Avakkai
Ariza | 25 May 2006, 10:06pmIt is the season of Avakkai!
My mother believes it will be an inevitable failure if it rains on the day you make the mix. So when we saw the clouds bunch up together over the corner of the sky while she was selecting the fruits in the Nallakunta market, my father and I knew what we had to do. I began to speed the process and my father got the car ready so that she could be whisked away before she could spot the doings of an ungrateful rain-god whom she had specifically asked to stay away by reciting a thousand names of Vishnu. As a kid I had once made the mistake of asking my mother why Avakkai was important and she replied:
"Because Avakkai is the year! Get that wrong and the year is gone."
"But I thought it was Ugadi Pachhadi that....."
"Yeah. that too. but this is different."
"Why?"
I am still waiting for an answer.
We got the Mangoes cut, tasted the sourness of most of them and got the salt, the mirchi powder, the avalu-podi and the garlic before the sun disappeared behind these clouds. All through our journey we asked her questions that never miss. Where did you learn? How many years of apprenticeship? Is there a secret ingredient? Which of us two gets the recipe as heirloom (my brother or me?)? She quickly lost herself in answering these questions. She learnt it from her mother; but then she also had to then go and learn it from her mother-in-law and was never allowed to make it alone for years until the old woman dropped dead one summer before the mango season. My mother didn
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1. By Phani | 25 May 2006, 10:52pm
Wow..
Got a feel of being home after reading your post. This is a very comman thing that almost happens in every household, but for bachelor's.
You know what, I was enjoying avakkai right when it was raining..what a coincidence..Avakkai is a must in every andhrite's life...
2. By Johnny | 26 May 2006, 10:34am
So u stay in Nallakunta? We are neighbours... :P
Btw the post catches the essence of a typical telugu brahmin family. Aint I correct?
3. By Ariza | 26 May 2006, 10:56am
Stayed near Nallakunta.
4. By fermina | 26 May 2006, 2:49pm
Finally!! found your voice. Love that flavour of sour mangoes against the grey sky. Keep it coming.
5. By Neelu | 26 May 2006, 11:38pm
hmmm..I can feel the avvakai in my mouth. I didn't realise I liked
(loved) it untill recently (I can't it anymore :()
6. By June | 28 May 2006, 12:25am
I can not say the same about 'avakkai' but hey...finally, a post different from the rest :) and a good one at that.....
7. By Akshay | 28 May 2006, 7:08am
Woww..your prose is as tastefully sour as avakkai pachadi it reminds. You are born to narate...will look forwar to your posts.
8. By Portuguese Man-Of-War | 28 May 2006, 10:50am
so how does it taste, anyway?
9. By Asad | 28 May 2006, 3:39pm
Wow! that was very well-written.