BOXING DAY

 

Boxing Day

A hunting we will go

A hunting we will go

We’ll catch a fox

And putimina box

And never let him go!

 
Good morning to you, my friend. Do you know this song? Nursery rhyme. In my childhood we are learning this in my school and singing daily. I am remembering it now because to-day is called Boxing Day. I will tell you why. Just listen, okay?

See, in the olden days, golden days, really, olden was golden, that is why for each and evvery thing I am saying olden days olden days. What, what? What did you say? Come to the point-a? What point? And you don't talk when I am interrupting, I say. Spoiling the thought flow in my head. See, now I have to go back and remember from starting.

What you said I was saying, olden days-a? Yes, yes, correct, olden days. Now I remember. I was singing about fox and box, no? The day of Christmas was birthday of the Lord, correct? Even now it is. Joy and celebrations and all. After that, next day was the day when the rich landlord, owner of land, farm and all, he called all the labourers and workers and servants and poor people of entire village and gave them food and gift and all, each and evvery thing packed in box. Why because, it is tedious to give so many items one by one, so he put them in box and gave each one one each. Means in one box, all the items are there for one person or one family. Like our Deepavali pattasu cracker box which is coming for 200 rupees or 300 rupees or something. Of course, nowadays due to pollution control, that is also slowly stopping. What to do?

Anyway, back to track. So the landlord was giving box of presents of food and other gifts. No drinks. Okay, okay, maybe little bit of drinks also. Maybe grape wine or rice wine or something. You know, some people are making wine from rice? What? What you are asking? Whether they can cook the rice afterwards after taking out the wine? We don't know about that. Maybe they are having too much rice to make wine and all. But we don't know about that, see?

Doll? You are asking about doll? What about doll? What about it? Whether we can make wine from doll? I don't know about it because I didn't try, see? In my house we are making only sambar from doll, not wine, see?  No, no, I am not Italian. Why are you make funning of me? Because I am saying see, see? This is not Italian. It is English. I am saying to be clear, see? See. With eyes. What? Eyes, eyes, our seeing eyes. Kannu. Eyes. Not ice. You are hopeless fellow, having one track mind. When I say eyes you are thinking of some single malt double malt and all. Hopeless fellow! Better you think of ragi malt, it is good for health and tasty also. No ice required.

Okay, now back on track. What I was saying? Yes. The landlord gave them food and gifts and all packed in the box. So, after Christmas Day, next day was called Boxing Day.

Nowadays, some countries like England and Australia celebrate Boxing Day by having cricket Test Match against each other or against other countries.

See? Now you have learnt something new from me, no? What? You already know about it? As if you are knowing each and evvery thing. Like some Sakalakalavallavan or Ellamtherindavan or something!

 

Simply go now. Test Match is coming on TV. Go and watch.

 

 - © Shiva Kumar, Boxing Day, 2020

 

TALKING FROM HOME

TALKING FROM HOME

Telephone conversation between two friends. Let's call them A-ma and B-ma. Both their telephones are "landlines" and both friends are "talking from home".

Friend A-ma: "Good morning, ma! How are you, ma? Staying at home, eh?"

Friend B-ma: "Good morning, good morning, ma! Yes, ma. Staying at home only. Because of this lockdown vockdown. What to do? What about you, ma?"

A-ma: "I am also same same, ma! Sitting at home only. Ayyo, what to say, ma?"

B-ma: "One Ayyo only? I feel like putting two Ayyos."

A-ma: "Ayyo Ayyo. Okay, ma?"

B-ma: "Hahaha, okay okay. Coffee tiffin overaa? What did you make for tiffin in your house, ma?"

A-ma: "I made uppitt today ma, with little bit onion. No variation only, ma. For me variation means more salt or less salt, hahaha, that’s all. What about in your house, ma?"

B-ma: "Ayyo, don't ask, ma."

A-ma: "Okay, I won't ask."

B-ma: "No, no, no, it's okay. Today I made adai with avial. First I thought I will simply make off aulakki with onion and potato. But I know big galatta will happen if I make aulakki because yesterday only I made uppittu. Then I saw in the fridge, little bit white pumpkin was remaining, along with few beansu, pattani, one carrot and all. So, I thought best idea was avial. Something different we have to do every day, no, ma? Then only we can avoid galatta, no?"

A-ma: "Yes, I know. For tomorrow thindi I have to start planning today only. Nowadays I became like planning commission, hahaha, daily sitting and breaking my head and thinking what to make, what to make."

B-ma: "Ayyo, when you said breaking my head, suddenly I remembered! Vegetables are half cut and I am sitting here talking to you. See, how I forgot? This lockdown is making me go mad. Let me go, ma, I have to make lunch. We will talk afterwards. Okay, ma?"

A-ma: "Okay, ma. You go, ma. I also will go and start lunch preparation thinking, hahaha! Happy lockdown, ma!"

B-ma: "Happy lockdown, ma!"

The conversation ends on a cheerful note.

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Glossary

Vockdown : a word that has no meaning but plenty of usefulness as it rhymes with lockdown. Used as a kind of a follow through word, to give company to lockdown without breaking social distancing protocol.

Tiffin : a term generally used, especially in South India, for a light meal or snack, in this case, breakfast.

Uppitt : Uppittu in Kannada (name believed to have been derived from a combination of “uppu” or salt and “hittu” or flour), Upma in Tamil (combo of “uppu” or salt and “maavu” or flour) a light meal made by cooking roasted rava, aka sooji aaka semolina, in water, mildly spiced with fresh green or dry red chillies and tempered with mustard, curry leaves and lentils sputtered in oil. Chopped onions may be added, as an option. Vegetables like potatoes, carrots and green peas may also be added, to make it a wholesomer meal.

Adai : a thick, heavy, spicy pancake made like dosai but from a coarse batter, fresh and unfermented, of lentils, rice and spices, it is a favourite “tiffin” item in South India.

Avial : a dish that is said to have originated in Kerala but is equally popular in Tamil Nadu too, with minor variations in the recipe. Avial is a vegetable dish made using several vegetables, in a base of curds, cooked typically using coconut oil (though any oil can be used because coconut oil has a strong and distinct aroma and can be off-putting for some), spiced with green chillies and jeera and garnished with grated coconut. It is served as an accompaniment to sambar-rice or rasam-rice, though adai and avial, as “tiffin”, is a special combination!

Aulakki : Avalakki or beaten rice, soaked in water for a short while and prepared in similar way to upma. Simple and filling.

Galatta : Ruckus, trouble.

White Pumpkin : a clever, innovative, informal name for Ash Gourd (Poosanikkai in Tamil, Boodi Kumblekayi in Kannada).

Pattani : Tamil for Green Peas (Battani in Kannada).

Thindi : Kannada for breakfast, tea time snack or any kind of light meal.

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© Shiva Kumar