Poem: One of the things I missed doing the most during the months in which I paused this column was the search for the poems I would share.
Despite turning to poetry often, the ‘poem’ section in this column, for which I would search for pieces that would hopefully resonate with readers as they did with me, gave it more purpose.
What is better suited, then, for the current turbulent and uncertain times than this poem titled ‘A Brief For The Defense’ by Jack Gilbert?
Sorrow everywhere. Slaughter everywhere. If babies
are not starving someplace, they are starving
somewhere else. With flies in their nostrils.
But we enjoy our lives because that’s what God wants.
Otherwise the mornings before summer dawn would not
be made so fine. The Bengal tiger would not
be fashioned so miraculously well. The poor women
at the fountain are laughing together between
the suffering they have known and the awfulness
in their future, smiling and laughing while somebody
in the village is very sick. There is laughter
every day in the terrible streets of Calcutta,
and the women laugh in the cages of Bombay.
If we deny our happiness, resist our satisfaction,
we lessen the importance of their deprivation.
We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure,
but not delight. Not enjoyment. We must have
the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless
furnace of this world. To make injustice the only
measure of our attention is to praise the Devil.
If the locomotive of the Lord runs us down,
we should give thanks that the end had magnitude.
We must admit there will be music despite everything.
We stand at the prow again of a small ship
anchored late at night in the tiny port
looking over to the sleeping island: the waterfront
is three shuttered cafés and one naked light burning.
To hear the faint sound of oars in the silence as a rowboat
comes slowly out and then goes back is truly worth
all the years of sorrow that are to come.
Plates: Chinese flavours are in the spotlight at the Taj Samudra’s Golden Dragon until 4 May, with a special culinary promotion featuring an acclaimed guest chef, Chef Luo, from Taj MG Road, Bengaluru. The showcase brings together classical technique, given his respect for tradition.
With a warm welcome from Taj Samudra General Manager Samrat Datta and Chef Lou, we sat down to experience how carefully balanced flavours and precise execution take precedence over novelty for Chef Luo, who counts over 26 years of culinary experience.
The festival menu includes dim sum, soups, and bold, flavour-packed specialities. Signature highlights are stir-fried prawns with asparagus, hot and sour fish with pickled vegetables, and diced chicken tossed in homemade Hunan chilli. There’s also stir-fried tenderloin with spicy coriander and dry-cooked spicy eggplant with haricot beans.
The mains include Hakka-style soya fried noodles with vegetables and chicken fried rice, along with interesting desserts, such as the steamed almond milk-flavoured rolls. My top three favourites were the Hakka noodles (a smoky and flavourful dish laced with veggies), the batter-fried lotus root (crispy and delicious), and the stir-fried prawns (perfection).
Every dish by Chef Luo is prepared using authentic techniques and premium ingredients and the flavours are ever so delicately balanced, so you know you’re in for a treat to remember.
The dining experience with Chef Luo is being served during both lunch and dinner, and the curated menu highlights the very best of Chinese cuisine, set in the elegant ambience of the Golden Dragon.
Places: The Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo brought the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season to a lovely close last Sunday (19), with a festive celebration by the Pool Terrace.
Starting at 2 p.m. and continuing late into the evening, the vibrant festival featured a whole lot of traditional games, entertainment, food, and family fun.
The games of catching the egg and finding the coin in a plateful of flour were super fun to watch, with participants getting covered in egg and flour, while the breaking of the hanging clay pot while blindfolded saw the whole crowd engaged in cheering on the participants. Kids and adults alike lined up to place an eye on the elephant and the entertainment acts in between were lovely.
The celebrations were held in an authentic atmosphere, ensuring that anyone who did not get the opportunity to celebrate Avurudu in traditional style was able to do so at the Cinnamon Lakeside to their heart’s content, dressed in traditional clothes and sharing in the spirit of the festivities.
The entrance ticket (priced at Rs. 5,000) was fully redeemable on food and beverages, of which there was quite a good selection on offer.
We tried the egg roti with chicken curry and the prawn kottu, which we enjoyed, and quenched our thirst with beli mal served in coconut shells. The bites and kevili counters saw brisk business, serving some delicious local delights, including freshly-prepared sweetmeats, while the beverage counter was very popular too.
Hats off to the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo for hosting such a wonderful and well-organised New Year festival!