Silver pots
A kitchen’s temple bell
Jaman -- guest, aka, God-given
Seeded, synchronised
four-legged goddess’ pearly silk liquor
Planted
Set
Rest
in a micro(c/w)ave
three to five hours,
on a summer’s day.
Jaman is a small portion of curd used as the starter culture to make a larger batch.
This poem speaks to the tradition of homemade yogurt-making, a practice woven into the childhoods of many Indians.
The process relies on an intuitive understanding of measurements, temperature and patience; knowledge that is often passed down through generations and shared within communities.
Making yogurt is also an inherently collaborative act. To begin, you need jaman, borrowed from someone who has already made yogurt. That starter itself was once borrowed from someone else, creating an unbroken chain of sharing, care and collective knowledge that stretches across families, neighbours and generations.