Jamai Shosti

'Jamai Shosti', a homely but an important occasion for  all the son-in-laws of Bengal. Bengali's have a special designated day for their son-in-laws who get pampered on this day. Mother-in-laws wait for this special day of the Bengali calendar to treat their son-in-laws with best possible hospitality and food.

Legend says that the women folk used to worship Goddess Shosti for the welfare of their children. Over the years, the celebration of 'Jamai Shosti' has attained more popularity. On this day women folk wake up early, bathe and worship the Goddess for the prosperity and bliss of their children. It is also commonly believed that the son-in-laws are given special attention for the marital bliss of one's daughter. Every parents on this world want to see their daughters happy and leading a prosperous life.

On this day when the daughter of the house arrives with her husband they are welcomed by mother. The mother-in-law applies a small dot of curd on the forehead and ties a thread on the wrist of their son-in-law. Then he is given six different types of fruits and blessed with a type of grass which is known as 'durba' in Bengali and 'dhan' (paddy seeds). The ritual is accompanied with ' ulu dhani' (sound made by tongues) and sometimes conch shells as well. Gifts are exchanged between mother-in-laws and son-in-laws.

The biggest part of any Bengali celebration are their elaborate spread. A detailed menu is prepared for the son-in-laws ranging from different types of fries to fish curry to meat items and of course the sweet dish. Fish and sweets are integral part of Bengali's and no occasion can be complete without these two items. A flash back. Before the advent of electricity mother-in-laws used to fan when their son-in-laws would sit for lunch. The hand fan which is still popular in Bengal used to be part of this festival.

Festivals are meant for fun and gatherings. But the most important message the festivals carry is our love for them and how much we value our relations. In this smart age when human beings are heavily dependent on smart products to get smarter, these festivals are a gentle reminder that spare some time for these occasions. No apps are still made which can give you the contentment to be a part of these festivals. The love, the attention and most importantly the bonding are only to be felt and downloaded in heart.

image courtesy www.resultspie.com

On a lighter note, if you heavily want to participate in a Bengali festival or occasion just ensure your digestive system is in a good condition. Bengali's love food and will never settle with a two course meal. Their meal will be long and elongated with special emphasis of non vegetarian dishes. By the way spare some space for some sweets as well. The dessert section can almost be a full course menu. So just forget about the harsh words like calories and burning them. Just gorge on them and enjoy. Cheers!!!!

Dreamzzz

As the waves hits the rock and the water splashes across my face, my thoughts take a small break while driving across my tumultuous mind. Yes, never realized how with time everything wraps up even though we think they would continue for eternity. Everything yes, everything. Some relationship with time just get stronger while the stronger ones get fragile and eventually whine off.

Perhaps i do not have the correct words to describe certain aspects of life. We devote our time, our trust and believe with every fibre in our body that these people will always be there for us. But a certain windy day changes the direction of the wind. Those certain people get too much involved with life and commitments leaving you wondering about the changes.

The splashing water continues to drench my pajamas while i try to fold them. I placed a pebble on my slippers so that the mighty waves do not carry them away just like the changing times took away a lot of things from me. With time, my postal address changed, age changed my looks, the salon girl changed my hairstyle, new place changed my dressing style, imbalances in the body changed my food habits, commitments towards my life has mellowed me down. Am i the one i knew? Perhaps not! Then why blame certain people for changing. Ha ha ha no answer.

My packet of groundnuts along with my soft drinks are over. I sipped but only the ice remains. Sigh! As i look for a trash bin to dispose them, i realized the clock hands have also changed. It's been long that i have solitarily occupied that rock spot meant for couples as well.

Before you start cursing me for such a low post let me confess, it was a dream last night which left a sort of hangover for the entire day. Now sipping my lemonade and putting my dreams into words i can safely focus on the other productive jobs which can stop such dreams. But most importantly never stop dreaming my friends. Dreams are like cushion which helps you to realise many things of life. Enjoy it...

Just like that....

My early morning joy manifolded today morning on seeing my neighbors daughter dancing on a pile of snow. The little kid waiting for her school bus on an early snow morning. Dancing with joy with her boots digging deep into the snow while still holding her mothers hand, the little girl cared very little about the passer by most of them smiled at her actions. The restless mother kept on murmuring to her daughter, 'have patience, the bus should be here soon'. The word 'patience' is an obese word in itself, i would say. It carries a lot weight all the time especially when do not have the time to bear it.

As my day moved through the train stations, regular commuters were waiting for their respective trains. The moment trains halted at the station people pressed hard to get inside. The ear phones plugged into the ears, detached from the world while still connected through the exact ways they want. People staring at the ceilings and the passing outside, people constantly looking at their watches, clasping their fists. Some music  are a bit loud which penetrates through the ear phones to give us clear idea about the persons taste in music.

My journey doesn't end there. While i switch trains, i discover more and more about the mad rush. Rushing for work, school, college, meetings, interviews, presentation and the rush continues. While i somehow manage to make to my destination in a rush, i am lucky to have my work done in a day. The wait was a bit tiring but it ended fruitfully...While i am running a bit behind time else would have shared in details about my itinerary. Till then have fun, take care and enjoy every single moment of life....

Missed it....

The weather these days is really in a delirious state...The snow, the sleet, the snow drizzled boots which adds extra moisture to the floor when we reach home after a day spent outside. Even though a cup of hot chocolate with or without marshmallow do provide some comfort to those cold hands, yet the thought of stepping out for grocery drives me insane. While i carefully brush the fur of my coat and keep it in the closet for my next use my cousins in the warmer part of the globe are all busy preparing for one of my cousins wedding. Yes, i am going green with jealousy and they are blushing with happiness. They keep sending me pictures of the rituals that are going on while i sit back and bite my manicured nails. The chipped off nails keep me reminding that i am missing one hell of a celebrations.

Various commitments holds me back to attend the wedding while i am virtually present there every moment. The rituals pre wedding, the wedding, the reception and galore of love, laughter and of course good food. Well, not to mention my cousins who keep checking their clothes, jewelry and make up only to confirm with the people around them if everything is fine. It should be tacitly understood that they want some compliments (laughs...they will kill me if they get a chance to read these).

The flower laden house with the air smelling heavily of air fresheners, the busy people rushing to make the last minute preparations, the women folk discussing about the preparations and grandeur, the men discussing about politics and weather and of course the youth community busy giggling over some drinks and fast food. The older community sits and reminisces about their golden days when marriages were a simpler affair where the rituals were given more importance than grandeur. They don't seem to stop there. The express their concern and good wishes to the prospective groom and brides family since they believe that these days more marriages topple than taking place. They are perturbed that their respective daughter-in-laws focus less on the grandchildren than on their carriers. While they enjoy their time with their grand children, yet their ironical tone clearly states their displeasure over the lack of time the parents spend on their children.

Lets move on to the food court. The aromatic inviting food court is the star attraction of any marriage. From sizzling starters, to an array of entrees to luscious desserts every dish is savored by people. The seasonal fruits and vegetables all add to the taste of the dishes.While i am going weak on my knees thinking about what i am missing, especially when i think i have to cook. Sitting thousands of miles away from the wedding venue and my eyes getting a bit moist thinking about my loved ones, all i wish and pray for lots of happiness, good health and prosperous life for the newly weds. God bless us all....

Lovely Lovely....

While we still continue to battle cold and snow, my parents on the other side of the globe are almost in the process of cleaning and packing their woolens. They feel their wardrobes are weighed down upon by the cardigans and  coats which were almost obnoxious this year. My dad jokes over the contrast of weathers at different places. True, as much as we rave about comfort food, my parents are craving for some good winters which would give them satisfaction and the comfort about wearing those woolens. An evening tea session was always looked forward in our house. After office my dad would prefer tae with family and of course the accompaniments. The tea was the priority but as kids we would look at the tray which my mother would bring out at last. The most desired was the much awaited. Growing up in a warm climate soup was never a hit with our family until the geographical differences has changed our tastes now. Fries were always expected even though my mother ensured about our wellbeing, hence it was mostly on weekends. I remember my mother would often grumble about the most difficult decision of planning the menu everyday but once it was out of the kitchen, it was served with utmost love and warmth. Her smile, her loving hands and dollops of love on the food she served all added the joy of eating together. Everyday was a 'thanksgiving' for us. Still today i cannot stop thanking about those moments which i cling to my heart. Its because of those lovely anecdotes a curvaceous smile embraces my lips and my heart leaps with joy at the train of those memories.

While fiddling with my fork and noodles i am trying to decipher about the amount of love it needs to hold a family together. Love is the only binding factor which keeps all the relations in the family going and moving. Love in relationship, love in daily lives, love in food and most importantly the deep love in fight and emerge stronger in relationships. I am still a novice when it comes to cooking and baking but i can certainly try to imbibe my mothers quality of spreading the love and warmth in my family. I must have certainly inherited it (chuckles)

Food comes close to love. So with my dwindling interesting in my bowl of noodles i am going to dig deep in my refrigerator to gorge on something else. But yes i will certainly rustle something for my family and of course with LOVE....It's never late to fall in love with everything around you...Stay blessed!!!!

It's 2014

Its first post of 2014. I am excited, motivated, optimistic about the year. As somebody said, the new year is just like book of 365 pages of blank pages where i will write my deeds. Deeds which reflect my values, ideologies and my behavior towards my family and friends and most importantly towards strangers. Strangers who don't know me and it's my behavior and words who will judge me with that.

It's a cold winter day with the winds blowing the snow away...It's snowing but its more of the turbulent winds which is making it more difficult for people to commute. People all wrapped up in woolens trying bravely to beat the wind and move forward. Some people are drawing some warmth from the cup of coffee while the music through their headphones gives them company while they dig and pull their feet from the snow clad roads. It's an all white pristine image. Suddenly a yellow bus comes. Gleefully the children exit the school buses and make way  to their warm homes where perhaps some loving face awaits with some warm loving food.

Spare a thought for those homeless people who dont' have a warm place to live. The cruel winds just adds agony to their woes. The animals who are yet to be rescued curl themselves in some corner looking helpless at the passer by for a small piece of bread or some eateries. They dont have enough clothing to keep themselves warm in this weather or adequate food to satisfy their growling stomach yet they are perhaps content with whatever little they have. We flip through the magazines to go through some fashion jackets while the clothes they wear do not even keep them warm. We look for discounts at our favorite brands while they look for minimals. We crave soups and wines while they ask for a morsel with little knowledge when would they get their next serving.

Life is so strange. Its almost like weather across the globe. While some parts of the globe struggle with daily life in winters, some people enjoy and bask in the sun. We always yearn for other people's life. My neighbors coat is perhaps warmer than mine, my friends job is more exciting than mine. My cousins kids are far well behaved than mine. My colleague has a clearer skin than mine and so on. Friends lets sit back and appreciate what we have around us. It may not be too expensive but adding just a dash of satisfaction or contentment will certainly make it extra special. Share your food, thoughts, warmth happiness with people around you. Don't look for discounts in the areas. They will only multiply your happiness with time.

As i sip my last drop of coffee i realise i am in a state of mind to make a bowl of tomato soup. But my train of thoughts is cut short when i figure out that i am running out of tomatoes. Never mind, stay happy...Rushing to get some plum tomatoes from the neighborhood grocery while the wind is trying hard to force me to stay inside. I promise, i will get them  and relish my tomato basil soup. Stay warm my friends and enjoy the season....

Seasons Greetings

Yes, so have reached to the year end. Many of us have planned a nice vacation or planning to spend it with our loved ones. The lights adorned houses, the drizzling snow, the aromatic cake flavors gripping the houses all adds to the festive touch. Most of us who battle hard with sweat for most part of the year look forward to this change of nature.

A few years ago i met one of my school friends who jokingly said she loves winters because she can dive into her wine glasses in this season. She loves wine and the season just gives her a boost to indulge in her choices. Ask me its that time of the year to gratify me taste buds with soup varieties and my favored noodles.  Soups are such a comfort food for me. Lots of vegetables with a dash of cream or lemon juice instantly gives me that kick which perhaps a can of beer might do for a person who is freezing.

As for this festive season unfolds, everyday seems to be like a fresh spring day. May be its due to the happiness we feel inside we find everything colorful and lively. I am not good at baking so do not use my aesthetic skills at this domain. So i heavily rely on the mixes which saves the hassle of ratio and proportions.

This year was a remarkable one in terms of family bonding. Lots of visits and unwinding which was much desired in this mad-go-rush life. I am not a social butterfly but good at bonding with people and being a good host (winks). Some comfort food, some cushions strewn all over, some good movies or music and it sets the good vibes for a good lazy conversations. There is no dearth of troubles or pains or anecdotes to share, sometimes it ends on a sad note or some words of wisdom. Its mostly the kids who end these parties since their energies change to fatigue. The formula fed diaper baby who refuse to sleep when they realise there are extra lights on sometimes stretch for hours together whining and making the mom feel terrible.

But all parties end on a promise that we will meet often so that our children socialize and bond more. But yawns, these never happen. We get trapped in our world and priorities. Lets all hope the coming year brings a lot of prosperity in each one of our lives. may we be blessed with health and happiness and spend lot of quality time with our loved ones.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014...............