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Humour - Me, Spouse, Her Dad And Stress In Pressure Cooker

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Thyagarajan, May 20, 2018.

  1. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    :hello:humour Me, Spouse, her dad and stress in Pressure Cooker :hello:

    It was in kitchenette. Vivid Bharathi broadcast of cine songs wafting through Pocket transistor radio kept on window sill. My mind lost in that hit song Kora Kaguz tha ye Manu Meraa.

    High pressure steam in a narrow tall inverted cone was issuing out from nozzle with a continuous “ hiss”.
    I put the pressure weight over the nozzle and in a moment the cooking will be complete. The wall clock visible from kitchenette in the mini hall chiming ten times.

    Simple lunch to be served on fresh banana leaf is ready.

    The Finely chopped beans curry (with grated coconut to be strewn over it kept separately) churned curd with tomato pulp squeezed in it ( skin peeled after boiling) pacchadi, small onion drumstick sambar, tomato –spinach rasam, and semiya payasam (prepared last night stored in fridge). Large Papad broken into two - fried ready in sealed ss drum.

    Flowery Rice just in the making in pressure cooker.

    Aroma of sambar, redolence of boiled milk all would be mouth watering for sure; perhaps earn me accolades from NS - my father-in-law and probably from my spouse Raji too.

    Home is where heart is. Everything kept in apple pie order as she desires always. Her daily-use dresses freshly laundered yesterday and pressed today, stacked in her wardrobe. Entire home turned baby cum and spouse friendly.

    The long whistle as the steam escaped heralded the joy of her uniting me with baby in arm. I switched off the gas and surveyed of my 350 sq ft. palace for final touches.

    Lady in the adjacent flats were requested already to keep ready the platter with solution of “kungumam manjal (vermillion and haldi) powder – aarathi ”to welcome my NS and Raji-with-kid-in-arms "before they step-into the flat.

    Shaved, showered and dressed up consciously that would be comfortable in humid weather and would remain presentable to spouse and father in law.

    Madras-Dadar express, if it maintains right time, it should reach Dadar Railway station at noon.

    I had a glance of day’s Times of India - city edition. Being restive, mind could not concentrate on any columns. She is coming with our baby of 3 months old. She left me four months ago with her parents for confinement to Chennai.. I looked at the dial of HMT Jawahar - a lovely gift from Raji. It is Thursday. Time is auspicious till half past one.

    Yesterday morning before breakfast, I rolled a one rupee coin into a small white damp kerchief - haldi smeared - and placed it before the deity, praying for their comfortable journey and arrive at home safely.

    The yellow cab just reached alongside Dadar -eastern entrance. I had a glance at the wrist as I alighted from the cab. Time was 11.45 hrs. PAS in air announcing English followed by Hindi and Marathi that Madras – Dadar Express would arrive in right time expected in few minutes on platform number 6.

    As the train approaching slowly to a halt, I spotted NS waving hands through grilled-window from first a first class compartment and I waved back. I ran along side of the slow moving train through the waiting porters and reached spot where their compartment halted.

    Porters in their livery and red turban already entered the compartments even before the train halted. I got into their compartment, engaged a lanky porter looking old - yet robust stocky and tall - wearing thick brass elliptical badge no 786 (Remember Accidental shot megastar Amitabh had in and as Coolie)

    Without any haggling , I engaged him to lift our luggage -18 items. He effortlessly carried all their personal effects in one go, carried it to a wheel barrow chained to a pillar.

    He noticed the staring infant baby in Raji’s arm and said some sweet words in Marathi.

    After few tight hugs and ... she and NS and baby on my shoulder, moved behind the porter pushing our luggage in barrow and as we ambled, she asked me numerous questions softly smiling occasionally. The lanky coolie rolled the barrow, matching to our pace of wading through the crowded platform.

    I noticed Raji had put on weight looking bit plump, face resplendent, tad puffy and bleary eyes sparkling(!) with "eyetex" kajal..... She must have put on slight embellishments, half an hour before train reached destination. Baby, as I wished - was more of her.

    After paying off the coolie generously, I engaged an yellow-cab of Sukveer Singh who happened to be the one helped me in an emergency some years ago, when my room-mate Kalpathri was in ICU - unconscious at Sion hospital .

    We arrived at our hovel before 1.15.p.m. My spouse-with-baby-in-arms and my father in law were pleasantly surprised, as they were welcomed with traditional aarathi by sisters of next flat.
    The Kamakshi lamp, wick-oil ready was lighted by Raji.

    I suggested Raji to sit with her dad for lunch as she had fed the baby only a while ago and put her into sleep. The mini table already set up and they sat around. I had warmed up little semiya-payasam (kheer) when they had gone for wash. I began serving carefully on banana leaf payasam, pacchadi, curry....

    NS was ready with little water in dimpled palm to do paraseshanam (ablution).

    I went into kitchenette, opened the cooker lid to take out the white rice. Removed the cover plate over rice utensil and looked into it.

    -Oh my God! - I was shocked and cursed myself.

    I forgot to add to washed rice - The water - that was measured and kept aside.
    Kora kagaj tha ye manu meraa....
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2018
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  2. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Sri Thyagarajan:

    You are excused because after all you were experiencing the excitement of receiving your new born daughter. Everyone is happy about young dad preparing so much for the arrival of the new born baby. The more important part is to lead a life with the spouse like rice and water so that life is digestable.

    Viswa
     
  3. HazelPup

    HazelPup Platinum IL'ite

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    Ha ha ha. I was expecting no rice but you had uncooked rice ready. Loved the narration. I liked the part where you put coin in haldi towel and kept for their safe arrival. Well written
     
  4. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    :hello:As has always been
    I stand relished with your FB about that blending optimally perhaps the the rice and water. It is doubly happy as you are the maiden one for this thread to plunge into writing superfeedback.
    Thanks and Regards.
    God grant us Godspeed in our earnest endeavour.
     
  5. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    :hello:Thanks from bottom of my heart with your highlighting the part of one rupee coin rolled into Haldi kerchief.
    Regards.
    God grant us Godspeed in our earnest endeavour.
     
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  6. messedup

    messedup Platinum IL'ite

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    The incident has the humour simplicity and full of feelings for your loved ones. Really liked everything that's written.
     
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  7. GeetaKashyap

    GeetaKashyap IL Hall of Fame

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    @Thyagarajan sir,

    This was nothing short of a thriller. All along I was waiting for some action! At the crowded Dadar station I was sure of some action; you punching a pickpocket or the rogue porter. But...nothing happened... it was all goody goody happy scenes;) I wondered, how could a graphic write up end in a 'happily ever after situation' without a climax? Climax ke bagair kahani?...Sach much ka kora kagaz!!!

    Then, when you started serving food...(I waited, chewing my nails as that was all I could do drooling over the drumstick sambar and tomato pachdi! Incidentally, I have made the same flavourful sambar at home today.:banana:) I shifted on my chair trying to visualise the excited younger you springing a surprise. And there it was!:eek::weary: I could imagine the disappointed faces of NS and Mrs Thyagarajan and your off coloured face!:flushed::laughing::sob:

    Excellent narration.:clap2:
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2018
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  8. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    :roflmao: Kya karein! All those songs and dreams and waiting for wife and new born kid!!! Am sure your wife would have forgiven you for the lapse! Very interesting narration.
     
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  9. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Thyagarajan sir,

    Lovely narration! All that preparation and the rice got you! dang it but then it is always simple things that get us don't they! But what a hilarious time you must have had.

    Thank you for sharing it here.
     
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  10. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    This happens on many occasions when gents start cooking.Eitherthey forget to add water or rice or both.We have seen lid thrown over upto the ceiling make the ceiling taste the pongal.Nice narration.
    In 1969 July, I arrived from Srirangam,with my mother and the new born daughter.It was the day on which the astrounauts landed in the moon for the the first time.Having listened to the commentaries on Radio,my husband fell asleep.Rockfort Express arrived at 5.30A. M. In the morning.I got down with a big basket containing clothes feeding bottle etc and a beautiful bamboo cradle gifted by my father to his grand daughter.
    We waited for half an hour.No trace of my husband to be seen.We got a baby Taxi from Egmore to mambalam.We saw the locked house.The house owner lady at the other portion welcomed me with aarthi and asked us to come inside.
    After 45 mts my husband came home.He felt sorry and apologised to my mother who could not take the disappointment.She repeatedly asked him whether he was unhappy of having been gifted with a daughter as the first child.
    Many such events happen in life.

    jayasala 42
     

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