Dead famous - Roald Dahl

And his chocolate factory

This book by Andrew Donkin is absolutely absorbing and amazingly informative. Donkin captures the biography of Roald Dahl in a series of interesting incidents. The book has

• narratives, imagined pages from a secret diary, made-up letters, imaginary newspaper headlines and war stories.

The illustrations by Clive Goddard are fabulous. The details in the illustrations vary depending on whether it is supposed to be by Dahl aged five or Dahl aged 20…making it all the more juicy and real!

What is intriguing is the connection Donkin draws between incidents in Dahl’s life and the stories he wrote. Mrs. Pratchett he says was the inspiration for The Witches. The daily train rides in London lead to Galloping Foxely. And the successful Someone Like You had many real life experiences to thank.

Donkin tells us how Dahl was an agent for Shell, a fighter pilot, a spy, played practical pranks, and nearly lost his nose!

All in all, a must read for Dahl fans.

Quirks of a Kannada Wedding

About Smartha Kannada Weddings

Every wedding is special and unique. But some things are so typical to the smartha kannada Brahmin weddings that I have to share them with you.
‘Pe-pe-pe-dum-dum’. The volaga ostensibly called the nadaswaram is a much awaited part. Ofcourse sometimes the artists are painfully ill trained…then it becomes the much dreaded part! However pe-pe-pe-dum-dum’ is a must!

The purohit who is referred to as Shastrigalu guides the families through the rituals and is chosen with care. We are particular about the mantras and the chanting and we take it all verrry seriously. Grim faces gaze at the happenings on centre stage…and enjoy it thoroughly!

The arati tatte causes a lot of chatter. Is the arati water ready? Where is the arati tatte? Bring the arati. Who will hold the plate? And then two appointed ladies take the arati in small circles in front of the groom or bride, who drop coins or notes into the plate. No matter if the collection is Rs. 2 or Rs. 200, it is divided with much easy banter between the two ladies who perform the arati.

Arshina-kunkumada tatte...A silver plate and silver bowls filled with haldi - kumkum are prized possession. Every mother dreams of buying a good set for her daughter.

Bashinga is for the special pair. This simple adornment brings unbelievable charm and radiance to the bride. Baashingas are made of pith (now thermocol). While the bride ties it round her forehead the groom pins it to his jari-peta (turban).

Jari-peta used to be a length of while muslin with zari border and the purohit would actually tie it round the grooms head. Now we get readymade turbans with adjustable elastic to fit snugly onto the head!

Just before the actual wedding the groom decides to go away for a Kashi Yatra! Equipped with a cloth bag, a walking stick and some food he departs for this journey only to be stopped at the threshold by the bride’s father. ‘Do come home, accept my daughter as bride and embark on this journey as a happy couple’ … he tells the groom! Kashi yatra is a much awaited ritual that evokes lot of fun and laughter. The groom readily agrees and returns to the wedding hall pampered by the bride’s brother and handheld by the bride’s father.

Meanwhile the bride sits in silent prayer (provided the friends and aunts and cousins allow her to!). She distributes marada jotey to chosen ladies who bless her and send her with good wishes to the wedding platform. Marada jotey is a pair of cane sieves loaded with grains, pulses, sweets, fruits and gifts.

Anthara-pata is a much awaited part of the wedding. The bride and the groom stand on either side of a cloth held out like a partition. The boy and girl hold a fistfull of Jeerige-bella (a mix of cumin seeds and jaggery). After a long chanting at a sudden moment the purohit downs the partition, the boy and girl shower jeerigebella on each other. It is believed...the one who puts it first will have the upper hand in wedded life!

Rice plays an important role in weddings. It is cooked and served as meal. It is mixed with haldi-kumkum and sprinkled as blessing. It is washed and dried and used by the special couple to pour over each other as part of wedding ceremonies. It is offered to the bride and the goddess Gowri as soblakki (parting gift). This here is rice that has been coloured, just for some fancy photo sessions!

Silk sarees, jasmine strings, coconuts, oil-wick lamps and bags of laddu (we call it laadoo). These add fragrance to Indian weddings. South Indian weddings are noisy, elaborate, ritualistic, colourful and yes, ...
you are allowed to have a lot of fun too.

We are not comfortable with dancing, loud singing or noisy meeting...we kind of enjoy it all silently and have fun chatting and updating in the atmosphere of common joy.

How do I pick up the correct key


if I have not decided on the lock?

two keys

There was this farmer who was noted for his generosity. Now one day, he had a lot of things to be done around the farm. So he called to a group a kids standing in the shade of trees.
‘Ohoy! You there’. He said…or something to that effect…
‘Come on. Help me with chores and I will give you what you ask for.’
The boys and girls skipped across the mud road and willingly agreed to help him. Kids can surprise you about what they skip along about!!

‘Dillon, you clean the hen coop. And what do you want for it?’
‘Sir, I want a large red pumpkin.’ He said, in an I am sure…kind of voice’
‘Punit and Simi you give my room a whitewash.’
‘Yes we can do that. And can we take some firewood?’ Punit the elder brother asked, a little apprehensively.
‘O yes. I got plenty of that…I will give you a load of cut and dried firewood,’ he said. I told you he was a generous farmer.
‘Minal you collect the ripe beans and brinjals from the kitchen garden.’ And….
Before he could complete the mandatory question she asked enthusiastically
‘Uncle, may I take a small puppy? I would like the brown one.’
‘Done, you take the brown pup. He is a good one, he is!’
Joss, help me wash the cows will you? Not scared of them…are you? He asked and guffawed loudly.
Joss was not too keen, but he had to agree. ‘Yes, I will do it. ‘ he mumbled.
‘What will you have as reward?’
‘Anything sir. Give me anything.’

By four afternoon, all work was done. Dillon got a large red pumpkin and he was mighty thrilled. Punit and Simi got a wheelbarrow loaded with firewood. You should have been there to see the wide grins on their faces. And Mina ...Oh she was overjoyed to hold the wriggling brown pup and raced home to show it to her mother.
Now, Joss had done an excellent job too. The farmer pointed at a large basket of oranges and looked at him, but he didn’t see a grin on Joss’ face. So he brought out an ornate wooden box and asked him if he would like that………uh-uh not a very encouraging response…

Tell me, Joss, what do you want?
Anything…anything sir…
The farmer filled a bag with good healthy goat poop and said, ‘here …take it…this is the best thing I have.’ For a farmer good manure is a heaven sent!
Joss took the bag with a sigh.
Tell me,
If you do not know what you want how will you know you have got it?
If you do not know what you want, how will you get it?




Plain poop for one is manure for the other!