@ the Mill

Last weekend I had to make a visit to the flour mill. Hmmm we at home have been following the tradition of sun drying the grains and pulses even to this day. Then have it taken to the mill in order to get a flour that is completely free from adulteration is followed.

It was a bright sunny afternoon.While me and mom wait for our turn, a lady (Oops! a Granny) dropped by with a box full of Ragi(a pulse). I was taken aback by her enthusiasm at her age. Mom and me were amazed to see her attire. She was plain and simple, yet charming. The following lines in kannada describes granny at the mill and the zest of her life.




ಹಿಟ್ಟಿನ ಗಿರಣಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇಳಿ ವಯಸ ತರುಣಿ

ಗಟ್ಟಿತನದ ವರ್ಚಸ್ಸು ನೋಡಿರಿ
ವಯ್ಯಾರದಿ ನುಲಿಯುತಿಹ ಈ ಸುಂದರಿ
ರಾಗಿಯ ಬೀಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಹೋಗ ಬಂದಿಹಳು
ತನ್ನ ಸರದಿಗೆ ಕಾಯುತ ನಿಂತಿಹಳು

ವಯಸಿಗೆ ಮಿತಿಯಿಲ್ಲ
ಸಿ೦ಗಾರಕೆ ಕಮ್ಮಿ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಮುತ್ತೈದೆಯ ಭಾಗ್ಯವಿದೆ
ದೇಹದಲಿ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಇದೆ

ಮನದಲಿ ಸಂತಸ
ಮೊಗದಲಿ ಮಂದಹಾಸ
ಪುಟ್ಟದಾದ ತುಟಿಗಳರಳಿ
ನುಡಿಮುತ್ತುಗಳುರುಳಿ

"ಮಗಳೇ ,
ನಾ ಮೊದಲು ಹಾಕಲೇ " -
ಎಂದಾಗ ,
ಸಿಟ್ಟಿಗೆದ್ದಿದ್ದ ನನ್ನ ಮನ, ಕರಗಿತಾಗ


For the Non-Kannada Readers:)
The poem in short says:-
This old lady has the energy and enthusiasm to live a life to the fullest.No matter what come her way, she sets an example to a happy living and a cheerful life. My irritated soul over some conflicts with the fellow customers While I wait in the queue,could not help but let this old lady go ahead of me when she dearly asked "Hey little kid, can I pour the pulse into the machine first?" Her soft and tender voice let me smile away the irritation and I was happy to wait an extra 5 mintues in the queue.

17 comments:

Amrit said...

Translation would help..............picture is nice.

KParthasarathi said...

You can atleast give the gist of the Kannada poem for the benefit of your non-Kannada readers after kindling their interest in the first half in English.

Irfanuddin said...

the english summary n foto of that aged lady gives an idea about ur kannada lines here....and yes she looks energetic....:)

L KRUPAA said...

Great Ashwini! Admired the flow. No way, we will never be so energetic at her age.

Sahana Rao said...

Good pic. Wonderful lines

Rachna said...

Wow, it is amazing that you dry the grains and then get them ground. Absolutely the best practice to follow.

ಗಿರೀಶ್.ಎಸ್ said...

ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ... ಹಿಂದಿನ ಹೆಣ್ಣು ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಇಂದಿನ ಹೆಣ್ಣು ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗಿಂತ ಗಟ್ಟಿ ಗಿತ್ತಿಯರು ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ಒಪ್ಕೊತೀರಾ ?

ಅಶ್ವಿನಿ/ Ashwini said...

@Amrit: Hey get back .. I have a small paragraph that gives an idea of wha has been told in those kannada lines. Thanks for coming over.

@KParthasarathi: Gist is up there at the end of the post. Guess people are very curious.:)

@Irfan: Thanks a lot!

@L Krupaa: Thank you so much.. Exactly the present generation is not strong at all:) Her age I doubt myself reaching there :)

@Sahana: Thanks ree!

@Rachna: Yeah I know very less people follow this routine but in my house its a must do job every month.

@Girish.S: ಹೆಣ್ಣು ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಮಾತ್ರವಲ್ಲ ಈ ಪೀಳಿಗೆಯವರೆಲ್ಲರು ಇಷ್ಟು ಗಟ್ಟಿ ಮುಟ್ಟಾಗಿ ಇರೋಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾಧ್ಯವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ .. ಏನಂತೀರಾ ?

Deepsi said...

Good post!! I liked the poem... you have made a very nice poem of such a ordinary sight that u had of the old lady... :)

Bikram said...

thank you for translation .. and good that you waited for a few more minutes :)


Bikram's

SUSH said...

ಸುಂದರಿಯೋ ಅವಳು ಇಂದಿರಿಯೋ...
ರಾಗ JUICE ಸೆಂಟರ್ ಬಳಿ ನಿಂತು ರಾಗಿ ಹಿಡಿದಿದ್ದಲೋ
ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ

Chandana said...

Thanks for the translation :) She does look energetic!

♥ www.thegirlatfirstavenue.com

ಪ್ರವರ ಕೊಟ್ಟೂರು said...

ಹಳೆ ಬೇರು ಹೊಸ ಚಿಗುರಿಗಿಂತ ಗಟ್ಟಿ ಅಲ್ವೇ...... da way of writing is awesome ash ji....

ಗಿರೀಶ್.ಎಸ್ said...

adu nija bidi...we are not strong as our ancestors...we cant eat like them not even work like them..

ಅಶ್ವಿನಿ/ Ashwini said...

@Deepsi: Thank you so much. Well we often forget the learning we get out of common sight. I am trying my best to capture those learnings in the form I best know - post about it.

@Bikram: Welcome!!

@Sush: Welcome to my space and thanks for that little jig with the words.

@Thegirl@firstavenue: hmmm :)

@Pravara: Sariyada maatu.. Thanks for dropping by.

@Girish: Eggactly!!!:)

CYNOSURE said...

beautiful lines...although i read the translation only, but it was great... :)

ಅಶ್ವಿನಿ/ Ashwini said...

@Cynosure: Thanks for stopping by. Glad you liked it.

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