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A Picnic in the garden

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by mimur9, May 24, 2011.

  1. mimur9

    mimur9 IL Hall of Fame

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    [JUSTIFY]I went to my aunt’s place on a summer holiday during my secondary schooling. It was then a developing small town (now it has become a junction) with lots of Agricultural Fields in between and a single narrow main road connecting it to the nearest big Town. We can see the fast moving government buses, bullock carts and occasional two wheelers passing by the road. My aunt’s house is situated on the side of the Main Road.

    Many village people who were acquaintances and friends visited them throughout the day as my aunt & uncle involved themselves in the service to the society by devoting part of their daily time. One such friend was Mr.Rao. He was in his late ‘50s that time. Everyone called him ‘Paint Mama’ as he had worked as a painter in the railways and there are so many uncles like him visited their place, we identified him as 'paint mama' . He did some painting jobs for my uncle & aunt too. He didn’t have children so he and his wife were very affectionate to all the children they came across. When I was in my aunt’s place for that vacation, my nephews and nieces (the grandchildren of my aunt) also joined us. Our Paint Mama visited us that day in the midnoon after lunch. We were playing, shouting and running in & out of the house. After his chat with my uncle and aunt, he called us and told that he was going take us for a picnic. Hearing the word ‘picnic’, we all shouted with joy and danced happily. Within few minutes we were ready with washed bright face, neatly brushed hair, wearing our chappals and ready for the picnic. [​IMG]

    They had a small house in one corner of the town. We passed many small lanes, green fields, narrow streets and finally reached their house. It situated in a small plot housing two homes side by side. Paint mama has given the other one for rent where stayed a young couple with a few months old child. The houses were very old, red coloured tiles neatly arranged on wooden planks formed the roof. It had a living room and a kitchen. After the long walk we were rejoiced to see the ambience inside and outside the house.

    In front of the house lied the Garden [​IMG] where a Mango Tree stood in the Corner, Next to it was the Jackfruit tree with jackfruits hanging (unripen). On the right side, near the compound wall grew some Tapioca Plants. Rest of the area was covered by other plants flowering as well as non-flowering [​IMG]the name of which I don’t recollect now. Under the Mango Tree, we saw few steps leading to a tap placed below ground level which supplied the famous ‘Siruvani’ river water which tasted sweet.

    Paint mama, called mami and gave her some instructions. He then went to the place where Tapioca were planted. He had a tool (heavy thick iron rod with sharp end) in his hand and started digging for the root. We with our curious mind and eager eyes surrounded him to catch a clear glimpse of what he was looking for. Soon out came the tapioca root. He collected few and washed them thoroughly. Out came the stove, followed by other kitchen equipements viz., Kadai, Oil Tin, 5 Spice Box, etc. After our afternoon play and the long walk to his place, we were already hungry. So we guessed an yummy snack was getting ready for us.

    Mama & mami set up a small kitchen in the shade of the tree. He cut the tapioca into small cubes, assigned tiny jobs to us (so that we could also take part with interest). I went & fetched the siruvani water from the tap, he washed the cubes & drained. Lit the stove, one of us kept the kadai. In went the oil, then mustard seeds which spluttered happily. Next went in the masala powders, tapioca cubes and haldi. He fried them well for few minutes giving us an opportunity of occasional stirring. Poured in some water, covered it.
    To keep our hungry mouth & restless mind [​IMG]occupied, mami brought some raw mangoes, nicely sliced & coated lightly with salt & red chilli powder. That was tasting so good. Small story talks helped passing the time. Our eyes looked at the stove quite often as our stomach & nose kept reminding us of the yummy snack. Finally the nice aroma filled the air. Mama took the lid and declared that the snack was ready. We all shouted with joy, Collected our small plates and took our share of the yummy yellow tapioca cubes. It was piping hot hence we blowed at it to cool it off and slowly piece after piece [​IMG] the tender tapioca was popped in. It was very delicious – factors contributed to it viz., the hunger, fresh tapioca, the cooking ambience, the love of paint mama & mami, our contributions, Siruvani Water, interesting chit chats, etc. [​IMG]

    With a content tummy, yummy taste still lingering in the mouth,:crazy a satisfied look lit up our face. We played some games, helped mama & mami to shift the things back into house. Then we started towards our place with mama after bading a sweet goodbye to mami. Mama took his bi-cycle, we all walked with him crossing the street, fields and lanes, finally reached the main road and then our Place. That night even after the lights were put off, we had our pillow talks[​IMG]on our small picnic till the elders who were disturbed by our whispers told us to keep quiet [​IMG]& sleep. With great difficulty, we kept our mouth shut [​IMG]and finally went to sleep.

    This picnic became a most memorable one in my life, still evergreen in my memory. Hope my nephews and nieces also remember it. [/JUSTIFY]
     
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  2. prana

    prana IL Hall of Fame

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    Re: Picnic in the garden

    Mira,

    super dooper picnic I must say..I could visualize the scence from your words.....

    Now am longing for the one which you had in your childhood:crazy..those were the days right!!!
     
  3. mimur9

    mimur9 IL Hall of Fame

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    Re: Picnic in the garden

    Hi Prana, [​IMG] Only upto 10 smilies, i can post, hence i really could not express completely in words, how i enjoyed it. Yes, you are right! those were olden golden days. Just longing for one.
     
  4. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Re: Picnic in the garden

    Mira,

    what a lovely description of the picnic :thumbsup. Even I started feeling hungry thinking of the tapioca and imagining the scene. It reminded me of the tapioca, jackfruit and tender coconuts not to mention mangoes and freshly picked garden vegetables and the holidays spent in my dad's hometown in Kerala.

    Where have these little joys of life vanished. I was wondering if any parents today would have sent all their kids with any Paint Mama so trustingly to enjoy the day out on a farm.
     
  5. mimur9

    mimur9 IL Hall of Fame

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    Re: Picnic in the garden

    Satchi,

    Very glad to know about your nostalgic picnic moments. Yes, gone were those days. With the vanishing greenery now people don't have much option but to shell out money go to resorts & enjoy picnics.
     
  6. Mindian

    Mindian IL Hall of Fame

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    I agree Mira, what a simple delightful day. :thumbsup no wonder you still remember it.and now we cannot think beyond a resort. even when my daughter was small in Bangalore we used to just go to cubbon park or lalbaugh with a picnic lunch but looks like nobody does that these days. Another pleasure lost, is all I can say..
     
  7. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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    That was such a lovely trip down memory lane Mira! You have described it so well I could taste the tapioca and imagine the greenery all around me. Made me wish I was there too!
     
  8. Sudha Kailas

    Sudha Kailas IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Mira.........it was so enchanting to read your childhood [​IMG] picnic party in the open garden !!

    Those days when there was no such thing like barbecue stand etc........the simple act of using fire and twigs and making piping hot tapioca cubes with the home made masalas would have really been yummee [​IMG]........

    [​IMG]article and enjoyed reading it without missing out a single line !!

    Look forward to much more interesting incidents from you dear !!
     
  9. gsaikripa

    gsaikripa Gold IL'ite

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    Mira dear
    glad to know about your wonder ful picnic trip..siruvani water pathi keekkava venum..what a sweet water na!!!
     
  10. sritas

    sritas Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Thanks for sharing this beautiful and enjoyable experience with nature with us, Mira..........truly it is very nice of 'Paint Mama' to give you all such wonderful time and now a days in this fast paced world we hardly get to stop by and enjoy.........you write up too is so vivid and 'pictorical' that I could view you all in that garden.
    Love,
     

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