‘In a small village next to a deep forest stayed a poor mother and her little son of four. Their small thatched hut was right at the edge of the village, just before the forest began. The mother was a househelp and could barely make ends meet but she wanted to educate her son, just that the nearest school was in the village across the forest. Still when the time came, she put her son in the school but the poor working mother could not leave her day’s jobs and accompany her son to school every day. Neither were the other children in the village willing to accompany her son! They were afterall the poorest of the poor.

The little child was too scared to walk across the forest all alone, especially in the evening on the way back from school. The mother could think of only one option, and to assure her son she told him that he had an elder brother who stayed in the forest, tended to his cattle and played the flute. His name was Hari. Hari had given his word that he will watch out for his little brother in the forest, said the mother. He would come to be by his side if the child ever called for him.

Faith replaced fear and the child went to school everyday knowing his Hari dada was around. He would often come back home and tell his mother that he heard his Hari dada playing flute inside the forest. The mother smiled to herself.

One shravan afternoon, while the child was still in school, dark clouds started gathering. The school let off the students early but by the time the boy reached the middle of the forest, it became dark as the night and started raining. Soon it was a storm. The child wet and scared, took shelter under a big tree and started calling out for his Hari dada.

In her village the mother was worried sick for her child. She knew that he would be on his way home in this storm. Alone in the forest. Unable to be patient, she decided to go look for him in the forest and set out in the storm.

She had just about reached the edge of the forest when she saw her son walking towards her – smiling and calm! She ran and hugged him and asked how could he find his way in the storm and darkness. The child replied, “I was scared and called for Hari dada. He came to me, calmed me down and walked me till the end of the forest”, the mother had a look of disbelief in her eyes, “Haridada is dark but so beautiful, Ma, and he said I should give this to you…”

With that he held out a beautiful peacock feather towards his mother.’

This was one of my most favourite stories ever, that I nagged my grandmother, Thamma, to tell me over and over again as a child. It filled my little heart with happiness, hope and faith.

Thamma would say at the end of the story, “Bishwas e milaye hari, torke bohu dur”. God or salvation lies in faith, logic drives us far away from it. The same woman could lovingly see my logic in offering a bowl of chicken curry to her Shri Krishna. I loved him, and wanted to share with him what I loved eating. Her Vaishnav upbringing filled her heart with love and acceptance and not a shred of rigidity.

Decades away from it, I now understand that is all there is to God – faith and acceptance of everyone’s faith.

Shubh Janmasthami!

Taal’er Bora (Palmyra palm fritters)

Taal’er bora or sweet fritters made of palmyra palms are traditionally offered to Lord Krishna on Janmasthami in Bengal.

1 ripe palmyra palm, sugar as per taste, 2 cups of whole wheat flour, 1 cup semolina, one medium coconut – grated, a pinch of baking powder, a pinch of salt, Refined Oil to deep fry

1. Firs separate the kernels from the palm fruit by removing the top portion of the fruit, and removing the fibrous peel. Take out the kernels and pour a little water on them. Rub with your palms to take out the pulp from the kernels.

2. Take the pulp and pour in a heavy bottomed pan. I add a little ghee. Put the pan on low heat, stirring continuously till the pulp is thick. Remove from heat and cool.

3. Add all the other ingredients to the pulp and mix well to a fluffy, thick batter. You can add a little milk if needed.

4. Heat refined oil in a deep wok. Add the tablespoon full of batter to the oil and fry till golden brown over very low heat.

5. The fritters tend to stick a little when undercooked so turn carefully.

6. Drain on a paper towel and serve hot.