----- Forwarded message ----- From: 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 <[email protected]>To: Iyer <[email protected]>Sent: Saturday, 26 June, 2021, 3:50:47 pm ISTSubject: [iyer123] CHOOTU VELICHHAM CHOOTTU VELICHAAM
Dearfriends, Today Ireceived a very admiring response to my posting on Light from esteemed memberSri O V Srinivasan. In hisresponse he had mentioned about the absorbing quality of heat. On reading it, Ifelt today I may write about heat. Anostalgic and interesting thinking about heat. Sincerely, GopalaKrishnan 1-3-2013. Reposted with lot of Re writing, editing andupdating on 26-6-2021. R. Gopala Krishnan 1. What is the period of choottu? Thelegend is that it is the sage VISWAMITHRA who created the coconut tree. Choottu is a bunch of dried coconutleaves tied at three or four locations which can be conveniently hold in hand. In the olden days,choottu was mainly used as a hand torch by lighting in the tip for emergent/normal night journeys. Moon light may not be sufficient in many days andareas. Inaddition to light, the heat emanated from it, ward of crawling beings. If a person was expected in the night, theburning choottukettu was an indication, some body was coming. It was almost like today’s flashing torch. 2. Randu kettu choottetuttho? Onnu porengil? (Take two bunches of choottu- if one is notsufficient?) Evenafter the kerosene lamps appeared, especially in the Kuttanadu areas, waving ofchoottu were an indication that persons were waiting in a BOAT JETTY. If boatcomes late, the 2nd choottu was preserved for lighting after thefirst was burnt out. The boat men felt the waving of choottu as an indicationof person waiting for the boat. I am notsure, whether any other state has such a water transport corporation likeKerala in India. Now most of the boats appear like a fast transport bus. 3. Kappi and chootu In oldendays, in addition to fire wood, our houses stored kothumbu, choottu, matal etc.also to use in place of firewood. (Firewood items from coconut tree) Out ofthis chootu was the emergent item which would easily burn in oven to preparecoffee, tea etc. specially for hurrying guests or emergent need. The other way,many houses used choottu for immediate requirement of fire for frying, warming dishesetc. There would be a peculiar smoketaste if choottu alone is used in place of firewood in the oven. 4. Alleppy water and pukavata. InAlleppy areas still many tea stall use choottu as firewood for boiling wateretc. They are accustomed to the smell getting absorbed to water from choottuburning. But persons from other areas would feel smoke smell in coffee, tea etc.prepared so. If the water is kept afterthe smoke has diminished and only fire remaining, this smell could be reducedto certain extent. Now withLPG gas easily available, maximum restaurants have changed to LPG. And use the coconut products for firewoodused for preparing ash as manure except the coconut shell. It is used inpreparing thavas and in dhobi irons for charcoal. 5. Rama- choottetuttho? In oldendays only the eldest nampoothiri in a family only married Nampoothiri woman (velzi).Others used to have relation with other community women like royal family,nairs etc. (sambandham). Whethernampoothiri would come in the night or not was not sure for those homes. Sonampoothiri on nearing the house would ask his assistant to wave choottu more, so that they wouldbe alerted in welcoming. Thelegend of Vilvamangalam swamiyarcrossing all the way in the flooding river to reach his sambandham home maycome to memory for elders now. Those daysof sambandham have gone once for all, either Nairs, royal family or nampoothiricommunity now marry in their community. 5a. Fireworks and choottu RecentlyI found in fireworks at Ernakulam temple for lighting as well as light for him,choottu being used. These were thin chootu kettu. Probably the light helped himto distinguish the different fireworks kept/ burnt while moving in between. 6. Ripening and heat. I hadjust mentioned about heat effects of Sun. The plantain ripen in the open hasmore taste than the one which is applied heat and little smoke. Theplantain tied in a gunny bag on ripen gives another different taste. All thevatams dried in the sun has special taste comparing to the one dried in roomswith partial sunlight and other methods of heat. Perhapsmembers may be recollecting for preparing tea powder, green leaves are driedmechanically in rolling vessels which are heated. 7. Chutta mulaku and chutta pappadam It was/is a practice to slightly apply oil and burn dried chillies a little and smashwith red onions and salt as a side dish with tapioca preparation. Now too theburnt pappadam in grill has special liking to many. Here too some restaurantsapply slight oil and burn. Many take the burnt papad with porridge in thenight. My wife often prepares using a manual grill, keeping over lighted LPGoven, chutta pappadam. 8. Tiri thallal It is aprocess of applying the heat from a burning wick, where there is a pain due tohitting on stone, small thorns getting in etc. in the feet, many times afterapplying salt for short periods for 10 to 15 times. The burring wick is applied for a second,taken, and again applied. After the application, the person would check where the painhad been? (99% it would have vanished) 9. Vatham and water bag. On thosedays/ now also after applying thespecial oils slightly warmed and applied with that heat, steam is applied overit in the legs. If steam is not so convenient hot water bag is kept. After 4- 5 applications, most vaathamdisappear. Most doctors prescribe this method when there isbulging, no blood circulation etc. Diabeticpatients are advised to apply hot water/ hot Ayurveda oils to avoid numbnessin feet. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "iyer123" group. 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