My Gourmet Party - Recreating the Past

This post won a Rs 1000 Kitchens of India Voucher.

Life is ever-changing. The sun rays no longer wake me up. The sparrows that once added charm to the house in my village have moved to their heavenly adobe. The playground has shrunk to fit itself on the video monitor. Life is moving at such a high speed that I fear losing the past for ever- the friends whose feet have left no part of the village untouched, the postmaster who bought the best and the worst of the news, the doctor whose words gave assurance and the grandmothers whose sticks had taken no rest. I can recall faintly the annual party in our village where every single person was a host as well as a guest. Food that filled the bellies, games that made the feet tired and shows that caught the attention of the eyeballs were the order of the day. If only such a party could be recreated in the present; atleast with the few people that I was close with, life would be able to carry its past along with it, no matter at what speed it rushes for the goal.

The theme

Trying to completely mirror the past in the present is not a thing sensible enough. It is equivalent to halting time and living in the same second for ever. If the current party is to be identical in every aspect to the one in the past, the best and the only possible option is to request the Almighty to roll back time. Such a thing being impossible, an exact replica of the past is not attainable. At the same time, organising a party as per the current trends doesn’t make it any special. Compromising from both the ends would do the trick - ‘A modern part with few elements from the past and every element being able to make one’s thoughts move down the memory lane’ would be the theme of the party. Every moment should add value to time itself which people claim has no competitor in terms of value. Every word spoken should find a place in the diaries of the attendants. And every souvenir exchanged should become even more special than the most special things in life, preserved carefully. In short, the party should redefine enjoyment as feeling of satisfaction with the mind lost in a positive aura of introspection.

Location

It is said that once a kangaroo searched for so children everywhere it could, except its pouch. There would be no other location for a part better than one’s own house. It is the place where one has been living for long. Just like how very second of the past has a story to tell, every luke and corner of the house also has a story to tell. These stories entertain the guests and they bring people closer. When the same guests arrive for another party a year or two later; being able to recognise the flower vase or the wall painting and recollect its history gives me unbound happiness. Mover, the location being familiar, I would experience little problem in getting things done. No part of the house is to be left untouched right from the sitting room to the garden and the terrace. Spending some time in the open air on the terrace or in the garden is an experience worth billions of dollars. Gazing at the stars in the vast open sky, trying to count them and admiring the beauty of the flowers and plants are tasks best done in group.

Entertainment

Entertainment is an important part of a get together. But the definition of entertainment matters too. Going by the theme, every act does need to have a relation with the past also become a valuable moment to be treasured for the future. A bit of indoor activity, few outdoor activities, a tinge of modernness and a lot of playfulness defines the success of the party. Anyone in this country would accept that a not so serious cricket match is the best way to recollect the childhood. Back in those days in the village, cricket required nothing more than a ball and a few wooden sticks - the sticks serving as wickets as well as a bat. There were no teams, no rules and no winners. Each one of us - the players- have grown up and it might look a bit odd when we try to track the trajectory of the ball or transfer our energy to the bat. But, recollecting the past is all that we need and there would be none to make fun as everyone would be involved.

Another event that needs reincarnation is our play in the village lake and the structures that we used to build out of sand, pebbles, straw and anything else that we could put to use. Creating an artificial lake in the midst of my house would mean havoc. But the second part isn’t too difficult. Sacrificing a part of the garden to create an atmosphere similar to the one that exists beside the lake wouldn’t be a herculean task. The collective structure that results - be it the majestic Taj Mahal or a dilapidated structure would serve as the perfect backdrop for a photo-shoot towards the end.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. But at the same time, too much entertainment spoils the fun. Some time or infact a larger part of the available time shall be kept aside for us to talk all that we can - of how our lives changed and what we expect from the future. This brings our hearts closer and would never let us forget each other.

The food

The taste buds too demand their satisfaction. Rather than going for the food of the metro or the food cooked by unknown faces, we shall prepare food ourselves. That infact adds to the fun quotient and gives us an opportunity to blame those who aren’t able to satisfy the taste buds of others. Here is a list of ingredients from ‘Kitchens of India’ which I think would a place in the recipes. Of course, what is to be done with these products is the work of those who would be involved in cooking as I am always the person with the least knowledge as far as food is concerned.

Mango Chutney : One cannot forget the taste of the mango chutney prepared with utmost care and preserved in huge vessels. With a hope that the ones from Ktchens of India would be able to revive those moments, the following products find their place in the party - there were too many products with the name 'mango chutney' in them and I am really unsure as to what among them I would be linking the most!

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani Mix : This one doesn't have any close association with the past but is definitely a part of my present life and possibly many others too. And so, it too deserves top be in the kitchen of our party.

Halwa : Nothing can act as a perfect gift than those sweets that met in the mouth. The party extends into days at home whenever the guests sit down at their house and savour the gifted halwas remembering the recent past.

Ambience

Nothing becomes complete without the presence of an ambient atmosphere. Every scene captured by the eye should invoke a feeling of pleasantness.  The professional light men can do a good job but they would surely spoil the purpose of the party. Nothing can beat earthen lamps spreading love and natural flowers enhancing the same.

With the harmonious coordination of entertainment, food and ambience, let’s hope that the party helps time move backward to re-cherish those almost lost moments.

This post has been written for 'My Weekend Party with Gourmet Food' contest on IndiBlogger sponsored by Kitchens of India. You can vote for this post here. Visit Kitchens of India here.