One of the trees which has been our contribution to the apartment, has been the banana tree. It is one of those peculiar varieties of banana though, red in colour. I am not even sure if it is actually safe to eat it, but my mom insists that it is.
She also insists that it will give me record breaking longevity, glowing skin and detox. Of course, she is making that up. But what is the harm no?
But the purpose of the banana tree is to have access to the leaf and not the fruit itself. In the time of water crisis it is useful as it doubles up as a plate. Sometimes gods and the spirit of those who are dead and gone require them leaves.
It is also an important part of this most exotic thing that my mom makes called (Leaf Pancake would be a close translation). Of course the leaf is just the means to the end, but no leaf means no dish. Duh!
Anyway it involves taking a rectangular shaped banana leaf, spreading a layer of rice batter and topping that with a cooked jam like paste of jaggery, jackfruit and coconut, closing the rectangle leaf and steaming it. It is truly divine. And if the leaf seems incidental to you, think again.
In fact, it is as critical as picking up an outfit because you picked up lovely ear-rings. Or like spending 80% of your time working on a presentation template as opposed to the content that goes into it. Coming back to trees.
I am also thinking movies. Of course, trees are so closely linked to movies. There is reason why the phrase - running around trees must have evolved right?
But given that most of my movie memories are from the movies of late 80 s and 90 s, one did see the protagonists actually really run around trees. Usually, somewhere in Ooty and Kodaikannal I think. Every movie would see the same woods and tress even, starting QSQT, going on to Dil, Saajan and other assorted movies.
I don t remember the movie plots itself much, but the trees that the hero/heroines emerged from, hid behind and used as props remain vivid. When we went to Kasauali many years ago, we were pointed to the tree as a prominent tourist attraction. This from some Hema Malini and Rajesh Khanna starrer.
The first Tamil movie that I saw was this one called One of the trees which has been our contribution to the apartment, has been the banana tree.
News RSS