Together We Build Our World

My Mexican daughter-in-law, Juana, and my son, Kunal, who live in the US, have come over for the first time after marriage to our ancestral home in Kolkata, India.

- by Sreelekha Chatterjee

Following the age-old practice, Juanais is supposed to cook and serve food to the family members and close relatives in a private ceremony. Perhaps such a custom was introduced with the thought that food brought people together, connected them, bridging the differencesbetween cultures, nationalities, geographies, and generations.

Culture is like a pearl that is formed layer by layer, shaped by our experiences, beliefs, and values, undergoing a process of refinement. Juana and I intend to create our own through our joint efforts and understanding of one another. We eat different varieties of food based on our cultural familiarity and behavioral patterns. Each type of food receives unbelievable energy and phenomenal attributes from Mother Nature—warmth and vitality from the Sun, comfort and strength from the Earth, soothing and fulfilling vivacity from the Rain, and evolving energy from the Wind.

I notice Juana's hesitation—evident in the beads of perspiration on her forehead and agitations reflected in her tense features—in taking up the Indian cooking activity in my kitchen.

“Food unites us all. Let's connect with Nature through cooking. It is meditative and a source of pure joy.” I say, while Juana’s taut face shows signs of relaxation.

She is wearing a yellow frock made of silk, which is finely cut with laced borders. Her brown curls fall up to her shoulders, and her face is charming, though petrified on account of taking up the preparation of the unknown, untried cuisine, which would certainly have been the case if I was driven toward such a situation.