Category: Leisure

I started cooking.
When I had to.
When I was sore of eating hotel food.

My friend used to say.
Food made for money will not contain love.
I think he is right.

I started cooking.
I discovered a new pleasure.
A great way to unwind.
After a day of monotony.

I can experiment.
With colors – of vegetables.
With aromas – of spices.

When crazy experiments succeed.
The joy is unexplainable.

One hour to cook.
Fifteen minutes to eat.
That does n’t put me off.
I relish both.

Food made at home.
With lots of love.
Has no comparison.

I am glad I started cooking.

Come away with me – the album by Norah Jones that got 8 Grammies.

I picked up the cassette hesitantly from the shelf of the music store. The hesitation stemmed from the fact that I had not listened to any of the songs before and that it was not popular at all among my friends.

My motivation to pick it up was partly the multiple Grammies and the fact that Norah was the daughter of the Sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, long estranged.

I asked my Walkman to sing the songs of the album with its best abilities. It did. Or did it? I was confused at best. I asked myself – What is this Grammy business all about? It seemed that the voice was crooning to herself, giving no thought about the listener. The lyrics sounded like old English poetry. The piano and guitar played like they were asked to whisper. The drums were just loud enough for me to hear.

Yet I did not feel badly bored. There was a feel of dull freshness. I kept listening to the album occasionally, each time wondering if I was missing something.

After a few weeks, the songs started growing on me, very very slowly. That is when I started noticing the subtle sounds that I had completely missed before. I realized that the album was not composed with an intention to make it a big hit. That explained its lack of the so-called catchy tunes. It did not promise instant gratification. It had the least commercial flavor I had seen in today’s music scene.

My insensitive ears were too dull to pick up the subtle melodies. They had grown numb after routinely listening to pop and hard rock.

I started listening to the newfound joy more often. When combined with the sights of greenery seen through the window of an un-crowded train, the effect it created on my mind was the most relaxing I had experienced in recent times. Listening to it lying in Savasana was another thing that I loved.

I am excited about unlearning to enjoy noise. I have discovered earthy sounds that are superior to it.

Come away with me. I went away with her.

I have bought Norah’s next album – Feels like home. Yes, it does.

Office.
Post lunch hour.
Productivity level dipping below zero.
Head free from thoughts about work.

My headphone promises bliss with its ability to bring subtle sounds to my auditory nerves. I sleepily add two songs to my Winamp playlist. Both From popular Tamil movies woven by two different young composers.

I hit the play button.

The first song…..
Unakkena Iruppen from the movie Kaadhal oozes sorrow.
My heart starts growing heavy as I listen to the song. Every sound lashes at my heart softly. I continue to listen intensely. to the burning voice. to the aching tune. to the pang of the sounds. The song takes me to the abyss of sorrow.
The song slowly fades out leaving me stained with sadness.

Starts the second song…..
Ennayithu Ennai Kolvathu from the movie Nala Dhamayanthi spills joy.
It transports me to a world of bliss. My body suddenly feels as light as a feather.
The crooning voice caresses every cell of mine. The music covers me with rose petals. The sounds spray nectar on my face. I start to levitate.
The song slowly slips into silence leaving me like an infant that knows only to smile and sleep.

I take a deep breath…..
It all feels so real though I am fully aware that I am only imagining.
My preconceived notions about the nature of these songs also provide extra effect.

Tricks that my senses play on me are sometimes very profound.