Patti's kitchen

Kitchens are still a central part of a women's life though the amount of time spent has drastically reduced compared to our seniors.

Thanks to technology, we now have blenders, mixers and grinders to substitue wooden churners(matthus), ammi kal and kal ural(grinding stone). We have pressure cookers, gas stoves, microwave ovens, stainless steel, glass,ceramic utensils to substitute charcoal stoves, mud utensils, kal chattis(stone vessels) and iya pathirams(lead vessels). Earthern mud pots which kept the water cool has made way for refridgerators and also empty mud pots used to act as a store house of vegetables.

The utensils of the bygone era were made of kal(stone0,iyam(lead), brass,copper,iron,gold and silver. It was believed that when food was cooked in these utensils the essential trace elements like brass,silver etc would get into our system, even gold was used though it was a prerogative of the rich.The food cooked would also taste good when cooked on slow fire, unlike fast food which can be cooked fast and lead us fast to an unhealthy life.

Our grandmothers used to spend a larger part of their time in the kitchen nevertheless they entertained themselves by talking philosophy, stories and by singing songs along with their co-sisters , mother in law and sisters in law. So they never felt the stress. And the food cooked with the vibrations of the mantras and shlokas were very tasty.

It was a pleasure to savour the food prepared with devotion. (Is that why koil prasadam is tasty?)It would drip with love. Cousins,uncles ,aunts and parents would sit around relish and enjoy.

Today's generation know not of kal chatti vattakuzhambu(a dish made with tamarind and sun-dried vegetables), iya chombu rasam, man chatti thanni(water) etc., No shlokas/mantras.

Oh yes, Where is the time to eat leisurely?

Wake up, cook fast/ reheat the cooked food , rush your kids to the school bus. You have a meeting at 10.00a.m. Got to cross the lifestyle bridge( I am talking about Hyd traffic) before the 8.30 traffic.

Well, we have arrived women, Thanks to science and technology. It has made life easier for us.

But did u say, we are stressed.

Tab