Vacation and online classes have meant that the kids need to wake up just 5-10 minutes before school starts at 7.30 am. On weekends and holidays, the incompetent mother lets them sleep on. In Ashwin's case, that goes on till 2 p.m or later though I make a few half-hearted attempts to call him before that. The truth is I save on breakfast - the most difficult in terms of ideas for me - and also gets some peace of mind. On Fridays, the Sunday school zoom session ensure he is up at 10.45 am. So that leaves only Saturday.
When I shook him awake, he said: I was on a rollercoaster ride in my dream and you've spoilt that.
I told him he can have a rollercoaster lunch instead - which in fact isn't much as we are on the 7-day St Mary's fast and is off non-veg. It has made meals very simple - rice, curd or buttermilk or sambar or rasam, and a vegetable side dish. The only day I can bring myself to churn out numerous veg dishes in a jiffy is Thiruvonam day. It is as if our beloved king Mahabali himself gives me the energy.
Much to my angst, Ash rubbishes the good king. "All cock and bull story. I am not going to bath and keep my room clean for a legend."
Mira plays along, and prepares a handsome pookkalam with the flowers available. This year we got the flowers and leaves a day early mistaking Onam to be on Aug 30. While we had the sadya on 30th night hence, the pookkalam was done only on 31st with flowers that were beginning to wither.
Mahabali is every (well, most) Keralite's personal pride - of good times when everyone was equal and happy until the dark people of the South were cheated and vanquished by the fair gods from the north (Aryan invaders I guess). And every year we relive the romance of the past and of a king who kept his word.
p.s. There is no time for blog writing since I have taken up a new job. My weekly column is quite like an elaborate blog post but sensitive to my host country's interests.
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