Kitchen of Abundance

by Madathil Rajendran Nair

Aroma of dosas being cooked
Chutney being garnished
Asafoetida boiling in the sambar mix
All emanate from my neighborhood
As I take my early morning strolls
Around our apartment complex

Unseen by me there is
A mother eager to pack lunch
For her son rushing for the six-thirty local
A wife her hair wrapped in towel
Still wet from bath
Filling her husband’s lunch box
With warmth and care

A child with slumberous eyes
Languorous yawns
Watching them hurry
Unwilling to get up and start
The daily morning chores
Mandatory before his school starts

Blessed are the households
Where the woman is taken for granted
The food is ready
With the aroma of life and love in it

A bachelor here I am
With no culinary skill
In the kitchen of abundance
Ruled by the unseen Mother
Roofed by the stars
Fumbling with unfamiliar utensils

Smelling the scent of food
The aroma of love and sweat
That permeates my neighborhood
Knowing for sure
That my steaming plate
Would be ready for me to devour
Around the turn of the hour

I don’t worry how it comes
For I am so sure
My Mother wouldn’t ever fail
Her unknowing ignorant son
For she is nothing but
So very much the sweating love itself

30-Oct-2013

More By : Madathil Rajendran Nair

Views: 1549 Comments: 16

Comments on this Poem

Thanks a lot, PGR-ji, Baburaj-ji, Vijayan-ji, Anu and Anju, for your good heart

madathilnair
03-Nov-2013 05:36 AM

Nice one, its take me to your mumbai days... isn't it? The value of women is appreciated.
"Blessed are the households
Where the woman is taken for granted
The food is ready
With the aroma of life and love in it"

vijayan
03-Nov-2013 01:37 AM

Nair Uncle!
This must be what they call a "feast for the mind and the body!"
Relished your philosophy and the very simple connection of spirituality to the daily home kitchen :)

Anandi Krishnan
02-Nov-2013 09:09 AM

Loved this one. A sensory treat and a salute to all mothers who deliver food with love

pgrnair
02-Nov-2013 01:16 AM

Immense thanx Aparna-ji and Padmaja-ji.

madathilnair
01-Nov-2013 06:46 AM

Wow! Aroma of mom's cooking and love wafts through this well written poem!

Padmaja Iyengar
01-Nov-2013 06:11 AM

Thanks, Friends for Liking the Pic :-)

Even I Love South Indian Food :-)

Pleased to add this Superb Poem to my Ed's Choice Collection :-)

http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=EDChoiceList

alwaysaparna
01-Nov-2013 05:23 AM

Being a bachelor -myself
Aroma of your poem
Wafted through my big nostrils
Touched my taste buds
And I remembered with Gratitude
All mothers in the world

thanks for bringing many aspects of home with clinical precision. I liked the language used.
Nice one.

Baburaj Nair
01-Nov-2013 03:38 AM

Well said, Haridas-ji. You captured the truth so very well. Thanks

madathilnair
01-Nov-2013 02:24 AM

Missing home acha...This is one of the most simple and yet beautiful poem , you have written.

Archana Nair
01-Nov-2013 02:24 AM

Namassivaya Rajettan!

Mother Sweats as this earth to produce many an aroma, tastes, feels, nourishment in abundance so her children are never deprived. What to speak of the colors and the sounds!

Let us light a thousand lamps to hail her glory!

Pranams!

Hari

Haridas
01-Nov-2013 02:18 AM

Thanks Rao-ji, Rian-ji, Ramachandran-ji and Neelakantan-ji. The credit for the picture goes to Aparna-ji, our poetry editor.

madathilnair
01-Nov-2013 00:36 AM

The appetizing picture at the top was very inviting and the poem lived up to that promise :-) I loved the way you transition to the kitchen of abundance and the Supreme Mother. Let us surrender to Her. The line 'So very much the sweating love itself' made me smile.

PK Neelakantan
01-Nov-2013 00:16 AM

dear madathil rajendran nair,

a wonderful poem on your daily experience while on stroll taking you to the memories of mother. a good feast on this auspicious occasion.

regards
ramachandran

Ramachandran
31-Oct-2013 23:04 PM

Thanks Nair-ji. You, the bachelor, made my Diwali. Happy Diwali to you.

Rian John
31-Oct-2013 22:11 PM

very nice treat madam. an eye feast to us.

rpurushothamarao
31-Oct-2013 11:58 AM