TMD Popular Food Combinations.

For a TMD nothing can be more popular than good ambat bhaji had with phodni and kaathrecha 

mirsinga! Aha!  Over time, perhaps due to a yearning for the land we had come away from, the TMDs 

took Food combinations to a level of ....dare I say it! Here are some of the ones I grew up with ....

I hope readers come out with a few of their own!

Ambat Bhaji with Phodni and Kaathrecha Mirsinga

Well, for the TMDs this mouthwatering combination has no equal in culinary history!

Waran Bhath with Thoop

This simple combination of hot rice, homemade ghee(thoop)  mixed with soft cooked Turi dal boiled 

with haldi and with a hint of phodni is a great 'Comfort Food' . When feeling low, getting over 

sickness, when upset try this and you will feel the warmth of your mother's love in this simple food!

Saar Bhath

I call this another 'Comfort Food' . Saar by itself is a great South Indian delicacy. Saar bhath for 

TMDs is a basic. It is so basic that "kheer poli nahithrina, saar bhath " "खीर पोळी नही 

तहरहीन सार भाथ" is popularly used to describe this simple food in comparison with rich food like

kheer poli.

Thoop Meeth Bhath

A baby food that is enjoyed by all adults at all times! Just hot rice mixed with homemade ghee and

salt and mixed very well!

Kheer Poli

As mentioned before this is the opposite of Saar bhath. While saar bhath is everyday food, kheer poli

graces special occasions.  It is made on sanach divas, festival days., special puja days.

Perhaps, this is one more tradition we carried from our origins! The tradition of making Kheer Poli.

This is in total contrast to the Tamils, whom we emulate in language, due to living with them for so long!

Tamilians make "vadai payasam" whereas we never make "vadai and payasam combination

except on inauspicious days!

PURAN POLI..A special mention.

 All over Maharashtra making puran polis for festivals is important, so it is for us.

For festivals, Puran poli is very often made and enjoyed with ghee or milk or just plain!

Goddu Saar with Roasted pappad

This used to be a popular combination when one has had a heavy lunch outside, maybe a wedding or so 

and dinner is at home. This existed in the days before a refrigerator became a household name and 

keeping food in the frig and having the next day was unknown!

So it was unwise to make a full evening meal and have to deal with leftovers, that is when this combo 

of  Godde Saar with bhaajalthe pappad became popular! This combination is I think lost by the advent 

of the refrigerator and Take Out meals!

Kadhi Ambode

This is even today made during festival days. Kadhi is made in combination with Ambode

and the ambode is soaked in the khadi and had. 

This Ambode, soaked in Kadhi has no equal in taste! It is also called Korada Ambode.

Pitla with fried oil and fried pappad.

Strange? Well, strange it may sound but tasty it is! This typical TMD dish pitla is had with

thallathe thel and thallathe pappad! 

From Trees to Fruits and finally to Tastes!

As I go on admiring our ancestors' zeal in preserving our language so far away from our mainland,

I chew on and examine the some words we use which probably is still used in Standard Mararthi.

Here I examine the words we so commonly used for trees going on to its parts and ending with the

taste of its fruits. Hope all you readers find this as interesting as I do!

Jhaad.. झाड for Tree

Vel .. वेल for Creeper

Jhudpa ..झुड्पा  for Bush

Gavat .. गवत for Grass

Paanta ..पांटा for Branch

 Kaadi ..काडी for Twigs

Paan... पान for Leaf

Phula...फुला for Flower

Pandu ..पंडू for Fruit

Saalpat ..सालपट  for Skin of Fruit

Magass ..  मगस for flesh of the Fruit

Bihin ..भिं for Seed

Paankoli ..पांकोली for Segment of Fruit

Ras.  .रस for Juice

Magass ..  मगस for flesh of the Fruit

Naar ... नार for Fibre ( was this derived from Tamil? I wonder!)

Koula ...कौला for Tender (fruit or vegetable)

Nibbar .. निब्बर for Stringy and tough (vegetables)

Kayi ... कायी for Raw (Under ripe)

Pikalthe... पिक्लथे for Ripened.

Now Tastes!

Khaarat.. खारट ..Salty

Ambat... अंबट..Sour

Gulcheet .. गुलचीट ..Sweet  (This is peculiar to only TMD . Standard Marathi uses Goad or Meetha.)

 Probably derived from "Gul" which is sweet. So "Gulchi" was made of Gul !)

Thurat.. तुरट .. Astringent  ( Like Jhaambla (  झाम्बला) and even pomegranate is Thurat astringent)

Thikhat .. तिखट ..Spicy

Kadu... कडू ..Bitter

Sappak ... सप्पक ..Tasting Bland

and finally this is the mild allergic reaction that occurs with eating of certain fruits and vegetables...

Khavatha ... खवता ... causing itchiness in throat and mouth. Some vegetables like elephant yam can

cause khavna in throat.

Making a Ganapathi/ganesh Idol with clay.....

 TMDs always celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with great pomp and splendor. Why not, after all Ganapathi

with his huge ears and long trunk is the in the form of a favorite animal...Elephant! Ganapathi in every

TMD home is a favorite visitor, loving modak and laadoos!

Another factor that adds interest to this festival is the buying of a new clay idol each year;

we bring him home with a 'mangalaarathi' and seat him in the 'devghar'. With equal fanfare is he also

sent away at the end of the puja. With bells ringing, we take him outside to do the 'visarjan'.

Here, in USA and other places out of India, we find it difficult to find an idol of clay that we can

do'visarjan' also. My solution to this has been make my own tiny clay Ganesha and do the visarjan.

Here is the method....

Here's how to make Ganesha from clay.

YOU WILL NEED:

1) Please buy clay making sure it is soft and mouldable. Amaco is good so are a few others....but do

ask to open the pack and check that it is soft....

2) Wooden skewers will be required..or chopsticks. Also a  few toothpicks. 2 aritificial flowers

Some decorative beads, zari, glitters etc.

3) Next spread a plastic sheet on a large working area.

Have ready  the 'phaat' on which you will place Ganesha.

4) Now you are all set to start....

METHOD:

Take some clay, knead it a little and shape like a rectangle. this is the clay 'phaat', your Ganesha will

sit on.

Place this on the wooden plank (or whatever phaat) you have ready.

 LOWER BODY: Next, take enough clay to make a ball shape in the size of a tennis ball.

Knead this a little so it is easy to shape.

Now make a round ball out of this and place on the clay rectangle.

UPPER BODY/TORSO: Now repeat the above process ONLY THE SIZE of the ball should be about

half or 3/4 the size of the first ball  you just made.

UPPER AND LOWER BODY : Place this second ball on the first one and with slightly wet fingers,

shape like the torso (upper body) of Ganesha. While doing this shape you will be JOINING the

two rounds together to form a upper and lower body of Ganesha.

Lower body will be a liitle bigger than upper body with a big stomach. If stomach looks too small

add patches of clay and make it protrude. All the while shape with moist fingers, so that no cracks

are visible.

LEGS:

Take enough clay and make two thick legs and feet. The upper leg /thigh shd be thick enough in

symmetry to the body of Ganesha.

Attach the legs to the back of Ganesha and once again mould with wet fingers. At the back, in the

center of where u attached the two legs, add a strip of clay like a 'kaccha' You would have placed

the legs like"sitting like Ganesha'.' Ganeshaaska baslaahe' गणेशास्का बस्लाहे

HANDS:

make two long shapes to shape the hands. Attach the thicker part of the hands to the top of the

second ball( the torso) on both sides..

Bring the hands to the front and and attach the upper part of the arms to the body of Ganesha.

The lower part of the arm will stand alone  (attached at the upper arm). \

SHAPE PALMS:

Shape the palm...one in a blessing posture and the other holding a laadoo or modak.

TRUNK AND HEAD:

Take clay about enough for a little bigger than tennis ball. Knead very well.

Make a round slightly longish in front

Now start shaping a short trunk to the face.

Shape ears.

Now with wet fingers, smooth the shape you have made.

ATTACHING HEAD:

Poke the skewer on to the body of Ganesha on top of the upper body. this will be on top of

where you have attached both the hands.

Place the head on to the skewer. (Make sure ur skewr is cut to the right size...it should not peek out!)

With wet fingers ease out and shape the attached neck..so no lines are visible.and it looks one piece.

TWO MORE HANDS:

Cut a skewer to 1/3. Shape the second pair of hands...just a short longish roll and poke the skewer

on the thicker part of the hands and attach with the skewer to the back of the upper body(in the back)

Repeat on other side.

Place the artificial flower in each hand.

TUSKS:

Snip off apiece of toothpick and roll some clay around and poke and place as tusks on both sides.

SNAKE:

Be sure to shape a long long snake and tie around Ganesha's waist.

CROWN:

Shape any type of crown...

MOUSE:

Shape a body, pointy face, 4 legs, and a tail!

EYES:

Place two clay dots and two lines as eyebrows..and paint black after a little dry.

Decorate Ganesha with clay or decorative beads, zari etc.   bangles, earrings, painjan, decorate his

trunk and crown or even with just a toothpick.

Add a paper panche and anga vastra. do all this while clay is still wet.

After puja,  Ganesha comes alive, you feel He is smiling!

A humble attempt at a Thanjavur Marathi Poem on VaraMahalakshmi...

VARAMAHALAKSHMI

Nava gajaacha Hirva lugda nesingu,
Kaanantha vajraacha thoda
Thamda khadecha Mukhra
Padmapatraaska dolantha kaajal bharun
Kapaali laamb kunku jhalkath
Haathanth bharun sonyacha kaankan
Galaantha kaasacha maala, Mothecha maala
pavalacha maal  sajivuna
yethi amcha Mahalakshmi.

Thija painjan karta chan chan chan
Gharaantha payen thivthaansu
Gharaantha bharta Navaratna
Sonyaacha paoos phadtha
Chan chan chan paula gheyun
Ghara aantha yethi amcha Mahalakshmi.

Mahalakshmila thija Narayana kada Basiva,
Phulaacha maala ghalun sajiva
Phula ani  patra ghalun archana kara
kheer waran puran poli
khadi ambode kosumbaricha
Neividya kara

Smaran kara Sree Lakshmi baslihe
Thija Narayana shedari
paalka maandi ghalingun
naazuka haathana jevthi
thumi karlethe laadoo cha roocha ghethi
Vidaacha paananth vela ghalun, supari ghalun
sakhar ghalun vida ghethi
Santosh jhaali amcha Mahalakshmi

"Mahalakshmi, amcha rakhsa kara"

 नौ  गजाच हिरवा लुगडा  नेसिंगु
कानान्था  वज्राचा तोड़
थमडा  खडेच मुख्रा
पद्मापत्रास्का डोलेन्था  काजल  भरून
 कपाली लांब  कुंकू झलकत
हाथ भरून सोन्याचा कंकण कांकण
गळांन्थ  कासेच माळा, मोतेचा  माळा 
पौलीचा माळा सजीवूणु
येती अमचा महालक्ष्मी 

तीजा पैंजण करता छन छन छन
घरांत पायें ठिव्थान्सू
घरांत भरता नवरत्न
सोन्याचा पावूस पढता
छन छन छन पौला घेउन
घरान्था येती आमचा महालक्ष्मी

महालाक्ष्मिला तीजा नारायणा कड़ा बसिवा
फुलाचा माल घालून सजीवा
फुला अणि पत्र घालून अर्चना करा
खीर वरण पूरण पोली
कड़ी आम्बोड़े कोसुम्बरिचा
नैविद्य करा

स्मरण करा श्री लक्ष्मी बस्लिहे
तीजा नारायणा शेदारी
पालका मांडी घालिंगुन
नाज़ुक हाथाना जेवथी
तुमी करलेता लाडूचा रूच घेती
विडाचा पानान्था  वेला घालून सुपारी घालून
साखर घालून विदा घेती
संतोष झाली आमचा महालक्ष्मी

महालक्ष्मी, अमच रक्षा करा !


 

Amhi Thanjavur Marathi

Vyankoji aale Thanjavur
Jhaalon amhi Thanjavurche
 Amhi aahon Deshestha Marathi
Amcha bhaasha Thanjavur Marathi

Sana Vaara Munji Waraad
Asgi amcha veghala paddath
Amba Bhavani, Renuka Devi, Vekataramana
Asthaath amcha Kuladevatha

Nestho amhi Kaasota
Ghaalingtho amhi Mukhra
Bolthon amhi Marathi

Thanjavur Marathi

Jevan amcha sambar, saar ,pitla, kadhi
Kheer, ambode, puranpoli
Pana nahi karton "Amti"
Amhi Thanjavur Marathi!

व्यंकोजी आले तंजावूर
झालो अम्ही तंजावूरचे
अम्ही आहोन देशेस्थ मराठी
आम्चा भाषा तंजावूर मराठी

सन वार मुंजी वराड
अस्गी आम्चा वेघला पद्दत
अंबा भवानी रेणुका देवी वेंकटरमणा
अस्ताथ आम्चा कुलदेवता

नेस्तहो अम्ही कासोटा
घालीन्गत्हो अम्ही मुख्रा
बोल्तोन  अम्ही मराठी
तंजावूर मराठी

जेवण आम्चा सांबर सार कढी पिटला
खीर अम्बोडे पुरणपोळी
पण नही कर्तोन "आमटी"
अम्ही तंजावूर मराठी

A Thanjavur Marathi Heritage House .

I had the unique opportunity of visiting my sister's relative in Thanjavur and their home preserved
with all its decor from the ancient times. This house I learn is over 200 years old.  I was thrilled to see
such a place and wished I could have taken more pictures but I really could not keep clicking away
pictures inside the house of people I barely knew!
However here are a few pictures I did take......

1) This was a sort of Dev Ghar soon as we entered. Don't miss the beautiful ancient Thanjavur Paintings!
I heard that the family who used to live here arranged their Navaratri Kolu in front of this. And to this
date is a "Kunt" (temple tank) shaped in the floor in front of this 'Dev ghar' !The "Laandra" ( lantern)
that are seen hanging from the ceiling are a thing from the past indeed!

2) A lot of homes in those days had a "chopala" ( a large swing) where the lady or man of the house
would take his afternoon siesta. Here is a picture of the " chopala" in this house.

3) This is indeed a rare "Tulsi Brindavan" . Made of copper with engraved design , it is one of a kind .

Kudos to the people who preserved this peice!  This was in the 'angan'(courtyard) of the house

On Rain..........

We have so many words connected with Rain.... I thought it is worth a blog post!

 Paous... पावूस  is Rain

Sinthode.. सिंथोडे are Raindrops

Vasaadey ..वसाडे  is the misty shower

Vaara-Paous .. वारा -पावूस is a storm/cyclone
(actually means wind and rain)

On this note...here's a rhyme..

PAUSA PAUSA PAUSA
THULA EK PAISA
THOOPAANTHA PHADLA MAASHA
____LA NAHI MEESHA!

Rarely Used/ Some Forgotten Thanjavur Marathi Words and Phrases

Even though these words are frequently used by many TMDs ,  I rarely hear these words from the younger and upcoming generation. English is used for all these words and slowly our language is getting dissolved. How many times do we really use 'KHOLI' when talking to our kids. Most of the time we say  'ROOM'! ot "kamra"

It is true that TMDs living in TamilNadu are still able to maintain and preserve our Marathi but those outside Tamil Nadu , even Bangalore slowly begin to use the local terms! Therefore I address these common words as Rarely Used. By Rarely Used I mean outside of our mainland, Tamil Nadu!

KHOLI

खोली

Room


THUJA DHOMLA! (  थुजा ढोमला) is used as a mild scolding!DHOMLA / DHOI used for DOSKA (Head)
ढोमला /  ढोई for  डोस्का

MAAKU GHALNA

माकू घालणा

Giving an Oil Bath.

BAHUSHA

बहुशा

Probably
Hey vaara pausaanth bahusha thene usheeraan yethila
हे वारा पौसांथ बहुशा त्हेने उशीरान  एथीला 
In this storm(wind and rain) they will probably be late(usheer)

AKASMAATH

अकस्माथ

Suddenly
baaher jaathana akasmath majha bhau bhaujala bhetlon.
बाहेर जाथाना अकस्माथ मझा भाऊ भौजाला भेंटलों 
When going out we suddenly met my brother and his wife

YADESHTA

यदेष्ट

More Than Enough
thyajha kada yadeshta paise kaas ahen
थेह्जा कडा यादेष्ट पैसे कास आहे    
He has more than enough of money 

NISSANGA 

निस्संग 

STRAIGHT

SAAVALI

सावली 

DUSKY COMPLEXIONED

KATHAAD

काथाड

SKIN

VARAVANTA

वरवंटा 

GRINDING STONE

GHOONS

घूंस 

BANDICOOT