Sunday in Kamanchamanpet

Sunday 7th January 2024 

Today’s eating challenge was to be at the homes of Rani and Bhuna, teacher and ayah at the Pachaikili centre. They live in the village of Kamanchamanpet ( spelling approximate!) which is between KVKuppam and Seetarampet. 

We have visited Rani’s house many times and are always greeted  warmly by her parents, her son Morganraj and his wife Deepa. Rani is unusual in that she lives with her parents rather than the norm here, which would be for her to have moved to her husband’s family home on mariage. There has never been mention of a husband and I think Rani returned home after her mariage failed. This is a very warm and close family now. Daughter in law Deepa is a qualified nurse who at the moment is looking after her 7 year old daughter. She now does all the cooking for the family. As Rani said her mother and now she have retired from cooking! 

Deepa had excelled herself with the spread for us. There were four curries, bottle gourd, cauliflower, cabbage and potato and pea, plus lentil cakes and rice. Afterwards there was the sweet payasam and a banana. 

After lunch we filled the time before our tea invitation to Bhuna’s with a look through photo albums. Every home we visit seems to have these. The KVK photographer takes photos of whatever the event is, most usually a wedding, perhaps a special birthday party- at Indra’s house it was a celebration of her daughter starting puberty. Then a very Indian album is created, often using exotic backgrounds. The whole effect is like stills from a Bollywood movie. Rani told us that Morganraj and Deepa’s wedding album cost £350. 

Onwards then, accompanied by Rani, to Bhuna’s house just a street or two away. She has two beautiful smiley boys and lives in her husband’s home with her mother in law. She had prepared lentil cakes and a kind of sweet chapathi made with sugar and coconut, which I don’t remember having sampled previously. When I said how nice it was she set forth and made more for us to take home to our guest house. 

Us with Bhuna, photo taken by her young son. Note the flowers in my hair, curtesy of Bhuna. 

Another lovely afternoon of hospitality and friendship. Our tummies alas expanding by the day!