Oil over the Oily head

Those from my generation might be aware of a popular brand of Coconut Oil called KMP. The shape of the green or yellow colored cylindrical tin is still fresh in my memory. One needs to make couple of punctures on its surface using nail and hammer, then tilt it a bit to let the oil flow out. In winter months a few minutes under the mild sun would melt the solidified grease, enough to bring it out from the orifice. Not sure what KMP stood for but a joke used to go around that KMP stands for KEBALA MAALISH PAAIN which in Odia means "Suitable for Massaging (buttering) Only".

Oiling or buttering comes in many shades, hue and color, in different shapes and sizes. Irrespective of its form the effect can be quite profound. MASKA LAGANA (in Hindi) or TELA MAARIBA (in Odia) both meaning buttering, is an art. A friend of mine during our college days perfected it. We had this fastidious, stubborn Professor who was rarely approachable. My friend approached him for a favor only to be rebuffed " Your TELA (buttering) won't work on me". My friend smiled back and politely replied " You are correct Sir, you are the only Professor in this entire institution who is not prone to buttering". Needless to say he got his mission accomplished. Irrespective of the means, the success of an effort is judged by the end. My friend vindicated that.

Many characters from my student days stuck at back of my head often come flashing. They are invariably males (I studied in Co-Ed institutes, in the girls only institutes it could be different). The familiar sight of them obsequiously following teachers with one hand inside their pocket, the other hand scratching the back of their ear with head slightly bent would ring a bell to many. They would readily volunteer to do the teacher's odd jobs. Their impressive TELIABILITY ( TEL in most Indian language means Oil + Ability) impacted our teacher's Malleability. Westerners in general are not so accustomed to flattery, often readily fall for it. Most Orientals are arguably tougher nuts to crack, one needs to work harder due the surplus of sebaceous glands. In Odia we have a proverb "TELIA MUNDARE TELA" transliterated "excess of oil lies on a oil soaked head". Literally it means those who have, always tend to have more. But in reality it needs some extra effort for the oil to sip in because of the already surplus oil, similar to water which percolates better on a dry rather than wet surface.