good old days Onam

                                              From sushi to steak this foodie eats all the food in the world .. But surprisingly one of my favourite food is Sambar the pure vegeterian curry . And of course as in everything its origin is in my childhood ....

In both my maternal and paternal family we made excellent food but once an year (not that we didnt visit otherwise ) we used to get specially invited to our neighbours house in perumbavoor . It was a hindu family and there it was the beautiful pookkalam (made of freshly plucked flowers ) , the muthappan (made of clay ) and my aunts favourite friend and her family smiling with sandalwood paste on their forehead . Of course in this festive occasion the sumptuous meal had the tastiest sambar i have ever tasted in my life . It was not only because my tastebuds were growing at that time ( maybe 7 years ? ) but main reason was the food was given with the greatest love by these friendly neighbour . In those days there was no television to advertise onam ( for getting people to buy expensive dresses or jewellery ) and no ready made onam kit .  Not that these are not ok but nothing beats the smell of fresh flowers, the totally free atmosphere (no mobile calls to attend )  , the interreligious unity .

For once i feel i could go there and have that Onam celebration decades back .... And yes though i love the internet and mobile phone of modern day at least in Onam i do prefer the good old days in everyway  ...

Happy Onam in advance