Puttum Kadalayum

"Puttum Kadalayum" doesn't really sound like something big enough to hinge one's career decisions upon. But it is. It was meant to be nothing more than a casual remark when Ch asked me yesterday, "Bangalore-ilo Pune -ilo poyal pinne puttum kadalem evidunnu kazhikkum??" But I know it, and he knows it too, that the Qn was a fatal setback to my plans to switch the current job for a better(?) one. I was crouching low down, ready to lift myself off, but this very innocuous sounding Qn made me sit back, and rethink.

So what is it about Puttum Kadalayum? Apart from being my favourite breakfast...(I am no glutton, but this combo, with pappadam as the kinky sidekick, brings me to my knees, literally.) it represents everything good about working in TVM. There is a certain noisy chord inside me which is still chanting I should run to a metro. The fatter paychecks, the late-night discos, the cosmopolitan crowd, the rock concerts... hmm. Have you ever stuck yourself into a chair and got too comfortable with it to make yourself the will required to get up? That's the feeling. You know you're approaching the event horizon when you start thinking like, "What could actually provide me satisfaction??". That could be the point of no return.

I am sure I've earned the ire of quite a few Mallus working outside Kerala with these statements. But this is my consolation for my inability to uproot and hurl myself, and land up in some metro and face "the crowd". I know I will do it someday. But for the time being, I'd rather relish the plaeasures of the likes of Puttum Kadalayum.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Puttum kadalayum orkkumbol..enikku Thampi kada ormavarunnu... I have been eating from there for yrs..but still I will enjoy it as before.. :)
1:42 PM
Anonymous said…
Hey, you can get pretty good Puttum Kadalayum in Bangalore also :)

$
1:42 PM
Unknown said…
I know how the Puttum Kadalayum from Bangalore will taste like...There could be exceptions, but my point is, it will be hard to find one place where you can have it whenever you want on your way to work. If you do, then lucky you! :)

Don't make me start on Thampi Kada, R ;).
1:47 PM
Anonymous said…
and what if in the middle of this metro there is a "nadan thattukada that will cater to ur desire for puttu kadala and pappadam...." and u get to njoy this with ur close buddies....

on second thoughts... with ur close buddies around.. wudn't even a "packet of corn flakes;-)" do....
1:47 PM
Unknown said…
That's just another aspect of the point I was trying to make.. :(
1:50 PM
mowgz said…
Puttum Kadalayum... umm...even my brother loves it :) but, i have never known wats so special abt it... i think i am the first mallu on earth who is not interested in puttu :(
1:52 PM
Unknown said…
Having born to Mallu parents doesn't essentially make you a mallu... :)
1:55 PM
mowgz said…
grrr.....i hate ppl sayin that :-/
Apart frm, being born to mallu parents, i speak malayalam, like keralite food (puttu is an exception..), stay in kerala(since a few yrs, though)...doesnt that make me a mallu...??
2:07 PM
Unknown said…
Wait a minute....
i speak malayalam. Correct! I have not quite seen/heard anyone speak malyalam as u do!
like keralite food yes you do. As much as I like president Bush's social welfare schemes...
stay in kerala... :D And so does Mr. MbKane Kmami(the tanzanian) since 1988!!
2:26 PM
Anonymous said…
How can a Malayali not like Puttum kadalayum? I'm surprised, and confused... :(

And, with close buddies around, I'd eat Pongal too, happily...

$
3:46 PM
mowgz said…
Oh! com on... malayalis like puttu agreed :) but, does tht mean, those who dont like puttu are non-mallus....

As $ mentioned: With buddies around, i can have puttu n kadala also ;-)
4:46 PM
Anonymous said…
Ok deal then! We'll give you company, and lets all eat Puttum Kadalayum! :)

$
5:36 PM
mowgz said…
Done! :)
9:31 AM
Unknown said…
So I request you dear readers, henceforth, the title be read as "Puttum anythingum".
10:46 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The price of development

Image
There used to be a strecth of road on my way to work, which had an enormous(by Trivandrum standards) paddy field on one side. From the Terrace of Bhavani, it looked beautiful, the light green patch among the otherwise darker green canopy. And it was green all year round. I don't know what was peculiar about that particular crop, for I have seen such paddy fields change color with seasons. In the evenings the place would be swarming with small flying insects, which hit our faces like missiles when we rode through the stretch. On friday nights, while returning from the routine carouse sessions, we used to stop by the place, releive ourselves, talk and watch the stars, before getting convinced ourselves that the ground is not moving beneath our feet, and the bed back home would be a much cozier place to spend the night. The whole place is red now. No, paddy fields can't change color. But the land is getting filled. We can see Tipper lorries bearing "Emergency: Technopark work
Read more

A night's tale

It was really uncharacteristic of me to wake up in the middle of the night. I mean, I dont usually get up in my sleep even to piss. But here I am, having woken up like a shot bang in the middle of deep sleep. Wondering what was it that caused the sudden rush of adrenalin, I try to close my eyes and retrace the fading realms of any dreams I might have seen... or more likely, nightmares. No, there isn't any. I am wet. Err, I mean, I am sweating. I sharpen my ears to listen to the drone of the ceiling fan, which has a habit of melting in your ears once it goes on for a while, pretty much like the tick of the clock. You cant hear it unless you really strain your ears and concentrate. No, I dont hear any. The power must have gone off. And that explains all the sweat. I scrambled up, almost stumbled upon the bean bag, but found my way to the blacony door and opened it. Ah! what a relief. It was so cold and crisp outside. There was no moon but I could see the silhouettes of trees. And the
Read more

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away....

I’ve been toying with the idea of writing about a movie for the past 3-4 days. But it scared the hell out of me. Ok, so what’s the big deal? Both the People’s Council of China and the junta in Cambodia have expressed through written communication that they’re okay with the idea of me writing about another movie. Then? It’s the name of the movie which is setting me back, because the name is, so unnervingly for any connoisseur of the silverscreen art, “Starwars”. Now you get the magnanimity of the problem at hand. There are two extremes of people who’ve seen the movie. The guy who sat in the next row to me; a forty something chap wearing a lungi and carrying a three-fold popy umbrella, desperately hoping to catch some sleaze in the Engleeeshu-padam. The poor chap had his moment of Nirvana when at the end of the second half, Natalie Portman appeared wearing what looked like a super-mini. That’s one end. And on the other extreme, we have people who know every single character in the movie
Read more