HAPPY THANKSGIVING

THANK GOD for EACH & EVERYONE in my LIFE,
for being the BLESSING(S)....... THEY ARE...!!!

VeeraMahal FRANKLIN


Picture Depicts the Indo-Ceylon Thanksgiving; Harvest Festival
Courtyard Cooking Centerpiece!

Copyright © 2008 VeeraMahal

This decorative centerpiece is designed of White Rice (Center Square), Mung Beans (Green), Mysore Lentil (Orange) and indegenous Red Rice (outermost pink layer), and as usual in the courtyard (center of the extended family house with open roof). As you can see Beetle leaves or Mango leaves are used to intensify the symbolic beauty and prosperity. You may notice the red floor-the most popular floor color- especially in Ceylon, for courtyards and porticos. The shapes and design of the centerpiece can vary and limited only by the imagination or the availability of supplies.

A new earthenware is carefully chosen from the local market and used for harvest celebration. It is customary for the "man of the house"-the rice winner of the family- to put the first handfulls of red rice from the year's harvest into the pot of boiling milk. You should see the excitement when the milk boils & rises. The only thing I remember is... that it is believed to be very auspicious, if the milk boils over & over-flows eastward facing the rising sun. I am sure it is a way of recognizing the essential role the sun plays in reaping the year's harvest.

Once the boiled milk flows over, roasted mung beans-Raisins, Cashews, Nutmeg, Cardomom, Vanilla are added in slowly and while stirring jaggery (brown sugary extract from the Palmyrah palm inflorescence) is added. The preparation is first served for the family's ancestors who have passed on and then shared with everyone-relatives, neighbours and less fortunate ones. If you wonder, how is it possible to share what is prepared in this small pot with so many poeple-yes, they do say-even if it is a sesame seed divide into eight and share!

Ok... Ok! I'll let you in on the secret. As soon as the first handfull is put in the auspicious pot in the courtyard, a huge pot goes up inside the kitchen (usually in the backside of the house), to prepare large scale milkrice for sharing and feeding the poor. Even the crows and the ants are fed from the decorative layers of the centerpiece-once the festive rituals are over. No one goes to bed hungry that day; for it is a day of Thanksgiving!

VeeraMahal FRANKLIN

P.S.: This picture was taken two years back during my visit to Ceylon-a tropical paradise often referred to as 'Pearl of the Indian Ocean' and 'Island of Serendipity', world famous for high quality precious Gems and Tea.