Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Pulling the Trigger (To My Memories)

Just a few weeks ago, I was contemplating the tremendous changes going on in my life with me moving to a city, starting work and living a new life. But now, a routine has set in. This life is no longer new. It is just...life.

A routine life brings with it mundane chores life shopping for groceries, cleaning and the like. Last evening, I remembered to go buy fruits on the way. To my utter surprise, I saw butter-fruit (Avocado to the rest of you) tucked into a wooden box. I just had to buy a few.

To me, the little green fruit will also be butter-fruit. Avocado is too alien for my memories. Back in Madikeri, we have a butter-fruit tree that is most unpredictable in fruit bearing. It bears fruit one year and does not for the next few years. Anyway, butter-fruit continues to be one of my most favourite fruits.

It had been years since I had it. Can't wait for them to ripen. The point here? Well, just that in my routine life to which I was getting accustomed to, I came across a reminder of my past, my home, my beloved Madikeri. Its funny how a little something can open up a can of memories for you, be it a fruit, a chocolate bar that you loved as a child, few lines of a song that you hummed, a long lost picture....

In the two years that I was at uni, I don't think I missed home even once but now I do. In the busy life that I live through, it is these little reminders that make me think of the open spaces, the air and the mountains.

Someone once asked me what I missed most about Madikeri. I would say the mountains. If you asked me now, I would add that I miss the open spaces, the sheer slowness in life where there are no buses to catch, no deadlines...the different pace of life.

But then, you cannot have it all. 'It is all in the mind', reminded someone to me. And in my mind, Madikeri is never far.

4 comments:

Ashley said...

Butter fruit, eh? My very favorite food in the whole world.

I eat salads with avocado at least twice per week. I realize they are decadent, but where I live, they are cheap and ubiquitous. Mmmm... Consider a guacamole recipe. Lime juice, finely chopped tomato, a little cilantro, a little onion (just a little!), and a little hot pepper (we use jalepeno, but a pinch of chilis would work, too). Enjoy!

Unknown said...

..home is always home... city/village/mountain/ open-space/jungle whatever may be its where we belong/grew for years..

while we change proceed for better, we cherish the past.

sometime i wonder - how iam going to convey these few things to my next generations, as they might never understand the fun of - jumping in mango trees, hot summer on neighbour's roof,..

Deepa Bhasthi said...

That recipe sounds rather wierd ashley but will try sometime coz i have been known to try crazy stuff as long as its vegetarian.

i agree yuva

Shiv said...

So butter fruit opened the utterly butterly home memories !

Memories just need a excuse to come out..they are always undercurrents and a small stimulation is all that is required..