Sankara, A Bee, and A Bird

Sankara, A Bee, and A Bird

Of the many stotras (hymns), Adi Sankara’s “kanakadhara” is unique in many respects. Detailed meaning and commentaries are given by many. [Traditionalists prefer Samkara (శంకర), tracing the word to its two components: Sam and kara (karOti)]. The reader can find help at Kamakoti or Sri Chaganti. There must be numerous other sources on Internet. Perhaps, very well written books in several Indian languages are available in India.

As the writer’s skills are very limited –I humbly refrain from commenting on this work. Here, I solely confine myself to expanding a little bit on one or two stanzas. My intention is only to provide additional material, to what has already been commented extensively (at best this is to just augment a bit, never to replace other commentaries).

In the second stanza, we are referred to imagine a special tree ‘tamalam’. Tamal is the name of a tree. Can we find this tree now, I mean in circa 2010 in India? Where? How does it look? How to grasp and understand the total significance of these four lines that begin with “angam”?

After combing through a number of sources, I come to the view that Xanthochymus pictorius (Roxb) is the tree quoted here. Its features are described as follows: Bark, a bit dark (blackish, dark grey) and the leaves are elongated. White fragrant flowers. The fruit has three (1-4) seeds, tastes a bit sour and ripened ones look a bit yellow. Like a fake mango. Apparently this tree is available in other Asian countries too. But the Garcinia genus is large, accommodating almost fifty species. The flowers (of this tree) attract butterflies (and bees too?).

Here in northeast, over the years, I have watched several flowering trees: cherry, crabapple, magnolia, and rhododendron. Both magnolia and rhododendron exhibit interesting features in early spring. On every tip, on every shoot (little branch) we can see a latent flower bed. Most of the time, each bud will gradually, delicately open into a colorful (and fragrant) blossom. A few buds fail to open – this could be due to frost bite or some pest. Thus, in early April, we suddenly witness the tree (shrub) full of flowers. Though the magnolia flowers are endowed with delicate sweet fragrance, they do not normally attract bees. Why, I am not sure. But the tree does invite little birds, chickadees. These little birds, a bit tinier than sparrows, have a very endearing musical song. With the rhododendrons, the story is different. In winter, its leaves (it does not drop leaves in the fall, as most trees do here) turn a bit tan brown, and are often found curled up when the temperatures are below freezing point (32 degrees F). Come spring, it gets truly excited; every leathery leaf is fully open, with lustrous green color. And on every tip (terminal node) a latent flower bud anxiously waits for warm weather. Suddenly, on one single warm spring day, the buds burst open, and lo, the whole shrub is draped with purple flowers. This is perhaps a grand gesture by the plant. Now it seems the whole plant (tree) got an exciting jolt of electricity (excitement). Is this the real meaning of ‘pulaka-bhushana(పులక భూషణ)’? Here, in northeast, I get that feeling whenever I see apple or cherry trees in full blossoming. Of course, there are a number of tropical trees that go into similar frenzy of inflorescence. I watched in India too such floral festivities – gardenia, jasmine, Rangoon creeper, bougainvillea, gulmohar, and countless other trees.

But tamalam, must be unique too. I can only imagine its magnetism. The dark bark covered with green leaves and flowers. The Telugu name, “chikatimranu (చీకటి మ్రాను)” – is very apt; it conveys the full meaning of original Sanskrit word (tamalam).

Bringa in Sanskrit refers to bee, beetle, wasp. The order for bee is Hymenoptera. Butterflies belong to Lepidoptera. There are similarities and differences among these interesting insects. Most children are familiar with bees, bumblebees, wasps, and butterflies. Innocently as a child, I once inserted my pointing finger into a bumblebee nest (bamboo pole). Of course, I received a just, prompt painful punishment. Here, I watch these little insects in close proximity during spring, summer, and fall. Normally, they never bother nosy humans. They mind their business with utmost devotion, yielding benefit to flowers, farmers, and plants.

I want to share, if I may, two beautiful scenes involving these vivacious insects: In early spring, rhododendron flowers are visited by couple of bumblebees. The yellow jacketed bumblebee will go to each flower and pick up a tiny drop of nectar (and pollen). There are other flowers in the garden – daffodils, tulips, holly. The bee likes purple colored rhododendrons. The other scene involves Monarch butterfly. They visit us during the warm weather. But they spend winters in Mexico in huge colonies on trees. That sight, of hundreds of butterflies, lightly resting on tree leaves in Mexico is truly marvelous! I have seen only photos of this unique phenomenon. Here too I have witnessed such butterfly groups, but they do not visit us in huge colonies.

Now, coming back to the second stanza, starting with ‘angam Hare’. What is the original picture? A tree full of black bees? A tree full of butterflies? Bees on flowers? That, one has to investigate oneself. I cannot immediately go and find that tree in India. Is it in Kerala? Is it prevalent on the eastern ghats in Andhra? Which part of India? When do we find such trees decorated with bees? What season? Things are getting difficult now. I may never see that “black tamalam tree”. Though, I may succeed in imagining (visualizing) now. At least I have seen a bee on flower, a Monarch butterfly, a rhododendron shrub in full bloom, and a magnolia tree with scented flowers on every dancing node. Rest I have to arduously trek the path with sensitive imagination.

In the most pivotal stanza, the line, ‘..vihanga sisau vishaNNe’ catches everyone’s attention. Commentators usually cite, a bird ‘cataka’ for explaining this line. Here, sitting thousands of miles away, across at least seven seas from Indian subcontinent, I want to imagine this bird. Only the most immediate moment (rather instant) and the most proximate God (Deva) are of value to the earnest devotee. Everything else is secondary. One needs salvation (i.e., the solution) now, here – not somewhere on Kailas mountain, not in distant future. So, I want to understand this ‘bird’ now, here. Luckily that is possible. All we have to do is to look at a pair of morning (they are named erroneously as ‘mourning doves’. I’ve never noticed any sadness in their soft cooing) doves. How lovely are they? Have you looked at them when they gracefully strut, with their soft coo-cooing? It is the most peaceful pleasant sight. Here, I get to see them. In the driveway, on evergreen trees, on overhead electric wires, or on rooftop. Only once did I get a chance to see them make a nest. They are so shy, yet so sweet to watch. I never knew that rearing their young involves so much trouble. How could I peer into their nest? It was perched in the thick evergreen needles, up somewhere in the dense branches. The parent dove feeds the very young helpless chick (squab) with crop milk for a week or two. That is the only way the squab can gain growth and energy – it is totally dependent on the mother (or father). We cannot feed directly any solid food to the young bird. With extreme care, humans can feed young dove chicks liquid food. But, such human intervention, even if it occurs in some zoos or ornithology labs, it must be extremely rare.

So, is this the picture, Adi Sankara wanted to convey? We will know only through sincere exploration and meditation. (Two stories, of Raghavendra and a Nayanar briefly show up on mental screen.)Thus, the being (as all sentient entities are) is utterly dependent on the Mother for sustenance and progress. There is no other avenue left for the individual; one can, in ignorance, foolishly seek help from other agents – when in utter distress. But it is doubtful, whether such desperate attempts (like entreating rich landlords, ministers, officers, bosses, etc.) yield any fruitful results. The Mother will never deny help. In the mundane cruel world, things are different, are always harsh. I believe once I watched a rare tragic circumstance in nature. It was a chilly damp spring day near a pond. There was a bunch of tiny chicks following a Mallard duck. Perhaps there were six or seven newly hatched ducklings walking behind the hen. But one duckling was very weak and it could not maneuver the rocky uneven road near the pond’s edge. It slipped into a crevice between the boulders and its life was very precarious.

Life too is precarious, full of pitfalls at times. Only Mother’s grace, Her affectionate glance can help. Only She, and She alone can effortlessly remove that prickly karma. I may not know what is a cataka bird. But I get a little (a microscopic) glimpse at the whole distressing situation of a ‘lost, forlorn hungry little bird’. Now, all the life seems to be in that ‘little bird’, struggling to survive. Only She can intervene. No one, no human being can help to ease the situation. I remember now, how helpless I was near the struggling duckling.

Certainly one needs many skills to comprehend this stotra. Mere erudition, even a total mastery of Sanskrit is not enough. After all, words or speech can only guide us so far. Beyond that point, all intellect ceases to work. I bow to Sankara, Govindapada, and many preceptors in gratitude.

The writer’s intent is not to change, distort, or misinterpret the original Sanskrit hymn. Never. It is hoped the foregoing elaboration may help some, may motivate a few to further contemplate on this exquisite devotional poem. It may aid in further explorations – into meditation. Whether it is art, poetry, religion, or science – the individual has to make the effort and (s)he has to undertake the journey – for a true discovery. Every sincere student learns one important fact: Only that knowledge, which is totally assimilated, comprehended, and internalized – only that morsel of wisdom is useful in the end. We can strenuously listen to others, read books – but we must discover many things in life first hand. Unfortunately, there is no other way. Except, there is one great exception to this rule, i.e., Mother’s grace.

Ah, all this is just for two lines of devotional poem. What a delight to meditate on these Sanskrit lines!

(Posted earlier at Sulekha. Copyright 2010 by the author)

A Classic Telugu Song "nidurapo"

నిదురపో..నిదురపో..నిద్దురపో.. 2

నిద్దురపోరా తమ్ముడా, నిద్దురపోరా తమ్ముడా

నిదురలోన గతమునంతా నిమిషమైనా మరచిపోరా 2

కరుణలేని ఈజగాన కలతనిదురే మేలురా ||నిదుర||

ఆ... ఆ... ఆ...

కలలు పండే కాలమంతా కనులముందే కదలిపోయె 2

లేత మనసు చిగురుటాశ పూతలోనే రాలిపోయె ||నిదుర||

ఆ... ఆ... ఆ...

జాలితలిచి కన్నీరు తుడిచే దాతలే కనరారే

చితికిపోయిన జీవితమంతా ఇంతలో చితి ఆయే

నీడజూపి(జూపె) నిలవు మనకు నిదురయేరా తమ్ముడా ||నిదుర||

nidurapO..nidurapO..niddurapO.. 2

niddurapOraa tammuDaa, niddurapOraa tammuDaa

niduralOna gatamunantaa nimishamainaa maracipOraa 2

karuNalEni iijagaana kalatanidurE mEluraa ||nidura||

aa... aa... aa...

kalalu panDE kaalamantaa kanulamundE kadalipOye 2

lEta manasu ciguruTaaSa puutalOnE raalipOye ||nidura||

aa... aa... aa...

jaalitalici kanniiru tuDicE daatalE kanaraarE

citikipOyina jiivitamantaa intalO citi aayE

niiDajuupi(juupe) nilavu manaku nidurayEraa tammuDaa ||nidura||

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar Movie: Santhanam

Music: S. Dakshinamurthy Lyrics: Anisetty Pinisetty

When grandmothers say "music can melt even stones" - it is no exaggeration. One has to listen to a song like this. This was recorded in 1955. Who can deny the song's purity and grace? I envy the poet(s). One song, just one song like this is enough to leave a footprint on the sands of time. A good song, a great song is like pure good luck - it just happens, and in its current it uplifts everyone: the original creator, singer, actor, music composer, and listener. It offers happiness to everyone without partiality. I doubt how many of the current generation Telugu songs will last fifty years. The impartial judge, time will tell.

Once Vishnu was in deep meditation. Was He in the form of Dattatreya or Narayana? Many angels (apsaras) came down to earth to disturb His meditation. It was then He created Uravasi. Upon seeing the extraordinary divine beauty of Urvasi, all other women simply lowered their heads in shame. Similarly, this exquisite song 'nidurapo' puts all mediocre songs (poems) to utter shame. After listening to this song, one intuitively knows what is true art.

Homemade Yogurt

Homemade Yogurt

Making yogurt should not be that difficult in these modern days. A little patience and basic understanding of the process – that is all one needs. For a fraction of the price at supermarket, anyone can make tasty curds at home. Most of the commercial varieties of yogurt include additives: Pectin, gum (I wish they just use plant based gum Arabic, derived from acacia trees), non-fat milk solids, vanilla, peach, etc. All unnecessary junk. Good high quality yogurt has it own delicious taste, it needs no augmentation from other flavors or additives.

In my village, we used to buy freshly made yogurt from a mason’s family. The lady would bring out solid yogurt in an aluminum container with a delicate flavor. She used a big rice or paddy barrel as a storage place, a nice stable location for forming curd. I have always enjoyed delicious curds in my sister’s house.

Due to the word’s etymology (yogurt), one may assume that this milk based dish came from Turkey. But the Hindi word ‘dahi’ – derived from Sanskrit ‘dadhi’ implies perhaps even thousand(s) of years back, there was curd in the Indian subcontinent. In Telugu, we say ‘perugu’(పెరుగు); it has the same connotation as ‘curd’.

The main ingredients for making good curd are: Fresh milk, starter (in Telugu ‘todu’తోడు), and proper temperature. Yogurt preparation just requires a little care, a bit of cleanliness, and some patience. I use stainless spoon for mixing. Never touched the milk with bare finger - for mixing with starter.

We can use all types of vessels (pots) for preparing curd. But all pots should be absolutely clean – otherwise slight lingering smell (some may tolerate it) will remain with the finished curd. Children may not like smelling yogurt or too much sour tasting curd. Sour curd is not bad; it can be used for other dishes like menti majjiga (మెంతిమజ్జిగ) , majjiga pulusu (మజ్జిగ పులుసు), dhokla, pan cakes, kadhi, and rayita. Slightly soured curd is ok with rice, it gives a delicious taste with steamed rice and mango pickle. It all depends on peoples’ tastes. I have made yogurt in stainless steel pots, Pyrex glass bowls, stoneware, porcelain, and of course clay (terracotta) pots. The most important thing to remember is to pick a clean pot. Ceramic and clay pots tend to retain smell of the previous dish (food). But if they are thoroughly cleaned and dried fully– then the same pot can be used repeatedly. If needed, the pot can be left in sun light for drying. This helps to get rid of any residual disagreeable smell. Or, one can change the pot frequently to get over this problem of residual smell. Sri Chaganti once made an interesting observation: All the milkmaids (gollabhamalu) were extremely clean, well dressed, and fastidious while churning butter. They knew in their hearts that all the yummy curds and butter were meant for little Krishna. Perhaps, there is some truth to that. I mean, one has to observe proper care while preparing milk and dairy products. In deed, the earlier generations were steeped in absolute cleanliness (madi) during cooking.

I prefer boiling milk on stove for making curd. Some use microwave oven for warming the milk. For some reason, I find warming milk on stove imparts better taste. To digress a bit here – I recall a childhood event. Our neighbor had a herd of cows. Whenever I went to their house, they used to give me a glass of warm milk. I never got such a tasty milk anywhere else, either in India or US. Now, I know the real secret to that taste. No wonder, little Krishna went after milk, butter and milkmaids. My friend’s mother would heat milk in a clay pot gently over cow dung cakes – very slowly. That slow heating in a clay pot induced excellent taste. If today’s kids dislike milk (say milk from super market, grocery store, dairy farm, or Mother Dairy), it is not their fault. Mostly this is due to poor quality or careless processing. Some taste is also lost in pasteurization (or homogenization).

After a bit of bubbling, I remove the milk from stove top and let it cool. Usually we see a thin layer of cream on the top. Let the milk cool down to room temperature. Or we can use slightly lukewarm milk. Particularly in cold winters it is preferable to use lukewarm milk. Normally I transfer the warm milk to a different pot for making curd. It is not needed, one can use the same pot for making yogurt. Milk has its own character; most of the time while boiling, milk tends to overflow and spoil stove top. (Being a colloid, milk always tends to bubble up on the hot stove.) Then, the usual chore of cleaning; everything is messy with good tasty cooking! One learns these minor irritations slowly. A glass pot watcher, a large clean ladle, or a watchful eye on the burning stove will do the trick. Sprinkling cold water will soothe boiling milk quickly. Or you can turn the stove knob to low. There were times when I forgot the milk totally on the stove – it led to thick creamy brownish milk. Such accidents happen to all and anyone.

So, now we have either room temperature or lukewarm milk in a clean pot. After mixing with a tablespoonful of starter, we have to leave the milk in a warm (just a little safe stable location) place for about 6-8 hours. How much starter? It depends on the quantity of milk. Roughly it is like this – for a liter of milk, at the most one and half tablespoon of starter. Or at most two tablespoons of starter. But the proportion stays same. That means, if you want to make a gallon (roughly 4 liters) of yogurt, then you need considerable amount of starter. After mixing the starter (about three swirls of spoon in the pot), (a hilarious scene from Bright Star comes to mind) I place the pot in the oven. I leave the pilot lamp (40 Watts lamp, I suppose) on. After six or eight hours, I gently remove the lid and take a peep. If the curd is set, often there will be a layer of pale white (colorless) liquid on top (sort of whey). We can also gently tilt the pot to see if it is set. But do not shake or disturb the curd while it is forming. If it is fully formed, then it is ready for eating. Of course, such a freshly made yogurt will be a bit warm. Or if you prefer you can remove the pot from oven and let it cool naturally. After an hour or so, I transfer the curd to refrigerator. Putting it in fridge will give the curd good solid texture. A good home made yogurt will have: Thin supernatant liquid layer. Tastes good without any sourness. We should be able to cut crisply with a spoon. There should not be any sticky thread hanging while lifting a piece with spoon. Good consistency from top to bottom.

Basically there are three or four parameters in this process. 1. Quality of starter. 2. Amount of starter. 3. Temperature. 4. Duration. One can vary the parameters to get either a soft mild tasting curd or a bit sour tasting one. I never used any thermometer for checking temperature. Somewhere, it is said the ideal temperature for yogurt making is: 30° – 37° centigrade (86° - 98.6° F ). On a hot Indian summer day, one has to take care to keep the (starter added) milk cool. Simple tricks are: Wrap a wet cloth around the pot (steel vessel), prepare curd in a clay pot, or make yogurt during nights. That even in hot Rajasthan one can find delicious curd during simmering summers – is a testament to the great culinary skills of local people.

Buttermilk (in Telugu challa) is another simple dish. It really refreshes and gives energy during hot summers. Its flavors also differ in India. In south India, we have the simple salty version – some times with the extra flavor of either curry leaf or citron (dabbakayi). In the north, the sweetened version (lassi) is preferred by some. Good curd is the main ingredient for making lassi or buttermilk. A slight detour here – in high school our Telugu teacher narrated an interesting anecdote. In his final Telugu examination, he was asked to explain the origin of the word “majjiga” – its roots and explanation. I think that single word ‘majjiga’ can flunk any Telugu scholar easily even today. Strange is life, this writer came to appreciate the origin and real meaning behind this word ‘majjiga’ only very recently – after a lapse of decades! Probably I could have learnt its etymology sooner had I consulted a good multilingual pundit (ubhaya bhasha pravina) way back then. For buttermilk, you have to just churn yogurt (with a bit of water). Depending on your preference, you can add a pinch of salt, lime juice, curry leaves, sugar, etc. In villages, during hot summer days generous philanthropists used to, perhaps they still do in some places, serve buttermilk to people. Unlike sweetened juices (or coke), raw salted buttermilk has very few calories. Yet it is a good hydrating drink for hot summers.

Curd is very helpful in maintaining good digestion and excellent health. Without yogurt, pickles and spices can easily upset the delicate balance of digestion. Yogurt is also used to treat certain types of hepatitis and stomach disorders; it is a part of traditional (Ayurveda) healing methods. This simple dish can work wonders and relieve the imbalances in body brought by heavy doses of antibiotics and other prescription drugs.

Lastly, the most important item – starter (culture). Where do you get it? Once I overheard somewhere, that the early Indian immigrants brought starter from their families in India. I cannot blame them! One gets attached to certain tastes. In most supermarkets, you can find plain yogurt. It is better to choose a variety that has as few additives as possible. Or, you can ask your friend for a spoonful of starter. Some use red pepper for making yogurt. I’ve never tried red pepper. There may be few more tricks – they are the privileged information of expert cooks. But anyone can learn such things with time, with practice. Or from a doting mother-in-law.

(Dedicated to the memory of S.N., who made exceptional original dishes)

Copyright 2010

Brahmasri Chaganti Koteswararao

Brahmasri Chaganti Koteswararao

With the sun rising across Roosevelt Island, the hurrying East River below, everything seems beguilingly peaceful and quiet from the glass window. Almost three decades back, a devoted Indian scholar started his American adventure from a small apartment in Manhattan. How hard it must have been for him in those days to keep his soul and pious traditions in tact? Even now it is not easy to get vegetarian dishes in many places in North America. A little better, yes, but still it is hard to find a delicious satisfying morsel with only vegetables and grains. How can we imagine the hardships of those pioneering souls? Crossing the oceans on ships, surviving the entire travel only on canned tomatoes, and adhering to daily ablutions and performing prescribed meditative prayers. Thus they came despite all distractions, disappointments, and humiliating trials. That was how, Vivekananda landed in Chicago. Or, Prabhupada. Or, any other philosopher from the land of ancient civilization. Much of the goodwill and courtesy, enjoyed by the present Indian emigrants everywhere, is due to those early path breakers. Irrefutably so. That is because, they are all from, and form an original human thought continuum.

One may ask why? Why did they undertake such difficult voyages? A saint need not go anywhere. Need not give speeches. The great saints are always beyond the normal ethos of civilization. Their presence alone is sufficient to bring auspiciousness all around – like that Rishyasrunga. They may act out of their own volition, may not act, it is all up to them. Like the celestial Narada’s actions, their mistakes too benefit mankind. So, if a youth in jeans asks, “Why did Prabhupada come to New York?” the answer is a bit long one. He strictly followed his guru’s words. He wanted to tell in English the true meaning of Krishna, Gita, Bhagavatam, and other scriptures. He wanted to convey without distortion the original message as he experienced through his insights. Truly a veritable source of infinite (not phony, feigned) compassion resides in the heart of a saint. And it is that bubbling compassion that prompts, pushes such good souls into beneficial action.

Without the works of such swamis (look at the original Sanskrit word), the larger world and India would be poorer. It will be left with grossly mangled twisted interpretations of Upanishads, Hindu (sanatana would be a better word) mythologies, and religious practices. Many (with very few exceptions) westerners lack the language credentials and critical thinking to understand the original (which were enshrined in Sanskrit and other Indian vernaculars) writings. (Certainly some of their sincere efforts are laudable) In addition to their dismal understanding of Sanskrit, they often try to read Indian religious works with the biases of anthropology, Freud, or whatever favor-of-the-month fashion/thought. Now such exercises are good for academic promotions, glib alcohol dripping talk, - but they never address life’s fundamental issues – they slowly sink into the quick sands of hypocrisy. Therefore, such attempts often lead to tragic catastrophes both for its proponents and followers.

The current Indian urban youth and diasporic children are faced with huge cultural problems. It is there for anyone to observe, right in front of eyes. Much of the generation gap (I never heard the word in Telugu, in my school or college days) and discordance with elders is rooted there. Is it due to nuclear families? Earlier, we used to interact and mingle with people across generations – from great grandmother to the newborn crawling nephew. Some will discard the old tradition like an old dress or used car. Others will struggle to explore and try to find the “real meaning” of scriptures, daily practices, etc. Is there any help for such curious youngsters? All explorers are young and innocent at heart. Certainly, there is.

Why do we need the help of elders, priests, or books? Because, every enquiring mind will have questions. And questions are galore, everywhere. But time is of essence. One must question everything – be it religion, science, or art. Certainly a civilization of millennia, with practices handed down by hundred generations and diverse regions will have many interesting, albeit intriguing at times, festivals, functions, and ceremonies. That is the beauty of life. People unfamiliar with such a tapestry of culture ask: Why does the father-in-law wash bridegroom’s feet? Why does the priest (in a Vaishnava temple) put a metal cap ( a youth amusingly called it “topi”) on your head? How come Vishnu is always adorned in flowers and flowing silk? Why Siva gets only ashes and buckets of water?

For answers, one needs patience, persistence, and a bit of self-effort. One can ask the priest (no shame in that), read on line Sanskrit (Telugu, Hindi, etc.) dictionaries, or pick a book from sidewalk vendor or a temple store. A sincere beginning can be made. With luck, soon one learns many things. Quickly the curious young mind will discover valuable meaning in the Indian traditions. We must really pay our gratitude to all our grand parents, parents, uncles, and aunts – for strenuously preserving and passing on these traditions. Many of the older generations succeeded in handing down the rituals despite the persistent onslaught of foreign influences in the guise of rationality and material prosperity. Except a liberated guru, no one, no one (like that catchy phrase from a pop song!) will uplift the other, neither the Sensex nor office boss. This, many elders will honestly attest as a genuine fact in life.

Now, we come to one very illustrious exponent of our scriptures. He is Brahmasri Chaganti Koteswararao*. The world Telugu community is really fortunate, nay blessed to have such a great scholar in current times. Words cannot convey, but we are immensely indebted to him and his teacher. Many of his extempore commentaries on Ramayana, Siva, and other topics are posted on the Internet. It is thrilling to hear a live voice, explaining the meaning behind Kanakadhara Stotra. I do not know much about other languages; but in Telugu we have this practice, rather age-old tradition of commentaries on various Hindu texts and philosophical treatises. In towns and villages across Andhra Pradesh, elderly (retired) people are often seen in the cool evenings to cluster around a learned scholar to listen to the subtle meaning behind a poem, a sloka, or a story from the ancient puranas. Such discourses were always free, open to everyone - young and old, and rich and poor alike. We hope the practice will continue with such gifted teachers well into next generations. Many of us ardently feel that innocent future grand children will not be deprived (robbed) of their rightful inheritance, of traditional Hindu culture and philosophy.

Without an understanding of ancient Hindu scriptures, all classical dance, music (Carnatic), and Indian literature comes to a grinding halt. Without that eternal spring of spirituality, everything else just withers away.

* http://te.srichaganti.net/Pravachanams.aspx

Copyright 2009

Long Purple Eggplant

Long Purple Eggplant

Growing couple of eggplants on a deck, verandah, or porch is an enticing dream for any gardener in the summer. In India, this vegetable comes in many shapes and sizes: small, long, fat, oval, round, green, white, and dark purple. It is widely used in many dishes in south India – from simple curries, sambar, chutneys, and even in pickles. People keep the sun dried eggplant slices safely stored for preparing out-of-season tasty dishes. If one is not allergic to this simple vegetable, one can enjoy this modest native vegetable throughout the year. Both in south and north India, I have tasted very delicious dishes out of this vegetable. The large round ones (weighing almost a kilo) are ideally suited for making vankayi pachchadi (వంకాయి పచ్చడి). They can be cooked (baked) in an oven or fireplace or red hot coals. Cooking eggplants or sweet potatoes on the hearth in a fire place is a pleasant diversion during the chilly nights in North America. Near Visakha, we used to roast cashew nuts in fire (made from old newspapers) on idle Sundays. I can still recall those middle school days vividly even now. Our drawing teacher (those were really simple days, we never had fancy art teachers – just drawing master, music teacher, or craft master) asked us to make a pencil drawing of a long curvy eggplant. And then we had to color it using crayons. Some colors really catch our eyes and their intensity remains forever on our retinas (mind). Of those, I will always remember eggplant color and the yellow of tamarind flower.

This writer has grown many things - tomatoes, bell peppers, string beans, mint, coriander, pumpkin, melon, sun flowers, gongura (గోంగూర), cauliflower, potatoes, etc. But this is the first time I have attempted to grow the long purple eggplant (the farmer introduced these as “little fingers”) in containers. Many years ago, Gora used to exhort people to grow vegetables in front of offices and collector bungalows. Those were really hard days, India was struggling with limited wheat and rice crops. There is some value in that, i.e., growing valuable food in limited space or vacant (idle) city land. He might have went too far in his rationality. Flower plants also do extreme good, they promote happiness and health around.

This time I resorted to container vegetable gardening out of sheer necessity. On the ground the writer has to wrestle with squirrels, rabbits, deer, and other animals. So, that is the paradox of life: Like the line, “Water, water everywhere/But not a drop to drink”, plenty of space to grow, but very little protection from a squirrel bite. At least above ground, I have been able to fence off some area and enjoy flowers and vegetables. At the farmers market, we got a six pack of eggplant seedlings for a dollar. Now, the tricky job is to grow at least six long shiny purple eggplants in the limited short summer season here. Is it possible to bring this fancy gardening to fruition without throwing loads of money? I want to beat my Bengali Cornell friend in this game. It is feasible with a bit of sensitive touch and dirty hands.

We used some leftover plastic pots. Just recycled the old ones. I could have used old broken plastic pails, juice cans, or gallon milk jugs. In principle we can use any container for vegetable gardening. The containers do not have to be pretty. For a flower plant, I may be a bit choosy, just to bring out pleasing color and style. Layered the bottom with some old pine needles, bark, and coconut shell pieces. I avoided using heavy rocks or crock; that keeps the pots a bit light. In containers, our main problems are twofold. One is to provide sufficient drainage for water. This is essential when we get soaking downpours in summer here. The second one is to give plenty of nutrients for the plant. I collected high quality compost from the county’s recycling yard. So, a bit of compost, some top soil, and a shovel of organic manure – that is enough for eggplant. If needed, we can add a bit of sand to keep the soil loose. Fully decomposed compost is easy to recognize: It is dark black, loose and free of lumps.

The eggplants were transplanted into 9” – 12” diameter plastic containers. Before transferring, I scored/scratched the roots a few places. Otherwise, the root bound plant tends to be lethargic and does not spread its root system easily in the container. All the plants at present have at least one eggplant; some have six or seven hanging from their stems. Most of the leaves (except the oldest ones at bottom) are dark green and there are good number of flowers ready for pollination. Eggplants have both male and female flowers on a single plant. I have noticed one bee coming and going around each flower daily. So, that saves the need for any hand pollination. Anyway, which farmer can hand pollinate each plant? Once the frost starts, I will have to bring them indoors to save the last pick of the crop. So far, this exercise seems to be profitable. No pests, not even the Japanese beetle. Not bad for a dollar. Of course, plenty of care, watering, fertilizing went into it. But these slender eggplants are a rare treat in northeast and the view across a glass window is wonderful. Used 24-8-16 garden fertilizer solution twice a month. A bamboo stake helps the plant from the downward pull of heavy eggplants. In the fields here, farmers just leave the plants without any support.

I wish we had attempted growing eggplants in our garden during my childhood. For some reason, we did not try. But I did remember seeing eggplants in our drawing master’s garden. He had a nice collection of tropical trees like drumstick, sapotas, date, and curry leaf. There in India too, one can buy the seedlings in a farmers’ market. We can grow from the seeds but they need to be transplanted for good results. Here in cold climates, our troubles are many. A short growing season, lack of sun light, too much rain, or bugs. (I must remark in passing, right now even the coastal farmers in India too are going through hard times due to drought. Tough life for farmers, always, everywhere anywhere.) The growing season can be extended a bit by starting transplants indoors in the beginning. One can try a transparent plastic cover in the fall to extend the season for a week or two. In principle, we can save one healthy fruit (eggplant) for seeds. We tried saving for seeds for other vegetables like white pumpkin, snake gourd, gongura, thotakura (తోటకూర), spinach, etc., with good results.

Due to the wet summer this year, I did not have to water the plants frequently. Sometimes, the plants went without watering for three or four days at a stretch. On hot days the leaves exhibit a bit of wilting but soon they recover during the cool nights. The conventional eggplant, found in supermarkets here is the large variety. My friend used to call it as the ‘buffalo eggplant’ due to its enormous size. When we grow these vegetables personally in our gardens, we tend to pick them a bit early, so the eggplants are soft and have fewer seeds. Some people are allergic to the seeds. In India, I did not come across an eggplant (the ones found in markets) with thorns on the stem. But here, most eggplants have one or two thorns on the green stem (is it pedicle?). I did see some wild eggplants (ones that grow in abandoned fields) in India with thorns. Nothing very bothersome but something that need to be watched while slicing the fruit (vegetable) for cooking.

In the early days I hardly cared about these blogs. Many were written spontaneously to encapsulate a particular theme. But I was pleasantly surprised when some of my blogs (a post on Curry Leaf Plant, a blog on a famous carnatic song) attracted thousands. Still, it does not mean anything nor does it prove any hypothesis. Perhaps, some readers find them useful. Or, one of my blogs might have inspired someone to grow a curry leaf plant or venture into singing.

In any case, the writer is obliged to all such anonymous readers. I hope they will continue to find these ruminations worth reading. Whether the article is on music or gardening, it is always written from real first hand experience. In that sense, these blogs are authentic, a genuine distillation of many hours, days, or even months of effort and toil. Copyright 2009

Gardenia Veitchii

Gardenia …Gardenia Veitchii

 

Oh, what a sweet wait and struggle! This double white strong scented tropical plant needed weeks of warm spring sun rays and gentle moonlit nights – all just to coax couple of tender angel white flowers.  What a pretty flower? Petals soft leathery white with fragrance spreading to the whole room. But like that tropical magnolia species – champaca (sampenga in Telugu), it is worth all the trouble and pampering. On the Internet there must be many sites discussing care of this temperamental (temperamental, which plant is not really? Or, for that matter, which child is not moody and temperamental?) tropical flowering plant. When one reads all the information on the net, one is frustrated – due to many demands of this shrub. But, as always, a grain of practice is worth a pound of idle theory.

When did I first notice this unique flower? In that coastal village, all most all the houses in our street used to have at least the single flower variety. In Andhra, we used to call it by nandi vardhanamu (nandi refers to the immaculate white color, Gardenia Lucida?). There it was ubiquitous, reveling in the humid weather and cool nights. The single flower variety needs very little care – just people planted in their little gardens and forgot about it. It would grow all by itself into a large shrub with stout trunk and yield basketful of sweet smelling flowers with inch long stems. Very handy for making long garlands. But what about the double flower variety? Even today, some old memories come rushing in the bat of an eye. In coed high school days, the luckiest boys were the ones behind the row of girls. Often a whole day was spent imbibing the gardenia scent emanating from the girl student’s oily braid in the front. Amidst such daunting distractions, we had to study Srinatha, Nannaya, Pythagoras theorem and total internal reflection and of course, Jonathan Swift.

But this double flower  (mudda nandi vardhanamu) created another inerasable imprint on a young innocent mind. I was walking home through a neighbor’s garden in a moonlit night late evening, after first show? The garden was a prize possession of a munificent landlord. As I was reaching the gate, a sudden intense waft caught my attention. I could barely see the yellow hued white flower delicately held to  a tall shrub in the corner. The scent resembles that of Gardenia Veitchii – but the gardenia smells in India appear to be a bit sweeter and milder. Much later I came to know that the neighbor brought many rare plants from Bangalore. That garden, even today I consider to be the best I have ever seen anywhere. Because it contained everything – from water lily, fern, rose,  to Rangoon creeper. And many more. It had all types of plants except bonsai. The master gardener there, Katlayya, was an exceptional green thumb. I never witnessed a single blade of grass turn yellow nor a single rajnigandha stem without flowers.  That was then, a single head gardener could produce an earthly paradise  - all without modern techniques – just with a handful of assistants. Perhaps it is a divine gift – some can make everything they touch into beautiful. Who can say that there are no gandharvas here?

I noticed some confusion in the nomenclature – popular names and botanical names for this shrub. I will look into that later carefully. The leaf structure and flower details are visible in the photos here.  The flower has light yellowish stamen; they are not clear here either due to the flash or perhaps it did not fully open yet.

Soil: After tending many plants, a gardener may occasionally forget about the exact soil mixture for a particular container plant. Such things do happen once in a while. (This is similar to what expert cooks experience -  good cooks can always improvise tasty dishes even with modest ingredients! They do not need written recipes) But in the care free joyful hobby of gardening – there is an interesting observation. I am sure many avid gardeners will testify to the veracity of this observation:  In the hands of  a master (or call green thumb, if you will) gardener, even a troublesome plant will tolerate some abuse and benign neglect. Thus, the gardener will pick a handful (I mean trowelful) of compost, backyard loam, and sand and throws the mixture into a container and tucks in the new addition. And lo, in a few weeks, most plants will thrive and yield colorful flowers. Even if such gardener heaps a good bit of neglect, still the plant will not die. To a beginner, this may appear strange and magical. I think there is some invisible understanding between the plants and expert gardeners. They are always under a loving watchful eye. The plants know it and the gardener feels it too. 

Now a plant like gardenia does not ask much – I mean if it is located in tropical sun with plenty of sunshine and rain water. Back in those days in most villages we never had any miracle-grow plant food nor bone meal. In tropical places, one can just plant this shrub in a pile of brick rubble and still it will give heavenly redolent flowers. All it needs in such sunny places, is a decent drainage and some water. In coastal Andhra Pradesh, I used to find this plant with smiley white flowers during most of the year. Of course, gardenia always is fond of rain drops. I still vividly remember this scene from years back – I would go to a neighbor’s garden for collecting flowers and there I was enchanted by the large carpet of white gardenia flowers glistening with cool rain drops from the previous night. So many (these were mostly single flower type) flowers with delicate scent. The double flowers – they were a bit rare, they used to hide behind tender shoots. But the double flowers – they compensated for their small numbers with their intense head swooning sweet fragrance.

When this plant is bought from a local store, it is often potted with peat moss. Peat moss has one disadvantage: When it dries, it is really bone dry. Thus, it is better to remove the plant from the store bought container and repot. The one shown in photo is about five month old plant. I used backyard compost, sand, and a bit of organic manure for repotting. Just for safety, I used a clay pot. I lost two gardenias earlier; one got severe pest (aphids?) infestation and the other could not cope up with chilly winter and its master’s prolonged absence. (Plants seem to be more attached to people than pets!).  I placed plenty of pebbles/brick pieces/charcoal at the bottom to give ample drainage for the plant. This plant likes moist soil – uniformly moist most of the time. But it does not tolerate standing water. Standing water at the roots can give rise to bugs.

Acid soil and pH

Like rhododendrons and azaleas, gardenias like the soil a bit on the acid side. This is not really big problem. Peat moss and dried cow manure can bring this acidity to the soil. Intermittently, the plant can be given a bit of kitchen vinegar. No harm done. We can also use a sprinkling of acid plant food granules (16-2-3, Scott’s or other brand) to keep pH on the lower side; this food also contains iron. If the plant is getting proper nourishment (plenty of sun light and nutrients from soil), it will exhibit green shiny leaves. Yellowing leaves can be an indication of improper pH – but not always. For example, in bright sun the plant’s older leaves (lower side, closer to the root system) will naturally turn yellow and drop off. This is nothing to worry. Sometimes, excess water in the roots can produce yellowing of leaves. By careful watching, one can adjust the soil to suit gardenia’s moods.

I have used flowering plant sticks and dilute plant food solution (ex: Vigoro) with good results. Bone meal also yields good results. For flowers, the plant needs just plenty of sun shine and moderate warm temperatures. Now that is a tall order in the bone-chilling-cold northeast. Still, now I can say with experience this is doable and we can get flowers from this difficult tropical prized plant. I just put it near south window during winters. Thus, it gets all the available light. Due to sudden fluctuations or chills, it may shed a few flower buds. Again, that happens to lots of other plants. I have seen it with magnolia. In this sense, hibiscus is the only sturdy one. Most of the time, hibiscus (the tropical variety) brings all its buds to successful blooming. If sun light is lacking, any artificial lighting will do – either incandescent table lamps, fluorescent light bulb/tube, or the red spectrum corrected fluorescent lamp used in green houses.

Watering

An occasional interruption of watering does not lead to death. For a day, gardenia can go thirsty – just its leaves (particularly the top tender shoots) will droop begging for water. When the plant is full of leaves, during hot summer days there will be significant loss of water. In such times, it needs a bit more water. I have used spray on the leaves without any adverse effects. It would be good to have access to clean stream water, rain water, distilled water, or mineral water (even water from dehumidifier). Hard water (water with excess calcium or magnesium salts) will leave white sooty marks on the green leaves. During dry times (indoor heating, winter), the plant can be left in a gentle shower (lukewarm ok, but not warm). It really enjoys taking bath, a poor substitute for a tropical downpour! When the plant gets sufficient water, its leaves are turgid, erect , and happy.

I am sure new plants can be grown from cuttings (similar to jasmine). I have not yet pruned this plant yet; when I do, I will have a number of cuttings for rooting. Small suckers also seem to propagate from the mother plant. I plan to put it outside once the night temperatures climb up to 60 degrees °F.

So far I have not encountered any serious pest problem with this plant. On the new leaves, I notice small specks of black/green dots. I just remove them with a clean tissue or dislodge them with a jet spray. I have a homemade brew of horticultural oil, dish water soap, and capsicum extract. Most of the time, a single spray of this solution takes care of all pests. I find pests on crossandra more bothersome than on gardenia. Will add additional tips for pests when I run into that problem. Usually if the plant is given proper watering, sun light, and mild fertilizer – then the plant takes care of itself. (copyright)

 

[This post is dedicated to the memory of a dear cousin (Ch. S. R. M). In a brief life, she touched the hearts of many and gave all she could. Like a container-confined Gardenia Veitchii, all she ever wanted in life was a ray of humanity. Wherever she is now, I hope, like an apsara, she is beyond the pettiness of earthly life.]

copyright 4/24/09

Monochromatic Grating

Meditative steps through

Fresh talcum of snow

Through the dark and light linear stripes

Is ennui

A predicament of man alone?

Cold wind, freezing rain,

Or overcast dark evening late fall

Formless leaded clouds

Do they bother the feathered couple?

The lady is asleep weightless

With beak tucked in her chest

She has no cares - floating in sublime peace

Peace of dreamland

Why not?

Her Cygnus is right beside her

Showering affection and 

Covering with a blanket of security

And serenity

Thought of feeding some nuts

But, then changed my mind quickly

Why disturb that elegant

Lovely peace of the couple?

Cannot intrude the zone of

That intimate hamsa-dwaya

In times past

These slits would shine with colors

Splatter with rainbow painted droplets

Who knows whether there would

Be colored lights this time

With the falling Hedges

And the subliming subprime MBS

Who knows whether

This holiday season will be

Chromatic or monochromatic

copyright 1/4/09