The Mahalaya Morning

Tomorrow is Mahalaya.

In a couple of hours from now, people in my hometown will slowly wake up, reach for their radios or more likely, their phones these days and listen to the familiar chants that have announced the arrival of Durga Puja for generations.

Mahalaya is the sacred beginning of the Durga Puja season. It marks the invocation of Goddess Durga and the beginning of Devipaksha, the auspicious period leading up to her arrival. For Bengalis, however, Mahalaya has always been more than a religious occasion. It is a feeling a sound, a morning that somehow lives in memory.

When I was growing up, there were no smart speakers, phones, or headphones. There was one radio and somehow, that one radio brought everyone together.

We would wake up early and listen to Birendra Krishna Bhadra's voice as Mahishasura Mardini filled the room. His voice was so powerful, so beautiful, that as a child I almost believed the Goddess had truly descended to earth and would soon knock on our door.

Those mornings were wonderfully ordinary. Nothing fancy happened.

We listened together. If the weather allowed, we went for a short walk afterward. Then came a warm breakfast, eaten without hurry, while the morning slowly became brighter. That was it and perhaps that was everything.

Today, we can listen to Mahishasura Mardini whenever we want. We have phones, speakers, recordings, and every convenience imaginable. Yet something feels different.

Maybe it isn't Mahalaya that has changed or maybe we have.

I miss those mornings. I miss the radio. I miss the sleepy voices, the shared space, the walks, the simple breakfast, and the feeling that everyone was experiencing the same moment together.

Perhaps what I miss most isn't the past itself, I miss the warmth of it.

Times change. Traditions find new ways to live and Mahalaya will still arrive tomorrow, carrying with it the same ancient call.

I just wish, for one morning, time would slow down enough for us to hear it together again.

Tanushree

The Smell of Fresh linen

Some days arrive quietly, looking no different from any other day, and yet somehow they stay with you for a lifetime.

We forget what someone was wearing that day. We forget the weather, the words spoken around the dinner table, even the little details of the place where it happened. But somehow, the feeling remains. The vibe stays somewhere deep inside us, long after the people have left and the moment has disappeared.

The same is true of people who leave us drained. Their faces may fade, their voices become distant, but the heaviness they left behind can linger. Perhaps that is how life teaches us through people, through moments, through days we wish we could forget and days we desperately want to remember.

Today was one of those days.

I realized, once again, that no matter how much I do, sometimes it still feels like something falls short. Perhaps that is simply life. Perhaps there will always be something unfinished, something that could have been better.

But I also know this about myself: I don't give up.

I keep walking. Slowly, sometimes uncertainly, but every day I try to give my best.

Outside, it was a beautiful fall day. The sun was warm, the sky was bright, and the trees seemed to be quietly celebrating the season.

I dropped our blankets at the laundromat to be cleaned. When I brought them home later, the house filled with the smell of fresh linen.

For some reason, it felt sacred. I imagined the Goddess coming home.

I don't know what the Goddess smells like. Perhaps no one really does. But if she ever walked through my door, I think she would like this smell, the softness of freshly washed blankets, the clean quietness of home, the feeling that everything has been gently renewed.

Lunch was fish curry. Dinner was bhindi ki sabzi.

Nothing extraordinary, and yet, perhaps that is the extraordinary part.

A difficult day, a beautiful sky, clean blankets, simple food and the quiet realization that I am still here, still walking, still trying.

Maybe sometimes, that is enough. What do you think?

Tanushree

The Cup of Tea in Between

The day began before the alarm, the way most of days do.

There was work to finish and children who needed to be in different places at different times. She drove, dropped off, drove back, and picked up again, before the working hours started. Between meetings and school gates, she made breakfast, packed lunch, and somewhere in the afternoon began thinking about dinner.

Today her legs ached. Yesterday it was her head. Some days she forgot something important, a form, a call, a name, and felt the small sting of it. But she had learned not to let one forgotten thing become a verdict on the whole day.

Because every day, in the middle of everything, she found ten quiet minutes for tea.

Sometimes it was green, pale and clean, the kind that made her feel rejuvenated. Sometimes it was flavored, a little cinnamon or orange, or a small candle. She held the cup in both hands, let the steam touch her face, and breathed.

In those ten minutes, nobody needed anything from her.

Then dinner came, loud and warm. Plates clinked, someone told a school story, someone laughed with their mouth full. She watched them and felt a quiet gratitude rise, not because life was easy, but because it was hers.

Later, in the stillness, she thought about how ordinary it all looked from the outside. Drop-offs. Dishes. Deadlines.

But she knew better. Every ordinary day was a page, and every cup of tea was a comma, a small pause that let the next sentence breathe.

She wasn't waiting for her story to begin.

She was already writing it, one mundane, beautiful day at a time. Its me and I will continue tomorrow with another story.

Tanushree

A Day That Smelled Like Pujo

The morning came in softer than yesterday. The weather has started to change and fast. There's a new crispness in the air, and the light has turned that soft yellow, I feel.

Whenever the sun slips through the window now, my heart does a little jump. I know why. In a few months it will start hiding behind grey skies, and I'll be counting the days until it returns. So I stood a moment longer at the window today and let it warm my face. Some joys deserve to be noticed on purpose.

The younger one had extra classes today, so I packed a few more snacks than usual. A little more in the box always feels like a little more love. I zipped the bag, said "Eat properly, okay?" and watched the door close behind her. Then the house went quiet, the good kind of quiet, with room to get things done.

Maa Durga will be here soon, and the house knows it. I changed every bed sheet, ran load after load of laundry, and cleaned whatever corners I could reach. There's something about the days before Pujo that makes you want everything fresh, as if the goddess herself might drop in and inspect the linen.

Lunch was simple: mixed subzi and a bowl of warm dal. It wasn't fancy, but it was exactly right. I sat down only after everything else was finished, and the first spoonful tasted like home.

By afternoon the laundry smelled of sunshine, the rooms felt lighter, and the day felt full without being heavy.

She's almost here. I can feel it.

Maa aschchen.

Tanushree

Hello wonderful people,

I hope you're all doing well, flourishing, healing, and marching on in this journey of life. It's been so long since I visited this space. I've missed it, and I often thought I should just write five lines, but time kept beating me and the days kept running away.

The truth is, I haven't stopped writing. I've been writing here and there, in notes, in drafts, in bits and pieces that never made it to this page. But I want to come back to this space, and this time in a way that's actually doable for me.

Since I don't have the time for video blogs, I'm going to share small snippets from my daily life instead: a thought, a moment, a photo, a few lines. Nothing polished or perfect, just real and regular.

And what better time to return than now? Bengali Durga Pujo is almost here. The air has already started to change. There's that gold in the afternoon light, the shiuli on the ground, and a feeling in the chest that I can never fully explain but every Bengali knows. The dhaak is somewhere in the distance, getting closer.

So if you'd like to walk through these days with me, the pandal moments, the food, the memories, and all the small things in between, stay close. I'm happy to be back.

'Maa aschchen' 🌺

With love,
Tanushree

Tiffin Tales 131

 

Bonjour Spring

We all expressed our love in the month of February and now it's time we move to the lovely weather of Spring. The season of spring is almost here and most of us are bursting with ideas of travel and gardening. Ever wondered what's so special about the spring season? Spring brings hope, inspires us and makes us believe that we can still fulfill those unfulfilled promises. The return of leaves, the blooming tulips and daffodils are all nature’s cues that we have crossed the long, dark winter nights. The days are longer, the sun rays are warmer and nature looks ready to burst out with colors. It all looks splendid.

A lot of people will agree that longer daylight hours to an extent is sure a mood uplifter. It helps with better concentration and zeal to achieve the day's goals. In countries like India there is a festival called ‘Holi’ which marks the beginning of spring. People play with dry colors to soak in the sun and celebrate the season.

When we think of spring we think of love which isn’t just about two individuals. True love starts with a little self care. Many times while racing against the clock we tend to forget ourselves or pay very little attention to our bodies.

True love begins with self care and self love. Self care is never selfish. If you love yourself and you are at peace, only then you can start loving people and accepting your situations more comfortably.

We had a life before Covid 19 hit us in different ways. We found different ways to fight it and deal with it. Life certainly has thrown giant balls of stress in these covid times which is why we all have been fighting extra hard to keep it at bay. In the process to keep our thoughts and spirits uplifted, we all have been practicing old hobbies or taking up new, learnt new craft, baked new dishes or better learnt a new language. We all struggled to keep ourselves engaged and active.

The tides are certainly getting calmer. We are slowly but certainly marching to our pre covid lives. Even though it's early to completely let our guards down yet we all cheer ourselves that we have made it so far. We all have made many lifestyle changes during these times and we should certainly hold on to the ones which kept us safe and healthy.

Let’s start with a basic few reminders which should be on our list every day. Inspiration anyone?

Exercise- Love your body. Never be conscience stricken about your body. Our bodies, especially female bodies undergo lots of hormonal and childbirth changes. Accept those changes gracefully and work towards overall fitness. The overall goal for anybody is to be healthy and build better immunity. Start with any low impact exercise and gradually move towards anything challenging. Start simple. So just grab your water bottle, a mat if you want to start with yoga, or put on your exercise shoes. Yes, don't forget to turn on your favorite music. It certainly adds extra punch to your workouts.

Healthy eating- We love to eat and indulge occasionally. Healthy eating hugely impacts our bodies. Try to satiate your cheesecake cravings by having a single piece. Never deprive your yearning but

portion control certainly helps to stay within the boundaries. Add more fruits and vegetables to your palette. After all, with summer coming up, who doesn't want to look great in that little black dress or a pair of shorts.

Water- Water, water and more water. Ditch those cans or bottles and stay focussed on water. Boring, you bet! Add some lemon or mint or strawberry. Okay we know you have lots of ideas to make that glass of water interesting. So just start. Water not only just hydrates your body but does tons of other chores for our bodies. Well, after all those harmful toxins are flushed out of bodies, you will love that soft glow on your skin. Smiling already, so just start right away!

Sleep- At some point in our lives we all wanted to throw that alarm clock away because we wanted some extra sleep. We wanted to steal those extra minutes before rubbing our eyes to open wide and start our day. Sleep deprivation is like refusing food to our brains. Our brains need it in the right amount to function effectively which is why it makes it extremely important to sleep well. Plan your time well. Let your favorite shows or movies wait a little longer while you catch up with your sleep. A good sleep helps to fight stress a lot better than just brooding over it.

Stress- Stress is synonymous with each of us these days. While stressing, try to stress less. Well, easier said than done but stress has huge impacts on our bodies. The heart is one of its worst victims. Try to manage stress with meditation by stealing a few minutes each day. Change will be noticeable, guaranteed!

Baking- Love cake? We all do. We do not need birthdays to bake or eat a cake. Try baking, it's very therapeutic and your family members will simply love and appreciate your effort as they dig into each slice.

Vacation- It’s spring! No need to pack those heavy jackets to keep you warm when you are on your vacation. We all need a small break from our lives from time to time and hit a new road. You need not fly all the time. Pack some healthy snacks, your favorite clothes and zoooom to some countryside location. Soak the sun and it will leave you rejuvenated.

Gardening- Most of us love flowers but do not have enough space to keep enough plants in our balcony or patio. Winters can be quite harsh for the plants too. It's spring and perfect time to plant those seeds which will bloom perfectly by the time summer sets in. Gardening can be a big stressbuster and the end result of gardening will be purely joy.

Sport- Adding a sport to your life is a great way to keep yourselves fit. Any kind of sport takes away all the negativity and dullness from bodies and minds. Just make sure to keep yourselves hydrated whenever you are playing any sport.

These are a few elementary self care ideas which we feel will make you feel enlivened and reinvigorated. Enjoy the season and catch you in summer!

Tiffin Tales 130

 Hola...

I am here after a little over a month. The weather has changed here for sure. It's early spring even though we do experience bouts of cold days every other day. A few birds can be spotted which is a positive spring sign, I guess. February was all about snow and more snow. 

I wrote a short story in the month of February which I haven't published here. Incase you get curious let me know, I will share here. It feels good when you write something and it gets published in your community magazine. A few people go through it and get back to you with some encouraging words. So the month of February was uniform to me.

March for me is all about spring, birds chirping, green new leaves, spring cleaning and of course putting the heavy duty jackets to rest for a while. The lighter ones take the prime spot. Even though not all trees get new leaves yet they do show signs of spring which is so stimulating. Spring cleaning, I have renamed it as March madness. The snow boots, the heavy jackets and comforters and all other winter accessories get a quick spin in the washer or the sun. I try to replace my bed sheets with the floral ones to revive my freshness of mind. Very soon the tulips will be out in the garden and floral sections of the stores.

Did I mention I recently tried my hand on banana bread? My Bengali family has more than one sweet tooth and we binge on different sweet items every so often. I am conservative with sweets but do enjoy making them. The banana bread was all good except for the sizing. I didn't have a proper bread baking pan and instead used an aluminum foil pan for that. My younger one was certain that it was a cake. It took some art skill to cut it into a rectangular shape of a bread and serve them. I triumphed the taste but failed to convince the little one to call it a bread. Well a few more attempts will surely follow soon.

It's been close to a year that the pandemic gyrated our lives. Slowly we all have adapted our lifestyles to the new norms and following it. The journey hasn't been easy for anyone of us and we all are still battling it every single day. Here's hoping that the new weather brings more positivity in our lives. May we continue to grow and shine in our respective areas. Happy reading!