Friday, May 26, 2017

Just Walking Around


Garam Garam Vada Pav….

The other day all the extended family members were sitting around after dinner discussing casually about topics ranging from Demonetization , continued corruption the upcoming GST implementation etc. Just then the subject turned to what else but the tasty topic of Food and the vada pav to be specific. My father-in-law Nitin Desai who is a great fan of this classic Mumbai fast food started the conversation with his experience of best ever Vada Pav of none other than “Diwadkar’s” .

I still remember the time we used to take the train with family to Pune.It would either be the early morning Deccan or the Double Decker Sinhagad. . All along the route the Western Ghats mountain ranges, also known as the Sahyadris, stretched in far distance, unfolding like a curtain as the train covered ground on its onward run even while hiding from view the terrain on the other side.Between Kalyan and Lonaval, the train would make a stop at Karjat. We looked forward to seeing the khaki-shirted “Diwadkar Vada Pav wallahs” complete with their trademark Red sashes running across the front of their shirts. They wear the red sash with Diwadkar written in the Devnagri font on the front , and in English on the back. The Diwadkar vada pav vendors are unique to Karjat and are not to be found else where on the Mumbai Suburban Railway Network with an exception of having their presence on Neral Station and Jummapatti on route to Matheran.


As the train chugs into the Karjat station the khaki clad Diwadkar Vada Pav vendor’s take thier position with practiced ease , 2 to a bogey. Placing metal stands on the platform they rest their stock of Vada Pav and  packet of Chutney , carrying the brand name Diwadkar Foods in a rectangular metal tray with straps.

At other times they carry the metal stand on their back and dispense Vada Pav from the metal tray that is slung from their necks.Vada pav is arguably the most favored snack in Mumbai. You can call the poor mans Burger. A pocket friendly snack which can be accompanied by a cutting chai can become a full meal by itself. The vada is potato -based savoury made from mashed potato that is rolled into balls before being dipped into spice-seasoned batter of gram flour and deep fried. Best eaten with Pav , a type of bread it is really a filling snack. It is garnished with chutney that can alternate from moderately spicy to vey spicy. Diwadkar’s chutney is red but not that spicy as the color suggest . Bite into these crispy vada and savour the spicy taste.

Another famous Vada Pav in Mumbai and listed among the top 10 Vada Pav’s even by The Times Of India Food Awards is Ashok Vada Pav. Yes that small but most in demand vada pav wallah in Shivaji Park.near Kirti College. The 35-year old vada pav stall at Dadar's Kirti College, run by the genial Ashok Thakur, gets my vote for the best vada pav in the city. But don’t take my word for it. Thakur lists stars like Jackie Shroff and Madhuri Dixit amongst his clientele, and day or night, there's always a bevy of people hanging around outside the stall for a bite. The vada pav has this specialty of being extra crispy. And the pav after being smeared with the special green and sweet chutney stuffed with the crispy “Chura”.This makes the vada pav really crispy and delicious. The other hit item on the list is just “Chura Pav” meaning instead of the vada he fills the pav with only the chura with the trade mark chutney and hands it over to you to polish it off . Hordes of youngsters both studends of Kirti College and ex students can be seen mingling around. Some newly dating couple come on bikes and have this pocket friendly snack before heading to a secluded spot near the Dadar Chowpaty to enjoy some much needed privacy. Ashok Vada Pav - a great symbol of Maharashtrian entrepreneurship made famous with hard work and little bit of love.



Though there are a number of such stand alone vada pav vendors across the city of Mumbai there are also certain well known eateries who actually started the trend of Vada pava and have a legacy of couple of decades in this measly but fiery snack.

Take for example “Mama Kane’s” Swacha Upahagriha. One of the city's oldest surviving restaurants. In its 100th year, Mama Kane's Swacha Uphargriha, the tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant bang opposite the busy Dadar Railway Station on the western side. It is known for its yummy home-made Maharashtrian delicacies. Narayan Vishnu Kane was among those villagers from Konkan who migrated to Bombay in search of jobs in 1905. His first stop was Pen in Raigad. After a not-so-successful attempt at making Ganesh idols, for which the town is known for, Kane moved to Bombay. "Dadar had a huge market place even then, where people from Vasai and other places would come to sell vegetables and flowers. Kane saw an opportunity in starting a food serving place as there were very few eateries around, Kane started a small shack opposite to where the eatery stands now, selling tea, bhaji and other snacks. The place found takers amongst the poor vegetable Maharashtrian vendors who used to land in Dadar around 3 am for trade. Kane's mother and sister would make the food and the eatery was called 'Dakshini Brahmananche Swacha Uphargriha' (a clean eatery of southern Brahmins) then, an acknowledgement to the family's Brahmin roots in Konkan.



In 1928, when Smruti Kunj building opposite Dadar station was constructed, Kane shifted to its present location the ground floor. Since most of the relatives and small kids used to call Kane mama (uncle), the eatery also got the name Mama Kane's. It’s the vada and vada pav that became so famous that Mama Kane is synonymous with vada . The recipe is traditional and mouthwatering and best eaten with the Garlic Chutney .The restaurant is run in typical Puneri style though with Marathi patya “Marathi Instruction Boards” lining its wall. Some of the wittiest messages being “Kama shivay ugach basunaye” (Don’t sit with out any work) , “Amche Malak Sudha ithech khatat” (The owner also eats here ) . Read these , laugh a little and enjoy your Vada.

One more eatery that is famous for its vada pav is located in the suburb and a Maharashtrian hub of Thane is “Kunj Vihar”. This small restaurant is located very close to the Thane Station is patronized by the crowds coming or going to the station to catch the local train. Take a coupon from the counter and sit at its many tables , hand over the coupon to the waiter and he will bring the biggest vada pav in a large bun and place on your table. You can hear the orders flying thick and fast like “Ek sukha meetha” which means pav to smeared with only meetha chutney and garlic chutney , Or Ek theeka Michi ke saath which means pav to be smeared with only green chutney and garlic chutney and stuffed with the fried whole green chillies.  Enjoy the vada Pav and wash it down with Kunj Vihar’s famous thick Sweet Lassi of the Mango Lassi. A mini meal which can fill your stomach and satisfy your soul before you start your journey back home…..



Take your pick , choose your vada pav and savor its masaledar taste . As they say Mumbai me rahe aur Vada Pav nahi khaya to kya khak jiye….Enjoy this special fast food , India’s answer to the Big Mac…..

To jab bhook lage aur jeb jara khali ho to Khao Khao Garam Garam Vada Pav……

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Just Walking Around



Family Vacation Part 2 ---- Jungle Country Coorg

Our next destination on the list was Coorg. Most people I checked with for advice as which is better Otty-Kodaikanal or Coorg there was a resounding affirmation on Coorg. Well known for is natural habitat and the many wild life reserves . So we embarked on an adventurous journey to Coorg. But before the road trip which was to take place in the afternoon I decided to be little adventurous myself with a little prodding from the missus off course. Till time in Mysore we were either having food at our hotel or in the hotels in the vicinity and mostly tried the roti-bhaji-chicken. The kids were bored as we decided to have some fun , we literally ordered a Dominoes Pizza from the nearest outlet from our hotel room and strictly specified that let the delivery boy know of the same and ask him to contact me when he reaches outside our Hotel. When the delivery boy called I promptly went down and collected the Pizza boxes and came back. While passing through the main lobby of the Hotel the gatekeeper or the Durban gave me a stern look , but I just smiled back and since he had observed me with our kids in the premises gave a sort off nod .As if saying “off you go”. Anyways all of us feated on the Cheese stuffed pizza , the garlic bread sticks with cheese dip and gulped the cola . Little Bhakti’s broad smile was infectious.

Soon the car arrived to pick us up and take us to Coorg. The road to out of Mysore is really great , properly paved and pot hole free unlike our Mumbai roads. Once out in the countryside we could see small village hamlets with tiled roofs and little farms. As we got closer to Coorg we literally passed through the forest reserve . The climate suddenly changed and it started to rain heavily for good distance. All of a sudden the clouds broke out and we could see sunshine and in the distant we could see huge Elephants roaming freely in forest. What a sight it was. A few yards away we could even spot some deers and the hyper active monkeys.The atmosphere grew cloudy again and the winding roads made the journey even more memorable.


I had booked us into an homestay to get the feel of nature amidst the greenery. We checked in around late afternoon and were given a room on the ground floor of the red sandstone (Chira stone) house which came with very basic amenities. Managed by a family of husband , wife and a kid. We had some tea and snacks (smart thing we carried some biscuits and wafers ). After which we went out for a leisurely stroll. Just walked past a few local houses and on the way I was able to show some interesting plants to our kids. Like the touch me not plant , growing there on the sidelines like a shrub and the leaves clamp up when you touch them. Then there were the small plants with bunch of colorful small flowers. When you pluck them and suck at their bottom tip you get the taste of honey as they are filled with nectar that the bees collect. Both Netra and Bhakti enjoyed it as they hade never experienced this. Made me remember my childhood in our native village when we used to roam around and pluck these flowers for their nectar or collect the juicy red berry “pitkal” from bushes near our village home.
We rested a while at a local bus stop made of concrete with proper seating area and a roof. As the sun started going down we could see the crimson sky and in the distance some lightning. We hurried back to our room with the breeze pick up. The dinner was a modest affair prepared by the lady of the house but tasty and fresh what with the vegetables used were from their own farm.



Next day we had planned for exploring Coorg. So hired a car and started off towards Bylakkuppe famous for the Golden Temple and Namdroling Monastery. Namdroling Monastery in Coorg was established His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche in the early 1960's by a monk that, like the Dalai Lama, had left Tibet because of their conflict with China. The huge compound was built by monks over the years, and there are hundreds of hand painted traditional Tibetan Buddhist images adorning the temples and shrines. The main temple hosts a big prayer hall with three big Golden statues of over 40 feet height . At the center is the serene image of the great Buddha on its sides are statues of Padmasambhava and Amitavus .The alter is decorated with flowers , candles and incense sticks.
Many parts of the Monastery are open to the public, and over 5000 monks live, work and study in the grounds. New disciples as young as five live at the Monastery, and many Buddhist converts from around the world come to live and learn here also. The number and variety of buildings is impressive, and you are allowed to stroll around the perimeter of the Monastery's land to spin the traditional Tibetan Buddhist prayer wheels that are part of the walls. Monks and other visitors walk circles in silence around this ‘stupa' as a hardship by which ‘to accumulate cosmic merit and eradicate sins' . The monastery is a little off the beaten path with small Tibetan banners and flags fluttering lined all across the road to the Golden Temple. But the visit is well worth to experience the Tibetan culture.



We then proceeded to Kushalanagar to visit the Nisargdham , The 64-acre island, surrounded by the Cauvery river, can be accessed by walking across a hanging bridge. Established in 1989, the picnic spot with lush foliage of thick bamboo groves, sandalwood and teak trees has lovely river-side cottages. Elephant rides and boating are some of the other attractions. There is a deer park where kids and adults can feed them with their own hands. The children enjoy getting close to these timid animals and feed them the leaves from nearby. There are some tree houses and seating areas built with chipped tile pieces looking like scenes from fairly tales like Hansel and Gretal or Goldlilocks and the 3 bears in the children’s park . The forest area is filled with Medicinal plants and other huge tress. Tourists are allowed to get into water at a few shallow and safe points along the river. 
It was was high noon when we decided to move ahead and decided to have lunch at a local restaurant Hotel Athiti . A pure veg hotel which served veg thali food on banana leaf. A simple affair with 2 vegetables , a dal , puri , cucumber salad and rice. Also served was the traditional sweet the paysam made from lapsi / sooji cooked in coconut milk and sweetened with jaggeray. The best i have eaten. We ordered for two more vati’s and cleaned the bowls out.



Next on our list of places to visit was the Dubare Elephant Camp. The winding roads accompanied by lush green forest led us to Dubare. Since we still had time ,as entry is from 4-5.30 pm in the evening , Netra and Bhakti enjoyed a quick horse ride and ready to go. But nothing prepared us for the adventure that was to come ahead. As the waters were shallow the usual boat ride to the elephant camp was not available. Everybody who wished to see the Elephant had to cross the river using the many rocks that line the across the river. This was easier said than done. Initially me and Netra started walking and with little Bhakti on my hips it was getting difficult. Kashmira was scared but egged on by Netra she too started walking cautiously. All of the visitors were seen helping each other giving hands to grip and making sure no one slipped. But due to the slippery stones it was becoming difficult to cross. The only inspiration to reach the camp was to has a close encounter with Elephants. We finally reached the gates and took some time to ease our breath. A little ahead we could see the humongous tuskers. We were literally mesmerized. Such huge Elephants at close quarters. We feed them hay and touched their trunks. There was even a baby elephant that caught little Bhakti’s attention though scared even she offered him hay and enjoyed the scene when the baby elephant lifted its trunk to swallow the ball of hay and rice grains.  The surrounding was lush green and we could see at least 20 elephant in the distant forest . The agonizing walk across the river was worth the trip. We said bye to the elephant’s walked back to the gate. Sudden a storm brew across the skyline with madly gushing winds with leaves and flowers flying across as in those Hindi movies. We some how reached the gate and dreaded at the thought of having to walks across the stones. But like a God’s send a rafter had just anchored his rubber raft and was offering a ride across the river for Rs.100 per person. A family of 3 with a little girl started haggling as we reached the spot, he cut the price to Rs.50 per head and started filling up his raft. He need 12 persons to balance the load , more people joined and we were ready to go. The rafter gave 4 oars one to me and 3 to other and he himself seated at the back to rudder the raft. We all started to row with all our might so that we could reach the other side quickly. Just as we reached the river bank it started to rain literally pouring cats and dogs .We had to take shelter in a make shift enclosure on the river bank. All of us got wet but were safe . Too much adventure for the day . 



We decided to head towards the main town of Madekeri . On the way we could see  lots of tea and coffee plantation on the side .The sun had set and it became dark when we reached Madekeri. Had a mesmerizing view of the valley from the Raja Seat at the heart of Madekeri. Then we went to the local market to pick up some fresh spices. Coorg is known for its world famous spices which are exported globally. At the shop you could smell the fragrances of different spices be it Cinnamon (Dalchini) , Cardamom (Elaichi ), Nutmeg (Jaiphal) , Bay leaf (Tej patta) and the famous black pepper (kali mirch). You can also buy the best ever tea in various flavors Masala , Chocolate ,Vanilla , and even the coffee comes in those exotic variations like Arabica and Robusta blended with Chicory coffee beans.And don’t forget to pick the mouthwatering and melting home made chocolates



With tired legs and handful of shopping bags we started back to our homestay in Virajpet. Netra and Bhakti dozed off in the car with wind caressing their faces and were lost in their dreams. A memorable day well spent amidst the nature with the Sun , the Earth and the cool Cauvery for company….

We had a harrowing time that night at our homestay with the power off and Bhakti not keeping well . Early in the morning we decided to check out and headed to Madekeri and checked into Hotel Valley View , the most clean and well serviced hotel at the heart of Madekeri overlooking the valley at Raja’s Seat. Run and managed very professionally by Karnataka State Tourism Department. It had all the rooms facing the valley. Great hotel with good support staff and a restaurant to match the pallets of its guest. Our day was spent in resting and nursing Bhakti to recovery. And recover she did with the changed environment. The next day was spent idling around the hotel property. In the afternoon we check out and decided to head to Bangalore.

We reached around 6 in the evening at the hotel in Bangalore . As we had been invited to dinner at my cousin sister Deepa place, a small get together was planned with her family and Padmakar Mama’s family. We rested some time and then reached her home little before dinner. Old memories were shared , old photos were looked at accompanied by small talk and fun. Had a great dinner with best ever home cooked food which we longed for during our entire trip.



We said our byes and promised to visit them next time and headed back to our hotel .With a day to spare we decided to visit the Bannergutta Wild Life sanctuary on the outskirts of Bangalore. We took the safari and thoroughly enjoyed the ride in the mini bus across the forest reserve. The Sanctuary is clearly demarcated into 4 zones , herbivorous section with deer’s and Neel gais. Huge flock of deer’s can be seen up close. An added attraction again is the elephants roaming freely. Next on the route is the Sloth bears section with huge black sloth bears basking in the sun or under the shade of the trees. Huge doors are opened and we head to the next section where we encountered the Lions again in great numbers. lying across the side walk , lazing away at the water hole . And finally the highlight of the safari was the sighting of tigers the beautiful White tiger and the ferocious Royal Bengal Tiger. Cooling off at the water hole or just laying around. One of the Tiger decided to come very close to our bus and just walked past us made a U-turn and walked back . All of us shrieked with delight a that this awe inspiring sight.

The tour was over and we very ready to go back to human habitat to the chaos of the city life.


A trip of our life time with loads of sweet memories we headed back home and in the flight back to Mumbai looked at the memorable clicks we snapped on our mobiles reliving every moment , the fun and adventure in the Jungle country of Coorg……


Saturday, May 13, 2017

Just Walking Around



Family Vacation -Part 1 ----The Princely State of Mysore

Being a person bitten by the travel bug , every year we as a family make plans for a fun filled family vacation during summer vacations of our kids. Most of the time it is a visit to a near by hill station like Panchgani -Mahabaleshwar or to the green country side in Nashik or like last year some new place like Saputara.This year we decided to explore the beautiful Southern state of Karnataka. We zeroed in on Mysore-Coorg-Bangalore sector with its distinct novelties of Palaces , historical temples ,Wild life sanctuaries and finally to end the trip in the most cosmopolitan city of the country Bangaluru.

We landed around 10 pm one and half hours to 2 hours behind schedule due to Air traffic congestion at Mumbai Airport which delayed the take off of our flight. Hazards of Air travel I guess earlier in our childhood we used to take the State transport bus to our village in Karnataka first to Hubli then onwards to Sirsi or Bilgi or at best a train which needed a change at Miraj due the broad guage – meter guage concept .But it was all fun then , now if the fight is delayed the tempers start flying high among the passengers who are either made to wait at the airport or if they have boarded like what happened to us , stay cooped up in the flying machine. But finally we took off and it was a nice flight with Netra and Bhakti enjoying the view outside . But soon the weather caught up with us and started playing truant with the plane bouncing like a ball. Soon this also passed and we made safe landing at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bangaluru. Since we had already booked in a hotel in Mysore we decided to take a cab directly from the airprot itself to reach Mysore. Since me and the misus were able to finish the dinner served in the flight we picked up some sandwiches and cold drinks for the kids for the long journey ahead.

Thanks to technology we could easily book an OLA outstation cab at the airport and were picked up by a nicely behaved driver Chandrashekhar in his White Swift Dezire . And as luck would have it we got the latest OLA Prime Play cab with built in entertainment unit -Touch panel LCD pre loded with selected movies , TV shows , Music videos , and even kids program like Latoo Kids. With a long journey of 3 hours this was savior for the kids in the back seat. We reached around 2am at Hotel Sandesh the Price at Doora , Mysore in the heart of the erstwhile Princely City State of Mysuru. We hit the bed with dreams of enjoying the next day in this city with a legacy of Kings and Warriors who reigned over it.

To let you onto some information Mysore served as the capital city of the Kingdom of Mysore for nearly six centuries, from 1399 until 1956. The Kingdom was ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty, with a brief period of interregnum in the 1860s and 70s when Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan were in power. Patrons of art and culture, the Wodeyars contributed significantly to the cultural growth of the city and the state. The cultural ambiance and achievements of Mysore earned it the sobriquet Cultural Capital of Karnataka.

Mysore is noted for its heritage structures and palaces, including the Mysore Palace, and for the festivities that take place during the Dasara festival when the city receives a large number of tourists from across the world. It lends its name to various forms arts and culture like Mysore Dasara, Mysore Painting; dishes like the sweet dish Mysore Pak, Mysore masala dosa; brands like Mysore Sandal Soap, Mysore Ink; styles and cosmetics like Mysore Peta (a traditional silk turban) and the Mysore Silk sarees, etc. Tourism is the major industry alongside the traditional industry


So we got up the next day and decided to explore this lovely place and hired a local cab , again the driver Praveen was excellent and doubled up as our guide during the day’s visit. He suggested we visit the Mysore Palace first ,to get the feel of history and culture. We were awestruck at the gates of this majestic palace also known as the Amba Vilas Palace. A huge gate with big arches awaits your entrance. Pay and collect your tickets for the tour inside and walk inside. You can hire a local guide like we did , who explains minute details of the history and significance of the palace. At the start of entrance you can see wall paintings showing the grandness and types of army kings had and their royal grandness when they come out on streets with full procession. Later you need to walk through corridors and you can get view of beautiful palace wall paintings , glass paintings , roof top paintings , designs , pillars architecture. The ceiling of the Deewan -e-Aam the huge hall where the Wodiyar King used to hear the common public and carry out his durbar is lined with beautiful paintings of Cement sheet (Asbestos) which were painted with floral and animal motifs and then screwed up to the ceiling. There is a unique 3D painting of the Royal Procession in which the dignitaries and the peasants are all standing in front of the Royal elephant . When you look at this procession it seems all of the people are looking at you. Even when you walk across the painting to the other side it seems the people in the painting are following you and still watching you. What a master piece. Then there the royal Ambari or Howdah weighing 750 kgs in which the King used to sit atop the Royal elephant during the Dassera Procession. Now the golden moorty of the Chamundeshwari Devi is taken around Mysore. The elephant selected for this duty has to 4 tons and is selected from the Dubare Elephant camp brought to the Mysotre Palace and trained for 2 months. The procession itself is very Grant we were told. Should visit Mysore during Dassera time. Then there Few Burma wood chairs and oil portraits of kings ancestors are kept on display. Every door you pass you can see beautiful teak wood carvings and art of carpenters those days on the doors. Not many things related to king are kept on display , very little are available to view , but the displayed item like the Belgian glass thrones , dressing tables etc are grand. We were told the present kings Mother the Rajmata stays here  , so most of the part in palace is private area. You can see some jewelry used to decorate Elephants during Dussera, huge open stadium where king give darshan to general public. We came out thoroughly enjoying this journey through time seeped in History.


It was close to lunch time and we requested Praveen to take us to a restaurant for lunch. We stopped at a local small but nice food joint and lapped up a simple veg thali lunch. Nest stop was a Sand Sculpture Museum near by . India's first Sand Sculpture Museum. It is a unique museum where one finds the heritage of Mysore crafted into sand. Located near Chamundi Hills, this Museum is worth a visit. It is incredible to note that these marvelous pieces of art were made using just sand and water. A giant 15 feet Ganesha statue right at the entrance is followed by variety of themes including Tom & Jerry, Mysore Kings, Chamundeswari Goddess, landscapes and animals. The sand sculpture museum takes you to another world for half an hour.MN Gowri, a resident of Mysore is the creator of this museum. She is a bachelor in fine arts. Gowri wanted to show something unique to tourists coming to Mysore. Being an exponent of Sand Sculpture she decided to create a museum to showcase her works of art made out of sand and water 

Spread over 13500 square feet, this museum exhibits 150 pieces of sand sculptures. The prominent themes are heritage of Mysore, wildlife and scenes from epics of major religions of the world. Right at the entrance is a giant 15 feet tall statue of Ganesha. Other prominent works are those of the erstwhile King of Mysore, Chamundeswari Devi, Arjun and Krishna in chariot, wild animals and ancient Egypt.  Walk leisurely and enjoy the sights.


Another quirky place is the Wax museum near by .The Wax Museum at Mysore is aptly named as Melody World. The museum fascinates visitors through its display of various musical instruments in interesting settings, replete with life size wax statues of musicians playing the musical instruments. Since the museum is based on music and musical instruments it reflects the diverse kinds of musical instruments that have been in use across various parts of the country and the world since ancient times. This is a one-of-its kind wax museum in the whole world. The museum was established in October 2010 by a Bengaluru based IT professional named Shreeji Bhaskaran. It was created as a tribute to musicians from all over the world. The wax museum takes its visitors on a 19 gallery tour comprising of 110 life size wax statues and more than 300 Indian and western musical instruments. The statues and instruments are exhibited in various bands and stage settings. Visitors are treated to an amazing representation of musical instruments covering from the Stone Age to Modern Instruments. The attractive exhibits of bands include Indian Classical Hindustani and Carnatic, Jazz, Rock, Hip Hop, Punjabi Bhangra, South Indian, Middle East, Chinese, etc. The museum also has lovely representation of tribal music and its instruments. Each wax exhibit is a brilliant work of art that reflects the talent of the sculpture and his deep passion for his art.

Next stop was the ancient Sri Chamudeshwari Temple atop the Chamundi Hills.  This temple is dedicated to Chamundi or Durga the fierce form of Shakti. The slayer of demons Chanda and Munda and also Mahishasura the buffalo headed monster.


The temple is of a quadrangular structure. Built in Dravidian style, it consists of the Main Doorway, Entrance, Navaranga Hall, Antharala Mantapa, Sanctum Sanctorum, and Prakara. There is a beautiful seven-tier Gopura or pyramidal tower at the entrance and a ‘Vimana’ (small tower) atop the sanctum sanctorum. Atop the ‘Shikara’, the tower at the entrance, are seven golden ‘Kalashas’.
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III repaired the shrine in 1827 A.D and built the present beautiful tower at the entrance (Gopura). Blessed by the Goddess, Krishnaraja Wodeyar, an ardent devotee of the mother Goddess, presented to the temple a ‘Simha-vahana’ (A lion-shaped vehicle) and other animal cars and jewels of value. The cars are used even now for processions on special religious occasions.

In the ‘Antharala’ prior to the sacred sanctum sanctorum are the images of Lord Ganesha on the left side and of ‘Bhyrava’ on the right side. To the left of Ganesha, there is a beautiful 6-foot statue of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar III. He is standing with his hands folded in his religious clothes. On either side of him are his three wives, Ramavilasa, Lakshmivilasa and Krishnavilasa. Their names are carved on the pedestals In the sanctum sanctorum is the stone statue of the Goddess, ‘Mahisha Mardhini.’ Having ‘Ashta Bhujas’ or eight shoulders, she is in a seated posture. According to the local legend, the image was established by sage Markandeya and hence it is said to be very old.
The idol of the Goddess is decorated every day and worshipped by a number of priests. The Mysore Maharajas have donated number of valuable gifts to their family deity.Coconuts, fruits and flowers are offered to the deity.

On the way back you encounter an unique sight at the foothills of the Chamudi Hills . An enormous big bull -Nandi the vahan of Shiva . More than 350 years old, this is one of the oldest icons in Mysore.Carved out of a single boulder and standing tall at 16 feet and 24 feet wide a mesmerizing figure giving radiating strength & energy when you look at it .


Next stop the world famous Brindavan Gardens of Mysore, undeniably one of the best terrace gardens in the world. A must sightseeing place of a Mysore tour, Brindavan Garden mesmerizes everyone. Brindavan gardens with its illuminated fountains, botanical park, extensive varieties of plants and fulfilled boating, is place for everyone. A popular feature of the Brindavan Gardens are the musical fountains. The fountains are maintained by the water pressure from the dam and are operated through a controller. The musical fountain show presents a harmonized water dance, accompanied by colourful lights and music. For visitors, a rain shelter and gallery has been built. Netra and Bhakti enjoyed the 15 minute show of light and water synchronization on Hindi Bollywood songs. What a beautiful sight….



As next day was little Bhakti’s birthday we decided to spend the day at the famous Mysore Zoo or Mysore Zoo or Shri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens is one of the oldest zoo in India. The Mysore zoo is over a century old and has an interesting history of its own. Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar had a vision to create a well laid-out city amidst the gardens, and founded the world famous Mysore Zoo in the year of 1892. The Mysore Zoo which has now spread over an area of 250 acres was initially meant for the exclusive visit of the royal family but public entry started as early as 1920
Mysore Zoo boasts of amazing and rare variety of fauna. For instance, it is the only Indian zoo that has all three species of Rhino i.e. white, black and Indian rhino. Brown bear, sloth bear, brown lemur, Nilgiri langur, chimpanzee, orangutan and the Himalayan bear are a few other wild animals that can be spotted here. This zoo is also known for its tigers.  A whole lot of deers – Chittal’s , Black Buck’s , barking deer . Lots of Elephants and even the tall necked Giraffe’s . It also is host to vide variety of birds from Peacocks to Falmigoes(Angipankh) with wings tips in fiery red.  Other birds in the collection arte Mackao’s , Parrots , Golden Pheasants , Indian Hornbill (Jatayu) and Eagles and Owls. The zoo is very well landscaped with well laid out walk ways and drinking water coolers and wash rooms at regular intervals. Though we preferred walking they also operate Battery operated cards for young mothers with infants and senior citizens. But watching the animals at close quarters is great fun than whizzing past in a car.


And to end the day on a high note we went to watch the Mysore Palace on that Sunday evening to watch it illuminated with 1 lakh bulbs . The entire palace premise glows in this hallow and you can walk around on its grounds enjoying the lighting . Looking at the Palace it looks as if it is bedecked with shinning diamonds a truly awesome sight. Close by there are illuminated silver buggy’s drawn by horses and Bhakti had a blast riding the carriage sitting pretty like a cute little princess….


What a way to celebrate one’s birthday ….in true Royal Style. Ending with a lavish dinner at the theme restaurant -Jungle near the Mysore Central Bus Station. It has Rain-forest theme. The ambiance is really cool .Nicely lit with replica’s of birds , anaconda and monkeys hanging from trees.. The waiters dressed as Hunters. The food to was child friendly with mild spicy recipes. We had an enjoyable family dinner.
A great trip to this Princely State….

Next week I will continue our journey to Coorg and Bangalore..

Happy Reading…



Saturday, May 6, 2017

Just Walking Around



Kokani Cuisine ------Fish Fry and Kalvan Bhat…….

For a person like me who’s a Karwari with roots in Ankola fish curry and rice is as staple as say a batata bhaji and chapatti to Maharashtrian or Butter Chicken and Tandoori Roti to a Punjabi. Even little Bhakti has inculcated this taste in her DNA. When see’s fry fish in her dinner plate like a pandit she tells “aaj phakta bombil and prawns ahe ka…. Paplet nahi ka”  , meaning “There is only fried Bombay duck (bombil) and fried prawns , no fried Ponfret”… We all have a hearty laugh and continue gorging on the fish in the plate. My wife Kashmira also with roots in Goa can’t resist making her best ever recipe of Fish Kalvan either with soft & succulent Kolambi (prawns) or with Paplet (Pomfret)  , that spicy and tangy fish curry in red gravy best had with piping hot steamed  and accompanied by fried Bombil or Bangda (Mackerel) fry .And top it up with a glass of Sol Kadi ---To Sone pe Suhaga….Have this on a Sunday afternoon and snooze till evening . A great way to relax.

We Karwari’s given a choice will have fish and rice every day of the week , but then it would be too taxing for the bechara stomach. So as ritual we eat fish twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays sometime even on a Sunday that makes it thrice. The journey of a great fish pakwan starts with visit to the local fish market to pick up fresh stock or as it is called in Marathi and Konkani ---Bazaar. I still remember going to the Wadala fish market with my dad and pick up the fish on a Sunday morning. He was an expert in pick up fresh fish , he would know from which fish vendor or Kolin to pick up which fish. Some had the best pomfret, Surmai and Halwa (black pomfret). Others kept a good stock of Kolambi (prawns) and Karandi (Shrims). He would lift up the gills to see if they were blood red , which would indicate its freshness. Then he would go on to gently press the fish to check whether it was soft or hard . If soft it would indicate the fish catch was fresh and not from refrigerated stock from ice cold storage. Having satisfied himself of the freshness next part was to bargain for a good price. Usually if the Kolin knew you as a loyal or returning customer she would herself offer a discount , else it was an art to haggle and get a good price. Sometimes bored of the usual fish we would pick mussels (Kalva) or Shell fish (tisrya) , exotic in todays terms but natural to us fish lovers. And if the Sunday was on or close to Amvasya (New Moon day) , then it was time to pick up the Crabs. You would have to ask the fish vendor to give you Madi (female crabs) with stripped under belly , as they had better meat than the male crabs. The crabs claws would be declawed by the fish vendor and then put into the cloth bag taken to pick them.

There would be several funny incidents at home when Crabs were brought home along with the usual masala – nimbu (lemon) , mirchi (green chillies) , onion and garlic required for making a fiery curry. Unknowingly once Mom upturned the entire cloth bag and the crabs went scurrying across our home running for their lives . Me and my brother would have to literally fish them out from under the table and chairs in the kitchen. We would then have a hearty laugh. Once cooked the Crabs are a real delicacy . To eat them is a long drawn affair. The claws would be broken with your molars and the juice oozing would be devoured before polishing off the crab meat. Sometimes the Claws would be so big we would have to be split open by a small stone usually kept in our kitchens for this very purpose. Next would be the complex task of taking out crab meat from its Peti ( or in Konkani Pendo) . The taste was heavenly and would linger on in the mouth and more in the mind until the next time that you had the lip smacking Crabs….

If you want to have the fish and are tired of all that work in the kitchen , then you can always go to the several resturants in Mumbai specializing in Coastal cuisine. Some of my favorite ones and where you get a scrumptious fish , chicken and mutton are located in the Dadar – Shivaji Park and Bandra. One of the best known and favourite of fish lovers is the Gomantak Resturant opposite to Shivaji Mandir. On fish eating days like a Wednesday or a Friday you will find an long queue outside this eatery from its doorstep right up to the next 2-3 shops down the line. The foodies not minding waiting to have their favourite meal. You have variety of options . Go for their regular fish thali with Surmai or Bangda with 1 portion of Fry fish , a curry , 2 chapati’s and 1 portion of rice. Top up this with other fish which you want to try , Pomfret fry or the Gomantak specialty  stuffed Pomfret , or the golden fried prawns or bombil fry. Stuffed pomfret fry has stuffing of coconut and all the spices along and deep fried adding a savoury to the complete dish.The Prawns are fresh well marinated and thus they give you the perfect satisfaction to your mouth. Simply Luscious. All the other fried dishes presented here are appetising and fills your soul. All in all a perfect restaurant for sea food lovers. But try it on some odd day of the week when it is least crowded for better taste and service. 

But my personal favorite one in Dadar is the Malvan kata situated in a by lane just opposite from Gomatak. In the leading to the Swami Samarth Math , this small but simple eatery serves authentic Malvani cuisine. You can get the usual fish fry thali and fish curry & rice but to taste the authentic food go for their Kombdi Vade a special Malvani dish  with Chicken rassa and deep fried golden brown puri shaped vade. Or even the dry variety of Chicken Sukka or Mutton Sukka that spicy and masaledar dish . Another mouth water dish is the Beja Masala that soft and tender lamb brain recipe –Stir fried to perfection with sauted onion , garlic and crushed ginger. With added crushed cumin seeds, tomato, coriander seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, red chili and cooked .Garnished with cut green chillies and coriander to give it a mouthwatering taste.

Take a cab further just ahead of Portuguese Church and opposite the Parel Depot , to Jai Hind Lunch Home another specialist in Gaon and Malvani food. My personal favorite for fish cuisine. If you land up here on a weekend be prepared to wait atleast for minimum half an hour at the seating area put up right outside the restaurant. You can entertain yourself by watching the fish kept in a tank . Or watch the crabs crawl in another tank. Register yourself at the counter and wait for your turn. Earlier this restaurant was a simple non AC Khanaval (local fish eatery) with wooden benches and friendly waiter with who gave good advice on what to eat. The ambience is still the same but insides are made to suit the newer family crowds it attaracts now also its turned into a AC restaurant and even a chain with branches in Lower Parel opposite to Kamala Mill Compound and one appealing to the upmarket crowd on Hill Road Bandra near the erstwhile Globus Mall.

But the one at Dadar West just opposite the Parel Depot is their best restaurant. Once inside you can literally smell the fish in the air which would make your mouths start watering and make you eager to try everything that is there on the menu. For starters besides the usual Surmai (King Fish) fry and Paplet (Pomfret ) fry , try there delicacy Bharlele Bombil (Stuffed Bombil). Its their specialty , with the stuffing of karandi (shrimps) made to the perfect mix of tangy and spicy taste . Filled in the Bombil which is crispily fried. Eat this and you will come back for more. Another unique dish is the Mackle fry or Squid marinated in Ginger Garlic paste and with special masala which tastes awesome. For the Chicken lovers they have the Goan Chicken Xacuti in coconut based gravy made to authentic taste , can be had with hot chapattis or those small puri type Vade. Or better still order the Chicken sukka or mutton sukka and devour ot with the Neer Dosa a white fluffy dosa made of rice flour . The taste is so good you would lick your ginger dry once its polished off from your plate.

To finish off ask for a glass of cool Sol Kadi to help you digest that heavy meal you just ate…

So next time you want to have a heart meal do try the simple but staple diet of the Kokni manus ---Fish Fry and Kalvan Bhaat . Nothing tastes as heavenly…..