Aswini Ashok

 One of the best books I have read is “My Father Baliah.” Baliah’s son narrates how his father raised his family through education. It is a simple book on the legacy of a father and the ordinary things our parents do that shape our lives and the people we become. I remember reading the last chapter of the book on my Kindle while on a train. The book ends with Baliah being taken to the grave, and I cried thinking about my mom. I thought to myself that someday I should write a book titled “My Mother Tamilselvi.” The thoughts reappeared when I was cooking kesari on my mom’s birthday. That is the only dish she would consistently prepare for all our birthdays. We used to tease her that she couldn't cook anything else, and she never bothered to prove us wrong. Though I may not be close to writing a book, I thought of writing down the thoughts running through my mind while stirring the kesari. People usually credit mothers for delicious meals, but to be honest, I do not remember any of he...