The curtains rise again for our IL Awards Nite. I feel like I am on a stage performing the drama that goes with every awards function. All the jabbering, entertaining, keeping up the suspense and finally the announcement ..... after all that hungama. The stage lights are on, the spot lights are on and the auditorium is ..... I don't know. It is too dark. I can't say if there are any audience. 25 nominations this month!!! It has been a tough call, trying to decide who the winner is. One thing is for sure. This month has been a gastronomic delight. What with so many threads connected one way or the other with food, it has surely made for delightful reading. Geeta Kashyap with 4 nominated posts has been the flavour of the month. Well, why not? Apart from two winning contributions to the fiction section, she has also served out 'Khichadi' and sweetened our palates with Kobari Mithai. SGBV has not been far behind. She has dished out stories from real life which unfailingly hit the mark. Where does she stand in the race for the prize? I am sure she certainly did not consult the astrologer. Archanaanchan, too, with 3 nominations provided us with sumptious fare - ready to eat pongal on a banana leaf followed by a dessert of malai kulfi. Talking of banana leaves and pongal, how can we forget Nandinimithun's banana puzhuku and weekend meal? "Does Marriage Get Better With Time" asks a reader. 'Time, effort and understanding are of the essence' is Amica's sage essence. "This too shall pass" says SGBV and "Let Go of Hate" is Pooja's prescription to the troubled. A simple problem of misplaced calcium, fighting dogs and tearing tendons cannot stop our effervescent Meena Sankaran. Could Jupiter be the cause of her problems? Or maybe the positions of other constellations in the zodiac? Maybe she should go have a consultation with our in-house astronomer, kkrish. "I want you to be happy with me" says Gauri and Vijima (iyerviji) responds with 45 years of togetherness! Jayasala parachutes in with a story of a loving father who proves that any man who cares enough can. But can I select a winning post out of all the choices laid out before me? Difficult, but not impossible. And so now, coming down to business, I am extremely happy with Gauri's snippet - just as she wanted us to be. The Finest Narration of the month goes to Gauri03's "I Want You To Be Happy At Me" for sharing a really touching conversation between her and her little girl. Out of the mouths of babes and infants. Child is the Father of Man. The apple did not fall too far from the tree. 3 proverbs proved true by the wisdom of the little girl's words. The Finest Contribution of the month goes to kkrish for "Constellation and the Zodiac". What an amazingly simple explanation of such an complex topic. Kamala has a unique way of making the most difficult subjects fascinating. Her skill at coming down to the level of dodos like me is as mind-boggling as the very universe that she describes. How can I forget to thank and congratulate the members who nominated these sterling threads? kkrish, Mistt, Viswamitra, jayasala42, Amica and Gauri03, Caughtinbetween, jayasala42 hearty congratulations and a million thanks to all of you. No less thankful am I to all the other members for all the wonderful threads you have nominated. Unfortunately I have to restrict myself to just to prizes a month. Thanks a lot for this amazing response in the first month of 2018. I do hope this is an indicator for the months to come. Looking forward to a similar response in February as well.
@Gauri03 @kkrish hearty congratulations for winning FP & F.C. for Jan 2018 RESPECTIVELY!!!! I remembered Wordsworth & yesterday’s total LUNAR eclipse! Regards.