Thinking about Baad and bachpan ke kuch din :)

I remember those times when we were kids,we used to wait for our final exams to get done in April and then go to our native, Kumta.I have done most of my schooling and PUC(Pre-University College which is 11th and 12th Grade ) in Karwar, a coastal town and abt 60 kms. from Kumta.So getting to Kumta was an easy task.We would usually start after lunch.My Dad would make us board a bus or a taxi.Am not sure of the taxi service now, but those days, taxis would be lined up and were a faster process to ply between Karwar, Ankola, Kumta and other nearby places.

My mother is from Baad, near Kaagal ( Kumta ). My mother's was a big joint family, so it was a lot of fun at her place.And there was always something we were occupied with,apart from the many sessions of eating :).

Summers meant all my pacchis would be there with their kids, my mama's n their families and a whole lot of functions always lined up.I remember i would always be chubby after my vacations, thanx to all the good food n delicacies my amma ( my grandma) and her Co-sister would make all the time.Talking of amma's co-sister, we call her maushiamma( sounds wierd hanh? ), my mom n all would call her Maushi and for all us kids, she just became Maushiamma.Breakfasts would be done early, n then they would get started on the second round. The Paej/ganji round was my favourite,with a randayi or even just papad and pickle.I remember one of my pacchis would come with ghee to put in each of our plates and i used to resist it at that time ( i so used to hate the smell of ghee that time)..I would ask my Amma if there was any more Paej left for lunch also, i soooo loved it and the sides they always had with it.I remember i used to get so boggled on what to have it with,there would be the wonderful sides, n the simplest of them being the udkachi Aambli and udkache Aambade.My mouth waters as i think of it now, i wish i had pictures of them to post here. At tea time there would be always home-made snacks for us to munch on. There were many favourites and still are. The hot picks would be Panasa Baalka( Jackfruit chips), Gava pita guli( wheat flour Ladoos), the Chudvo, Kare( thick spicy shev)...My list will go on and on...And then there was dinner of course :)..

I don't think I ever saw any of them complaining anytime about cooking or anything. In fact, they would always keep asking us what we wanted to eat and were ever happy to make it for us. Cooking for just 2 people n even the basics seems like a big chore to me and am sure to many these days. My grandma is no more now,but I'm sure she would have loved to hear a few kind words for all she did " Hats off to you Amma, You were the best "......

More in the next post....

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