Vishu... For the lunch it was...

Vishu, Marks the beginning of a Malayalam new year, and accidentally, if not incidentally, I was celebrating it too. This incident quite reminds me of what my German boss had to ask us... "How many New Year Days do you have in a new year ?? ", I'd not quite managed to reply him then, But for now, my answer would be... "Mr. Pages, Welcome to India..."

The traditional way of starting the Vishu day, is by seeing the "Kanni", the first thing in the morning, followed by the elders giving the younger ones a token of gift in the form of money as "Kaineetam". Not to the surprise, I did not have a lender or a borrower, It would have been stupid of me to stand infront of the mirror and do this activity... :P, hence let that go.

Any Ocassion in this Malayalee hindu guy's calendar, would be starting off with going to the temple early morning, Vishu was no different ocassion for not to be visiting the temple and hence, Me woke up at 5 am in the morning, infact it was not so.... i acidentally woke up at 4.40 am and because of the warmth of the season, could not dose off.., hence in the morning hours decided that, i would start the day off by going to temple. Bingo!! the day got a jump start, without having to snooze the alarm, i woke up all by myself.

I was at the temple premises by 5.45am and it had the freshness of the morning beauty., Fresh flowers at the altar, most women wrapped in a white and golden border sari, little girls in white and golden border skirt/blouses and few men in the traditional Malayalee style.. Me as always was different, I was in a jeans and T Shirt (Outstanding people have "OUT"standing position).

The only thing that i dont like about visiting temple on an ocassion day is, the rush!! I can't pray in silence and above all, How many would gods listen to ?? Hence, I did not pray for much, (Even otherwise, my prayers are never answered, only then i am more than poor bank a/c wise). I made way for others who were behind me waiting in the que and luckily i'd got to see a well decorated "KANNI". For all those who dont know what KANNI Means, its a decoration with fruits, vegetables and flowers esp, the Konnapoo (biological name being Cassia fistula).

Soon, I was out of a the temple, where i seen a guy distrubuting pamplets.., It had a note saying that they were offering Vishu Sadhya (the noon meals) @ Kammanahalli with 21 types of curries including 2 types of payasam. Wow, My mouth already started watering and can make up for the little grief that i had not been at home for Vishu.

By then, i had already altered the days plan, I made up my mind to head for the office ASAP and leave office by noon, attend the sadhya and then be at home for the rest of the day. I rode back home, expecting a Tea to make up my morning, it was only 6.20 am and me was waiting at the only little Sai Sagar restaurant that opens at that time, but the scene there was totally different, the restaurant had just opened and the cook and the waiters there were just cleaning up, with a lot of buzz from the newspaper distribution guys all around.

The cashier said, it would take some time for the restaurant to be open and hence asked me to comeback after some time., So i headed to my room and left for office straight away. The day at office looked dull, who would be in office by 7.10 am in the morning, and that too in a office like mine, which starts off by 11.00 am!!, Checked my mails and got myself with a list of things in priority to be completed., luckily there was only 1 task which needed immediate attention. I made sure that it be done well in time before i leave. By 9.30 am, headed for a light breakfast in the Basement Tech Mall @ ITPL, wishing family and friends when walking up and down the office.

Time was ticking by and my friend checking out in between to know where are we heading for lunch, I gave the options of this Kamanahalli place, for which i had got a pamplet, but wasn't too sure as it was a good 20-22 kms drive on a bike in the scortching sun. Moreover, my friend had only 2 hours of permission. Hence, headed out to a restaurant close by!! Luckily, as there were just 2 of us, we immediately got a seat, ahead of people who had come in 8-10s. The lesson learnt... Dont take many people for a treat on an occassional day.

The little sadhya had finally started.... I was served different types of curries on a plantain leaf. It looked fresh and why not? We were sitting down at a restaurant called KAAYAL (The Lake). After a couple of rounds with serving & having most of the delicacies of kerala in the form of puliingi, avial, thorans and so on., It was now time to see what others are doing. Diagonally opposite to my table was a bunch of people sitting down and it was the centre point of attraction. On a day like Vishu, None really opt for Non-veg, during the sadhya atleast. There was a fish fry on that table, huh... not quite there..., I thought. Another surprise hit me when i heard a guy from that table shouting.., "Fork and Spoon Please.." huh.., Are there mallus who eat a sadhya with fork and spoon? Westernization.... what else ?? Or was me just hitting on the wrong end, What if they weren't mallus and were just trying out the sadhya, without knowing the significance of it ?

It was around 1/2 hour that the lunch had started and seen me sitting, already finished with the rice that the waiter had served me with and sipping my sambaram! Another waiter in hurry came upto me and asked, "Anything else sir ??".. How considerate... I thought., I smiled and replied... "Nothing...". He replied back..." Sir, Thank you, Could you please hurry up... There are people waiting..." I looked at him with all the expression that i could give.., that was more because the Sambaram (Buttermilk with green chillies & Ginger and so on) was so spicy. However, I hurriedly sipped it up and I was saying to myself, Maybe these guys found you the king of spice, only then they'd managed to put so many chillies in my butter milk.

So there i was... Almost celebrated the so called "Vishu". Finished off a heavy Sadhya, dropped my friend close to the office and headed back home and headed for a 2 hours nap. It was almost 5pm that i woke up after hearing the next room's person knocking on my room's door to see who is around at an unusual time.

By then, it was time for me to forget that Vishu was already over, I would have to wait another 365 days for yet another day like this...

Wishing all a belated Vishu!!

Lots of Luv,

Dhinu!