Annadhanam preparation for Thaipusam

In my earlier entry, Annadhanam and free refreshment drinks since 1970 during Thaipusam, Penang,

I mentioned about some history of Ganapathy Singaravellan Thaneer Panthal and the purpose it was being put up. Doing annadhanam for many people comes with lots of dedication and hard work, it is not as easy as ordering the food from a restaurant. Instead all food are cooked and prepared in the panthal itself. This takes place overnight. Yes, overnight. It's no easy job cooking for 3000 people.

The usual menu in our panthal is rice, sambar with loads of vegetables and 2 side dishes. All dishes are definitely vegetarian since it is for Thaipusam. Can you take a guess how many kilograms of rice and vegetables we cook? There is no rice cooker in the panthal instead it is cooked in large pots filled with water in somewhat olden style. Once the rice is cooked, it will be scooped in buckets and poured over a clean cloth to drain the water. Once the water drains, the rice will be separate grains and placed in a clean container, covered. So, how many kilograms did you guess? It is 200kgs! Isn't that a lot? The rice is usually cooked in multiple batches due to the large quantity and stirred using a long ladle that looks like a mini oars.

The next main item is the sambar or lentil curry with lots of vegetables. Almost 150kgs of vegetables: patato, carrot, winter melon and tomatoes are put into the sambar. There are usually 2 large pots of sambar to be served and everyone is able to get sufficient vegetables with their rice. When annadhanam commences, the sambar is scooped into smaller buckets for ease of serving. It is steaming hot and remains a challenge for the person transferring it into smaller buckets.

The 2 side dishes are usually pumpkins (100kgs) and cabbage (80kgs). I love these combinations. Even while writing, I am salivating thinking about the delicious food.

We have a few friends who are able to cook in large quantities and usually do the cooking in the panthal. The chopping of all these vegetables starts about 7pm on eve of Thaipusam where friends and family join in to help. Many of us dread peeling onions as much as 25kgs. But there is a trick to peeling without tear, soak them in water. I have tried peeling and my eyes didn't tear. The cooking itself continues overnight till about 6am of Thaipusam day. The food remains covered and always under the watchful eyes of my father.

The annadhanam itself starts at noon of Thaipusam or as soon as we have enough workforce to do the serving and transferring the food from large pots into smaller buckets. One person is needed for each of these; giving out plates, serving rice, sambar, pumpkin and cabbage. While others do the transferring of food into smaller buckets for those who are serving. Sometimes, additional person to help pack for those who'd like to take away and enjoy later. Penang is Styrofoam free hence we now use plates and packaging made of sugar cane waste or brown packing paper. As friends join us throughout the annadhanam, some of us take turns to have a break. Usually the annadhanam commences until about 4pm when all the food is completely served. 

Though it is a tiring process, we would all feel satisfied and relieved that annadhanam concluded well. Warm, thankful words from devotees receiving the anndhanam fill our hearts. We could not be thankful enough for this opportunity of doing annadhanam. 

I am now eagerly waiting for annadhanam this year. All ingredients have been listed, some ordered and some to be purchased soon. Rap says he wants to help serve drinks with his cousins. But he is not even tall enough to reach the juice bucket! Nonetheless, he will help a little more this year compared to last year. Your tata will be too happy.

Annadhanam and free refreshment drinks since 1970 during Thaipusam, Penang

Thaipusam had always been one of the most awaited time in a year for me. My dad, together with family and friends started putting up panthal since 1970 during Thaipusam in Penang, Malaysia. The panthal since then is named 'Ganapathy Singaravellan Thaneer Panthal' and is now 45 years old. It is located along the main street leading towards the 'Thaneer Malai Murugan Temple' during Thaipusam. The main purpose of the panthal is to serve free food (annadhanam) and drinks to the devotees during Thaipusam. It is said that annadhanam is the best charity (refer below for meanings of annadhanam).

"Annadanam Samam Danam Trilokeshu Na Vidhathe These are the verses from the Vedas, meaning Annadanam is supreme and incomparable to any charity. Food is the basic rhaiequirement for all humans. Thus according to Vedas, the one who does annadanam to devotees, attains heaven (Punya Loka) in this Universe (Brahmanda) itself. In this whole universe, the creation and its progression depends on food. Hence giving food to the devotees is more than attaining heaven.", quoted from IndusLadies.com.

"We owe our spiritual wealth not just to the sages, seers, masters and enlightened beings who walked the path, but also to the community that nurtured them. In our tradition, serving spiritual seekers and monks was of utmost importance. In fact for many, this was a path in itself. The most beautiful expression of this was the Annadanam, the offering of food." - Sadhguru

The panthal set up, decoration and the way the panthal is being managed and run has come a long long way since it was first started. Back then my dad used to load the things to set up the panthal into a cart and pull them by feet, like those man pulled cart. All the materials needed such as zinc roofs, wooden/iron pillars and decorations were stored in the house store at Sekolah Menengah Vokasional Pulau Pinang. A Chinese family living nearby the panthal used to provide water supply so drinks can be served and food can be prepared. Water hose was pulled as far as 50 meters to reach the panthal. Vegetables, rice and cooking materials were transported by my father and others to the panthal unlike delivery services these days. In fact, the food was also cooked and served by family and friends. At that time, only a few panthals were available. Devotional songs was played in each panthal to help devotees be focused on God while sometimes the kavadis would dance to it. Water would then be poured over the kavadi bearer's feet to cool them during hot weather as they walk long distances barefooted to fulfill their vows. Our family panthal had always run by donations from family and friends and we are always thankful for their contribution and annadhanam partake. Not to forget those who helped non-monetarily.

Now, motor vehicles has taken over the tough job of cart transportation. Delivery services have became common. Water supplies and electricity is shared among neighboring panthals and sorted by the respective water and TNB personnel. Devotional songs in most panthals are now centralized and played throughout the day and shut at Thaipusam midnight. This helps to disperse the crowd to some extend. Temples no longer take milk offerings past midnight of Thaipusam either. What has not changed for us is that, we continue to serve free food (annadhanam) and refreshment drinks. It is still run by family and friends through donations unlike the panthals being put up by organizations and companies. We no longer have the facility to store large panthal materials and decorative items, hence the panthal is now as simple as it can be just for the purpose it was first set up, with no large fancy decorations. 

This year we would be preparing annadhanam for 3000 devotees on Thaipusam day. Preparations have started for the annadhanam where the needed cooking and refreshment materials have been ordered. Friends who would like to partake in the annadhanam or would like to help in the panthal, feel free to contact me. All donations received will be used in preparation of annadhanam during Thaipusam.

If you are in Penang during this year Thaipusam, 2015, come and enjoy the Thaipusam together with many other Malaysians and foreigners from 2nd Feb till 4th Feb.

This photo shows refreshment drinks being served in Ganapathy Singaravellan Thaneer Panthal. Photo was taken on 29th Jan 1972.

HAPPY THAIPUSAM!

Too cute to miss the 1600 panda display in KL

When I first saw some friends posting about the 1600 pandas in Malaysia, I was super excited. I have never seen a real panda in my life despite the fact that Zoo Negara is now having two pandas from China. I didn't think it was worth to pay additional RM20 on top of the zoo entrance ticket so no effort has been made to witness these pandas. But these little pandas are just too cute.

They were made with paper mache for "Support 1600PandasMY for Initiating the Culture of Creative Conservation". Besides taking photos with the pandas, there were donation drives through WWF monthly contribution, mugs, umbrellas, t-shirts and etc that can be bought. The 1600 panda display ends today, 25th Jan 2015. Details about these pandas are located at their facebook page.

We reached Publika and walked around in search for the pandas. Rap was excited as well. He kept asking where are the pandas. Instead of hitting straight to the panda display, we ended up at the booths selling things and signing up for panda conservation by WWF. We signed up for a monthly contribution with WWF, collected some panda stickers and rap got busy with them as soon as he got it. His stroller still has 2 stickers attached in addition to other stickers already on it. Ok la whatever.

When we reached the exhibition area, it was exciting! SOOOOOO MANY PANDAAASSSSSSS!! I felt like jumping right in and hugging some. Rap was just as excited, trying to drag me in while I try to refrain my temptation and also stopping him by the barrier around the pandas. Rap was asking if he could hold them. Well, we are not allowed to get in unless we purchase a photo shoot (which goes for the conservation, I believe). We sent appa to go buy tickets for the photo session so we could all hold a panda! The queue was long, rap and I took some wefies with the pandas and enjoyed the special edition panda displays. Rap loved the special edition panda with the badminton racquet just because we played some indoor badminton :p. Maybe it was more fun to relate to something he knows than something just descriptive.

After almost an hour of queuing for tickets and waiting, it was our turn. Yaaaayyyyy! We were walked from 1 end of the exhibition to the other because it was just 3 of us. We had the privilege to walk by the side but within the display of the pandas. Which means we could actually reach our hands and touch them as we walk. Rap started running in excitement and even made a turn and ran the other way to grab a panda. Had to be on alert to stop him. Finally, we got our chance to hold the pandas and they were in such hug-able size. We also requested for help from the volunteers to snap a few on my phone. If only I could just spend a little longer hugging those little pandas. Nonetheless, it was a fun experience.

Our photo would only be ready in 15mins time, so we head to lunch and came back afterwards to feast our eyes with those pandas again and collected our photo which turned out pretty nice. Rap bid farewell to the pandas. We have photos to recall this day. It was worth getting there.

  

Arts & crafts: sand art bus

Rap loves bus. So, it's about bus again using sand art. YES! Rap and I were doing sand art that was bought in a store. After completing the picture, rap wanted to mix up all of the different colored sand together. He loves mixing them up. Some of those mixed up sand are still sitting somewhere in the house (not sure where in the house, I need to find them :| ). So, this time round, I didn't want to just put it somewhere in the house. I want to use it and finish it up. Why not make my own bus design and get rap to sprinkle those sand! Yeap!!

Quickly grabbed some glue, a pen, a marker, toothpick and rap's sketch book. Here's what we did. It's quite simple.

1. Draw out the shape of a bus and wheels with a pen. 

2. Apply glue within the bus shape.

3. Use toothpick for finer lines for the window.

4. Sprinkle sand. You will get pretty good sand bus art like below.

5. Some of those white spots can be covered up by using a toothpick to apply glue and sprinkling with sand again.

 

6. To make the outline look clear, use a marker to draw on the existing pen mark.

7. Rap decided to add some smoke from the exhaust pipe using different colored markers :)

 

8. Allow it to air dry and the artwork is now complete! 

 

Isn't that simple? It was quite fast to do as well.

Hope you'd enjoy trying them as much as we enjoyed making them.

Performance review for a SAHM

Last year end, we went to Singapore for a short trip. On our way back, at Changi airport rap spotted a bus shaped appreciation stickers. It's not about the stickers but the bus shaped box. So well, his daddy bought them anyway and I didn't mind for the stickers inside.
Today, I got my first performance review as a SAHM from rap. Despite the fact the day had been quite tough so far, my performance review was pretty good. He gave me 3 'WOWs', a 'GREAT JOB' and an 'A+'. All stuck on my t-shirt ;). Isn't that all good for the 24/7 job I'm at right now? It sure makes me feel good and I take that as my appreciation. An appreciation in its simplest form, stickers.

So, what do I get from this performance review? No increment. No promotion. Same job.
but... more playing, guiding, snuggling, cleaning, and the list goes on.
Well, I believe a happy mother makes a happy child.

Amma...amma....

For some reason I'm feeling down. I've been stuck in the house on a weekend for no apparent reason. It's probably one of the cause...hmm.

Just before I posted this, my little rap phoned me.
Amma...amma...ninge enge irrekenge? (Where are you?)
Swimming pool kitte aiya.

It was so heart warming to hear that little voice calling me over. Rap is down to play with daddy and I thought I'd have some air by the pool. It's windy and cool.

But I can't resist to go hug my boy now.

Happy new year 2015!