Friday, May 25, 2007

The heat of summer and the fragrance of jasmines are inextricably intermingled in the minds of all Indians. In fact it may be said that the smell of jasmine heralds the beginning of summer in the Indian subcontinent! The white flower in myriads of shapes from the tubular form to the globular form braided into garlands and circlets begin to adorn the hair of damsels by the end of February. Jasmine has a special place of honour in Art, Literature, and even in folk songs, tales and legends. To the Chinese it is a symbol of feminine sweetness and beauty and everyone will agree that it communicates deep affection, happiness and elegance.From February to July no decoration, no wedding and no function is complete without the aromatic jasmine. This "Raat Ki Rani" as it is called is an aphrosidiac stimulating many a romantic liasion. Yet this same flower has medicinal properties which many are not aware of...
The flower contains salicylic acid, linalool and other alkaloids which ae responsible for its healing properties. Jasmine may be used as tea, herbal baths, skin creams, soaps and as a potpourri. It is useful in the treatment of many disorders related to the female reproductive system - relieves uterine cramps, reduces pain during childbirth and alleviates the distress caused by PreMenstrual Syndrome. It calms the nerves, soothes and relieves tension headaches, has strong antibacterial, antiviral, and anti tumoral properties. Jasmine helps to treat inflammed eyes, as a gargle to soothe sore throat and mouth ulcers.
Jasmine by any name will not only smell as sweet but will have all the healing powers too so do not look at it as only a decoration!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Farewell Gestures - An Inevitable Part of Seasons

As the train waited on the platform restless to begin its journey; passengers were hurrying to get into their compartments – some looked happy because they were travelling to their loved ones while others were sad at the imminent separation. The bitter sobs and tearful goodbyes of the two teenage girls, travelling with their mother, while taking leave of their aunt after their summer vacations touched a nostalgic chord in the hearts of most onlookers since emotional goodbyes accompanied by tears have become a rare phenomenon in today's World.
Leave-taking while setting out on a journey is only one of the many that we encounter through out our life. The earliest of these departures occurs when a child enters the nursery school, bidding farewell to infancy, to the mother and to the safe cocoon that encased him/her in love and affection. That leave-taking is marked by howls and tantrums on the part of the child and a heavy heart and may be even hot tears for the mother.Between this entry into the school and departure from it are several other separations and partings – some of short duration, some long, some temporary and some permanent. As one moves up from class to class, favorite teachers have to be left behind, friends move away from one’s life either to other schools or to other towns or just drift away – each leave-taking is marked by heart break and a sense of desolation.Farewell parties in schools, colleges, educational institutions and offices are usually emotional because it is a progress from known to unknown, from familiar to unknown.
From teenage to marriage every person experiences affairs of the heart – some expressed while others remain unarticulated. Each of these dalliances has to end until the “one and only one” is identified and linked up with. Each severance is, however heartrending.The most poignant moment of leave-taking for a woman is on the occasion of her departure from her parent’s home – for her it symbolizes the severing of links with her ancestral lineage and allegiance in one stroke. The Bidaai is an integral part of the wedding rituals of all North Indian weddings whether it be the Kashmiri Shia Muslim or North Indian Protestant or the Bengali Brahmin. Songs, on screen and off, highlight the pathos and sensitivity of the moment.
Of course the most painful of all is the final leave-taking when our loved ones depart from this earth and we have to “let go”.Each culture has developed its own methods to help people cope with the sorrow caused by the separation from loved ones. Rituals associated with farewell are important because they strengthen the bonds of love and loyalty between individuals. They provide pleasant memories to which one may return when one is sad and depressed.
A simple velosthanandi, touching the feet of elders as a mark of respect, an affectionate hug for the youngsters a patting of the head, putting a tilak on the forehead or any other special gesture that a family may have developed helps people to reiterate their commitment to each other when separation is imminent for a short or long time and helps to strengthen the bonds of kinship or friendship.It helps one to reiaffirm the message popularised by Bollywood "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kahana"!

Monday, May 21, 2007

Palmyra Fruit or Ice Apple - Cool by any Name.

Commonly known as ice apples, Palmyra fruits are the special delights of summer months. The vendors come to the streets of all South Indian towns and cities, early in the morning with their baskets filled to the brim with these heavenly delights ! They like to sell these fruits early because exposed to the sun and air they become hard and lose the taste they have when they are still tender ! Housewives knowing their value are in a hurry to buy these, peel them and season them with sugar and cardamom to delight their family members in the afternoon after their siesta. While the pulp cools the body, the juice prevents prickly heat commonly afflicting the skin during these months. Ice apples blended with tender coconut water make a nourishing beverage and sweetened with honey a delicious dessert! It is to be hoped that expanding urbanization and increasing deforestation will not deprive us of these delights in the future.

Summer Delights

As I groan and moan the summer days aways, I am reminded of the summer of my childhood! Long long days with no school work, lovely luscious mangoes to delight the taste buds, stimulating sojourns in serene grandmother's house, magical moonlight dinner on the terrace, wild giggling and sibilant whispering with cousins - who noticed the heat with all these pleasures to wallow in! Are the scientists really correct that the heat we experience now is due to the ever-widening ozone hole or is it just that we do not have enough pleasures to distract us from the thoughts of the soaring temperatures?