The Taj Mahal I visited…..

It was in 1979 that we visited Aurangabad in Maharashtra. We were still living in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh. It was a holiday trip to Aurangabad.

The tourist guide took us along the historical places. The most amazing sight I had was a Taj Mahal in Aurangabad. I had very little knowledge of History still I knew about the Taj Mahal in Agra. The guide was talking in Hindi and I could only understand that the next place of our visit was “Bibi ka Maqbara". While standing in front of the architectural beauty, we were stunned to see a replica of the Taj Mahal . It was a thrilling experience.

The Bibi ka Maqbara is a Mausoleum constructed by Azam Shah in memory of his mother Dilras Banu Begum. This was built between 1651 and 1661 AD.

This beautiful Mausoleum is constructed in white marble. Though inspired by the “Taj Mahal of Agra”, there is lapse in architectural proportions, which resulted in a poor copy. Hence it is known as the “Taj of Deccan.” Still the Mausoleum attracts the eyes along with the natural beauty of the mountain ranges behind and the garden set up around.

The mausoleum is entered through a main entrance gate on its south, which has excellent foliage designs on brass plate on wood covering from the exterior. After passing through the entrance a small tank is provided and a low profile screen wall leads to the main structure. The screened pathway has a series of fountains at its centre, which adds to further the serene atmosphere.

The mausoleum is built on a high square platform with four minarets at its corners, which is approached by a flight of steps from the three sides. A mosque is found to the west of the main structure, which was a later addition caused, by Nizam of Hyderabad resulting closure of the entrance. The mausoleum is encased with marble up to the dado level. Above the dado level, it is constructed of basaltic trap up to the base of dome; the latter is again built of marble. A fine plaster covers the basaltic trap and given a fine polished finish and adorned with fine stucco decorations. The mortal remain of Rabia-ul-Daurani is placed below the ground level surrounded by an octagonal marble screen with exquisite designs, which can be approached by a descending flight of steps. The roof of this chamber that corresponds to the ground level of the mausoleum is pierced by an octagonal opening and given a low barricaded marble screen. Thus the tomb can also be viewed from the ground level also through this octagonal opening. The mausoleum is crowned by a dome pierced with trellis works and accompanying panels decorated with flower designs.

The smaller mosque, a later addition, stands to the west of the mausoleum. The bays are pierced through with five cusped arches and a minaret could be noticed at each corner.

While I collected the details of this Taj, I got the feeling of walking through Bibi ka Maqbara once again. The memories are still fresh.

But my wish to see the Taj Mahal of Agra is still a dream, unfulfilled…….

In a shopping mall.......

Today when I went around the shopping mall, I realized that I was enjoying the shopping. There was not much to buy so I watched others filling their trollies. Then I remembered my first shopping experiences.

I'm amazed at the way my life has changed with time..

In my childhood as other girls of those days, I too never went to any shops. Our clothes were bought by mother and her sisters. We all had enough gold jewellery, that too was selected by them. I remember the enthusiasm they had in shopping clothes and jewellery. It was a celebration for them .

No women in the family went to provision store or vegetable market. During weddings, shopping was a grand event. Only on those days married girls and the bride to be, were taken to shops. I too went to the textile shop and the jewellery shop just before before my wedding.

After marriage, I was taken to a place unknown and unheard…father bought a map of India to find out the place….and he cried when I left on the 15th day after marriage, to such a far off unfamiliar place.

The place was Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh. We had to travel by train, K K Express, 3 days to reach Itarsi. Then another train to Burhanpur. It was a very small town and the only vehicle that went through the roads were the “Two wheeled Horse-drawn vehicle” called “Tonga” in Hindi and “Kuthira vandi” in Malayalam. There were also Bullock carts and human pulled carts and some bicycles.

My husband had a room in a Palacial house of Bohra Muslims…He was giving Rs.10 as rent..There was a Dargah or place of worship of the Muslims. Double storied building with many rooms. Rooms had large stained glass windows in vibrant colors and Italian tiled flooring. The wooden carved doors had brass handles and curtain rods were in beautifully designed brass. The building was hundreds of years old and the land lady had no money for maintenance. So she kept many tenants.

My husband took me along the roads of the small shopping area of the town. The crowd, the dust filled and dirty roads were nowhere near my dreams to have any liking for shopping. Many varieties of food were cooked in the open and people eating the hot snacks on the road itself, was an amazing sight for me. The restaurant like shops were adjacent to each other and the air was filled with flavors of different sweets, unknown to me. Gradually I too relished on Gulab jamoons and Paani puris and kachoris.

The shopping for vegetables and provisions I disliked mainly because of the dust and foul smell of the market. Water was a rare commodity for the people of Burhanpur. Rain was something very rare. People collect water when ever the Municipality was kind enough to send water through common taps on the roads. The taps inside the houses produced sounds, but no water came out of it.

I lost all enthusiasm in shopping…….I didn’t even know the price of anything, rice, oil or sugar. So my husband took over the job of providing the commodities and I was happy to remain home and cook. Today when I saw the different varieties of green chillies neatly displayed in the vegetable section in the shopping mall, I remembered the Burhanpur market ..33 years might have brought drastic changes to Burhanpur too…..But I have yet to look back and find when I got this passion for shopping……

Bali Tharpanam….in cities

Bali tharpanam is not possible to each and everyone, especially those who live in apartments in other countries or outside Kerala. Once I asked famous astrologer Sri Sankaranarayanan about this. He said, just do it with faith and follow whatever ritual possible.

We can observe ‘orikkal’ the previous day. After bath and prayers, have simple vegetarian food. Avoid garlic. Eat rice meal only once that day.

Next day early morning after bath, take a plantain leaf and take a handful of rice and black sesame [Ellu] keep on the leaf and wet by sprinkling water. This we can do on the terrace or any open space. But make sure dogs don’t eat it or anyone stamps on it. Crow or other birds may eat.

Pray and ask forgiveness to ancestors…..

It is our faith in doing it that matters.

Chakka varattiyathu

Today Shari, my cousin wrote on Facebook about her first attempt to make Chakka varattiyathu and it took me back many years to the flavours and mouth watering palaharams our elder generations made.

Malathi valliamma was an expert in cooking. Her Palaharams were famous among the family. She made Boli, Chakka varattiyathu and Ila Ada in a way no one else in the family could make. It was her Kaipunniam in making all that she touched, delicious. Whoever goes to her house would get a taste of her culinary expertise and would go back home with something packed for their kids.

For many years Valliamma and Valliachan lived in Ettumanoor, and we children spent many holidays with her. Valliachan was very religious and followed all Hindu rituals and taught them to us through stories and keerthanams. He wrote many songs or keerthanams.

Malathi Valliamma spent most of her time in kitchen. The bharanis were always full with Chakka Varuthathu, Varattiyathu, Upperi, Sharkara varatti, Avaloose podi, chammanthi podi, murukku, and what not……She could make everything..If we were lucky, we would land there when Ada and Boli were made. As that cannot be stored long, only the lucky ones got their hands on them.

My mother too made use of all chakka and mango available in the house and would keep them stored and wait for her children to visit from other states. Kumari valliamm's speciality was the laddus made of rice, jaggery and coconut, what we call 'Mavunda'. It would just melt in the mouth.

The last time I visited she gave us those freshly made laddus. Me & children ate them all, little knowing that it was her last, and she would leave us forever after 2 days.....The soft spoken, loving Kumari valliamma who loved us all as her own children is still fresh in our memories....Now Amma, Valliamma, chitta and all others are all gone . Bharathi chitta was the last to go and her daughter Sharadakutty is trying to keep the tradition of chakka varatti alive..If Chitta succeeded in making the mouth water with the smell of Chakka varattiyathu, Shari published it in Facebook to make some mouths water….Anyway I’ll try the taste of her 5 hour long Bhageeratha Prayathnam and give a comment on that family special dish…..Till then............