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….

Just Walking Around

Saying Goodbye to the Old Man …2016

A few weeks back a close circle of family and friends  had gathered at our residence , to discuss the preparation for welcoming the New Year by way of a get together and a party like every year. During the discussions venues were discussed , menu was talked about , whether DJ would be required and the other Nitti gritties . During the family talk my father –in law Nitin Desai shared an old anecdote of how they in their childhood used to celebrate New Year’s. As a ritual all the kids in their Parvati wadi where they lived would make an effigy of “the Old Man”. They would use old shirt and old pants , sew the hand and feet ends and then stuff this with old rags , straw , paper to fill out the effigy . The head would be made out to look like a old man with flowing white beard and a hat on top. This effigy would be carried across the neighborhood with accompanied chants and merry making by the group and finally close to mid night the Old Man would be burnt amidst loud cheers of “Happy New Year”  

While another year comes to a close , and some among us are drawing up New Year’s resolutions only to be given up by the 2^nd or 3^rd week of January. Before the New Year begins , a night of madness , fun and frolic has become the norm with city folks like us. In keeping with the tradition some in the city and areas under influence of the Christian community living in that area like Byculla, Mazgaon, Dhobi Talao, Bandra, Mahim Andheri and Borivili  , are gearing up to “burn the Old Man” on the night of December 31^st.Walk through these areas and you will find that cocky old chap in borrowed clothes, hoisted as if on a gibbet, with a bottle of hooch in hand and a cigar sewn into his mouth.

While the origin of this ritual is not known, it is sure that this tradition must have been passed on by our colonizers , the British . As per known facts on November 5 every year the British burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes , who was found guilty of conspiracy in 1605 to blow up the House of Lords. The Scottish have a similar New Year tradition in which they celebrate by making a bonfire and burning a straw figure “ the Auld Wife” . In their patriarchal world , the Old Wife symbolized the old year which was to be forgotten. . In another part of the world namely New Mexico , they celebrate the Fiestas de Santa Fe to celebrate the conquest of retaking the city in 1692 , an effigy known as “Zozobra” or Old Man Gloom is burnt.

Made of hay and clothed, the old man represents all the sorrows of the year gone by that are to be burned away before the new year begins. Commonly referred to as Mr. Old Man or Old Man Gloom, the effigy burning symbolizes the burning of all the gloom the previous year contained.

The tradition also allows people to write notes expressing their reasons for sorrow and place it around the man so that it burns along with him. Leaving no room for any negativity to be carried forward into the next year, the tradition is the perfect way to end the year and bring as much joy to the New Year as is possible..

 Many see the New Year as a new born baby, born on January 1, who turns old in a year’s time and goes away at the end of the year, carrying with him the burdens of the passing year. Another baby or year is born the next day, and so along with celebrations the truth of life is carried forward in this symbolic burning of the Old Man, the chain of death and birth, of passage of time, of old and new, of time and tide. The belief is that there is an old man in all of us who is worldly and so we burn the old man with his vices.

This typical tradition be it imbibed from the British or the Portuguese or which finds its replica in our very own Hindu tradition of burning the Ravana on Dussara , the culture of burning the Old Man has become part of our lives and is vibrant and visible in the small by-lanes of Mumbai.

While most people bring in the New Year with a party, this is one tradition you must take part in at least once in your life. With all the negativity left behind, it may just end up being the most amazing year you will ever have..

Wishing all my readers a Happy New Year…..

Just Walking Around

Yuletide Season ----Merry Christmas

Its that time of the year again when there a dip in the temperatures and nip in the air , cheerful atmosphere , all across town you see shops and mall decorated in hues of Red , White and Green symbolizing the most child friendly festival adopted from the west. Its “Christmas” time..

What with 2 kids at home celebrating Christmas has become sort of a ritual @ Pikle’s ,in our home in Matunga. Every year around this time we start preparing by buying goodies (special Christmas sweets ) and small accessories to decorate the small pint sized Christmas tree that we put up on the Christmas eve. Its fun shopping for the Star shaped lantern in Red or Snowy White , to be lit up in our French window along with the sparkling –twinkling rice bulb lights. Then some more decorative nick knacks like , small bells , colorful balls , candy canes , little angles and the great big start to be hung from the mini Christmas tree.Not to missed are those red and green Hollies to put up along with the Star lantern. And finally some special gifts to be placed below the tree as surprise for the kids to opened on Christmas day.

A week before Christmas if you walk across the Christian dominated areas of Mumbai like in Mahim –Bandra or Orlem in Malad or the IC colony in Borivili or closer home near Wadala , you can soak in the festivities. You will find corner shops selling Christmas trees , decoration for the tree and the home, Santa caps & masks , holiday cards and banners. The atmosphere is cheerful and generally up-beat. If you are lucky you may some one dressed up as Santa and cheering the crowd with his loud HO HO HO…What fun it is.

At the Don Bosco Church just behind from where we live , and near the Five Gardens on the Sunday a week before Christmas you will find small roadside stalls selling the Christmas sweets and goodies. These are put by local Christians staying in Wadala and Matunga. Here you get traditional festive sweets like  Rich Plum Cakes. No Christmas celebration can ever be complete without this dark, rich fruit cake. The plums, nuts and cherries that go into it are macerated in dark rum for months before they get mixed into a batter with secret spices like nutmeg and other wonders to produce a moist, dense knockout of a cake. Next comes the Marzipan mini chocolates .While the original French marzipan is made from almond meal, the desi one has been employing the use of cashew nuts to come up with a sweet that is truly the Queen of Christmas. It can be either moulded into cute fruit shapes or simply rolled out onto the top of a cake for that extra indulgent layer of goodness.

The other sweets you can try are the Milk Cream chocolates . These are  truly laborious sweet to make, this one sees a liter of milk reduced to a quarter to which ground cashews and sugar are added. The skill in this one is that the whiteness of the milk has got to be maintained and even the slightest hints of beige are not acceptable. Next come the Kul-Kuls , these are crunchy wonders and they are equally fun to eat. Basically fried bits of rolled up milk and flour dough. Then there are the Coconut Cakes , not a choice if your are calorie crunchers . This cake is a dense, moist confection of fresh and desiccated coconut melded with salted butter and other secret ingredients. Also called ‘bhat cake’ in Goa and delectable to the very last crumb. A special and unique sweet is the Gauva Cheese .A warning though : no cheese goes into the making of this halwa-like sweet that is made from the pulp of guavas that are simmered with lime juice and sugar to reach a fudgy consistency. Translucent and jelly-like this is one sweet that is worth its weight in gold or rather sugar if you may say so..

Then there is the Walnut Fudge a hit with all the ladies due to its chocolaty taste .Its luscious and dense with a lingering taste of chopped walnuts and condensed milk and treacle tempting your palate this is one is a knockout of a sweet that may not be very traditional, but one that has come to adorn the tables all across the city during this season

Also favorite with the shoppers are the Nankhaties a totally Indian biscuit of the purest white colour is a crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth crowd pleaser that is more-ish to a fault. Originally a round button-like cookie, nankaties that are also called ‘snowballs’ can also be seen cut in shapes like stars and hearts. Or you can eat the melt in the mouth Date Rolls which are nothing but 

a plump date stuffed with a quarter of a walnut. Then enrobe it in soft milk-flour dough and bake the little finger–sized cookie to a shimmering golden hue. Voila! You have a simple and yum date roll ready.And last but not the least there are the Coconut Ice and Cocoa Rocks .While the former is a luridly pink coconut barfi-like sweet, the latter is a blob of freshly grated coconut coated in melted chocolate which you can call the original Bounty bar.

Buy them , eat them or share these with your kiddos and friends and have a wonderful time . Go out the night before Christmas to the nearest Church and enjoy the fun filled festive environment. Listen to the children or the elderly group sing the Carols . Watch the decorative Cribs put up at the church  show casing the birth of the baby Jesus .In the decoration scene put up ,close by is his mother Mary and the three wise men who traveled all the way to seek His blessings. A year before last we were in Goa and went about the small town of Ponda close to mid-night enjoying  the various Crib decoration put up at the local Churches and open grounds near the Convent Schools. It looked like as if  baby Jesus was smiling from behind the clouds showering us with his blessing in the form of soft glow emanating from shining Moon and the twinkling Stars in the sky.

So this year be sure to have a hearty laugh with your kids when you buy them the red and white balloons. Soak in the energy and the general buzz and leave the mundane worries behind. And for now here’s wishing all of you A Merry Christmas ….Have Fun and enjoy the holiday season…

PS --- For the Christmas Enthusiasts a special list from where you can get the goodies mentioned the blog

Ann Dias at Dadar (west). Call, 9869173268 for all kinds of delectable goodies that take the form of sweets and cakes.
Betty Bayross at Santacruz. Call, 9870047712 for varieties of moist, yummy cakes.
Vienna Bakery at Santacruz (east). Call, 022 26672811 for cakes, cookies and sweets.
Hearsch Bakery at Bandra (west). Call, 022 26435361 for sweets and savouries.
Gary’s at Mazgaon. Call, 022 23741447, 9819751551 for cakes and divine rum balls.
Venus Cake Shop at Malad (west). Call, 022 28805710 for cakes and other confectionery.
A1 Bakery Bandra (west). Call, 022 26426211 for cakes and sweet buns.

Just Walking Around

NCPA & A Memorable Family Night Out

I was checking out Book My show for watching the latest movie releases and there were the obvious choices Dear Zindagi , Kahaani 2 , Befikre … but none of the options were good enough for a family viewing in which there are kids aged 3 & 9. While checking out the events listings , I stumbled upon “Carry On Entertainment” –A Puppet Theater –Performance by the world famous Puppeteer & Ventriloquist Ramdas Padhye & his family to be held at Experimental Theater NCPA , Nariman Point. Old memories were triggered of having fun at the Marathi play put up by Ramdas Padhye with his effervescent puppets. Booked 4 tickets to this show so Netra & Bhakti could enjoy the same experience that I had experienced nearly 3 decades back.

That Sunday evening we drove across town to the city side as it is called, enjoying the evening visuals of the maxim city . The busy as bee area of Labaug – Parel now fallen silent due to the textile mills giving way to tall sky scrapers ,and over the teeming Crawford Market where you can shop from pins to glass crockery , bags to furnishing , children’s toys to ladies accessories anything that you want to shop for can be got here at great bargains. Then passing over the JJ Flyover one of the longest bridges winding over the area famous for the land mark Phool Galli Raza Jama Masjid brightly lit for the upcoming Eid –E Milad ul Nabbi and passing the non veggies delight Hotel Shalimar  and ending at CST or Victoria Terminus as it was called.. The evening light falling on the iconic buildings of VT Station and the Bombay Municipal Corporation and finally reaching National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) at lands end at Nariman Point.

The NCPA itself is a sprawling complex having 4 theaters and managed by a trust with enthusiastic members who want to promote Arts and Culture through the various show presented here. The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, is India's premier cultural institution. Inaugurated in 1969, it was the first multi-venue, multi-genre cultural centre in South Asia. The NCPA is committed to preserving and promoting the India's rich and vibrant artistic heritage in the fields of music, dance, theatre, film, literature and photography, as well as presenting new and innovative work by Indian and international artists from a diverse range of genres including drama, contemporary dance, orchestral concerts, opera, jazz and chamber music. Today, the NCPA hosts more than 700 events each year, making it India’s largest and most holistic performing arts centre.

The NCPA was the brainchild of JRD Tata and Dr. Jamshed Bhabha, two visionaries who saw India's need for an all-encompassing world-class performing arts centre. Luminaries from various fields have contributed towards lending the NCPA the iconic status it now enjoys, with such artists as Satyajit Ray and Yehudi Menuhin as its earliest mentors. Built on land reclaimed from the sea, the NCPA campus houses five theatres (including the innovative Tata Theatre, designed by the postmodernist American architect Philip Johnson), as well as galleries, libraries, restaurants, and numerous reception spaces. Boasting the best-appointed auditoriums in India in terms of equipment and expertise, the NCPA frequently attracts major events from overseas and is ideally suited to host large productions, including fully-staged operas and ballets.

We entered the Experimental Theatre one of the smaller venues inside the complex which also hosts 4 other venues The Godrej Theater , Jamshed Bhaba Theater , Tata Theater , & the Little  Theater.

The show started with a  gala song setting the tone “Carry On Entertainment” . The show was Hosted by Aparna Padhye the wife and professional companion of the great puppeteer himself. The show was special as it was the Centenary Celebration of the most famous puppet – Ardhawat Rao or Gappi das or Mr.Crazy as he is lovingly called. To start with we were introduced to the art of puppetry by mesmerizing us with nothing but a glove puppet and act with 2 gloves one white and one black and a face of a sweet kitten. The act itself was enthralling and loved by everybody in the audience. And to let you know in the audience was sitting the Marathi & Hindi Theatre thespian Vijaya Mehta enjoying and laughing all the way. This 3 minute act was followed by introduction to various forms of puppets , the  string puppets or The Marionette , puppets controlled by strings hooked up to a T-Square. This followed by a beautiful presentation by Satyajit Padhye , Ramdas Padhye’s talented son and the future of this family troop. The act was visually appealing and mind blowing . A Huge round of applause went into the air when it ended. The show carried on with Satyajit bringing on the now famous “Chotu Singh” the street smart and boisterous puppet know for his wit and sarcasm brought alive by his masters voice. 

The audience and especially the little children cheering on in between the act. There was a small Audio – Video presentation on Yeshwant  Keshav Padhye or simply YK as he was known. Ramdas Padhye’s father and the person who started it all. The pioneer of Indian Puppetry & Ventriloquism. It charted the life of YK Padhye his journey as Maharashtrian Magician and how he got inspired by puppetry and ventriloquism the art of throwing voice and making the puppets come alive. He got his 1^st puppets special made to order from  London and performed with these puppets a family of 4 – Ardhwat Rao , his wife Avada bai and 2 sons Shamu & Gampu during 1930’s . The people who watched the shows were amused and mesmerized by his acts of ventriloquism. The puppet Ardhwat rao was brought in the Indian house hold by Ramdas Padhye who carried on the legacy. He and his wife Aprana made numerous shows with this famous family of puppets on Doordarshan the government promoted Television Channel. The shows were very popular with kids and elders alike in the late 1980’s . After their AV presentation the puppet of Ardhwat Rao was once again brought to life with fun , witty jokes and sarcasm before our eyes right there on stage. Bringing back old memories . I looked at my kids and both Netra and little Bhakti were totally lost in this dream world , laughing cheering and having a gala time .

The final act was called dream world a song and dance performance by the entire family of the Padhye’s their backstage crew and off course the every smiling and fun filled puppets .

All through the show there was this old Parsi lady who must have been in her 70’s,  sitting besides me and engaging me in short talk , cheering the show and having fun . As she was alone she asked me if we could drop her some where close to Churchgate as she had to go to her home in Kemps corner. She looked familiar but I couldn’t put a finger on who she was. After the show she gave away her name “ Meher Moos” , and it struck me , She was the Meher Moos the famous Social Celebrity , Globe trotter and Travel Enthusiast . The only woman to have travelled across 180 countries , she’s been to countries including Iceland, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Myanmar. Exotic locations in Tunisia, Jordan, Brunei, North Korea, Micronesia, Mozambique and Malawi are all on her list.  The travelling bug caught on when she started her carrier as an Air Hostess with Air India taking her to different countries in her professional life . And even after retirement after becoming the DGM at Air India , she continued her travel till date. Hats off to this sweet old lady with a twinkle in her I when she asked me to Google her name in the lobby of NCPA.

We dropped her off at the corner of “ Pizza By the Bay” –the famous Italian Cuisine Restaurant right opposite The Ambassador and positioned at the corner and sparkling view of the Marine Drive. The restaurant was earlier known as Jazz By The Bay and hosted Jazz and Blues band on weekends till some time back. They still have live music sometimes on special occasions. The food here is authentic Italian with Pasta’s , Spaghetti , Pizza’s The striking art deco inspired interiors create an extremely stylish and vibrant family dining experience. During lunchtime, its famous soup, salad and sandwich buffet remains a big favorite, while the newly introduced healthy breakfast served outdoors, overlooking the sea makes Pizza By The Bay the talk of the town . You can try their mouth watering Starters like Bruschetta – freshly baked bread topped up with garlic butter finely chopped garlic & parsley , Or Bruschetta Al Pomodora Plum Tomato, Red Onion, Basil In Evoo And Baisamic Reduction. Or the tasty Ravioli Di Formaggio- Golden Fried Pockets Stuffed With Cheese and others like Paprika Patatoes , Jalepeno cheese poppers etc. For the main course you can select from the wide variety of Pizza’s like Plain Cheese pizza , Pizza Primavera (with black olive , mushrooms and zucchini ) or the more exotic like Chicago Supreme , Mexican Ole or the Meat Lovers Pizza .

If you are not that hungry you can try their light on the stomach Pasta’s like the Alfredo in white sauce and a little cheesey or the Sarentinno in tomato sauce base lightly spicy and stuffed with chopped egg plant , zucchini and topped up with grilled chicken pieces.

Enjoyed the view , a hearty meal and had a fun filled conversation with the family which both me & the missus hardly get time for . And before we left for home Kashmira literally pulled us to a small ice cream parlour going by the name of “ K Rustom and Co” next doors to the Tanishq showroom and in the building encompassing the Brabourne Stadium. This small shop sells the best ever Ice Cream Sandwiches, in flovours like Strawberry , Chocolate & roasted almonds , Choco Walnut , Tutti Fruity , Mango , Sitaphal and even Pan. These heavenly creations are nothing but small slabs of ice cream placed between crispy orange colored thin wafers and served in paper napkins. You eat it right there on the footpath across the shop and at any given time you are sure to find a small crowd of 20 – 30 people flooding its counters. What way to end this memorable night .

We went back home with warm hearts and great memories and to last us a life time.

Happy Weekends …

Happy Reading …