A lot happens within the kitchen. It is the busiest room in the house that whips up mouthwatering dishes. Amidst all the steam, smoke, whistles, and mixer-grinder jamming, a heavenly aroma wafts from the kitchen that can cause hunger pangs to set in. In this room, one does not merely cook food. Kitchen vessels and tools dish out stories as well - some new, some old and some borrowed.
Along with our cooking skills and kitchen hacks/jugaads, we also inherit kitchen equipment as hand-me-downs from our parents, grandparents, and in-laws. There are fond memories, stories, traditions and anecdotes attached to these objects. Kitchen hand-me-downs are not just a wonderful way to hold on to family heirlooms, but also a meaningful way to preserve and carry on important parts of our culinary history. They provide a glimpse into facets of our food culture that are gradually fading away and contain the priceless traditions of our different cultures and regional cuisines.
These family heirlooms are even more special as they connect us with our loved ones, especially those who are separated by distance or no longer with us. They remind us of a time gone by, of the people you may have only ever seen in photographs, and of discovering your own family’s unique traditions. You hold in your possession these treasured hand-me-downs that need to be cherished, celebrated and preserved.
We’re taking you through some personal, nostalgic stories of women and their kitchen hand-me-downs, which they hold dear and wish to preserve!
Krutika’s Polpath
In the initial days of their marriage, my father had gifted my mother a chakla-belan (roti maker, Polpath in Marathi). The chakla is made of wood and cannot break easily. My mother had spotted it at a shop long ago and expressed her desire to purchase one like that for herself. My father then surprised her with it. So, when I moved out of my parents’ home once I got a job in Mumbai, my mother handed it over to me. She had stopped making chakalas by then and thought it would be of more use to me as I loved cooking. I also learnt how to make rotis using the very same polpath when I was in third grade!
Even as I’m busy living my independent adult life, there are days when rolling the roti into a perfect circle over the polpath reminds me of home and puts a smile on my face. At that moment, the distance between us seems negligible. I feel closer to home and just like my gol polpath, life comes a full circle.
Pamela’s Kund
Back in the day when we had to fetch water from the well and there were no pipelines, we used to store water in this huge kund (vessel). It was passed on to me by my mother-in-law. Since it is made out of copper and there is no chance of water seepage, I’ve repurposed the kund as a storage for my grains and atta (wheat flour).
Neetu’s Dinner Set
During a very challenging phase in my life, when I was deep in financial troubles, something that my parents had given to me then served as a ray of hope in my life. It stays the same till date. I never owned a good dinner set of my own, so my parents gifted me one, which I’ve been using for special occasions for the last 12 years. It may not be a traditional family heirloom, but it is definitely a treasured kitchen relic which I’ll preserve for the entirety of my life as it is very close to my heart.
Rajani’s Feeding Bottle
When I was born, my mother had tuberculosis because of which she couldn’t breastfeed me. In those days, feeding bottles used to come in glass, instead of plastic. Unfortunately, I always managed to break these as a child. So, my mother finally gave up and bought me a feeding bottle made out of steel, which is still in my possession till date.
When I moved out of home, I carried the bottle along as a memory of my mother who raised me to be who I am today! Every time I showed the feeding bottle to my mother, she would fondly retell the story to me. At times, I feel like I can still taste and smell the warm, sweet milk. The bottle may have lost the cap, the steel has dulled with age, but it is still the most valuable possession I hold in my life.
Pushpa’s Pata-Varvanta
I got married in 1981 and moved in with my in-laws at Kurla. I’ve witnessed the use of the pata-varvanta and quern stone (jata in Marathi) since then. Back then there were no mixers, so puran poli’s saran (stuffing) used to be ground on this. In 2016, when I shifted to Badlapur, I carried this duo along with many other vessels that belonged to my mother-in-law.
Today, we have a mixer, but every time puran poli is made at home, we still make use of the pata-varvanta even though it takes a lot more efforts. There are some rituals and memories we can never let go of.
Image source: Inner gardens, Pinterest, Hearstapps