Musings

Why the name kozhakkattai to my site. My daughters and my friends and all those folks to whom i sent the link have been asking me. Simple reason - i like Kozhakkattai so much. Rather its an understatement, I LOVE it more than anything else. But my younger daughter was quick to explain further to her sister, and believe me she is no less creative and she has her own unique way of explaining things. She explained, Dee Appakku Pilliar mathiri thoppai athan andha paer. (Daddy has tummy like Ganesh ji that is why he has named the site so) May be !! may be not. But end of the day I LOVE kozhakkattai and i dont think i would even allow pilliar to come between us.

Just to make my daughters happy i told them a good old story about Kozhakkattai which i have read when i was in school days.

Once upon a time there lived a mother with her three children. On one occasion mom prepared kozhakkattais (indian rice cakes/dumblings) to be offerred to Ganeshji. She makes kozhakkattais which are absolutely delicious.

After preparing the kozhakkattais, she went to market to buy vegetables for the evening dinner. Her kids, who are very mischievious ones, were playing ouside their home. The elder ones (aged 10 and 8) felt hungry and went inside and started gobbling the kozhakkattais. The third kid was a very small kid (aged 5) and came inside the house a bit late. By this time, the elder guys finished all the kozhakkattais and left two frogs inside the empty vessel!

The kid, the smallest of all, opened the vessel and saw the 2 frogs. He just wondered how could the kozhakkatais are green (the rice cakes are always white with a bit of brown tint sometimes) and has eyes and legs and above all jumping inside the vessel! He immediately ran out of the house and waited for his mom's return. When his mom came from the market, he asked ”Amma amma kozhakkattaikku kannum kathum undoh amma?!! ” (Mom, do the rice cakes have eyes and ears on them ?). Amma was surprised and thought the kid is joking with her and told him to eat it and not to play with her. She replied ”Kannum illai kathum illai - poi thinnu”.(”No eyes and no ears, go and eat it”).

The kid went inside again and now he saw the frogs jumping. He went back to his mom again asked his mom ” Amma amma kozhakkattaikku kaalum kaiyum undoh amma? ” (Mom, do the rice cakes have legs? ). Now the mom who was already tired and irritated and yelled at him ” Kaalum illai kaiyum illai po thinnu” (No legs, no hands, go and eat it).

Now we all know, children are epitome of innocence. He did not leave it and went back again to check on his jumping kozhakkattais. To his surprise, now the frogs were croaking!! He jumped and shouted and ran to his mom yelling, ” Amma amma kozhakkattai kku vaayum undo dee?!! ” ( Mom, Mom, do the rice cakes have mouth?!). Hearing this, the mom lost her patience and came to the kitchen and to her shock, she saw the frogs and no kozhakkattais.

She immediately realised who could be behind this mischief. Called her bigger ones and warned them. Meanwhile, she prepared fresh hot rice cakes – kozhakkattais for her youngest and fed him with all her motherly warmthness.

Now does this story has any connection. Nope. None whatsoever. Just wanted to tell you this story that is all.