RIM ZHIM GIRE SAAWAN...

"RIM ZHIM GIRE SAAWAN"

It’s Never Late to Fall in Love.

Having a breathtaking monsoon this year....Rain is indeed a romance, with no Ifs & Buts... It’s Never Late to Fall in Love.

Yes Rain is a welcome guest, thousands of acres of parched land is blessed with the advent of rain. A right amount of rain is a bliss, though its needs varies with person to person and profession to profession. Writers, Poesy & lyrics writers gets triggered during rain, even the dogs too love the rains.

….anticipations driving wild ahead of the fogs decide to fall....smell of the wet earth that the first showers beget.....all the debris & dust - heat & lust rove restlessly is washed to corners to reveal the lush green around......and the love story grows to the pitter-patter on the window panes...... in the misty 'rim zim' trains that avers .......sulag-sulag jaaye yeh maan'

Rain is natural & majestic replenishment for our underground aquifers and groundwater table. Even the rivers sing to the tune of rain. The rain weaves the bald head of the earth with a green canopy.....rain makes the flora and fauna, keeps the bees busy in pollination, and the very essence of life and...... If it doesn't would bring the worst nightmare to all living beings..

I came across these lines somewhere and now they are released from the captivity of my mind!! Man, despite his pretensions, sophistications and myriad accomplishments, owes his existence to a 6-inch layer of top soil and the fact that it rains. — Unknown.....

Santosh Sadasivan

My Poesy Albums: Coming back home

My Poesy Albums: Coming back home

I think about YOU!!

I think about YOU!!

When I was a kid

I wonder, the world was truly big

I remember, I used to walk down to my schools and

On the road side, there were humble shops selling tea and eatables

Small time cotton candy vendor

Today there are video parlours, Mobile shoppe, Malls

Their parking are full of cars.

I think the World is getting smaller these days..

When I was a kid

I wonder the evening was a bit  longer

I ran with the kite and used to fly for hours

Or I used to ride on the bicycle and bet a race

And at the end, return home weary and exhausted

Today the night falls before the evening

Or directly the night begins

I think the Time is shrinking these days..

When I was a kid

I wonder the friendship had all the colours

We used to visit each other, share books and meals

And talk about girls and cry for hours together

Today we have much more friends

but friendship is at bay..

We meet on traffic signals, and share a "HI" or

Diligently sent SMSes on birthday and festivity

I think keeping Relations are passé these days…

When I was a kid

I wonder we used to play more and learn more

Hide & seek, police and thief, ludo, carrom

Outdoor most than the indoor stay

Today the internet has taken the toll

The TV has made us a living doll

Nobody has time, time for each other

I think the Life is changing these days…

Translated from a poem in Hindi

Santosh Sadasivan

I AM SURROUNDED WITH STUPID PEOPLE AROUND

When things turn tipsy and goes out of command,
When the daily chore you do contributes a reprimand.
You face shit even when you do the most,
A living nightmare, life, turns out to be ghost.

Surrounded with stupid people, in an around,

Whatever you do, nothing appeals or sound.
Conviction & trivials and a sarcastic gesture,
Are the incentive of your toil, you murmur.

You are enraged and curse the living daylight,
You are abused and so you resent with full might.
For the people who contribute to make it so averse,
I respect their dignity and their nutty converse.

The desires daunt me, validate my inner bound,
Worthy you, be righteous, nay you descend to ground.
You are what I am, that makes me spellbound,
No matter you are surrounded with stupid people all around.

Santosh Sadasivan

Making of Curd without the Yoghurt Culture (Jaman)

The importance of Yoghurt/ Curd in Indian food is indispensable. People across the communities consume it in various forms & preparation– like Bongs sweet yoghurt recipe called as misti-doi , the Madarasi’s prefer a tair-sadam (curd rice) more palatable and satisfying…Punjabis have it form of Lassi etc…

Nutritional /health benefits of Yogurt commonly known as Curd in India are many, also called as Dahi in many prominent Indian languages. It’s one of the best source of Calcium for vegans which is equally rich in protein. Its made of natural fermentation of milk during which the lactose of the milk converts into lactic acid and that makes the Curd.

Traditional way of making of Curds is also called as setting of curds, must be quite an easy one.

· Boil the milk,

· Let the milk cool down for a while.

· When the milk is lukewarm, mix the curd or yoghurt culture (Jaman) in it.

· Mix the culture and milk well.

· Cover the bowl and keep it warm

In a traditional South-Indian home, the culture (Jaman) remains the same for decades…There is a myths that surrounds borrowing curds or culture, late evening or at night…… neighbours even discourage accidental inquires of it … Newly married brides often get the first bout of bitterness for misplacing the Culture…

The question, I asked my grandmother when I was a child..

How to make Curd without the Culture (Jaman)?

TIP of the TIME

· Boil the milk

· Let the milk cool down to luke warm......then

1. Pluck some stalk (peduncle) from Green Chilli

2. Immerse them in the luke warm milk

3. Stir the milk once or twice

4. Cover the bowl and keep it overnight for 9-1o hours

5. In winters wrap it to keep the content warm

6. That’s all..

Wise people say that the Calyx contains live bacterium that aids fermentation.

Santosh Sadasivan

Its time for ONAM now!!

The southwest monsoon has just exited the scene and it is green all over and in the ‘God’s Own Country’ it's time for Onam. There is a festive cheer all around. One should be there to witness the grandeur and the ritualistic proceedings marked for ONAM.

Onam, the colourful and picturesque festival represents the true spirit of Kerala transcending the Malayalees the world over to an idyllic state of leisure, games, dance, music and sumptuous feasts. It transports each Malayali to his/her home in Kerala. Onam is the biggest harvest festival and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm irrespective of castes and communities.

The word Onam or Thiruvonam is derived from Sanskrit word Shravanam. Thiruonam is one among the 27 nakshatras or constellations. The word ‘Thiru’ is used to address places and activities associated with Lord Vishnu. Thiruvonam is also believed to be the nakshtra of Vishnu. Onam is normally celebrated at the beginning of Chingam, the first month of Kollavarsham of the Malayalam calendar. This corresponds with August-September according to the Gregorian calendar. It is also believed that Onam celebrations started during the Sangam era. This year, Thiruonam falls on September 9.

During the harvest season, fields look brilliant and glow with golden paddy grains. It is also the boom time for fruits and flowers. After Karkidakam, the month of deprivation, farmers are happy with a bountiful harvest and celebrate the festival to the hilt.

Onam festival continues for ten days, starting from the day of Atham and culminating on Thiruonam. Atham is decided by the position of stars and is regarded as auspicious. There is a smile on almost every person’s face. To the older generation, it is perhaps the only time when the entire family comes together under the same roof. To the kids, it is time for gifts and outings.

Every shopkeeper has a huge grin on his face and goes way out of his normal self to come up with ‘Onam special discounts.’ The general feel-good aura makes you happy too and ends up in spending more on the ‘typical’ Kerala handicrafts than you thought you would. And for me, it is time to meet up with cousins who come home just for this season. Festivals in Kerala are colourful and vibrant. Onam season gives every traveller memories to take home. Suddenly, around the bend, you can hear the beats of the drums and folk dances like the tiger dances and Kummati on the streets.

The story, every malayalees know !!

The festival marks the homecoming of legendary King Mahabali. He is also popularly called Maveli and Onathappan. Mahabali is the son of Virochana and grandson of Prahlad, the devout son of demon King Hiranyakashipu.

Mahabali also belonged to the Asura (demon) dynasty but was an ardent worshipper of Lord Vishnu. He was greatly respected and was considered to be wise, judicious and extremely generous. Everybody was happy and the rich and poor were equally treated. There was neither crime, nor corruption prevalent in his kingdom. It is said that people did not even lock their doors, as there were no thieves. There was no poverty, sorrow or disease in his kingdom. It is believed that on the Thiruonam day, Lord Vishnu took his fifth avatar as Vamana and sent him to the nether world. Onam celebrations are marked in Trikkakara near Aluva said to be the capital of King Mahabali. A temple with a deity of Trikkakara Appan or Vamanamurthy who is Lord Vishnu himself in disguise is also located at this place.

Another feature of Onam is Vallamkali or the snake boat race. The state-sponsored festivals and tourism promotion events showcase the best art forms and festivities. There is a rush of adrenalin with sports like snake boat races and tug-of-wars. A large number of big and decorated boats called Chundan Vallams participate with hundreds of oarsmen for the race. The long boats embellished with festoons and silk umbrellas present a charming spectacle in the backwaters of Punnamada near Alappuzha. The rhythmic rise and fall of the oars as oarsmen row in unison and provided by the songs and music of the drum is an eye-catching spectacle. The annual boat race on the day of Uthrittathi at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district and the Vallasadhya or the feast for the participants is a significant event..

The ‘Athachamayam’ festivities make this sleepy little town a hub of culture. The procession on the last day of the festival is spectacular .Athachamayam is a grand procession that marks the beginning of Onam and is celebrated at Tripunithura. The event recalls a royal tradition when Maharajas of erstwhile Kochi state travelled to the Tripunithura Fort with their entire entourage as part of a custom. A procession of decorated elephants is carried out in Trissur, the cultural capital of Kerala. It is a magnificent sight to watch the bejeweled elephants in their full majesty and grandeur.

Pulikkali or Kaduvakali is another entertaining performance wherein the performers take the guise of tigers. They paint their bodies yellow with patterns of black and red. Scenes of tiger hunting goats and tigers being hunted by humans are beautifully depicted through this folk art. Kummattikali is another recreational folk dance performed during Onam. Clad in plaited grass and a colourful wooden mask, performers entertain the people by enacting mythological and folk themes.

Kaikottikali is an elegant clap dance performed on the occasion of Onam. In this, women sing songs praising the legendary King Mahabali and dance around the Pookalam. Thumbi Thullal is now rarely performed and is a disappearing art form of Kerala…performed by a group of women who sit in the formation of circle. The lead performer sits inside the circle who initiates the song which is taken by other singers.

There is beauty in symmetry with floral carpets adorning most houses, offices and street corners. Flower carpets are a common sight across the state. In the good old days, when flowers were aplenty, each household used to have a healthy compete with their neighbor’s and come up with new designs, in a battle for uniqueness.

No festival is complete without a spread of mouth-watering delicacies. Onam is not different – there is the traditional Onam sadya on offer. It brings out the best of the native cuisine from the Malayali kitchen. You have to taste it once and reminisce would linger and haunt you a lifetime..

Will you take me to Park today?”

These days, everything happens at a express speed, like 2 minute noodles. Even growing up. Talking of Kids, seems like they have matured fast and act as adults. They just don't wanna play outside or take up any sport for that matter as entertainment. What they want is the Mobile and the over-used laptops. They are truly the generation next kids as per phraseology. Nothing amiss, aren't there a time for everything?

During our teanage, we were so much like kids - below average unlike today, who dealt with outdoor games more like football, cricket, kho kho, gulli-danda, hatthi and indoor games that mostly amused us was carrom, antakshri. We used to yell and screem, get dirty and sometimes even fight, pluck roses from neighboorhood, and get occasional threats from them. It was mor fun and there was total involvement. The complaints that cornered us was, we were always out of the house despite mums strict notice to be in before getting darker.

Mobiles and Laptops were not seen and only images were there connected to big labs with tentacles like wire hanging around them. It was not meant for kids at all. T.V and Videos used to seldom attract our basic minds, as they were out of reach. I hardly remember watching a complete movie in a TV, we use to watch movies only in theatre which was more fun. Days, when we were stranded, were only at the examination phase and when most of the subject teacher strongly put a demeanor against our promotion to next class. Going to school was a routine which never was disturbed. We used to walk a mile to reach school, many a times laden with heavy baggage of books which hardly use to bother us. School was a place where we could meet friends and have fun while getting educated. Getting proper education was of utmost importance but we made sure we got our daily fill of sports. Today it is a compulsion of parent more than kids, being educated in top schools. Today the kids are more advanced in the way they are, a boy in class 6th for that matter knows what to wear, how to impress, how to flutter his wealth and state of affairs and to discuss on issues that were not at all our concern at that point of time. He know the total functionality of gadgets like mobile, gprs, bluetooth, video sharing, orkut, mms and the latest...

In reality, nothing practically has changed except outlook, still the babies are born as the way they are, naked and tied to the umbilical cord, the doctor still slaps their butt to ascertain that everything is okay. What has changed is the outlook of parents towards their kids and the definition of “best” - rather giving the best. Every parent in the whole universe would like to give the best for their child and nothing wrong in that. From the moment the child is conceived to the moment it enters the world, he/she is given the best possible care and protection according to the social strata of parents. Nothing wrong in that again, that is the time when the child needs the maximum care and protection to cope up with the worldly matters. But what about the time when the child is around 5-6 years old, when he is able to understand things and get an adequate grasp of surrounding.. When he is able to share things and put up a redressal. I have seen parents scrubbing their heads together, running behind the child with a glass of milk or breakfast in morning. The foundation of spoiling your kids begin there.....Today we make most of our time in the living room, before the TV getting addicted to soaps or scoops that is timely forecasted. A frustrated child is remorsely handed over the remote of TV rather than taking him out, without being bothered about the visuals he is painstakingly watching and putting on is juvenile mind. Aren’t we kind of exposing him/her to nudity/porn at a very tender age? When the child starts going to school before the bag a mobile phone is thurst into his hand so that he/she can call mom or dad in case of distress. But are we not responsible to check the messages they share with their buddies.. or the privacy is more important. Is there a time for that scrutiny at all. No, Mom and Dad are too busy in their own lives to check on that matter. Today every wish of a child is granted and if a child wants to play he is provided with a computer or a video game to sit and play in the house. But has anyone taken care to check if the child is actually playing a game on the computer and not surfing malicious content? Todays life is complex, parents are very busy in amassing wealth for future, and they are so busy that that they can’t spare a few minutes in a day to talk to their children and do discuss with them actually what’s right and what’s wrong? All these grants in form of expensive gadgets and toys are nothing but an alternative provided by parents so that the child doesn’t demand much of their time?

In a busy meeting with the board member, my friend who was sitting alongside, is awakened by a distressing ting of SMS. I could see him replying to the message "Will you take me to Park today?" Not today. Its a demand, the child still is in need of the company of parent. Time is the benefactor and the doer, somebody said. But aren’t we as a parent ruining all our efforts by not giving their kids the time they need. ? Will you take me to the park today?” The stress beneath the syllable Will you... is pregnant with unborn desires, a desire for your warmth and hand-holding. Isn't it so !! Then the big question is do we have time for our children? If the child tomorrow says, okay “I am ready to give up all gadgets, videos, tv-shows, sms and the laptop then would you play with me!! Aren't we to blame ourselves, in the making of misleaded youth of tomorrow, led astray by the hands that were destined to nurture.

Kahlil Gibran truly said in his sacred prophecy, that

Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let our bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Don't curse and predict the future.. but change yourselves, change is inevitable. Please sit with your sibblings, have a little patience, share with them and let them share their thoughts with you too. Occassionaly hold them as the potter while shapping the pot, give them clarity of thoughts, vision and appreciation. The best you can give them is nothing but your TIME, rest all other things are subject to destruction, death or decay.. Understand and act before it is too late. Make them a good and responsible citizen of tomorrow, just the way, your parents did.