My Winged visitors

Every Morning I have winged visitors on my kitchen window sill. Sharp 7 a.m. a pair of sparrow make their appearance, chirping happily announcing their arrival. I liked the way the wish me in the morning hours. I too have the same happy feeling when i hear them.  I feed rice grains to them.  Then slowly my other visitors will arrive.

My winged friends are : Two pairs of sparrows, 2 crows, pair of pigeon & a pair of mynah .There is a small protruding platform near window on which I feed them grains.

The Pigeon

Myna

Pair of Sparrow

The Crow

If I delay by few minutes, the sparrows will keep calling me putting their head inside the window like a child & catch my attention during the busy morning hours.

Its very nice to hear their chirping sounds in the morning. Each having  a different note. The mynah plays wonderful varying notes.

Pigeons are messy & greedy birds. They never let others have their share. Infact the pigeon is acting smart by allowing the sparrows to call for me for the grains, once I put the grains, immediately, it starts driving away the sparrows by making itself looking bigger & approach& them like a bully, overfeeds itself coming out with a big belly. Oversmart selfish pigeons some times makes me shoo it away.

When i start feeding them, initially i noticed the crow coming & taking some grains in its mouth & flying away with it. Later on it striked my mind that it is nesting. two months went like this, & one afternoon i had a surprise hearing a strange caller. Peeped through the window & saw a small crow. I casually put some grains, the mother crow came took the grains & fed the young one. How they care for their youngs. A mother is a mother whether its human or animal/bird. I am rejoiced to see the new member & now i have 3 crows visiting me.

Three days back, I saw a dead mynah in the pathway & was wondering whether it is one of my winged visitor of the morning as I did not see it after that. But today I am overwhelmed with joy to see my visitor back. But I feel sad for the dead mynah. But that’s how life in this world is. Survival of the fittest.

While talking to my mother, she told that the small sparrow’s population in our hometown has decreased very much which has become a rare sighting now-a-days & that she heard in the radio that it is because of the technology developments in communication like the dish for DTH & communications and the destruction of its home like small bushes & trees.

When these winged friends come to say goodmorning, I wonder what their future might be? One fine day, they may be seen only in books. such a day should never come.. 

Clay work

Ganesha - My first clay work

Jingle bells - 2nd work done on christmas season

பகல் நேர சிற்றரசு

(ராத்திரி ராஜாவின் கவி கேட்டு பகல் நேர சிற்றரசான புறா சொன்ன பதில்)

 ராத்திரியின் ராஜா நீ என அறிவேன் நான் நன்றாய்
பகல் பொழுது எனதுமென்று இறைவன் விதி அன்றோ?
உன்வீட்டில் சாணம் போட ஆசை ஒன்றும் இல்லை
மனிதர் 2g - cwaig ஊழலைவிட வெட்க செயல் உண்டோ?
தீனி போட்ட வீட்டிற்கே துரோஹம் செய்யும் செயலை
செய்தவர் புன்சிரிக்க நான் தலை கவிழ்தல் இல்லை
அவரவர் சுதந்திரத்தை அவரவர் வீட்டில் வைத்தல் நன்று
பகல் பொழுது உன் திண்ணை என் வீடும் அன்றோ?
அண்டை வீட்டார் சண்டைபோட்டால் ஊருக்கு கொண்டாட்டம்
ஆந்தை அண்ணனே நீ இரவில் கத்தும் சத்தம் எனக்கு திண்டாட்டம்
தொந்தரவு செய நினைக்கவில்லை அங்ஙனம் என் படைப்பு அன்றோ?பகலில் நானும் இரவில் நீயும் கத்த மீராவின் தூக்கம் போனது அன்றோ?நம்முடைய அன்பு தோழிகூட நம்மை வைவதில்லை
அதுபோலே கோள் சொல்லாமல் நாமும் சகித்து வாழ்வோம்
ராத்திரியில் ஆட்சி செய்ய ஊரெங்கும் பறந்தாய்
பகல் நேரம் சிற்றரசாய் உன் திண்ணையில் நின்றேன்
 

ராத்திரி ராஜா

ராத்திரி ராஜா

---

(புறாவின் பகல் ரகளை பற்றி ஆந்தை பாடும் பாட்டு)

வாசல் வந்து என்னை கத்தி மிரட்டுகிராயோ?

மூர்த்தி சிறிது கீர்த்தியும் சிறிது அறியாமல் - எந்தன்
வாசல் உனக்கே சொந்தம் என்று பெருத்து நின்றாயோ?

சகிப்புத்தன்மை அதிகம் என அறிந்து எந்தன் வாசலிலே
சாணம் போட்டு மெழுகி வைத்து துர்நாற்றம் தந்தாயோ?

பகல் நேரம் உனதென்று ஆட்டம்போட்டு ஊரைக்கூட்டும் மடப்புறாவே
இருள் சூழ்ந்த "இரவுகளின் ராஜா" நான்தானே
உன்தூக்கம் என்கையில் என்பதை மறந்து விட்டாயோ?  

பெருத்து = புறா மற்றவரை பயமுறுத்த உடலை பருமனாக காட்டும்.

Pigeons are messy eaters. they eat & they let their droppings in the same place, unlike the other birds. I have many winged visitors at my place during day & night. THe pigeons occupy the Owl's nesting place during the day & made the place very messy. Whereas in the nights, the owls rule the world hence pigeons cannot be seen outside as they quitely hide into the night.பகல் நேரம் கண்பார்வை மங்கல் என அறிந்து - எந்தன்

Puttu / steamed rice cakes

A traditional breakfast called 'Naadan' breakfast from God's own Country. This dish is common in the state of Kerala, Tamizh Nadu and Karnataka and parts of Sri Lanka. Thus it is called by various names viz., Puttu / Pittu

Chemba Puttu (Red Rice) with Pacha Payaru Puzhuku (Green Moong Curry)

White Puttu and Kadala Curry (Brown Chick Pea Curry)

You will need :-

• Coarsely ground rice powder (little finer than rawa/semolina) - 1 Cup
• Water - 1 Cup  (use only little by little using sprinkling method)
• salt to taste
• Grated coconut - 1 cup

Puttu Steamer  :

Puttu Vessel - it was  used in a coal stove called choola so got blackened at the bottom. My cherishable treasure from my MIL.

Pot, cylinder, palte and lid

• In olden days and even now in some households, it is steamed in coconut shell (Cherata Puttu) or in a Bamboo.

• Puttu is made from coaresly ground rice powder. You can use the readily available Puttu Powder, in the market (roasted one).  

• If you don't have a steamer like this, you can transfer the prepared puttu powder in a cloth and steam it in an idli steamer or in a pressure cooker (without putting the weight or whistle) for 10 minutes and then mix the coconut.

• To prepare puttu powder at home :-  Soak Rice for about 2 hours and drain it completely. Spread on a cloth to dry in shade and then coarsely grind it to a powder (not fine but little coarse) and dry roast it before using.

• The quantity of 1 cup will double in volume after we prepare the flour in the method described below... I have used upto 3/4 cup of water for 1 cup flour.

Preparation :-

The Recipe video is now available in Youtube Channel : Mira's Akshaya Patram. Added below :-

• In a mixing bowl, add a cup of Puttu powder and salt. Mix well. 

• Sprinkle water little by little, I used about 3/4 cup of water. Never mix water at one shot... Sprinkle a little, mix, then sprinkle again, mix... so on..  till it is little moist and crumble in texture. (Please check my Youtube Channel for even more clear video demo)

• The volume of the flour after absorbing the water will become double (say around 2.5 cups).

• Cover and keep aside and make preparations for gravy dish. Else leave it for 20 minutes.  

•  Now take the puttu vessel, Fill water in the pot. Place it on a stove and bring to boil. In the meanwhile, put the small plate with holes (perforated plate) into the cylindrical vessel so that it will settle at the bottom of the cylinder. The lightly shallow side should face upwards. Adjust it to position it.

• Put a tbsp of grated coconut into the cylinder. The coconut will seal the holes in the plate and prevent the rice flour from falling but at the same time allow the steam to pass through, to cook the rice flour.

• Fill the rice flour and then finally layer with coconut. Else you can create patterns of small portions as well by repeating the layer to your preference.

• Fix the filled cylinder on top of the vessel (use a kitchen napkin / towel to hold it and be careful not to touch the vessel with bare hands as it will be hot). Always use the towel to handle the vessel.. Steam for seven to ten minutes.

• Switch off flame. With a cloth towel remove the cylinder from the pot. Plate it horizontally on a plate. Using back side of a laddle or a skewer or a Tong, gently push the plate forward to get the puttu out of the cylinder.

•  You can have it with any one or a combo of these accompaniment suggestions :-
  
  
  
  
1. Kadala Curry (Brown Chick Pea Curry) - http://my-hobby-lounge.blogspot.com/2014/03/kadala-curry-brown-channa-masala-brown.html
2. Pacha Payaru Puzhuku - (Green Gram Curry) - Yet to be posted
3. Green Peas Curry - http://my-hobby-lounge.blogspot.com/search?q=Green+Peas+curry
4. Sugar and Papadam (Kerala Urad Papad)
5. Banana and Papadam
6. Or just mix some sugar to make it more Humble & Savourable!
7. Coconut Milk sweetened with sugar (as they serve in Tamizh Nadu)

There is an interesting story associated with this Dish which happened in Tamizh Nadu. The link is Here

For Kadala Curry Recipe Click Here

For Green Peas Curry  Click Here

Pacha Payaru Puzhuku (Green Moong Curry) will be posted.

Kolams

These Rangolis are drawn for my neighbours when requested me, for Diwali 2010

Durge

Maa Kaali

I Dedicate this blog space to my Parents, who encouraged me in every step of my life with their love, support and motivation. My mother who is my friend, philosopher and guide, idedntified the talent in me and moulded it through her encouraging words. She has got lot of talents in her, which was not recognised by her family. So the inborn artist in her,saw it in me and made me become one. My Father, who is my guardian angel now is showering his blessings on me from the heaven. I am proud to be an Indian, with rich culture and a good family bonding. Iam proud to be their daughter because of which i am now what I am. How many ever birth I take, I would be still indebited to you for all that you have given me in this birth. All i can give back to you is my love for you. I know, your blessings are always with me. I love you Ma and I love you Pa.