Tuesday 23 August 2016

Village vignettes - Hospitality

Everything is scarce in a village when agriculture slows down, and everything has to be bought. Provisions have to be bought at market rates equal to urban rates. The income is almost nil. The nutrition is predictable.

The day we reached it was obviously going to be late. I called up Eashwaramma and asked her to also cook for us, along with for herself and her grandchildren. She hesitated and said there was nothing to make as she has not gone to the santa for two weeks. I told her to just make rice and rasam as she would for herself. I know that even rasam needs jeera and tamarind, which have also become scarce in these times. Tamarind which used to be had to the collecting has to be bought today at 100/- kg.

When we reached, she had made a pot of rice, a pot of rasam and two special items. She had a small handful of dal at home, and made that dal just for the three of us. She also got a few beans from the creeper at home, and make a little curry. A small spoonful each of dal and beans, along with rice and rasam. No feast every tasted better.

But if Kavya and Sasi grow up on such food their health will be much compromised - as it is. There are so many Kavyas and Sasis and Eashwaramma.

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