It was the day when my grandmother was not allowed in the kitchen. Grand-dad would buy mutton and cook it with his own recipe. Papaddams would also be fried. My mother says how eagerly her 3 siblings and she would wait to lay their hands on the yummmm mutton curry. After piping hot lunch consisting of rice, rasam, mutton and papaddams, there would be a game of cards. After a card session, finally the siesta. My mother still remembers every tiny aspect of the lovely Sunday she used to enjoy with her brothers and sister.
Then came 1980s. The legacy continued in my home too. My father would bring chicken every Sunday around 11 am. And as it became 12:30 pm, the home would be filled in with the aroma of ground spices and chicken simmering away. I still cannot forget the whiff of the chicken being cooked with garlic inside the cooker. With every whistle, I would stop studying and wait impatiently for the moment when Amma would call me to taste the chicken. It was also the time when Papa would get into his nostalgic self and put on some old Malayalam movie songs. It used to followed by some movie which came in the Doordarshan channel. Oh, I will never forget those lazy Sundays.
Fast forward...2010s. I have deliberately brought in this customary routine in my home too. Sunday is the day when lunch is special, no matter what. And what is special without good ol' chicken, I say. The feeling is lovely when A keeps entering the kitchen every now and then asking me whether food is ready. N and A would keep peeping in, saying.."Ummmmm, it smells so good!" I cannot describe the feeling I have. It is like rewinding all the past Sundays my mother and I have experienced during our respective growing up days. The feel of having rasam, chicken fry and papaddams is unbeatable. This is then followed by a game of carroms or UNO. Ofcourse the siesta cannot be left behind.
What is with Sundays?...I wonder. It has FAMILY written all over it. These days, most of us have the weekend off, but Saturdays never do to me what a Sunday does. I honestly do not like going out on a Sunday. There have been times when M has suggested going out for lunch and I refuse. I have never said the reason. Maybe I never realised there was a reason. But I guess, there is. Somethings never change, rather we don't want to change. For me, Sunday is one of those things.
I truly wish such Sundays keep coming in and the legend goes on and on....