Maundy Thursday

The Last Supper

Maundy Thursday reveres the Last Supper - the night before Jesus was given up to death. Tradition dictates certain norms for Kerala Catholics. Our forefathers have come up with this unique recipe in lieu of the unleavened bread and wine. We make the Pesaha appom and Pesaha paal [as it called]. It's special and strictly made only once a year. All of the family gather around the table at home after mass. The head of the family slices out the appom (the bread) and dips it in the paal (the milk) and distributes it. I cherish every Maundy Thursday that's gone by...

The backdrop of Maundy Thursday during my childhood days has been Dubai. Those were the days of schooling and carefree life. "Amma innu anno brown paal undakunne?" ("Amma, will you be making the brown milk today?"), I would ask then. Back then, the love for Maundy Thursday mainly had to do with the taste of the delicacies, stories I heard from Amma about the whys, dos and don'ts of the Holy Week. I remember asking Amma once, "Ee paal mathram entha brown?" ("Why's this milk brown in colour?"). She answered that it was made of jaggery and coconut milk and not cow's milk. My eyes grew round like saucers, "Coconuttil vellam alle, paal evideya?" ("Where's the milk in coconut, isn't it water in there?")

Later on, we settled down in Kerala. There was a different shade to the love for Maundy Thursday during those days. Owing much to the insistence of my grandfather, Maundy Thursdays have always been at our ancestral home. So it was a great gathering with all the cousins, aunts and uncles. Now that I am married, I miss being there for Maundy Thursday. And very recently my grandfather having passed away, I understand that this in-house tradition of huddling together would tend to fall apart. So, if you understand what I say, for me it's special. There's way too much love, fun and fondness connected to this age-old tradition.

This Maundy Thursday also was different. Close to midnight, the previous day I get a call on my mobile. It was a close friend who was pregnant full-term. She was admitted  in hospital out of the blue. She being pregnant for the second time and the hospital being intolerant about the fact that her first kid was in the hospital - she needed help. Her mother was only on the way from miles away and husband needed to tend to their older son. She needed somebody to be there with her the next day. The hospital authorities fussed over the fact that they can't have children in the room, although they reluctantly permitted for him to spend the night there. I promised I would go over but my heart couldn't rule out the preparations for Maundy Thursday. I called on another common friend of ours' and we finally sorted things out between us. Things would be hectic but I figured a way to keep the cake and eat it.

Laziness and a bunch of excuses sure wipes out traditions. I prepare the Pesaha Appom and Pesaha Paal with great passion every year.

Believe me, it was a hectic day. Woke up at 3:45 early morning. Rushed with the breakfast preparations and the Maundy Thursday delicacies. Got ready and reached the hospital by 7:30 a.m. Couldn't take leave from office because I had promised being over at office to complete an assignment. Our common friend, who had another commitment joined us post lunch. Rushed to the office by 3:00 p.m. Completed my assignment and started back home by 4:00 p.m to attend the 5:00 p.m mass. We [our neighbour friends, my hubby and me] had our Maundy Thursday ritual by around 9 p.m at night.

I was pooped out by the end of it all. When I lay in bed, I slept in peace. I thanked Providence for Sniley [my neighbour and childhood buddy], without whom I woudn't have been able to accelerate things in the kitchen, for Smitha [the common friend whom I spoke about earlier], for being there and helping me balance it out, for Deepa [my pregnant friend], for trusting that I could be called upon in the dead of the night to help her out. It's not every day that you get to be human in this rat race.

(From top to bottom): Sniley, Smitha and Deepa with me

It was a spiritual day, after all... There was toil, selflessness, love, help, prayers and most importantly a feeling of oneness.

If the pesaha appom and the pesaha paal is part of your tradition and you've never attempted to make it for whatsoever reason. Don't miss doing it next year. Feel proud to pass on your tradition.

You'll find the recipe on my blog [coming very soon]. Believe me, it's fun and easy. All you need to do is get into the spirit and go the 'Nike' way - 'just do it!'