Yesterday marked the beginning of Navratri, a festival celebrated over nine nights and ten days, each day signifying the form of Devi or Shakti, followed by Vijayadashami or "Dussehra" celebrated on the 10th day. For many it may mean fasting, for others like me, it calls for feasting. Almost every year I look forward to this festival, for the delicacies my mom makes in bounty at home. Devi happens to be our moola mane devaru (ancestral home Goddess), so our ancestral Goddess is also offered with Pooja, flowers and variety of delicacies over all 10 days. Guests flood home, glass bangles offered to young girls and traditional food in varieties is home cooked by ladies and offered to the Goddess during the Pooja and then served on leaf to all the guests for lunch.
Despite settling in a metro city like Mumbai, the rituals were followed religiously at my paternal ancestral home, and they still continue to do so. While my mother's side were put up in a more rustic village home, where the village temple offered live tableau, cultural activities, traditional Poojas during Navratri time. During the time when the village went out of power, the light from mashaals and aarati brightened up the streets and the bhajans sung by devotees rang music to our ears. It was a common sight to watch tattiraayas (humans dressed in 7ft. puppets) and huLivesha (men dressed in tiger costumes) dance to the rhythms of dhols that brought life to the otherwise silent streets. When the lights from the aarati lit up the far end of the streets and faint hearing of dhols and bhajans pecked our ears we would run out on streets to be a part of that ceremony and dance along till it reached our home. By then the elders and ladies wait outside their house, holding a thali, often decorated with flowers, coconut, kumkum and diya for the Pooja. The poojari would patiently collect each thali, offer to the Goddess, break the coconuts and return them back to the ladies. Everyone on street flocked around the returned thali to take their quota of blessings. We never felt the need for any other form of entertainment as the vibrant culture and the simple pomp of village life kept us occupied.
Both the sides of my family were different in many ways. Never the less, the joy of celebrating the festival was the same in both my maternal and paternal ancestral homes and I surely miss them now.
One thing that almost seemed similar on both the sides of my family was this Kashaya, a herbal drink usually served instead of tea or coffee. Kashaya is a very popular drink in the South and considered a coolant in summer heat. I remember clearly the only time we had Kashaya was when we visited our relatives in villages or grandparent's home. Because it was healthy, soothing and loved by all. It had characteristic sweet and spicy flavors from jaggery and pepper. At times when we had bouts of cold or cough, my ammamma would spice it up with loads of ginger that could soothe the scratching throat. Not that kids liked it much, but yet we gulped it down with less choice as elders relished it. When we visited our relatives or they flocked home, Kashaya made it's warm presence felt. In between talks and summer heat, minus the fans or electricity, Kashaya gave a warm soothing relief which most elders enjoyed.
I do hope you will try the recipe I share and enjoy at home. Bring back your old memories and live them.
Despite settling in a metro city like Mumbai, the rituals were followed religiously at my paternal ancestral home, and they still continue to do so. While my mother's side were put up in a more rustic village home, where the village temple offered live tableau, cultural activities, traditional Poojas during Navratri time. During the time when the village went out of power, the light from mashaals and aarati brightened up the streets and the bhajans sung by devotees rang music to our ears. It was a common sight to watch tattiraayas (humans dressed in 7ft. puppets) and huLivesha (men dressed in tiger costumes) dance to the rhythms of dhols that brought life to the otherwise silent streets. When the lights from the aarati lit up the far end of the streets and faint hearing of dhols and bhajans pecked our ears we would run out on streets to be a part of that ceremony and dance along till it reached our home. By then the elders and ladies wait outside their house, holding a thali, often decorated with flowers, coconut, kumkum and diya for the Pooja. The poojari would patiently collect each thali, offer to the Goddess, break the coconuts and return them back to the ladies. Everyone on street flocked around the returned thali to take their quota of blessings. We never felt the need for any other form of entertainment as the vibrant culture and the simple pomp of village life kept us occupied.
Both the sides of my family were different in many ways. Never the less, the joy of celebrating the festival was the same in both my maternal and paternal ancestral homes and I surely miss them now.
One thing that almost seemed similar on both the sides of my family was this Kashaya, a herbal drink usually served instead of tea or coffee. Kashaya is a very popular drink in the South and considered a coolant in summer heat. I remember clearly the only time we had Kashaya was when we visited our relatives in villages or grandparent's home. Because it was healthy, soothing and loved by all. It had characteristic sweet and spicy flavors from jaggery and pepper. At times when we had bouts of cold or cough, my ammamma would spice it up with loads of ginger that could soothe the scratching throat. Not that kids liked it much, but yet we gulped it down with less choice as elders relished it. When we visited our relatives or they flocked home, Kashaya made it's warm presence felt. In between talks and summer heat, minus the fans or electricity, Kashaya gave a warm soothing relief which most elders enjoyed.
I do hope you will try the recipe I share and enjoy at home. Bring back your old memories and live them.
Kashaaya: Indian Herbal Brew
INGREDIENTS
For the powder:
2 cups coriander seeds
1 cup cumin seeds
1/2 cup fennel seeds
2 tbsp. black pepper
For kashaya:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp. jaggery
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger or ginger powder (optional)
1 tsp kashaya powder
DIRECTIONS
Dry roast all the ingredients in low flame till mildly fragrant. Allow it to cool completely. Grind it into a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.
To prepare Kashaya, heat water along with the Kashaya powder, jaggery and ginger (optional) till it comes to a rolling boil. Allow it to boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the flame and add hot milk. Stir well. Strain through a muslin cloth and serve hot.
An amazing herbal drink. I have heard about this from one of my friend's granny.
ReplyDeleteMy mom make a similar version but without milk:-)Happy Navrathri..
ReplyDeleteWill definitely suits prefect for my sore throat,fabulous.
ReplyDeleteHeard a lot about this...but never tasted this...love to try this..love that coffee day cup and saucer....
ReplyDeletewow nice and healthy!
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Kashaya looks so comforting. Would love to have that bowl right now :)
ReplyDeleteI love 2 sip this when I hv cough...u made even the kashaya looks nice
ReplyDeletelovely writing, a warm and nostalgic feeling now :-).happy navarathri to you and your family, Mallika!
ReplyDeleteHulivesha means men dress like tiger not lion.
ReplyDeleteLion-simha, Tiger-Huli
LOL Anonymous! Very true... Hurried post and a slip of thought!
ReplyDeleteI have to try this drink! Never heard of it before but it sounds so flavorful that I can't wait for long enough.
ReplyDeleteWarm & comforting kashaya!!! And an awesome presentation..This wonder drink or the elixir is given its due importance in the pics!!! :)
ReplyDeletePrathima Rao
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