Thiruvonam in the Bajra fields

Yet another of those 'feeling' evoking images

I was surprisedly shocked this morning to see so many 'What's app' messages greeting me "Happy Onam!"

With Raksha bhandan celebrations round the corner, I suddenly realised I had missed a 'feeling' I  carried within me days ahead of Onam, for the last 24 years.

 Social media didn't disappoint me this time. The innumerable pictures and videos meant to evoke that 'feeling' I was looking for, popped in front of me one after the other.

In class, I had to explain what Onam is to my friends from Kashmir, Himachal amd Haryana.( most of them didn't have the slightest clue!) Limiting the explanation to two sentences, I knew I could have  boasted about the delicacies that make its colourful appearances on the big banana leaf, or the nostalgia that centres around the athappookalam.

sadya, all set!

The lavish spread of healthy dishes do make my mouth water. The best thing I love about the 'sadya' is the confluence of  tastes that bursts in your mouth. Be it the tempting dal-ghee which starts off the elaborate affair, the hot sambar, and a whole lot of other curries! The sweetness of the pineapple curry, the citrous lime curry, the ginger tamarind mixture shouldn't be missed at any cost. Because it is these diverse tastes that add punch to the Sadya. The banana chips would always leave you craving for more. Then, the much loved payasam prepared in different ways. I love paalada (with all the sweetness of the milk) the best.



I did miss having the sadya, but Ruchi's parathas and pickle  kept me happy enough. A big glass of cool banana shake, and sadya was soon forgotten.

Evening was so much fun. After filling my tummy with enough of golgappas, along with my Bihari friend, I explored the beautiful village. It was super fun and I can't explain how thrilled I was to see so many peacocks ( some were smart enough to catch our attention, perched high on roof tops of houses!)

golgappas 

 As we walked along the sandy, narrow lanes, my eyes met the fattest and the healthiest cows I have ever seen in my life!!! The puppy who woke up from his lazy nap to my whistle and the veiled lady who  remarked quite seriously that I better take the puppy along, the bunch of parrots- something that I have seen only in ones or two's, (that too, in sophisticated cages!), the buffaloes in their shiny, black coat enjoying their evening feed, the girls who peekabooed and the boys who raced through the path in their cycles splashing dust to the air, gave me a slice of this village life.

Bajra fields

The village folk were busy carrying steel dabhas of fresh milk to different locations. Because of high productivity of milk in this area, people thrive on milk. I'm told that they drink milk like water!

We walked further, catching everybody's curiosity and attention..The really old woman whom we came across laughed at our thrill at finding a peacock feather and said something even Sarita couldn't comprehend. Another lady whom we met later on suggested we better cover our heads.

As we  walked alongside the bajra corn fields and felt the bajra on our palm, the two girls who came across us  asked us why we are out  wandering at this time of the day.( It must have beeen around 6:30) "Who will be making rotis at home?" was their genuine concern. I gave them one of my best smiles as we passed by. They appeared too cheerful and innocent, largely ignorant of another world..

I wanted to explore more of the village,but it was getting dark and we had to go back. We returned to the campus with assurances that we would come back.

An Onam evening well spent!