Nice to see Brindavan seniors celebrating Koottu-pongal!
On my first Pongal after marriage, Jangamma wrote a letter explaining how I should go about keeping the Pongal paanai. She says: apply arisi maavu on the sides of the vengala paanai (so that it doesn't become black from the fire), apply chandan-kumkum, tie the manjal & inji kothu-s at the neck, pour milk-&-water in the paanai & heat; when the milk boils & rises, she says, my husband and bro-in-law Viswanathan should be there with me, and we should all three cry out in unison "pongal-o-pongal" !
She goes on to give the recipe for sakkarai pongal. And then wonders how I will do all this with my "kunju kai"!!!!
With pressure cooker convenience, we do not even think of the traditional method now. Possibly the next gen uses microwave? As long as the end result is mouth watering, ghee dripping sakkarai pongal, does it matter?!!
The solar eclipse is at its peak as I write this. On Ponnakka's advice, we had some venpongal at about 8.30am & after 3.15, will bathe & have idlis. I have also made my super-salad.
I am leaving on a week's yatra tonight - Karnataka this time, covering TalaKaveri, Udipi, Dharmasthala, Sringeri and many more.
Hare Ram
Gayathri
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