercy and I seemed to be in an invisible fry pan. A little something landed, blown far by the wind and covered me. It shut out the heat.         Yellow and brownish, its gentle feel wiped away my misery. Gosh! The wind is naughty. My head feels the heat.            A stone's story...its journey continues.

On a bright sunny morning, surrounded by the flame red hibiscus and pearly white jasmine flowers, nodding a cheery hello to me, I am fast asleep. No amount of coaxing can wake me up.                     When dusk slowly creeps in, draping the field in shadows,  I  wake up donning an elegant smile which celebrates my bright magenta hue.                   Oh no! My friends, the hibiscus and the  jasmine have gone all droopy waiting for me. I toss my head gaily saying...  it's time to chase away the shadows. So ends the tale of the  'Evening Primrose' as it flaunts its dazzling hue beckoning moths fluttering past in the darkness of the night.

Another torrid Sunday afternoon, when even your latest gadget holds less appeal, enveloping the kitchen and the surrounding environs with an irresistible aroma, thanks to a magical blend of coarsely ground pulses, red chillies and choppped greens, sensed by fast twitching nostrils, making fingers quiver in anticipation, is the long wanted treat.                                     The 'you-simply-can't-let-me-go' eyeball grabbing masala vada announces its presence.

With single minded focus, recalling all the hours, days, weeks, and months spent learning the intricacies of leaps and jumps, our little uninvited guest awaits an opportune moment.                 When the door opens he darts inside and wreaks havoc, scaling greater heights... up the stairs.

A unique leafy flavour wafts through the air, winding its way through the fumes of spluttering mustard seeds rolling back and forth in the sizzling fry pan, making your fingers itch and your tongue roll  in anticipation, as you inch towards the source where a sprinkling of stir fried green leaves atop the stew attracts your attention, reminding you of the graceful plant in the far corner with its waxy green leaves selling its own brand of unique perfume, surrounded by an ever increasing crowd of little ones emerging below, clamouring for attention.               Hello... whispers the curry leaf plant to the simmering Sambhar. Do you need a touch of green? 

Eyes moved from the light hued orange blossoms          to an orange beauty leaning towards the yellow.                   It hovered between a dull orange                           and the classic orange of marigold.                                                     to the earthy tones of orange making its presence felt in a fallen leaf                         coming to rest on the eye catching hue of tiny oranges popping now and then amidst dark green foliage                                                  ...

The brightness beckoned. Judgement was due.                   One looked majestic, a modern LED version, bathing the surrounding darkness in a glow, that gave the flora and fauna an eerie look which made you think of horror films, making it seem  there was a kind of light as also it was not. The other had an yellowish hued, soft buttery look, making you wish you could gaze at its incomparable visaage for hours on end, its radiance difficult even for an artist with his varied palette to mimic, bathing the night spaces in an ethereal glow that transcended boundaries and walls until the moment when it suddenly  hid behind fast moving clouds, leaving you and the night creatures feeling bereft. The heavenly one got the vote.

   Hello there! Look down.          Can you see us? We are two different individuals but  you could call us friendly neighbours sharing space between the citron tree and the betel vine. We have even reached out to the plantain tree. It is fortunate we landed close to each other. We have no issues with other as you can see. Today is a bright sunny day and we are busy awaiting our meal. So long, folks!

The home with its beautifully laid out design, its many cubicles has you wondering about its occupant. Suddenly  you feel a stinging pain. You are unaware how it happened. Out of hiding, they fly high and  circle you. That's a one very disturbed  wasp  family showing their temper. You cut a lemon in half and rub briskly over the affected area to reduce the painful sensation.The arm swells and subsides in about three days or more.                   It is certainly a painstakingly crafted piece of skilled workmanship. Just one look at their home confirms this but the dreadful sting and its aftermath changes your Ooh!Wow!...into Ouch!Ouch!OUCH!

                                                                        Atop the fence,                bouquets of papery white          and pink skirted bougainvilleas                   danced a lively tango.                          Heads twirling,               the twisted petals practiced                     repetitive pirouettes.           The cohesed leaves swayed to the                    accompanying twitter of          hopping yellow...

The sounds are alarming. You can hear giggling in the background. The  noise continues. It's like someone is choking or one of those strange sounds you hear in films. Grandma looks irritated and  increases the TV volume. Others rush in towards the source of sound  to  find grandpa bending his head backwards. In a lil' while, his head is upright and then his head goes down and you hear a different kind noise which means you should stand at a distance. This head up, head down, is repeated many times and in a minute or so the ritual stops. He simply smiles and holds up a steel tumbler. You heave a sigh of relief. Eager little ones peer into the tumbler. They see something white and crystalline sticking to the bottom. Grandpa clears his throat and begins his lecture. Salt water gargling soothens sore throats. It should be done like this. Add crystal salt to warm water. Allow it to dissolve. Then start gargling by rolling the salty liquid  yo...

It took time to arrive at a choice. The mind dithered between the plastic ones, the spongy ones, the brightly advertised ones, those sporting a handle and alien like shiny scrubbers going by the name, steel wool. The clamour of vessels grew louder. They needed a wash. Oh well! I was in a hurry. Scrub, scrub! They smiled proudly, looking sparkling clean. The many pieces of coconut pith lying discarded nearby smiled benignly. They had reason to do so. Just a matter of regaining  lost glory in the kitchen.🌞

Little by little they trooped in. No one saw them enter.  Construction began. Tunnels emerged.  Innovative mud trails, running all the way up and down. The silent brown victim stood  steady, his twisted, weatherbeaten body unaware of the dangers looming ahead. Up and down, marched the line of teeny-weeny beasts, hungry as ever for their share of f(w)ood. Scurrying out of nooks and crevices, the announcement was clear. Deep from below...we, the terrible termites have arrived.

                 The pink rosebud opens.                          Sepals flip.                          A soft smile                            splices                        tip to bottom.

I am falling. Almost gone. When I think my journey is over, someone out there seems to think otherwise. That someone keeps insisting... lean on me. And I did just that and now I feel rejuvenated. Eager hands have even created a clinging bond with a piece of cloth. Months later, you can see the new me with fresh sprouts of living green. That's right. I am your hardy neem tree longing for a bit of extra attention.