CHAPTER 4- The TamBrahm Noodles/Maggi – Sevai

Nandu is deep in thoughts as to what her mamiyaar (MIL) has in mind about dinner.  They were to go for the late night show and she was eagerly looking forward to it.  She however kept mum as she could not gather the guts to tell her MIL as it was taboo for a DIL to voice out her desires (more so when she was just four weeks old in that household) .

Amidst the calm and quiet afternoon, her MIL calls out “Nandini……………….”. Though her mamiyaar (MIL) had a stern look and voice, she however developed a liking for Nandu.  She tells Nandu that her Anna (brother) was visiting their home first time with family. Rolling out parothas or making dosais would be quite strenuous so she tells Nandu to make Sevai (The TamBrahm Maggi or noodles).

Nandu slowly whispers within herself “Seevaaaaaaaaaaaai”- never in her life had she made those. Her face is filled with a little fear and nervousness and she just wished her husband was around. She could cry and tell him that she did not know how to make it. First of all she did not like that tiffin and secondly, she had never even bothered to check with her amma as to how to make it.  Everytime her mother would say “Nandini, please come and help me in the kitchen, it’s tiffin time”.  She would quietly go to the verandah reading a book.  Now she realized how important it was to learn making Sevai most of all.

All her hopes of dressing up in her pattu saree, wearing malligai poo and going with her husband for the late night movie went down the drains.  But that was Nandu’s least problem.  She had read about how a fairy or genie appears and fulfills one’s wish. At that point in time, Nandini wished her mother appeared and would help her.  But does that happen in Real life- Find out in CHAPTER V.

Luv

Rekha