THE COOKER STORY

Warning! You are in for a dramatic narration of a girl's first encounter with the monster of the kitchen

 - THE PRESSURE COOKER!!

When I started my life afresh at a new household; I knew how to sort cashflows, I knew how to tally a Balance Sheet, sing, paint, edit stuff, and a million other things. Cooking was fun as I have always considered it an art, and love experimenting.

But one thing I did not know was how to operate a pressure cooker. Yes. Since my childhood days, a 

whistling pressure cooker was something I always would run away from. Like it was a monster bomb waiting to bring down the place along with poor me in it! The numerous stories of mishandled pressure cookers bursting and killing people or burning them just added to the fear.

Sadly, nothing much changed even at the age of Twenty Five. At home the usage of pressure cooker was minimum ( now I wonder if my fear did contribute to that ). Given that, when my mom in law was out on a weekend and I was asked to cook something in this very monster, my panic was evident. Thankfully, my dear cousin came home as a savior. Brave as a warrior, he did the hideous task for me, asking me to turn it off after the right number of whistles. I remember running into the kitchen at the right moment ( after standing at a safe distance to count the whistles) to turn the stove off before the next whistle would blow rattling my brain! 

So then, I was pretty smug after that successful cooker mission, as though I won a master chef competition ( though the credits go to someone else really). Then came the next big challenge of cooking for three days when my mother in law was away.

Day one: I added the right amount of water, put in the ingredients, closed the lid, turned on the stove, put the whistle on, and waited just out of kitchen with heartbeats running a marathon and a sweaty forehead, for the evil whistle to blow. But then, that never happened. 

After a long wait of over Twenty minutes, I took the courage to go turn off the stove to examine what possibly went wrong. To my utter amusement, everything was cooked nice and neat inside. I thanked the heavens for saving me from the wrath of the whistle monster! This continued on day two, and I began to believe that I have after-all invented this amazing pressure cooker that does its job silent as a cat. Just imagine my joy!

But then everything had to go wrong on the next day, when my uber-confident self decided to make a special dinner with a challenging menu for the hubby. I did the same process, continued with rest of the cooking, but when it was time to take out all the cooked stuff from the cooled down cooker, it just won't open. 

First I consoled myself saying the pressure is still high inside, and that I should give it more time. It was half an hour, and then one hour, it was almost time for the hubby to get back and half my dinner surprise was inside the monster machine.

Leaving my convictions, I decided to get help from one of my aunts who stays upstairs. She tried to pry it open for quite some time, even by hitting it with a big stone! But the cooker just won't budge. Finally we took it upstairs to the uncle who decided to knock it open with his powerful bare hands. And he succeeded too! When I let out a relieved sigh, the aunt asks me, "But where is the gasket??"

My confused reply was, " Er...it has a gasket? Where does that fit?"

After Thirty minutes of lecture on how to operate a pressure cooker and each part of it, the realization dawned that this gasket was the very culprit that led me into believing I invented a no-whistle cooker! Today it just decided to show it's importance by getting the lid stuck. That sneaky little gasket!

Soon after that I received enough phone calls from different relatives educating me on cooker rules.

Today I welcome the sound of that very whistle as it reminds me that the gasket is sure in place! :)

Earlier in life, I had learnt to master exam pressure and work pressure. On this day I learnt how to master the pressure cooker pressure!

Vishesham endengilum ( Any good news)??

The content may be too short for a blog entry, but too large for a status update, and I so badly wanted to get this out of my system, so here I go!

The story begins with a simple decision that my husband and I took, and any decision post - marriage need not always have to do with having kids. If at all it is, that is always very very personal. I am sure most of you would agree with me on this.

Well, for those who don't know, I got married about three months back and had spent very less time at home before marriage, due to my job. So, before I end my sabbatical, the husband and I decided that I might as well spend some quality time with my parents. As he couldn't get the required time off work, the plan was that I come ahead and he join me later.

It's quite surprising to see the frequency and the number of questions I face since the day I got home though. And of course, the topper of the list has always been, " Vishesham endengilum?" which actually implies whether I am pregnant. When this is denied, the second question is always about how I am treated at my new family. When I say all is well, I am shot with the next question regarding my job, whether I am planning to work, or waste my "degrees" and right after that, comes the "you have put on weight".

Initially I took these questions lightly and thought this shows their care and concern after all. But after facing two weeks of this, it started getting into my head whether this is all that my life is about. A simple "How are you doing" would have sufficed if it is care and concern that they have.. Is it such a strange thing to come home without any of the above reasons, just to spend time with my family?

Earlier, if I visited home for more than a week's time, my well - wishers used to be happy. Now they are plain surprised to know I am home for two weeks.  I either have to be pregnant or abused to visit my parents, right? Also I am content with the way I look, thank you very much, and if I have put on or reduced weight, I can see that for myself and need not be pointed at every time you see me.

I do not intend to be rude, but I really don't know a nicer way of expressing my irritation on these comments and questions. As much as I love to be home, I dream of a society where people are less judgmental.

Malleshwaram - Through the eyes of a foodie!

Malleshwaram, my new abode has offered quite a few fascinating things in the last two months. The place gets its name from the beautiful "Kaadu Malleshwara" temple which is in the heart of the district. This place is in one of the greener parts of Bengaluru, making it a perfect residential area.

Kaadu Malleshwara Temple

The Walkway - Sankey Tank

The Walkway - Sankey Tank

The Walkway - Sankey Tank

Apart from the buzzing 8th Cross road where you get everything from clothes to groceries and boasts a fresh vegetable market or the Sankey tank (couldn't resist adding pictures of this scenic spot) where majority of Malleshwaram residents go for work outs or a breathe of fresh air, the place also offers a lot of tiny food joints with absolutely delicious delicacies. Let me list down some of my personal favourites!

• Veena stores - If you see a long queue in front of what looks like a small stall in the Margosa road, you are probably looking at the crowd awaiting coupons for food at Veena stores. My preferences here are coffee and Bisibelebath (a Karnataka cuisine made with rice).

• Raghavendra stores - Another humble outlet right next to Malleshwaram railway station, always buzzing wit crowd, my favourites here are Idli - Vada and Kaarabath ( a tastier version of upma) all served with their popular chutney, and of course coffee!

• Maiyas - Famous for South Indian food, Maiyas is where you can probably get the best coffee in Malleshwaram. Situated in the 11th Cross road, Maiyas is a compulsory stop over every time I visit the 8th Cross mentioned above.

Filter Coffee

• Shuchi Ruchi - When Malleshwaram is known for South Indian delicacies, Shuchi Ruchi at Sampige road offers one of the tastiest Gobi Manchurian and fried rice I have ever had!

Gobi Manchurian

• Chai Point - This chain store has one outlet next to Sankey Tank, drop in for some amazing varieties of Chai and snacks to go with it! My choice here, is the ginger tea.

Ginger Chai

• Sairam Chaat & Juices - Chaat centres are something that you would find in every corners in Bengaluru. What distinguishes this Chaat outlet at 8th Main road - 17th Cross road is the fresh flavors in "Chips Masala" made with potato chips, and a variety of sauces and add - ons. Sairam also offers yummy cold coffee, lime soda, masala coke and a variety of juices.

Chips Masala

Looking forward to exploring more of this beautiful place!

The Gazelle's Dream - Jawahir Hamza

Wilma Rudolph.... I wonder how many of us have come across this name... The story of Wilma Glodean Rudolph is that of believing in oneself. I thought of writing about this particularly, because a lot of us... Including me, have either come across a point in life or are at that juncture of being confused about taking strong decisions in life... The confusion I'm talking about is not the one regarding the choice of options... But regarding whether you will be able to succeed with a decision. The confusion sparked by the fear of failure... I would like all of you out there to have a peek into Wilma's life...

Wilma Rudolph died at the age of 54 in the July of 1994. As it goes... Rudolph was diagnosed with a brain tumor shortly after her mother's death. To add to it, Wilma also had throat cancer.

Going back in time to 1940, the time when she was born; Wilma Glodean Rudolph was born prematurely at 4.5 pounds (2.0 kg). She was the 20th of 22 siblings from two marriages. When Wilma Rudolph was four years old, she was diagnosed with Polio. By the age of 12 she had gone through bouts of Scarlet fever. To make matters worse, her family was poor and could not afford good medical care. Her father was a railroad porter and her mother was a maid.

Looking into Wilma's personal life, she was divorced twice. Rudolph was married twice. On October 14, 1961, she married Willie Ward, only to divorce him 17 months later. In summer 1963 she married her high school sweetheart Robert Eldridge, with whom she already had a daughter born in 1958.They had four children & she divorced Eldridge after 17 years of marriage..

When you look at Rudolph's life in short... It's a disaster for us to look at in an angle. But believe me... Wilma Glodean Rudolph lived her dream by the age of 22.

The story of Rudolph starts when she was very young. When she was diagnosed with Polio. As per Rudolph's quote, "My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother." Giving belief is one thing and making things work is another.

But Wilma's mother had decided that  she would do everything in her hands to help Wilma to walk again. Even though the doctors said Wilma wouldn't walk again, she took her every week on a long bus trip to a hospital to receive therapy. It didn't help, but the doctors said she needed to give Wilma a massage (physiotherapy) every day by rubbing her legs.She learned how to perform it from the doctors and she taught the brothers and sisters how to do it, and they also rubbed her legs four times a day.

By the time she was 8, she could walk with a leg brace. After that, she used a high-topped shoe to support her foot. She played basketball with her brothers every day.

Three years later, her mother came home to find her playing basketball by herself "bare-footed". She didn't even have to use the special shoe.

In 1953, 12-year-old Rudolph finally achieved her dream of shedding her handicap and becoming like other children. Her older sister was on a basketball team, and Wilma wanted to follow her sister's footsteps.

While attending Burt High School, Rudolph became a basketball star setting state records for scoring and leading her team to the staQte championship. Rudolph had already gained some track experience on Burt High School's track team two years before, mostly as a way to keep busy between basketball seasons.

While in high school, Rudolph was on the basketball team when she was spotted by track and field coach Ed Temple.  Being discovered by Temple was a major break for a young athlete. The day he saw the tenth grader for the first time, he knew he had found a natural athlete.

The coach encouraged her to start running. She ran so well that during her senior year in high school and was nicknamed "Skeeter" for her famous speed, she qualified for the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. The youngest member of the U.S. team at the age of 16, she won a bronze medal in the sprint relay event. After finishing high school, Rudolph enrolled at Tennessee State University, where she studied education. She also trained hard for the next Olympics.

Held in Rome, Italy, the 1960 Olympic Games were a golden time for Rudolph. After setting a world record of 11.3 seconds in the 100-meter dash in the semifinals, she won the 100 in the final round with a time of 11.0. Similarly, she broke the Olympic record in the 200-meter dash (23.2 seconds) in the semifinals before winning the 200 (24 seconds) in the final. She was also part of the U.S. team that beat the world record in the 4-by-100-meter relay (44.4 seconds) in the Olympic semifinals before winning the relay in the final in 44.5 seconds. Most notably, Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games. The first-class sprinter instantly became one of the most popular athletes of the Rome Games as well as an international superstar, lauded around the world for her groundbreaking achievements.

She retired from running when she was 22 years old, but she went on to coach women's track teams and encourage young people.

Wilma thought God had a greater purpose for her than to win three gold medals. She started the Wilma Rudolph Foundation to help children learn about discipline and hard work.

She died of brain cancer in 1994. Even though she is no longer alive, her influence still lives on in the lives of many young people who look up to her.

To believe in ourselves is the most difficult thing for most of us... Especially with all the pressure in our lives from every angle... Confusion prevails over our decisions, as if what would happen if we fail?

Wilma  once stated, "Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday."

When we start believing... It becomes the most defining moments of our lives. Never stop believing in yourself... There is a champion in each of us.

Note: The above article is compiled from a numerous number of articles on the internet, and I wish to thank to all the writers for inspiring me and motivating me. A special reference goes to my colleague Mr.Josy Thomas for enlightening me about "The Black Gazelle" Wilma Glodean Rudolph.

And the wedding bells chimed! :)

About two years back, I remember writing about how the wedding bells chime, ring and break my eardrums, which was my first entry to this blog. Today I am happily married as I type this and I must say, the whole experience has been very pleasant.

Like my friends, I had my share of apprehensions and anxieties when it came to an arranged marriage as you don't know what kind of a person or family you are going into. But the very journey from Day 1 of "pennu kanal" till date have been extremely memorable, proving all my doubts silly. 

Everything happened so fast that exactly three months from the day I met him, I got married to him. I remember going to meet him as nervous as attending an interview, and having no clue what to speak.. On a lighter note, he even killed a spider for me in the first meeting!

What is beautiful about arranged marriage is that there is always an element of surprise as you find something new about your partner every day. We both have stepped into this journey together and we find joy in learning more about each other as the days go by..

So, after the extremely packed three months of shopping, travels and life-changing decisions (of leaving my job and Hyderabad), my days have finally gone from the fast-track mode to a normal pace, urging me to see the photos and videos of wedding time again and again not only to cherish those moments, but also to ensure myself that it wasn't all a dream.. 

When my life at Hyderabad was super busy with crazy work timings and weekend roam-arounds, and the wedding period was even busier with parties and shopping, I am in a totally different phase now.

 I gave myself the excuse of settling down at the new place for the first two weeks. Then I realized that I have never had so much free time to myself in a really long time! This got me restless as I did not know what to do or where to begin. But then I realized that I have all the time in the world to do everything I like to do and always have wanted to do, and a beautiful family to give all the support..How cool is that! 

Now, I utilize my sabbatical pursuing my hobbies and enjoying every little moment of these beautiful days, beginning with the wake-up call of squirrels and tiny birds and a refreshing morning walk followed by ginger chai or filter coffee, then the whole day to read, paint, write, cook, explore the surroundings, or just sleep for a change! A foodie that I am, I find a lot of small joints around here that serve amazing food topped with coffee that make me fall in love with South Indian food.

I am really excited as I type this entry after a long gap, because I am making a list of things to be done before I join work again and can't wait to get started on those!

I thank all my family and friends for giving me the dream wedding of any girl (especially for the amazing performances at Sangeet), and a wonderful companion for life..