Chapter 3 - The Srirangam Saga

The vessels looked different from her home

Nandu’s day starts. She is now learning how to grind the spices that would be used for cooking at her new home.   All the conventional pots and pans in the store room are removed.  She cleans them and her mamiyaar (MIL in Tamil) teaches her the proportion of spices that needs to go into the grinding and that needs to be followed in that household.  The karandis and kadhais are different from the ones that she used at her own.  These are much heavier in weight and she found it difficult to pick up those without any help, but she had to do it.

The heat is too much and she is sweating as there is one old fan and it is as good as not having one.  The constant sound that is created is more of a nuisance but she can’t lose her cool or show her emotions especially when her mother in law is checking out just like a supervisor.  Throughout the day Nandu has work but the only grace period is when her mother in law goes for her afternoon siesta.  That time is Nandu’s.   Lunch is done and then is the cleaning of the kitchen utensils (very few days there is help).

The one thing that she adores doing is looking at herself in the mirror.  She adores herself in the mirror and she quickly tries to check her own statistics.  Nandu is actually measuring herself.   It’s been two months since her wedding and she finds herself adding inches at the right place.  She smiles and is shying from looking at the mirror.  Her face glows in the dim light that is passing through the window.  Suddenly , she recollects the last night happenings and smiles more.

She has this rapid heat heating up her entire body and she is sweating.   The red cotton chungadi saree seems to fall at the right places and she falls asleep when she suddenly hears her mother in law calling out to her for her evening kaapi.  She gets up, adjusts her pallu, ties her hair (though few strands of hair) fall on her face.  Nandu quickly goes to the courtyard, pulls water from the well and splashes water.  Yes, she is fresh now to start the remaining part of her day’s work (rather late evening work).

She makes herself  Kaapi and feels rejuvenated after having it.  The heat of the spices and the masalas are also adding up heat and Nandini is getting prettier day after day. What’s in store – Check the next one  !!!

Luv

Rekha

p.s  Thank you Thank you Thank you all for reading my blog.  It means a lot to me.