My husband had recently traveled to China. I had made international news of this travel with my poem, remember?
No, no, just kidding. Suffice it to say I told anyone and everyone who cared to listen.
During his travel he had trouble with a stomach virus and was not in the best of health to put it mildly.
So with his forthcoming arrival , my son assumed I would cook fancy dishes for him. Fancy dishes in his world means Vegetable Biryani, Vegetable Pulao, Gulab jamun, Vendakai (Okra)...

Anandchitra

Having longer hair has a lot of advantages. One of them is the ability to adorn hair with different accessories.
When I was growing up the fashion used to be to wear hair braided in 2 plaits and ended with a ribbon of matching color. More often the color will match the school uniform.
So I would have to sit in our balcony where there was a small parapet wall and dangle my legs on the other side while my Mom tried to manage my hair and braid it neatly, for which purpose oil was used quite...

Anandchitra

நிலா நிலா ஓடீ வா
மலை மேல ஏறி வா
மல்லிகை பூ கொண்டுவா





Nila means moon. so the poem reads like

Moon Moon come running
climb over the mountains to come
bring jasmine flowers when you come.

The moon is like a savior of sorts for young mothers.
Many mothers who feed...

Anandchitra

Srinivasan was a very high profile Government employee. He had been given palatial quarters that were located in a posh suburb of the capital city. His wife Mythili had died of breast cancer leaving behind their only daughter Malini with him.
Malini grew up to be a beautiful and lovely young girl and she was top in her class in studies. She had just started post graduation studies and was an avid student of music and dance. Her time was completely occupied with studies and learning music and...

Anandchitra

Ever since I can remember, Ganesha was my favorite deity to watch. I used to gape at the trunk in front of his face, his big ears and the tiny mouse in front. All the explanations given for the trunk and ears never seemed to hold up to a child’s mind..
How would someone chop of their own child’s head and then try and fix it? Seemed more like a movie story. And so Ganesha drew in the sympathy factor also.
The only other great thing about Ganesha was the modaks made for Ganesha Chaturthi....

Anandchitra

With Janmashtami around the corner for me, I am spending more time reflecting back on my very first Janmashtami. By my very first, I mean, the one I celebrated after I got married.
Growing up, Krishna was one of my favorite Gods. Krishna always held a magical touch for me what with his love for Radha and his antics in eating butter.. I should say the fascination of that story was that he stole butter from his neighbors and when he did get caught.. his looks at his mother..
I also used...

Anandchitra

Shanthi sat by herself in her Thinnai (balcony) in the front of her house. Her late husband, Raman, had built this house as soon as he got promoted as the Superindentent and thereafter only kept adding more and more additions to the house.
Shanthi still remembered a day, almost a year before that promotion that Raman got. One very big fight broke out between Shanthi and Raman. Ever since their marriage, Shanthi knew her husband to be the kindest and softest soul any one can ever know....

Anandchitra

Vidya was widowed at a very young age and brought up her son by herself. She did have help and support from both the families but it was t her credit that her son grew up to be a clever well educated and well employed boy.
It came as a surprise to everyone when he one day walked in with his bride. Vidya had gone to the airport to receive her son who was returning from abroad for a 2 week holiday and she was shocked to see him walking towards her with his arm entwined in the hands of the prettiest...

Anandchitra

I have been hearing this all summer so wanted to share here.. During summer holidays my dh used to go and spend time with his cousins. Their day used to begin with taking a bath in the “bharatha pozhai”. Which means The Bharath river. Since there were many kids that age group it must have been an awesome time. Then the troops return back for some very good, very simple home cooked meal. After which they would all sit down for playing CARDS.
So during this summer holidays my dh managed...

Anandchitra

Oh Nooo.!! Dont ever dare to forget a birthday! In this day and age, birthdays are such hyped up events. The invitation some times matches a wedding and the gifts.. Oh Lord!
Being invited to a birthday party is no fun anymore.. it has truly lost its charm with all the stress involved.
If it is my kids friends's party, then I will have to consult kids before I buy gift because its aprestige issue what gift to give. If its my hubby's colleague's birthday, then some office politics is...

Anandchitra