Saturday, March 31, 2012

Idli weds Sambhaar


I wear glasses, and they always fog up when faced with steaming idli and sambhaar.

I think my blogger friend Magiceye, has a special special attachment on his camera which simply waves the steam away and automatically clicks.

 Or he wouldnt be able to post such wonderful photos of idli saambhaar.  Which he did  in his collection here at Magiceye's Fotothing, where you can actually taste the spicy hot sambhaar.....

Sometimes in addition to taste buds,  some other neurons  start firing.  You start imagining things and a poem happens.

(For those having no clue as to what idli sambhar is,  please see this )


She's been preparing
for the big day
for
almost 24 hours...

As a dehusked black bean
she enjoys soaking
in the water,
absorbing
and puffing up
in delight,
knowing that
Cousin Rice
is doing the same nearby.

They meet
with great relish
sometimes
in a stone pit
and sometimes
in an electric way,
losing themselves in each other.

Another twelve hours
of lying low,
and things
get a bit difficult
as the feelings ferment
and tempers rise up.

D-Day arrives,
and with some
salt and pepper wibhuti
gratefully accepted,
she goes in
for some
final steaming beauty treatment,
in a special enclosure
with places for others too.

A healthful glow,
lightness of heart,
and an anxious mind,
she steps into
a deep bowl
accompanied by
the chatni bridesmaid.

There is no need to worry.

Keeping time
to the music of a spoon
banged on a plate by a child,
the Sambhar Bridegroom
arrives,
nicely comfortable
with a baraat of
shining onions,
traditional veggies,
and simmerings
of methi,
coriander,
mustard,
coconut,
and tamarinds, giving their all.

Wonderful flavors,
fragrant steam
and the Idli
totally overcome,
simply melts
looking at the sambhaar.

What a delicious Idli-Sambhaar  wedding!

4 comments:

  1. could hear the shehnais in the background lol!!
    superb imagery as usual!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Really, the title suits them both, idly and saambaar! Hereafter, whenever we see these two, we will remember you, Suranga!

    ReplyDelete