Lady Khantoli (Updated with English version)

Once again, my FB and blogger friend, Shruti Nargundkar  posts word pictures on her blog that make you feel you are in a temple complex with folks coming in to worship their favourite family Gods for blessings, children charging around outside reveling in the "blessed" food/Prasaad  being offered to all worshippers, even going in for seconds , with the smiling Gods turning a determined blind eye.

Shruti posted a recipe of a whole wheat sweet prasaad offering, Khantoli, made with jaggery. Which is how it was made in the old days.

The flavors, the whole wheat roasting smell, the golden hue, the coming together of everyone and everything for a presentation to the Gods, inspired a Marathi poem. (English version  follows).     

आमच्या येथे श्रीकृपेकरून
श्रावणातील शुक्रवारी  ,
ठीक  सायंकाळी सात वाजून एकोणतीस मिनिटाच्या     
गोरज मुहूर्तावर
आमची सुकन्या
ची सौ का कणिका
हिचा विवाह
ची श्री सोनेरी गुळे
(कोल्हापूरचे श्री अंबाजी व सौ देवी गुळे यांचे सुपुत्र )
यांच्याशी  संपन्न  होणार आहे....

कार्य सिद्धीस नेण्यास भगवान तूप  व श्रुतीदेवी मेलबोर्ने समर्थ आहेत.

देवासमोर पत्रिका ठेउन
उल्थ्नीबाई लगबगीनी हालचाल  करू  लागल्या
आणि ऑलिव्ह मावशी ला बघून जरा दच्क्ल्याच.....
 एव्हड्यात  गव्हीन्बाई लगबगीने पुढे झाल्या ,
आणि आजकालच्या रवाबेन , लापशी व एन. आर. आय  बलगरवाल्याना
बाजूला सारून
स्वतः जातीने  कढइत फिरू  लागल्या.

पलीकडे देवाचे नाव घेउन गरम पाण्यात
उतरलेला गूळ,
इलाय्चीबाई व खसखस बंधू  ना खुणावत
त्यात विलीन होउ लागला....
हट्टाला पेटलेले बेदाणे ही आले ,
आणि सर्व मंडळी
गव्हीन्बाईना लगबगीने जाउन मिळाली ....

"आता कसं , लग्न घर वाटतंय ,
सर्वांनी  जरा पाच दहा मिनिटे स्वस्थ बसा
मग नैवेद्य दाखवू ....."

गव्हीन्बाई थांबल्या,
त्यांनी कपाटातून
आपला जुना बदाम-काजूचा तन्मणी काढला ,
स्वताहाला  न्याहाळत घातला ,
आणि सर्वान घेउन नैवेद्याच्या ताटाकडे मार्गी झाल्या ...

"You are invited
to celebrate
the marriage of our daughter
KaNikaa,
with
Soner
(son of Mr Ambaaji and Mrs Devi Jaggerywale of Kolhapur),
at the auspicious
Shravan evening moment
of 7hrs and 29 minutes.....

To be Conducted
by Lord Ghee, and Lady Shruti of Melbourne."

Inviting the Gods to grace this ,
Wholewheataa Maam,
pushing aside
the Rawa,
Broken-wheat,
and even NRI Bulgur types
rushed into the wok,
stirring and involving herself
into the ghee,
as she
looked upon the Olive Oil with suspicion.

Nearby,
a desperate jaggery in shreds,
threw itself into hot water,
all the while signalling to
the young Cardamom
and Poppy seeds to join up....

Can Raisins be left behind ?

And so all these folks
landed up at
Wholewheataa's
and mixed so nicely
in excitement,
that she finally asked them
to Cool down
and Relax.

Bidding them be,
she quietly
opened her space,
took out
the heirloom Tanmani jewelery
studded with
Almonds and Cashews,
and
adorned herself.

And they all watched
in admiration,
as she very self consciously,
in silver,
made her way
to be blessed by the Gods.....