Why I Dislike Sharing My Books

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I remember the first time I read a book. I remember it very clearly. It was the classic Black Beauty and I fell in love - not just with Black Beauty or the book, but with books in general. Couple of days later, I was down sick and my neighbour brought a couple of books to read - Secret Seven. I remember the first time I was gifted a book. It was the same year and a family friend gifted me two three-in-one Famous Five books and I was hooked. I remember the first time Amma took me to a library and I never wanted to leave that place. It became my getaway during holidays and vacations - going there as soon as the library opened, picking a book from those endless shelves, setting down on a stool and reading until Amma came to pick me. Soon, reading became a habit and I read as much as I could - different authors, different genre, different language but the happiness I got remained the same. Years later, when I got married, amongst the gifts I got, there was a gift (or the person who gifted it) I will never forget - it was Paulo Coelho's 'Inspirations'. I remember my excitement on opening up the gift to find a book inside. 

Ever since I started reading, books have been everything I needed. I read when I am happy, sad, bored, irritated, sleepy and oh well, I don't need a reason to read! It soothed me when I was cranky and it just was there at all times right by my side. It became my soulmate and I travelled worldwide through it, I celebrated life with many people, I cried along so many others and I lived a hundred lives.

Books have been my first babies and I took care of them with all the tender, love and affection. And lending them was exactly like giving my heart away. It just is not possible for me to lend my books to anyone, be it even for a day, except to a very few, countable, closest friends who think the world of books just like I do and who knows how much I heart them and what it means to me. Likewise, I rarely borrow books from anyone except from those few I mentioned earlier. If I am not comfortable leaving my baby alone with you, trust me, I am not comfortable lending you my books as well.  In other words, I will share my books only if I am fully assured that you will take care of it just like how you would take care of my baby. Because, they have a life and I am not willing to endanger that. I take care of them in the best possible way and it hurts me even if a slight scar happens to it. 

So, hey you, who want to borrow books from me, you are at risk of being looked at like a kidnapper in my mind. Please save me the trouble of telling you how uncomfortable it is for me to share my books. I dislike hate sharing my prized possessions and books are one of them!

Alphabet Soup For Lovers - Book Review

I love food and I love books. And when these two combine, I wholeheartedly grab the book for a good read. And that is how I picked 'Alphabet Soup For Lovers'. Who wouldn't love a good soup to warm your soul. I, for one, am a sucker for soups!

The story is set in the picturesque Annamalai Hills where Lena and her husband, KK owns a homestay. The story is told partly by their cook, Komathi (oh, I loved her!) - who is living with memories of lost love and the stolen wonderful times she had with her 'Rayar' and who has been looking after Lena ever since she was a six year old - and partly by Lena. The story revolves around Komathi trying to learn the English alphabets through what she could relate most to - food and Lena's love affair with the new guest at their homestay - a South Indian superstar.

The description of the setting is picture perfect that I just wanted to pack my bag and set off to the beautiful Annamalai Hills with its tea estates and shola and breathe in the fresh air, walk through the hills and just forget everything else. There sure is something about the hills that soothes you, calms you down and prepares you for the life ahead!

I absolutely loved (and adored) how Komathi learns each alphabet. She brings about so much life to the book, with her stories encircling the food related to the particular alphabet, the anecdotes and the age old myths. A few of my favourites were G for the Godumai Dosa and how the cast iron should be treated like an aged grandparent, oiled and brought out only for specific reasons (so true!), K for Kariveppilai (so true how the author addressed how Kariveppilai should not be touched by women on the days we bleed - "If we touch it on the days we bleed, it will dry up. It will not dry up if a man who beats his wife, starves his other or rapes a two year old girl goes near it", the N for Nandu and T for Thayir ("thayir slides down your throat, leaving a trail of cool wetness that heals your insides as much as your frazzled nerves" - true that!). Throughout the book, I was drooling over the food mentioned, just about everything. Food is comfort and reading about all that was there in the book, I just wanted to go to my mother and grandmother and have those 'soothe the heart and soul' food that they cook and be at peace.

I couldn't quite relate to, or rather, agree with Lena's story though. Yes, people do fall in love in the most unexpected circumstances, even while seeming to be in a perfect marriage. And it is totally upto you to walk out of a marriage to do justice to all the parties involved. But, blame it on me being traditionalist or having seen friends pass through this phase and the emotional trauma associated, I just was not able to enjoy Lena's and Shoola Pani's affair. Leaving the adultery side apart, I did enjoy how their love was described, how connected they felt to each other, the names they had for each other and of course, Arcadia - the place they inhabit. 

Also, the Kerala connection to the novel was so pleasantly relatable. The reference to the Song of Solomon being a great favourite with screenplay writers in Malayalam brought about scenes from the wonderful 'Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppu' movie and a smile on my face while I read. In 'E is for Eeral', Komathi describes how Lena's Ammachi (grandmother) told that in Kerala, they don't see the heart as the place where love comes to rest, it is with the liver we love. Being a Keralite, I could totally understand the essence of this - so relatable, the connection between liver and love!

As much as I loved the food aspect, Komathi, her stories and of course, the Annamalai hills, I couldn't agree with the adulterous aspect of the book. I just couldn't. Because of this, I am yet to figure out whether I loved or hated this book. Maybe, I'll leave it just like that, for the book that it is, for the book that I loved and hated!

P.s: You can click on the link below to buy the book!

Kerala's Very Own Puttu Restaurant

There is a restaurant in Cochin which became the talk of town from the first day it started operations. You could always see a crowd waiting patiently in the front area, be it afternoon, evening or night and most people commented it is only because the place is owned by a superstar in the Malayalam film industry. Then I met people who dined there and they were those who loved everything about the place and it had nothing to do with its association with the superstar. This talk of the town place is called Dhe Puttu and it serves only Puttu (but different varieties, of course) - one of the favourite breakfast items of a Malayali. If you want to know more about this amazing dish, please feel free to read about it here.

This place is very near to where my in laws stay and ever since it opened, I badly wanted to try out this place but sadly, none around me wanted to. "Puttu? In the afternoon (or night)?", "If you want to have puttu, then why do you need to go to a restaurant", "It is always crowded", were just a few excuses I got.  I am yet to find the logic with most - if you can have Dosas, Biryani and Meals at a restaurant, then why not Puttu?, if you can have Dosa in the night, then why not Puttu?. But other than people giving me a weird look they don't seem to get my logic, sadly!

Anyway, my dream of having puttu from this place finally came true when I was pregnant and generally, all my wishes were granted by the family, no questions asked. I was someone who had absolutely no cravings during pregnancy, but I used my pregnancy superpower to get me the puttu from this 'famous for puttu' place. So, while I was in Trivandrum and Achan (my dad) had to travel to Cochin for a meeting, I made sure to tell him, his friend and the driver that I wanted puttu from Dhe Puttu. So the Vegetable Biryani Puttu came back home with Achan late in the night and the first thing I had in the morning was of course, Puttu with Kadala Curry (the Kerala version of Chana curry). The Puttu was stuffed with vegetables sautéed in masala mix, as with vegetable biryani and it was as soft as sand. This, mixed with the Kadala Curry which had coconut roasted with spices and ground to fine paste as the gravy, was heaven to me that day. Needless to say, I over-ate that morning and yet didn't feel a bit guilty as I was getting happy kicks from a little someone inside me.

Fast forward to two years, I was still trying to convince people around me to accompany me to Dhe Puttu and it just was not working out. Finally, I succeeded in convincing the husband's cousins and off we went for dinner. We were a group of 9 and as usual there was a crowd waiting for a table and we gave our name to the front desk and waited for our turn. In the meanwhile, three of the cousins went to Fab India located on the floor just above. We were told by the front desk staff that we might have to wait for sometime since we were a big group and that he would try his best to get us a table at the earliest. In about 15-20 minutes time we were called and when we were entering we told them that three people in our group will join us soon. The staff promptly told us that if that's the case then we would have to wait since they have people waiting and didn't want to delay the service. They promised us that as soon as they came we would be given our table. Thankfully, by then, the three joined us. This though, left a huge impression on me!

The place has a very rustic and antique look to it. There is no false ceiling and the place has been left as it is without much interior brouhaha. As soon as we were seated we were served the famous 'sulaimani' - a spice infused lemon tea and a basket of 'pappadam'. The names of most puttu are popular film names and the curry/side dish has to be ordered separately. This time around, I ordered the American Chopsuey Puttu while the others ordered a mix of other puttu - including Amar Akbar Anthony (ordered by the egg loving husband, just because it had an omelette as its side), Punjabi House, Kunjikoonan Puttu with Duck Curry, Runway, Chicken Curry and Kadala Curry. 

I didn't like the fusion mix of American Chopsuey and Puttu. It just didn't feel right to me - the saucy flavour and good old puttu. It was like a traditional person trying to go modern. Compared to the American Chosuey Puttu, the Punjabi House puttu, which had a filling of paneer and masala, definitely got my vote. The filling was perfect and it blended well with the puttu. The Kadala Curry, as with my first time experience, was tasty though it comes nowhere near the Kadala Curry my mother in law and her sisters make. My favourite though, was the free unlimited sulaimani that they served. I lost count of the glasses I had. With a slight hint of cinnamon, it was soothing, refreshing and flavourful. The rest of them loved the chicken curry much more than the duck (I, being a vegetarian, can't comment on this!) and since we were a big group there was a mixed opinion about the food. But, unanimously, we all loved the dining experience we had that day.

This time around, more than the food I fell in love with the place, the super proactive staff and of course, the sulaimani. And I am not yet done. I will still try to convince people to come with me to Dhe Puttu but next time I am going to stick to the normal ones than the fusion Puttu and I am sure I am going to fall in love again.