It has been a while since my previous post, which was a part venting, part not-so-serious advice dispensing account of the adventure that was flying to India with Keerthana. Once we got there, it was a wonderful 3 weeks with family, friends, and lots of celebrations. It's been 5 months since we got back, but it's never too late to reminisce about good times, is it?
When the dog bites, when the bee stings, and when I'm feeling sad...
I simply remember my India trip, and then I don't feel...so bad!
K enjoyed all the pampering from her great-grandmothers, grandparents, granduncles, grandaunts, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Many of them were meeting her for the first time, which added that much more doting and excitement to the visit.
Keerthana got along like a house on fire with my nieces (ages 2 and 8). From spontaneous dance parties to wrapping themselves inside a curtain and playing peekaboo, they seemed to always find a way to have fun. It was so sweet to overhear my older niece reading to Keerthana. "Chicka Chicka?", she would ask while reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and "Boom! Boom!", K would reply gleefully. My younger niece took great pride in being older than K and true to her role as a not-older-by-much cousin, was simultaneously caring (shushing us while K was asleep), bossy ("no, baby, no" was her favorite refrain when telling K to not do something), and a bundle of fun (playing ring-around-the-roses and other no-name games that they invented amongst themselves). K was into often going and hugging her and saying "Awwww...." at their own cuteness!
We were in my hometown for Pongal, a three day harvest festival that is celebrated in most of South India. The first day is Bhogi, which starts off with a bonfire at dawn (K and I were fast asleep for this) and in the evening there is a ceremony called Bhogi pallu for little children. The kids get center stage in this party of family and friends. A mixture of seasonal berries (Regipallu), pieces of sugarcane, flowers, rice, and coins are taken by the handful and dropped gently on the child's head. It is believed to ward off any evil eye that might befall the children. Keerthana and my nieces loved all the attention and K giggled as the berries tumbled down from her head.
The next day was Sankranti, an entire day of food, family, and loads of fun. Keerthana had her first taste of Pongal from the hands of her great grandmother and immediately declared, "Mmmm...like it!" She loved all the food she ate there and also picked up a lot of Telugu. She figured out the pattern that all Telugu words end with vowel sounds and proceeded to add "aaa" or "eee" to English words!
Keerthana got along like a house on fire with my nieces (ages 2 and 8). From spontaneous dance parties to wrapping themselves inside a curtain and playing peekaboo, they seemed to always find a way to have fun. It was so sweet to overhear my older niece reading to Keerthana. "Chicka Chicka?", she would ask while reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and "Boom! Boom!", K would reply gleefully. My younger niece took great pride in being older than K and true to her role as a not-older-by-much cousin, was simultaneously caring (shushing us while K was asleep), bossy ("no, baby, no" was her favorite refrain when telling K to not do something), and a bundle of fun (playing ring-around-the-roses and other no-name games that they invented amongst themselves). K was into often going and hugging her and saying "Awwww...." at their own cuteness!
We were in my hometown for Pongal, a three day harvest festival that is celebrated in most of South India. The first day is Bhogi, which starts off with a bonfire at dawn (K and I were fast asleep for this) and in the evening there is a ceremony called Bhogi pallu for little children. The kids get center stage in this party of family and friends. A mixture of seasonal berries (Regipallu), pieces of sugarcane, flowers, rice, and coins are taken by the handful and dropped gently on the child's head. It is believed to ward off any evil eye that might befall the children. Keerthana and my nieces loved all the attention and K giggled as the berries tumbled down from her head.
The next day was Sankranti, an entire day of food, family, and loads of fun. Keerthana had her first taste of Pongal from the hands of her great grandmother and immediately declared, "Mmmm...like it!" She loved all the food she ate there and also picked up a lot of Telugu. She figured out the pattern that all Telugu words end with vowel sounds and proceeded to add "aaa" or "eee" to English words!
Other things that K found absolutely fascinating there:
- Watching the stray chickens and dogs running around in the open field behind my parents' apartment building
- Hearing the crows caw: "Where are the crows?", Thatha (grandfather) would ask after they quiet down, "Gone!", she would reply with her hands up in the air!
- The beach: "Forward...back!", was her description of the waves
- Swings: She loves swings of all kinds. Ammamma (grandma) fashioned a swing out of her saree which was a big hit, and the bamboo swing-chair that hung in the balcony of Dodda's (Aunt) home was a big favorite too!
- Laddoos: She loved the round, yellow sweets she had in India and periodically asks for them even now. We brought back home a large batch of 50 homemade laddoos that lasted barely a week! It is one of my ambitious projects to figure out how to make them myself!
- Watching the stray chickens and dogs running around in the open field behind my parents' apartment building
- Hearing the crows caw: "Where are the crows?", Thatha (grandfather) would ask after they quiet down, "Gone!", she would reply with her hands up in the air!
- The beach: "Forward...back!", was her description of the waves
- Swings: She loves swings of all kinds. Ammamma (grandma) fashioned a swing out of her saree which was a big hit, and the bamboo swing-chair that hung in the balcony of Dodda's (Aunt) home was a big favorite too!
- Laddoos: She loved the round, yellow sweets she had in India and periodically asks for them even now. We brought back home a large batch of 50 homemade laddoos that lasted barely a week! It is one of my ambitious projects to figure out how to make them myself!
When the dog bites, when the bee stings, and when I'm feeling sad...
I simply remember my India trip, and then I don't feel...so bad!
(Adapted from Keerthana's favorite song in Sound of Music)
Lovely sweet post, Sangeeta!
ReplyDeleteOnly grandparents can be this indulgent, especially the maternal grandparents!
- Aruna
Thanks Aruna! I know, even as a grown up I miss that indulgence from my parents!
ReplyDeleteExcellent presentation of your trip to India.Narration of experiences & our festivals is superb. Expecting some more posts from you
ReplyDelete