Hi all, I have disappeared from the face of all social networking sites, watsapp and even my good old gmail account.. reason : I am writing my doctoral thesis like a crazy woman. I have… More
My Door
This is how the door to my room looks … painted it myself , the door and the wall behind it..,
Defiance
I painted this as a wedding gift to a couple, who eloped and got married.
Translation for my non – Indian readers: it is a great crime in the eyes of society, if you do not marry with in your caste( classification/(discrimination) of society based on birth). Society and family pressurises them to sacrifice their love and freedom in the name of family honour. So, couples are forced to elope and get married, in order to be together.
In this painting, I tried to capture the moment of creation, .. the moment of temptation, of defiance and of knowledge… every one of is a rule breaker in some way or the other, there is something primal and untamed in our souls seeking release…to taste the forbidden… to kiss the darkness..
date 15.5.2013
Spicy Potato fry (Tamil style)
This is one of my favourite style of potatoes ever.. The best part about it is that, it is not deep fried like other potato fries but still as good and the recipe is extremely simple
So, if you are health conscious, this is just right for you or if like me, you just put anything that tastes good into your mouth, without worrying about calories, cholesterol or carbs, then the health perks are an added bonus. This is a dry side dish or accompaniment to rice but you can also just eat it as a simple snack.
Preparation time: 15 min Cooking time: 30 min Serves: 2-3 members
Ingredients
Potatoes -6 large ones
chilli powder – 1 or 2tsp( according to your spice tolerance)
coriander powder – 3 tsp
turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
oil – 1 tsp
mustard – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – optional
salt – to taste
Cooking Instruction
1. wash the potatoes clean and chop them
( if you are preparing it as an accompaniment, then chop them into small cubes or slices but if you plan on having them just as munchies, then chop them into larger cubes or wedges, also, I generally do not remove the peel, as it contains a lot of essential nutrients, but if you like yours peeled, then go for it.)
2.Keep a large shallow pan/kadhai (non stick) on medium heat and add one tsp of oil, and when the oil is sufficiently heated, add the mustard seeds and let it crackle
3.once the mustard seeds start crackling, turn down the heat a little bit( high heat might burn the mustard seeds), and add the curry leaves
4. when the curry leaves get crispy, add the chopped potatoes followed by turmeric, chilli and coriander powder and don’t forget the salt
5.stir the potatoes till each and every cube or wedge is coated with the spices(it’s important to keep in mind that at this point the heat should be low or else you stand the risk of burning the masala)
6. now cover the pan and increase the heat to medium
7.keep stirring the potatoes occasionally, so that they are evenly cooked
( if you need crunchy potatoes, then remove the lid once the potatoes are half cooked but stir more often and this version takes slightly more time than the soft version)
8.depending the size of your potato cubes/slices they should be done in about 20 – 25 minutes
or if you are like me and don’t set a great store by watching the clock, then take a bite now and then to see if they are done, know what I mean ;),at any point, if you feel that the masala is not evenly coated or that the potato is getting burned, keep adding a little bit of oil now and then..
9. this is the most important part , if you like your potatoes soft, then switch off the gas and enjoy, but if you like a little bit of crunch, then (remove the lid from the pan) increase the heat to high and keep on stirring the potatoes for about five minutes( or more, depending on how crunchy you want it)… what, happens is all the water content from the surface level evaporates leaving you with a slightly crunchy exterior and soft interior. The trick is to not burn them, so keep on stirring.. and if they start to burn in spite of stirring constantly , turn off the heat..
This is a great side dish for any kind of meal and you can also enjoy it by itself, with a dip of your choice(optional), I prefer mayo or mint chutney..
You may also cook it in a regular heavy bottomed pan but you need to use more oil, say 3 – 4 tsp and also it does not turn out as crunchy as the non – stick ones.
If you are someone, who doesn’t like spicy food, then reduce the amount of chilli to half of what is mentioned above and you should be fine..
So, do try it and let me know, if I should be posting more recipes
or if I should be cooking at all … 🙂
Inertia(dedicated to sadaptation)
Isn’t it easy
to lie still ..
eyes half closed, mulling persecution
to float along
to just let things be
to drug the whirring brain
to gulp down the rising bile
to fashion a prison of memories and time lost
a bitter fortress of failure and guilt
to look at the ticking clock but holding on to the mattress with clammy hands
No.. No .. it is not holding on to .. its rather
letting the body fall prey to gravity
to get lost in the maze of the social media circus
to numb emotion with fake friends’ and celebrity gossip
self doubt riding triumphant……. on the waves of anxiety
to contemplate death
to hold the very existence in the palm of a hand
watching time wreck its havoc
watching the void get bigger and bigger
a thick crusty tongue licking the last remnants of pride and esteem
to fade into and become
a part of the wall, the mattress or the TV
Isn’t it easy
to stumble along in the winding ‘What If’s
to blame and weep even though the tear ducts have long dried up
to forgo the rainshadow dreams
to muddy the canvas
to choose hatred and contempt
to just forget the pawned self
to die a thousand deaths than to feel alive for a single day..
Sunshine Blogger Award
Thank you fluffy chinchilla for nominating me and most importantly for the awesome posts you keep sharing with us..
Rules:
- Thank the person who nominated you in the blog post.
- Answer the 11 questions set by the person who nominated you.
- Nominate 11 blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions to answer.
p.s.( I copy pasted it too)
Here are the answers to your questions
- What is your favorite childhood memory?
Way too many memories actually but the most favorite would be this..
I got lost in a temple fair when I was around three and could not locate my parents, so, I went to the shrine prayed that they should safely find their way home and walked nearly 3 kms at dusk via the highway and local market and reached home by myself. The best part(s) was when I was walking on the highway I repeatedly looked at the moon and felt that it was guiding me, then I shoplifted a tiny clay lamp from a vendor’s cart( evil, right?) and when I finally reached home I told my shocked elder brother ” mom and dad got lost in the temple, let’s go the police station and file a complaint”(yes, actually said this)
Would you rather be able to speak all the languages in the world or play all the instruments in the world? Why?
can I please please please have both… I love both the music of words and the poetry of music
What is your most embarrassing moment?
Honestly speaking can’t remember.. Guess I am shameless and don’t get embarrassed easily
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
To read/control people’s minds ..
Its is the ultimate power.. you can simply control everybody and have your way in everything.. I obviously would only do the right thing, of course ( evil grin).
Favorite smell?
The fragrance of the earth after the rains
Morning person or night?
don’t you know that devils come out only during the night.. (hehehe)
Pinterest or Tumblr?
neither.. I stay as far away from social media as possible.. weird thing for a blogger to say .. rite..
Proudest moment?
yet to come I guess..
Any pet-peeves?
not really..
Current obsession?
Binge watching Orange is the New Black
What do you love the most about blogging?
That I can meet so many different people and share such wonderful ideas, also I can be myself behind the mask of anonymity and most importantly, it helps drive away depression and makes me feel like I am doing something ‘ PRODUCTIVE’
So, I in turn would like t nominate some wonderful bloggers for this award..
sadaptation
QuirkyVictorian
Glitter In The Ashes
nevertoocold
mahimasingh97
Basant She
thecleansedlife
ouridentityblog
lifeisamorgasbord
SonniQ
trulyunplugged
These are the questions for you
1. What is your favorite colour? and why?
2. Poetry or stories ? why?
3. What do you feel about love ?
4. Describe your self with ten adjectives only ( five positives and five negatives)
5. absolute favorite food?
6. Why do you blog?
7. What would your dream world / utopia look like?
8. Do you believe in fate / destiny?
9. What would your dream job be ? ( go crazy its after all a ” dream” job)
10. In whose company are you more comfortable
people from the same sex/ gender or the opposing sex/ gender and pls give reasons..
11. a prank you would love to play , on whom and why?
Love .. As I see it
Who can define this one small word?
If only we delete this word/feeling/ emotion/ aspect from human relations, then most of art, literature, philosophy and most importantly the consumer industries that thrive on its existence would be not what it is today.
Most of our adult lives are spent in the search for love. Is it just what media and business houses make it to be, something that is everlasting but has to be constantly renewed, something that is selfless but, also something that ought to be expressed through gifts, merchandise and material things?
Is it being smitten at sight or something that is nurtured as a result of understanding and sharing ? As many theorists argue, is it just one way of ensuring monogamy for the continuation of the family institution, for the subjugation of women, for the perpetuation of the dominant ideology?
Is it acceptable only between a man and a woman. Is it beautiful only among the young and the good looking? Is it desirable only between two members? Is it desirable only between those with similar social standing? Do only opposites attract or is it the search for a mirror image?Does it take note of class, caste, colour and gender? or is it something that breaks down the barriers, like a wild fire or a tropical thunderstorm?
Does it consume the soul like a cobra’s stare? Is it a blissful agony? Does it help retain sanity or leads to the loss of rationality? Is it salvation or damnation? It does not need to be always expressed? or does it, like water, find crevices and crannies, to swell and overflow….or.. Is it made up only of oxymorons?
As many intellectuals argue, does it have a material basis, to serve the needs of the self and nothing is ever lasting, emotional and most importantly it is not abstract as people claim…Is it the path to marriage, to find an eligible mate?
Is it just between individuals or is it subject to the hierarchies and power structures of society? Does it seek validation or is it’s flavor that of a forbidden fruit? Does it always have to be uplifting? Does it always seek the happiness of the beloved? Is it not love, if it corrupts? if it inflicts pain, if it breaks, if it pries the soul open with a pair of red hot tongs and crushes the last shard of hope or goodness with in ? Is it a cut throat who watches calmly as blood drips slowly on to the carpet of memories, clouding the eyes?
Does it always have to be romanticized?
Is it jealous, possessive, vindictive, is it the hawker who whistles for the soul after the hunt is over? Is it sharing and forgiving, is it the blue skies that caress the outstretched wings with sunshine and soft winds? Is it all consuming or is it true only if it respects personal space and liberty?
Is it just a garb of civilization to sanction lust and reproductive instinct? Is it just the frenzy of hormones and bodily chemicals? or is it something divine and liberating?
Being ‘A Respectable Married Woman’ contd…
I have tried to live my life on my terms, with whatever limited agency we all have. I have always told people off, when they were moronish enough to comment on what I consider ‘none of your business’.Why am I starting this blog so soon after marriage… it’s because I am seeing the scary side of how society can dictate the terms of my life and how it is slowly encroaching upon my space and sanity, in a never before seen manner.
Because somehow people associate marriage with respectability and married love/lust has always been paraded and lauded over other forms of love/lust. [An aside : In a place like India, we are truly the first generation when live – in – relationships and pre – marital sex have become a not so common but accepted aspect of society, even if not seen as the norm( at least among the youth in metro cities).]
So, the moment you are married your status and responsibilities dramatically changes in the eyes of society. Your love and commitment towards your spouse becomes secondary and your roles as a wife and eventually mother becomes more important.Because with respectability also comes responsibilities and duties, not what you feel as duty but rather what is acceptable as duty in the eyes of society. It tells you that as a respectable married woman, only some ways of loving and living are acceptable, only a few ways in which a respectable married woman can express herself, only a limited number of paths along which she can channel her desires and ambitions, only some emotions that she is allowed to feel and to always always put her family duties before her own self.
Even Strangers now take the liberty to comment, crticize, evaluate and pass judgments on me as a person based on how well I fit the ‘Dutiful Wife’ mode.People always start their stupid conversations with “now that you are married…”, ‘How you lived earlier does not matter but now you should…’, What did you cook today…, and give me utterly random advice on house keeping, parenting ( seriously?) , cooking, family duties… things that I consider boring, irrelevant or what I consider ‘ completely my own business’.
In reward for putting up with and perpetuating these insufferable ways of thinking, it shall glorify motherhood and woman hood, celebrate women’s day and all other related days with all the trappings of consumerist craze(including special dinner coupons, all shades of pink merchandise and discounts on anything from nail art to auto mobile spare parts)You may think that I am over exaggerating but this brings me to the very core of the problem. These aspects of ‘marital bliss’ and social conventions are so naturalised that even talking about them seems like ‘making a mountain out of mole hill’. We are conditioned to accept, follow and glorify what restrains and reduces us. Our suffocating corsets have become second skins to us. Most often the tyranny of marriage as an institution, is lost in it’s self – aggrandising projects of love, romance, duty and riding into sunsets. Who doesn’t want a ‘and they lived happily forever.’
This desire for institutionalized relationship is inculcated in us from a very early age and this inculcation goes hand in hand with the cultivation of acceptable gender norms and behavior.
Women have always been censored about what they wear, how they conduct themselves, what they think and how they express those thoughts. I have always felt rebellious and fought bitter fights even with my very liberal and understanding family members. They learned very soon that, on some things, I cannot be bent or broken but only be loved as I am. They sometimes choose to call me the tyrant, don’t completely agree with my logic or arguments, but credit to them, they have not alienated me.We fight, we scream, we argue and then we laugh, we hug and we love.
I don’t feel the need to justify my actions to anyone but I also don’t mince words when they invade what I hold sacred. Ever since, I announced my engagement, I have been making my standards on love and life very clear . But now I want to go one step further.. I want to share my experiences with other people and through it engage in the largerquestions that matter to me.. after all.. the personal is political..
My blog will also include other interests like literature, food and art. I am majorly into crafting and a self taught amateur painter..love to travel.. enjoy nature, watch people and animals.. love meeting new people… a bookworm.. an occassional poet and story teller….enjoy cooking (occasionally)…and also hope to share all of these with you lovely people out there..
P.S. If not for my wonderfully understanding husband who doesn’t give shit about my wifely duties/ responsibilities or my ‘feminine’ qualities…. and makes me laugh and makes me go mad..I would seriously be on my way to a lawyer for a divorce..
yours truly
About Being ‘A Respectable Married Woman’
(This post should probably called a disclaimer).
The above statement is not true..
Readers are hereby informed that the eccentric mad cap author of this post is in no way respectable, but is fortunately a woman and unfortunately married, though fortunately to the man of her dreams.
I am a feminist… have been one for as long as I remember and will always stay so.
My mother was recently sorting out my locked up childhood cupboard of ‘all sorts of crap you can ever imagine’ ,literally all sorts of crap. I had a huge collection of dirty toffee wrappers that I picked up from the stress (just because they looked interesting), curious looking stones, machine parts, broken dolls, lumps of clay, foreign chocolates that I simply refused to eat or throw away… you name it .. I got it, bless my parents for putting up with it. It’s a wonder that I have not grown up to be a hoarder..
Well, my mind with its heaps and piles of useless random thoughts make up for it, I guess. I am a mental hoarder( pun intended). I also a have a pathetic sense of humor and insist on “explaining” my jokes( regardless of whether you get it, didn’t get it, laughed at it, laughed at me, wanna run away from me…).
So, anyway, my mom was going through some of the loose sheets of manuscripts, from the time when I was probably eleven or twelve. I had written something along the lines of ” I condemn the male species who think that women are responsible for domestic duties and do not even appreciate them for it. I challenge these spineless cowards to take upon the various responsibilities of a house wife for a single day and successfully fulfill it.”
Such strong words considering I never did any house work and nobody expected me to..as we tamils like to say.. didn’t wash even my own plate (and most often my hands too). I was waited on hand and foot, not because we were super rich but just because I am me. ( Did I mention that I was also a pompous ass?).
In Indian culture, it is inevitable that girl children are initiated into domestic duties from a very young age in preparation for their marriage. The often quoted refrain of the mothers, aunts and other busy bodies is that ” what will your mother – in – law say?”(when you get married, which will probably not happen for at least the next ten years or so).”she will say that your parents have not brought you up well.” In my house though, things were quite different. The fact that I was brought up differently by a wonderfully liberal father and delightfully understanding mother, only made me more observant of the difference in the realities of other young girls around me.
I was a notorious tomboy, who spent half her time climbing trees( My dad was the one who taught me to climb tress when I was probably two or three years old, cool, no?)and the other half reading books, never asked to ” behave properly”, never stood in front of the mirror for more than two minutes( didn’t give a shit about how I looked), basically did as I pleased and bossed everybody around. Did I mention I also have a brother, who is four years elder to me, who had to put up with all my tantrums, be my slave and suffer my abuse? I call him little brother.. little one.. cos that’s what he is to me.. Someone to do my bidding, to be ordered about.
Observing and meeting women from all walks of life, I see one thing in common, that most women are oblivious of the various ways media, tradition, culture and the government inhibit them and force them to fit a particular ‘type’ or model. They don’t realise that without these blindfolds that society forces upon them, they could truly discover their self and their interests and that life would be a lot more simpler. Even when women do realize these hurdles and traps, they do not understand its significance or get past it. We know that something is ‘not quite right’ but we learn to live with it, because we don’t know how deep the roots of patriarchy and inequality runs.
What’s in a name…
I recently got married… married for love .. to a wonderful man… who loves me .. respects me .. knows to give me my space, but still… I GOT MARRIED.
Why is getting married such a huge thing for me.. a huge burden… an identity threatening black hole that is intent on sucking out my individuality and freedom? because society does not treat marriage as something private; as a mere form of commitment between two individuals. Society rather treats marriage as a ticket to butt you with its humbug justifications, inappropriate jokes, cruel expectations, and deeply unsettling views about how you should love and live. This is especially so, in a country like India.
You may say that such views and expectations are present in everybody’s life and at all stages of life but what we forget is the suddenness with which a woman’s reality changes the moment you announce that you are going to be married. People happily take the liberty of obliterating Your identity and make you Mrs. john/ Mrs. Mary John .. your caste based/family based surname changes or your parent’s name is replaced by your husband’s name(as in my case a tamil woman, where the norm is to add your father’s name either as initials or the entire name). I know many Priyas, Keerthis, Malas and mythilis, who changed from Miss. Priya Dad’s name to Mrs. Priya Husband’s name or simply Mrs. Husband’s name.
Many women voluntary change their surname or add their husband ‘s name and are quite delighted in doing so. Social media is one place where this name changing is widely on display and validated by the number of likes and gushing awwww comments. I am happy for women who happily change their names/ surnames.. I am happy for those who want to flaunt their lust, love or commitment through this.. I am happy for women who feel empowered by their ‘married’ status… but I am sad that they are not aware of the patriarchal power play that ‘norm’ises it and normalizes it… I am sad that they can’t see how culture and tradition perpetuates the existing inequalities in society… I am enraged for those women who have no say in this name game and I am indignant for those women who try to say a ‘no’ but are helpless in the face of society’s insensitivity. People justify it by saying that marriage is a social commitment and the society needs to be informed of your new association but, hey, I have never heard some man being called (Mr.s.) Mary / (Mr.s.) John Mary.
I have even come across practices in some parts of India, where even a woman’s first name is changed after marriage and she is given a new name in her in- law’s house. Imagine having to consciously learn to ‘respond spontaneously’ to some other name. I know a Niramala who was renamed Anjali… the Nirmala who fought with her brothers.. bunked classes.. learned “madrasi”( grrr… ughhh… disgusted emoji) from her tamil neighbours…Nirmala the sister.. Nirmala the student… Nirmala the neighbor.. Nirmala the woman became Anjali the daughter – in – law, Anjali the wife and Anjali the mother. A change of name, more often, is a symbolic severance of all the previous ties, identities and past life.
I know of a friend who got into a crazy fight because her husband’s name was printed as her surname instead of her parental family name, in an invitation. Sadly, no body seemed to understand her anger for such a ‘small matter’ , after all it’s what is usually done, it’s more convenient…. it will be easier for friends (read strangers) from her husband’s side to identify her… she is mad to take offence at something so nice.. I tell you, she WAS mad, not just mad but furious.
The same thing happened to me recently. I am in an important post in a well known organization and in one of their public invitations I was named as “Myname My Husband’s name” without any consultation what so ever. For Heaven’s Sake, I am the same person holding the same responsibilities in the institution. WHY SHOULD MARRIAGE AFFECT HOW I CALL MYSELF? OR HOW I VIEW MY OFFICIAL CAPACITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES? WHO GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO CHANGE MY NAME WITHOUT ASKING ME ?
Hope the caps was able to convey my fury, humiliation and high pitched screams. My husband was smart( we are part of the same organization) .. he showed me the invitation proof (they didn’t even bother to mail me a copy of the proof even though technically my official position is higher than that of my husband) only after he had made the calls to the relevant people to correct the error… so that he could insure his safety when the volcano erupts. In spite of the timely intervention a few invitations had already left the press with the woeful ” myname Myhusband’s name.”
So yeah.. Shakespeare.. a rose is a rose no matter what you call it.. but not so for us women… the name change heralds our metamorphosis… one day we are women and girls but suddenly we become wives and nameless nothings hiding in the shadows of the empty “Mrs.________” and forever trailed by the curse of our husband’s name
yours truly
My name alone.
themerrygoroundblog 