Ellu Bella!

This is my fourth year away from festivities back home. Sigh!




Waiting in the puja room for my granddad to finish the ceremony was agonizing; especially when the new dress right in front of me was out of bounds until ‘ellu bella’ was distributed!

This is one the earliest memories of ‘Sankranthi’.‘Sankrathi’/ Pongal is actually a harvest festival important to farmers across Karnataka, Andra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Maharashtra where the harvest crops and cows are worshipped, Jaggerry, turmeric and ellu are distributed and grand meal made from the harvest crops (groundnuts, pumpins, etc) are prepared.

However, I think we the city-dwellers have totally materialized it. The most important is ellu distribution (in a silver or plastic container according to your budget!) along with sugarcane, candy made out of sugar (instead of plain old jaggery), fruits.

Even though its commercialized, festival always brings those warm feeling of home, love and fun. Since my grandma was my baby-sitter, I was her helping hand (or I thought so!). So, here goes her meticulous preparation before the d-day as far I can remember:
Each year she calculated her distribution list (usually around 50-100 houses) and ordered the appropriate grocery from the local shop just after the english New Year started.
The jaggery and dried coconut (copra) were cut into small squares (grandma reluctantly allowed the maids cut just the coconut/jaggery since this was sacred!)
Next the Split channa dal, small squares of jaggery, small squares of dried coconut were dried out in bright sunlight for two days.
Groundnut was dry roasted with sand (so that groundnut color remains white even after its roasted!).
And I loved the technique in which my grandma removed the outer pinkish skin of these groundnuts----she put them on a plate, rubbed her hand against them, tossed them a bit blew out the peeled outer sking! The peanuts now looked pearly white!
Now the peanuts were dried in the sunlight while she kept a watch on them (I had to restrain myself from eating these since these had be offered to God before distributing!)
One entire afternoon was dedicated to prepare the sugar candy called ‘Sakara Acchu’ .
One afternoon dedicated to shopping for the latest item (plastic/ceramic plates, bowls, ect which has arrived in market.
I remember distributing sliver items when my sisters and cousin brother were born!

The sugarcane (which will be cut to around 6 inches pieces) is usually bought on the last day.

The day before the festival is packing day----this is huge because we were supposed pack around 50-100 packets or put a handful of ellu-bella mixture in containers and seal them.

Finally on the D-day after the morning bath, prayers and taking the blessing of elders, it was time to freak out!
Dad to drive us around to relatives place (which are visited once a year on this day) all around the Bangalore in our Fiat; I used to love to flaunt the new clothes and jewelry!
And food……I used to be tried of tasting different varieties of Pongal (both spicy and sweet) in a single day!!!!!

The evenings were dedicated to neighbors and friends. We little ones tagged with neighborhood older kids to distribute ellu to every house on the street; even to few 3-4 blocks away, although not the everyday neighbors; they were grandma’s friends who had settled in the area back in the 40’s and 50’s.

Well…..that was ‘Sankrathi’ for me back home. Even though we rarely visit the temple to part-take in the festivities here, I usally make it a point to prepare the Ellu Bella, Pongal and the traditional sambar at home (is it to get that warm, cozy,homly feeling?? Or to keep up the tradition/culture?? I don’t know the answer).


Ellu-Bella:

1 cup groundnut
1 cup spilt channa
1 cup cut jaggery
1/2 cup cut coconut
¼ cup of sesame seeds.

Dry roast the peanuts in the microvware or on stove. Leave them aside to cool.
Roast the seasem seeds until they stop spluttering around. Leave them aside to cool.
Cut Jaggery into small squares (this is the hardest part).
Cut dry coconut into small squares.
Remove the outer pinkish/red skin on the groundnuts (might take a while) and split the grounduts into halves.

Suprise Gifts!

I'm always amazed by people who suprise me with thier thouthfullness during this holiday season--Chirstmas I suppose.

Last year my next door neighbour knocked on our door on Chirstmas eve and gave us a gift card.

This year it was a double treat just before the four day long holiday weekend---Our company gave us shares (ofcouse they are not 100% vested yet!) instead of bonus and the secone one was from one of my colleague who suprised me with a a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Now...its time to hunt for the thank-you gifts!

P.S: Atleast for me-It's the thought that counts more than the gift.

Randon Acts of Kindness??

I've always noticed that the 'tips' bowl in all restaurants (or especially at Dunkin Donuts) usually full and contains 1-5 dollar instead of usual quarters!

Shopping Online!

After getting stuck in the traffic for nearly 1.5hours (near Natick and Burlington Malls!) today morning, have been shopping (mostly browsing) online for gifts!

Check out this cute little toaster---Change plates to pop art you are in the mood for; Would love get one although I'm usually eating HoneyBunches of Oates with Almonds/HoneyNut Cheerios/Shreeded Wheat for breakfast.

BTW, to choose gifts based on personalities visit gifts.com (I was labled 'The Hipster'! he he he)

Here are few from my gift list:

JackCards won't let you forget someone's birthday!

I read about this paper greeting card website in the Wall Street Journal yesterday (yes, there are articles in this paper other than just stock prices!).

'Jackcards' isn't any e-cards site; the review suggested the site over Hallmark cards (who won't let you personalize their cards!)

Once you register on Jackcards, you can enter 'five' of most important people/events and their addresses to whom you want to send a greeting card the old-style.

Notification emails are sent one month prior (and every week from then) so that you can order a pre-addressed, pre-postage (one less trip to the Post Office!) card where you just need to add a personal note,sign and post it!


I loved the site in the first moment (or in this case the first card I saw!)....the Christmas card says..."Happy Birthday Jesus"!!!

Enjoy browsing the cards!
http://www.jackcards.com/

Pleo!

I chanced upon this cute little robotic pet (one week-old Camarasaurus) browsing through gifts for Xmas.

http://www.pleoworld.com/

According to Ugobe, this Dinosaur will respond to you voice, touch and develops his own unique personality, moods, and habits that are shaped by the time and experiences he shares with each user!
They even have developed a original soundtrack for this product:


Guess, Santa's shopping inculdes this $350 worth cute little blue-eyed toy!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Shopping!

Finally decided to do some last minute shopping for Halloween today. Not to the mall, but just the Marshalls across the street.

After 30minutes of shopping decided to get this cute little costume for me and witch hat for my niece.....double witches for trick or treat on the 31st!

Last year I took my friend's kids trick-or-treating while they prepared the house for the late night Halloween party. Believe me its like dream come true for the kids (they were around 3) when loads and loads of chocolates land in their arms (actually cute bags!).

Hope the temperate wont drop a lot by Wednesday (crossing fingers)!

BTW, for info on Halloween: (Source Wikipeida)
Halloween, or Hallowe'en, is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, Halloween festivals, bonfires, costume parties, visiting "haunted houses" and viewing horror films. Halloween originated from the Pagan festival Samhain, celebrated among the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century. Halloween is now celebrated in several parts of the western world, most commonly in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom.
The term Halloween (and its alternative rendering Hallowe'en) is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day",[1] also which is now known as All Saints' Day.about witches and Irish tales of the Sídhe).

Thanksgiving the Hallmark way

I'm crazy about reading magiznes more than the novles (or the C++ book which KC reminds me to read everyday!).
This month's Hallmark magazine along with cusines were notes from popular writes thanking the best things happened to them this year.

Things i'm grateful for this year:

• For a wonderful understading family (parents,siblings,cousins,aunts/uncles and my in-laws), friends and co-workers.
• Got unconditional love from my little niece and blessed with one more niece.
• Handled responsiblities the way it should have been.
• Had a wonderful India trip, all thanks to KC and AK.
• We celebrated NewYear's eve and Anniversary just the way we liked.

Along with this the five small moments which make me happy everday:

• E-mails, messages from family and friends (especially on Monday mornings).
• Cup of strong coffee with good reading material on lazy afternoons.
• Gentle cool breeze in summer and warm sunshine in fall evening walk during evening walks.
• Fresh big roll of paper towles!
• Better not say it aloud.