A travelogue for the body,mind & soul!

To forgive is Divine!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 07:37:00 +0000

Hey!

Hmmm...after almost ages I know. But some thoughts cannot be put for public viewing unless it is a general subject that will require public pondering.May be finally I have one today.

The ability to Forgive!

Its rather easy to rehearse the adage: "Forgive and Forget." Is it that easy? Do people really follow? Nah..let me ignore what the public opines, but this is what I feel. May be yes and may be no, depending upon WHAT the mistake is and WHO has done it.

Let me make an honest confession here. I cant forgive anyone that easily. Yeah, I am not a saint. I commit mistakes too.I am not divine either,but I cause lesser harm to most other people than to myself.When I know I have hurt some one it hurts me more than it has ever hurt them. If some one has hurt me and taken me on a forced guilt trip, accusing me of things that I have mostly never said or at times never meant and assumption has embarked their perception ; ridiculed me and made my existence miserable, I will never ever forgive them. Not even forgive myself, for having let them do that to me because of societal reasons of conforming to basic courtesies and for being the younger one.

I heard this from somewhere,"Hurt hurts the person who hurts than the person to whom the hurt is caused."
It is very true. The root cause for all this is that in most personal relationships we expect someone to either do something for us or at the least return the same amount of love that we show to them. Not as a matter of gratitude, but as a matter of humanity. Human need is mostly love when all the other basic needs are fulfilled.

My thoughts seem to abscond when the grey matter is demanded to bombard fair treatment despite the unfair treatment given to me. If not for me who else will stand by me to protect myself from a downtrodden treatment.Here, I don't mean treatment of the physical order or physical self. I mean the words that cause more mental agony and trauma than actions would. Surprisingly, it is hard for people to understand that letting people live their lives and giving personal space and freedom is more important than may be buying a zillion dollar worth diamonds.

Yes, it becomes important under such circumstances that one has to stand up for oneself. May be I have learnt it the hardest way possible that the unlearning of the learning has become increasingly herculean. I have learnt to protect myself. by any means available to my grey matter during climax. I have learnt that if you dont fight for your right, it will never be given to you. Many radicals, I am sure at least the revolutionaries will agree with me.

Sometimes, rather most of the times, unconnected matters intrude onto the scenes of a rather huge discussion-argument-fight, making the matter go from bad to worse. Thats the time of the intervention of the timely silence. Silence for the outer world when there is a Nagasaki explosion from within.The volcano will erupt some day and once it does the damage is unimaginable and the destruction is inevitable.

Who has to be blamed for the volcanic eruption??

I will leave you with that till I can accumulate more matter to brood.

Take care

Ciao,

Suj!

Taming the Turmoil

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:17:00 +0000

Taming the turmoil

Akin to the feeling I had in the past time
Rebuilding the shackles of the scattered prime
Inducing a manifested priority that binds the fragments
Into a redundant and fragile union that demands prudence.

The repercussions are unknown and thus the action uncertain.
Agreeing to disagree is impossibility as like-mindedness is diffused.
Deplorable events charge at lightning speed
Destiny of the liaison unknown.

Do I want this? I wonder.
Mingling answers assail my mind.
Over the various genres that feelings bind, I ponder,
What we sow, will we reap the same?

Against the leaping tides I pierce my arm-actions,
And juggle with the ravaging waters to attain my feat.
“To be or not to be”, I feel like Hamlet,
Success is a mystery that continues to remain obscure!

I caused hurt...

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:08:00 +0000

Hey!
Amidst all the joy, knowledge and smiles I spread all day, i hurt my student today and although it was an unintentional mistake, it has upset me quite a lot. I had never made anyone cry and he did. I know it was not totally my fault, but it has hurt me a lot. I cant imagine i hurt him.
The true culprit never showed up and i gave a big round of blasting session. When the true culprit actually turned himself out, i got quite upset and apologised to him. I apologised and just walked out of the class. I dont know whether its going to change anything in that class, it definitely will to me.
What happened was wrong, and things were just getting out of hand, me being in the position that demanded me to take some action, i gave them some harsh words. No doubt they had to get it. They left me with no choice as despite many warnings they hadn't changed.

When i realised that i had targetted the wrong guy and the actual culprit or the reason for this was happy and laughing, while the innocent one cried, it hurt me to no end. I only could apologise to him and did that more than once and just walked out. Upset with myself and feeling extremely sorry for that boy.

Dear God, if you are there somewhere, please forgive me for what I did. Although unintentional, a mistake is a mistake. I feel deeply sorry for this. Hope i can make up for this. Will tell you if i do.

Love

Suj!

Happy Birthday to me!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:47:00 +0000

Yippeee my birthday it is :)

A year lost from our life span, a year closer to death, so why celebrate?? If thats what you think it is...then you are mistaken my dear.

A birthday is a day to celebrate your successful completion of yet another year on this earth! A day to celebrate with your loved ones, for having been around for the past one year and a hope that they will continue to be there for the next years to come! A simple way of showing your gratitude is by giving them all a treat to what ever extent possible!

It is a day you thank God and pamper yourself!! Give yourself a nice treat and make yourself feel reallly good about your own self! Buying new clothes only means novelty should settle in life for another year and bring prosperity and happiness!

Love to the world that has made me what I am today!

Cheers to life!

Love

Jo

He and I !

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:30:00 +0000

I refused to start,
I refrained from stepping in;
He held my hand and led me in!
My first ever fall while riding
I quivered in pain and shivered to rise;
He gave me the courage and the power to arise.

I had a tiff with a friend,
It ached my heart, I cried;
He was aware, yet maturely only supported!
Despite his negations,
I walked onto unsuccessful directions;
He unsaid,assured in me his convictions!

I spoke to him about all the gossips
Sinfully hid some of my own feelings
He all-knowing, stood by and patted in his consents.
Today, I hate to see you helpless Daddy.
My united pillar and the strength of my spine,
I want to say I love you for "Being there"!
I vow to you, I will be there for you!

Love you Pappa...my dearest darling Dad!!
Yours
Gauri/ Jyothi!

Thank You God!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:19:00 +0000

It felt like the world collapsed,
My heart pounced out and cried.
I fed him glucose, spoonsfull.
He snored out every gram.
Not a drop did he gulp.
From his sweaty forehead
emerged shiny droplets
His swollen shiny legs grew heavier.
I was out of my wits,
Unknowing what to do,
I was all alone.

I picked him and threw him on the bed.
I hoped that the force would wake him.
None shook him.
The him slept, snored.
His pulse ran low,he was unconscious.
He was slipping out,dying I knew.
I called the doctors and the ambulance.
By my shoulder stood my aunt then,
Slowly he opened his eyes.
He was alive and I was too.
Thank You God;my Dad returned!

Love for Bangalore!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Mon, 18 May 2009 12:25:00 +0000

Hmmm...having left Singaporean daily expeditions a little behind, I want to share with you the things that make me myself!
Not long ago, I hated to come back to my Bangalore. Although it is the city i was born and brought up.It was a feeling that i dreaded so much..."Getting back home". Sounds weird, i know, but i just hated to get back.
Like i had the ability to change fate, we were back. After having lead a sedantry life{when it comes to work}, getting into a fully chaotic lifestyle was a task in itself.
I longed to be busy and to be doing something more constructive and productive. I wanted to be like myself, like i have always been in this city.
But situations and circumstances, well thats what is called "Kismat"!

Anyways, after nearly 8 whole months of frantically looking for a job, fighting against all odds, I finally did find one apt to my requirements and also fitting my family's n number of criteria.
And my brother-in-law said that teaching ran in my blood.
Yes, he was right:) My mom is a teacher, all my aunts have been teachers sometime or the other and hence, the instinct sort of ran in me too!!

I am glad i had it in me!! It is indeed the noblest profession of all and the most satifying career option!

This job has given me the Leader in me a strong platform where I rule, when students love you for what you are and your strengths are...its speechlessly satiating!!
This is probably the only profession where your performance review depends on someone else's performance where in even during the process of evaluation you are not involved!
I mean, the board exam papers also dont come to you for evaluation and a total stranger does it.
It is so different from the corporate set up where life is fake and more like a living hell.

I will never forget my previous job which taught me a harsh side of the Churlish Corporate world.
There were practically no human relations. Everything was to be done through Messenger.
A small doubt was supposed to im'ed even though the person whom you have to talk to is right in front of your cubicle. I felt it so impersonal. I realised i cant connect to some place like that. I needed an employee friendly environment. Money and facilities were great...but what would i do with all of those things when my primary requirement of job satisfaction wasn't there???

A lot of you may say, com'on, that's how the world works....but I wanted something hatke!!

And lo... I found one!! I remember talking to Dada - Shaumik da, once about my dream job!! Here, I am working in the place i have always felt it no different from home, yet being work place!

A special thanks to my family, my Principal and my Director, without whom, I wouldn't have been where I am today!!!

Its is probably one of the best things to happen to me after coming back to Bangalore!!
Finally, with my hands full of work all the time, i dont have time for a lot of people and time! So again I am a CITY GIRL now. I am a true Bangalorean now, some one who doesn't have time to do anything, some one who is free only on one and a half days in the whole week!!

Bangalore life is such that there is something or the other happening always. If not for anyone else, it will be something at our own homes!

My friends never ever had time for me during the week living so far away from mom's place.
I am now a true Bangalorean!! I also dont have time for a lot of things!!!

Bangalore, I love you! More on this in the next post!!

Love

Jo

College Challenges!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:32:00 +0000

Hey all!

I have decided to pen my thoughts and experiences about my college and this time its standing on the other side of the class, as a lecturer! Everyday is a new challenge and my testing hours.
Every hour of class is my testing time! How much I yearn to write everyday,but just can't find enough time to jot!
This is one series I hope to gather time to dedicate myself to!

Will try and keep up this word!!

Love

JO

Parnika's birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:23:00 +0000

Parnika!!

My little princess, the apple of our eye!! She turned 3 this month!! She talks and talks...besides all her other bubbly, jolly good activities!!

Love you doll!

Your's

Chitti!!

He and I!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:22:00 +0000

I refused to start,
I refrained from stepping in;
He held my hand and led me in!

My first ever fall while riding
I quivered in pain and shivered to rise;
He gave me the courage and the power to arise.

I had a tiff with a friend,
It ached my heart, I cried;
He was aware, yet maturedly only supported!

Despite his negations,
I walked onto unsuccessful directions;
He unsaid,assured in me his convictions!

I spoke to Him about all gossips
Sinfully hid some of my own feelings;
He still stood by and patted in His consents.

Today, I hate to see you helpless Daddy.
My united pillar and the strength of my spine,
I want to say, I love you for "being there!"

I vow to you, I will be there for you!!
Your support is irreturnable,
Trying is all I can do!

Love your lil one always,

Gowri!

EMI- Plastic money!!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:15:00 +0000

A resonance of today it seemed like when i saw the trailors and read the title!!Hmm..now thats getting too linguistically inclined to describe a movie like EMI- Liya hai tho chukaana padega!

Despite reading bad reviews of this movie and seeing that more than half theatre was empty...we decided to go for it...and i think it was worth the time we sat through it!!

Star cast----

Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Malaika Arora, Aashish Chaudhary, Neha Uberoi, Natasha Suri, Manoj Joshi, Pushkar Jog, Daya Shankar Pandey, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, and Urmila Matondkar.

Cast performance has been good and they of them have all done justice to their roles..so no talking about that:))!!

Getting to the story...Its about EMI like the title speaks of. The focus of the movie is on lives [many here] of common middle -class families and their desire to live a high-class lifestyle which neither suits their pockets nor their greeds. Desire is justified when it can be satiated within ones own means and the power to pay back!!

The whole story revolves around the head of a recovery agency- Goodluck Recovery Agency- Sanjay Dutt[ Sattar]. He has a few assistants and they together provide comic as well as the serious elements to the movie!!

Ab scene yeh hai ki loan liya hai, but EMI nahi diya hai...so after 6 months of all sorts of recovery measures, the lender bank finally goes to this agency. So, Sattar and his agents are trying to recover the loans! Here starts the real story...Sattar wants to be a politician and for that he has to be good in the public eye..unlike his current image of "a vasooli gunda".

This motive of his, acts as Sanjay's --Munnabhai of MBBS and Gandhigiri to show his real good self replica.

All his acts are not only to recover money, but also to understand the problems of people who are unable to repay and help them understand their duties and responsibilities for happy and fulfilling lives....besides repaying their loans!!!

Urmila is also stuck in the same mess of loans for a purpose..shhh..thats suspense!Sanju baba falls in love with her and there..the story takes a nicer bend and mellows the gunda and makes him slightly sophisticated!!!

The rest of the story is for you to watch and enjoy..I am not going to reveal any more.

A message is what i think the movie conveys and has to be heeded by all.

Please do consider understanding the depths of the intention behind making this sort of a movie. These days whether we can repay or not...just because we want to live a fancy life that doesnt not fit their pockets we go out of our way to live upto something that we even remotely are not.

Taking a home loan or a personal loan isn't wrong...but the repayment capacity is what counts the most. Not everything in life is rosy but a thorn born with the rose is better a thorn that is bought with our own money to prick us. We pay heavy interests and still arent intelligent enough to understand that we pay nearly double of what we take at the end of the said tenure!

One fact that I would like to mention here-- an eg to warn people from taking loans erratically unless its inevitable- when its life or death situation.

If you take a loan of say..Rs. 39,000/- at the rate of 23% per annum, and you are paying only [this is according to the marketing agents] Rs. 1580/- per month for 48 months[ which is by the way 4 years]....Do you realise how much you would have paid the bank for that period at the end of 48 months???

48 X 1580 = 75,840/-!! Shocking isnt it???

In this case you are repaying the bank---39,000/- + 36,840/-[extra--as in interest] !!

Hmm..think...think..think!!

The interests levied on credit cards are nearly sometimes 49%. This is according to an article in the Economic Times -- http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3473126,flstry-1.cms.

This movie is all about awakening the common public about "PLASTIC MONEY" that is becoming an essential part of our system and which is adopted from the western world.

It is ease of money and transaction you may say. So, use debit cards that are operated through your bank account and hence you will not be spending what you dont earn or have.Use a debit card incase carrying cash is too hard or its too hard to keep track of the expenditure incurred.

EMI movie --Dekho..and please Samjho!!

Music----

Music director of the movie is Chirantan Bhatt and the lyrics are written by Hamza Farokhi, Sarim Momin.I loved the title song..the lyrics are damn neat..do give your keen ear to it!!

All youngsters please watch this movie for the good of your ownself. Youngistan..its time you woke up to these hard hitting facts.

Have fun watching and learning!!

Love,

Suj aka Jo!!

Golmaal Returns- Sochna Mana hai!!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:00:00 +0000

Hey all!!

After so many reviews and star cast details and hype, I think its a totally futile discussing the names and roles of the cast and crew.I am direclty going to express my "totally my" opinion!
Firstly the cast-
Kareena...Size zero is absolutely not what you fit urself into. So please put on some weight. You are an actor and so focus on acting rather than getting anoxeric and looking more like a skeleton.
Ajay- Good good! He is as versatile as he has always been. So comments on him!

Arshad Warsi- Bas too good yaar...Chakde phatte!!! Tusi great ho!! Amazing comic timing...but may be he needed some more touch up from the script writer. I had just watched Lage Raho Munna Bhai yesterday, i dont even remember the no of times i have seen it!! So, i think Arshad needed some more better dialogues and screen appearance.

Amrita Arora- Much better with her performance now.But there is some nahi lot of scope for improvement. Babe..sister influence can get you into the industry and so can beauty, but to stick here as an actress you need some acting skills as well. So head to the National School of Drama.[ i know m being harsh..but needs it..trust me].

Tusshar Kapoor- Fabulous is all i can say!! His mute acting is far better than when he speaks!!But the ahha--ahh..yeh..aamu aa-aa...simply lovely!! Shak what the....!!hehheh..hillarious!!!

Celina Jaitley- Hmm..ab main kya bolu...she really needs some acting help...and seems quite desparate for it in this movie. Not good for a comedy movie.

In all, a good performance. Considering the amount of hype and reviews being read and pondered, i have less to talk about the story per se...cos there isn't a solid one in the first place.

Ekta Kapoor and her soaps have been the primary target and the whole movie is based on the psyche of "21st century women and the soaps"!

The harsh parts- Sawariya is being ridiculed and in one of Rohit Shetty's interviews on "Face the review" on a TV channel, he claims that it was fun intended and didn't mean any offence to Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Well..how much of this is true, is left for Sanjay to decide.

When Rohit was pinned upon the bad music score and only the Golmaal [part-1] song still rings in the head, he said, " I think its quite good. We liked it all".Hmm... a whopping 5 crore has been spent on that action filled song that doesnt even strike the memory chord after watching the movie.
But still Rohit says that whether the reviews star his movie good or bad, he still has movie goers...coming in and watching it in full-swing!! So, essentially the collection is good and is giving every person involved good money. So good for everyone!

Pet bharne ka kaam....but whats happening to the entertainment with brain scenario boss??? Just wondering where our bollywood is heading to!!

Nevertheless a one time watchable movie..but please dont waste tooo much money on multiplexes on weekends...either wait for a DVD or watch it in a small time thetre without spending much.

Watch, laugh a long and forget that you ever had a brain-- leave at the entrance of the theatre and pick it up while you are driving back.Light hearted, no tension movie hai..enjoy karo...cos idhar...Sochna Mana hai!!

Have fun!!
Cheers

Sujyothi aka Suj

Maddur Vade!!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:31:00 +0000

Hello my dear friends,

Maddur vade is the most famous and must savoured dish enroute to Mysore from Bangalore and all of the travellers will definitely take a bite at the most famous "Maddur Tiffany's" on the highway.
Its very very simple although it looks very complex!!Here is a try from Amma's chest of treasured delicacies!!

All you need is---

For the dough-

1. Maida-Refined wheat flour- 1 cup
2. Chiroti rava - fine semolina- 1 cup
3. Rice flour- 1 cup
4. Chilli powder - 1 tbl spoon
5. Refined oil- 5 tbl spoons

The Masala-

1. Onions-3 {finely chopped}
2. Green Chillies- 4 chopped
3. Salt- to taste
4. Curry leaves to taste-finely chopped.

Oil for frying.

Serves -4

How to make it????

Mix the masala and keep aside. The salt reacts with the onions and the onions leave water.

Slightly fry the Maida and Rava without oil only to warm it up.

Mix the dough ingredients. By now the masala is ready. Mix all the masala and dough while adding hot oil to it [ 5 tbl spoons of oil that is mentioned in the dough ingredients].

Do not add extra water. Knead the dough like Chapathi dough.
Now flatten them into small round cakes and deep fry them!!

Here is what it will look like!! Best eaten with Chutney and during coffee time with hot Madras
filter coffee!!

Hope you have had fun making and eating it!! This is also my first entry into an event. Hosted by Mansi from Fun and Food Cafe! An entry into the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations!!!

Do let me know how it was!!
Awaiting your response!!!

Love

Sujyothi

Badam Puri!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:25:00 +0000

Dear readers,

This is my first entry in this category...something that i rarely make and like:)))

This was made by Amma[ my dear Mom-in-law] , i just gave her a hand in it!! It was fun and yummy!!

This is a traditional sort of a dish usually made in sweet shops or during weddings! I didnt even imagine this could be so simple that it can be easily made at home too...and that too within half an hour!! Ain't that fantastic???

Take a look at it before you read on...

Ingredients-

For the dough-

1. Maida- Refined wheat flour- 1/2 cup
2. Chiroti rava- fine semolina- 1/2 cup

3. Ghee- according to the required quantity while making the dough.
4. Water- little

For the sugar syrup

1. Water - 1 cup
2. Sugar- 1 cup
3. Kesari/ saffron- little

4. Cardamom -3 to 4

For Milk

1. Milk - 1/2 litre
2. Badam powder
{mix them both and heat them so it becomes badam milk}
You can also use MTR Badam feast to make the Badam milk.

Making the sugar syrup-

On low flame add water and sugar & let it slowly cook while the water begins to evapourate making it a thicker solution. Keep it on low flame and add saffron to it. The solution should be slightly thicker than that of Gulab Jamun's.

Making the dough-

While the sugar syrup is getting made, you can make the dough...saves time :)
Mix the ingredients and add ghee while mixing. mix it to the extent that you should be able to hold it all together in your fist. Add a little water and knead the dough like Chapathi dough and it should look like this.

Now flatten the dough like making chapathi.

Fold it in a triangular manner.

Deep fry it in oil---preferably ghee, but considering diet concerns

Once it is fried add it to the sugar syrup. Remove it after a few minutes and serve it soaked in the Badam milk if desired.

Else this can be eaten after soaked in sugar syrup!!

Hmm..its time you tried it right?? Quick and easy!!

Do let me know!!

Love

Sujyothi

Singapore by foot!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:05:00 +0000

Hey all!!

Singapore the Merlion,Airport, Man made beauty and hi-fi living,shopping on Orchard street, multi-cultural heritage,Nature,birds, fancy-tasy island, little India[Mustafa Market], food, sea coast, back water entertainment...If this is all you thought Singapore was...then please do give it another thought!

Seeing Singapore by foot...we lived into the depths of their living and walked the inches of the lovely Island country!

To know what we did, you have to know what we went through too! It was a very fascinating experience i must say!!

Hari Raya[Ramzan] vacations were on in Malaysia and so all theneighbouring countries had filled hotels, packed flights and buses and ofcourse highly priced-EVERYTHING. This is what usually happens during any holiday season in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore..whether it is school or public holidays,its the same story.

We were heading to Singapore and we decided to take the over night bus from Penang. We had booked our hotel and considering the budget issue,we had made it a budgeted trip. So we chose a hotel in Geylang unaware of anything.

During a casual conversation with a friend in Singapore we happen to tell him that we are staying put in Geylang and he enquired if we didnt find anything in any other locality. We hadnt actually. Then, he told us that Geylang was a legal Red Light area of Singapore!! Absolutely unaware of anything and due to non-availability of accomodation, we decided to head to it despite where it was.

Yeah...so we reached the much spoken of Geylang in the early hours of the day and we were welcomed by what Geylang is reknowned for! I had my first cultural...nah moral shock.

Then we checked in...pretty normal and decent hotel.

Watch out for our daily activities ahead of this!

Happy Diwali!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:38:00 +0000

Hey all!!

A very very Happy Diwali to all my dear readers! Its festival time and time for new recipes this season!
I am going to give them all to you!!
Lights and lamps...diyas and candles...all for this Koumudotsava...or Diwali!!
A festival of sound and lights to waken up Goddess Lakshmi!

Ogling over these delicacies??? Is time to make them!
Hold onto your temptations and head to the kitchen while i jot them all for you!!

Have a lovely festival!!

Love

Sujyothi aka Jo

Pearl of the Orient- Penang!!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:06:00 +0000

Life and its uncertainities take us to places that we sometimes would have never heard of. One such places in my life was Penang! The place I fell in love with ever since I first saw it from above while landing at the airport. As the wheels touched base, my heart leapt and anxiety filled my eyes! I was travelling alone and hence felt weird to be smiling to myself...but I actually was...cos every passer-by smiled back :)))) !!!

The reason behind the glee...I was going to join my husband precisely a month after wedding. A new home awaited me as I awaited a blissful new life!

Inhibitions, jitters, smiles, inexplicable joy, heebie-jeebies about what was about to happen...All alone with a man I have barely known miles away from home. A place where except for him, I practically knew no one else.

So, I finally landed and picked up my baggage and walked towards the exit! There stood my handsome 6 footer husband with tears of joy,pink with blush and the anxiety that was probably missing even during wedding!!

We were finally together! A feeling of eternal joy...trust me!

On road to home...I completely fell in love with the place!!! Ah how do I comprehend the feeling I wonder!!

We entered our apartment and I took the first real look at our home and looked out of the window and felt like a dream come true!!

We dream a lot of dreams, but not many of us are fortunate enough to have them come true! The blessed that I am...I had my dream come true!

Cheers,

Jo

Ascertaining future!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:16:00 +0000

Across the oceans
An unknown land
An Island it is.

Amidst mystic beliefs
And harsh realities
I come to ascertain my future

A known stranger-my partner
Faith and commitment
His persona depicts.

Amidst vast differences;
Similarly vast similarities,
Destined to complete togetherness.

As we tour from the shallows
To the abyss of life’s oceans
We hand one another in onerous.

Enormous tides and weeds
Abundant is also the tranquility
Swimming across them we hold on…
To one another, Every breath till death parts us.

Dedicated to my dear husband, Arjun!

Love

Suj

Of Wine and Spaghetti!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 02:16:00 +0000

Discovery Travel and Living is one amazing channel that we get here. Travel; food; lifestyle...aka everything that is Man Made in nature!!

Talking about travel, it reminds me of our all time favorite show 'Globe Trekker'- Discovery Travel and Living ! Travelling all across the world, its like looking at the world and places that as common people, we cant afford to visit, through their eyes:))

Anyways, with lotsa cookery shows up there, all the authentic European dishes were made with some sort of wine! Hmm...so i wanted to try something too!!

Got spaghetti from the store, luckily for me my dear friend Anu, gifted us a bottle of red wine- Santa Ana-Argentina, while they were over for here for dinner! Thanks to you my dear, Fantastic wine it was!!

Now that we are leaving and the mood of partying and having fun till we leave has set in, farewells are in full swing!

So, it was one of our casual dinners with Dada[Shaumik] and us!

I was looking for recipes of Spaghetti, i found one online, but that was Non-veg and lots of other ingredients.

Hmm....now i didnt have the time to run to the grocery store..so had to manage with something at home! And Italian veggies...hard to find that stock at an Indian home!Running through my fridge i found Eggplant/Brinjal!That struck the 'good-to-go' chord!

My imagination did its rounds and I got into action!

A few parts from Jo Mama’s recipezaar and others from the same site!

Made my own palatal concoctions and here is my secret recipe for you!!

Ingredients-
Spaghetti- use only 300 gms for the below mentioned quantities. Cook according to the instructions on the packet.

Serves 4 people if this is the only dish that you are serving besides the wine!!

In veggies-

Capsicum/ Bell pepper - 1

Tomatoes- half a kilo- 500 gms

Onions- 2 [medium sized] sliced length wise

Egg plant/brinjal- 1 long one[ sliced in the pattern shown below]

4.Garlic cloves-2

[Optional are a lot of other veggies like Zucchini, Mushrooms, broccoli,shallots...and other suitably-Italian veggies]

For seasoning-

1. Parsley flakes- I used the dried parsley which I generally stock at home to use instead of coriander leaves as sometimes there is scarcity of it here.

2. Some herbs- Its a general Italian herb packet which I had at home.Ingredients were not mentioned on the packet so i am unable to provide with the details.

3. Chilli tomato sauce

4. Half an ounce of Good Red Wine!!

5. Some cheese-best is Parmesan,but if thats not available. I used cheddar cheese!

5. Olive oil for frying[I used Sunflower oil, which i don't think altered the taste, but if u have olive oil, then nothing like it:)]

Method-

Take 2 deep bottom pans.

In one cook the spaghetti and use the other one for preparing the sauce.

It is the best to make it this way else one will become cold and the efforts will go in vain:)

Grind the tomatoes with little water and salt,without water is a great choice!

Heat oil in the other pan and add garlic, onions, capscicum. Once that is slightly cooked, add the egg plants.

Cook the egg plant half and add the tomato sauce and the ground tomato.

Let it cook for 5 mins, now add the seasoning. Remember the Wine!!

Let the veggies cook and get the flavors!

Now add salt and bring it to a semi-gravy level.

Switch off the stove.

By now the spaghetti is also done!

Now dish out the spaghetti on the plate and add the curry/gravy/sauce above it as shown below.

Best when served hot!

Its time to Wine and Dine!!!

This is also my entry in to an event called "Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes Carnival" by Mansi of Fun and Food Cafe!

Love

Suj

The Penang Morning!!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:57:00 +0000

Yellow, to vibrant orange to Vermilion,
Hues of the sky evolve at dawn.
The sun rises and so does a day…
As glittery sea water relaxes at bay.

Fresh breeze enter the scalps of my hair,
Witnessing all, as I stand opening the window ajar.
A soothing beauty enriches me…
The sight of the sky, sea and green.

A serene life adorns a new morning.
Sparrows & cuckoos chirp the day in.
Melodious is their voice purifying all senses.
Rhythmic to it are the rising sun and motion of trees.

Vast alluring green amidst addictive beauty,
Abandoning all this is an unwelcome reality.

Penang I love you!!

Dedicated to the place i instantly fell in love with!

Thank you God!!

Love,

Suj

Pro and con...

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:51:00 +0000

A pinch in the heart it gives
Yet a soulful pleasure.
Bizarre are the emoticons
Similar are the strong emotions

This silent, little dwelling
Has filled in me a joyous tinkling
Catering to needs of My, Mine own.
Happy, secluded sense of living.

At times the idle devil works,
Craving to be more occupied
The dependant self wished
To be the ever-independent one.

Then arrives a craving to turn to home.
Sensible it is for kith and kin
But here I am, witnessing
Repercussions and constraints.

What God wills shall occur,
Immaterial of what I prefer.
Unstable thoughts disregarded
In chaos, cosmos shall be attained!

Thank you for visiting!!

Cheers,

Suj

Anxious palpitations...

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:18:00 +0000

For a moment my heart stopped as the clock struck two
The sky dimmed and shed waters one and two
I wondered what it had to say,
Was it God’s message or a simple rain any way?

Felt like a wave of shock crossed me
Something untoward had happened
Shine and Fierce rain and Shine again
Is it some sort of a game?

Don’t know where the sun went away…
Don’t know where all the thick clouds came from…
Again the sun shines bright
after it rained with all might

Sitting I am with an untitled unrest
A mysterious fear engulfs my chest
Praying with every crossable crossed,
Hope is my final resort!!!

This is a long past story now,which was written in utterly inexplicable anxiety!

Now its all solved and mind is at peace!!

Love

Suj

1947- top notch!!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:55:00 +0000

Sri. Jawaharlal Nehru welcomes you at the ground floor as you enter to take the lift to this excellent restaurant “1947”!! There is a rustic door on the right when you disembark the lift. A welcoming sign to this place is a cannon surrounded by pebbles, that is placed on your right as you enter in!
The fragrance of the food attacks your nose as you are still enjoying this ‘old times’ feeling of the venue!
Very intricately done interiors, gives a sense of being to one of the aristocratic houses of yesteryears!
Every detail is carefully taken care of to present to you the feeling of the REAL India during 1947!
The switches on the switch boards reminded me of the place I grew up, my Grand mom’s place! The chairs are coir ones that I still have in my house as a reverence to our grand-parents!

The food too, is as welcoming as the ambience. A wholly vegetarian, non-alcoholic restaurant is a treat to the family and a good outing with friends, new and old alike !!

The arrays of dishes are also fantastic. You might want to omit Missi Roti as I didn’t find it great. The rest of the things on the menu are great to go with! Biryani is something that we [my cousin and myself ] relished, hot and fragrant and lip-smacking !!!

“Always at your service”, seems to be the motto of the staff there as they respect their patrons enormously well!!

If you are looking at prices…then one might be a little disappointed when compared to the prices of that of the Sagar food chains across Bangalore.
But for the ambience and the quality of food and the service I think it’s nominal.

Hmm… after tempting you all to this place…let me tell you where is it…Its on the Devegowda Petrol bunk ring road, BSK 2nd stage, Bangalore.
When you are coming from the petrol bunk side, there is an Ashwa TVS showroom on your left , a little ahead there is a bath ware showroom [I can’t recollect the name of that store though. It’s quite a unique name].
1947, is right above that! Happy eating!! I went there on the 10th day of its opening, so didn’t need reservation. You might want to book your table now, especially on the weekends!
Take care and I hope you enjoy this!!
Love

Suj

A Golden Age

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:40:00 +0000

Bangladesh, East Pakistan in 1971, freedom struggles, young and old alike are scrapped off their lands and homes...Desolated civilians; tons of refugees; brave mother's and their children; wounded soldiers; martyrs; service- oriented, all time working medicos; bloodshed; gruesome warfare effects; guns; bombs; fire..indescribable struggle symbols.

Well, this book is not about just that. Its not only a gruesome reflection of war, its the story of a woman, a widowed young mother of two children, amidst her trivias and her complexities.

"Shona" their small dwelling where this story of emotion swells into a scintillating abode of sensitive humane reality!
Rehana,has lost her husband and is desolated. She then loses her children to her brother-in-law[from Lahore] in the court of law, as she does not have the means to provide for either her children or pay for the lawyer.
Then a suspense filled miracle happens and she brings her children back and builds a house atop hers and rents it out.[ This is the suspense element that aided me in finishing the book asap]. Her children are in the university now and are busy with the their studies and their revolutionary activities. They want freedom...they want to have their own government, instead of being ruled by the Pakistani's.

Her liitle girl, Maya, is a beautiful young lass whose stern-self is as strong as the strength of her beauty and her long lustrous hair!
Sohail, her son is a handsome young man also very much of his dad's calibre!
There are other characters that are equally well-portrayed, Mr&Mrs. Sengupta,their son Mithun[her tenants], Mrs. Choudhary[her neighbours], Mrs. Rahman and Mrs. Akram[the gin rummy ladies]. These are the people Rehana's life revolves around!
There are other characters that you get introduced to during the course of the novel.You have to read it to find out :))))

Tahmima's style is colloquial and she reaches into the depths of every character!
The print of the whole novel is very inviting and is easy to read, atleast that's one more thing personally that was very inviting about this book.

For a first time novelist, she has done an excellent job!Her descriptions about an irregular or a regular event are vivid!
You can feel the emotions of the characters and will totally get involved in the characters, more so with the protagonist, Rehana. As a mother, Rehana's character is sketched out to flawlessly. She pains to keep things calm around her, despite her own discomforts. She struggles to keep her family knit together at all odds.
She at one point measures the amounts of food stock at home to keep her family fed. I loved that part, as it shows how as mothers and as home makers, women measure each and everything and live life brilliantly well whilst giving their best to their families even during hard times!!!

Rehana emerges from her motherly emotions to a mother of children of the nation.She gives herself into the struggles of war and refugee camps. She lets her heart out to a stranger, who she almost falls in love with, despite being aware of the fact that its a futile effort.

Sohail and Maya are teenagers who evolve during the course of the story and emerge into revolutionaries who live for the freedom of their home.
Also, intricately portrayed are the subtleties of friendship, love and life of the characters.
I refrain to reveal more about this book as it will spoil the zeal to read it!!

In all a brilliant book recommended for readers of all ages and groups!
Happy reading!!
Awaiting your enthusiastic reciprocation!
Love
Suj

Over her Dead Body!

noreply@blogger.com (Sujyothi) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:21:00 +0000

A horror movie I presumed it was, but still went ahead to watch with the spine, my dear husband and friends!
It didnt seem deadening or anything at the beginning. Although my co-watchers, did scare me a bit!Finally, the movie commenced!

Starring-

Eva Longoria Parker- Kate

Paul Rudd- Henry

Lake Bell-Ashley

Jason Biggs-Dan

Lindsay Sloane-Chloe

Stephen Root-Sculptor

Ok...now that you have got an intro[introduction] of the cast, it makes my job easier to tell you what happens in the movie!Kate and Henry are getting married.
The wedding in the evening and they are making the last minute preparations.

Kate reminds me of Monica from Friends. She is so obsessed with order and doing it the right way, i.e 'her' way!

She dies without getting married. How???you would have to watch the movie!

Then she meets an angel, whom Kate doesnt believe as you see, like us, she too has the conception that angels always have wings and well this one doesnt :).

So before listening to what the angel has to say, Kate goes on and on like a whiny woman who has no, absolutley no patience whatsoever.
The Angel disappears without telling her, what her future seems like.So, she is sent back to the Earth.

Henry's sister, Chloe coerces him to a psychic [ Ashley ], to remove him from his depression and guessing that the Psychic can talk to Kate and make Henry believe that he has to move on!

Ashley--- she is a part time Psychic and a part time Chef. Her assistant,best friend,a gay, is Dan. During the course of time,[now, how that happens, you would have to watch the movie for it ;)] Ashley and Henry, begin to see each other.
Thats when the trouble and comic relief Kate pops in!! Its fun to watch the real and unreal women fight over the man.

Hillarious array of scenes follow, which will keep tickling your funny bone!!

There is a twist in the movie, which obviously, I will not reveal as it will spoil the fun of watching it!
There are love, emotional and faith battles that the characters fight during the course of the movie. The method in which all the above emotions are treated is a treat to watch.

Finally what wins is for you to watch.

Performance-

Actors have done a neat job, but may be they should have chosen some one slightly more prettier than Lake Bell for Ashley.

Eva, doesnt look great either. But then, the characters are well played.

Its a movie that has to be watched keeping your head outside the theatre, just carry your light heart and a smile, you will return with laughter that will jingle in your mind:))

Have a lovely time!!
Take care
Love
Suj