Karthigai Deepam

Garama Garam Masala Chai

Hi friends!!!
                  It's raining outside and I thought it would be nice if I post masala chai for all of you to have it. Each and every household has their own preparation style. This is my way of preparing it. Try it and tell me how it is, Please!!!!

Ingredients:

•                   Ginger                      - 1 "
•                   Cardamom               - 2 or 3
•                   Tea                           - 2 tsp
•                   Water                       - 1 cup
•                   Milk                         - 1 cup
•                   Sugar                       - as per taste

Preparation :

•  In a bowl add water and place it on a stove.
•  Switch on the stove and allow it to boil.
•  Mash the ginger in a hand mortar and add to the boiling water.
•  Similarly, add the cardamom after powdering a little.
•  When the mixture boils for 5 minutes, add the tea and allow it to boil for another 5 minutes or nice aroma is experienced.
•  Add milk to the boiling water and allow the contents to boil for somemore time.
•  Add sugar to the cups and keep it ready for tea to be poured.
•  Remove the tea from stove and with the help of a strainer, add to the cups.
•  Hot masala chai/tea is ready to serve.

Note:

•  Have 2 or 3 biscuits along with the tea. It will be heavenly.

 

I wandered lonely as a cloud

This is the beautiful poem of "William Wordsworth" taught by my beautiful English teacher Mrs. Hamasveni (Vana Vani Matriculation School, IIT, Chennai). The poem and its meaning has a lasting effect on me whenever and wherever I come across it:
               

          I WANDERED lonely as a cloud

          That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

          When all at once I saw a crowd,

          A host, of golden daffodils;

          Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

          Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

 

          Continuous as the stars that shine

          And twinkle on the milky way,

          They stretched in never-ending line

          Along the margin of a bay:                                 

          Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

          Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

 

          The waves beside them danced; but they

          Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

          A poet could not but be gay,

          In such a jocund company:

          I gazed--and gazed--but little thought

          What wealth the show to me had brought:

 

          For oft, when on my couch I lie

          In vacant or in pensive mood,                              

          They flash upon that inward eye

          Which is the bliss of solitude;

          And then my heart with pleasure fills,

          And dances with the daffodils.

Made of Great

                              When I read this topic for competition, the first person who came into my mind is my Grandma. She’s no more physically but in my thoughts she still lives. She was a very strong lady. She was married to my Grandpa when she was just 13 or 14 years. At that time, it was considered a late marriage for a girl. My Grandpa was working as an employee in Andhra Government. She took charge of her in-laws house kitchen from that day onwards. She was always busy cooking and taking care of other businesses in the family. She didn’t have time to look after her own kids also. But, she didn’t show any regrets. When my grandpa died, grandma was left with 5 kids (4 boys and 1 girl). Only my eldest uncle was in college and my aunt was in her teens. All the other 3 kids were just entering their teens. My grandma’s mother –in-law took the only house built by my grandpa in her possession and sent her away with the kids to Chennai. My grandma came to live in Chennai which was an unknown place for her with her 4 kids (1 daughter and 3 sons) with a meagre pension amount and some jewelry. After coming to Chennai she started helping ladies in their daily chores and brought home food given by them for her help. She was also skilled in treating malaria fever, typhoid and jaundice using herbs. She didn’t take money to treat the diseases since she would say it will not be fruitful if it is sold for money. Many doctors in our area would recommend my grandma’s name to treat the patients.  At one point, she completed her daughter’s wedding with the jewelry she had and sent my father to a residential school (which was provided on scholarship).  Both my uncles got jobs and started earning for the family. When my father completed his S.S.L.C exams, he was sent out of the hostel and as soon as he returned he got a job and started earning.  Even though, they brought home money she didn’t stop her job of helping ladies in the locality or providing medicines. She also helped her neighbours when they were hospitalized and also when they were not well. When her mil was about to die, she reached there and stayed till she breathed her last and made her bil to complete all the last rites for her. After my uncles and my father got married, she started travelling from Chennai to tirupati to stay with them. When she got bored she would visit her brother’s place which was in a village. She didn’t take anyone’s help to travel from one place to another till she reached her 85^th year. For sometime, she travelled with us. When she got her legs fractured, she stopped travelling and was staying in my uncle’s house. Till she breathed her last she was doing her daily routine by herself and did not depend on others. She usually would advise us that we should not depend on anybody (especially menfolk) for anything. We should be always be brave self-independent. Even though she was not educated, she was very particular about Grandchildren education.  She was also very happy that we were career oriented women.

     In the fond memory of my loving, caring, bold and independent grandma I am dedicating this article on her as a “Woman Made of Great”.

http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/

I am special because...

I am special because…:

                                        WOW!!! What a topic??? I really admire the person who comes with mindblowing prompt everyweek. This topic will make each one who writes to know their interesting qualities which they have not realized till now.  It will be a self realization or self analysis to know about us.

                                         Ok!!! I am special because I have taken a birth as an human being with good health. In tamil, there

Is a quote,

”Aridhu Aridhu manidarai pirathal aridhu

adhaninum aridhu goon kurudu sevidu pedu neengi pirathal aridhu”

It means, “ It is very rare to be born as an human being and in that birth it also rare that we are healthy with no blindness and hearing impaired. So, according to the saying are we all not special??

Then, I am special to my parents who gave me birth as the eldest of the family and provided me with good food, good education (using which only I am writing this article) and good clothes to wear. Everything they chose till the selection of my hubby was specially done. Now, it’s my turn to take care of them and try my best to make them feel that they are very special to me more than what they made me to feel.

I am a special sister to my younger brother because; I am his best friend till today. In our younger days, I would always share with him the day-to-day happenings and he would do the same. All his friends were my friends and my friends were his friends. Even today, wherever we meet them, we would share our joy with them irrespective of his or my friend.  Now, as we have become full adult with family, we share our joys whenever possible.

Then, my hubby makes me special by allowing me to do whatever I like without any hinderance. He feels a wife should be independent in all aspects and wherever love and care is needed, he will be at my side. That also makes me feel special.

My policy in life is “Take Life as it comes” and “No Expectations and No Regrets”. This policy had made me special among my friends and acquaintances. Wherever I go I don’t expect red carpet instead I myself would mingle with the people around. I always love to be happy and make others happy. People who sees me first would say that “I have a beautiful smiling face”. I will not get angry unless otherwise there’s something serious happened and hurt me to the core.  My anger will be spur of the moment and I will myself come out of it and continue talking to the person whom I showed the anger.(of course, after conveying why I showed anger or what mistake they did).

To me I am special because, I have positive thinking (which is developed by both of our parents) during tough times. This would allow me to develop positive thoughts in my near and dear ones. My smallest suggestion is, if we are special to us then whatever we talk and do will also be special and that will make others to treat us as special. So, think special, talk special and be special to everybody around you.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.