The Blessed House

The Blessed House

As she looked out of her kitchen window, Vindhya's eyes took in the welcome sight.

With the recent rains, all the trees and plants in her yard wore a gleaming green of various shades. Though it is July, the Jasmine is still on flower, the white butterball like delicious blossoms simultaneously appealing to one's olfactory and gustatory senses.

Their fragrance filled the air. The hybrid lemon tree too is flowering, its smell herbal and fresh.

All around the plot of garden there are small and dainty native flowers in white, yellow and orange shades. Women of these parts love to string them and wear them in their long, black hair.

Often Vindhya is seen stringing a large mound of 'kanakambara' flowers (small and colorful flowers like the 'touchmenots of the west) into long lengths to adorn the big silver engravings of Lord Venkateswara (a popular deity worshipped in India)in her Puja room.( a small room alloted for 'puja' or worship)

Sometimes she cuts them into smaller lengths for her neighbours.

'They lend a festive look' thought Vindhya, as she came down the steps to join her husband on whom quite a bit of her garden love has rubbed off.

Between 6 and 7 in the morning when she is a bit free after serving tea and milk to the family, she loves to say hello to her own flora.

The twenty odd minutes she spends among the plants have invaluable bearing
on her day's routine. The mood is kept pleasant, as is the expression
on the face.

"This hibiscus needs trimming. It will soon scale the sky", he said rather exaggeratedly to his wife.
Busy as he is as an engineer in the shipyard, all he could do is to spend an hour or two every Sunday in his garden.
Chopping the irregular growth and cutting away the recalcitrant bushes are his job.

The Mango tree in the middle of the side plot needs to be cut because its unchecked growth of branches is obstructing the upstairs neighbors' view of the road.

Vindhya has earmarked the curry leaf tree in the corner to be tended and the soil around the root must be loosened to encourage it to put on new leaves.

Besides these plants, Rajesh and Vindhya's garden also has several holy Basil or Tulsi plants. The members of the family take a spoon or two of the water dipped with Tulsi leaves everyday at Puja time.

The Neem tree in the corner is kept short and trimmed often so as not to damage the foundation of the building. Its leaves if consumed in the morning, preferably with a little lemon and honey mixed in water, keeps the body light and the digestive system in good condition, is what Vindhya read in her book, on simple home remedies.

A vendor enroute to Tirupathi years back sold the book to her.

All along the compound wall they planted the evergreen croton. It not only provided the inmates with privacy, but also works as armor against vehicular and dust pollution.

Every evening,Rajesh's mother sits relaxing on the stone slab, built around the big Mango tree, watching the activities with the typical unconcern of the aged.
Her two grand kids aged 5 and 3, run around frolicking with one another, watering the small plants and while doing so having great fun.

The single Mango tree of the hybrid variety yields not less than 400 mangoes every summer. Its bounty is enjoyed by neighbours, friends and guests and just about anyone who happens to visit the house.

As far as domestic use is concerned after eating heartily there are several ways in which the mango is enjoyed.
Being a south Indian, Vindhya, with the help of her maid and mother in law, makes pickles with raw mangoes.
She learnt the art from her mother who is the very definition of an ideal
housewife.

About 3 varieties are a must. The mustard mango pickle, the grated mango pickle without mustard and the sweet mango pickle with jaggery. (molasses)

Besides these, there are jars of mango jam and squash and as a drinking delight during summer Vindhya loves to serve mango milk shake to the family
and friends.

Sofaras the curry leaves are concerned they are used almost in all preparations. The family also enjoys Curry leaf powder and chutney.(a kind of pasty preparation)

Relations and friends appreciated the way in which Vindhya's garden is put to use, especially the fact that it keeps the doctor away.

Some of them followed them in growing vegetables and flowers and experienced the joy of greenery around them.
This rainy season Vindhya got a 10x10 inches plot ready to plant a few tomato, brinjal (egg plant)and spinach and bean saplings.
This time she wanted her children to take care of the plot. A taste for garden must be nurtured in one's childhood only like any other good thing.

If regularly watered and warmed in the sun, it is not a problem to grow one's own patch of garden.
There is no denying the fact that to walk into the backyard, to pluck few curry leaves or green peppers or spinach at random, is a privilege and pleasure.

Besides releasing the mental tensions, green in nature best suits the vision say the doctors. Contrary to the generally under estimated value, the crotons in truth, help us by discharging oxygen and absorbing polluted air and dust.

A house that has trees and plants within one's means, is indeed
a blessed house.