Diwali day - morning 4 AM. Amma is already up. She prepares for the traditional ganga snanam for the entire family. Whole black pepper, red chillies and betel leaves floating in hot gingelly oil, the traditional vethalai pakku (betel leaves, areca nut) along with bananas kept ready on a silver plate along side, nalangu (red coloured paste made from mixing lime used to paint on walls and turmeric) in a small bowl - all awaiting the sleepy heads at home.
Paati is also up next. One by one, all the children are kicked out of their beds. Easier done on a Diwali day because no child wants to miss being the first person in the block to start off bursting the fire crackers. Sets off a war between the siblings too - to have a bath! We sit on the manai (a wooden platform used as a seat) duly decorated with Amma's izhai kolam. Paati rubs the hot oil on our heads, patiently puts the nalangu around the ankles, pops the vethalai pakku in our mouths followed by a shove of the ceremonial banana piece, and hands over the new clothes after prostrations are duly done. Amma is meanwhile keeping peace with the fidgeting, quarreling siblings.
5 - 6AM - The TV program starts. Some famous carantic musician or the other starts off the Mangala geetham (auspicious music) on the nayanam. Amma is busy in the kitchen brewing piping hot coffee for all the adults. Appa picks up the newspaper and plonks in front of the TV. The kids run in and out, searching for crackers, all the while fighting, boasting about the new clothes or the special type of crackers that others don't have.
6 - 8AM - Some self-important movie star starts off the day's bombardment of cinema based programs. Amma begins preparations for the Diwali feast which consist of at least Paruppu, More Kuzhambu, Poosanikkai pulippu kootu (white pumpkin gravy), thakkali rasam (tomato rasam), vadai, thayir vadai, payasam, kai, appalam, vazhakkai varuval (banana chips), senaikizhangu varuval (yam chips). Everything has to be made fresh on that day only, the only item that comes out of the fridge is the yoghurt for the thayir vadai. On a two burner stove, milk is constantly on the boil for coffee for the family followed by the friends and other relatives that constantly stream in and the milk concoctions for the kids. Amma is busy chopping vegetables, grinding the gravies for the various dishes (in the days when modern equipment like mixers and grinders were banned by Paati's diktat, she had to do all these by hand on her ammikkal - the stone grinder), deftly managing the brewing of one dish, frying of an ingredient etc.
8 - 9 AM. We kids are hungry. "Amma, we woke up so early, we are hungry, give us the vadai, payasam right away." She can't. Everything has to be kept ready for the pooja and naivedyam, so there's no way we can lay our hands on any the festive goodies. Amma suspends the feast preparations and starts making dosas to keep us quiet.
9 - 10 AM. The latest movie to be released on Diwali day is announced and the bimbette who starred in it shares her insights on how she got this far in unbearable Tamil - the interview is mostly in English anyways, even that English is tortured and mangled. But then, she is a starlet and the entire family gathers around the idiot box - save Amma. She is back at her chores. Appa gets bored of watching TV for 3 hours, strolls out for his cigarette break and gathers with his friends to discuss the latest news in politics.
10 - 11.30 AM. Solomon Pappiah is the naduvar (judge) of yet another pattimandram (debate), the staple diet of any festive day TV programming. Today's topic is "Who is to blame for problems afflicting women? Women or Men?" a refreshing variant from the Dussehra programming just 20 days earlier, "Who creates more problems in the society, Women or Men?" We have the usual round of debators, an equal number of men and women who are known for their verbal wizardry and humour-laced duels. They crack silly jokes on their spouses, father-in-laws and neighbours, buttress their arguments with one-liners and lyrics from movies and throw barbs at the opposing teams. Meanwhile, Amma is done preparing for the gravies and starts the mixer to grind them. In chorus, all the addicts in the living room yell, "Amma, can't you wait for the commercial break? We can't hear anything." Amma switches off the Mixer and waits indulgently. It's a different matter that during the commercial break, hell breaks lose to find the next most interesting program on a competing TV network.
11.30 AM - 2 PM. The TV set screams, "Thiraikku vanthu sila maathangale aana, super hit thiraippadam." Literally, it means, a latest release, super hit movie but read between the lines - it refers to the movie that nobody ever cared to buy tickets for coz it was so darn lousy in the first place but is still being foisted on an unsuspecting audience on Diwali day by the producer who must have paid the TV network to get it off his hands. Meanwhile, Amma is pleading one child after the other, "Please go and give some of these Diwali batchanam (sweets and savories) to the neighbours." None of us budge, "No Amma, this scene is very important, there is going to be great song in the next 2 minutes, look at him fight," or something to that effect. Amma goes on the distribution rounds herself. She also manages the visitors who stop by incessantly. She also occasionally yells out for us to eat our food, but our eyes are fixed on the movie program.
1.30 PM - Just when she has finished work and is ready to take a break, the hunger clamour begins again. Amma asks for 5 more minutes. She wants everybody to have hot vadas, the cold ones are dunked into the dahi vada. Vazhai ilai (banana leaves) laid out, Amma brings out the dishes one by one and serves them to everybody. Tummies full and satiated, everybody rushes to wash hands and plonk in front of the TV. Amma clears up the mess and sits down for her first morsel of food since morning.
Movie over, kids are ready to go out and stake the neighbourhood to burst more crackers or play with friends while Appa is tired and ready to take a nap. Amma is busy cleaning the pots and pans. By 3PM, she starts asking Appa to take her to homes of important relatives to hand over the Diwali sweets, get blessings from the family elders etc. She drapes her Diwali sari and a quick face wash later, is off on the journey to meet everybody. 2-3 hours later, she is back home, worrying about the kids and making dinner plans.
We kids have always had a great Diwali. It is always a great holiday, crackers on hand, sweets and savories to pile up the calories for the entire year, enough idiocy on the TV to keep us engaged, friends to play with - this couldn't be better. Amma? Well, Amma's Diwali is all about keeping us all happy. It is another day, in fact, it is a day she works harder than usual.
This Diwali, I reserve my wishes for all the mothers that slog in the kitchen and keep their families happy; the fire personnel who go to work as usual to douse the fires caused by reckless rockets that fall on thatched roofs; the security forces (police and armed forces included) who are vigilant and on their toes ensuring no miscreants take advantage of a festive mood and cause mayhem; the emergency staff at medical establishments who are on standby to take care of a burn here, a broken limb there or still taking care of other patients in their care; the bus & train drivers and pilots who miss being with their families to transport millions to their loved ones; and the scores of others who sacrifice their time for others to have a great day. All festivals are just like that. Somebody has to work so the others can enjoy. The least I can do is recognise this and pray silently for the toiling masses and wish well for them too.
Happy Diwali Amma. This one is for you alone!
Paati is also up next. One by one, all the children are kicked out of their beds. Easier done on a Diwali day because no child wants to miss being the first person in the block to start off bursting the fire crackers. Sets off a war between the siblings too - to have a bath! We sit on the manai (a wooden platform used as a seat) duly decorated with Amma's izhai kolam. Paati rubs the hot oil on our heads, patiently puts the nalangu around the ankles, pops the vethalai pakku in our mouths followed by a shove of the ceremonial banana piece, and hands over the new clothes after prostrations are duly done. Amma is meanwhile keeping peace with the fidgeting, quarreling siblings.
5 - 6AM - The TV program starts. Some famous carantic musician or the other starts off the Mangala geetham (auspicious music) on the nayanam. Amma is busy in the kitchen brewing piping hot coffee for all the adults. Appa picks up the newspaper and plonks in front of the TV. The kids run in and out, searching for crackers, all the while fighting, boasting about the new clothes or the special type of crackers that others don't have.
6 - 8AM - Some self-important movie star starts off the day's bombardment of cinema based programs. Amma begins preparations for the Diwali feast which consist of at least Paruppu, More Kuzhambu, Poosanikkai pulippu kootu (white pumpkin gravy), thakkali rasam (tomato rasam), vadai, thayir vadai, payasam, kai, appalam, vazhakkai varuval (banana chips), senaikizhangu varuval (yam chips). Everything has to be made fresh on that day only, the only item that comes out of the fridge is the yoghurt for the thayir vadai. On a two burner stove, milk is constantly on the boil for coffee for the family followed by the friends and other relatives that constantly stream in and the milk concoctions for the kids. Amma is busy chopping vegetables, grinding the gravies for the various dishes (in the days when modern equipment like mixers and grinders were banned by Paati's diktat, she had to do all these by hand on her ammikkal - the stone grinder), deftly managing the brewing of one dish, frying of an ingredient etc.
8 - 9 AM. We kids are hungry. "Amma, we woke up so early, we are hungry, give us the vadai, payasam right away." She can't. Everything has to be kept ready for the pooja and naivedyam, so there's no way we can lay our hands on any the festive goodies. Amma suspends the feast preparations and starts making dosas to keep us quiet.
9 - 10 AM. The latest movie to be released on Diwali day is announced and the bimbette who starred in it shares her insights on how she got this far in unbearable Tamil - the interview is mostly in English anyways, even that English is tortured and mangled. But then, she is a starlet and the entire family gathers around the idiot box - save Amma. She is back at her chores. Appa gets bored of watching TV for 3 hours, strolls out for his cigarette break and gathers with his friends to discuss the latest news in politics.
10 - 11.30 AM. Solomon Pappiah is the naduvar (judge) of yet another pattimandram (debate), the staple diet of any festive day TV programming. Today's topic is "Who is to blame for problems afflicting women? Women or Men?" a refreshing variant from the Dussehra programming just 20 days earlier, "Who creates more problems in the society, Women or Men?" We have the usual round of debators, an equal number of men and women who are known for their verbal wizardry and humour-laced duels. They crack silly jokes on their spouses, father-in-laws and neighbours, buttress their arguments with one-liners and lyrics from movies and throw barbs at the opposing teams. Meanwhile, Amma is done preparing for the gravies and starts the mixer to grind them. In chorus, all the addicts in the living room yell, "Amma, can't you wait for the commercial break? We can't hear anything." Amma switches off the Mixer and waits indulgently. It's a different matter that during the commercial break, hell breaks lose to find the next most interesting program on a competing TV network.
11.30 AM - 2 PM. The TV set screams, "Thiraikku vanthu sila maathangale aana, super hit thiraippadam." Literally, it means, a latest release, super hit movie but read between the lines - it refers to the movie that nobody ever cared to buy tickets for coz it was so darn lousy in the first place but is still being foisted on an unsuspecting audience on Diwali day by the producer who must have paid the TV network to get it off his hands. Meanwhile, Amma is pleading one child after the other, "Please go and give some of these Diwali batchanam (sweets and savories) to the neighbours." None of us budge, "No Amma, this scene is very important, there is going to be great song in the next 2 minutes, look at him fight," or something to that effect. Amma goes on the distribution rounds herself. She also manages the visitors who stop by incessantly. She also occasionally yells out for us to eat our food, but our eyes are fixed on the movie program.
1.30 PM - Just when she has finished work and is ready to take a break, the hunger clamour begins again. Amma asks for 5 more minutes. She wants everybody to have hot vadas, the cold ones are dunked into the dahi vada. Vazhai ilai (banana leaves) laid out, Amma brings out the dishes one by one and serves them to everybody. Tummies full and satiated, everybody rushes to wash hands and plonk in front of the TV. Amma clears up the mess and sits down for her first morsel of food since morning.
Movie over, kids are ready to go out and stake the neighbourhood to burst more crackers or play with friends while Appa is tired and ready to take a nap. Amma is busy cleaning the pots and pans. By 3PM, she starts asking Appa to take her to homes of important relatives to hand over the Diwali sweets, get blessings from the family elders etc. She drapes her Diwali sari and a quick face wash later, is off on the journey to meet everybody. 2-3 hours later, she is back home, worrying about the kids and making dinner plans.
We kids have always had a great Diwali. It is always a great holiday, crackers on hand, sweets and savories to pile up the calories for the entire year, enough idiocy on the TV to keep us engaged, friends to play with - this couldn't be better. Amma? Well, Amma's Diwali is all about keeping us all happy. It is another day, in fact, it is a day she works harder than usual.
This Diwali, I reserve my wishes for all the mothers that slog in the kitchen and keep their families happy; the fire personnel who go to work as usual to douse the fires caused by reckless rockets that fall on thatched roofs; the security forces (police and armed forces included) who are vigilant and on their toes ensuring no miscreants take advantage of a festive mood and cause mayhem; the emergency staff at medical establishments who are on standby to take care of a burn here, a broken limb there or still taking care of other patients in their care; the bus & train drivers and pilots who miss being with their families to transport millions to their loved ones; and the scores of others who sacrifice their time for others to have a great day. All festivals are just like that. Somebody has to work so the others can enjoy. The least I can do is recognise this and pray silently for the toiling masses and wish well for them too.
Happy Diwali Amma. This one is for you alone!
