A cup of Assam Tea

About after two months of losing the dearest person of my life, Deuta(Dad), I try to stand up on my feet again, collecting bits and pieces, resuming life back to normalcy, at the same time the reality hit hard, not just for me but for the entire world by the pandemic called COVI19. In front of my eyes, the world has changed, what we never imagined in our wildest dream and what the generations had never seen happening, what was normal a few days back, became extinct from our lives. For our health's safety, we quarantined ourselves in our homes, kids' schools closed, online classes started, malls, cinema halls everything got closed. The bustling places turn into barren, and the places entitled by humans got emptied and became the new normal of our lives. The new normal brought uncertainty and tension in every nook and corner. Health hygiene became people's foremost priority rather than luxury travel or any other thing in life. My life or days on my toes slowed down. Lif...

                                        Komal Saul prior to soaking. Komal Saul takes me to my grandparents' home, where I recall the early childhood days when we stayed in a different city and visited my grandparents' ancestral home. My grandmother often delights in preparing a morning breakfast in a jiffy. The breakfast is called Komal saul or soft rice. A luscious, slightly golden color and light glossy textured rice, no need for the cooking process, unlike other regular rice. In Assamese, 'Komal' means soft, and that softness does not require cooking. Soak it in hot water for a few minutes, and it's ready to eat.          My home state, Assam, produces a variety of rice, and it's no wonder we have all kinds of cereals, snacks, and main courses made from rice. Any other type of rice is considered the main course, whereas Komal Saul is considered a light...