T R I V I A L THOUGHTS....

Spare the cane and nurture the soul

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:40:00 +0000

I am not much of a newspaper reader, and with good reasons. It stems as an allergic reaction to the amount of time I spent devouring facts when I was appearing for various competitive exams post graduation (post as in after). Some of the revulsion stems from knowing that the political scenario is going from bad to worse and that money makes the world go round. In my Utopic world it still remains love. Most of my hate for newpapers is because I generally seem to open it only to know that everything I was taught to believe in is crumbling. It is not the papers that I hate. It is the fall of ideologies, principles, honesty and morality that scares me. And so, I have been behind in knowing some important things too. No, this is not about sliding stocks or countries in war. It is about the loss of dignity. It is not about a Nation, it is about individuals, specifically about the most important force in shaping the future of any country, our children.

I just chanced upon a wonderful person, Kalyan who chronicles his love for food through his blog, "finely chopped". What he did not tell me about was that he also wrote a sometimes thought provoking blog called "Mumbai Coffee House." The post I am referring to is "Hope you are in a happy place Rouvanjit". It is about a thirteen year old child, Rouvanjit who took his life after the principal took upon to discipline the boy by 'mildly caning' him. My own post started as a comment to his, but owing to the length, I had to make it a post by itself.

As a prankster I was 'disciplined' several times as a child. Luckily, the spirit remained intact because if there were 'monster teachers', there were also 'angel teachers' who understood and helped you cope with the monsters. As a grown up and a 'has been' prankster turned into mother of two I have pondered several times upon why teachers behaved the way they did.

I remember in Kanpur, one teacher who 'taught' Standard One (First Grade), who would make a child walk without his underpants in class if his homework was incomplete! These were little five and six year olds who still believed in angels and Santa. Back then too, I knew she did more damage to their spirits than disciplined them. She robbed them off their dignity. It still sends shivers down my spine. "How could one be so mean?" - I would think as an eight year old. But having been subjected to some less cruel but mean punishments myself I understood, or so I consoled myself. I was lucky I guess, that I only had to kneel down on the muddiest and stoniest section in school. They tore my knee and my eyes would swell with tears that I would try to hold back but they could not kill my spirit which was the whole idea behind the punishment. There were many days when I would be back with rejuvenated spirits and patches of bandage covering my knee, proudly displaying a blob of dried blood. Most of the time the punishment was for a book forgotten at home or a homework not done. There were other ways to remedy but this was the easiest.

I took on the teacher mentioned above in another matter. She could not bear it. A mere chit of a girl complaining against me, she thought and saw to it that I was denied the privilege of traveling in the school bus. I was right some times and though tired of my 'pangas' with the system, my parents thankfully did not kill the spirit of justice that keeps me going to this day. It bolstered my failing dignity during those times and yes, to an eight year old those were crucial moments. Teachers were cruel back then, venting out their personal frustrations upon unsuspecting children and stripping them off their dignity in the guise of disciplining them. It is the same principle employed by black magicians/tantriks in villages - beating out the evil spirits.

Why are students the victims?
It is because as human beings we have not been taught to respect the dignity of another human being. It is because we have been taught that respect needs to be earned and children are too young to have earned it. We also have very mixed up reasonings behind who deserves dignity. As a child one is often told, "Show some respect to elders." The so called 'elder' has earned the privilege not by his acts but because of years that have added up in making him grow older. The idea that follows in a morally weak 'elder' is that he can get away performing acts that would have not been excused had he been younger. Even if such acts were known in earlier times, people tried to 'sssssh' it down and so the 'elder' became a stronger monster and the victim became weaker.

Schools just took the concept a little further and meted out the same treatment to children. The analogy was the same, essentially. Youngsters have no right to dignity. Teachers have a right to dignity. Caning was basically administered as a tool to break, not the fingers but to crush the ego and dignity of the child. It is a typical case where the teacher is shallow and turns into a bully and uses authority as a tool to abuse and mostly gets away with it.

As parents can we do something about it?
Lots!! As a society we have been sending a lot of wrong messages. It shows when people yell at 'servants'. Have you ever seen 'servant' listed amongst 'our helpers'? We were taught 'postman', 'newspaperman', 'milkman' but the servant who does all the menial jobs in an average Indian home never finds himself mentioned. Why? Is it that they do not deserve to be treated as a 'helper' to society? It is the same feeling that makes people take pride when they say - "Oh! We have a mundu to take care of house work". What is a mundu other than a poorly paid bonded labourer? If you know the kind of jobs people get done from mundus you will know why the mundus do the job. Their dignity has been robbed at some stage of life.

I grew up with servants but my parents made sure that we always addressed them politely, admonished us if we behaved badly with them and ensured that we treated them with the dignity they rightly deserved. Not because they were older but because they were hard working, honest individuals. I had got into my teachers' bad books too because of my stand on equal rights for all. I do not remember a single occasion when my parents tried to break my spirit. They would explain sometimes about how the system works and how I could avoid getting into scrapes over little things, sometimes using the ruler too. Unfortunately, they were a victim of the 'olden school' too. But never did they ever try to break my spirit. That is where a parent comes in. That is the purpose of this post. Oh! And every human being, irrespective of age or sex or physical infirmities deserves to be treated with respect and I am not talking of degenerated persons here! I mean that a child's ego needs to be nurtured not disciplined.

Had Rouvanjit killed himself only due to the 'caning'? Had he somewhere lost trust in his parents? When did the thirteen year old boy's spirit get crushed, and why? Just one incident could not have been the reason for suicide. It must have been a series of little things that probably we will never know. Or probably we could teach our children to trust in us. How? Not by preaching but by leading by example.

Breaking the myth ~ Trekking is for all

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Mon, 24 May 2010 06:15:00 +0000

When I mention I am going on a trek, the general reaction is that I am exceedingly adventurous and when I mention that it is to Sarpass or other such names suffixed by 'pass' it is also met with raised eyebrows and understood that I am some kind of a mountaineer who will soon climb the Everest!

None of the above is true. I am adventurous of course but my adventures happen right here in the city, as the funniest and most bizarre accidents and incidents seem to follow me closely around. I don't even go hunting for things to happen! Do you remember how I ended up with a ligament tear after a frail 16yr old boy traveling atop the local train decided to jump and make a demure landing on my knee? Well that was one adventurous accident that I will remember for a long time to come.

Trekking is more a tonic and a nourishment for the soul. It is the love for Nature which makes me trek and it is not as adventurous or as difficult as most people make it sound. If you are reasonably fit, not suffering from any diseases or chronic conditions that require special medical services you can do it with as much ease as any regular trekker. All you need to have is a love for walking long distances and a love for Nature. Remember that when we talk of the Himalayas, we think huge. The paths, the boulders, the forests, the pastures and the trees are all huge and you will find it considerably easier to walk along these paths. We are not discovering or charting our own course as we trek. These routes have been made by years of traveling by the villagers and previous trekkers, so it isn't as though you are alone in the wilderness and accosted by wild animals every night. There is a mild probability of some such thing happening when you trek in private groups manned by a few people but the treks I go on, are organized by the Youth Hostels Association of India. The groups contain as less as 30 people and may contain as much as 60 people. The amount of disturbance caused by such a large group is more than enough to keep wild animals at bay and the chances of getting lost is much less, unless of course you decide to turn heroic and flaunt all the rules set by the team!

If you have met people who call it 'the thing to be done', 'an adventure', 'an achievement' don't be deterred. Some people just love it to call a trek along the mountains all these things too. Yes, it is an achievement to have reached a higher camp on a personal level if you haven't done it before. But then, it is not a feat that is very difficult to perform.

If you want to make it an achievement there are ways to do so. Just make the trip a pleasant one by following these basic unwritten rules:

Do not cause disturbance to your surroundings by plucking grass, flowers and leaves when you have not use of them except chewing or smelling on them.

Always remember that even the higher areas in the mountains are dwelling places for villagers, animals and birds, and treat Nature with due respect.

Do not scatter 'non-bio degradable' waste like plastic and aluminium foils or wrappers. Littering any place in the world in unpardonable. Don't do it just because there is no one to stop you. Before your proceed on a trek please cultivate manners, love and respect for flora and fauna.

Again do not litter - I stress on this because when not noticed, even the most scrupulously clean person at home happily dirties paths simply because there is 'no law'!!

It is ridiculous and highly unacceptable to offer sweets to children along the way. Their parents are dignified citizens and do not need your offer. If you have something to offer remember to do it for a reason, with kindness and empathy. Sympathy generally creates beggars out of these little children. Always maintain grace in giving and accepting.

If you have to defecate during the walk, please find a covered spot, dig a hole. Do your job and cover it up well. I often find women littering the place with sanitary napkins. Remember to use bio-degradable sanitary napkins while on a trek. The ones that come with linings these days are not bio-degradable. Tissues, napkins and potty can all be covered up. It is not a nice sight to be met with these, especially when you are there to admire Nature.

Another dirty trend is to leave around empty plastic bottles along the trail. I generally go around picking up every wrapper, foil or non-biodegradable waste everytime I go on a trek. I also find people laughing and informing me about 'cleaning camps'. All I have to ask is - do you throw wrappers, foils, used plastic bottles and napkins at home in your living room, and wait for someone to clean up each day? Then why treat your world any differently? Why do you need law to come after you telling you to clean up? Why should cleaning camps be organized? Everytime you litter remember that you are uncouth! Try to be clean and loving towards your Nature. Littering with non-biodegradable products kills the roots of the plants and soon you will have nothing in the mountains to look forward to.

Always remember to stay close to the group. Help people if they find some difficulty and try to make good friends.

This post is all about the etiquette needed while trekking. In my next post I will talk about the trek that we actually did and the highs of coursing heights.

The reluctant hugger

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:52:00 +0000

I have realised I will never be a good hugger and I am glad most of my friends aren't either. Indians used to hug only in 'reel life' and not in 'real life' till it became a more fashionable thing to do. Hugging is a foreign concept much like pasta, noodles and cheese. Same with
'mwah'! Maybe with time hugging will become more commonplace and easier to do! We were never a family of huggers and I cannot recall a single instance when my Mom ever did that.

In her most vulnerable and emotional state (which I assume must have been when we each got married) my Mom would just keep a stiff upper lip tightly closed over the lower one lest a sob should escape and she would steel her eyes, opening them wide so that no tear would fall. Whenever she did that it made me more prone to guffaws rather than feel sad (of course I was too afraid to do that openly so while others thought bugs were biting me, I would shake all over trying to control myself)! She looked comical not trying to emote during my elder sister's and my marraige but with age the steel went away and we saw her for the first time sobbing freely after giving away my sister. It was funny but seeing my Mother like that, even my steady as a rock elder sister, P started crying and laughing together. It was a hilarious scene. The poor girl was being given away, her mother was crying, one sister looking pretty foolish doing both crying and laughing, and I shaking all over wrecking my make up with sobs and my body with suppressed giggles and she had this question mark writ over her face. Sensibly the photographer did not capture the moment though in retrospect I think it could have been the best picture - candid as can be! Dads of course have still no choice but to retain a grave look on their faces as crying is still not considered manly and no amount of androgynous fashion trend has managed to pervade real life yet (at least not in India).

And then I became a mother (before the younger sister's marraige of course!) and brought several books and attended several parenting classes. I did not pay for them. My organization believes in sending their employees to several psychology classes of which I have had the privilege to attend maximum and parenting formed a half day session as it was considered the most complex thing to do - rightly too! I read in books and we were also told repeatedly in those sessions that the best bond between a parent and a child comes from touch and so I decided I would practice hugging till I became a pro. I did not want to be caught giggling while hugging my children. My husband loved the practice sessions and his verdict after each session would only be - "No, no. Not perfected yet." Men, I tell you! I was surprised how naturally motherhood transformed me from a rough tomboy to a doting woman. Till my children turned 8 it came naturally to me also. Something snapped when they turned 9. One reason could be that they were turning into young adults. The more plausible one is that thanks to exercise and dieting I had lost my layers of cushioning fat around the same time and it was no longer a very pleasant experience for them. I still keep the practice going and my husband still feels I am not good enough but now I have a second mode of practice.

I end my mails with 'hugs', 'xoxo' etc. and hope the dear friend on the other side only knows as much hugging as I do.

I am even worse at pecking and 'mwah'. I have encountered embarrassing moments when I offer my hand and realize that my friend is giving a hug and it is a bit of commotion and we end up hitting our shoulder bones or me poking her stomach or something like that. These recent developments in social etiquette generally only have the effect of turning me to stone and freeze in my place when I find that look or manner which says - "Hey, I am a hugger."

What is your experience? Are you a good hugger? You should try writing 'hugs' at the end of the mail for a start if you aren't. It may help.

The Big Fat Indian Wedding is all about FUN!

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:02:00 +0000

May they live, age and grow in love!

We had the best possible combination of North and South India at my cousin's wedding. She is half Tam-half Gujju by birth and completely Kannadiga by soul, and now married to a full Gujju, she can say she is truly Indian!

The nuptials were set out in Gujrati style. The ceremonies were new for us Tambrahms and a welcome change. North Indian weddings are relatively more fun than South Indian because of the Sangeet and Mehndi ceremonies apart from the fact that there are absolutely no restrictions and ladies, young and old are free to let out their hearts and dance like there is no tomorrow. No wonder that these are slowly gaining popularity and becoming part of South Indian Weddings too. I, unfortunately had to stay put and watch fro m the aisles as the procession danced their way down the wide streets of Vadodara where the wedding took place. Amidst crackers and 'flower-salutations' (both of which do not meet my environment loving mind at all!!), the groom got down from his horse driven chariot (again...you know that irks me, if you know me well!) and joined the crowd of friends and family and danced to woo his bride. The bride meanwhile with stars in her eyes was waiting for the sound of 'nagadas' (huge drums) to announce her prince's arrival.

I won't go into the details of the ceremonies. I had to stop taking pictures every now and then due to an accident that has injured my right knee, but I managed a photo essay to show you the essences of an Indian wedding. I decked up too but what with me taking pictures, I realized there were none of me to show my accessories!

The Bride:

The Groom:

Others - Mother of the bride, Sister and my Mother:

PICTURES BELONG TO HARINI P, THE AUTHOR OF THIS POST. PLEASE DO NOT REPRODUCE WITHOUT EXPLICIT PERMISSION FROM THE WRITER.

The High Tide in Mumbai

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:13:00 +0000

Sitting on the promenade and enjoying the calm of the Sea on a normal day.

I work very close to the Marine Drive Sea Face and had the joy of witnessing the highest tidal wave of the Season. The high tide started today at 2:05p.m. We had lunch and most of us took a walk to the Sea Face - I armed with Sancho Panza:) as always! The crowd collected there amazed me. I stood along with my friends balancing on the edge of the road divider as going any closer might have harmed my lenses. It was fun seeing the shooting heights of the waves as they hit the promenade with full force and drenched the young and old revelers, bounded off the walls and overflowed the platform and half the road. We all ended up with sticky faces and hair due to the salty spray but it was all worth it.

This is just the beginning of the tide

The first few waves that washed the footpath

After one of the high waves struck

They posed and then were washed!

These are a few pictures. You will find the rest on my flickr photostream, facebook and twitpic. It was good that today was not a rainy day otherwise there would have been havoc!

When I was taking these pictures I remembered the pics that were in circulation during the tsunami days. I think they were fakes - did they not look something like these?

Commuting by train

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:59:00 +0000

I didn't think but must admit that it has been surprisingly fun traveling to work after all these years. It takes me two hours to get there but I have discovered joys that I had forgotten, just as I thought I would. I discovered that I have changed a lot during these last few years too (read as wiser, more intelligent, more mature... he he).

It was a shock when I found myself getting distracted and no longer able to get lost in 'Picadilly Jim'. Is it possible that my taste has changed? Hey, I don't think I want the kind of maturity that will make me lose my sense of humour! That evening while returning I stood by the door to feel the 'wind in my hair' just the way I used to, some years back. Only this time, the wind irritated me and I had to keep using one hand to defend myself from the flying hair of the lady standing before me! Wonder who came up with this idea of letting hair loose!!

The next day I carried 'Message in the bottle' by Nicholas Sparks, and was able to read it fast! I don't generally like mushy, romantic books but I quite liked this one, though not as much as 'The Wedding'. I had to skip a few chapters lest the overly romantic lines put me to sleep, when I had only four more stations to go before I reached VT. That evening while returning I took a seat inside instead of standing at the door. I no longer wished to feel the wind! I finished the book, fiercely fighting the tears that were clouding my eyes and threatening to drip down the corners. Then I went back to the chapters I had skipped earlier and read each word sniffling a little more - ridiculous as it sounds, this time the words kept me awake and gave me a damning headache!

I came to the conclusion that I don't need a headache while getting home, so no more N.S for me while traveling - I will stick to dear old Erma Bombeck and P.G.Wodehouse. No more standing at the door and getting other peoples' hair into my eyes, nose and mouth - Ok! I accept that I am a little over thirty (Sheesh... Jr.H is here. Ok! that was thirty-five), and sitting for a whole hour is definitely more tempting than standing!

I have got the permission, and am all set to open the doors to a beautiful place in Churchgate - so close and yet far from the madding crowd!!

Pati, pallankuzhi aada varela?

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 10:28:00 +0000

"Pati, pallankuzhi aada varela?" ("Grandma, will you come to play pallankhuzhi?")

"O, varendi ma!" ("Yes, coming dear!")

My grandma(1915 - 1994) never said no to us. If she was busy with her prayer beads she would just nod her head to affirm and signal 'later' with her free hand. If she was resting with her head on the pillow or sometimes a 'palagai' and reading a Tamil magazine she would roll it up, tuck it under the palagai and get up slowly adjusting the folds of her 'ombad gajam'. It would always be, "O, varendi ma." My sister and I would immediately fetch the pallankuzhi box, the carefully stored red and black seeds and arrange the board while Pati settled down.

She was a beautiful lady at 70 with wrinkles and folds, grey eyes that seemed to hide a tinge of sadness behind the sparkle and spoke of the many hardships she had faced in life. Yet she always managed a smile that would show us a glimpse of her uneven broken teeth. Pati was said to be the beauty queen of her village as she was blessed with a rosy complexion and good personality. The diamond ear-studs and nose ring she always wore were not only indicative of her prosperity later but seemed to reflect her fiery person. Apart from that she is said to have been witty and called a spade a spade! The one quality I have always heard from relatives who knew her was that she would stand up for justice always and fight for anyone's rights.

At the tender age of 12 she was a much sought after girl married off to my Tata (the 't' is pronounced soft). Since then she had never worn anything other than an 'ombad gajam' even during her stay in Kashmir. By the time we really knew her, Pati was in her 60s, well past her youth but yet a 'pretty woman' - not in the physical sense but in a more soft rounded way. I hear very often about how skilled she was. I think it was not only her, but most people of her generation were skilled and self-taught as they had been through a lot of political turmoil and seen the Country going from a Colony to a free State and followed by the trauma of partition. Even essential food supplies were scarce and they naturally learned to value money and improvise with whatever was available. Pati would 'cut' frayed or worn ut sarees in her 'aruvamanai' and sew 'inner skirts' or 'pavadai' with them with her hand as a tailoring machine was a luxury few could afford. Though she would scrooge over every penny at home she was always generous, both in her attitude as well as in terms of material things - always willing to share and help people in distress.

Some of my most cheerful moments were spent in the verandah sitting on garden chairs or charpois listening to stories of Krishna or playing Tamil verbal games like;
'kadai tengai ya edduttu vazhi Pulayar ku odachavan yaar da?' (who stole the cookie from the cookies jar),
'ondar dakkar dakkar done' (Out in the garden each fine day with my ball I like to play.....)
'iddu enna kodam?' (I don't think there is an English or Hindi equivalent) and of course, pallankuzhi.

That is where this post was meant to go before Pati took it over!

Pallankuzhi is a pretty ancient and traditional board game for two players. I guess it might be played elsewhere too in India but as far as I know it is basically from Tamil Nadu. It is a strategy oriented game. The board is a wooden foldable plank with 7 depressions on each side. The fourth hole in the center of each side is called 'Kasi'. Kasi is the bank where both the players deposit their loot. The depressions are called 'houses'. Each player receives a certain number (equal) of shells (chozhi)/red beads/tamarind seeds/red and black beads. These will be distributed equally in all the houses except the kasi. When it is my turn I have to collect the beads from any one house and go on dropping it one each in every house till it gets over. The full house next to the now empty house is open to the opponent for capture. Each player plays in turn with the aim of collecting all the beads of the opponent making him go pauper.

I have watched my kids playing a similar video game on TV. The principle is the same. When I was searching for pallankuzhi to revive my memories of the game I came across 'Ageless bonding', a blog by Usha which had a similar topic. From there I learnt, like the author about 'warri'. Isn't it odd that pallankuzhi is also played in West Indies as 'warri', and in Africa as 'oware' and 'kalah'?

Would you like to share about traditional games you played as a child? I will give the lyrics and wordings of a few more games we played as kids in further posts!

Glossary for this post:
Pallankuzhi - also 'pallanguzhi', pallamkuzhi' - a traditional board game from South India (Tamilnadu)
Pati - Grandmother. Also Tati.
Tata - Grandfather. Also Pata
Palagai - A small rectangular wooden plank elevated used as chopping board and sometimes instead of a pillow. It may be elevated slightly with two stands.
Ombad gajam - Traditional saree style as worn by South Indian brahmin ladies in earlier days. The length of the saree is nine yards hence the name. Ombad - nine, gajam - yards. To this day the bride in a Tamil Brahmin wedding wears this saree during marraige.
Aruvamanai - A foldable sickle shaped knife fixed on a wooden plank at one end and shaped into a coconut grater on the other.
Pavadai - Pleated long skirt worn by young girls in the earlier days. Nowadays you still find girls wearing it during festivals or weddings.
Red beads - Scientific name - Adenanthera pavonia. Here are the various names by which it is known in different languages - in case you have some memories of it!

English - red wood tree/bead tree/saga tree/gem tree.
Hindi - ratangunj or badi gumchi.
Sanskrit - ratnagunj.
Malayalam - manjadi kuru.
Tamil - Ani gundumani
Telugu - Gurivenda, Enugaguruginji
Kannada - Ane golaganji
Bengali - Ranjana
Marathi - Thorlagunj, Ratangunj
Gujarati - Ratna Gunja, Moti Chanothi

A trip down town

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 04:31:00 +0000

While January does wonderful things to my senses with the scent of Spring in the air, my heart keeps leaping ahead into February because this is when Strand Book Stall holds its annual 'more than 50% off' book sale at Sunderabhai Hall in Churchgate.

Mr.Shanbaug, the man who is behind the shop has sold dreams, created aspirations, shown realities, and introduced the best of books from around the world to Mumbaites for generations at a good price, is a surprisingly humble person whom I chanced to meet during one of the sales. He had just won the President's award and was taking a stroll and recommending some of the books to customers (not the costly ones - in fact he recommended one of the cheapest ones there simply because the book was good!). I introduced myself and shook his hands saying I thought he was a wonderful person (for being our book supplier from college to adulthood), and he beamed saying he had hardly expected the President (Shri.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam) to recognise the efforts of a book stall owner - see? that simple!

For some reason the sale was pre-poned this year and held in January, and I would have missed it had it not been for a birder friend's email. This is one sale where I really splurge. It is probably the only reason for me to visit Churchgate anymore, and I anticipate a lot from this visit - I wander about on Colaba Causeway and sigh at the dwindling magic, still shop for trinkets at Asiatic to revive the memories of a teenager who shopped there frequently for trinkets then (I found that the artifical jewellery has jumped five times in price), go further down and buy some pastries at Gaylords (they never had the drab ones ever, and still remain among Mumbai's best bakers!), eat at Lenin's pav bhaji at Khau Gali to hear the laughter of my friends (it still rings loud and clear) - before I eventually go for the icing on the cake of memories!

A trip to Strand Book Stall's sale is an experience by itself. You will need at least three hours to do some justice to the collection laid out. I simply like to look at the book, feel the covers and browse idly for an hour before I realize that time has flown and then I run back to the first rack and start choosing the ones I need to take - this is one daunting task! High on priority is one Tintin, one Calvin and Hobbes, one Trixie Belden, one P.G.Wodehouse and one cookbook, as Jr.P, I and Jr.H are building our own collections. Apart from that I end up picking up pun books, poetry collections, some things I may never read - last time I bought a coin atlas and it would have not seen the light of day had it not been for a history project my daughter did at school! This time I also bought "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (Read already but will re-read), a Louis Lamour to complete the Sackett Collection and "The pleasure of finding things out" by my favourite physicist, and humorist, Richard P. Feynman. I looked around a lot for some good bread baking books but was disappointed not to find any of the names blogs have familiarised me with - Peter Reinhart or King Arthur's books! I did find a very good book - The Tofu Cookbook by Becky Johnson with many recipes for desserts, mains, sides and appetizers all using tofu as the centrepiece! Tofu will rule my blog this year as the photographs in the books are extremely well set, and appetizing:)

Strand Book Stall:
"Dhannur", Sir P. M. Road, Fort, MUMBAI - 400 001
(022) 22661719/ 22661994/ 22614613 Fax : (022) 22630154
strandbookstall@vsnl.com

Sunderabai Hall:
Behind Income Tax Office, Churchgate, Mumbai 400020.

Gaylords Hotel:
Mayfair Building, Near Ambassador Hotel, Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate, Mumbai - 400020

New landmarks!

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:46:00 +0000

The other day I was to visit a friend who had recently shifted to a new place. I did not know the route to the place well and called her asking for directions. She mentioned the highway, a flyover and branches, confusing me even more! When I said I was completely new and did not know the area at all she struck upon a great idea. She is one of those gifted people who will have you in splits with her timely one liners and cracking wit.

"Go straight down the highway till you find a hoarding on the left side of "X"(The local corporator) - it is a huge one wishing him a happy birthday, take a left and keep going straight till you come to a lane."
"Is it the first one?" I asked.
"Don't bother about that - just look out for the one which has a huge overflowing garbage pile," she said adding, "you won't miss it!"
"What? I have to enter from that place?" I asked.
She laughed and said, "I knew that was coming. Don't worry you have take the opposite one, and this one is a clean and neat one."

I was a little confused as there were a number of hoardings in various sizes. One wishing everybody happy new year(from local politicians), some just displaying 'a', 'b', 'c',names of politicians in the area), and all along the road 2 feet hoardings of a prominent political leader in white churidar kurta! Looming behind all these was a huge board wishing "Happy birthday" to "....ji....." - I knew I had found my man (sorry the hoarding I needed)! The garbage pile was easy to locate as the stench was unbearable - the ghantagadi that was to pick the garbage had not yet come. I reached on time.

Do the directions sound weird? Strange as it may sound it is the most practical way especially when the roads are not maintained, when there are no signboards on most lanes. Sometimes you could even use the huge potholes as landmarks, or the flamboyant fountains that show opulence more than anything else! The buildings themselves are well maintained. If the lanes are well maintained you will find more hoardings obscuring the skyline. The leader has to make sure he is seen in his latest fashion. You could make out the change as the dress changes accordingly - each leader obviously has a portfolio shot!

These hoardings have become (a)political menace - the hoardings themselves are a problem because they loom bigger and larger than all other nature's beauties.

They have become a menace because politicians use it most hence a political menace. I hope someone's hearing!

'Apolitical':

having no interest or involvement in political affairs;
having an aversion to politics or political affairs
having no political significance

(Courtesy - Marriam-Webster)

Food related 'Muhavre', 'lokokti' in Hindi (Idioms, proverbs and pharases)

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:18:00 +0000

Mood tha ki kucch aisa ho jaaye, maze ke liye! Have you ever thought how much we refer to food in the world of idioms, phrases and proverbs in Hindi? I just thought of putting them together here. If you know of any more leave it in the comment section please. I update this post on a regular basis.

Apni khichdi alag pakaana - Have radical ideas.

Aam ke aam, gutlion ke daam - Reaping double benefits (Fell two birds with one stone)

Angoor khatte hain -
Literal – Grapes are sour
Figurative – Denial of the desirability of something, after one has found out that it cannot be reached. (Contributed by Sita)

Bandar kya jaane adrak ka swad - Incapable of appreciating the value of a thing/art etc. Literally it means "Can a monkey appreciate the taste of ginger" - English counterpart - "Casting pearls before swine". (Contributed by Sharmila on 21.12.08)

Birbal ki khichdi - A promise of providing that would never be honoured. (Contributed by Sita)

Dal mein kucch kaala hona - Used when we would like to emphasize that there is something more than what is visible to the eye, or to indicate doubt.

Dal nahi galna - As in "tumhari dal nahi galne waali"
Literal - Your dal is not going to cook
Figurative - Used to send the message that "you cannot trick me anymore" or "I have seen through you". Almost the same as "don't cook up any more stories" (In reply to a comment)

Doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani - Used when we would like to say that "Justice is achieved", or used when a situation gets clarified.

Doodh ki nadiyaan bahaana - Used to indicate wastage usually of money (Using milk in place of water).

Ek Anaar sau beemar - Too many takers for one thing.

Ghar ki murghi dal barabar - Tendency to undervalue what is ours.
Literal translation - Chicken made at home is equivalent to dal.
Contributed by Smitha on 13.01.09. I wonder how I missed this. My husband keeps telling me this because I go to a gym even though he himself is a good trainer!!
(I find this odd - how can one say that? dal is more universally loved:))

Jale par namak chidakna - Rub salt on open wound.

Kaanon mein tel daalna - Not paying attention or not listening to what is said. Be indifferent.

Khichdi pakaana - Scheming secretively.

Khotta chana baje ghana - Empty vessel makes more noise. Used for people who have little or no knowledge but brag a lot. (Contributed by Lakshmi)

Lohe ke chane chabaana - Work very very hard, or do a difficult job.

Mann mein laddoo phootna - Become very very happy

Muh mein paani aana - Getting tempted

Namak mirch lagaana - exagerate the truth.

Oonth ke muh me jeera - This is used to imply the 'short supply' for large numbers. Suppose you have to feed someone with a large appetite, and you serve very very less, we say it is like 'Oonth ke muh mein jeera'.

Tere muh mein ghee shakkar - If someone gives you a good news, which you wish would come true you say "tere muh mein ghee shakkar" to indicate that you hope that the news comes true.(Contributed by reader, Bhavani)

Til ka taad banaana - to make a mountain out of a molehill.

Uddhaar khaaye baithna - Remain dependent on someone.

This page will be updated as and when I come across or remember more 'food related phrases'.

Movies, masti, magic.....

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 05:12:00 +0000

I am a huge movie buff - its a different thing that I hardly see any movies these days thanks to exorbitant ticket rates. I like watching movies alone, when it is not a rush hour and there are no pesky youngsters around me, and now one thing or the other crops up besides being answerable to kids!

I like watching movies alone not because I have always been doing this but I realized there was no point in dragging along my husband and having him snore next to me in the theatre - it spoils the ambiance for me as well as others who glare at me! I remember once when I just had to see this new digital version of 'Grease' in Sterling near VT (Now CST). I took a day off, bought two tickets as my husband promised he would meet me outside, and was simply kept waiting! This was long back and I had never seen a movie alone before but the thought of missing the show having come that far was too much for me! I am a big big fan of John Travolta and love watching the music videos even now! That day I realized that watching alone was an even better experience. After that incident I have never again pestered P to accompany me to a movie. I think the last movie he really watched was 'My Brother Nikhil'.

Watching a movie alone has many advantages.
You do not need to suppress your tears if it is a tear jerker (I took two napkins, picked a seat in an empty row and drowned myself sneezing quite noisily at 'Black')
You do not feel embarrassed when there are adult scenes (I had to literally disown my children who kept asking me quite loudly as to what Abhishek was doing in the last few scenes of 'Salaam Namaste')
You can wistfully smile at romantic scenes(Music and Lyrics) without having your husband comment that the picture is getting boring, and
You pay half the price and get to have a sandwich with the coffee and popcorn without having to think about the exorbitant rates at the theatre cafetaria(Too many to name)!

There are some pitfalls especially if you are seeing something like 'Brokeback Mountain' and have giggling college crowd next to you, when you are watching 'Omkara' and admiring Saif's performance when the youngsters nearby start mouthing 'gaalis'. Uggghhhh.....that is the only thing that irks me and makes me squirm. I also hate it when I am seated next to young lovers who keep whispering so much that I hardly get to hear dialogues(Hitch). I hate when people are indifferent to the seriousness in really good movies, and keep making odd noises - I got into a fight with one such person when I watched 'Perzania' (during the interval) and sat as far as possible to enjoy the rest of the movie.

Such is my love for movies, and for the songs in Bollywood. My day begins with getting up groggy and putting 'on' the dvd without which I find it difficult to pep myself - I need it like tea! Songs whether from films(Bollywood/Tollywood/Hollywood Zindabad), non filmy, ghazals, qawwalis, rock or reggae (my favorite genres), classical - western or Indian, decide my mood and I am incomplete without music!

P.S: Today I am going to see 'Dostana', and don't miss 'Taare Zameen Par' on the tube - I am all set with a few napkins, popcorns, and the kids........:)

How do you watch movies - in a group, with your partner, alone?

Exploring Thane - Prashant Chaat Corner

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:18:00 +0000

I wanted to become a journalist long back. In fact when I used to pass the TOI building on way to my college many years back, I would look at it quite wistfully. Later I even wrote some articles and sent it. For weeks I waited for some response but the mailbox would not bring any pleasantries, and that was the end of it!!

Now, when I go around doing reviews of my favourite chaat corners in cities asking for permission to take pictures and write about restaurants I live a little bit of that dream. I started my first review from Prashant Corner. It was done in August, but I never got around to posting it till now!

Prashant Corner started off some 6 to 7 years back as a small one room shop and now it has grown so much that it has branches in other parts of Thane too. More than the main sweet shop what it is famous for is the Chaat Corner which dishes out Mumbai Street Food in a very hygienic atmosphere.

Location: Panch Pakhadi, Thane. Next to GKB Eye Care.

Timing: 4:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. every day.

Age:6 and 1/2 years old

Owner of the Chaat Counter : Mr.Mani, a Tamilian from Salem!!

Famous dishes: Panipuri, Sevpuri, Dahivada, and Tikki Chhole/Ragda Pattice.

The Chaat Corner is run by Mr.Mani. Mani and his Tamilian entourage used to work for the once famous Gurukrupa Chaat Bhandar in Sion. Due to personal reasons Mr.Mani split from the owner of Gurukrupa, and so did all the other Tamilian workers. They started with two outlets in Thane right outside Prashant Corner, and another one which has now closed down at Brindavan which houses most of the South Indian, and Sindhi population of Thane.

However, the Brindavan outlet has closed down, and now opened at Vasant Vihar (going great guns!).

USP of Prashant Corner:
The use of disposable gloves and caps while working, and clean counters. Tasty Dishes at reasonable rates. Clean water dispenser with disposable glasses, and huge dustbins.

For some of you this may be normal but here it is not! In fact you will find that many good fast food centres too do not have basic facilities such as clean counters which they conveniently hide behind big boxes, containers etc.

Price Tag:
A plate of ragda pattice costs about Rs.17/- and contains two big aloo tikkis smothered with lots of chhole. You also get beet coated onion rings, dhania and dahi(if you ask).

Parcels: They provide take aways too. The food gets packed in individual food grade disposable plastic containers at an additional cost of Rs.5/-, along with tissues and plastic spoons.

Home delivery: Home deliveries, and party orders are taken a day before. Delivery is provided only for bulk orders.

Quality of food: Yummmmmo!! Lip smacking:)

Diclaimer - I do not have any contacts there nor have I been assigned to review them. I did this because the food is so good, it deserves to be recognized!!

What would you expect from a review like this? Is there any other information you would like? Please leave a comment or mail me at sunshinemomsblog[at]gmail[dot]com, and I shall be as always 'happy to hear', and respond to your queries:)

Exploring Bengaluru - The Bookworm

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:03:00 +0000

What would you do if won a lottery ticket? I would head to the nearest bookshop and treat myself to a favourite novel, and if I was anywhere near Bookworm I would end up buying the 'almost as good as new' as well as some of the 'very old and well thumbed' edition of Blondies, Phantoms, the whole set of Calvin and Hobbes, and the entire Tintin collection as well!

For me old books open up a new world - the book may not be mine and yet it takes me back in time. The time when 'Gollywog' still existed in Enid Blyton's books, and the time when Blondie was the 'in' thing in comics. There is something about the smell of old books that elates and perks me up as if I have hit upon a treasure - and that is what happens to me every time I visit Bookworm.

How we discovered bookworm is rather amusing! We were browsing through books at Higgins n Bothams on M.G Road when one of the kids got a 'potty' urge. I guess Mums of pre-teen kids are the best guides in any town to tell you all about the 'public toilet' locations! It was during the 'toilet' search that my sister stumbled upon a small, dark shop literally splashed with columns of books - old and new, rare and common at Shrungar Shopping Arcade! She returned and announced her discovery, and that day started this new 'regular' addition to our shopping sites in Bangalore.

'The Bookworm' is a small shop located in the gully next to India Coffee House on M.G.Road, and is housed in 'Shrungar Complex'. The young man - Manoj Gowda who mans the counter is most helpful and quite well informed about all kinds of books. You just have to name the author or the book or a little bit of the story line and he will fish out the whole collection. Since the shop is small and stacked to capacity it is sometimes difficult to locate the book you want, but I think it is this very thing which gives it life, and though there are no couches to sit on and luxuriously read the books, we just love shopping here - to touch the old books, smell them, and get total value for money.

The good thing about Bookworm is that they are always ready to send you the books by parcel if you end up purchasing more than you can lug (which will happen every time!), provided you pay the money in advance. The first time we (sis & I) went there, we both ran crazy and ended up buying about 30 to 40 books!! We were pondering half heartedly on which ones to retain and which ones to put back when Mr.Gowda told us their 'home delivery' system. We carried a few books for the journey and parceled the rest immediately after paying up the amount + half the postage fee.

The shop at Shrungar Complex is only the tip of the iceberg! Seeing that he had caught some big fish, Gowda took us to their other shop located quite nearby at
No.32, Basement
Brigade Road, Bangalore - 560001
Landmark - Behind Shoe Track
Phone No. - 080 411 26755

Look at my loot!! (These were bought during the Summer Hols)

This time I bought one more pile of books! So when are you raiding 'the bookworm'? If there are some places you know of in Bangalore running on similar lines, please leave a comment or drop me a mail.

Always happy to hear:)

Next, I shall bring you the flavors of 'Mast Kalandar' - a North Indian chain of restaurants!

From Bangalore to Bengaluru

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Ever since I can recall I have associated Summers with Bangalore [not Bengaluru], and even now April brings fresh goosebumps on my arms as I remember the rush for tickets three months before, the frenzied packing, and the mixed anticipation of spending two whole months in the company of my cousins. Mixed - because one year changed us a lot, and we knew that others had gone through changes - similar or dissimilar?!

Every Summer Holiday our parents would ritually take us to Bangalore to my Grandparents house. This used to be the general tradition during my childhood - most of my classmates (except some who had rebellious or adventurous parents) too had the same kind of vacation. Vacation was a time for meeting and bonding with relatives, and not discovering different places. The routine was set perhaps because the income was restricted to one person and middle class families could not afford to waste money on extravagant holidays especially with one earning member. My Dad's family is huge - they are over a dozen siblings and we are now more than two dozen cousins [the last head count touched eighty]. Except for some ten cousins who have migrated to the US, most of us are here in India! You can imagine the chaos, the commotion and above all the joyous mood that sets in when we all meet! We could form two teams and have a full fledged cricket match complete with an audience.

Those were days when pollution was still at its infancy, and Bangalore was deservingly monikered - The Garden City - with green avenues, pretty rose gardens separating rows of houses, and characterized by pleasant climate throughout the year. The British laid drainage system was still in working condition in contrast to the dismal condition of Bengaluru's open sewers. The pace was relaxed and Bangalore more closely resembled Mahabaleshwar during afternoons. My Mom often used to say - Bangalore is all about "oota maadu, nidra maadu" (eat, sleep).

Not any more! That was in the past. These days it is hot and dry in April, the everchanging one-ways pose perennial confusion, the traffic is always at its 'peak' be it a working day or holiday. The IT industry has secured a permanent foothold and shaved the landscape off its greenery. The greenery that is left is restricted to Old Bangalore or The Defence Area which remain a treat for sore eyes. As you go towards the old airport (Near HAL) and beyond, all you find is the concrete remains of a once beautiful land. It is the price Bangalore paid to become 'Bengaluru'. The slogan is 'kelsa maadu' (work)! Even Pamela Anderson has realized that silicon is not the only way to go, when will we learn that India requires employment for the masses, and not Silicon Cities catering to a select few! I am all for progress but when education leads to cliched 'rich growing richer' syndrome, generates a few high salaried MNC employees, kills creativity and indigenous production there is definitely a lesson there - are we willing to take cue? Like a Tee-shirt liner said 'there is life beyond . com', and we need to encourage the alternate path too!

What remains the same about Bangalore is the food. The quality has not changed much over the years. While many good restaurants have given way to multi-cuisine restaurants, some of the old eateries still manage to survive and impart the same kind of food as they did years ago - when my Dad was in college! On the flip side you find most restaurants have a post lunch siesta break (quite unheard of in Mumbai!) and after two in the afternoon it is quite difficult to find a good restaurant open if you opt for a late lunch. You will have to wait till four in the evening when they start serving snacks. This trend appears to be slowly changing - this time I found some of the recently opened North Indian restaurants keeping their doors open for late grubbers.

In this series, I will be introducing my favourite eateries in Bangalore, and review places I have visited and found interesting. I generally take pictures - always with permission of the owner, but sometimes you may not find any due to lack of approval. If you are looking for proper tourist places you could visit one of the many Indian Government's tourism sites. This review is for those who enjoy delving into the gullies and nukkads - places not usually reviewed but places which have built the character of Bangalore, and will remain the essence of 'Bengaluru'.

My passion is reading and I thought it would be most appropriate to start with 'Book Worm' - A treasure trove my sisters and I have been raiding since the time we discovered it - about three years back! My visits to Bangalore are incomplete without visiting this haven of new and old books.

Stay tuned for 'The Bookworm', and for stepping into Bangalore and out on Bengaluru time and again!

Daddy Dearest

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:13:00 +0000

When I was a kid my Dad was someone distant, and unreachable. We looked up to him as the sole bread earner. He used to go to work early every morning and come back with a grim face every evening. He spoke no nonsense, and we were taught not to raise his temper. He never knew, and was always confused over which of us was the younger kid, and I mistook this for aloofness.

Now a mother myself, I realize, during all the time he was transferred and we traveled, we had no worries because we knew Daddy knew his way about, and we knew we were safe as long as he was around. The only time we knew he cared for us was when we fell asleep in the car, and yet woke up in our beds the next morning. I always thought it was an angel that dropped me there but Mum told us it was Dad who lifted us!

Now with his daughters married, settled and having their own homes my Daddy is older. When we call he talks less, and I am surprised at times when the line cracks because even as I am talking to Mother, I know he is holding on to the parallel line and listening to us. Somehow it has always been heartwarming to know he does that! It shows he cares.

I cannot understand how children grow up and desert their parents at old age to fend for themselves!! Do they not know that it is their turn to play angel?

Appreciating Art

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:51:00 +0000

The world is full of talented people but only a handful get recognition, and the few who are recognized need not necessarily be the best among the lot - because art has to be marketed these days! It is more about how well you have exposed your works, which art galleries have featured your works, and which celebrity (who may have nothing to do with your work nor have any knowledge or interest in it!!) has graced your show.

I have come across some very deserving artistes who do not have a platform to feature themselves. Some of them belong to an earlier generation, and cannot really compete with the present generation when it comes to showcasing their works and the technical knowledge to feature it.

This post is dedicated to such unsung heroes. The pictures that appear on the side bar of this blog and my other blog - Tongue Ticklers.... are the works of such talented people. I do not have any nor do I expect any monetary consideration for featuring these works!!

Rangoli Artist - Shri.Trimbak Joshi

Rangoli is an art, well known in India. Rangoli refers to designs made with 'finely ground white powders and colours'. Please check up the highlighted link in Wikipedia to know more about the art itself. Rangoli also refers to decorating such designs with flowers or, to drawings on the floor with a thickish paste of rice powder with the help of cloth.

"Chola rulers made extensive use of floor paintings. They are known by different names in different parts of the country; Alpana in Bengal, Aripana in Bihar, Madana in Rajasthan, RangoliGujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra, Chowkpurana in Uttar Pradesh and Kolam in Kerala Tamilnadu, Muggu in Andhrapradesh. Some of these, especially many of the North Indian ones like Aalpana more often refer to floor painting with traditional wet color, rather than the powder rangoli more conventional in south India." (Source - Wikipedia)

Shri. Trimbak Joshi is well known amongst 'Rangoli Artists'. He has carved a niche for himself in painting the portraits of the famous Saints of Maharashtra like Sant Gajanan Maharaj, Sant Tukaram, Nana Maharaj, Datta Kavishwar Maharaj and many others. He is a regular participant at 'The Geeta Jayanti Mahotsav' held annually at Kurukshetra. He is a recipient of many awards at State level, and is called upon by temples during auspicious occasions, and by associations to paint the rangoli of leaders. However, this is the first time that his works are being shown to the world in general, and I consider myself lucky to play host:). If you like what you see here or what shall be following in the side bar do drop in comments here. I will definitely convey him the online bouquets!! If you would like to contact Shri.Trimbak Joshi to feature him or collaborate with him please drop me a mail at sunshinemomsblog[at]gmail[dot]com. You can also leave your contact details in the comments section here, so that he can get back to you!

Shri. Trimbak Joshi's rangoli - The featured rangoli was made a few years back. The rangoli (It is not a painting!!) shows Lokmanya Tilak addresssing a public gathering organized by Dadasaheb Khapardekar, Kolatkar and Desai - Leaders from Maharasthra - in the presence of Sant.Gajanan Maharaj at Shegaon. Please do not copy the picture without my consent, which shall be given after taking the consent of Shri.Trimbak Joshi. These are copyrighted works belonging to Shri. Trimbak Joshi.

Think twice - it's another day for you and me in Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:20:00 +0000

Just a word to go beyond the chartbusting number. This is the reality of Bihar.

Maybe you and I can do something. This is my bit for Bihar. No, there will be no 'contributor's list' this time because it is my belief that it is a duty to share, and I do not believe in charity. Sharing is a joy and that is the reward. If thinking of these people brings tears in your eyes, makes you think of your country if you are away - act! Let's not complain about the system. For a change - let's do something to change what is happening.

check goonj.org

I am reproducing below the page that shows the names of their collection centers.:

COLLECTION CENTRES

Please note -
All the collection centres are the houses/ work place of volunteers (most of them are working people). GOONJ is thankful to all these people to give space and their contacts. Please make sure to call up to check the availability of the volunteer and for directions to avoid any inconvenience..

You can contribute..

DELHI

EAST DELHI

PATPARGANJ: C - 501, UNESCO Appt., Tel.- 22238890, 9810603303 Cont.- Mr. Rajeev Sachdeva
KAUSHAMBHI: 302, Annapurna Tower Tel.- 9810858728, 2273264 Cont.- Ms. Meenakshi
MAYUR VIHAR PH-I: A- 404, Aashiyana appt., Tel.- 9810111912, 9871391717 Cont.- Mr. Vinit Vidyarthi
VASUNDHARA ENCLAVE: H. No.- 13, Deluxe appt., Tel.- 42401476, 9891481543 Cont.- Ms. Geeta Vidyarthi

WEST DELHI

JANAKPURI: A-2-A/244, Mobile No. 9891427503 Cont.- Ms. Linda
NARAINA: I- 18, Naraina Vihar Tel.- 25790084 Cont.- Ms. Madan
PUNJABI BAGH: H.N.-26, Road No.-78 Tel.- 25222680 Cont.- Ms. Sanjukta Seth
EAST PUNJABI BAGH: H.No- 20, Road No-23 Tel.- 9971465161
Cont.- Ms. Sonia
ROHINI: Flat 105 Bhagya Laxmi Society, Laxmi Apts. Plot 24/3, Sector- 9, Rohini 110085 Tel.- 011- 27564561
VISHNU PARK: Balaji Niwas, WZ18/2,Plot No.26, Vishnu Park Tel.- 9810893107 Cont.- Ms. Anuradha Gupta

SOUTH DELHI

CHITTARANJAN PARK: J-1868, Ground Floor, C.R. Park, New Delhi Tel.-9810879990, 9811689345 Cont.- Ms. Suneepa Sangtani
GK-II: G-36, Masjid Moth, G.K. - II, Tel.- 29227682, 98-184-64420 Cont.- Mrs. Anubha Bellani
GK- IV: H. No- 24, 2nd Floor, NRI Colony (Adjoining Jahanpana club), GK-IV Tel.- 9810695890 Cont.- Ms. Ranjana
PANCHSHEEL PARK: S-145, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi – 110017, Tel.-4101-9127, 2601-2833 Cont.- Ms. Mridula Murgai
SAINIK FARMS: W-12/69, Western Avenue, Sainik Farms, Tel.- 98-184-20847 Cont.- Mrs. Vijaya Goel
SHEIKH SARAI: 250 RPS Flats, Phase- I Tel.- 26012477 Cont.- Ms. Reena Mohan / Ranjana Mohan
SARITA VIHAR: GOONJ.. J-93, Sarita Vihar, N.D. Tel.- 26972351, 41401216 Cont.- Ruchika /Yasmeen

NORTH DELHI
MALKAGANJ: 7,Malkaganj, Opp. Hansraj College, Tel.- 23851072, 9810621701 Cont.- Ms. Veena Khanna

NOIDA
Sector-28: H.No.- 397, Sector-28, Ward 2A (Opp. Bramhmaputra market) Tel.- 0120- 2455951/ 952 Cont.- Mr. Satya Prakash

Sector-93A: SV-II-08 TF, Eldeco Utopia Sector 93-A, Noida Expressway, Noida, U.P. 201304 Tel.- 4234938 (R), 99996-31466, 98100-59528 Cont.- Ms. Indu Ramchandani

FARIDABAD
Sector-37: C-156, Ashoka Enclave-II, sect.–37, Tel.- 0129- 4128978, 98681-46978 Cont.- Anshu.K.Gupta/ Meenakshi
Sector 7B: 553, Sector-7-B, Tel.- 95129-2244736,9811557553 Cont.- Mr. M.L. Chatrath
Sector 21 C: H.No - 939, Sector - 21C, Tel.- 0129- 2425261 Cont.-Dr P. L. Trakroo

GURGAON
Rail Vihar (A). Flat No.-201, Block-B, Rail Vihar, Sector-15/2, (Near Fab India) Tel.- 2307850, 9810964115. Cont.- Mr. S.D. Gupta
(B). Flat No 503, Block- A, Rail Vihar, Sector- 15/2, (Near Fab India) Tel.- 2305515 Cont.- Ms. Prem Goyal
Jalvayu Towers:J-915, Jalvayu Towers, Sector-56
Tel.- 98-180-27988 Cont.- Mrs. Manorita Singh
Sector 49: S-119, Ground Floor, Uppal south end, Sohna Road, Sector - 49 Tel.- 4253119, 9213217371 Cont.- Mr. K. C. Jain
Sushant Lok: A -303 A Sushant Lok, Part 1, Behind Essar Towers
Tel.- 98-183-86878 Cont.- Dr. L.B. Jethra
DLF Ph-I: A-30/2, DLF Phase- I, Behind Mega Mall, Gurgaon
Tel.- 9818147901 Cont.- Ms. Manisha Kumar
DLF CITY-1: A- 51/ 7, DLF CITY-1, Behind Mega Mall, Gurgaon
Tel.- 9810606306 Cont.- Ms. Anupama Jhingon

GHAZIABAD
F-27, IInd floor, Nehru Nagar, Tel.- 9810260005 Cont.- Sandeep

GOONJ.. OFFICES IN OTHER CITIES-

CHENNAI

Coordinator: Ms. Padma (9842665320)
Office Address:- GOONJ, C/O,SEVA SAMAJAM CHILDREN'S HOME, 75, BAJANAI KOVIL STREET, PALLIPATTU, ADYAR, CHENNAI - 600 113
Email- padmagoonj@gmail.com

MUMBAI

Coordinator : Mr. Rohit Singh (98332-37678, 93223- 81600)
Office Address: 11, Rangawali - 2, Khopat, Thane (W), Maharashtra – 400601 Email- rohitgoonj1@gmail.com

Mumbai collection centres-

TOWN AREA :
WORLI : 6, Sea Glimpse, 69 Worli Hill Road, Worli Mumbai- 400 018
Tel.- 98203 00281 Cont.- Ms. Sarika Pherwani
LALBAUG : A-201, Anupam, Bombay Gas Lane, Lalbaug, Mumbai- 400 012 Tel.- 93240 32518 Cont.- Mr. Vaibhav Bhandari

WESTERN :
BANDRA: 204 – Aamrit Society, 15, Carter Road, Bandra (W), Mumbai- 52 Landmark - Cafe Coffee Day, Carter Road Tel.- 022-2605 9345 / 98194 36702 Cont.- Ms. Sonam Chawla
ANDHERI: 5-C / 90, Mittal Estate, Sir M V Road, (Opp. National Garage/Leela Hotel), Andheri (E), Mumbai- 400059
Tel.- 022-2850 0646 Cont.- Mr. Asharam (On Weekdays only)

CENTRAL
MULUND : Appt # 1703, Onyx, Nirmal Lifestyles, Mulund (W), Mumbai- 80 Tel.- 98675 85227 Cont.- Ms. Pooja Tahilramani
KURLA (W) : Kunjan Silks Pvt Ltd., Galla- 110, 1st floor, Wadia indst. state, Behind bail bazaar, kurla west, Mumbai- 70 Tel.- 9930103739
Cont.- Anil, Tel.- 98332-37678, 93223- 81600
Cont.- Rohit Singh

NAVI MUMBAI
NERUL : 602-E, SaiKrupa Hsg. Society, Plot-100, Sector-27, Nerul, Navi Mumbai- 400706 Tel.- 98700 00578 Cont.- Ms. Preeti Chande

HARBOUR LINE
CHEMBUR: 16 Zarina Park, Mankhurd, (Opp. Anushakti Nagar Main Gate), Mumbai- 88 Tel.- 022-2556 6582 Cont.- Mrs. Sushma Chopra

THANE
THANE (W): Appt# 1202, 12th Floor, Ascona Bldg., ‘B’ Wing, Raheja Garden, Off LBS Road, Thane (W)- 400064 Tel.- 98201 73624 Cont.- Mr. Arun Balaji

PUNE
Plot No.48, Survey 34/2, Vidyanagar (Near Coca Cola Godown), Pune -411 032 Tel.- 020-27172068 Cont.- Mr. C. Ravindranath

JALANDHAR
Coordinator: Ms. Daljeet (9855023391)
Office Address: Mayor World School, Urban Estate Phase-I

HYDERABAD
Coordinating Volunteer : Ms. Nitu (9908607775)
Hyderabad collection centre: 8-3-318/11/1 Jaya Prakash Nagar, Yellareddi Guda, Hyderabad- 500073 Tel.- 9849600002 Cont.-T S V Ramana

BANGALORE
Coodrinating Volunteers
A. Smitha Anand (9986213181)
Res. Address: House No 326, Ground Floor, 2nd Cross, 22nd Main, BTM 2nd Stage Bangalore - 560068 (Best time to contact: Working days: Anytime Weekends: Anytime)

B. Srividya (9886831028)
Res. Address: No: 516, Third Stage, First Block, Basaveshwaranagar Bangalore: 560079 (Best time to contact: Working days: After 7:30 pm Weekends: Anytime)

PS: This post does not call for any comments. It's only meant to draw attention of the random surfer.

Are we short of Heroes?

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 05:26:00 +0000

When Ishmit Singh won 'Voice of India' I am sure he had no idea that he will be the face of emerging heroes for India.

While I am really sorry that a young man lost his life just when his career graph was on the rise, I am also sorry that Punjab has chosen a reality show winner to bestow State Honours! This is nothing short of a snub on all the achievers from Punjab! Does India have no Heroes to choose from? It is such a pitiable state of affairs!

What message is the Government sending to its youth? What do you expect from your idol? Please let me know!! Am I out of sync with the rest of the world - I felt a hero is one who has proved his mettle, one who has carved a niche, one who has inspired many others to follow their dreams!

Or is there a change in the dream - maybe it is all about fame and richness and whether people know you as a 'celebrity', even if it is for one moment!!

Let me know what you expect from an idol, or a hero!!

Day 1 at Dandeli

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:42:00 +0000

This post is in continuation of the earlier one here. I was very pleasantly surprised to find a mail from one Mr.Kumar in my inbox a few days back. He asked me when I was posting my further days at Dandeli, and then so did Sharmila, a dear blogger friend who keeps introducing me to innovative cooking through her food blog here - so yours truly is here to fill in the gaps.

In the last post we had just reached the resort - Hornbill Resort.......

After a light lunch, the housekeeping staff showed us to our cottage. I had my first sighting in the resort.....uggh!! That of a huge lizard shitting.... Considering that we are in a forest resort close to nature, and had come all the way to see nature...this is no surprise, but I cannot stand lizards and I couldn't escape because my legs turned to lead when I saw it! After this incident I made sure that I was wrapped up completely in the sheets while sleeping and sitting in the room.....you never know with lizards around, and what if one falls from the roof?!!

We had a good sleep and woke up refreshed and ready to explore in two hours. P and V talked to Kumar who is in charge of arranging and guiding trips for the guests. V was keen on starting off to the jungle immediately. Kumar informed us that the Forest Department allowed only two visiting schedules. In the morning starting at 6:30a.m. to 10.30a.m., and in the evenings - 4.00p.m. to 7.00p.m. We had enough time to look around before going on the 4.00p.m. jungle trail, and decided to explore the resort surroundings.

The resort itself is huge. There is a lot of greenery and the sight of such well grown tall sturdy trees is so soothing to our eyes that have seen more concrete than green - and sprawling. The dining area is in the center and the cottages are housed all around it, as though radiating in all directions. The cottages themselves are spaced wide apart, except for the tent houses. Ours is a brick cottage. V got a nice log cottage. Somehow I just forgot to take snaps of the rooms we stayed in (so much for the chronicle!). The rooms are huge about 20'x20' (may be more than that). Each room has a spacious attached bath with the regular facilities you would expect, a large double bed, two single sofas and a tea table. The dark drapes matched the interior perfectly. There is a small cupboard for two, a simple full length mirror and the flooring is made of wood. It has nice cozy feel to it. The houses are set a little higher than ground level (About 6feet), and there is a small balcony too made of logs of wood. There are cylindrical wooden blocks as in Flintstones' Bedrock home, and cane chairs, for lounging in the evening. Our room faced the river Kali (The 'a' is short - not as in Kali Devi), and was next to a little stream that ran into the river. Very idyllic surroundings! We would watch out for the hoarse screech of the mighty looking hornbill and the chameleons - lots of them, and you even get to see them changing colours:)

The river Kali runs beside the resort, and from the resort itself you can see a small island a little away. This is the Jacuzzi Island with natural jacuzzi. We did not get to visit it as we spent most of the time in the jungle hoping to sight jaguars. You can also see small waterfalls gushing furiously over the rocks which is where the resort conducts its white water rafting from. I wanted to go for this, but since nobody else was interested, the idea got dropped. P felt a glass of beer would do more justice to the idyllic surroundings than getting thrown and drenched over rocks and V despite being the jungle man actually is allergic to half the things we normal people are used to! We had a big time fight over this one:). I am definitely doing this with a girl gang next time:)

I saw this small vine snake, in one of the plants the first day before we went off for the trail. Did not realise that it was a snake till I went closer, and before I could even take a decent photograph, V disturbed it. Here is the 'not so good' snap:

We also saw lots of butterflies, and a river tern hovering above the river, and feeding on fishes by performing some sharp neat dives. I could not take a snap as you require a really good lens to capture a diving tern. It happens in moments and you have to admire the strategy, swoop and the precise dive! Splendid job! BTW, there were quite a few sunbathing spots near the river, and you are also allowed swimming, but do not venture deep. Since my own swimming capability is basic, I did not even attempt it, as I genuinely feel that in such places, the current may get strong any time and unless you are an ace swimmer, you may get pulled with the current.

Mr.Kumar introduced us to our guide - Manju, and driver - Babajaan. The trails costs Rs.600/- per person. Manju works at the resort on temporary basis and has picked up his birding knowledge mostly from books and visitors. I was quite impressed, as he would recognize calls, and could detect the slightest movement in the jungle. We went in the open jeep, first to the Forest Department's office where you have to obtain a permit for each person, for carrying cameras and camcorders(Rs.50/- per piece), and if you need you could also buy their birding booklet for Rs.10/-. The book is quite informative.

As for the trip, we hardly saw any animals unless you count the omnipresent monkeys! We did see some action, as a giant malabar squirrel caught by an owl managed to escape from its clutches and scurried away from tree to tree. We saw some pear shaped fruits which are actually monkey berries, and not for human consumption(Not that I have heard anyway). We also saw a jungle fowl, three lesser adjutant eagles, some moor hens/water hens, kingfishers etc. All in all not a very eventful day.

We returned to the resort by 8:30p.m., as it is quite away from the jungle. On the way to the jungle from the resort we also saw a fence, with only five hut like cottages. It turned out to be a relatively new accommodation started in a small way by some local people. If you are only keen on visiting the jungle, it is ideal as it is really close to the jungle.

The dinner consisted of tomato soup, rice, roti, dal, fried cauliflower in cashew gravy, and shahi tukra. There was a bonfire going blazing at one end, and Mr.Satish, one of the waiters, tossed foil wrapped potatoes in the fire. Later, he removed them, cut the potatoes into two to form two cups lined with foil. He sprinkled some chat masala and mish-mashed the potato with a fork and served it to us. I really loved the smoked potatoes - it was a nice starter to go with the wine, which Satish had preserved from his boss' visit the previous day:) Most of the people, I noticed were in big groups. One group was playing Dumb Charades, and though none of the teams could, I guessed the names of the movies though we were quite far....he he! I guess playing on a regular basis with the kids has honed my DC skills:) I was dead tired and retired before the others.

Day 2:
P and V and had already decided to go on the morning trail the previous night, and arranged with the staff. Manju woke us up at 4:30 a.m, far earlier than necessary. Piping hot tea and coffee awaited us at the dining area and this time we were bundled with three other people. The driver was a young man, and he drove so furiously that we got to the jungle real fast, and accumulated sheets of mud all over our faces. I could literally hear my bones rattling, and the cold wind stream into my ears. We again stopped at the forest Department's office before we went on.

We saw a serpent eagle this time, and one of the guys who was with us tried to show off with his camera and went closer, making a lot of noise in the process. The eagle was devouring a prey, and had to take off midway through its meal thanks to one nosy human being! It is a code of the jungle, whether you are professional or not, never to disturb the jungle inhabitants. It is their dwelling, and by visiting we are already intruding their space, the least one can do is try not to disturb the birds and animals especially if they are involved in some activity. We saw a few bisons, an Indian Gaur etc. on route no.5 of the trail, which is said to be the best route for sightings. We were then taken to 'Sunset Point'. From this point you can see all the peaks in the area. The way up is all cut up due to mining for manganese(P claims it is iron). The Govt. has since two years, banned any more mining. You can see the remnants of the blast though, and it looks like a scene straight out of 'MacKenna's Gold'. When we got back to the vehicle, Manju served tea, coffee and sandwiches which he had packed without our knowledge. I particularly liked this gesture from the housekeeping staff - it speaks volumes for their service. We had planned to visit Kavla Caves from there but the mud on our faces made us feel really filthy, so we just returned to the resort for a lazy afternoon. V took a snap of mine in which I actually looked like a langoor, what with black eyes outlined with red dust!

We returned by 12:00p.m., took a nice nap as we were dead tired with the bumpy ride, and disappointed as we did not sight any other living creature. We explored the resort's surrrounding more after we freshened and saw a hornbill at a distance and many many butterflies near the river opposite our cottage. I amused myself by photographing a whole lot of butterflies that evening.

Sometime later at I returned and sat admiring the view, when this domesticated deer made its way up to our cabin. It ran away when I got up!

Another stroll led me back to the river. I sat on a stone bench clicking snaps of the river.....

It was quite late! At about 7 in the evening, we decided to explore some uphill areas! Mr.Kumar and Manju found it a good deviation, and walked along with us. It was a refreshing walk, and we also sighted a couple of nightjars, saw the rock climbing spot, and took in a lot of fresh cool air. We were hungry enough to gorge down the smoked potatoes that Satish prepared in the resort. The ministrone soup that night was really good but I can't say the same about the main course. The calorific shahi tukra was yummy!

V again wanted to take a third chance the next day (incidentally our last day of stay) just in case the jaguars he had been told of decided to honor us by granting us a glimpse the next day! The same thing happened the following morning. We woke up early had our packed breakfast set, and this time we had made a special request saying we wanted a vehicle to just us, and Babajaan as the driver! We did not see any animals!

Note: The reason we did not get any sighting was that there had been some unseasonal showers, which filled the waterbodies in the jungle itself, so animals did not need to get out! During the months of May and June, usually the jungle is dry, which means that animals have to stray out of their habitat to look for water which could also be the reason why you get to see them! Please keep the weather in mind when you plan your visit!

We did see these birds, but then the moorhens pay visits to my backyard all the time!

Babajaan took us all over route no.5 and 1, and after a disappointing ride we decided to go to the only other place that was left to be seen - Kalva Caves! This is a little interior, and you have to complete a 5 to 6km trek before you reach the caves. See it for yourselves here:

We saw many interesting things like the pug marks of elephants, bisons, a fox etc. The long trek to and fro made us tired. We saw a few peacocks during our stay, but disappointed that the season had turned out dry! That afternoon we checked out at 12:30p.m. for Belgaum. That and more about my exploring Bangalore will come in a few days! Do leave comments if you come here and read this part of my travel! I always love hearing from you people! You make my day, and writing more fun:)

Tips: According to Manju and Babajaan the best periods to visit Dandeli is between November to February, especially for sighting birds! By mid-june animals dwindle as these rains receive light showers and the monsoon starts setting in. Please plan your visit accordingly to make the most of it!

Mr.Kumar had queried about the vehicle we traveled in - it was an alto, and the drive was smooth all the way!

Activities: The resort offers rock climbing and we are told by Manju and Kumar that they are good at this, but it doesn't look as though they have any professional help at hand. Please consider this as the trip is for relaxation. I prefer adventure sport at closer quarters!!

My love list!

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:43:00 +0000

Yesterday, a bookish friend came to me asking for an urgent report, and we got chatting about our respective recent reads. One thing led to another, and we ended up getting late for lunch...that is the magic of books. They can put a smile on your face just when you think you are upset and not in mood, they can bring out tears over things you thought you never cared about, they help you make friends with strangers, and (worst of all!) - they awaken your conscience just when you started smirking and feeling victorious over arguments and silly tiffs....

This post is straight from the heart, and the words are actually spilling over! Speaking of words I am tempted to list some of my favourite books (not exhaustive!), movies and songs. Let me see where this goes??? If you do read this post, and would like to suggest a good book or movie, I shall be very happy to look for it in the library, and then....leave the home and hearth to H:). This is not an exhaustive list...it is an emotional list and I am also doing this just to please my self, and to acquaint myself with what others like! So, my dear few subscribers and visitors - please do leave your kind comments, suggestions etc., and make my day:).

Books! Hard to choose (I know no one's asking!)

1.I am crazy about and am a huge P.G.Wodehouse fan - Psmith(Does anyone remember that Hindi TV serial which grabbed Psmith's story and had Mazhar Khan in the lead - he did complete justice to the role:)), Bertie Wooster and Bill are my favourite characters. I quite love PGW's choice of names (Gussy Finknottle, Roderick Glossop, Honoria Glossop and Chef Anatole and..... of course the Drone's Club), and the myriad engagement experiences his characters go through. Plus I love his use of the English language. If I am in a bad mood all I need to do is read a P.G.Wodehouse to start grooving.

2. Sherlock Holmes drives me crazy with his attitude, knowledge and precise detection. I tried reading another Arthur Conan Doyle novel but never got beyond the first chapter! I outgrew Agatha Christie quite soon, though I loved her while the craze lasted! Hmm... Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason was responsible for that short law stint:), Alistair Maclean for the adrenalin charged action and a love for the name Marie or Maria!, Tintin for giving the world Hic hic Capt. Haddock, and not to forget sweet William who made me guilt free after every naughty act!

3. Erma Bombeck - I first laugh at the title for a good 10 minutes before starting to read...and then I don't stop! Same goes for Bill Cosby:)

4. I am not crazy but like reading Sydney Sheldon, Jeffrey Archer and Ken Follet. Recently discovered David Baldacci and Jeffery Deaver, and I am quite luvin' them. I prefer Erich Segal for the dramatic ends and more mundane happenings, and of course the deep research!

Currently reading:
The Time Traveller's Wife - so far only acted as a great sleep inducer!
Helen Keller's autobiography - so far it is inspiring!

Last read:
David Baldacci's - Absolute Power which made a compelling read and helped me in baking the Julia Child French Bread;
David Baldacci's - The Winner - compelling but the investigation was full of glaring loopholes. I would still call it a good read.

Last kiddy book
Madeleine L'Engle's 'A wrinkle in time' - Great read. Ideal for a 10 year old.
Eragon - Christopher Paolini - Good frnd above is urging me to go beyond the 4th chapter, but somehow I haven't been able to. She says it is better than Harry Potter. Just for the record I love Mary Poppins by P.L.Travers better than Harry Potter.
It's a different thing that I very much belong to the 'Pottermanic' (that's my word!) gang. Great series....consistently good!

Hmmmm.....kitchen pukare aa re aa re aa re:)

Destination Dandeli - Hornbill Resort

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:49:00 +0000

If you haven't already been to Dandeli Wild life sanctuary, plan a trip soon before the area gets totally commercialised and robbed of its natural beauty and fun. This is one of the nicest places I have ever visited and a perfect getaway for short breaks:

This post is only on how to reach Hornbill Resort.The activities follow in the next post.

Planning:
My children were already with my parents in Bangalore. We had sent them by Jet Airlines who I must mention, have always been a pleasure to fly with, and we have always felt secure sending our children with them. The original vacation plan was that we (Husband, hereafter referred to as 'H' & I) would join the kids in a month starting from Mumbai on 30th April. We had planned to visit Mangalore - H's hometown - spend a few days there and then to Bangalore. H loves long drives and because we had been informed that the roads were in great shape, we planned the journey by car.

A day later we were discussing the plan with a friend(V), who suggested the idea of adding Dandeli to our itinerary as it was enroute. My sis and BIL had been to Dandeli's forest reserve some time back and had raved about its beauty, so it seemed a really good idea. The only thing that held us back was the thought that our children were missing out on the trip. This was however put to rest by them when they made it clear that they were enjoying their stay with their cousins so much that they would not miss nature or birds.

So plan no.2 was - visit to Dandeli for 3 days, from there to Mangalore for 5days and on to Bangalore till 14th. Due to unforeseen reasons, we had to make some major alterations a day before we set off. H would cut short the trip and return from Dandeli and I would proceed to join the children.

Dandeli:
Dandeli is a small city located in Uttara Karnataka and is famous for its beautiful wild life sanctuary, and forest resorts. The evening V mooted the 'Dandeli idea' we checked some tourism sites here and here.

Accommodation:
We booked two rooms at Hornbill Resort the very next day - one for us, and one for V. The resort itself is at a distance of about 580km from Mumbai. Hornbill Resort was our choice as it was recommended by my sister. Hornbill offers you choice of staying in a tree top house, a tent house, or a regular log or brick house. We opted for the regular rooms only because the tree houses were all booked. We later got to understand that tree houses are very popular with honeymooning couples and you have to book them at least two months in advance.

Tariff in Hornbill: (Inclusive of only breakfast + lunch + dinner, a trip to jacuzzi island, one night trek, rappelling, and boating in the neighbouring Kali River)
Rs.4,000/- per couple per day for the Tree house;
Rs.3,000/- per couple per day for the tent house, stone or log huts.

The journey to Dandeli:
(Total time taken from Mumbai if you travel at a leisurely pace - 10hours)

I baked a banana nut loaf especially for the journey the night before we left. If you have the time and inclination, the recipe is here. I am one of those cautious people who always carry food which serve as lifesavers while traveling by train or by road just in case needed! We had travelled along this very route about seven years back and the journey had been literally back-breaking. I had taken a week off from work after returning to recuperate and get my discs back in place! This time the journey was pleasant, no potholes and really smooth and well tarred roads. We started on 30th evening at 5:30p.m. after a last minute purchase of rechargeable batteries for my camera. I carried two Louis L'amours (from the Sackett Series) to keep me occupied during the journey, which turned out quite unnecessary.

We had tea at Food Mall on the Mumbai-Pune Highway(Which is badly littered and unkempt for a NH!), and V (An avid trekker) showed us various trekking routes and points along the journey. I was in awe when I saw 'Sharadcity' - The mini city owned by Mr.Sharad Pawar, comprising of an Engineering Institute and all kinds of Technical Institutes all in one campus with state of art facilities. The city is located on a hill at Lonavla and is absolutely picturesque.

I drifted off to sleep as we neared Pune and when I woke up we had already reached Kolhapur famous for its bhadang, and hot 'n' spicy food. This area is also known as the 'Sugarcane belt' of Maharashtra and, is economically the most well off region in the State. It was nearly 9:30p.m. when we reached Kolhapur. V and I were ravenously hungry but H was enjoying the drive and insisted on stopping for dinner at Belgaum which he said was only an hour's drive away! This is where my bread came as a lifesaver and we munched on a few slices for temporary satisfaction. One hour later Belgaum was nowhere in sight. The milestones implied another hour's drive to get there. After lot of insistence H agreed and we stopped at Hotel Satyawati in Nippani as it seemed quite decent.

The only thing I am particular about is cleanliness and in that aspect the hotel was all right. It was a little after 11.00p.m. and we did not have much choice anyways, so we had dinner and stayed there for the night. The food was very good but the room was just OK. You can't expect better at Rs.400/- a day.

The next morning we started at about 7:00a.m. after tea. The road has been divided by arali poo shrubs, and bougain villea plants, and the entire stretch is a sight to behold.

From Kolhapur onwards the entire region received some unseasonal rains a few days back which lasted for nearly 10 days. This explains the unexpected beautiful blooms:), and sadly the tasteless mangoes this year:(. We reached Belgaum at about 8.00a.m. H always raves about Hotel Ramdev in Belgaum, so we stopped there for breakfast. The dosas, vadas and filter coffee were great. I really felt we should have traveled the extra hour the previous night and stayed at Ramdev instead of Saraswati. Just outside the hotel you also find booking offices for buses to Bangalore, Dombivli, Borivili etc., so if you are planning to travel elsewhere from Belgaum, Ramdev is the perfect place for you. Belgaum is a beautiful city famous for its medical college and kunda(A sweet made of milk). We left about an hour later from here and drove to Dandeli at a leisurely pace.

We needed to consult the route and check the way only from this point forward. The route map:
(Source:www.karnatakawildernesstourism.org)

The lush greenery from Belgaum to Dandeli is worth mentioning. For this alone, I recommend traveling by road. There is not a single dry patch and you will find the roads lined on either side by trees especially the beautifully flowered 'flame of the forest'. We drove upto Khanapur (See map) and the map caused a bit of a concern as we did not understand which route would be advisable. We entered thick forests after sometime, and after lot of arguments, consultations with the map and calling 'Hornbill' resort, we reached Ganeshgudi:

The choice of route by road to Hornbill resort should be:
Belgaum - Khanapur - Londa - Ganeshgudi.

The 'Dandeli' referred to in the map is the city Dandeli which is opposite to the wildlife sanctuary. All jungle resorts are located in Ganeshgudi and not Dandeli proper. Hornbill Resort is not exactly in Dandeli but in the opposite direction as the forest itself is opposite to the city. Dandeli Forests are dominated by presence of the River Kali which meanders peacefully at this time of the year. It is also responsible for the water supply to the regions around. During rains when the water levels raise in this river the flow is regulated by the Supa Dam.

Unfortunately Hornbill Resort has not put up any boards along the way to show directions, the way Bison resort has. We reached Supa dam, and almost went the wrong way. From Supa dam about a kilometer ahead the road divides into two. Take the right side of the road and drive another 4 kms uphill to reach Hornbill. On way we saw a huge malabar pied hornbill. I alerted H but the backing sound made by the car was enough for the bird to take off. We know now why this resort is named Hornbill. It was just a few minutes away and I stepped out into a beautiful, scenic, peaceful place located just next to the flowing river, Kali.

We took lunch as it was already being served. The breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in buffet style. Food consists of two vegetables, one dry and one gravied, a flavoured rice, curd, dal and a sweet dish alongwith the usual accompaniments like pickles, pappads and salad. This was the only flipside of the resort. The food was mediocre, neither bad nor good. Rather plain. The only thing I really liked was the smoked potatoes offered at nights after the bonfire (Which I did not like at all!). I really never have understood why resorts like this which employ local cooks try North Indian dishes instead of opting for cooking local dishes with which the cooks are well versed and adept at. Except for this the experience was just great. You will find the resort staff very friendly and not intruding. They seem to be really happy to look after their customers. Mr.Kumar, who helps you plan your activities takes an extra effort to show us around when he sees that we are genuinely interested in the birds and the treks. He accompanied us for a short jungle trail in the night and showed us some nightjars (bird), and interesting places. The one thing that will accompany you throughout the stay is the 'tra-tra' sound of the huge bamboos.

Reviews by other people can be found here.

More about the safari in the next post.

Birds in my backyard - Chapter 3 - Kingfisher

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:46:00 +0000

This post marks the Third Chapter on my random observations of my winged visiting friends.

The earlier Chapters are dedicated to the racket causing pigeons in the area and to the humble house crow, who I felt deserved a special place for just being here. I remember how we used to take sparrows for granted - do you take snaps of crow, sparrows and mynas? That's because they are around us all the time, and in plenty too - but recent studies show that the sparrow population is dwindling at an alarming rate, which is why I dedicated my earlier chapters to the commonly available birds. I wanted to appreciate their beauty while they are still around and not wait for them to go the sparrow way.

This time the spotlight is on the kingfisher. I have seen him in my society since a long time, but it is only this year that the beautiful visitor graced the branch opposite my window sill. I was under the impression that kingfishers are birds that fed on fish and are to be found near lakes. At least, that is what the name implied.

The facts are: (Source:ecoindia.com)
Habitat : Common Kingfisher prefers to live near streams, slow flowing rivers, ponds and lakes.
Diet : Common kingfisher feeds on aquatic insects, small fish and prawns. They mostly hunt during the morning or evening hours.
Population: It is categorised under least concern, as they are available in large numbers.

It explains why the kingfisher chose this area as his hunting ground. The area behind my house as I say in most of my window sill posts is marshy and covered with thick undergrowth thanks to the water pipe line running there. I have seen families of mongoose and a few snakes which obviously implies that there are small aquatic creatures breeding in the area.

Behavioural pattern:
Earlier there used to be only one, but on two occasions I have noticed that there are two kingfishers in this habitat. They visit only after 11.00a.m. and leave by 4.00 or 5.00p.m just before sunset. I have also observed that the kingfisher is certainly a patient bird (No idea about vultures!). I have never caught them eating anything, but they do keep a watch and remain in more or less the same position for 2hours at a stretch which is why I call them 'meditating kingfishers'.

Call:
They have two or three types of calls - all are throaty and loud. Sometimes when it is just perched the call is rhythmic and long - like a long whistle interrupted by harsh breaks. And when it takes off it gives a short harsh call. I have not recorded it as yet, but will do so next time.

Appearance:
(See for yourself and check here - Its interesting how I got his photographs in every possible angle)
The kingfisher who has been around this area almost every day since December had disappeared with the onset of summer. After nearly 3 weeks I heard his call (On 27/4/08) while on the comp. and ran to look at it. It was not facing me. When H imitated its call, it immediately did an about turn and started peering. Later it again turned back and minutes later flew away. I wanted to share its pictures and its moods. Mine is a canon powershot A630 without any additional lenses.

My observations are that of an amateur bird-watcher. I would appreciate anyone who could add more.

Playing with light and shadows

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Sat, 17 May 2008 14:23:00 +0000

Suburbanites of Mumbai are well aware of the frequent powercuts happening here. Once the powercut lasted for nearly four to five hours in the evening. Since there was nothing much that could be done I started playing around with the shadows cast in the room in the light of the candle. Here are some of the results. They seemed quite nice to me.

1. I call this hope :)

2. Dancing in the dark - I know there is a lot of noise around the model Nataraja, but I did not want to go through the tiring process of editing in photoshop (I have just started fiddling with it!).

3. Shadows making you small?? Look at the candle above :)

The day I earned my tea

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:10:00 +0000

This incident took place during my first trek with YHAI two years back in 2006. The trekking route is now called 'Sar pass trail' but is quite close to the 'Yankar pass' trail that I had taken. The base camp was at a picturesque site at Kasol, which is a little away from Kullu, yet well connected. Its easy to spot most of the YHAI camps for first timers too, as most of the locals know about it and the big yellow banner is hard to miss. Besides, the campsites are located near the main road and if you tell the bus driver that you are a YHAI participant he will drop you just outside the site.

On the first day, the trek covered the Malana-Kiksa dam and the camp site for the day was located just a little beyond Malana. I am afraid I have forgotten some details now but one incident remains embedded deeply for reasons that will be obvious at the end of this post.

If you are a trekker, you will be aware of the number of small 'tapris' (Small temporary shelters) that offer water, 'maggi' noodles, biscuits and tea to trekkers at reasonable rates along the trails. Even I - generally averse to instant noodles - enjoy maggi at these places.

Bhimsingh was a 11year old boy who was ran one such 'tapri' on way to Malana Village. We were a group of nearly 30 hungry people caught in a light shower near his tapri. Obviously we all needed something hot to refresh ourselves and everyone started demanding tea and noodles. He was alone and yet trying to satisfy us with just two small kesrosene stoves. I was in awe with the professsionalism displayed by the little boy - no complaints and no mumblings! He went around and asked the number of 'chais' and 'noodles' required and quickly decided the water needed for the noodles. Just out of admiration for him, I offered to make the tea while he was chopping onions and attending to the noodles. He nodded his agreement and instructed me not to use more than 4 or 5 tsps. of Nestle's dairy whitener for the tea (nearly 25 cups). Another instruction - 'Ek cup mutlab poora nahi, aadhe se thoda zyaada' (One cup of tea means just a little over half cup, not full).

The tea was made and served. When the noodles was eaten, I collected 'Rs.4/-' from each person for the tea, included my amount, and gave him the sum.

Bhimsingh took the money and gave me back Rs.4/-. He said - "Aapka nahin chahiye...aapne kaam kiya." ("I don't want your share...you worked for it.")

Earlier I was awed by the boy's enterprise....his last reply stumped me! I had never before and have never since experienced the exhilaration of earning. The boy taught me a few lessons....I don't need to put them in words.....do I?

Life is calling, where are you?

noreply@blogger.com (Sunshinemom) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:24:00 +0000

Remember the Smirnoff advert? A masked lady sensuosly beckons with her finger a man peering down from a high window....and the ad says....Life is calling, where are you?

This ad. line did a lot for me.

The first time I heard the line (About 10 years back), I felt a stirring in me.....where was I? The sidelines? Just watching while the world moved on! What was my contribution? The ad did wonders for me by making me question my role, my existence, my lifestyle, my wishes, my dreams, my physical appearance, my growth. It was my first true awakening....

I had had a bad traumatic sciatica and a traction a year before that incident, and that had made me a couch potato. I would not do any physical activity out of fear. And then one day, as I sat watching TV, this lady asked me so many questions with just one line.

Life is calling, where are you meant;

Q. Do you want to just sit there brooding while the world goes by?
A. No, I want to be part of it.

Q. You are not fit, what are you going to do about it?
A. I am going to do something better than just warming the sofa. (I started going for walks)

Q. You are not reading nowadays as much as before, why?
A. I started reading in the train on my way to the office.

Q. So when are you going to start reading those positive attitude books?
A. He...he gotcha.....I meant Erma Bombeck, P.G.Wodehouse and Bill Cosby - I have finished reading most of their books now!

Q. What did you learn?
A. Erma Bombeck taught me that a 'soap' should not be saved just because it has a good shape. Put it to use and enjoy the beauty of the suds that slip away. I now don't store beautiful crockery for the guests - I use them up for us. When something breaks, I don't really mind because I know it has served me well, and that the time for it to go has arrived! She taught me to 'let go'. It is the best way to relax. What happened to the stress? Ask him!!

Bill Cosby taught me that age changes perceptions - just be open to accept age gracefully but don't start giving messages to your body parts that they need to stay put and out of work, and you will never grow old in your heart and mind. [OK! I am half his age :)]

P.G.Wodehouse........He taught me to laugh, laugh, grin and look silly in public. I can't count the number of times when I had been reading a wodehouse on my way to work in the local train, and caught people looking at me weirdly when I would look up to check the station, and then suddenly realised that OMG! I am grinning again :). Don't worry about what others think - it honestly is of no consequence!

The other day, someone mentioned how much I have changed over the years - for the better, of course! It set me thinking - I have this habit of analyzing things a lot! It comes from a conscious effort I made after that ad. to be responsible for my acts.

This helps me to better myself and - as Gandhiji observed - 'Become the change you want to see'. That does not mean I am perfect - amply supported by the fact that I do not go the gym. as regularly as I should, and allow the blogging time to run beyond the set time etc.

That line made me change in these ways:

I want the world to be a clean place - I do not litter and don't mind picking up litter dropped by others;

I do not want drainage or choking problems during the rains - I don't use plastic bags;

I do not want to be part of unnecessary killing of animals - I am vegetarian and I have stopped using leather, silk and the like.

I decided long back that I won't lead my life by diktats, I dare to live with ideals!

There may some unavoidable wrongs I indulge in, I do not do it consciously. One doesn't have to discover new things, invent a new gadget, lead the country, or be brilliant or achieve fame. It's great if you are doing those things, of course, we need people doing that too! Irrespective of all that one needs to get in control of one's own life - live the change you want to see!

Take steps to save Earth today - adopt just one right practice for a year. Follow it resolutely, and make it a habit.

Make the change happen by living it!