Republic Day Eve

I was invited by my friends to attend the republic day celebrations in their housing society. I thought I would carry my camera along as they had mentioned that it was going to be a variety entertainment programme, including walking the ramp.

For a change they had included participants from all age groups for walking the ramp.

The best part of the whole programme was that practically every member of the society (or at least one from each family) took part in the events. 

A sure shot way of pulling in the crowd, but then I suppose that is the best way to get the attention of the whole family. 

Even though it stretched for more than three hours, things were moving at a good pace with no time wasted.   

Children getting the final touch before the call for the next item. 

There was no let-up in the costumes and that made it all the more colourful.   

I liked the skit by these guys in the police uniform, some dancing very well and some not so well but everyone enjoyed the spirit of the performance.   

These girls were in perfect sync

And so was the lavani team (got to see a lavni after a long time) 

Some kids did not want to give up the seats close to the ramp even if it meant enduring the blast from the speakers. 

I remember the hola-hoop being a real craze during the sixties, and I too could hold on for about a minute, but then that was more than five decades ago. This girl did a good job with two hoops

After watching the whole programme, I think we can make things work if there is teamwork.

You can see them in action in the videos.  
 
I have just added glimpses of each item to keep the video short. If anyone wants the longer version just drop in a mail to joezach54@gmail.com 

(If watching on YouTube, do keep the setting on 720pHD for clarity)  

Yesterday’s fish curry

It is very rare that one gets to see the Diamond Anniversary of a couple and I had the opportunity to capture the same on video last week.

Had a lunch party for the couple (my in laws) on our terrace and invited some close friends who were in town. Even though the guest list was not a small one(29), we decided to cook all the food at home (including baking the birthday cake) 

The menu for the lunch was Kerala Chicken curry, Cabbage thoran, Pineapple pachadi, Sambhar, Pork roast and fish curry. 

 

All enjoyed the Appam and there were hardly any takers for rice. 

The moluku idichu varatha pappadam was a novelty for many and they wanted to know how it was made.

All were tickled by the “Yesterday’s fish curry” and one even jokingly commented “don’t tell me you are giving us leftovers”

I had to finally show them the recipe book in which it was named as “Yesterday’s fish curry”

As the recipe says these fish curries taste better the next day and is served a day after it is cooked. Good that we made two chattis of fish curry as it needed constant replenishing. (chatti is the earthen pot in which it is cooked and served)  

For desert we had parippu payasam, another sweet delicacy from Kerala.

The cake (Dulche De Leche Pound Cake) got over within no time as some went in for a second helping. We could not get the flaked almonds in any of the nearby stores, so soaked some almonds overnight and sliced them fine to garnish the cake.

The highlight was the couple cutting the cake and feeding each other

You can see how they looked 60 years ago in the attached video.