"Ammale Hattache Ek Ghasu Jevana/ Maa ka Haath ka Khaana" ... Do I need to write??? everyone will endorse that the taste of those morsels eaten from ammas hand is priceless, never forgotten even if it is just guldilele duddha sheetha with a dash of dalitoy and upkari or just potatoes picked out cleanly from spicy gravies ... Sigh, it just lingers in our jeeba (tongue) heart, subconscious, mind forever ....
** Have you ever wondered why when a person young or old is asked ... "who cooks the best food??" phat comes the reply ... "meggele ammana kelele randapa first class jattashile (in konkani) meaning my mom cooked the best food" ... this one sentence would mean the world to ageing mother but would also get some glares from wife (lol) but then she too knows it, as she herself misses her dear ammas food ...
** Taste buds starts developing the day a child is promoted to eating solids from the bland bolu/ porridge ... when the mother koos and cajoles the child to eat from her hands showing kakmam (crow) at daytime and chandamama (moon) at nights, the child first looks at the food, then at crow/ moon and finally towards amma ... the love in her eyes, the lovely smile instantly connects, gets bonded and the child gleefully eats what is fed, throwing some tantrums to simply get more attention ...
** As years roll by ammas food gets etched into our soul for lifetime ... that is the very reason even as we outgrow from childhood, to teenage, to adults, to old age, despite eating outside at various places, maybe even the tastiest food at some of the best hotels, the illusion gets burst as we soon begin to crave for ammas food ... for us amchies simple dalitoy ani sheetHa prepared by amma is enough to go goooeeeyyy ...
** We all know that Sri Krishna was a very mischievous child, he loved to trouble Yashodha-maa coz. he knew that she loved his natkat ways very much and only pretended to get angry ... he would break the mud pots in which she stored the butter, eat it himself and also distribute it among all his friends, trying to set an example that food should be shared and eaten and when it came to food all were equal ... he would always insist on sitting on Yashodha-maa's lap and be fed to Balaramas (Krishna's Elder Brother) amusement and all young children of his age chided him for it ... but, Krishna loved to get pampered, why??? he knew one day he would have to move on as outside world was waiting for him, to ensure Dharmastapan and rebuild on humanity ... the onus was on his shoulders, the very purpose for which he had taken Krishna Avataar/ come to earth in human form ...
** It is believed that yashoda maa was struck with distress after young Krishna and Balaram left on their calling duty ... she would weep for hours, stay within closed doors, not eat for days ... though Nandaraya (Krishna's father) was equally distressed being a man of principles he understood Krishna's obligations but Yashodha was a just a mother and would not ... she just wanted her Krishna back, she just could not come to terms of living a long life without her beloved son besides her ... knowing this Krishna sent her a message that she should live by memories of him sitting on her lap and relishing food from her hand which was the only way Krishna would feel completely satisfied wherever he ate food himself elsewhere ...
** Having said that Krishna himself too always missed his mothers love and those hands that fed him, he yearned for those days, those moments gone by, those simple friends of his, radha the love of his life, all that way left behind, never to be met again ... Yashodha and Nandaraya were Krishna's foster parents but Krishna put them on the highest pedestal trying to set an example to mankind that the hands that rock the cradle, feeds you, educates you, and brings you up are above the ones by birth ... In this simple gesture Krishna shows that God loves to both give and take happiness creating a tight bond between Deva (God) and his Bhaktas (Devotees) giving priority only to deeds ... that is the very reason he accepts any offering as Naivedyam prepared with love or even a simple tulsi dala/ leaf offered at his lotus feat with love and bhakti (faith) ...
** There is a small incidence when Duryodhan (Kaurava) invites Sri Krishna for lunch and thereby lays a large table full of rich food and goodies in golden and silver utensils to just show off his royal standard and impress Sri Krishna ... displeased with this kind of portrayal of wealth, Sri Krishna is hurt and just walks away and goes to Vidhur's (minister) home for that food which is served with love endorsing that there is always a lot of mahatva (regard) for food served with love even if it is just plain poha (beaten) which Sudama Krishna's childhood friend had fed him, that had won his heart ... It is believed that Goddess Annapurna lives in every morsel of food and disrespect shown towards food is like disrespecting the Goddess living within ... that is why our elders always insisted that the plate in which food is served should never be pushed aside ... it's always obtained by God's grace ...
** Even in today's age people are mislead by TV adv. of packaged foods, coolants, ready to serve meals ... there are a lot of gimmicks played to lure people into buying them giving under the pretext of health promoting labels ... there are also lots of games, gadgets etc. that are being promoted spending lakhs on the advertisements ... these are really not the necessities of life ... it actually harms the overall development in human beings ... have you ever seen a proper advertisement on good reading book on TV or on other sources ... hardly, Isn't it, but reading books on various subjects is one of the best habit and gift you can give your child, Why?? coz. it builds on knowledge and that is the stepping stone to success ... the other greatest gift one can give their child is to ensure every morsel is, Ammale Hattache ek ghasu Jevana/ ma ka haath ka khana ... make your child's growing years full of good habits, healthy food, proper education, manners, introduce to reading and writing. When the child grows and goes on to build its own nest not only will he/she be thankful to you, but will continue the same trend for generations to come ...
//Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya//
** Disclaimer : This article is just a short story/ my own kalpanik katha/ imaginary story written on a lighter note on my own thoughts and is not taken from any text or any other source. Its just my passion to write whatever I feel strongly about, but it is not meant to offend anybody and if at all done, do excuse it's not intentional ... the picture is from google and pic. credit goes to them ...
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