Gita Mazumdar
says, “She was made in India, on the coconutty west-coast along the Arabian
Sea. What luck to have been nurtured by a playful father, an orderly mother,
and both her grandmothers.”
In
Gita’s first few years, “she was held for long hours by her beloved Badi, an
elderly Adivasi (indigenous) woman who cared for her while her parents, both
doctors, worked. Gita’s first food were Badi’s unusual grains cooked in clay. Gita
cried for Badi when they moved away from that early home. The story is that Gita
refused food, chanting ‘Badi’ a hundred and eight times before her father lost
count. Her paternal grand-mother, Mein, prepared bhakri, confident that it
would break the spell. Hours past bedtime, Mein placed the spiced bread in
front of Gita. She regarded it silently, looked up and wailed ‘Baadiiii!”
Exasperated, Mein said, ‘Eat your Badi’s fat chapattis’ and snapped off the
lights. The next morning, there were no signs of bhakri and no more chanting.”
This is how I begin today’s podcast conversation with Gita Mazumdar. An
Ayurvedic Indian Cuisine chef, photographer, wife, mother, friend, film maker, and
conscientious community connector. She continues describing a life that eventually
circles back to her paternal grand-mother Mean’s recipes and the way women pass
on their stories from one generation to another. Food is at the center of
things.
DOWNLOAD
She is in the midst of arranging those stories
and refining her recipes into a cookbook that brings to life a rich history of
ancestry 11,500 years old. Lifestyles that nourished one’s body, mind, spirit,
and soul. This kind of wellbeing is missing in the fast-paced lifestyles that
are making us unwell.
Hear Gita describe her life and the Mystic
Murrabba project: food for body and spirit. Listen in to other parts of our
conversation that will nourish your spirit and inspire you to create a
lifestyle of connectedness and wellbeing:
* Ayurvedic
Indian cuisine and your wellbeing.* Gita’s
Kitchen Philosophy and Hygiene. The percentages between food nutrients and what
we need for digestion.* 23
and Me DNA testing results and how far back Gita’s ancestry goes.* A
cross cultural event Gita brilliantly overcame when she married Jim.* What
her three adult-children tease her about.* How
she overcame cultural disjointedness between our Eastern and Western cultures.* A
common Indian saying, “Indifferently made food will only satisfy half a man’s
hunger.” Why is food preparation so important? * Redefining
what is important in your life at different stages.* Why
Project Mystic Murrabba is not a business.
Thali is
the way Indians eat on a regular basis; an Indian style meal. The meal is
prepared with seven components that make up a complete meal. Each region in
India has a different Thali but is prepared with the same seven components in
mind. There is particular attention paid to details.
* There is a Rice dish, a lentil dish, a cooked vegetable, some kind of bread, fermented pickle, some kind of chutney with lemon or lime (some added acidic flavor), fresh vegetables, and a small bite of sweet to encompass all the different flavors. * “The entire Thali meal consists of seven components: 7 colors. 6 flavors. 5 textures. 4 elements: earth, fire, water, and air. 3 different qualities (temperaments) that wake you up, calms you down, and encourages the balance in between.
