Lalita Iyer

 PANASAKAYA BIRIYANI AND PACHEE JEEDEEPAPPU KOORA We all enjoy indulgences. But the best ever indulgence is to be able to sit around and be served. Only a woman would understand this. With a group of persons where there are no pretenses. I also found out the definition of Awesome. It means 'Impressive and sometimes frightening'. I am not using this word. I am feeling it. Because that is the first impression you get when you see Harinilayam, the home that Renuka and Harishchandra Mullapudi and their daughter Shivani have built for themselves at Tanuku. Amidst huge tracts of paddy fields being harvested, you drive through idyllic beauty, with banana trees bending down with the weight of the huge 'hand' of green bananas, even as the banana leaves slap around in the breeze. Technically a single banana is called a finger, by the way. The paddy stubs are being burnt here too and the smoke rises from the ground to look like fog, where it stands still in the after

  FILMS, HEROES AND SCREEN TIME Just finished watching Vijay's Leo. It has come to OTT immediately after release. There are some cute scenes, but wonder why Vijay had to go topless so often. He does not have a figure for that at all. In the movie he was invited to save an entire town from a hyena, but gets petrified on seeing an eagle, albeit at close quarters. There is a wonderfully choreographed song, a very boring Trisha, a loud Sanjay Dutt, a very ordinary Arjun. This movie is about one criminal, trying to cross over. And typically he is a one-man army. He kills all and comes back alone. And not everyone looks good with hair extensions. The one and only Anna, Rajni Anna can carry it off. I'm also given to understand that the movie Tiger Nageshwar Rao is doing well in theatres. Really? Of course it is a movie with a mass hero at its helm. Raviteja. Again a one-man army, who kills 'em all to come back alone. He uses all kinds of arms for this bloody bath, bu

BATHUKAMMA. IN WORSHIP. The first and last time that I watched a Bathukamma festival was at Warangal. The largest Bathukamma had been awarded some kind of prize. After which I walked with the women to the lake where the flowers were merged with the water. Such gaeity, such piety, such colour and such glory. Women, when they are in their elements can do that to you. Bathukamma is all about women. The little cone of flowers represents the mother goddess, with all her seasonality, her herbaciousness, her curative powers and that it was collected from nature only to be given back to nature. For you see, when it mergeS with the water it purifiES it, adding medicinal qualities to it. While there is a lot of colour and women dress up to greet other women, this festival stems from a certain sadness. All the sons were killed in wartime and prayers were sent up to heaven and then one day a girl child was born. She was Bathukamma Or saviour. She is the healer, the curer, the protector, the nur

  NAVARATRI GOLU BOMMAIS  When I was in school and slightly obedient, I'd obey Amma and help her with the arrangements for a colourful Golu. The boxes would descend from the closed shelves on top of the cupboards, dusted and all the safely packed mud statues, (mostly gods and goddesses) toys, an used electric motor would be unwrapped carefully and unnecessarily dusted. And I had to go perch them atop the shelves, which would be further rearranged by mother with discerning and artistic eye. After the shelves were arranged a separate, 'extra item' would be prepared. A temple with steps, with lights and a park beneath or a forest with wild animals, etc. We would have a water park, where a motor boat would noisily slice through the water. To be changed every day. And the awitching on and off of motor boat was my job, carried out with precision. Arrival of people and departure of the same, after the vettalai-pakku, tengai, payyam, with shundal in donai had been handed over. Aga

  MAAVADU, SEVAI AND EXCESS LUGGAGE I normally reach the airport at least with two hours to spare. Window shopping and sometimes just gawking at people is inspiring. I reached the Chennai airport with two hours to spare. When I kept the suitcase for weighing, it weighed 16.45 kgs and I was suitably shocked. Luckily a very young boy at the counter simply scolded me and said "next time please learn to pack less, maam" And added the luggage tag, looked at me disapprovingly and sent me off. I came away with a light heart and another heavy hand luggage. Incidentally I was carrying a slightly large kal chatti, some maavadu and sevai (cooked and steamed. We just have to add flavour). I was stopped at the security and the guy asked me what I was carrying. When in Chennai I tend to pick up things and these days all the major sweet shops are selling pudi khozakattai, amani khozakattai, sevai, etc. I told him I had such with some chutney. He strangely asked me if I was also carrying t

  Twenty EMOTIONAL ROUNDUP Murali and I returned to Hyderabad on the 23rd September. I wanted to round off this trip with some thoughts. This trip was full of emotions. Nature's bounty can do that to you. It is an overwhelming feeling. Ripe tomatoes to be plucked, grapes to be had just because they are hanging by the door, kiwis decorating the windows, flowers vying with one another to look more colourful. And this excessive beauty can stun you, even as you are in its midst. Yet, life goes on. Does excessive beauty in nature give the citizens living in its embrace a different attitude towards people in general? No. Would be my basic answer. Making a huge exception of Matina and Bruno and their families. Bruno's brother and their five children are moulded from a different cloth. There is an unique warmth and welcoming attitude in all of them and I shamelessly and guiltlessly give all credit to Matina Hammerlil. During one of our conversations she said "I was born a happy