Kitchen Rants: Ammi

As the aromatic scent of filter coffee fills up the nooks and corners of my little apartment, I stare at my dosa batter ready to be spread on the tawa to be made into yummy, crispy, ghee, butter, cheese dosas; well, the varieties add on. Innovation, I’ve observed, comes to play the best in the kitchen. As the potatoes kept in a corner tempt me to use them and the clock strikes 7, it brings me right back to my senses that I am late again to coax my Peter Parker out of his bed.

Let me start with a little introduction here as a self-acclaimed author of this blog, i.e., me. I am in my late thirties, or should I say forties are just around the corner.

Peter Parker is in 11th grade, though, he proclaims himself to be the God of Thunder and his father to be Odin. He is into flexing his muscles and give my olfactory senses a tough time, but at the same time, he remains an intelligent and lazy sweetheart for me. It’s not only the innovation at cooking which takes place in my kitchen; it’s also the place where my thoughts take a tour, detour, gather up tales, memories, songs, poems and all that which I would term ‘Life.’

As I was fiddling with my phone, Ammi’s smiling radiant face caught my eye. It was her WhatsApp DP which she keeps changing and updating every now and then. Haphazardly, my thoughts wavered to my school days where she was playing my present-day role of making the perfect dosas unlike me, whose focus keeps drifting away ever so quickly. ‘Uth Jao’ (wake up) was what she only had to croon into my brother’s and my ears, and we will be all guns blazing to get ready for the school. This scenario was very unlike my son who is still finding it difficult to move away from the blanket covering his face.

I was, however, not a happy student at all times. Though, during our times, the school was one of those sole places which were our kind of get away.

But, I relished staying back at home. No, I didn’t have any problem with education or my friends and teachers; it’s just that Ammi’s role of being at home all the time lured me perpetually. I had longed for that day to arrive when I would be all grown up and get to stay back at home all day, every day, doing nothing at all; just being home. Well, it might not sound ambitious enough, but it was a big-time aspiration for me. This role of my Ammi (homemaker) excited me beyond limits.

Nevertheless, the thoughts I had about this role were proved mere notions. I had thought of what an excellent life she had. When we had to go to school and Abba to work, she could stay back home and relax, watch TV, sleep, and have all kinds of delectable food at her will. What I failed to understand at that time was the source of origin, from where all these mouth-watering delicacies would just appear right in front of us. Well, Swiggy didn’t exist back then. We never failed to find our uniforms perfectly cleansed, ironed, delicately folded and kept on our beds. The skillful hands behind those extraordinary laundry services dawned upon me much later. I never had to go any distance to find a confidant and friend, as Ammi was always there as my eternal ‘BAE.’

Back in those days, Google was of not much help either. Thus, she played the role of a punching bag, a perfect chef, timely laundry service, an ATM, and a part-time teacher perfectly; and on top of that, she never failed to shower her unconditional love and countless hugs on us.

All these services were rendered flawlessly under one perfectionist, ‘Ammi.’ The best part of these services was that they were available 24×7, free of cost.

As a result of bunking my classes constantly, I did get to play that dream role in my life finally, as I was able to fulfill my ambition of being a homemaker. Abba wouldn’t have it any other way other than getting me married at the earliest. And then, it was the time for the reality to sink in. This was nothing at all, how I always imagined it to be. I could see Ammi standing on the other side with that enchanting smile of hers with a question right at my face, “Is the grass on another side still green?” Relaxing, movies, the exotic food, where are all of those perks gone? Fatt the whuck! I hardly had any time for myself. The 24×7 free service then hit me like an avalanche, and I wobbled. I had no time to gobble up everything at once, but slowly and steadily I did make my ambition work. I decided to water and nurture the grass on my side. It was then I got my first payment which made me realize the pushing factor behind Ammi’s perfection, despite the enormous amount of work which she handled without uttering a word of complaint.

Today, as I make that perfect cup of coffee and rotis for Odin, and try to get Peter Parker out of his bed to get him ready for his school, I realize that happiness does have a form. But, mind you, it’s not only happiness.

A lot of other emotions tag along. So, anyone who has similar ambitions, please go through the manual carefully for terms and conditions. Or, should I say, the secret lies in realizing that it’s unconditional.