At home, Diwan Manna hones his culinary, gardening skills

Manpriya Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 10

“This is an extraordinary time and requires serious introspection,” says Diwan Manna, an artist and the president of the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi. He feels there are lessons for all of us in it.

However, he says he is guilty of spending some time checking the daily dose of WhatsApp messages. “Some of these are funny, others are quite informative, while some are even insensitive.”

We are surrounded by several concerns and uncertainty. But yes, we have all the time to ponder about life — where are we headed? Are we going to be any different after the situation goes back to normal? It’ll be a long haul before, if at all, we have the answers, but at least right questions are being asked.—  Diwan Manna

On how he is enjoying the lockdown period, he says: “Enjoying is not the right word, I’d rather utilise this time. We are surrounded by several concerns and uncertainty. But yes, we have all the time to ponder about life — where are we headed? Are we going to be any different after the situation goes back to normal? It’ll be a long haul before, if at all, we have the answers, but at least right questions are being asked.”

His “me-time” is pretty much unaffected by the hours spent in studio or at home. “It is after a gap of some 20-25 years that he’s got back into the kitchen, “I am not a foodie. My idea of a meal is something wholesome and simple — dal, vegetable and roti.”

He says he may revisit his culinary skills from back in the day when he cooked himself, especially mutton. “I can make excellent dips and be quite inventive with Maggi. Then there’s the beetroot soup, the recipe of which I learnt during my stay at a hotel in Poland.”

He also has a little vegetable and herb garden to take care of every day. The garden has a Stevia plant, spinach, cucumber, five kinds of lettuce, ‘tori’, lady finger, a microgreen that his gardener calls ‘Chinese saag’. When not cleaning the house or cooking, he is reading. There is an endeavour to go beyond just news or headlines and “I’ve also been reading about artists and intellectuals. Recently, I read about Satish Gujral, Ranjit Hoskote, Harari and Sadananad Menon.”

Once the lockdown ends, he thinks of having all his friends over and throwing open the books and artworks at his house. “Maybe, one day I’ll have them over and let them take whatever books I’ve read and over a hundred artworks in the house.”

Nevertheless, he feels we all need a few kind and reassuring words, “I make calls to everybody associated with the Akademi. Right from the sweeper to mid-level administrative staff, I ask about their well-being, exchange a few words and keep the morale high. That’s the need of the hour.”