MUSING:THE ROLLING DRUMS

"The weather is starting to get nice here. The cool crisp morning air, gives way to a surprisingly pleasant day and just as the sun sets you start to feel the nip again. Soon the leaves will change color and come down in millions, until only bare silhouettes are left behind waiting for the first snowfall to adorn their branches again! Early winter is magical too. The first snowfalls are always exciting even if you get snowed out. Then comes the twinkle of Christmas lights and all the festivities," writes my friend BELA from NEW JERSEY so aptly portraying the beautiful setting for the christmas ceebrations. It sets the mood for what I had in mind to write this week.

The weather is starting to get nice here too and the festivity is already in the air in India with the Navratras and the Garbas setting the ball in motion. Everywhere I go I find street squares decorated and little children doing the garba in circles, flowing with the rhythm of the music . To me it seemed like stoking up an unified energy to hum with the universal om.It is most amazing even to watch such synchronistic ritual dancing, let alone participate...that must be abslutely cathartic!

On the other hand the Muslims who are also observing the Rozas right now are out in throngs after their iftaar namaaz every evening- all in sparkling white kurta, pajama and skull caps...even the tiny tots so immaculately dressed . Mhow ,which has a thriving population of Bohra Muslims forming bullwark of the trading communit here, is very very secular in that aspect. This small little garrison town is a little India with a lot happening all the time.

Come October most Bongs (like me) begin yearning for that familiar sound of the Dhak. Durga Puja which the biggest festival for us Bongs, beckoning us in the sweet smelling shiulis, the spotlessly blue Sharat sky, laden with fluffy white clouds and the swaying kash. No matter how far we are from them ,the rolling drums invariably give a poignant tug at the hearts bringing back a thousand memories alive of our home.

Even the most doubtful looking Bongs awaken to the Puja fervour - It is the most primeval and pathological need that best identify a Bong psyche. Nothing excites them more than the hullaballo of festivity and celebration of “bring this take that” screams amidst blaring poojor gaan( music recored especially for the pojas) and drum beats. It is a five day long session of intense adda that they so love - chitchatting from the wee hours of the morning to late nights under the garb of paying homage to their dearest mother Durga.

The sweetness of her face has to match the palate and the motions of the gastronomical extravaganza, which Bongs regale in. The monda mithai (sweets) have to be part of the hoichoi (fanfare) and kenakati (shopping)- all of which mingle to keep the adrenalin high for five whole days. And ofcourse there are the cultural shows…where their intense emotions are poured forth through their love for music ,art , dance, drama and anything that is aesthetically beautiful.

At Mhow the 200 odd Bengalis in this military garrison got their act together to celebrate Durga pooja ,under the ( Military) Station Durga Pooja Committee, and also put up a fabulous three day cultural show. The best part as usual was the bhog every afternoon and Luchi torkari dinners and some finger snapping music from the MCTE( militrary college of telecommunication enginnering) band . The cultural shows were a medley of songs and dances including a troupe that was invited from Calcutta .

The Ashtami celebration was organised keeping the expatriate multi ethnic audience in mind- complete with audio visuals about the legends and stories of Durga Pooja and a plethora of songs and dances from different cultures.The entire station seemed to have arrived at the pooja ground (Sahadevas, Chandrans , Bedis , Tinnaikers, Guptas, Yadavs...) bustling with activity- stalls ( courtesy Madras regiment) dishing out hot dosas , kerala porontha , tea, coffee and snacks - yummy golgappas and chaats as well.

Even if some ( non - bongs) were slightly uncomfortable at first having to lick their fingers (during the afternoon Bhog) in their uniform ( stifling under the kanaath) , soon all caution were thrown into the air and amidst "Jai Durga mati Ki" jaikara they ducked into the the lip smacking kichdi labrda chhatni and payeesh experience- going at it hammer and tong.

Behind the curtain, Chatterjees, Mazumdars, Chandas, Senguptas et all were sweating out to keep the fanfare flow uninterrupted - " ensure every one gets proshad ", "check the mikes" , " get more chairs", " rush for the makeup" et all... It was a feverish( literally with the virus in the air), fabulous frenzied five day... Wow! What a time we had!!!

If you are interested in the legends and stories of Durga Pooja visit these sites
http://www.durga-puja.org/the-story-legends.html
http://www.salagram.net/parishad74.htm
and if you have tos end cards this is the one
http://www.4to40.com/ecircle/egreetings/durgapuja/durgapuja.htm


For Bong Food try these sites
http://milonee.net/bengali_recipes/list.html
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~palwal/
http://theory.tifr.res.in/bombay/history/people/cuisine/bengali.html


Here are some recipes I picked up for you to enjoy cooking a Bengali feast this Poojas

Sorshe Rui (Rohu in mustard sauce)
Ingredients
10 slices of fresh rohu (sweet water fish)
1 cup mustard oil
5-6 tbsp white mustard or rai seeds
1 tbsp black mustard or rai seeds
1 tbsp turmeric or haldi powder
1 tbsp of red chilly powder
3-4 green chillies
½ cup coconut milk
Salt
Method
Grind both types of rai seeds in a grinder till you get a smooth paste.
Add coconut milk and stir till the milk mixes well with the mustard paste.
Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and salt. Slit and add the green chillies.
Heat oil in a pan and half fry the fish (remember not to deep fry it).
Marinate the half fried fish in the mixture for 30 minutes in a flat microwave-proof utensil.
Microwave the fish for 8-10 minutes. Serve hot with rice.
If you don't have a microwave, put the fish in a flat steel utensil. Cover it and pressure cook it on low flame for five minutes. Let the fish be in the pressure cooker for a little longer. Serve hot with rice.

Chholar Dal
Ingredients
250 gms chholar or channa dal
3-4 tbsp oil
3 chopped green chillies
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 tbsp cumin seeds or jeera
1/2 tbsp grated ginger
4-5 bay leaves
½ tbsp sugar
A pinch of asafetida or hing
Method
Boil the channa dal in 2 cups of water.
Heat oil in a pan. Add hing, jeera, bay leaves, grated ginger, chopped chillies, grated coconut, salt, sugar, turmeric and fry for some time.
Pour the boiled dal in the pan. Cook a bit longer.
Serve hot.

Luchi (Puri)
Ingredients
250 gm maida (refined flour)
3 tbsp white oil (mustard oil)
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
Lukewarm water to knead
Oil to fry
Method
Add 2 tbsp oil, salt and sugar to the maida and mix it uniformly. Knead into doughwith lukewarm water.
Make small balls. Flatten them into round pancakes, approximately 4 cm in diameter.
Deep fry them till they puff up and turn light brown.
Serve hot with Chholaar Dal and Payesh (recipe below).

Kasha Mangsho
Ingredients
1 kg lamb or mutton
1 cup cooking oil
1 tbsp whole garam masala
1 tbsp garam masala powder
3-4 bay leaves
1 tbsp garlic paste 2 tbsp yogurt
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 onions, large 1 tbsp turmeric or haldi powder
2 tbsp red chili powder
2 tbsp coriander or dhania powder
2 large potatoes
2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp roasted cumin or jeera seeds
1 tbsp red chilly powder
Method
Wash the meat and cut it into small pieces.
Divide each potato into four pieces.
Add garlic, ginger paste and yogurt to the meat. Marinate for 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a pan.
Add bay leaf and the whole garam masala. Fry for 30 seconds.
Add sliced onions and fry till light brown.
Add garam masala powder.
After 30 seconds, add the red chilly, haldi and dhania powder and fry it on slow heat till the oil separates from the gravy. Add little water if the spices start to stick to the bottom of the pan.
Add the marinated meat and potatoes. Cook on slow heat till oil separates from the curry.
Remove the potatoes from the pan and add 1 cup of water.
Cook the meat in a pan with a lid on, for an hour, stirring frequently as required till the meat becomes tender. Add the potatoes. Add ghee, roasted cumin, roasted red chilly powder and mix well.

Payesh (Kheer)
Ingredients
Ghee or oil
¼ litre milk
3 tbsp sugar
3 pods green cardamom
100 gm rice
4 tbsp water
Method
Heat ghee or sunflower oil in a pan and fry the rice (the colour should not change).
Boil milk and add rice.
Add sugar and boil further till the milk thickens.
Grind the seeds of the cardamom pod to a fine powder and add it to the mixture.
Garnish with chopped almonds, raisins and pistachios.
Serve cool.
Tip: Tastes divine with luchi (puri).