Just Walking Around

Mumbai – A City of Dreams

In my travels across India during my sales trips , I have had the good fortune of observing some of the major cities at close quarters. Each city has its own character, a way of life and attitude of its own. Be its cultural repertoire , its vibrant night life , safety for its inhabitants , the way it treats the outsiders who come for a living , its food quotient or the clean and secure environment it offers to citizens. You could say I am biased but I still find Mumbai with highest scores in all these indices. Being born and brought up here I have lived and breathed this city and experienced much it has to offer. Needless to say true Mumbaikar is the only living being even when he feels a lot of pride about his city, will not shy away from berating his city during a heated discussion on the lack of amenities and infrastructural bungles it faces. If in group someone says aloud that Mumbai has gone to the dogs and its infrastructure is collapsing due to administrative mis-management , a tru Mumbaikar will join the chorus and put out 10 more points on why Mumbai is losing the game as compared the other famous Global / International cities. As a tradition Mumbai has always been compared to cities like New York due to Manhattan skyline and similar space constraint or to London due to the red busses and for a matter of fact that it was directly ruled by the British for a long long time than the regional rulers like the Maratha’s , Mughals or the Nizam’s of the south. It has alsways been influenced by the British or the Portuguese who rule before them. The Mumbaikar felt let down when its storm water drains failed and it got compared to Venice , as its streets were flooded during 26/11 or was scarred when its heart was ripped out during the 1992 serial bomb blast and the riots that followed during 1993. This was much before the world got its taste of terrorism during 9/11 in New York .

Still it is a fact that the soul of Mumbai is very resilient and every time it has been  knocked down by bomb blasts or has faced the wrath of mother nature it has always stood up and taken the punches squarely on the chin , without complaining and making the whole Nation proud because of this resilient nature which is at its core. This unique nature has been ingrained in the DNA of every Mumbaikar.

Where else will you find a city which is Cosmopolitan in nature and allowing each and every one coming to this dream city and letting them be absorbed in its bosom and be treated at par . Be it the local neighbourhood sabjiwallah who has left his native some where in Bihar or UP and travelled all the way to this maxim city to earn a livelihood. Or the Lambadi families migrated from Rajashthan and earning a living working as manual laborers at construction sites Or the North eastern girls and boys working in hotels or hospitality businesses Or the well educated and hardworking Keralite women working as care givers in its many a Hospitals as nurses. This city has always given a safe and secure place to all those who want to make this city their Karmabhoomi and make it big by living out their dreams.

Another aspect of Mumbai and which is the most taken for granted and often verbally abused is the travel infrastructure built over centuries. Starting from the Railways which the British built starting from VT (Victoria Terminus and now renamed as Chatrapati Shivaji terminus ) to Thane or the highly unionized Kaali Peeli’s or Taxi’s and the Rickshaws which scurry around  like rats ,moving through most traffic snarls and then there are the BEST buses modeled on the Red Bus in London. I still remember hurrying up the stairs of the big Double Decker bus and fight our way through the crowd to catch the seat right at the front on the upper deck . Looking out and enjoying the City view. Or during monsoon days taking the bus route winding down the Marine Drive enjoying the splashing of the waves of the big pontoons. You may curse the Taxi drivers or the Auto wallah but where else will you be able to hail a cab or that odd Auto in the middle of the night or at crack of dawn on a silent street or that creepy -eerie street with just a wave of your hand . You could thank your stars that you live in a city which never sleeps and never let you go hungry even if its 4 o’clock in the morning and you want to grab a bite. You will always find some place open serving you a hot pav bhajji – Mumbais very own all time favourite fast food or that garma garam Vada pav with that spicy garlic chatni or even a yummy and lip smacking Unda Burji Pav right across a busy railway station and fill your stomach with food and your heart with that special warmth.  

Mumbai has a unique magnet –The Bollywood home of the arc lights and all that glamour and jazz that attracts people from far and wide to come here and try their luck at striking gold in the Film Industry as it is called. So you will find young boys and girls from Delhi , Himachal , Punjab trying to grab the  attention of the event promoters , ad producers , photographer to get a toe hold in the film line with a wee bit roles or ad campaigns. You will find these young crowd hanging around the Café’s in  Juhu trying desparately to catch the attention of these connect people. Though most of them have a lot to struggle before they get a meaningful break , there are stories of a certain a lad from Bhuleshwar who turned into India’s first Superstart – Rajesh Khanna or a certain Jaikishan Shrof a guju tall lanky boy staying in Teen Bati area striking gold when found by Subhash Ghai and turned into a overnight sensation of Jackie Shroff or in recent times a young kid from Delhi doing VJ jobs on Television becoming the new heartthrob “Ayuushman Khurana”.

This city has also given wings to person of business acumen and turned petrol pump atttendants to Muliti Milllion Dollar Industriallist like the one and only Dhirubhai Ambani. Or even the lad from UP but a IIT –IIM graduate going by the name of Dheeraj Gupta turn a simple Vad Pav into a franchise chain business like the McDonalds – our very own Jumbo Vada Pav. This city has nurtured talents like Sachin Tendulkar’s and now the current crop of cricketers like Abhishekh Nayar or the copy book batsmen like Ajinkya Rahane.

Though the city is congested and at times it feels claustrophobics moving around town , it still has a vibrant Arts and Cultural ethos. In South Mumbai you have the Art District around Jahangir Art Gallery and National Gallery of Modern Art just across the famous Chatrapati Shivaji Sanghrahalay or the Cities Mueseum which is host to a lot of historical artifacts. Every year during February there is the Kala Ghoda festival where there are lot of contemporary performances by musicians and artist coupled with lot of food stalls on the streets of Fort area from Jahangir Art gallery right upto The iconic Gateway of India. During the 10 days the city folks enjoy the experience of walking this art district and have fun.

This city also plays host to innumerable classical singing program like the Pandit Wamanrao Sadolikar Sangeet Samelan arranged and hosted by the famous Jaipur Atroli gharana singer and his daughter Shruti Sadolikar Katkar . This is open to music lovers and hosted at the Shanmukhanand Hall in Matunga –King Circle. This hall has been a hub of activities to promote musical and especially the classical singing talent. Many a stalwarts like Pandit Jasraj , Late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi , Pt. Shivkumar Sharma (Santoor maestro) , Pt. Amjad Ali Khan (Sarod Maestro) and Pt.Hari Prasad Chaurasia (Flute maestro) have performed and keep performing here to mesmerize the listener’s and take them on a musical journey which out of this world.

So next you are calling names to our Mumbai city and are cribbing about issues step back for a while and think how great this city has been how it has evolved over time .And why did I choose this topic , I want all my readers to exercise their franchise on Tuesday Feb 21^st of voting for the Municipal Council election , which may seem very trivial but remember to vote for those who have delivered on the promises and made this city a little better place to live …..Do take part in electing the right candidates , those that can carry on the development , take care of  the special ethos or the character of the city and maintain the cultural diversity. Let this city of Mumbai always be the city of dream fulfilment, a city with never say die attitude and a city that never sleeps….

Proud to be a Mumbaikar……

Just Walking Around

Yoga –A way of Life

You get up early do all your routine in a hurried manner. Most times you skip breakfast and rush to office just to beat the traffic , just so you can reach a few minutes early and plump at your workbench. You sit there all day long in that chair , your back and neck all stiff from punching at the keyboard and multitasking with the desk phone to the ear. Sometimes it’s well past your lunchtime and you say might as well grab a sandwich and a Cola to save time and be back at the desk. You work at the computer staring at the screen like a zombie. You answer some more calls and finally end the day well past 7 or 8 o’clock. Then rush to catch that fast local or grab a UBER / OLA to head back home . Have some dinner catch up on the news if you are and plump on the bed to catch a few winks before the routine begins all over again.

Then one day you are ordered by the office management to have your Annual Comprehensive Health Check up with the partnered Pathological Lab’s like SRL Diagnostics or  Fortis Healthcare. The test are routine blood check for diabetes, cholesterol and other body part analysis like Liver , Spleen and Kidney’s. You are anxious about the test results like a school going kid and finally the Lab reports are in. You look at all the red remarks – your blood sugar is borderline on the higher side, your bad cholesterol is High and going through the roof . Some may have their Livers remarked as sluggish and needs attention. The doctor attached with the Labs prescribes total lifestyle change , puts you on a diet and you get worried , what went wrong.

But this is the new normal. You work like a dog and take all the stress that comes your way and finally end up bruised and maligned healthwise. You think of changing your lifestyle but don’t know what to do . Some of your colleagues suggest hitting the Gym. Some say they need to hit the road either jogging or speed walking . The ladies decide to do the in thing like Zumba. Then some wise guy in the office says “Why not try Yoga”

You start thinking of all the asanas (twisting your body in unimaginable positions) and the bearded man in orange robe teaching Kapalbhati on television . But Yoga is much more and beyond all this. Derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, Yoga means union of the individual consciousness or soul with the Universal Consciousness or Spirit. Yoga is a 5000-year-old Indian body of knowledge. Though many think of yoga only as a physical exercise where people twist, turn, stretch, and breathe in the most complex ways, these are actually only the most superficial aspect of this profound science of unfolding the infinite potentials of the human mind and soul. The science of Yoga imbibes the complete essence of the Way of Life.

Yoga is more than 10,000 years old. The earliest metion of the contemplative tradition is found inn the oldest surviving literature Rig Veda. It dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization. The Pashupati seal from the same civilization shows a figurine in yogic pose, further corroborating its prevalence in those olden times. The practice of Pranayam of the art of breathing in and breathing out , which we all have lost in todays hurried life is mentioned as a hymn in Chandogya Upanishad. Yoga was seen as a process of inner journey or ascent of consciousness.

Vratya , a grup of ascetics mentioned in the Athravaveda , emphasized on bodily postures which may have evolved into Yogasanas. Even Samhitas mention munis, sages and seers who practiced rigorous deportments to meditate or do tapasya.

Yoga is discussed in the ancient foundational Sutra of Hindu philosophy and is perhaps most elaborately mentioned in Patanjali Yogasutra. Patanjali defines yoga in his 2^nd sutra as : “Yogah Citta-vrtti-nirodhaya” meaning  “Yoga is the stilling of the modifications of the mind”. Patanjali’s writing also became the basis of Ashtanga Yoga. Many practices like five vows in Jainism and Yogachara of Buddhism have their root in Patanjali Yogasutra. The medieval ages saw the development of Hatha Yoga. Patanjali is considered father of Yoga and his Yoga Sutras the bible of Yoga , dedicated to the knowledge of Yoga.

The western world has adopted this physical practice of Yoga be it in the form of the regular Yoga or the extreme action Yoga a combination of kick boxing & yoga asanas. Or another variant a combination of Aerobics and Yoga exercises tuned to pump-up music.

But the best way to practice Yoga is to join your friendly neighbourhood Yoga centre. In Dadar-Matunga belt you have 2 of the oldest such centers . One is the Shri Ramtirth Yogashram at Dadar East close to the Hindu Colony . Shri Ramtirth Yogashram began its activities in 1933 , with an aim of propagating Yoga & Nature cure. Till date they conduct Yoga classes early in the morning with fine tutors experienced in Asanas , Meditation and Pranayam. Students and Patients from all over the globe have come here and availed of the teachings and treatment.

The other being The Yoga Institute in Matunga Market near the famous Shri Kankhya Parmeshwari Temple. Their founder Shri Yogendraji’s life mission was to bring yoga out of the forest , hermitages and make it accessible to the common men , women , young , old, sick , healthy , people of castes and communities in all parts of the world. To actualize his mission he and his wife Smt.Sitadevi worked tirelessly to make the science of Yoga available to people, the world over and founded The Yoga Institute in 1948.The simplicity, sincerity & non-commercial angle of The Yoga Institute caters to householders and offers guidelines of how to manage self and keep up one’s sanity as well as balance in today’s competitive & tension ridden world.

One of the beauties of the physical practice of yoga is that the poses support & sustain you no matter how old or young or fit of frail , you come to your mat. As you age , your understanding of asana becomes more sophisticated. You move from working on the external alignment & mechanics of the pose to refining the inner actions to finally just being in the asana.

So go out there , start a new life , learn to be one with the universe by way meditation , pranayama and Yoga asanas.

To quote the legendary Yoga Guru B.K Iyengar “ Live Happily and Die Majestically” , for you have this one life live it to the fullest….try Yoga and Reach your balance…

Just Walking Around

Nasik –The City of Legends

With winter setting in Mumbai and our eating habits changing with the advent of fresh vegetables and fresh fruits . All one needs to do is walk into the local market and enjoy the visual delight of green , fresh vegetable and abundance of vibrant colored fruits. This is the time when you can pick up those green juicy grapes of the big succulent black grapes from your fruit seller and devour them just like that or put them in a custard and have it as a dessert just after your dinner. But did you know where these juicy grapes come from, its Nashik.

During the early part of last year I had the good fortune to stay in this City steeped in Legends and now developing into a City of the future. The city was honored with 'India's most promising city' award by the First Smart Cities Council . Nashik was among the 20 cities in the country which were nominated for the award instituted by the First Smart Cities Council.

We were there over one weekend in February when the climate was very pleasant with cold winds blowing in the evenings. We decided to visit Sai Sansthan at Shirdi to take the blessing of Sai Baba. The fakir who gave us the moto “Sabka Malik Ek” . He is revered by all , rich –poor , big-small , Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Christians , one and all. The main temple complex has been renovated over the years and now looks pristine in its pure white avatar. In this complex is installed the marble statute of Shri Sai Baba seated on a golden throne and flanked by the trusts priests . On special occasions like Ram Navmi there is a huge gathering from across India. Many mandals sponsor palkhi’s which are accompanied by devotees who walk along from their respective places to Shrdi , sometimes the walk take nearly 7 days. All the effort and exhaustion gets vanished into thin air once their eyes get locked on the serene moorti. Baba’s gaze and his blessing are always with his devotees. The temple  complex itself has been converted into a world class establishment with wide LED screens at regular intervals and specified places like Dwarka Mai  and Baba ki chawdi .The surrounding area is a buzz with whole lot of small business activities , from local flower vendors to the sweet meat shops selling Dharvadi pedh and brown raisins to the toy shops selling Chinese toys for children to the shops selling photos , pendants and decorative items. Though you could say that Shirdi has become more a commercial town than a temple town of yore, on the flip side it is giving a chance to all the locals who want to earn a decent livelihood . It was a great experience visiting this special place , going back to Nasik we had fond memories in our mind and were taking back the goodwill along with us.

The next day we decided to explore the Nashik town and were ably shown around by our local driver Vishal . He was one of those fellows who knows every nook and corner of his town as if the back of his hand. We went to Panchavati has significant religious attributes for Hindus with a temple complex on the bend of the Godavari river, which includes Kalaram Temple It is a pilgrimage site,with the Kumbha Mela, the largest peaceful gathering in the world – involving over 10 crore people in 2013, taking place here once every 12 years in rotation with Haridwar, Allahabad, and Ujjain.

Panchavati was the name of a section in the huge forest of  Dandakaranya where Rama with the help of his brother Lakshmana built a nice hut they could call a home in what would eventually become the crucial part of their exile in the wilderness. Panchavati literally means "a garden of five banyan trees". These trees are said to have been there during the exile of Lord Rama. There is a place called Tapovan where Lakshmana, the brother of Rama, cut off the nose of Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana, when she attempted to kill Sita. On the hillock near by are installed statues of Rama , Lakshmana and Sita , looking at them one feels their energy permeating the entire holy site.

Close by is the Ram Kund. Ramkund is a holy place for Hindus. Devotees believe that a dip in this tank will fulfil their wishes. According to the epic Ramayana, Lord Rama used to bathe in this tank during his stay in Nashik. Another place of historical importance is the Sita Gufa , said to be the spot from where Sita was kidnapped by Ravana.A narrow staircase leads to the caves. The caves house idols of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman as well as a Shivling, said to be the one Sita worshipped. Just opposite is an establishment housing the re-enactment of Sita Apharan by Ravana and the epic fight with Jatayu in the form of a small light and sound show. A great attraction with the tourist visiting this place.

Just outside you can have the local puffed wheat which look like popcorn and tastes awesome. Or if you are a little famished try the hot wada pav sprinkled with spicy Garlic chutney. And wash it down with a tall glass of freshly crushed Sugar cane juice. The cane crushing machine is not motorized but manually operated by the person running this roadside stall. Enjoy the sweet nectar like juice on a sunny morning.

Having seen all this it was as of having travelled through time and experienced the legendary tales which were sounded out to us from generation to generation .

Next  we headed to India’s most famous Vineyard – The Sula Vineyard. They were the valley's first commercial vineyards.The Sula Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling have won countless Indian awards. The vineyards also house a resort to live in the winery and a tasting room in which people can taste different samples and varieties of wines produced at the winery. Sula Vineyards spread over 160 acres of area in Nashik. Wine tasting is the best part of the visit. They let you taste different varieties of wine. The fee for this is included in your entry fee. If you want to spend your holiday experiencing something exotic , do visit the place . Don't miss Sulafest which is full of music , wine , food, fashion which is of course everyone's favorite. Sulafest is held every year at Sula vineyards in the month February. People come in huge numbers from different places and enjoy this event.

On the day of returning back to Mumbai , it was a Sunday and we had time to kill till evening as the train time was around 5pm. So instead of snoozing in the hotel bed , we decided to explore some more of Nasik. A close family friend had recommended we visit Hotel Sanskruti on the outskirts of Nashik. We hired a local rickshaw and went there and were really overjoyed at the site. The hotel has constructed a real village “ Apla Gaon” on its precinct, with mud huts showcasing a simple village life , a well , a tiled roof , a house with an Aangan coated with cow dung. Mannequins of men sitting on cane chairs and women cooking food on the wood fired chulah. Then there are life like figures of Bara Balutedars or the 12 craftmen which every village had. The Lohar ( black smith ), the Carperter , the Cobbler , the Mason , the farmer, the fisherman etc. In between the tour you could get an Astrologer to tell you your future or enjoy a small Magic Show or go for a Horse ride or even a breath taking and a little wobbly Camel ride. Later you could eat at the traditional pangat . A typical Maharashtrian thali with goodies like Shrikhand puri , Puran poli , Alu wadi as appetizer with yummy gree chutney. 2- 3 traditional but tasty subji like Bharleli Wangi (stuffed Brinjal) , Dalimbya Usal or Channa Usal and followed by piping hot steamed rice and waran (yellow dal) topped up with pure ghee. You are sure to lick your fingers and give a welcome burp once you are done. Still the lunch is not complete till you have tall glass of cool Sol Kadi or Chaas (butter milk) to digest the heavy food that you just ate.

Come out and lounge on the khaat or traditional choir string char-pai layered with soft cotton gaddi or on the cane chairs kept outside. You are sure to feel sleepy , but then we had a train to catch.

Hopping on to that train to Mumbai and leaving behind a trail of memories .A great time spent together on small but memorable mini vacation.

Just Walking Around

Exhibitions and knowing your State

The best way to know the intricacies of any State is to understand the festivals it celebrates , the best tourist place it has and the buffet of food it serves . Either you get to travel around any State and to different places within it during your family vacations or when you travel for business purpose. But you can not expect get exposed to all the nuances any village or small town can offer at once in a single trip. The other way is to visit the many Exhibitions or events promoted by state departments to encourage awareness about village handicrafts and their way of life . Such events could be focused on folk music & dances or centered on just the handicrafts or the various food festivals which give a flavor of all the varieties.

One such event that has been exceptionally marketed and well received in the city of Mumbai is the Mahalakshmi Saras , a conglomeration of music , dance and food from different parts of Maharashtra. Every year during January this exhibition cum food festival is held at the Bandra Reclamation Grounds for 10 days in the 2^nd week around 10^th-23^rd Jan every year. Since last year me and my family have become a fan of this event and do make it a point to spend one weekend evening enjoying all it has to offer. Its is one of the more professionally organized events in Mumbai and is an initiative of the Government of Maharashtra to provide a marketing platform to rural entrepreneurs, artisans and women's Self Help Groups, Mahalaxmi Saras is an annual exhibition cum sale of handicrafts, handlooms and food products. In its 14th year now, it is supported by big financial organizations like LIC and NABARD.

The entrance itself has a grand door built like a historical fort with a grand gate or Buland Darwaza. Just as you enter to there are 3 sections . Just next to the entrance is a play area for the kids with small Zorbing floating on a small water pond. A kids bungee jumping and air filled bouncing slides . Near by is an enclosed area where daily some traditional events are organized. Singers singing the valour filled Powada , dancer showcasing Lavni and other traditional / tribal dances. Some evenings they organize Marathi films songs or bhavgeet. Enough seats are provided to the visitors who can sit for a while and enjoy  these shows.

Towards the middle section are stalls showcasing the handicraft and products from interiors of Maharashtra. Around 100 stalls line up from different parts of Maharashtra like Khandesh , Vidharbha, Kolapur , Solhapur , Satara , Nasik , Nagpur ,Khed , Ratnagiri and many more. Special Mahila self help groups also have stalls selling wares made by women. Some stalls bring in farm fresh produces like organic Rice , wheat , jowar , bajra and nachani. Some from Kolhapur put up their fresh jaggery (gul) and the famous Kolhapuri garam masala , mutton / fish masala and who can forget their special jhanjhnit (spicy) missal masala.In other stalls are available the puffed rice and wheat which are used to make evening snack of Bhadang or chiwda. Some other sell assorted papad’s –Rice , Nachani , Garlic and the famous Nagli which when fried can blow up as big as a Roomali roti. Then there are stalls selling hand printed bedsheets , pillow colours and cutain cloths with prints in effervescent and bright colours. Designs of Warli art , flowers and animal prints.People throng to these stalls and purchase them for their beautiful motifs and good quality. There are stalls selling the special sarees like Paithani’s and Brocade Sarees from Yeola near Nashik. Some Original Paithani can  cost around Rs.25,000/- to Rs.50,000/- with bright colours and intricate weaves with golden threads .There were some stalls from Konkan –Ratnagiri selling wooden toys for children like the small musical instruments , miniature bullock carts , wooden polpat-latne (roti maker), unique rattles making tick –tock sounds , miniature vintage car models , some push-pull toys , some manually operator funny toys like chickens feeding on rice grains or the dancing giraffe’s or swinging circus clowns. We picked up some tick –tocks and dancing giraffes for Bhakti.The toys are so beautiful to look at with their smooth design , bright colours and great in functionality. These cute toys can even be kept in your showcases as collector items. Another unique item is the Kambal or the Ghongadi a blanket made from sheep wool . A natural thermal / winter ware which will keep even the freezing cold from Kashmir away.

The other big attraction at Mahalaxmi Saras are the 50 odd food stalls bringing together the cuisine from all over Maharashtra. For the people of Mumbai who miss the real taste of village food come down here to savour the delicacies. The food here is a mix of Warhadi-Khadeshi food from Nagpur and Jalgoan , Dhule or the Spicy Kolhapuri and Sea food from Konkani belt of Ratnagiri , Palghar , Sawantwadi. Stalls are mostly set up by Mahila Seva Gat’s or Womens Self Help groups bringing with them the flavours , spices and the real taste of gramin food. It’s a paradise for non-veg lovers with Chicken dishes available at most stalls. You can try the Kolhapuri tamda rasa – pandhra rasa (local red and white gravy ) chicken eaten with Bhakri made of Tandul (Rice flour) or Jwari (Jowar ). The Bhakri are made roasted on iron tava (pan) and served hot along with the Chicken . The combination is deadly and the taste is mouthwatering. From the Khandeshi cuisine the best dish is the Kala Chicken. Its a very simple cuisine, with Kala Masala ( Black masala, its so called, because the roasted spices and dry coconut , gives it a peculiar deep brown black colour) being predominantly used in most of the rassa or amti’s (gravies). Its got earthy flavours , and a kick of spice, and most importantly, generous amounts of spiced oil or “Tarri” as they call , floating over each gravy. Its a matter of disgrace, if the guests are served curry without a generous tarri floating. Served with mostly Bajari (Finger Millet flour roti) Bhakari or Jwarichi or tandalachi (Jowar or Rice Flour) Bhakari , the curries are mostly runny , unlike thick gravies served in northern India. The runny gravies are easily soaked in the bhakaris , and can also be eaten with steamed rice.

In the stalls from Konkan belt you can enjoy the best sea food be it Fry fish like Surmai , Rawas or Bombil crispy and eaten as starter or with rice. Or you can try the Bhuzane a typical coconut based semi dry gravy of Bombil or Rawas which is lip smacking. For those who don’t want the typical bhakari you can order the crisply done wade which are like puri’s and eat them with Malvani suka Chicken or Chicken Masala or even Mutton masala done to perfection.

For the veggie lover to there are multiple options as starters you can have the Hurdya Che Thalipeeth , this is made from Hurda – fresh green grains of Jowar. This is crisply roasted and a little spicy with green chillies to add that takda. Served with curd or white butter (makhan) and mirchi thercha (spicy chilly mix). If you are game fro fried food you could have the kanda bhajji , moong bhajji or the traditional bata wada. Best eaten with the hot garlic chutney. For a main course you can have the Sev Bhaji made of Sev and tomato in spicy gravy. Another unique dish is Patoda Amti . Patoda Amti is a traditional Maratha Curry, typical to Northern Maharashtra regions of Khandesh and Nashik.The curry is unique due to the neutral tasting Patoda, which is a wadi or a savoury cake made with steamed besan batter which is then compacted on a flat surface, cooled and cut into diamond shape. This is then served in a spicy curry flavoured with kala masala. Patoda Amti tastes best with a hot Bajra Bhakri and raw onions.

And the most famous food item from Kolhapur which has become common in every Marathi household is the Missal. But the Kolhapuri Missal is the best ever in taste and texture with mixed sprouts and farsan making up the spicy dish.Served with the lowly ladi pav . The pav soaking the curry and making a finger licking dish.

But the evening can not be complete unless you have tasted the homemade Puran Poli with the sweet puran stuffed in wheat based roti and roasted on the tawa and served hot with a sprinkling of pure ghee.The puran poli’s larger cousin are the Maande which are maida based and fluffed up to the size of a large roomali roti and roasted on an overturned tawa. Eat them hot and savour the sweet flavor and melt in the mouth delicacy.

So next time you are feeling a little low or are missing your native place, head to The Mahalaxmi Saras the exceptional exhibition cum food bazaar with live kitchen and make the most of it..Enjoy the village like atmosphere and feast on the local delicacies and mostly have fun ….

Just Walking Around

Off Vinyl Records & Tranquil Music

It was a regular weekday night , as usual I was reading the newspaper and generally catching up with the days news . Some lilting music wafted from the flat below. Sweet melodious sounds of Sarod strings , my ears soaked in the music transporting me into a different world altogether. Bringing back memories from my childhood.

Much before the current Blu-ray , CD’s or pen drives music / songs would be available on Vinyl records . Yes those black colored round plastic discs with multicolored labels at the center and with concentric lines etched on them. The jacket covers of these records where master pieces by themselves. The front having mesmerizing pictures of the singer , or the band or the films printed on them .The back giving details of the songs or the music recorded on them. The records would come in 2 sizes the larger ones known as Long Playing or simply LP’s and the smaller discs were known as Short Play . The LP’s could play music for 45 minutes – 22 minutes of each side was 10-12 inches in size where as the Short play record were much smaller in size about 6 inches and packed music for 30 minutes – 15 minutes on each side. These discs would be played on a Gramophone or turn tables or sound box with attached speaker in stereo sound. The LP players were manufactured by companies like Phillips. And the LP / SP discs too were produced by HMV (His Masters Voice ).HMV with its unforgettable icon of a dog listening to the Gramophone. They had the rights to a long list of songs , singers and bands till date. It was later taken over by industrialist and music connoisseur .It was later taken over by industrialist and music connoisseur RP Goenka and later renamed as SA Re Ga Ma Music

One of my early memories of listening to Indian Classical music was when I saw my dad put on a LP of Prabha Atre the famous Kirana Gharana singer singing Raag Kalavati with lyrics going “Tana Man Dhan Tope Varun ….Baar Baar Tori Sanwari Surata aur nayana Rasile ….Sanwari Surata Mohani Moorat Nirakhata hai mohe Baar Baar….” . Looking at him sit with eyes closed feet on top the small center table and moving his fingers to the rhythm .. At peace and one with the Musical in a Universe of his own . Made me want to listen and get transported to the serene and magical world myself. I am indebted to him for exposing me and my brother to such great music and be lovers of this great tradition. We had a great collection of such great artist like Parveen Sultana – the nightingale of Khayal gayaki , Kumar Gandharv with his golden voice or  Bhimsen Joshi – with the unforgettable baritone of a voice. The bandish / songs sung by them would always make the listener transport to a world at a level you can never imagine.

Add to this the soulful & traditional variety of songs like Hori , Tappa, Kajari in the husky but sweet voice of Shobha Gurtu and played on festive occasions of a Holi or a Diwali , early in the morning would make the whole day pleasant. I still remember going along with my dad to a small shop going by the name of The Oriental Music Company , right across the Dadar station on the west side. They were distributors for HMV – His Masters Voice which brought out these LP records. We used to go the shop and the owner a typical Maharashtrian would recognize my dad and bring out the latest catalog for him to choose. We would sift through the colourful booklet and dad would choose his favorite singers or sometimes it would Marathi Bhav geet sung by the likes of Sudhir Phadke or even Short Play records of Songs from Sangeet Natak like Katyar Kaljat Ghusli , Man-Apman and many more. Once selected we would take the record to a special Listening Booth in the shop. It was basically a sound proof glass walled box with a Gramophone on a small table and small seatie next to it. The LP’s or the SP’s would be put on them and we would sample the music on them. Once satisfied a couple of records would be bought at princely sums of Rs.100 for a LP and Rs.50 for a SP. These would be packed and taken home for a musical sessions on Saturday nights. When the records were played the entire house would be engulfed the lilting tunes , a great experience. Whenever he used to put on these record he would jokingly say “ Phele Kaansen Banna Seekho, Phir Tansen”.

I still remember him bringing a record of Balgeet – Childrens Songs and surprising us. Such sweet and memorable songs like Asava Sunder Chocolatecha Bangla ..Chanderi Soneri Cham Chamcha Changla . What an imagination of a Bunglow made of chocolate , with lemon drops as windows and Toffee for the door . Really a sweet and a memorable song . Or the funny song --Saang Saang Bolanath , Shaley bhavati tale sachun sutti padel kay…..meaning Tell O’ Bolanath (the Bull) will it rain heavily and create a flood tomorrow so that we children get a Holiday. Such meaningful songs rendered by small child singers.

Then in the mid eighties came the musical sensation from across the border as in Bangladesh– the soulful Runa Laila with her many hit numbers but the most famous being “Dama Dum Mast Kalandar” . You could not sit idle listening to this song rendition , automatically your feet would start tapping or you would be mouthing the lyrics in your own way and enjoy this powerhouse performance. Later in the same decade came another singer who made the world dance to her songs and popularized the Disco in Hindi . Remember Naazia Hassan , that light eyed Pakistani girl settled in London singing Disco Diwaane Aaha …Aaha . The Music was composed by an upcoming composer Biddu. The whole nation was is awe of this duo . She was offered to sing playback by none other than Feroze Khan (also known as Sheriff for his trademark cowboy hat )for his movie Qurbani , the song went on to become famous and is even today the favourite of the crowds as well as the DJ’s . The song was “Laila Me Laila, Kaisi hoon Laile , Har koi chahe milna mujhe akle” .. Pictured on the sultry Zeenat Aaman and the portly Amjad Khan on the Drums … The song is again resurrected today in Raees with Sunny Leone and Shah Rukh bringing the old world charm and the foot tapping dance number.

These records we still have neatly preserved in our home and some time play them to go back that memorable era of lilting songs , pure music and a throw back to the golden days.

To put things into perspective , may be those musical sessions with our dad inculcated in me and my brother the art of listening in life .They say God has given us two ears and one mouth for a reason. He intended us to listen and then to speak. Also those bygone days listening to the vinyl records taught us how to appreciate Music in general and Indian Classical Music in particular. Real great memories ….

Just Walking Around

Kites and Til Gul …..

What is with children and kites. May be it is the feeling of letting your heart wander outside your body. Letting it soar in the sky carefree. Flying among hide & seek with the sun. Pushing your way against gusty winds and still keeping yourself grounded by way of the string attached to the bale (manjha). The hands holding the string controlling the swift movement in the sky. Too much liberty (dheel) and you will drift away , too much tautness and you will be cut down to size. Much like the journey of our life.

Its Makar Sankranti the 1^st festival on the onset of the new year. A festival that celebrates the winter.Makar Sankrati has a special relevance in Indian context as it denotes Uttarayan the movement of the Sun northwards from tropic of Capricon to the tropic of Cancer, the start of the winter solistic .The days gradually becoming longer than the nights.The climate also changes for the good , cold winds blow across the landscape , bringing in a little coziness in the air. A little lethargy and laziness also comes in the air. Its also an important time in our Agrarian society as its time to reap the Rabbi crop. Fresh fruits and fresh vegetables are available at your local markets. To keep the body warm our ancient scriptures have laid down use of Seasame or Til and jaggery or Gul / Gud in our daily diets. Thats where the sweet meat Tilgul came from . These famous Maharashtrian sweet are small ladoos with high energy and much better in taste than those high energy bars you get at the shops. These tilguls are savored by young and old on Makar Sankranti day. 

In the North of India a similar sweet known as Gajak is famous for its taste and chikki type flavor.The best Gajak you get in Indore and my personal favorite is at Sheetal Gajak churning out these delicacies since mid thirties.. One of the oldest and best place to taste and buy the Gajak in the busy bylanes of Indore. Here you will find variety of Gajak’s , the rich Gajak roll , These are very famous type of gajak, comes in two varieties one is filled with soft condensed milk (Khoya) and one without core. Garnished with pista and nuts you can have it in one go.Then there is the Sugar Gajak , in this you will find a different flavour, here Jaggery has replaced by sugar. Another mouth watering variant is the Soft grinded Seasame seed Gajak - These are so delicate it will melt in mouth. Goodness of sesame seeds and jaggery tantalizing your taste buds. Gajak if not made properly will surely go to the dustbin, as it needs a pristine and expertise only a specialized chef can prepare it.

The other thing that is associated with Makar Sakranti is the Patang baazi or Kite flying sessions across prominent cities like Ahemdabad , Baroda, Surat , Rajkot and Jamnagar in Gujarat. It’s a 2 days long event who’s preparations starts way back in December and culminates in a crescendo on Makarsankranti day on January 14^th  and carries on January 15^th as Vasi Sankranti (Stale Sankranti). Kite makers manufacture kites in lakhs , in variety of shapes and sizes unbelievable to the eye. The basic shape being the rhombus made of bendable bamboo sticks with central spine and a single  bow. The paper used is light weight so that the kites can fly high up in the sly and yet not tear down when facing the winds. The manjha or the string attached is made fierce using abarasive material like crushed glass . Such fierce names like tar manjha , kanch manjha , baraielly , panda manjha and the latest addition the Chinese plastic thread which is very sharp and have become notorious as they have lead to life threatening accidents.

In Gujarat, from December through to Makara Sankranti, people start enjoying Uttarayan. Undhiyu (spicy, baked mix of winter vegetables) and chikkis (made from til (sesame seeds), peanuts and jaggery) are the special festival recipes savored on this day.

In the major cities of Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara, the skies appear filled with thousands upon thousands of kites as people enjoy two full days of Uttarayan on their terraces.Even new source of economic activities have started of renting open spaces and especially the terraces in bigger cities of Ahmedabad and Vadodara. The cost of renting starting at Rs.8000 and reaching even Rs.15000 – 20000 for a group of 20-25 for a full day. Bookings are taken online by websites like “MyTerrace.in”.Then there are the ancillary small industry of catering providing lip smacking snacks like fluffy dhokla , khandvi , fafda, pati samosa , bhajjia and patra. A package is offered for serious Patangbaaz groups of snacks , lunch and evening snacks and made to order cold drinks and lemonades. The kite flyers then can enjoy the entire day flying and cutting kites and only coming down when the sun sets for the day. The competition is fiercely fought , accompanied with strategies and collective wisdom and experience.

When people cut any kites they yell words like "kaypo chhe", "e lapet", "phirki vet phirki" and "lapet lapet" in Gujarati.

A full day is well spent becoming one with nature and the whole atmosphere is filled with loud shouts and laughter.

So here’s a tribute to this festive spirit and fun.

As they say in Marathi----- Til gul ghya ani god god bola….  ‘Accept this til-gul (sweet) and utter sweet words’. The underlying thought in the exchange of til-gul is to forget the past ill-feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends..

Happy Makar Sankranti….

Just Walking Around

Maharashtrian Delight

Last month on Friday it was Sankasht Chaturthi or Sankashti as it is called , or also known as Sankata Hara Chaturthi ,an auspicious day dedicated to Lord Ganesha. This day is observed in every Lunar month of Hindu calendar month on the fourth day of Krishna Paksha (dark lunar phase or the waning phase)special day of Lord Ganesha . On this day, the devotees observe strict fast. They break the fast at night after having darshan/auspicious sight of the moon preceded by prayers to Lord Ganesha. The Angaraki Chaturthi (angarak in Sanskrit means red like burning coal ambers and refers to the planet Mars, on whom Tuesday is named after) Devotees believe their wishes would be fulfilled if they pray on this day. Observing this fast is believed to reduce your problems as Lord Ganesha symbolizes the removal of all obstacles and supreme lord of intelligence.

Another thing about Sankashti is you need to keep a Prasad mostly a sweet, as a ritual and  make an offering the Lord Ganesha. The best Prasad’s are the Ukdiche modak the elephant headed God loves so much. Though there many mithai shops sell these on this auspicious day , the best ones you will get in Dadar . Head to Tambe Arogya Bhavan a small typical Maharashtrian eatery on the busy N.C Kelkar  Road . This eatery is run by an old lady a pucca KOBRA (Kokanast Brahmin) with sharp cat eyes and fit as a fiddle belying her age. Sitting there at the counter keeping a stern eye on the cooks and the waiters alike. But kind and very courteous to the loyal patrons who come there during lunch time to fill their stomachs after a hard days work. You will get the best ever Missal Pav a little masaledar and made to perfection with white peas , sprouted matki mixed with farsan and served with a pinch of lime to give it that tangy overtone. Wash it down with the thick and sweet Piyush a Maharashtrian equivalent of the Punjabi Lassi. Here you can also get special food during fasting days like Sankashti. Their Sabudana Kichadi liberally sprinked with penuts giving it the required crunch. Or the Farali Missal a little sweet due the batata chivda used instead of the farsan mixture Or try their crispy sabudana wada fried to golden brown and served fresh and not refried and given to you like in most other hotels. For sweet toothed persons they have the simple shrikhand puri or as dessert the dudhi halwa made from while pumpkin or lauki as its known . A light but tasty dessert with flavor of elaichi and a little bit of texture from the mava and raisins used in this dish. But 2 of the best sweets that you get here are the Ukdiche modak only available on Sankshti and the sugar coated dry Gulab Jamun. The Ukdiche modak are to die for , the outer covering made of rice flour not to thick and stuffed with saran made of grated coconut , jiggery , elaichi and roasted to perfection. Too little and it would get sticky , too much and it gets burnt and gives a bitter taste. But at Tambe’s this stuffing is just perfect. The modak is also steamed to the right temperature cooking the inside and out to give it that heavenly & mouth watering taste you will never forget when had with a spoonful of pure ghee on top of it. Eat it once and you will know why Lord Ganesha likes them so much.

If its these Maharashtrian snacks or mini meals that you crave you can also visit Prakash Shakahari Upahaar Kendra – a vegetarian hotel in Shivaji Park on the Gokhale Road. The most popular and amazing authentic food serving Maharashtrian Restaurant in the busy Dadar area of Mumbai. Prakash Restaurant has maintained the taste and traditionality of Maharashtrian food since last 30years. Excellent food and a clean ambiance. It consists of just 5-6 tables The staff is very polite too and they have guest serving ethics.

The place is always crowded and you have to wait till the table is emptied by pre-occupant. You may also would have to share the table with a stranger, in case, there a place to accommodate you. Be ready for that too – an incident to experience.

They used to  have  a handwritten menu which added to the old world charm .This joint  still retains its traditional look and feel. Here you can have garam garam puri bhaji ( yellow batata bhaji), crispy Bhajani Thalipeet a Maharashtrian specialty ,similar to dosa but made from a thick batter of multigrain tempered with onion and served with special white or green coconut chutney. Another unique dish available here and quite famous is the Batata Kachori , a mixture of boiled &mashed potatoes , grated coconut to give it sweet flavor , added taste comes from kala miri (balck pepper ) , jeera (cumin seeds) and green chillies . Made into round balls and deep fried to golden brown and served with sweet curd based chutney you will only get in this restaurant. The other favourite with the patons here are their crisply fried Sabudana wada and the friery yet lip smacking Missal pav.

If you want to eat a typical Marathi lunch head to a small restaurant at Shivaji Park going by the name Gypsy Corner. A restaurant started by the prolific entrepreneur Rahul Limaye way back in the 1980’s . It started off as a fast food joint serving Pav bhajji , Grilled Sandwiches , Veg Pizza’s and Chaats like pani puri , sev puri & dahi batat puri. Some where down the line Rahul along with his talented wife Smita decided to start a new chapter. A genuine Maharashtrian restaurant serving typical Kobra (Kokanst Brahmin) dishes and coming from typical Maharashtrian Kichten’s . Some recipes handed down by his grandmother. Today the menu list dishes like saadha vadan bhaat toop, aluchi patal bhaji, jackfruit bhaji, tikhat mithache sanza, dadpe pohe, pohe with poha papad, khapoli styled vada pao and fasting food such as sabudana khichdi, shingdana sheera and wadi with aamti.

The restaurant has consciously retained the non air-conditioned nature of the restaurant as he feels that it adds to the openness. If you get a table on the pavement then you can even look onto the greens of Shivaji Park at a distance. The place is popular with Maharashtrian theater actors who often meet here to discuss scripts. 

Other favorite lunch time menu are - the pithla, the bharli vangi with both rice and jawar bhakris, the kande poha with the fantastic pohe papad, the zunka bhakar. Besides these you can Choose from some of the lip-smacking dishes on offer Bharleli Bhindi bhakri , Tandalachi bhakari + wangyache bharit (like a baigan bharta) , Dalimbi usal (a unique mix of bitter pulse and sweet coconut flavours) bhakri , Masala bhaat Kala vatana usal (could do with a bit more salt) , Shreekhand (made in house) puri batata bhaji , Sabudaba khichadi with an interesting cucumber salad – khamang kakdi , Waran Bhat toop (apparently the ultimate Maharashtrian comfort food). After a heavy lunch you could wash it down with a Masala Chaas or the little sweet -sour  Sol Kadi.

So next time you want to eat Maharastrian food and go beyond the usual Vada Pav – Bajji Pav visit any of these restaurant to have your fill of Marathi food and enjoy a hearty meal.

Happy Dinning….