SMT JAYALAKSHAMMA AND THE LADY COOK
SMT JAYALAKSHAMMA AND THE LADY COOK
Smt Jayalkhsamma was residing in the second house on the north of our house on the chaluvamba agrahar of Mysore City.
Though J’s husband was employed as a clerk in the office of lawyer brothers K K and K R Das who were residing in the house situated on the same road and at present Cauvery lodge is functioning after demolishing the old building.
J and her husband owned the house in which they were residing and also they were getting sufficient paddy from their lands and as such they did not find it difficult to manage the family of husband wife and one son and two daughters.
It was a luxury during those days to employ a cook in a house that too when the head of the family was working as a clerk .
However ’ J’ had a lady cook who was a widow. This lady was highly orthodox and had shaven head and always used cotton red saree.. Her salary per month was a grand 3 rupees .during those days .
I think the lady cooks name was Gowramma.
This lady was staying in Old Agrahar area on a rented small room on the pial(Jaguli) of a distant relative of hers
Every morning Gowramma used to come to “J” s house by 6-00 AM. There was store room which was kept under lock and key in the house and as soon as Gowramma arrives she will take 4 numbers of winnows(Moraw in Kannada and supla in hindi) “J” will open the door and in the first winnow she will measure and keep rice, dhal (Toor dal) and any other dal, sooji mustard, urad dal. In the next one she will put sooji (broken wheat) salt wheat flour. In the third one she will keep ghee, oil,spice powders coconut of copra dried chlly.. . In the fourth one she will keep the vegetables ,green coriander, curry leaves , greens and green chilly.
Then “J” will give instructions as to what dishes to be prepared. The groceries supplied only had to be used and no more or noless. “J” did not trust Gowramma for the preparation of good coffee so it was “J” who used to prepare coffee. Morning breakfast also had to be prepared by Gowramma. If any dough is required
for the preparation of idly or dosa or any savouries the dough had to be prepared by Gowramma sometimes one day in advance. All the spice powder required or any extra preparation for any festivalor household is to be prepared and it was the duty of Gowramma. “J” used to make surprise visit to the kitchen to see whether Gowramma consumes any grocery!!! Gowramma had to be there until 2-00 pm and then only she could leave the house .
As Gowramma was very orthodox she nevser used to eat anything in the house of “J” Also she never ever cleaned any vessels as she considered the vessels with cooked food as (Musuray”) polluted. So these vessels had to be cleaned by the house maid and before taking the vessels for cooking Gowramms once again used to wash it in water. Gowramma used to tell that she will return to her room and then she will prepare food for herself . she used to take food only once in a day and no dinner. Also on . the eleventh day of the waxing or waning moon she used to fast. No one knew as to how she used to manage with the rupees three she used to get as her wages. May be she had some relatives who used to supplement her meager wages.
After some time “j” sold the house at chaluvamba agrahar and shifted to the extention “Saraswathipuram” where she purchased a very big independent house.. it is not known whether Gowramma continued to work as a cook at “J”’s new residence. .
.
.
Smt Jayalkhsamma was residing in the second house on the north of our house on the chaluvamba agrahar of Mysore City.
Though J’s husband was employed as a clerk in the office of lawyer brothers K K and K R Das who were residing in the house situated on the same road and at present Cauvery lodge is functioning after demolishing the old building.
J and her husband owned the house in which they were residing and also they were getting sufficient paddy from their lands and as such they did not find it difficult to manage the family of husband wife and one son and two daughters.
It was a luxury during those days to employ a cook in a house that too when the head of the family was working as a clerk .
However ’ J’ had a lady cook who was a widow. This lady was highly orthodox and had shaven head and always used cotton red saree.. Her salary per month was a grand 3 rupees .during those days .
I think the lady cooks name was Gowramma.
This lady was staying in Old Agrahar area on a rented small room on the pial(Jaguli) of a distant relative of hers
Every morning Gowramma used to come to “J” s house by 6-00 AM. There was store room which was kept under lock and key in the house and as soon as Gowramma arrives she will take 4 numbers of winnows(Moraw in Kannada and supla in hindi) “J” will open the door and in the first winnow she will measure and keep rice, dhal (Toor dal) and any other dal, sooji mustard, urad dal. In the next one she will put sooji (broken wheat) salt wheat flour. In the third one she will keep ghee, oil,spice powders coconut of copra dried chlly.. . In the fourth one she will keep the vegetables ,green coriander, curry leaves , greens and green chilly.
Then “J” will give instructions as to what dishes to be prepared. The groceries supplied only had to be used and no more or noless. “J” did not trust Gowramma for the preparation of good coffee so it was “J” who used to prepare coffee. Morning breakfast also had to be prepared by Gowramma. If any dough is required
for the preparation of idly or dosa or any savouries the dough had to be prepared by Gowramma sometimes one day in advance. All the spice powder required or any extra preparation for any festivalor household is to be prepared and it was the duty of Gowramma. “J” used to make surprise visit to the kitchen to see whether Gowramma consumes any grocery!!! Gowramma had to be there until 2-00 pm and then only she could leave the house .
As Gowramma was very orthodox she nevser used to eat anything in the house of “J” Also she never ever cleaned any vessels as she considered the vessels with cooked food as (Musuray”) polluted. So these vessels had to be cleaned by the house maid and before taking the vessels for cooking Gowramms once again used to wash it in water. Gowramma used to tell that she will return to her room and then she will prepare food for herself . she used to take food only once in a day and no dinner. Also on . the eleventh day of the waxing or waning moon she used to fast. No one knew as to how she used to manage with the rupees three she used to get as her wages. May be she had some relatives who used to supplement her meager wages.
After some time “j” sold the house at chaluvamba agrahar and shifted to the extention “Saraswathipuram” where she purchased a very big independent house.. it is not known whether Gowramma continued to work as a cook at “J”’s new residence. .
.
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posted by N.S.Char at 7:32 AM
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