My first Vishu (tamil New Year) after marriage.

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My first vishu after Marriage ​

We ( me and Krish) were married In November 1970 . Krish had earlier taken transfer to Chennai long before our marriage and after our marriage, it was my turn to take transfer to Chennai from Mumbai. Saomehow, after so many requests and representations, I got my transfer to Chennai (ofcourse I had to lose my 3 years seniority but that is a different matter after all na?) during March 1971. Krish had found a small one bed room, kitchen, veranda apartment for us and we started our life there. Slowly I was getting used Olan, kaalan, podithooval etc ( all kerala dishes as Krish was from Trivandrum and though our family originated from Tanjore, we knew only Mumbai). Then came the news that my father in law and mother in law who were in Trivandrum will visit us for a couple of days during Tamil New year and after that they were going to Ahmedabad where my sister in law and family lived. Me and Krish made all the arrangements, cleaning the house spick and span and buying all necessary grocery etc. A day before Tamil New year, my in laws came to our home and I somehow prepared all their favorite dishes and tried to please them. Next day was Tamil New Year day and I had prepared paal paayasam (Milk kheer) and paruppu vada. All went well with my other brother in law’s family also coming and celebrating the new year with us. Paal Paayasam prepared by me was appreciated by one and all and by evening there was only one cup paal paayasam was left. In the evening, my mother in law’s cousin sister and family (four in number) came to meet my in laws. They were coming for the first time to see me and so brought ‘maa laadus’ (laadus prepared with powdered roasted gram , ghee, sugar, kaaju and elaichi) and gave the pocket in my hand which I took and kept in the kitchen. After some talking and introducing me to all the family members, my mother in law just put a bombshell on me by telling ‘sushi prepared wonderful paayasam today. Sushi ! give them paal paayasam and vadai too” I was shocked but came to the kitchen and with me came my hubby too. He knew seeing my face something was wrong. I told him only one cup of paayasam was left even though enough paruppu vadas were there. He said worriedly “I will call amma inside and tell her the position “ but I felt that would make me cut a sorry figure in front of the guests and not only me but it will be a sad affair for my mother in law too. I knew all mother in laws want to showcase their daughter in laws in front of their own people even though they had some grouse against the daughter in law. I was just thinking what to do and my hubby just opened the maalaadu pocket. I almost cired ‘Eureka’ and asked my hubby to go to the hall and get talking to the guest. When he went away, I kept the paayasam vessel which had just one cup of paayasam and poured four cups of milk and started boiling the same. After some good boiling I took three maaladu’s and make them into powdery form and added the maaladu powder to the paayasam + milk boiling. I stirred for two mintues, removed the same from the stove, I just took one teaspoon of the mixture and tasted it and it tasted ‘yummy’ As the maaladu’s had sugar, powdered roasted gram. Cashew nut, pachai kalpooram and cardamom powder, there was no need to add anything. The roasted gram powder gave thickness to the payasam and I poured the ready made paayasam into four st steel tumblers, added some paruppu vadaas in a plate and served the guests. I knew from their faces that everything was fine and yummy. After some talks, my mother in laws’ cousin sister said ‘ kanaka, your daughter in law has made a new very tasty paal paayasam. It is still in my mouth’ My hubby looked at me confused and even though I wanted to wink at him, I could not being in elder’s company. The guests left after the usual paan/blusepiece handing over and my hubby asked me ‘ how did you manage’? My Mother in law looked at me as if to question ‘what is going behind my back’ and I went to the kitchen and broght two half cups of ready made Paayasam ( only that much was left) and gave it to them . They drank and asked me how the paal paaysam got changed to the new avathaar. I explained to them everything and I could say my mother in law felt guilty and at the same time happy too. After that it has always been a practice in our house that whenever paal paayasam is made, in the evening it becomes maalaadu paayasam which means whenever I plan to prepare paal paayasam, either I have to make maalaadu’s or buy the same and keep it ready. Whatever it it, my first ‘Vishu’ (tamil new year day) I can never forget because that improved my status as Daughter in Law in the eyes of my Mother In Law. Happy tamil New year (Vishu) to all of you. sushi

 

thank you very much..

sushi

 

Dear Syamala,

Yes many times we almost cry out 'eureka' and just thought instead of just wishing happy new year, why not I go back to first vishu.

Many would be having such memories and why not everyone share their memories here.

thanks again

sushi