My first barbecue dinner!

 Wanting to give me a different eating out experience my son took me to Barbecue Nation. 

My adventure started with iced tea which I have never tasted before. When I looked in shock at the large glass the youngsters pacified me saying I can take my own sweet time to finish it off, taking a sip in between the course. What I cannot understand was why it was not sweet!

Luckily I had a companion for vegetarian menu! We had different colour plates safegaurding us from the carnivores' feast! The ubiquitous tissue paper was absent! A neat cloth napkin was placed on our lap. 

A grill was placed in front of us and a variety of vegetables & panneer in rods were put on the grill. On the table were 6 cups of sauces in six colours with small brushes to apply on the barbecued items. The brushes were amusing to a country mouse like me! The baby corn, colour capsicums, potato, mushroom etc served were sizzling & tasted good enough with sufficient salt, pepper & oregano. Hence I desisted from experimenting with my painting skill by dipping into any of the cups. 

Roti & chutney too was good. Then we hastily bent down the flag kept on the table to stop the fast flow of barbecue supply & got up to forage into the buffet section.

The tomato soup was divine. It has taken nearly 4 decades' interval for me to taste a proper soup: the last time I had it served was at a lunch hosted by the American Embassy during a seminar in my PG days- with butter cubes & crunchy, yummy crotons.

I steered past noodles & macaroni. A big 'No' to them when I had better options before me! The teaspoonful each of elegant-looking rice & briyani found no favour with my palate, either!

Gifted(!) with a sweet tooth as Iwas, the dessert area was attractive to me. The content of the dainty earthen mug- baasanthi- was not up to my expectation: not sweet enough. The gulab jamuns were good. My grandson was heartily forking them down his throat one after another!

There was souffle- something I have not tasted before! The pineapple souffle was simply superb! The bitter chocolate sauce was not for me. The green, red jelly & nut, caramel garnishings are OK with me! I guiltlessly committed the sin of helping myself generously to the delicacy.

Icecream with nut toppings followed leaving no place in the tummy for the variety of cakes!

Voila, a sumptuous dinner to remember!

eLimaiyaay ramayaNam- part 4

 LakshmaNan: annE, super figurunnE! naama ithuvarai paaththiraatha sizu-nnE! valiya varuthu vaaLai meenu! viLaiyaadipaappOmaa?

Sita: yaarintha raatchasi? ava muziyE sariyilla! 
LakshmaNan:(achchachO! kuLakkaraikku kuLikkap pOna aNNi athukkuLLa eppadi vanthaanga! ) 
Soorpanagai: sevaththa kutti shOkkaathaan keethu! 
Sita:chee! chee! yaarudi nee? thaniyaa irukka aambaLangakitta vambu paNNa vanthiyaa? 
Soorpanakai: summaa koovaathammaa! intha panjavadi ennuthu! inga vanthu kottaay pOttu kunthikinu innaa thenaavatta pEsuRammE? 
Sita: (to Ram & LakshmaN)ivaLai adiththu thuraththaamal En reNdu pErum vEdikkai paakkuReenga? 
Soorpanakai: reNdu aambaLaiyOda nee thaniyaa mallukattuRiyE, naan oththaasai seyREnEdi? 
Sita:siva sivaa! LaksmaNaa, ithuthaan nee engaLa paaththukkiRa latchaNamaa? ivaLai udanE kaNda thuNdamaa vettippOdu! 
(LakshmaN begins to execute the tall order by first cutting off the thrusting-forward nose of Soorpanakai) 
Soorpanakai (pinvaangikkoNdE): en kaila wrong vachchikitta unna summaa udamaattEndi! naan yaarunnu ninaichE? aNNaaththa RavaNankitta solli unakku sangu oothuREnnaa illaiyaa paaru! nee naasthiyaagappORa seekkiramE!( aangaaramaay azuthukoNdE Odi maRaikiRaaL!)
* * * * *
RavaNan: Hi! sister! what happened to your pretty nose? And why are you looking so dull? 
soorpanakai: pONNaa! nee suththa waste! 
RavaNan: why? why? why do you say so my dear child? 
Soorpanakai:pEruthaan peththa pEru! periya superpower-nnu! veeNaiyai toyng toyng-nnu izuththu sivanai mayakki enna prayOjanam? 
RavaNan: cut the crap! Come to the point without beating about the bush! 
Soorpanakai: aishwarya Roy pOla oru peN irukkaaLaa un periya anthapurathula? periya parakkirasaalikku oru paingkiLi kidaichuthaa? 
RavaNan: engE irukkiRaaL nee sollum antha athiroopa sundari? sol! ippozuthE pOkiREn! 
Soorpanakai: en panjavdiyilE! (paththikichi! )

panjavadiyil- 

Sita: manathiRkuL (chE! enna vaazkkai ithu! intha aththuvaana kaattukkuLLa vanthu aasaiyaa purushanaOda antharangamaa pesa mudiyuthaa? eppO paaththaalum koodavE ottikittu irukkiRa kozunthanai eppadi enga thoraththuRathu? aang! athO oru puLLi maan nikkuthu!) (to Lakshman) aiyyO! evvaLavu azakaana maankutti! athai enakku pidiththu thaayEn! 

Rama: ithO naan pOy pidiththu varukiREn! (kiLambiyum vidukiRaan) 

Sita: (masaukkuL- paavi manushaa! seththa nEram intha attaiyai uthaRivittu irukkalaam enRu ninaiththaal kooRu ketta purushan ippadi kududkudunnu Oduvaaraa! ) 

appOthu saagum maareesanin eenakkural kEtkiRathu. 

Sita: LakshmaNaa! Odu! un aNNanukku aabaththu! mmm..seekkiram! 

LakshmaNan: ungaLai thaniyE vittuvittu naan eppadi pOvEn! aiyahO! en seyvEn! sari, aNNi, itho en ambil oru kOttai keeRivittu pOgiREn, ekkaaraNam koNdum athai thaaNdividaarkaL, athan uLLE irukkum varai ungaLai oru theengum aNdaathu! 

Sita: udanE pO enkiREn, vaLa vaLa enRu pirasangam paNNikkoNdirukkiRaayE! 

(LakshmaN nagarnthathum oru saamiyaar vEdaththil RavaNan varugiraan, kOttai thaaNda vidaamal neruppu ezumbukiRathu. jakkirathaiyaay kOttin veLiyE ninRu koNdu Sita-vai azaikkiRaan, veLiyE vanthavaLai paarththu piramiththupOgiRaan,"Soorpanakai mikassariyaaga solliyirukkiRaaL!" thanthiramaay kOttukku veLiyE Sita-vai varavaikkiRaan, kaamuganin kapadam purinthathum Sita alaRukiRaaL, viruppamillaa penNai thottaal thalai vediththuvidum enRu sabikkapatta RavaNan Sitaiyai avaL niRkum nilaththOdu peyarththu eduththu avan pushpaga vimaanaththil paRakkiRaan. thuraththi vantha vdasaratha visuvaasiyaana jadaayu kazukai kaththiyaal vettukiRaan.) 

Rama:aiyyO, maayamaanai nambi mOsam pOnEme! Sita-vai kaaNOm! en kaNmaNikku enna aayiRRO! 

Lakshman:aNNa, ithO nam thanthaiyin naNbar jaaduyu kuRRuyirum, kulaiuyirumaay kidakkiRaar!

Jadaayu:kuzanthaikaLE! Sitayai oru kayavan kavarnthu thenthisai nOkki paRakkiRaan! ennaal avaLai kaappaarra mudiyavillaiyE! 

Jadayuvin uyir pirikiRathu! 

kaade athira kaththukiRaan Raman:VAIDHEHIIIIIIIIIIII!


Vaali vathaththai villangamaana muRaiyila mudichchi anumanai asOkavanam anuppi vaalaasana thoothanin vaanarappadai uthaviyudan kadalil paalam katti ilangaiyai adainthu katchi maaRiya Vibeeshanin uthaviyudan raaman pOrittu visuvaasamaana KumbakaRNanai konRu, seththa thambi LakshmaNanai anuman peyartheduththa sanjeevi malai uthaviyaal uyirpiththu jeya Raamanaay Seethaiyudan AyOthi senRaan Raaman

eLimaiyaay ramayaNam- part 3

 kaNNE KaikEyi, un thangamaana manasu yaarukku varum? peRatha piLLaikku nallathu nadakka ippadi thudikkiRaayE? nee 10 maasam sumanthu peththa piLLaiyai unakku ninaivirukkiRathaa?

adiyE, KaikEyi! naan solRatha konjam kavanamaa kELu! nee ippO edukkappORa mudivu un ethirkaalaththaiyE theermaanikkappOkuthu! Rajamaathaavaa kambeeramaa ulaa varappORiyaa, illai araNmaNai moolaoyila kausalyaavum seethaiyum enna solvaangaLOnnu bayaththula mudangippOy kidakkappORiyaa? Raman arasaaLum pOthu avan ammaavum avan peNdaattiyum thaan athikaaram seyvaanga. kaNmoodiththanamaa Raman mEla paasam vachchi azinji pOgaathE! un magan Barathanum Dasarathanukku piRanthavanthaanE? raajjiyaththai aaLa muzu urimai uLLavanthaanE? avan arasanaanaal ellOrum unakku kai katti niRpaarkaL. Raman arasanaanaal neethaan aththanai pErukkum koojaa thookka vENdum! nee yaar? un perumai enna? un arasa vamsa veera theeraththai maranthu Kausalyaavin edupidiyaaga thaazavENdumaa? yOsi! nee eppErpatta buththisaali! varappOgum naatkaLil, varudangaLil nee adaiyappOgum sarivai eNNippaar! thalai nimirnthu raajaavin abimaana arasiyaay sakala mariyaathaiyudan irukkum nee perumai izakkalaamaa? yOsi! peNNE yOsi!

naan solRathu unakku ippO puriyuthaa? aduththu nee enna seyyaNum-nu solREn kEL! ithu saamaanyamaana vElai illai, athan viLaivukaLum saamaanyamaay irukkaathu! aanaal nenjilE uram uLLa nee thuNichalaay ninRu vella vENdiya vishayam ithu! dasarathanai nee un maganukku mudi soottas sol! athirchi adaivaan, maRuppaan, samaaLippaan. uRuthiyaay nil! anRu koduththa reNdu varaththai inRu kodungaL enRu athirchiyai kodu! idukkiyil maattikoNdu meeramudiyaamal vizippaan! reNdu varam enna enRu solkiREn, kavanamaaga kEL! Barathanukku mudi sootta vENdum, Raman mara uri thariththu 16 varusham vana vaasam seyya vENdum! intha piramaaNdamaana saathanai puriya nee athaRku thakuntha maathiri mood-il mannan varumpOthu kaatchiyaLikka vENdum. eppadi enRu solkiREn kEL! vazakkam pOl alangaara padhumaiyaay, ullaasa paavaiyaay niRkiRaayE, athai muthalil maaRRu. koonthalai avizththuvidu! aabaraNangaLai kaLainthuvidu. kObaththil, thukkaththil kumuRu! kaariyam saathikkaamal OyaathE! magaLE, un nalanai mattumE naadum intha kooniyin solpadi nadanthaal nee naaLum nalamaay vaazvaay. un subitcham onRE en moochchu!

hhhmmm! intha manushan ippadi maraNa moorchaiyadaivaarO! aanaa naan eduththa kaariyam jeyamthaan! mara uriyOda Raman kaattukku kiLambi pOyaachchi! intha Seetaiyum honeymoon pORa maathiri jollyaa mara uri maattikkittu purushanai eeshikkittu pOyittaa! vivasthaiyillaama urmilaavai ambOnnu vittuttu intha Lakshman ethukku ottikkittu pORaana? ayOththi nagaram azuthu mudikkamunnaala intha Barathanum vanthu ippadiyaa vaanaththukkum boomikkum kuthippaan? periya aarppaattam paNNittu aNNanai thEdi kaattukku pOy azaichchathukku nalla vELai avan honeymoon jOr-la 'varamaattEn pO'-nnu sollittaan. intha kiRukkanum avan seruppai kazatti thalai mEla vachchi sumanthukittu vanthu simmaasanaththula vachchi azagu paakkuRaan! enna piLLaiyO!

eLimaiyaay ramayaNam- part 2

 en raththam kothikkuthu intha akkiramaththai paarththu! ithai muRiyadichchE theeruvEn! kangai oothi kanaRukitturukka vachchi saambiraaNi pugaiyai pOttu intha kiRukki manasa maaththaatti en pEru Mantharaiyilla! 
ellOrOdavum sErnthukittu iva Ramanai thalaiyila thookkivachchikittu kooththaaduRatha udanadiyaa niRuththaNum! ennamO ivaLE vayiththula sumanthu peththa piLLai maathiri paasam pongi vaziyuthu ivaLukku! iva mattum piLLai peRaatha maladiyaavaa irunthuttaa? iva vayiththula uthiththa muththu arumaiyaa, amsamaa, kambeeramaana raajakumaaranaa vaLanthu nikkuRathu iva kaNNukku eppadi theriyaama pOchi? iva buththiyai maRaikkiRa anjnjaanaththai muthalla udaichcheRiyaNum! mooNu raaNiyila mooththava enna, iLaiyava enna? mooNu perum samamaa irukkum pOthu urimaikku kural kudukkaama peththa maganukku dhrOgam seyvaaLaa intha paathakaththi? naaLaikku yaar yaar eppadi maaRuvaangannu eppadi theriyum? rajamaathaavaa kauravamaa kaalam pooraa nimmathiyaa irukka vENdiyava ippadi muttaaLaa irukkaaLE! sari, pinnE naan ethukku inga avaLukku nizalaa irukkEn? en kadamaiyai seyya vENdiya avasara kattamithu! raajaavOda prEmaikku uriya raaNiyaa irukkiRava, saarathiyaa sEvai senjathOda viralai koosaamal sakkaraththil koduththu purushanai kaappaaRRi jeyikkavachchava- antha nanRikku kidachcha reNdu varamum appadiyE irukku! athuthaan ippO ivaLudaiya thuruppu cheettu! arumai magan Ramanukku pattam soottapOREnnu santhOshamaa antha kizattu raja inga varum pOthu iva thalaivirikOlamaay, aangaaramaay, kaNNeer sinthiya kOlaththil ninRaal alangaaravalliyai intha kOlaththil paarkka mannan athirchiyila aadippOvaan; athE soottOda varam reNdaiyum ippa kuduyyaa-nnu oththai kaal-la ninnaanaa manushan vaayai thoRakka mudiyumaa? pathinaaRu varusham mara uri tharichchi vanavaasam seyya anuppu un sella maganai, ariyaNaiyil ERRu en kaNmaNiyai-nnu aruvaaLa pOttaannaa avan ambElthaan!

eLimaiyaay ramayaNam-part 1

 poRumaiyaa irudi, kaikEyi! thaadikkaara saamiyaar vanthuttaar! Ethaachum viduvukaalam varum pOla theriyuthu!

adiyE kaikEyi, un sakkaLaththikaLidam nee romba jaakrathaiyaa irukkONum! aamaa, raasaava appdiyE adikaNNaala paaththu paaththu madichi vachukkO! aamaa, unakku nallathu ethunnu enakku theriyum, solRapadi nandiyaanaa unakkum un piLLaikkum enRaikkum periya pErum, pERum kidaikkum!

unnai naan eppadi thiruththuvEn? ulagamE theriyaatha veguLiyaaga irukkiRaayE! unnai konjam konjamaay uruvERRa vENdum!

en piriyamaana rani kaikEyiyum avaL magavumthaan raajjiyam aaLa vENdum! athaRkaaga naan arumpaadu paduvEn! ithu saththiyam!

mmm...intha maharaja eppavum Ramanukku athigamaa chellam kudukkuRaaru! KaikEyikku soraNaiyE illa! kaattula raatchasar thontharavunnu antha munivar vanthu intha 'villan' Ramarai koottittu pOnaaru! antha chilluNdi payal en muthugila maN uruNdai adichavanthaanE! Thadagai, Subaanuvai ozichchittaanaam! purushan sabichchathula kallaana Agaligaiyai uyirpichchaanaam! oorukku vaRRa vaziyila munivar avar paattukku lord maathiri Janaka maharajavOda araNmaNaiyila nadantha suyamvaraththukku azaichchittu pOnaaraam! vaziyilEyE Seethaiyai sight adichikittE pOna Ramanum villai eduththu padakkunnu odichchaanaam, vaLaikka vENdiya villai odichchathu vithimuRaiyai meeRinathunnu yaarum aatchEbikka nEram kudukkaama intha Seetha kaLLi Odi vanthu intha manmathan kazuththula padakkunnu maalaiyai pOttaaLaam! kudumpasthan aayittaannu intha kizattu maharajaavum maganukku pattam soottuRathunnu sabaiyila mudivai therivichchi oorE jE jE-nnu kidakku! intha KaikEyi kadankaarikku buththiyila Ethaavathu uRaikkuthaa? kaNmani Barathanai Oramkatti, othukki, avan illaatha nEraththula ippadi oru Oravanjanai nadakkuRatha naan eppadi paaththukittu summaa irukka mudiyum!

A model entrepreuner

 Listening to Arunachalam Muruganantham’s hilarious narration of his entrepreneurial adventures tickled me to non-stop titters. He has a winning way of describing his steady, sincere endeavour over years of overcoming the odds in establishing a truly benevolent industry with the whole emphasis on service and not profit.

Being a senior citizen myself I can very well relate to the period he started his noble venture. With his orthodox family background the way he has persevered purely for the sake of providing cheap and safe protection to women during their ‘monthly problem’ is simply awesome.

He started his ‘Research and Development’ system after learning about the very basic, hard, bitter facts about the unhygienic practices prevalent then. The commercial sanitary napkins (sold in pharmacies and handed over packed well hiding their identity very discreetly!) were priced too high for poor women.

He needed women volunteers to proceed in his search for a solution. He found it hard to get them. He points out with humour steeped in stark reality how today women volunteers swarm around swamijis but were unavailable to him in his early years. Unlike in today’s ‘open’ society of glaring ads of sanitary napkins flashed on TV so often the topic of menstruation was taboo in the 'hush hush' conservative society of our times. He even earned the hatred of his family and was temporarily estranged. The whole village saw him as a ‘psycho’. My God! What ordeals to pass through for an aspiring inventor with a noble cause! So he persevered with in his endeavour even making himself a guinea pig in the process!

Trial and error was his modus operandi. His 10x10 room was equal to any high-funded R&D department in the corporate world. He did not hurry for success but continued purposeful experiment diligently.

Finally the indefatigable champion for true emancipation of women accomplished his vision- invented a machine to make low-cost napkins. He patented the design and resolutely refused to make money with it a la mode many greedy inventors who sell their patents to the multinational companies. He was neither bothered with turnover, nor keen on seeing currency pour in. He converted his business from macro to micro level. Self-help groups of women, rural women and school girls can make them in their own places. They are his share-holders. Simplicity is the name of his invention.

Very deservedly he received the President’s Award. It is heartening to hear that 106 developing nations are following his design. His mission of freeing women from unhygienic practices of tackling menstruation and relieving them of the hampering nature of the ‘monthly visitation’ is fulfilled.

Selfish, greedy cinema stars and corrupt, hypocritical politicians hell-bent on filling their pockets  who have crowds of unthinking followers fade into insignificance near such a real hero. He is the model to follow in these times of dire need when front line nations gloat with profits stabilizing their prosperity while sucking  our resources and wealth and health. When shall we stop craving for pepsi, coke and subways and look upon our local celebrity who will not compromise principle for profit.

Let me conclude saying this noble man fully deserves the standing ovation and whole-hearted salutation of the fair sex. His success story is a handbook on persevering entrepreneurial venture  and meaningful, soul-filling purpose of human endeavour. May his tribe multiply and flourish!

Franklin Templeton Investmentspartnered the TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012.

Arunachalam Muruganantham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=u1iWhljEbTE