Care In The Community
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Pictures taken in Rumtek Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, Sikkim.
Fame
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Less than an hour’s journey from Thrissur is the Kalamandalam, Kerala’s school of performing arts.
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On our tour of the campus, we join up with a party of very English Girl Guides.
It seems a somewhat surreal juxtaposition.
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New Beginnings
Now is a time of change.
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The house, once filled with laughter, falls quiet.
The games
are over.
Now is time to open the gates
and not look back.
Time to set out:
A new term begins.
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Plat du Jour
Dalila and Shaji, the husband and wife team who look after both me and my home, work from Monday to Saturday. On Sunday they take a well deserved break.
Fortunately, before leaving on Saturday, Dalila stocks up the fridge with pots of freshly prepared curries.
Generally speaking, I would rather go out, or without, than enter the kitchen. So on Sunday morning Sumant, my bright (B.A. Hons.) and eager, resident houseboy, turns his mind to feeding us.
Since working for me, he has mastered the cooking of rice and chappatis. Today a friend makes an early visit, to broaden Sumant’s skills.
First: onions, garlic, curry leaves, ginger and green chilli are chopped.
Lentils
are washed
and salted.
A little of the diced vegetable is added
while the rest is fried with mustard seeds in coconut oil.
Then the two parts are united, chilli powder is added, and the mixture boiled for a little longer.
Meanwhile, chappatis are being prepared:
The master-class is almost finished.
Breakfast is served:
Dhal and chappatis, with freshly pressed papaya juice.
The Kerala alternative to a full English breakfast.
