karandi or ice cream spoon!

It has been almost 28 years since we moved to Chennai. Initially when we moved here my parents were taken aback by the traditionalism of the South Indians...esp their style of eating!......unfortunately for them I grew up in an Iyer house and learnt how to eat exactly the way they did!...make laddus out of the rice and gobble it down!!....ofcourse I learnt out to vazhicufy my thattu and lick my hands clean!.....that means to use the entire hand to clean the plate and then lick up all that sticks to your hand!.....try eating that way........you will truly enjoy your food....
as the years have gone by, South Indians have become modern to a great extent , with atleast one person from each household having gone abroad.....but the havent forgotten their traditionalism. A few years ago we were attending a typical brahmin wedding. and so we were served ellai sapadu or food on a banana leaf!.. unfortunately my father had hurt his thumb and therefore needed a spoon. we asked the caterers to get us a spoon. After a good 15 minutes, they guy returns with a karandi or a kadchi!......saying this is what is available!!....how was one to eat with a huge kadchi!......the next best option available was that tiny ice cream spoon!......well the choice was ours!.....that was quite an experience....and to date my dad remembers to carry his own spoon everytime we go for a wedding...
and we still havent mastered the art of eating from a banana leaf either, although we enjoy the food a lot.
A punju by birth, but despite all the traditionalism I quite like Chennai, as a place, I like the people for being simple, their friendliness, and just about everything of this place......