Thursday, July 10, 2008



I dunno why I feel like this...but I feel the colors I associate with America are very different from those I associate with India(What a random topic u think :P...yea its been a looong time since I wrote ppl so randomness is bound to be a part of the next few postings at least ;) )
Nyways getting back to my point...lemme tell u what I am about to ramble on about....to me America represents colors like grey, white ,black...orderly, determined, planned.









On the other hand I really do associate India with a riot of colours. Yellow, brown, reds, purples, greens, goldens, silver, white too (but very different from the whites of America).... huh !! u say...how the heck can white be a different color in 2 places u say...has this gal lost her senses(or what is left of it anyways :D)

Lemme tell u how :) ...(alright alright down yawn already :P...If nothing else I promise to at least put in pretty pictures along with the words... :))) )

Lets start with yellow...yellow to me represents manjal or haldi (turmeric)...I always used to see ammai cook with it.... used to be an essential ingredient of most of the sabzis....conjures up images of me running into the kitchen, while she used to cook and pestering her ki whats for lunch,dinner etc.

Then there is brown....hmmm now brown reminds me of multiple things...it reminds me of mother earth back in India (not like there isint brown earth here :P ...but I'm sure u understand what I mean :D... I kinda associate a maternal feeling to India ) .... its the brown of an earthen clay water cooler thingi (though that might not be strictly brown)...brown as the chepanganzhu that my mom uses in sambhars (I dunno why...but somehow u see lotsa memories of mine are associated with food :P...hmmmmm) .
















And then there is purple....how purple...its the border of one of my moms Kanjeevaram sarees. Now believe me ppl 'm against the whole silk thing as much as the next person...But I dunno why...thts the first and very strong vivid image that comes to mind...











Now that brings us to red.....red is the color of "maang ka sindoor" (I went Bollywood-ish here I knw :D.... U knw tht dialouge the hero asks in surprise... "maaaaa...yeh tumhari maang main sindoor " ;) ) .... Red is the colour of Chrysanthemums that used to grow in our garden..... its the color of mirchi powder which we used to put in sabzis (There I go with the food thingi again :P...seriouslyy I miss moms cooking :) )....


Then there is silver...how silver...the oxidized bangles which are in...thats how :D (yea 'm a lover of 'em too :D)







Hmmmm golden...now this may sound silly...but it is for those warm
Indian mornings... (and for me the sights and the sounds thingi is closely related :) ).... for the smell of pipping hot idliis, for the sound of 'Vishnu sahasranamam' , and my my personal fav..... the sound of the cans of milk against the doodhwalas cycle.



White...hows white different....hmmm white is for the maligaipoov (jasmine flowers)


in moms hair during festivals (again I like the fragrance)...white is for thair sadham (curd rice) with oorgais(pickles)....

psst: ermmm the tam bram in me reared its head quite a bit in this post
and ...*ouch*...thats nostalgia hitting me...and it sure does knock a punch ;)

7 comments:

buddy said...

nice topic!
and missing home

Liberal said...

nice one!

Srinath Srinivasan said...

noticed that you used "colours"!!!

chocoliciousgal said...

@ buddy: I agree 'bout the missing home part :)
I guess we really should make 'sambhar' soon

@ liberal: thnks :)

@ srinath : is that the right spelling..or is 'colors' ?

Unknown said...

hey divi...this might be de closest u 've felt abt india re(much more than wat u experienced being in india)...u missin home nd even home is missin u!!!!
fultoo senti blog btw:D

chocoliciousgal said...

nandu ,I wanna come back home da :( .. 'm missin evry1 + home terribly :|

*hugs * :) :)

Prashanti :) said...

Amazing and how very true !!!! In the initial days when I came to US, this is exactly how I used to feel. All the buildings here seemed so lifeless and dull, without any character. Could never associate the kind of liveliness India has with US. and yes, colours is ALWAYS "colours" and never colors... India rocks !!!!