I know if you are from South India
You would never understand why I feel
So strongly about mundane curry leaves
Alas! In my food, they feel divine
Not only in their smell or spice
But it brings my grandma to my mind
And her huge cottage in the small town
Where she'd grown a curry tree, more plants around
This is what comes to my mind unbound
She was a little old lady
And I was a little small baby
I'd run up those endeared stairs before lunch time in a hurry
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At the balcony on the second landing
I'd fetch for her some fresh curry leaves dangling
On high branches, used for her excellent cooking
Ah. Those curry leaves so divine
They're less used on our table to dine
They are precious to me, a reminder to be kind.
Wow- that was just so cuutee! Loved it :)
ReplyDeleteCurry leaves sure have a long lost connection with me as well. We had a tree in the backyard of our old house and I miss the aroma it used to generate, when we passed by!
:D Thanks Akanksha! Yep, curry leaves have absolutely heavenly aroma!
DeleteThis is such an evocative poem. To be able to pick curry leaves from the tree! how wonderful they must smell and taste. Thank you for providing such a beautiful and moving insight into your memories! Just shows what poetry can do...
ReplyDelete:) Yes, it actually used to be so fun running up and down those steps and then to hang around in that upper floor balcony to pick curry leaves to be used in our food! You pick them and smell them and you can get a whiff of what you're gonna get as dinner! Thanks so much!!
Deletenice poem Chhavi. written with a deep thought. liked it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for liking!! :D
DeleteOk. Now I want some curry. This gave me a smile and such a warm feeling...thanks for bringing us into your sweet memories.
ReplyDeleteBest thing about curry leaves - you can dry them and store them up for as long as you like and they'll still taste the same as fresh curry leaves! :D So definitely go get them ;) Thanks for all your lovely praises, Jennifer!
DeleteLovely words, indeed.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words :)
DeleteI'm Tamil and I love curry leaves :D A nice little poem about an unlikely subject :)
ReplyDelete:D yay! That's great. I meant how people who over-use things tend to get unappreciative of them. And south indians use curry leaves in every dish and every dip! I'm glad to hear you still love them :)
DeleteOh, I just love curry!!! I enjoyed your poem and the important lesson at the end.
ReplyDeleteWow, curry lovers! :D Although curry leaves are not an essential part of a curry (dish). South indians use curry leaves excessively in all their dishes, while in north india, we do not use any curry leaves in any curry dish. What I am trying to say is curry leaves does not relate to curry (the dish). And even though I love north indian food the best, I do enjoy some curry leaves! :)
DeleteI loved this! What a delightful word picture of the little child and grandma--and the giant curry tree.
ReplyDelete:D Thanks so much for your kind words!
DeleteGrandmothers the world over have the opportunity to effect their progeny in this way. I know mine, in her Southern California kitchen and garden, left me with similar loving memories.
ReplyDelete:D grandmas rock :D
DeleteThis is a lovely memory ~ I can't eat curry kind of food but I do remember my grandma's cooking too with herbs ~
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
DeleteThis is precious in memory and in sentiment...and intriguing in content...I didn't know what raw curry looked like!
ReplyDeleteThanks Hannah. :)
Deletesuch a beautiful memory. with my nana it was garlic and paprika... the scent of the two together always takes me back to her standing over the stove preparing a meal in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteMmm I love garlic! I know, scents sometimes do magic..take you back to your memory lane. Thanks Laura! :)
DeleteLovely childhood memories. My grandma figures largely in mine, as well. I love the description of the leaves as "kind".
ReplyDeleteYea, my grandma definitely figures largely in my childhood memories! Thanks a lot :) means so much to me that I could share my memories with you all.
DeleteThe power of smell is amazing...my son loved the smell of his grandfathers workshop. When his grandfather sold his place and gave me many of the things in his workshop, my garage smelled much the same. Everytime he comes out to the garage I catch him taking a deep whiff and saying, I love that smell. Not as good as curry leaves...lol. Great writing.
ReplyDeletelol..scents are scents. And as you said power of smell is really amazing.. I totally agree, they bring you back memories, that's why they're so amazing! :D Thanks a lot for sharing that.
Deleteand with the curry leaf's smell, it all comes back to you. This was a lovely remembrance.
ReplyDeleteIt does. Thanks Margaret (I like your name!).
DeleteYou know what!? Bingo! What a coincidence!
ReplyDeleteThey remind my Granny too! I had similar experience with her. Can totally relate to this poem!
Wonderfully penned :)
Hi5! ;) Thank you valli :)
Deletenice....those tastes will take us right back to those places...rekindling those memories...and people of our past....really cool write...
ReplyDeleteYup. Every time I taste curry leaves, my mind goes straight to these memories :) Thanks Brian!
DeleteI am in love with these curry leaves...unconditionally...wish i could use them everywhere ...awesome write up...loved and lived every word of it :)
ReplyDeleteThen why don't you use them everywhere? :) Thank you so much Sadia :)
DeleteLovely memory weave!
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
DeleteThis is quite beautiful Chhavi--a sensory delight that has my mouth watering. I like how you wed memory, taste and scent.
ReplyDeleteit is a lovely tree and the smell is great. i tried to grow one here but it did not grow. perhaps i should try again. yes i can imagine it would bring strong memories
ReplyDeleteI love how you have taken this spice so often used in foods in India and related it back to your grandmother. What a wonderful memory is that.
ReplyDeleteLovely - the sense of smell is so evocative.
ReplyDeleteAnna :o]