Foray into new territories: Connecting with newer tongues

 

When Anuradha Sowmyanarayan (AS) reached out for a guest post, I was hesitant.  I had my fingers in several pies, so I was reluctant.  But I’m glad I found time to peek into her blog, gather insightful information, and eventually share my two cents.

“Ten Years of Writing, and a New Chapter Begins.”

At the outset, hearty congratulations on a decade’s achievement. May daffodils bloom and spread joy all around. Let the daffodils continue to bloom alongside asters, irises, lilies, gladioli, roses, and rouse more sensitive souls.

Quoting from the blog chatter page: “Book Food Language”

“Ten years of writing, learning, experimenting, submitting, waiting, receiving responses, facing rejections, discovering new possibilities and, above all, continuing to write. When I look back at this decade, I realise that the journey has been much more than maintaining a blog. It has been a journey of learning through writing and growing through experience.”

 

The Simple Mantra

Continue to write, edit, present, and repeat it all, without giving up. After all, that’s the roadmap to recognition.

We’ve read innumerable success stories. 

Walt Disney, after several setbacks and learnings, achieved long-term success through resilience.  J. K. Rowling faced multiple rejections and poverty as a single mother before Harry Potter was finally picked up. English writer John Greasy has probably faced the record number of rejections – seven hundred plus, but he went on to publish over six hundred books, under pseudonyms too. As a prize-winning author and poet who has faced many rejections in my literary journey, I deem it appropriate to share a few thoughts –

 In the game of writing, one must keep creating, keep sharing, and keep learning.  The journey is continual.

 

The following lines, I believe, will reflect your creative journey.

 

YOU HAVE IT WITHIN…

 

The night was dark and silent.

The only light was the cursor; it blinked on the screen.

She sat, hesitant to key in something onto the page.

What would she write about?

Work, Hobby, Passion, Home, Kitchen, Life…

In her heart, she knew she could, if she persisted.

 

The afternoon was sultry and quiet.

People were resting in their airconditioned rooms

The whirring fan overhead was the only noise in that room.

She was keying in – writing her thoughts on the blog page.

She wrote about people, places, poets, personalities and more…

In her heart, she knew should would, if she persisted.

 

The evening breeze was gentle and soothing.

As she worked in her favourite niche,

Words, paragraphs and pages came tumbling as torrents …

 

“Pootling contains an attitude towards time.”*

“A city that gives shelter.”*

“Give the instrument its own designated space.”*

Reading as a scooter pillion — Is it possible?*

 

And then, she became unstoppable…

 

(* - taken from the blog posts)

 

 

About Me: Hema Ravi is a poet, author, reviewer, and editor of Efflorescence. She is also an event organizer, independent researcher, and resource person for English language development workshops. Her creative work - poems, short stories, travelogues, and articles has appeared in reputed international journals and leading Indian publications. Her writings have won prizes in literary contests.

She has authored several books, including The Greatest Sweepstake (short stories), Joie De Vivre (108 poems), The Cuckoo Sings Again (short stories), Everyday English (self-tutor), and the Write Right Handwriting Series. She has co-authored Sing Along Indian Rhymes and Everyday Hindi.

After serving briefly in the Central Government and teaching English and Hindi for over two decades, she now freelances in IELTS, Communicative English, and Soft Skills. She has conducted sessions for IIT Madras initiatives such as SheViL STEAM (IViL.iitm) and has been a guest faculty trainer in the IITM communication programs (2020-2021)

As Secretary of the Chennai Poets’ Circle, she nurtures creative talent. A lifelong learner, she believes Learning never stops.

( This is the 2nd WEEK- 11TH YEAR- GUEST POST SERIES - POST 2)

Ponni Raw Rice: The Everyday Rice of the Cauvery Delta

   

Rice is not merely a staple in South India. It is part of the rhythm of everyday life.

Breakfast may have idli or dosa, lunch may begin with rice and sambar, dinner may end with rasam or curd rice—and somewhere in between, rice appears again in one form or another. Yet, the rice that reaches the plate is not the same everywhere. Different regions have nurtured different varieties, each with its own grain, texture, aroma and cooking character.

Among the familiar varieties of Tamil Nadu, Ponni raw rice occupies a special place. It is not a rice reserved for a particular festival or an elaborate dish. Its strength lies precisely in its simplicity: it can be the rice of an ordinary day.

A rice with a river connection

The name Ponni has a beautiful connection with the Cauvery, which is traditionally called Ponni in Tamil. The Cauvery delta has long been one of Tamil Nadu's important rice-growing regions, and historical agricultural literature identifies Ponni as a short-grained variety associated particularly with the Cauvery delta.

This makes Ponni more than just a name on a rice packet. It carries a geographical and culinary association with the river-fed rice country of Tamil Nadu.

There is, however, an important distinction to make. Ponni is available in both raw and parboiled forms. Raw Ponni is produced by milling the paddy without the parboiling process; Ponni boiled rice is processed differently. Historical documentation specifically notes that Ponni raw rice has its own fragrance and texture.

And this post is about the raw variety—Ponni pacharisi.

 What makes Ponni raw rice different?

Open a bag of good-quality Ponni raw rice and the first thing you notice is its appearance.

The grains are generally white, relatively short to medium in length, and fairly uniform, rather than the very long, slender appearance associated with basmati. Published descriptions of Ponni vary somewhat according to the particular strain, milling and market grade, so the appearance of a packet should not be treated as a laboratory identification.

But for the everyday cook, there are several useful clues.

1. The grain

Ponni is not a dramatic-looking rice. It does not have the long, elegant grain of basmati. Instead, its appeal is in its moderate grain size and cooking quality.

TNAU's documentation describes related Tamil Nadu rice varieties in terms of grain type and cooking characteristics, while agricultural literature identifies Ponni as a short-grained rice associated with the Cauvery delta.

2. The cooked rice

This is where Ponni really introduces itself.

When properly cooked, raw Ponni becomes soft, fluffy and tender, making it particularly comfortable with the wet dishes of a South Indian meal. Its mild flavour does not compete with the dish placed beside it.

That is important. A rice meant for everyday South Indian food should not overpower the sambar. It should allow the sambar to be sambar, the rasam to be rasam and the vegetable curry to retain its own character. That is one of Ponni's quiet strengths.

3. It takes on the flavour of the accompaniment

Take a spoonful of plain Ponni rice. Now add hot sambar. The rice absorbs the sambar without turning the meal into a battle between rice and gravy. Add a spoonful of vegetable curry. Mix. Add rasam. And finally, perhaps the simplest test of all—curd rice.

The mildness of the rice allows the sourness and creaminess of curd, the fragrance of curry leaves and the crackle of mustard and urad dal to come through.

This versatility is why raw Ponni is suited to the everyday South Indian plate. Contemporary descriptions of Ponni raw rice similarly emphasise its mild taste, soft texture and suitability with sambar, rasam and curries.

 How can you identify good Ponni raw rice?

There is no completely reliable home test for authentic varietal identity simply by looking at a handful of rice. Different grades, mills, mixtures and growing conditions can alter appearance. But when buying it, these observations can help:

Look for:

• fairly uniform white grains
• a clean appearance without excessive dust or foreign matter
• relatively few broken grains
• a mild, natural rice aroma rather than an artificial fragrance
• consistency in grain size within the packet
• a product clearly labelled Ponni Raw Rice / Ponni PacharisI, rather than simply "raw rice"

And there is an even better test:

Cook it.

The real identity of an everyday rice reveals itself in the cooking pot.

Does it cook evenly? - soft without becoming an undifferentiated mass? -  retain enough body to be mixed with sambar? - taste pleasant even when eaten simply with ghee? -  work equally well the next day for curd rice?

These practical qualities tell the home cook much more than appearance alone.

 Raw Ponni versus Ponni boiled rice

This distinction is often missed.

Raw Ponni rice is milled from paddy without the parboiling process.

Ponni boiled rice is parboiled before milling.

They are therefore not interchangeable simply because both carry the name Ponni. The processing method changes their cooking behaviour and eating texture. Historical agricultural documentation explicitly distinguishes these two forms.

So when buying, don't just say:

"I want Ponni rice."

If you specifically want the rice discussed here, ask for:

Ponni raw rice – Ponni pacharisi.

 The rice for an everyday South Indian meal

Perhaps the greatest compliment to Ponni raw rice is that it does not demand a special occasion. Think of an ordinary Tamil lunch.

Rice -Sambar- poriyal- Kootu- Appalam- Pickle- Rasam- Curd

Nothing extravagant.

Yet the rice has to perform through every course. It has to hold the sambar, work with the vegetable, sit comfortably with rasam and at the end, it should become creamy curd rice.

One rice. Several companions. That is where an everyday variety proves its worth. Ponni raw rice is also used in preparations such as pongal and other traditional South Indian dishes, although individual households naturally choose different rice varieties according to taste and preparation.

 Ponni and the idea of regional food

India's rice story is really a story of regions. The rice grown in one landscape need not behave exactly like the rice grown in another. Soil, water, climate, agricultural practices, variety and processing all contribute to the final grain.

That is why saying simply "rice" tells us very little.

There is basmati, seeraga samba, matta, sona masuri.

There are countless traditional and modern varieties. And within Tamil Nadu itself, agricultural records list numerous varieties suited to different regions and seasons.  Ponni belongs to this larger story of regional food knowledge.

 As familiar as basmati—but for a different purpose

Basmati has become almost synonymous with biryani in many people's minds.

Its long grain, aroma and ability to remain separate after cooking make it particularly suited to fragrant rice dishes.

Ponni does something different. It is not trying to be basmati. It does not need to be. Its place is the everyday plate—the plate where rice meets sambar, rasam, kootu, poriyal and curd. If basmati is often remembered when we think of biryani, Ponni can be remembered when we think of the everyday South Indian meal. And perhaps that is an equally important culinary identity.

 The beauty of an ordinary grain

There is something wonderful about foods that become so familiar that we stop noticing them.

A sack of rice in the kitchen- A vessel on the stove- Steam rising from freshly cooked rice- A ladle of sambar poured over it- A little vegetable curry on the side- And finally, curd rice.

We may not call this elaborate cuisine. But this is where food culture actually lives—in meals cooked repeatedly, year after year, generation after generation.

Ponni raw rice is one such everyday grain. Its importance is not because it is rare.  because it is familiar, adaptable and dependable. From the Cauvery delta to the South Indian dining table, it represents something wonderfully uncomplicated:

A rice that does not ask for a special occasion. It makes the everyday meal complete.

Ponni raw rice — simple enough for every day, versatile enough for every meal.

 

Travel Shopping: Bring Home a Taste of the Place

      

Travel shopping need not always mean buying souvenirs, fridge magnets, key chains or decorative knick-knacks. One of the most meaningful ways of remembering a place is to bring home a little of its food culture—a spice, grain, condiment or traditional ingredient that belongs to the region.

When we travel, local markets often tell us as much about a place as its monuments do. A packet of pepper from a spice-growing region, a distinctive chilli, a local variety of rice, a traditional pickle or a regional spice blend can become an edible souvenir.

Shop for what the region grows

Every region has something that reflects its soil, climate and culinary traditions.

• Spices such as pepper, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon or local spice blends
• Chillies with their distinctive colour, heat and flavour
• Grains and millets, especially traditional or locally grown varieties
• Condiments such as pickles, podis, chutneys and preserves
• Ginger and turmeric, particularly when bought fresh from farmers' markets
• Local pulses, lentils and beans
• Tea, coffee or other locally produced beverages
• Seeds of traditional vegetables, herbs or flowers, where legally permitted

Such purchases are not merely souvenirs. They allow travellers to extend the journey into their own kitchen.

A packet of locally grown pepper can later flavour a rasam. A regional chilli can become part of a chutney. A new grain can inspire an unfamiliar recipe. The memory of a journey then survives not on a shelf but in a meal.

But how do we carry them?

This is where practical thinking matters. Not everything that looks attractive in a local market should automatically be packed into our luggage.

Dry products are generally the easiest to carry. Grains, whole spices, dried chillies and dry spice powders can be packed securely in sealed, labelled packets. It is useful to retain the original packaging, especially when travelling across state or international borders.

Fresh ginger, turmeric, fruits, vegetables and other fresh produce require greater care. They may spoil, leak or attract pests during a long journey. More importantly, rules governing agricultural products differ depending on where we are travelling.

Seeds and live plants need particular caution. A plant that is perfectly ordinary in one region may be restricted from being transported into another because of concerns about pests, diseases or invasive species. International travel has even stricter quarantine requirements. Therefore, check the relevant agricultural/quarantine regulations before buying seeds, plants or fresh produce rather than discovering the restriction at the airport or border.

Buy from the source when possible

There is another pleasure in travel shopping: buying directly from a farmer, cooperative, local producer or traditional market.

Instead of purchasing a generic packet that could have been bought anywhere, look for something that genuinely has a regional connection. Ask questions:

• Where was it grown?
• Is it a traditional local variety?
• How is it normally used?
• How should it be stored?
• Is it seasonal?

These conversations can become part of the travel experience.

From memorabilia to memory

A souvenir usually reminds us where we went. A regional ingredient can remind us what we experienced.

Imagine opening a jar of pickle months after returning from a trip. Or grinding a local spice into a dish and suddenly remembering the market, the people, the smell of the shops and the landscape outside the town.

That is a different kind of souvenir.

Travel shopping, therefore, can move beyond moments, knick-knacks and memorabilia. We can shop thoughtfully for things that represent the region's agriculture and food traditions—and, where regulations permit, bring them home safely.

The best travel souvenir may not always sit on a shelf. Sometimes, it waits in the kitchen pantry, ready to tell the story of a place through taste and aroma.

Six Little Lessons That Make Life Beautiful: Faith, Trust, Hope, Confidence, Love and Attitude

 

 

Sometimes, life does not need a complicated philosophy to teach us something meaningful. A few simple observations about everyday life can remind us of values that quietly hold us together.

I came across an image titled “Six Little Stories with Lots of Meanings.” Each little story connects an ordinary act with an important quality — faith, trust, hope, confidence, love and attitude. Though simple, these six words can change the way we look at ourselves, others and life itself.

1. Faith — carrying the umbrella

The story says that when the villagers gathered to pray for rain, only one little boy came with an umbrella. That simple umbrella represents faith.

Faith does not mean that we know what will happen. It means that we continue to believe even when the result is not visible yet. The boy did not wait for the rain to begin before carrying an umbrella. He acted on his belief. In everyday life too, faith can give us the courage to take the first step — to begin a new project, learn something unfamiliar, repair a relationship or simply believe that difficult days will eventually pass.

Faith allows us to prepare for possibilities we cannot yet see.

2. Trust — the child who laughs when thrown into the air

A baby laughs when someone tosses the baby gently into the air because the child trusts that familiar hands will be there to catch them. That is trust — the feeling that we are safe enough to let go for a moment. Trust is the foundation of relationships. Families, friendships and partnerships cannot survive on constant suspicion. Trust does not mean believing that people will never make mistakes. Rather, it means having enough confidence in the relationship to allow space for imperfection, honesty and growth. But trust, like a delicate vessel, takes time to build and can be damaged quickly.

Where there is trust, the heart gets a little more room to breathe.

3. Hope — setting the alarm for tomorrow

Every night, we go to sleep without any guarantee that we will wake up the next morning. Yet we set an alarm. What a beautiful everyday expression of hope.

We make plans for tomorrow because we believe tomorrow is worth preparing for. Hope does not promise that everything will go according to our wishes. It simply tells us that the future is still open. Hope encourages us to plant a tree whose shade we may not enjoy immediately, begin a course that will take months to complete, or continue working towards something meaningful even after a disappointment.

Hope keeps tomorrow alive in our minds.

4. Confidence — planning for an unknown tomorrow

We make plans for the future despite knowing very little about what tomorrow will bring. That is confidence. Confidence is not the belief that we can control everything. It is the belief that we can meet what comes our way. There is an important difference between confidence and certainty. We may not know what will happen, but we can still believe in our ability to learn, adapt and continue.

A confident person does not necessarily have all the answers. Sometimes confidence simply says:

“I will figure it out when I get there.”

5. Love — choosing to bring children into an imperfect world

The image observes that we see suffering in the world and yet continue to marry and have children. At the heart of this is love. Love does not require the world to be perfect. We know there will be difficulties, disappointments and uncertainties, yet we continue to form relationships, build families, care for others and create memories. Love makes life worth experiencing despite its imperfections. And love is not limited to romantic relationships. It can be found in a parent's care, a friend's presence, a neighbour's kindness, a teacher's patience or the quiet companionship of someone who simply stays.

Love makes an imperfect world feel more human.

6. Attitude — “80 years old, sweet 16 with 64 years of experience”

Perhaps the most delightful lesson is the last one. An elderly person says:

“I am not 80 years old; I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience.” That is attitude.

Age may be measured in years, but the way we experience those years depends greatly on our outlook. A positive attitude does not mean pretending that problems do not exist. It means refusing to allow every problem to define our entire life.

We can grow older without allowing curiosity to grow old.

We can acquire experience without losing enthusiasm.

We can accept the passage of time while continuing to learn, laugh, explore and appreciate ordinary moments.

Attitude cannot always change our circumstances, but it can change the way we meet them.

Six words, one beautiful way of living

Faith helps us to believe.
Trust teaches us to let go.
Hope makes us to look towards tomorrow.
Confidence pushes us to move forward despite uncertainty.
Love shapes us to embrace life and people despite imperfections.
Attitude trains us how to respond to whatever life places before us.

None of these qualities can prevent difficulties. They do something more important: they help us live through them without losing ourselves.

Perhaps that is why the little stories in the image stay with us. They take familiar actions — carrying an umbrella, laughing in someone's arms, setting an alarm, making plans, forming relationships and growing older — and show us the deeper meanings hidden within them.

Life becomes beautiful not because everything is perfect, but because we bring something beautiful to the way we live it.

And perhaps the best reminder is this:

Have faith in what you cannot yet see.
Trust those who have earned your trust.
Keep hope for tomorrow.
Have confidence in yourself.
Make room for love.
And carry the right attitude through every season of life.

Romantic: A Word with Two Faces

 

The word “romantic” often brings to mind love, emotions and beautiful beginnings. But the word can also make us think about memory, longing and what has passed. In that sense, romantic is a word that seems to stand between beginnings and endings.

It reminds me of Janus, the Roman god of doorways, transitions and passages. Janus is traditionally depicted with two faces—one looking forward and the other looking backward. One face sees where we have come from; the other looks towards where we are going.

Perhaps romantic carries a similar quality.

A romantic thought may look backward, cherishing an old memory, a lost relationship, a childhood place or a time that can never return. At the same time, it may look forward, filled with hope, anticipation and the possibility of something new.

Even the idea of romance itself often contains this duality. Every beginning carries the possibility of an ending, while every ending can become the beginning of another chapter.

So, romantic need not mean merely sentimental or related to love. It can describe a way of looking at life—remembering the past while imagining the future.

Like Janus at the doorway, the romantic mind stands at a threshold, with one face turned towards yesterday and the other towards tomorrow.

And perhaps that is why the word romantic continues to fascinate us: it makes us look both ways at once.