Like clockwork soldiers, the next few
items, chiefly flanked by the server anna
in kara veshti and white banian, carries
them deftly over all the leaves and serves
them with élan. I choose to vehemently
ignore the next few vegetable curries
that are heaped on the leaf and wait for
the crowd favourite, the Potato curry.
Just after that, the payasam or kheer is
dropped like a bombshell on the side of
the leaf, and I’m in a race against time to
slurp it clean before it drips down the
banana leaf.
It has been exhausting to see and take in
all the different items on the table that
when the main course arrives, I have
actually sunk into the plastic chair. I
make a small moat between the white
rice to hold the dal and fill it up with
ghee. (Habits die hard) As the
excitement of the “moat” dies down I’m
posed with the ‘challenge of the day’:-
Eat Rasam rice, without spilling even a
drop of it, you will be disqualified if you
tear or damage the parts of the leaf in an
attempt to save the same.I arm myself
with necessary previous disaster lessons
and set myself to work on it. The white
rice is now deployed at two stages.
You see at times the grains don’t stick
together and that’s when the leftover dal
rice is helpful; in strengthening the
compounds. Papadam follows in tow
and is chomped down at various sounds
of the “Crunchhh” from it. To bring in
peace to the warzone, “Curd rice” in all
its pristine glory is placed as a dollop
over the rice. You can hear the shuffling
of a few chairs, signaling the end of the
meal, with a full stomach and teary eyes,
you realize peace has been restored.
The yummier sweets are loaded into
another spare cup, and I silently watch
the dining hall fade into oblivion when
I drink/eat the payasam, and feel my
stomach rising in a crescendo thanking
me for the great food. That is when I’m
fully conscious of myself and I’m aware
that even my soul is rejoicing the
fullness, and a warm radiance is left on
my face.
The inner bank or moat and the outer
compound. As the rasam hits the leaf, I
heap all the rice over it to stop the flow
and bring the compound closer.
RAKSHANA R
85