A Destiny with Limited resources- An Everyday Kitchen Parable

 

         In my native of Devakottai, in the heartland of Chettinad, people always adhered to frugal living and calculated home expenditure with meticulous financial planning. I have always wondered the reason why Chettinad culture imbibed simplicity as one of its core values. I later realised that this way of living guaranteed, happiness even in the presence of limited comforts and this limited usage of resources, promoted the universal art of giving. “Dhaanam”, this word is an ideal virtue, a true ‘Dharma’ that has untold benefits that transcend beyond measure.  Dhaanam – giving in any form, be it material wealth, motivation, good words, physical efforts and food have predominantly taken a back seat in today’s world which ascertains human worth through material possessions and unhealthy comparisons.

          Most of the world including myself have succumbed to the pressures and momentary comfort that materialistic pleasures offer to us. The materialistic longing to fill our kitchens with different types of mixers, grinders, food processors, ovens, fine cutlery, glassware and the like have surpassed our capability to utilize them effectively.  So, adapt the mantra that, less is more when it comes to our kitchens. Having kitchen appliances that are resourceful to our kitchen are a necessity but stocking the latest reviewed in kitchen gadgetry is an utter waste of expenditure and consumes valuable space in your kitchen. If you want to do away with the guilt of kitchen clutter, do it right away. Now is the time to renounce your hunt for kitchen appliances while welcoming the New You in the NEW YEAR in 2022.

Tips on Implementing a kitchen with limited resources :

1.      Repair and spend money on maintaining your already running kitchen appliances. You can work with interest and cook with passion once you know, your mixer, wet grinder and oven are in good shape and productive.

2.      Never duplicate a resource. Never buy another when you already have the same thing in a different brand. This will solve no purpose other then a sense of ownership.

3.      Research, read, ask questions and never go by falsified advertisements when making the buying decision.

4.      When shifting to a new location or on place transfer, courier your kitchen appliances to your new location if you need them instead of a renewed investment on a new kitchen appliance that you already have.

5.      The times are such that we should take sustainable initiatives to refurbish, repair and reuse until the last breadth of your kitchen appliance so that your family does not fill the land fill. It is time we promote the circular economy and be a smart homemaker.

6.      Always do a cost vs benefit analysis before you take risks and spend money.

 Homemakers have the responsibility to make their family think in the direction of being together and happy. It is time to ponder and make others in the family think over on, whether there is a money value for happiness?

          Practice small acts of kindness that are within our grasp. Deriving happiness in “Dhaanam and Dharmam” should be our priority even in difficult times as we are destined to live happily despite a life of limited resources. Even if you fill the kitchen with many and more, you would still be unsure whether your resources are comparatively limited to that of someone else’s. Our mind would never be sated with our limited resources. 

Rewrite your destiny with this mantra for your kitchen: “Less is the new more “