tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62237210429385113052024-03-06T11:51:55.147+05:30Random Jottings'Spontaneous overflow of emotion' as the bard said.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-6338106866162819462014-05-06T17:02:00.000+05:302014-05-07T20:02:23.498+05:30Banana cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img src="webkit-fake-url://4FB88A42-3DA3-4CEE-966F-CCF7A0441AA6/imagejpeg" /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZrOFToYaFa29hw03RLEEI_aX7voNvcC0Zg-z1R2qZQFROO43ZzAjzwfjn93I1euLTIiH9cFaxFUGujeNFXqs7is9cajZlUYLTjSzAz4YmZOEXPoo0y1Yw_EnxO2qKev3VGWJBWwdMLw/s1600/banana+cake1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZrOFToYaFa29hw03RLEEI_aX7voNvcC0Zg-z1R2qZQFROO43ZzAjzwfjn93I1euLTIiH9cFaxFUGujeNFXqs7is9cajZlUYLTjSzAz4YmZOEXPoo0y1Yw_EnxO2qKev3VGWJBWwdMLw/s1600/banana+cake1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banana Cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ingredients:<br />
Ripe/over ripe bananas - 2<br />
All purpose flour(maida) - 1 cup<br />
Malayee ( milk top) - 1 cup<br />
Sugar - 1 cup<br />
Refined oil- 1 tablespoon<br />
Ground cinnamon- 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Walnut kernels -2 tablespoons<br />
Eggs - 3<br />
Baking powder- 1 tablespoon<br />
Baking soda- 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Salt- 1 pinch<br />
<br />
Method:<br />
1. Put the malayee and sugar in a big bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon. Make sure to mix ( move the spoon) in the same direction throughout.<br />
2. Put the oil in and continue to mix.<br />
3. Put the whole egg in one by one and continue to beat.<br />
4. Peel the bananas and mash them with a fork.<br />
5. Sieve together the maida, cinnamon powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, three times.<br />
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6. Add the flour mix spoon by spoon into the liquid mixture and mix together till smooth and well blended. Mix the banana mash also in. Mix in the walnut kernels lightly right at the end of the mixing procedure.</div>
7. Pour into a greased and floured cake tin.<br />
8. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree C for about 30 minutes or till done. It will be brown in color<br />
9. Cool in the oven undisturbed.<br />
10. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire stand if required.<br />
11. Cut into slices and serve or keep as you wish.<br />
12. Keeps well for three four days.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreXirNnS3FjN5K7TILMKefnBqBmQ_EZZ7o9smsLAZpwg2c80ohZ1eUII_LxBEebv-_T3eYTrCntCHZcasmE9VLhMJEFJ0XeDEVJcSoXI0mvBbGCYSOtz5sdKBm-1zWyCUq-aYnLuUdRQ/s1600/banana+cake+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreXirNnS3FjN5K7TILMKefnBqBmQ_EZZ7o9smsLAZpwg2c80ohZ1eUII_LxBEebv-_T3eYTrCntCHZcasmE9VLhMJEFJ0XeDEVJcSoXI0mvBbGCYSOtz5sdKBm-1zWyCUq-aYnLuUdRQ/s1600/banana+cake+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Banana cake with three slices gone<br /></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-84387654493102344602014-01-20T00:09:00.000+05:302014-01-20T00:09:00.987+05:30Wish bucket<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=t&chs=440x220&chco=ffffff,3399ff,3399ff&chf=bg,s,eaf7fe&chtm=world&chld=CAINNPGBUS&chd=s:00000" /><br />
<a href="http://bighugelabs.com/map.php" style="font-size: 75%;">Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-56423618336347192382013-12-05T22:15:00.000+05:302013-12-05T22:15:33.943+05:30Bacardi Breezer Orange: For a convert<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
Let me begin by saying that I am not a fan of alcohol. Despite having it readily available and around all my life, I have never been tempted to drink.<br />
I was offered a Bacardi Breezer Orange during one family outing.<br />
I decided to forego my usual lime soda for this heavenly smelling temptation.<br />
I wanted to experience what was the haahhahoohoo about this new drink that everyone wanted to have.<br />
Why was it the done thing to have this rather than any other alcoholic drink or a demure glass of wine.<br />
I took one sip and wondered if it was an exotic wine from an orange orchard or an orange juice with champagne added to it.<br />
The taste is a combination of a bubbly champagne and a slightly bitter orange.<br />
An ice cold Bacardi Breezer Orange flavour cools and satisfies.<br />
The tongue feels the tingle of the drink while the orange flavour teases the sense of smell.<br />
It just works.<br />
While sipping a Bacardi orange breezer I feel relaxed, slightly heady and just so...sophisticated.<br />
On a celebratory occasion I prefer the Bacardi Orange breezer now and ask for it by name.<br />
Bacardi Orange is bright, bubbly, fruity, and oh so cool.<br />
<br />
This is my entry for the Indiblogger contest Breeze: Live life in color; Catch The Flavour.<br />
http://www.breezerindia.com/<br />
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-14636269366451053612013-11-17T22:16:00.002+05:302013-11-17T22:29:14.829+05:30To Massage Or Not To Massage?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.dabur.com/Products-Consumer%20Health%20%28OTC%29-Dabur%20Lal%20Tail">http://www.dabur.com/Products-Consumer%20Health%20%28OTC%29-Dabur%20Lal%20Tail</a><br />
<br />
New parents are bombarded with conflicting advice about how to bring up their babies.<br />
<br />
There are as many opinions as there are people giving advice.<br />
<br />
1. Pick them up when the babies cry.<br />
2. Don't pick them up. Let them self-soothe.<br />
3. Feed them on demand. Use home cooked food and mother's milk.<br />
4. Feed them as per a schedule. Use baby cereals/ fortified powder milk/high fi sounding foreign made baby food.<br />
5. Do everything for them yourselves to encourage bonding with you.<br />
6. Let the hired help take care of the messy stuff and play with the baby when it is clean and happy.<br />
7. Massage the baby with olive oil. It is Italian in origin and hence wonderful as everything that comes from foreign lands must be excellent quality.<br />
8. North Indian say massage the baby with mustard oil. It is time tested original practice and must be right because we have been doing this for centuries.<br />
9. South Indian say that one must massage the babies with coconut oil as that is the best option available.<br />
10. Bottom line is that almost <u>all Indians agree that babies should be massaged</u>.<br />
<br />
One can see this happening in the road side shanty of a daily laborer where the mother will put the baby on a small mat in front of her and massage the crying baby's limbs and head and little feet not paying any attention to the desperate cries.<br />
She knows she is doing the right thing for her little one.<br />
Giving it the best chance to survive, develop, increase immunity and generally be as well as possible under the circumstances.<br />
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It can also be seen in a well to do home where a midwife comes every day to massage the baby and the new mother to ensure their well being.<br />
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The act of massage is the same in both places and it helps all in the same way.<br />
<br />
Everyone agrees, in India at least, that massaging babies helps them to grow faster and gain height better as compared to non- massaged babies. Tradition and knowledge both concur.<br />
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Their strong little limbs will grow faster and help them not just to develop well but to sleep better and have a happier babyhood and a healthy adulthood.<br />
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So go ahead massage the little ones and make them feel the pleasure of a baby spa.<br />
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Happy parenting!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjLCl0lovUYGfMyIqMNAvzGvPOOH49P-DxZ1rVqs0O_lYk91WOi568CUJj1-4oUutC_72ullr3w-ipx09uuxbZItPTiWeBZlnM78N_-Omtg6h_S48ge1JIlASkkgYRA0ExIpyYHSXmjY/s1600/967112_10200962806810644_1368059154_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjLCl0lovUYGfMyIqMNAvzGvPOOH49P-DxZ1rVqs0O_lYk91WOi568CUJj1-4oUutC_72ullr3w-ipx09uuxbZItPTiWeBZlnM78N_-Omtg6h_S48ge1JIlASkkgYRA0ExIpyYHSXmjY/s320/967112_10200962806810644_1368059154_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy massaged baby Kunal Singh.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-43566042227321207212013-11-13T22:13:00.001+05:302013-11-13T22:13:53.940+05:30Right Or Wrong?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One Person's Right Could Be Another's Wrong.<br />
The more I think about something from my point of view the more I become aware that there is a perfectly valid alternate view.<br />
Do I want to accept it though. No way. I am right and in the right so help me God.<br />
I mean God help the other person.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-44592767255274257652013-11-02T15:22:00.003+05:302013-11-13T01:16:32.137+05:30Kitchens Of India: much awaited combo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZrm8S3aVlJ9qsEXi_vIOskcN-UGA4kHPmqwz6hrVI77VlvNnP8QkasPX-gIdAkLApM54qCOS2nIYQPzhRjgJjE4xeYDKPu3dH90t-obPfOMhaaKdrhApkedXZRb4XQvFuNwRwH-TQ6w/s1600/KOI+combo+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZrm8S3aVlJ9qsEXi_vIOskcN-UGA4kHPmqwz6hrVI77VlvNnP8QkasPX-gIdAkLApM54qCOS2nIYQPzhRjgJjE4xeYDKPu3dH90t-obPfOMhaaKdrhApkedXZRb4XQvFuNwRwH-TQ6w/s320/KOI+combo+photo.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="webkit-fake-url://FEE17C96-65E7-4975-8A53-767B9074C891/imagejpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen Of India Combo: finally</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-1744224388100553872013-11-02T15:17:00.001+05:302013-11-13T01:19:28.545+05:30Diwali trappings: new clothes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEomg40fUQe_VdQfzm2gy55gA1zieiUNiFk8r3D_nniHDoZ_7VCK4FqP2CmQ6MI9UYagNHlwBT7RaIerol2BcMMjs3PEC8Plof0PL0tu5ZuLxlU3JJB19SD6utNLW36ltL6pNJ1rlKBMs/s1600/Kanjeevaram+Saree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEomg40fUQe_VdQfzm2gy55gA1zieiUNiFk8r3D_nniHDoZ_7VCK4FqP2CmQ6MI9UYagNHlwBT7RaIerol2BcMMjs3PEC8Plof0PL0tu5ZuLxlU3JJB19SD6utNLW36ltL6pNJ1rlKBMs/s320/Kanjeevaram+Saree.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="webkit-fake-url://2B386423-FC4F-4C20-B47C-EA5843EBB61E/imagejpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A kanjeevaram for Diwali </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-34226788714902601362013-10-24T23:45:00.000+05:302013-10-24T23:48:58.247+05:30Jarda/Zarda for Dummies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Jarda (Punjabi style) pronounced as Zarda by the sophisticated people is a favorite dish across most of India. It is called by different names but is basically sweet rice colored by saffron (or orange food color as it mostly happens).<br />
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Here is a simple recipe that anyone can follow to make it easily in one pot without any elaborate preparation.<br />
This is how it looks. Ahem! I am rather proud of this picture as I am the cook and the photographer. Aha!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkdsma5_8a8Zq1ywKhEtphhK8FeKFfanTTGQnQD_unAtKDZUpHhG9TPTeX7XFwZk9mlghL5syllDejw8mnOKRSXCmwm1GGVEkCHP9mGQtgT7mu_oZoCk_T1LsakVdutnHF41omERHecQ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkdsma5_8a8Zq1ywKhEtphhK8FeKFfanTTGQnQD_unAtKDZUpHhG9TPTeX7XFwZk9mlghL5syllDejw8mnOKRSXCmwm1GGVEkCHP9mGQtgT7mu_oZoCk_T1LsakVdutnHF41omERHecQ/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ingredients:<br />
1 bowl of basmati rice (long grain)<br />
2 bowls of water<br />
2 tablespoons of desi ghee (clarified butter)<br />
5 tablespoons of sugar<br />
2 tablespoons mixed nuts like almonds, cashew, kishmish<br />
4 laung (cloves), 4 small ilaychi (green cardamom), 1 big ilaychi (black cardamom), 1 cinnamon stick about 2 inches<br />
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Method:<br />
Wash the one bowl of rice and soak it in two bowls of water.<br />
(This is the rule. for every bowl of rice one needs two bowls of water. Soaking for 15-20 minutes is a must.)<br />
<br />
Take the desi ghee in a thick bottomed pan and heat it. Add the cloves, both green and black cardamoms, cinnamon stick and stir for a few seconds in the hot ghee.<br />
Drain the rice and reserve the water.<br />
Add the drained rice to the hot pan with the ghee and spices in it. Stir the rice gently for a couple of minutes. Make sure to not break the rice.<br />
Add a pinch of orange food color to the reserved water.<br />
Add this water to the pan with the rice in it.<br />
Stir lightly.<br />
When it comes to a boil, add the sugar.<br />
The quantity of sugar can be increased or decreased as per taste.<br />
Stir a little and cover the pan. Reduce the heat under the pan to a gentle simmer.<br />
After a few minutes add the mixed nuts to the rice in the pan and cover tightly again.<br />
Check after a few minutes. The rice should be cooked and each grain should look shiny and separate.<br />
Shut off the heat.<br />
Let the rice sit as is for at least 15 minutes.<br />
uncover, fluff up with a fork and serve.<br />
This is traditionally served with beaten curd to which salt, pepper and red chilli powder has been added.<br />
Serves: 4<br />
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Note: The elaborate method to make Zarda calls for parboiling the rice and then making a sugar syrup (chashni) and ......more in the same vein.<br />
<br />
<br />
My method for dummies works great for all of us who want to make the Jarda/Zarda without the hassle.<br />
Enjoy!!!!<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-55481485596307250792013-10-24T22:40:00.003+05:302013-10-24T22:47:20.722+05:30Manikaran in pics: Just a glimpse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />Manikaran is a picturesque spot in Himachal Pradesh (India). A bone rattling bus journey away from the plains but is every bit worth the jolts and discomfort endured in the journey by road. The hot pools drain away the hurt and infuse happiness. The scenic beauty revives you.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8e62VgUuVaJPhnD9Cf-Tmnp3S9N8tVPzI-EAKvEpwGQm6gUCuYEQicmf0V0BYabUTWNOPyus3jeZLQl_17Sv7tP-m7pX6DflwKB3gRPydOKArBswPZimQNamU3GEgWjPB9ebJNDazXkc/s1600/Photo0454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8e62VgUuVaJPhnD9Cf-Tmnp3S9N8tVPzI-EAKvEpwGQm6gUCuYEQicmf0V0BYabUTWNOPyus3jeZLQl_17Sv7tP-m7pX6DflwKB3gRPydOKArBswPZimQNamU3GEgWjPB9ebJNDazXkc/s320/Photo0454.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Story (in Punjabi)</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI51hgBT8JbGgyU8DmYkknHgaUJrINNos9TmkrX8UXLr0ebqxh-M03PsAEKYq8WA70iLqkZaWAQRUEgXCS-ZvUzy515iD45UESku7vcYlCEq394CiVXWXAAYM8bACYHY6EPCAOv4lq4k4/s1600/Photo0452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI51hgBT8JbGgyU8DmYkknHgaUJrINNos9TmkrX8UXLr0ebqxh-M03PsAEKYq8WA70iLqkZaWAQRUEgXCS-ZvUzy515iD45UESku7vcYlCEq394CiVXWXAAYM8bACYHY6EPCAOv4lq4k4/s320/Photo0452.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Manikaran Sahib (Gurudwara)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0uQGxuXp9btYPcai3JH7a93b9pY5kQ25eQvM2BBU-Ie9OMfcVl8FG0_wmY68B7s5fHlmOJmY8GzT0D95E6pdNF0EuNMmgrVvp127eHe7-ZMnZqhbtY0xmOuxr-tTatqQz5ElYRk8Kic/s1600/Photo0468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0uQGxuXp9btYPcai3JH7a93b9pY5kQ25eQvM2BBU-Ie9OMfcVl8FG0_wmY68B7s5fHlmOJmY8GzT0D95E6pdNF0EuNMmgrVvp127eHe7-ZMnZqhbtY0xmOuxr-tTatqQz5ElYRk8Kic/s320/Photo0468.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shiva Temple (right next to the Gurudwara)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4B3QnPfbHsqNsrrUdeZJc3LN1EMQF97mBwUhRyecWZ8tf3LxGCIHqY_SX7hBemIELd8zaUFQ0FITmD5q4r3X7mEdLr1kuuObwu5nYCFUJSQZCOwMOurOH6ZqQIiaUS-NeF2npKMl9sU/s1600/Photo0459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4B3QnPfbHsqNsrrUdeZJc3LN1EMQF97mBwUhRyecWZ8tf3LxGCIHqY_SX7hBemIELd8zaUFQ0FITmD5q4r3X7mEdLr1kuuObwu5nYCFUJSQZCOwMOurOH6ZqQIiaUS-NeF2npKMl9sU/s320/Photo0459.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Shiva Tandava pose with vapour rising furiously from the rock: awe inspiring sight</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFl9tcrodSuaV-LzzY5z8AU8VuUMD_bhSk5iwb-Yhb4wpgu40i2-NT9kKXaN92d7iHAKnivkCFBJcRMvLNgNN54-HRSnX9LKw0l0M2UkD7FmWz9l1u7Gy7_hNdnz9Q3ReM0_g8Y8B1NU/s1600/Photo0477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFl9tcrodSuaV-LzzY5z8AU8VuUMD_bhSk5iwb-Yhb4wpgu40i2-NT9kKXaN92d7iHAKnivkCFBJcRMvLNgNN54-HRSnX9LKw0l0M2UkD7FmWz9l1u7Gy7_hNdnz9Q3ReM0_g8Y8B1NU/s320/Photo0477.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramji temple a little away from the gurudwara but in the same complex</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNwLq0mXDRukYSTgnlUq_Oiv_N5xA3DalcMCQAzU0r1i4DLIedfeFgo3M6leaIW9ocCnGWufCaibKe8jrtiAhi55TStXJNA2WMVSe5LZ-NrQc2QRorWdlE21jquoS_DJgPGQ9kKa2yEM/s1600/IMG-20131019-WA0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNwLq0mXDRukYSTgnlUq_Oiv_N5xA3DalcMCQAzU0r1i4DLIedfeFgo3M6leaIW9ocCnGWufCaibKe8jrtiAhi55TStXJNA2WMVSe5LZ-NrQc2QRorWdlE21jquoS_DJgPGQ9kKa2yEM/s320/IMG-20131019-WA0004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naina mata temple </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-76495255243807215022013-10-23T21:12:00.003+05:302013-10-24T21:55:53.892+05:30Siddu: A delicacy from Kullu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCYyzd25AAVFeCAS1EE_KesfbFoPOl8_68iHxeCkvfcucIf3o8DU04oc9Yj2FXRtVk67lPJ7CfHGW16Q7HYy6ak7OVQx73Qzhr3ajCA6EBeeviKAhqQtiRlmW2al1C_MaRGZ41f5zc-I/s1600/siddu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCYyzd25AAVFeCAS1EE_KesfbFoPOl8_68iHxeCkvfcucIf3o8DU04oc9Yj2FXRtVk67lPJ7CfHGW16Q7HYy6ak7OVQx73Qzhr3ajCA6EBeeviKAhqQtiRlmW2al1C_MaRGZ41f5zc-I/s320/siddu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Siddu, the local delicacy of Kullu that tastes just wonderful. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Don't miss the sheen of melted desi ghee (clarified butter) poured on top before eating. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The lightly spiced steamed flat dumpling is stuffed with poppy seeds and crushed walnuts</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">A tart pickle made from a local berry called 'bee dana' and a tomato garlic chutney complete the unassuming dish. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We had it at the famed Rajni's counter in the Kullu Dussehra mela. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Thanks Mr. Kamal Sharma for introducing it to us ignorant outsiders.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdphMkxNkNuTije8dk34Ceqf092nN53_7UOcGpy9XKj1rXxhkftG0VvYDW3EakUnBvbtjokjCaCS8ANYy_4Y0RC-VY0rFJLx0QNHDmrPTYZHjjhtGDZLzxgRaJQUsKJUeThd5YAv3594/s1600/Photo0491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdphMkxNkNuTije8dk34Ceqf092nN53_7UOcGpy9XKj1rXxhkftG0VvYDW3EakUnBvbtjokjCaCS8ANYy_4Y0RC-VY0rFJLx0QNHDmrPTYZHjjhtGDZLzxgRaJQUsKJUeThd5YAv3594/s320/Photo0491.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-356408986809522002013-10-19T13:30:00.002+05:302013-10-24T22:55:45.033+05:30Ramayana: another take on the epic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ramayana by Jalabala and her team<br />
I had heard about one lady performing multiple roles in the epic story of Ramayana and thought it must be boring to have just one person on the stage trying to convey the entire gamut of emotions and action all by herself.<br />
Watching Jalabala and her team perform at the Akshara Theater in Delhi on a navratra night was an unexpected pleasure.<br />
Jalabala was on the stage wearing a beautiful orange silk saree and sitting in a chair. She was Dashrath and Kaikeyi by turns.<br />
There were long monologues in literary words and she delivered them as if she were just talking to someone. It was almost effortless. I could see how much effort had gone into this seeming effortlessness.<br />
There was the old Dashrath and the insistent Kaikeyi in their personal quarters arguing over her wish for Bharat's accession to the throne and a 14 year banishment for Ram.<br />
They sounded like any normal husband wife who were at an impasse. There was no theatrical Manthra coaching Kaikeyi to say this or that.<br />
It was just one woman who thought her son should be king rather than her co-wife's son and she could ensure this would happen as the king owed her from before.<br />
He had promised to grant two of her wishes for services rendered during a fierce battle.<br />
And this is what she wanted NOW.<br />
Or the king could deny her and accept that he was a LIAR.<br />
This she knew he could not do as he would rather die than be called a liar.<br />
" Raghu kul reet sada chali aayee pran jaye par wachan na jayee"<br />
The king cried like a baby and implored her to relent but she refused.<br />
Lights darkened on the scene and lit up the stage in a few moments again to show Ram, Sita and Laxman in their forest home.<br />
Ram was suitably princely looking and also benevolent as a God would be. Sita matched him with impeccable acting and diction. ALL actors had their parts down pat and did not miss one cue or one word from the long literary dialogues and frequent monologues that many of them had.<br />
Scene followed scene and we were transported to the traditional Ramlila held every year during Navratra to mark this epic story and its culmination in Dussehra and Diwali.<br />
How lucky we are to have such enduring stories in our lives!<br />
The actor playing Ravan was superb in his rendition of the learned but supremely arrogant king of the Golden Lanka . He inspired awe and fear, even fascination as evil is wont to do.<br />
The mirage of the golden dear was suitably elusive and flighty and so attractive as to tempt Sita and then Ram to catch it as a gift for Bharat.<br />
The girl playing the golden deer had also checked our online booking and issued our tickets earlier in the foyer. It was really great to see everyone pitching in any which way to get things done.<br />
The girl playing Mandodri was ushering the audience to their seats in this tiny and intimate all wood theater. I was pretty thrilled by the entire experience.<br />
The guard at the theater asked us to park the car right near the gate in a safe place as a favour because we were there to watch the play and maybe because it was just my daughter and I and the play was about to begin.<br />
It felt great, personal and intimate. As if we were guests in their house and not ticket buying public who came to watch the play.<br />
We were taken through the entire story in this confident manner with scenes that defined focal points of the story.<br />
The best scene was probably the one wherein Ravan abducts Sita from her forest home. Sita's struggle to break free was really impressive and so real.<br />
The subsequent planning for war on both sides and its execution were more symbolic than theatrical.<br />
In this version the story was taken to the bitter end when Sita is troubled by her twin sons behaving like typical teens. She is calmed by the Rishi Balmiki in whose ashram she had taken refuge.<br />
Jalabala was the calm Rishi and a distraught Sita by turns. And it was completely believable.<br />
There was tomato soup on the house for all who wanted it and the writer and main patron made an impassioned plea to save the theater as the government seems to be doing some 'shenanigans' to take it away from them.<br />
I am glad I have discovered them even if so late in the day.<br />
They have been performing this play for almost forty years now. Their grandchildren and some other young actors have joined them and hopefully are learning from them to carry this tradition forward without a break.<br />
This Sita, Dashrath, Kaikeyi, Balmilki all rolled in one must have others who can take on where the senior member leaves off.<br />
I admired her sheer will power that allowed her to do so much even though the body betrays signs of age. The spirit soared in the sky and took us all with it.<br />
Do watch it if you get the chance to do so. You will not regret it.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-41643891155594953662013-09-28T15:03:00.001+05:302013-10-01T21:41:30.656+05:30Wella Hair Color - The Complete Truth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gYPP_y781_QePgOZfFUsb6rSp55AHLJP5QWpuXjK4VNh817XotvNJGCQ4gcAZlo6jTe1ClXQn8aHGt25P0i57NwlwBUyIQVbXFJmfJDyVZRIQBHvrXCMWrW7hL5uiUMoVdLdFm7LqEI/s1600/Photo0420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gYPP_y781_QePgOZfFUsb6rSp55AHLJP5QWpuXjK4VNh817XotvNJGCQ4gcAZlo6jTe1ClXQn8aHGt25P0i57NwlwBUyIQVbXFJmfJDyVZRIQBHvrXCMWrW7hL5uiUMoVdLdFm7LqEI/s320/Photo0420.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wella Wall of Facts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yB5rL72fOJoxUfeg2LvGHhtOZKMdFNrEbJoTfhyphenhyphen8ZTK1CoVzTZkjhfCPDe8HOhc34Uz-K8AZkBtU0bjjlOm775ZRXNXutCIOhRiUQj2DHPrOkx9WmG9h_1kGSsGiiVrGj32r9JSCX5A/s1600/Photo0422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yB5rL72fOJoxUfeg2LvGHhtOZKMdFNrEbJoTfhyphenhyphen8ZTK1CoVzTZkjhfCPDe8HOhc34Uz-K8AZkBtU0bjjlOm775ZRXNXutCIOhRiUQj2DHPrOkx9WmG9h_1kGSsGiiVrGj32r9JSCX5A/s320/Photo0422.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wella History Sheet and Mile Stones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Ammonia free is not damage free.</b></div>
<br />
This is the take away from the cool Wella meet that we just experienced at the Wella International Studio at the Select City Walk Mall in Saket, New Delhi.<br />
Beautiful color that protects your hair and strengthens it at the same time is a dream for most women who want to color their hair.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVfZF0NSEdhqKb-TUnwBCsrVpjISJlO3EsWZN8LLHGdmWIoj_u-uoIecAYIDleQfxmTVwq6KZM0WUUiOplRPF8pFDbmbsOjLwD_hCEp1TT6W_6voCOHgGsfEi2LsbJCSZxSC1CaFmR6A/s1600/Photo0419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVfZF0NSEdhqKb-TUnwBCsrVpjISJlO3EsWZN8LLHGdmWIoj_u-uoIecAYIDleQfxmTVwq6KZM0WUUiOplRPF8pFDbmbsOjLwD_hCEp1TT6W_6voCOHgGsfEi2LsbJCSZxSC1CaFmR6A/s320/Photo0419.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Class for Scientific Facts</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidEV5knmg6EmjtF0TT0XsaBhvr9O4zQT-YGnspv7aH-95MPgMux9-mpczpylJd9hvA6DWt4jhW_o0-tD2RlIVLFzJGGYi-VDYOofhXG5h4HEfYa2GIdrTlh5D8ZG3qa3V06tKt7_Wal0/s1600/Photo0421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidEV5knmg6EmjtF0TT0XsaBhvr9O4zQT-YGnspv7aH-95MPgMux9-mpczpylJd9hvA6DWt4jhW_o0-tD2RlIVLFzJGGYi-VDYOofhXG5h4HEfYa2GIdrTlh5D8ZG3qa3V06tKt7_Wal0/s320/Photo0421.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Practical area</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b> <b>J</b>ust words cannot make it happen though.<br />
One needs to know the product that one puts on one's hair thoroughly.<br />
Hair is considered to be the crowning glory.<br />
Our precious hair is just as sensitive and delicate as skin.<br />
If one protects one's skin with sunscreen and a hundred other things then one does need to protect one's colored hair too with color protection shampoo.<br />
It is just as prone to be ruined by the UV light as skin is.<br />
So why should it be neglected?<br />
Know your color before you apply it or allow the salon to use it on your hair.<br />
There is a hype in the market for ammonia free hair color. But it does not tell the complete truth.<br />
Hair color that does not have ammonia has MEA which is far worse than ammonia.<br />
It stays in the hair longer and is more difficult to get out of the hair.<br />
Ammonia smells while evaporating but is then gone out of the hair unlike MEA.<br />
Wella is not ammonia free but it is MEA free and that says a lot chemically.<br />
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Conclusion: if you are looking for superior color that protects your hair, choose Wella.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJkzhP8fQPZWgBedY0DM_nVTO9MQUwKRf8C9OiQbQZaSTsInqpNUDdjt26oSOtFN_Uasf6a_Mp5KdxOZrFixY_r8KNFxiSgNH7tbJ41gqf7cfq8dHayphWFgG7WQbbTaeIlbBy412QtQ/s1600/IMG-20130928-WA0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJkzhP8fQPZWgBedY0DM_nVTO9MQUwKRf8C9OiQbQZaSTsInqpNUDdjt26oSOtFN_Uasf6a_Mp5KdxOZrFixY_r8KNFxiSgNH7tbJ41gqf7cfq8dHayphWFgG7WQbbTaeIlbBy412QtQ/s320/IMG-20130928-WA0002.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wella meet participants interacting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/WellaIndia">https://www.facebook.com/WellaIndia</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-72083758832941592682013-08-27T15:50:00.001+05:302013-08-27T15:50:38.244+05:30Mayonnaise: Home made<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I first had a scrumptious creamy layered sandwich somewhere I could not understand how butter could be so creamy and taste so good.<br />
A more educated in the outside food department person told me it was mayonnaise that gave the sandwich that taste.<br />
I began my quest to get, find, buy, learn, make or steal the creamy wonderful spread to feel that taste again.<br />
After many moons and many adventures and disasters I found the perfect recipe that I will now share with you selflessly.<br />
After all good things are meant to be shared.<br />
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<br />
Rule of thumb and fingers.<br />
Remember that you need SEVEN things.<br />
Even after you forget or lose this recipe you will remember the number SEVEN and it will bring the recipe back to your mind.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
Eggs, oil , sugar, salt, pepper, yellow mustard, vinegar or lime juice. (Seven in all. Count, if you don't believe me.)<br />
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Eggs: 2<br />
Oil: about 1 cup (olive, salad oil or any other nice clean smelling refined oil)<br />
Sugar: two table spoons to start with and you can vary as per your preference<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
Fresh ground yellow mustard seeds 1 table spoon<br />
Vinegar/lime juice about two table spoons. vary as per taste.<br />
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Method:<br />
Break two eggs and put them in the blender jar (large one that you use to make cold coffee, milk shake etc.)<br />
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Add salt, sugar, salt, pepper and ground mustard powder.<br />
Run the blender for 45 seconds or so. Check. It should look nice and all mixed up.<br />
Add a little bit of oil through the vent in the blending jar, keep the blender on and keep adding more oil as it keeps getting absorbed by the mixture inside the jar.<br />
you will be able to add about 3/4 of a cup when the mixture emulsifies and you see a smooth, light creamy product in the blender.<br />
Add the vinegar/lime juice and give it another whirrr (blend for another 5-10 seconds).<br />
Taste.<br />
Adjust sugar, salt, vinegar as per your preference.<br />
Remove into a clean glass bottle, keep in the fridge and use as required.<br />
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Keeps well for about three four days.<br />
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Note: Remember SEVEN things and count them on your fingers to ensure you have not missed out on anything.<br />
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Recipes using mayonnaise will follow. Watch this space.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-77605525264473730632013-08-26T15:34:00.004+05:302013-08-26T16:08:37.797+05:30Take your chance, baby!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Garhi bahar nikalo.<br />
<br />
Take your chance baby.<br />
<br />
( Dialogue from 'Life in a Metro')<br />
<br />
Never will there be a time when everything is just perfect.<br />
So, do it now.<br />
With all its imperfections and likelihood of nasty surprises on the way, still you will be on your way.<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-56959268771184516352013-08-25T13:57:00.000+05:302013-08-25T14:00:45.815+05:30Vegetarian Fish Fingers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is a recipe from my random Army cookery classes conducted by senior ladies for newbies like me who were stuck at pakoras and potato wafers and could not make another snack to save their lives.<br />
We were first fed these at the lady's house and then taught how to make them so that we were motivated to learn them and actually try them out.<br />
This became a favourite over time and was made again and again for the frequent parties that we hosted for friends and family.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 glass diluted milk (3/4 milk and 1/4 water is ok)<br />
1/2 glass of dry roasted suji (semolina made from wheat)<br />
4 cloves garlic minced fine<br />
1 cup of grated processed cheese<br />
Salt and pepper to taste.<br />
Oil to grease the tray and to deep fry<br />
<br />
Method:<br />
Heat milk in a pan, preferably in a karhai.<br />
When it becomes quite hot but is not boiling yet, add the dry roasted suji slowly, mixing well to ensure there are no lumps.<br />
Add the garlic, salt ,pepper and cheese too.<br />
Keep stirring till you get a mass in the pan.<br />
Put it into a greased plate or thali. smooth the surface with a small bowl or spatula so that there is an even layer about 3/4 inch thick all around.<br />
Let it cool.<br />
Cut into fingers. Remove from the plate.<br />
Deep fry in hot oil till a beautiful pink.<br />
Drain on absorbent paper.<br />
Serve with tomato sauce and green chutney.<br />
<br />
This quantity is enough to fill one large plate and serve 4-6.<br />
<br />
<br />
Variation: If you want to make a healthier version, brush them with some oil and bake in an OTG till light pink/brown.<br />
<br />
I promise everyone will ask you what went into these.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Sorry, no photo available. It was easier to remember the recipe and write it all down rather than actually make it. Send me the pictures of the end product and I will post their links here. :)<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-27126520016209842482013-08-21T15:54:00.003+05:302013-08-21T16:16:53.415+05:30Home-made pizza<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Home-made pizza</span></td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
Hot Pizza from one's own kitchen can be just as tempting, tasty and satisfying as the ordered one.<br />
It is quite simple to make and gives one the choice to add or not add things as per one's taste.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
Pizza base (bought from the market)<br />
<br />
For pizza sauce:<br />
Tomatoes- two large or three medium sized<br />
Onion- one cut in small pieces<br />
Capsicum- one cut in small pieces<br />
Garlic- four large cloves or eight smaller ones peeled and crushed<br />
Any oil or butter as per your choice a few tea spoons<br />
<br />
For toppings:<br />
One onion cut round and separated into rings<br />
One capsicum (green, yellow, red as per availability and your choice) cut into rings after de-seeding<br />
some fresh corn kernels, baby corn cut length wise or in roundels<br />
Two mushrooms cut as per preference<br />
Non vegetarians can use shredded cooked chicken, salami or whatever else is available or desired.<br />
<br />
A large piece of processed cheese Amul/Verka/Mother dairy or whatever you can find easily.<br />
Grate the cheese. About half a cup but you can vary this quantity as per your wish.<br />
<br />
Method:<br />
For Sauce:<br />
Heat a pan and add two spoons of oil/butter in it. Add the onions and saute till transparent, add the garlic, small cut capsicum and stir for a minute or so.<br />
Add the three tomatoes cut small. Add salt to taste. Stir well and cover. Cook on low gas for a few minutes till tomatoes are cooked.<br />
If you want a smooth sauce blend it in the mixer. I prefer the sauce to be chunky plus it is less work so I let it be as it is.<br />
You may want to add a spoonful of tomato sauce to it to improve color and spread-ability. (No such word I know but you get the idea. No?)<br />
<br />
Heat the oven at 160 degrees.<br />
(It depends on your oven and what works best it in. Generally, the oven should be medium hot. I made this in a round oven but an OTG works out better for pizza. Microwaves generally produce anemic looking pizzas.)<br />
<br />
Grease a baking tray.<br />
Put one pizza base on it. Brush it very lightly with olive oil/butter/refined oil.)<br />
Spread the home made pizza sauce on it. The quantities mentioned above are enough for two medium sized pizza bases.<br />
Arrange the rings of onions, capsicum, mushrooms, baby corn, and other ingredients as per your wish.<br />
Sprinkle grated cheese on top.<br />
Put the tray in the oven.<br />
Bake for about fifteen minutes. Keep checking (from outside) to see that it does not get burnt.<br />
Ideally the cheese should melt and ooze around and the base should look nicely toasted/brown where it is visible near the edges.<br />
<br />
Remove from the oven.<br />
Sprinkle oregano, chilli flakes or black pepper if that is what you like.<br />
<br />
Cut into wedges with a round pizza knife or whatever knife works best for you.<br />
Eat while it is still hot.<br />
<br />
Be proud of yourself for having done it all at home.<br />
Experiment with the toppings and sauce as you gain confidence.<br />
<br />
There are no rules here. Just do your own thing.<br />
<br />
P.S: 1.If you can manage to get bread dough from a local bakery, use that as the pizza base. Cooking time will be more then.<br />
2. If pizza base is not available, use bread slices as the base. It tastes great plus has the advantage that you can use Atta bread or brown bread.<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67l5Lo_wloC9WURnLasuT7obKbEDLyUHaODmcKT5nCdbsSX9-JDGQLZZheA8Em-yOtEDIdqOTKOddnFqU3WnAm5Dlab_tQl5RTtFnSbp9cxJ2Hml64-wscl5SyQwwtie31xnz9vci0Eo/s1600/Image295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67l5Lo_wloC9WURnLasuT7obKbEDLyUHaODmcKT5nCdbsSX9-JDGQLZZheA8Em-yOtEDIdqOTKOddnFqU3WnAm5Dlab_tQl5RTtFnSbp9cxJ2Hml64-wscl5SyQwwtie31xnz9vci0Eo/s320/Image295.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another home style version </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-30975948275885970562013-08-07T18:44:00.000+05:302013-08-07T18:56:07.504+05:30Punjab Village style: Sawan festival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
How is it that things that we experienced in childhood stay with us forever?<br />
Tucked away in some corner of the brain and popping up suddenly out of the blue to surprise and delight us.<br />
The other day I saw a picture of a beautiful spread of rice dishes that are made in Tamil Nadu on the occasion of the first day of Sawan.<br />
<br />
It reminded me of the signature dishes of Punjab that are cooked in the month of Sawan.<br />
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In Punjabi language Sawan is pronounced as /saun/ with a hard /n/ at the end.<br />
<i>Kheer</i> and <i>Poorha</i> are the signature dishes.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Each family cooks them or at least used to cook them at least once during this month of rain.<br />
<br />
Both of my grandmothers had their unique style of cooking these two dishes.<br />
With their houses full of grandchildren of various ages this was a must do for them.<br />
<br />
Kheer is known the world over as the rice milk pudding.<br />
<br />
Tell me if you want me to write a recipe for that and I will do it just for you or better still you can see how to make it in this Youtube video.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K5QbJd7EYo">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K5QbJd7EYo</a><br />
<br />
<br />
My <i>nani</i> (maternal grandmother) made the <i>poorha</i> (a kind of pancake) with atta (whole wheat flour), gurh (jaggery) and ghee (clarified butter). Loads of ghee.<br />
The process started with soaking the jaggery in warm water for an hour or so. It was stirred to mix well after the jaggery became soft.<br />
A big <i>paraat</i> (flat tray/basin with raised edges commonly used to knead flour for <i>rotis</i> in India) was taken.<br />
Flour was put into it. A little well was made and the jaggery mixture was added little by little. The mixture was stirred by hand round and round incorporating the liquid slowly to ensure that there were no lumps in the resulting thickish batter.<br />
<br />
We were asked to bring leaves from a jamun or peepal tree.<br />
We climbed the stairs to the terrace, crossed over a few low walls separating the neighbours' terraces from ours' and chose nice clean leaves from the roof top level from the trees growing in someone else's courtyard, and brought them back for nani.<br />
<br />
This small chore was an opportunity for adventure in the form of impromptu races and much laughter.<br />
<br />
We hung around watching nani lighting the <i>chullah</i> (wood burning stove), and putting the <i>tawa</i> (iron girdle/ flat pan) on the fire.<br />
She spread some ghee on the tawa to make it ready to make the poorha.<br />
<br />
There were no non stick pans around and no body missed them I am sure.<br />
<br />
When the tawa was nice and hot, she poured a ladle full of the sweet batter on it and swirled it a little to spread the mixture evenly. She used the leaf like a spatula to ensure an even thickness all around.<br />
I don't know why she used the leaf even though there were spoons available. May be it added some flavour to the end product.<br />
<br />
The delicious aroma of frying poorha filled the air and attracted the rest of the family to the open air kitchen in the courtyard.<br />
Some more ghee was drizzled along the sides and the poorha was turned over at the right moment when it was cooked but not burnt at the bottom. A few seconds on the other side and then it was removed to a thali (steel plate).<br />
This delicious poorha was eaten with kheer. We sat around the chullah and did not keep count of how many we ate. Each one that came off the tawa was eagerly awaited by the assorted group seated around making sure there was a fair distribution.<br />
The left over poorhas (if any) were immediately sent to the neighbour's house for their enjoyment.<br />
<br />
Nicely fortified with the kheer and poorha we turned our attention the rest of the festivities.<br />
<br />
Every Sunday, almost all women of the village dressed in nice clothes and trooped to an open ground in the middle of the fields. The agenda was singing and dancing and generally having fun.<br />
Men were not a part of this gathering and I have no clue why it was so.<br />
<br />
Hawkers set up stalls of balloons, <i>baraf malayee</i> (literallly translated as ice cream), <i>gola</i> (a grated ice ball put on a stick and slathered with colored syrups), and <i>chhole</i> (boiled and spiced chick peas).<br />
<br />
Those who wanted enjoyed these treats and the others concentrated on dancing and singing.<br />
<br />
There were many small groups who stood around in circles and danced to lilting <i>bolis</i> and claps.<br />
The claps changed rhythm as per the boli and the steps.<br />
<br />
The famous 'bhanghra' of Punjab is a men's dance.<br />
The women dance the 'giddha'.<br />
<br />
Giddha means clapping in Punjabi but giddha per se is not just clapping but dancing to the group's clapping. Words are inadequate to describe it.<br />
Here are Youtube links to Giddha and Bhangra so that you can see them for yourself.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTA9YudkTsI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTA9YudkTsI</a><br />
<br />
Link to an infomal giddha quite like what we experienced in those far off days with the difference that there was no canned music there just what could be produced by singing and clapping.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVBMtyYQUnk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVBMtyYQUnk</a><br />
<br />
Link to Bhangra being performed on stage. Men are dressed in their finery here but they do dance it this way no matter how they are dressed.<br />
<br />
A <i>dhol</i> (drum) is an essential accompaniment for bhangra. When the <i>dholi</i> (drum player) starts beating it, no one can stay still. Feet tap and shoulders move. It is involuntary, believe me.<br />
<br />
When you look at the energetic dancing you can understand why Punjabis use up all that ghee, butter, chicken, saag, makki ki roti, and lassi.<br />
<br />
This is how the Sawan festival pronounced/savans/ is/was celebrated in Punjab.<br />
<br />
Let me go make some poorhas now. I was inspired by my own blog post to do the Punjabi thing.<br />
<br />
<i>P.S: Tamil Nadu and Bengal have culture, Punjab has agriculture. Burraaaah!</i><br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-69504578084084732422013-08-04T16:30:00.001+05:302013-08-04T16:30:14.679+05:3015-minutes to plate: Instant Dhokla made in Microwave<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
All of us love food.<br />
Many of us want to cook but feel intimidated by the elaborate preparation, sourcing of ingredients, techniques, kitchen gadgets and hours and hours of labour involved.<br />
<br />
Here is an endeavour begun as a tribute to all those who are willing to experiment and reap the fruit of their labour and eat it. (Please excuse the pompous dialogue and mixed metaphor).<br />
<br />
We need 15 minutes or so, simple, inexpensive ingredients and basic kitchen equipment.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Recipe 1:</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b>Instant Dhokla made in Microwave</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kDevuqyEn-JUVQYw4HaywBDTEkJgK_4RR8eQAUX9Pki2Mx7jcwndEGOoCALZqZicQeRPZwI1A22KFDzRYPAfWO5Aexjj3ZWZtD_QEqBvh6mV22OTS483-cjQJsEFlFMv5gr3eRCEf9w/s1600/Instant+dhokla_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kDevuqyEn-JUVQYw4HaywBDTEkJgK_4RR8eQAUX9Pki2Mx7jcwndEGOoCALZqZicQeRPZwI1A22KFDzRYPAfWO5Aexjj3ZWZtD_QEqBvh6mV22OTS483-cjQJsEFlFMv5gr3eRCEf9w/s320/Instant+dhokla_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instant Dhokla_1</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgZyaX9iLyHG_hOQd4XKPd45ULDd5lAX4jS3zZRMR-gp2M6_I7N6HXgSHkWApXg0SWN2JsjDm4j3iqhIMbyeRinX29vaGlZCRBnDJSAP83mWUKb8fOBsn_KaNUhH1LLauul5D6qQ7q78/s1600/Instant+dhokla_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgZyaX9iLyHG_hOQd4XKPd45ULDd5lAX4jS3zZRMR-gp2M6_I7N6HXgSHkWApXg0SWN2JsjDm4j3iqhIMbyeRinX29vaGlZCRBnDJSAP83mWUKb8fOBsn_KaNUhH1LLauul5D6qQ7q78/s320/Instant+dhokla_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instant Dhokla_2</td></tr>
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<b><u>Ingredients</u></b><br />
Besan (Gram flour): 3 ladles heaped<br />
Suji (Semolina): 1 ladle heaped<br />
Curd: 1 cup<br />
Ginger, garlic, green chillies paste: 1 tsp<br />
Salt: to taste<br />
Turmeric: a pinch (optional)<br />
Sugar: 1-1/2 tsp<br />
Fruit Salt (Eno): 2 tsp<br />
Lemon: 2<br />
Oil: 1tsp<br />
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp<br />
Curry leaves: 1 sprig (10-15 leaves)<br />
Green coriander leaves: a few chopped small<br />
<br />
The quantities given here are enough for four people but I am sure two can polish it off too. Keeps well in fridge for a couple of days.<br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
Take the besan, suji, salt, ginger-garlic-green chillies paste, 1/2 tsp sugar, turmeric in a biggish bowl.<br />
Add the curd to it and mix well to make a batter like that made for pakodas.<br />
Make sure there are no lumps. You may add a little water to get the right consistency.<br />
Add two level tea spoons of the fruit salt. Squeeze the juice of one lemon on top of the fruit salt. You will see instant bubbling/foaming. Mix it in gently. Ensure that it is distributed well in the entire batter.<br />
Do this quickly because otherwise the bubbles will be lost and the batter will become flat.<br />
<br />
Grease a microwave proof flat dish and pour the batter into it.<br />
Put it in the microwave and cook for 4 minutes. Let the microwave stay as it is for another couple of minutes.<br />
Check if the Dhokla is cooked by inserting a dry knife. If it comes out clean then the Dhokla is done.<br />
<br />
<b>Tempering:</b><br />
On a hot tawa /girdle/frypan, put a tea spoon of oil.<br />
Add mustard seeds when the oil is hot.<br />
Add curry leaves and a few green chillies slit length wise.<br />
Stir for a few seconds. Add half a cup of water. Add a spoon of sugar and the juice of a lemon.<br />
Let it come to a boil. Pour the tempering over the cooked dhokla. Sprinkle the chopped green dhania.<br />
Cut the dhokla into pieces as per your wish.<br />
<br />
Find green chutney, coconut chutney, or tomato ketchup or all of them.<br />
<br />
<b>Eat. Serve if you like.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Alternatively</b> steam the same batter in lightly oiled Idli moulds in a pressure cooker (without putting the weight on the steam vent)/ steamer. It will take about ten minutes. Remove from moulds, cut into pieces and add tempering.<br />
<br />
I have been told that one can cook the same dhokla in an electric rice cooker too.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-65029511060247189632013-07-31T23:57:00.000+05:302013-08-01T00:06:12.683+05:30Ruma Roka the down to earth pioneer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai3XTLyGboQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai3XTLyGboQ</a><br />
<br />
The video of Ruma Roka blew me away. Such simplicity, such passion, sheer determination to do something for people who need it most and are the most neglected part of society.<br />
She is all heart and conveys that with her simple words and gestures.<br />
Rare would be a person who does not get infected by her enthusiasm.<br />
We happen to live in Noida and I am determined to go find her and make my contribution to the cause of helping those who are differently-abled.<br />
If she can do it so can we all.<br />
All we need is the conviction that it can be done.<br />
Ruma is working toward developing employable people who would be a success wherever they may go to work.<br />
She has lit the spark. We need to keep it going and make it into a full blown fire that will light people's lives.<br />
Thank you Ruma.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.franklintempletonindia.com/" style="color: #20326b; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Franklin Templeton Investments</a><span style="background-color: #c8dbea; color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">partnered the TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-63305963313704226112013-07-24T19:09:00.000+05:302013-07-24T19:09:53.565+05:30Cheese in Illinois<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ishita was extremely happy to be studying in Illinois University at Champagne Urbana for her student exchange year.<br />
Her room in the hostel had a Microwave and a mini fridge. These two trusty companions helped her to feed herself for the entire duration of her stay at the university.<br />
She is thrifty and vegetarian to boot so with the limited choices available she was happy to fend for herself and in the process experiment with food.<br />
She has always been in a structured environment where food has been the last thing on her mind as it magically appears when it is time to eat. :)<br />
In Illinois it was another story.<br />
She bought the groceries, stored them and used them to feed herself.<br />
While she was still new, she bought a carton of milk which had around four liters of milk.<br />
She consumed some of it in the first few days and then noticed that the rest of the milk in the carton tasted funny.<br />
Those days Skype used to keep us connected for hours at a stretch every day. She asked me what could have happened and how she could fix it.<br />
I told her she could make cheese with the off color milk.<br />
She had a small half litre borosil bowl that was her one all-purpose utensil.<br />
She began by taking some milk in it and putting it in the microwave with some lime juice added.<br />
Soon she saw cheese in the bowl, drained the whey and saved the cheese. She was elated as it tasted good and was something that she could recognize, use and eat.<br />
It was almost as if she was the first person in the world to make cheese from milk.<br />
There was plenty more where the first batch came from. She did it again and again till all the milk was used up and she had a big mug full of cottage cheese.<br />
Oh, she was so proud for not having wasted the milk and having a supply of cottage cheese that she relished over the next few days. On bread, in her mixed veg salad, and just like that.<br />
<br />
She did set the fridge to a lower temperature and none of the other cartons that she bought later turned sour or were made into cheese.<br />
That first carton had taught her a lot.<br />
Good lesson for the price of one milk carton.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-14777462637021709302013-07-09T13:38:00.000+05:302013-07-09T13:38:59.007+05:30Letters in a sand storm<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Parveen and I have been inseparable since babyhood. I don't remember how and when we first became friends. We just have been. This is a fact that has been accepted by all around us. They let us be.<br />
This incident is from when we were around seven years old. I was visiting them in Nasirabad, a small town near Ajmer, deep inside our beautiful Rajasthan.<br />
I can see many sandy hills around in my mind's eye even though I could not find them later when it visited Nasirabad as an adult.<br />
One day, my uncle, parveen's father wrote many letters to friends and family, sealed them and gave them to us to post in the letter box which was some distance away.<br />
We left together, parveen and I and walked toward the letter box. We were absorbed in telling each other our endless stories and were not paying much attention to the letters in my hand.<br />
Suddenly a gust of wind came and tore the letters away from my hand.<br />
We ran to catch the letters that had immediately taken on a life of their own and scattered with the sandy wind. If we ran one way, we saw another letter blowing tantalising away the other way. We managed to catch two of the letters with great difficulty and the other two I think were just no where to be seen. They were borne on the sand storm to a destination chosen by the wind.<br />
We were terrified at this fiasco and did not know what to do.<br />
Self preservation won, even at this young age. We posted the two left over letters And came back home quietly. No body asked us and we did not tell that some of the letters had Been lost.<br />
Many days pased. Our worry lessened and we went our way normally.<br />
I came back to Delhi to my own home with the secret safe.<br />
Many months later when we met again, we told uncle of what had happened that day.<br />
He said that he had wondered why he had not received replies to his letters.<br />
He asked us why we had not told him then. He could have just written more letters to replace the lost ones.<br />
We had no answer to this logical question and just stood quietly with lowered eyes. The sand storm had literally stolen those letters from us.<br />
I can still see ourselves running wildly in the sand storm trying to catch those elusive inland letters.<br />
This just cemented our friendship even more.<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-73198494037304227372013-06-25T16:21:00.001+05:302013-06-25T16:21:42.635+05:30A Plane Ride On Bicycles..<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Prakash was posted in Agra at that time.<br />
<br />
'Posted' is the term used to indicate the place where an Army man is stationed, placed or sent.<br />
These are common questions in defense circles," Where is he posted?"<br />
"When are you expecting your posting?", Or the more dangerous, "When I was posted in XYZ...." Run for your lives when you hear that because you are in for an hour long story of the man's exploits when he was a strapping lad in the Army.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Don't run if you like war stories and stories of extraordinary adventures that these men had even in their normal day to day lives.<br />
<br />
Well, when Prakash was posted in Agra, he received a letter from his father.<br />
Yes, the story belongs to the time when letters were the only mode of communication.<br />
Fathers wrote to sons in the Army, about the family, village life, fields and crops, buffaloes and cows, marriages and quarrels.<br />
They also wrote about deaths and births.<br />
<br />
Many days and some times weeks passed before the letter was received and read.<br />
Prakash read that his brother Ram Saran Das and his wife 'posted' in Ambala had lost their little daughter after a short illness.<br />
His father also asked him to condole the death of the baby with his elder brother through a letter.<br />
<br />
Prakash thought he could do better than that and he could visit his brother and <i>bhabhi</i> (brother's wife) in Ambala.<br />
<br />
As it happened there was an Air Force transport plane scheduled to go for a routine sortie (training flight) to Ambala the very next day.<br />
<br />
Prakash took courage in his hands and asked the pilot if he will give him a lift to Ambala and back in the plane. He explained why he was keen to go.<br />
The pilot was a kindly soul and smilingly agreed.<br />
<br />
The next day Prakash asked one of his friends to accompany him to the aerodrome. They were both on their cycles.<br />
They loaded the cycles into the huge plane and got in themselves too.<br />
You have to believe this because it is true.<br />
Air force transport planes are nothing like the planes that fly us from one city to another when we have the money for it.<br />
These are cavernous caves with benches along the sides for the passengers if any. The load is in the middle on skids that can be rolled on and off.<br />
<br />
So now both the young Air men in gleaming uniforms are on the plane with their royal cycles.<br />
Both are grinning from ear to ear at this mad cap adventure.<br />
Only if their friends and family could see them then. How proud they would be!<br />
<br />
After a short flight they landed in Ambala and both Prakash and his friend unloaded their cycles and rode off to the local Army cantonment, a few kilometers away.<br />
By bringing their cycles they had taken care of their local transport issues.<br />
<br />
They found Ram Saran Das in his office. He was shocked to see them as he was not expecting this visit. The brothers hugged. Prakash condoled the death of the baby.<br />
Ram Saran Das told them that his wife was inconsolable and was not in any condition to meet them.<br />
He ordered tea and snacks right there in the office.<br />
After spending an hour or so with his brother Prakash and his friend rode back to the aerodrome.<br />
The plane was getting ready to fly back to Agra.<br />
Well, the cycles and the Air men got on again and were in Agra before you could solve a decent cross word puzzle.<br />
They off loaded the cycles and rode off to their respective houses thrilled with this flying visit to Ambala in the course of a morning.<br />
<br />
Prakash then wrote to his father telling him how he had personally gone to condole the death of the baby.<br />
His father was mighty impressed at the fast lives his sons were leading.<br />
<br />
He read out the letter to every one who cared to listen.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-81701804885991082232013-06-21T23:11:00.003+05:302013-06-21T23:29:18.579+05:30To Stop Violence Against Women: Group Therapy Could Work<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
While wasting time in one of the more popular threads in Indiblogger, I read Nisha's appeal to bloggers to write for Ring the bell.<br />
She said that even posting some useful links will help.<br />
I am pasting some links on this subject.<br />
These talk about stopping domestic violence, bringing about change in the way women are treated in our country and thus leading to REAL CHANGE.<br />
<br />
These are links to some blog posts written earlier for Ring the Bell are also pasted below. These have not been submitted as main entries now as these are not fresh and have not been written for this drive.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://drhimangibhardwaj.blogspot.in/2013/03/the-bells-are-ringing-indiblogger-and.html#.UcSJIPlnpsk">http://drhimangibhardwaj.blogspot.in/2013/03/the-bells-are-ringing-indiblogger-and.html#.UcSJIPlnpsk</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://makethebest-randomjottings.blogspot.in/2013/03/an-extrememly-happening-weekend.html">http://makethebest-randomjottings.blogspot.in/2013/03/an-extrememly-happening-weekend.html</a><br />
<br />
Group Therapy as treatment:<br />
I read a report in The Chicago Tribune that talked about having a support group for wife beaters or others who knew only one way to control others and that was by hitting them or abusing them.<br />
They are asked to join a group therapy session to help them work out their basic issues that lead them to resort to violence.<br />
The session runs on the same principles as Alcoholic Anonymous.<br />
People get together and turn by turn talk about why they use violence in their lives and what can they do to stop it.<br />
They are encouraged to not indulge in violence, one day at a time.<br />
The longer they can manage without resorting to violence, the more the chance that they can stop using it altogether.<br />
This presupposes that the person is willing to change.<br />
It may even be an activity that they are forced to perform as a legal measure. That means if they don't attend the meeting they go to jail.<br />
This is an idea worth exploring in our Indian context too.<br />
If we can have Sharab mukti and drug mukti drives, we can also have violence mukti ones.<br />
Most of the times, many of these issues are inter related. The domestic help who comes to work with bruises on her face and back has been beaten up by a drunk-out-of-his-mind husband.<br />
A drug addict could rough up any one in the family to get money for his fix.<br />
<br />
The more I think about it, the more logical it sounds.<br />
We have tried many other options to stop people from beating up their wives and daughters.<br />
Why not try this one too?<br />
It could work.<br />
<br />
http://www.bellbajao.org/<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-42348663411179942052013-06-17T15:16:00.002+05:302013-06-20T15:43:11.484+05:30Warriors......To Fight Evil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.bellbajao.org/">http://www.bellbajao.org/</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We are warriors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We don't have swords, guns, missiles, or bombs but we are still warriors.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What are warriors and why do I insist that we are those?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dictionary meaning:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
war·ri·or</span><span class="dnindex" style="color: #7b7b7b; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="font-family: inherit;">1.</span></span><span class="dnindex" style="color: #7b7b7b; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="font-family: inherit;">2.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Chicago Manual Style (CMS):<br />
Modern Language Association (MLA):<br />
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE):<br />
BibTeX Bibliography Style (BibTeX)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="bottom: 1ex; font-size: 0.75em; height: 0px; line-height: 1; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> <span class="pronset"><span audio="http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/dictionary/audio/luna/W00/W0043800.mp3" default="http://dictionary.reference.com/audio.html/lunaWAV/W00/W0043800"></span> <span class="show_spellpr" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim">[</span><span class="pron" style="display: inline; font-size: 13px;"><span class="boldface" style="font-weight: 700;">wawr</span>-ee-er, <span class="boldface" style="font-weight: 700;">wawr</span>-yer, <span class="boldface" style="font-weight: 700;">wor</span>-ee-er, <span class="boldface" style="font-weight: 700;">wor</span>-yer</span><span class="prondelim">]</span> <a class="questionmark" href="http://dictionary.reference.com/help/luna/Spell_pron_key.html" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://static.sfdict.com/en/i/dictionary/newserp/Sprite_New.png); background-position: -176px -215px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; color: #333333; display: inline-block; height: 16px; position: relative; top: 2px; width: 16px;" target="_blank"></a> <span class="pron_toggle" style="display: inline;"><a alt="Toggle for IPA" class="pronlink" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6223721042938511305" style="color: #999999; cursor: pointer; font-size: 11px; margin-left: 11px; text-decoration: underline;" title="Click to show IPA">Show IPA</a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="pg" style="display: inline; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 3px;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="font-family: inherit;">noun</span></span></span><br />
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<span id="hotword" style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">person</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">engaged</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">experienced</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">in</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">warfare;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">soldier.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">person</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">who</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">shows</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">has</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">shown</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">great</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">vigor,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">courage,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">aggressiveness,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">as</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">in</span> </span><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/politics" style="color: #333333;">politics</a><span id="hotword"> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">athletics.</span></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">Origin:</span> </span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="rom-inline" style="display: inline;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">1250–1300;</span> </span><span class="rom-inline" style="display: inline;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">Middle</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">English</span> </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">werreieor</span> </span><span id="hotword"> < </span><span class="rom-inline" style="display: inline;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">Old</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">North</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">French,</span> </span><span id="hotword"> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">equivalent</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">to</span> </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">werrei</span> </span><span id="hotword">( </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">er</span> </span><span id="hotword">) <span id="hotword" name="hotword">to</span> </span><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/war" style="color: #333333;">war</a><span class="x" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="bottom: 1ex; font-size: 0.75em; height: 0px; line-height: 1; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">1</span> </span></span></span><span id="hotword"> + </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">-eor</span> </span><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/-or" style="color: #333333;">-or</a><span class="x" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="bottom: 1ex; font-size: 0.75em; height: 0px; line-height: 1; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">2</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="sectionLabel" style="display: inline; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><span id="hotword" style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">Related</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">forms</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="secondary-bf" style="display: inline; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">war·ri·or·like,</span> </span><span class="pg" style="display: inline; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 3px;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">adjective</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7b7b7b; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px;">Dictionary.com Unabridged</span><br />
<span style="color: #7b7b7b; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px;">Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the purpose of Indichange's Ring the Bell and Bell Bajao initiative, the definition at serial number 2. is appropriate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Warriors show great vigor, courage and aggressiveness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To bring about change in the set ways we are warriors. There is no other way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A family is the smallest unit of society. What happens in it is reflected in the larger sphere too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For example,if women are not respected in the family and their views are pooh poohed as of no consequence to the final decision, then the same attitude is passed on to everything else in the larger milieu.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Girls brought up in such families lack the confidence to put their views forth in school, college, work place and else where. They think that the male of the species has some God given right to lord over her and others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Needless to say, this attitude leads to them tolerating a lot of nonsense that they should have put a stop to from the word go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Boys and men from such families strut about like proverbial lords and throw their weight about expecting the women to pick up after them (weight and other assorted stuff) and generally take care of them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One is tempted to give one tight slap to such entitled, pompous asses but generally one refrains from doing so as one has been born in Gandhi's country and Ahimsa is preferable to violence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As Indichange warriors, we can work to change this one unit at a time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Each one change one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Begin with your own if you have not already done so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Each one of us can bring about this change in thinking at the family level.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are a mother ensure that you treat your son and daughter the same way. Don't be a door mat and don't allow ANYONE to ill treat you. Be the strong person that you want your children to be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are a daughter ensure that you behave the same way as your brother, with responsibility and confidence. Not diffidence and helplessness. Don't expect others to get you out of tight corners. Do it yourself. Get the tools needed to do that. Learn self-defense. Earn your own money. Contribute toward the family expenses. Take your own decisions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In general, don't be a passenger waiting to get off at the wedding station.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you do that you will board another train where YOU will be the door mat and someone else will lord over you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The vicious cycle will continue unless you break it now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are a father, make sure to set a good example for your children by respecting their mother and asking for her opinion and giving it due weight for every family decision that is made. Don't come home drunk and abuse your wife. Don't buy her flowers and chocolates to make up for your transgressions. She is not a doll. If you treat her like that, you may soon be out of the house on your bottom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Did you forget she is gearing up too?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are the boy of the family, i am sure you get my drift as to how you should behave.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are grandparents, please encourage this new behavior. People are trying to change. It does not really matter as to how things were in the old days. These are new days, with monsters lurking around corners, in dark spaces and not so dark offices, trains and bus'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Extraordinary conditions require extraordinary actions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> This warrior like behavior will lead to a change in the society and will ensure that women are not treated as adjuncts of men.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">I already follow these principles and woe betide anyone who tries otherwise.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">References:</span></div>
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<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0.33em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.25em;">American Psychological Association (APA):</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">warrior. (n.d.). <i style="line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dictionary.com Unabridged</i>. Retrieved June 17, 2013, from Dictionary.com website: <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior" style="color: #116699; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">warrior. Dictionary.com. <i style="line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dictionary.com Unabridged</i>. Random House, Inc.<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior" style="color: #116699; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior</a> (accessed: June 17, 2013).</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"warrior." <i style="line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dictionary.com Unabridged</i>. Random House, Inc. 17 Jun. 2013. <dictionary .com="" a="" href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior" nbsp="" style="color: #116699; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior</dictionary></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">>.</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-align: left; text-indent: -1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dictionary.com, "warrior," in <i style="line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dictionary.com Unabridged</i>. Source location: Random House, Inc. <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior" style="color: #116699; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior</a>. Available:<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/" style="color: #116699; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">http://dictionary.reference.com</a>. Accessed: June 17, 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">@article {Dictionary.com2013,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> title = {Dictionary.com Unabridged},</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> month = {Jun},</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> day = {17},</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> year = {2013},</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> url = {<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior" style="color: #116699; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior</a>},</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">}</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6223721042938511305.post-48068511130407871422013-06-15T23:57:00.001+05:302013-06-16T01:14:32.315+05:30Five Generations Connecting <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
The other day someone said on Twitter that there will be a time when our grandchildren will say," Oh, our grandparents were so cute. They used to send SMS to each other on iPhone."<br />
It was hard for me to imagine the time when that will happen.<br />
I wondered what would be used by people in the future to connect to each other then.<br />
The answer was that the future is still unseen. The inventions that will be there at that time cannot even be imagined now.<br />
Makes sense.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Hard as it seems now, it will happen, and is actually happening right now in front of our very eyes.<br />
This set me thinking as to how it would be if one could talk to anyone from any time or place without any restrictions.<br />
#WeChat was the catalyst to this line of thinking.<br />
My imagination took over.<br />
In my We Chat session five women from different generations, times and places talk to each other about their lives, cares, concerns, joys and general outlook on life.<br />
The participants are Maya Wati, Kasturba Gandhi, Meena Kumari, Mumtaj Mahal and Ridhima an Indiblogger with a fan following of 500.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8KMrzK-LMSI/Uby8sZZVTJI/AAAAAAAAAuM/4L_-i6O9b2E/s1600/Kasturba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8KMrzK-LMSI/Uby8sZZVTJI/AAAAAAAAAuM/4L_-i6O9b2E/s320/Kasturba.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kasturba Gandhi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0eIAH52QBOQ/Uby8xrtryRI/AAAAAAAAAuU/_y-v3Wf90zE/s1600/220px-Meena_Kumari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0eIAH52QBOQ/Uby8xrtryRI/AAAAAAAAAuU/_y-v3Wf90zE/s1600/220px-Meena_Kumari.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meena Kumari</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mbo0vZgpvvg/Uby82qynbeI/AAAAAAAAAuc/3_-7JBPFBWM/s1600/250px-Mumtaz_Mahal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mbo0vZgpvvg/Uby82qynbeI/AAAAAAAAAuc/3_-7JBPFBWM/s320/250px-Mumtaz_Mahal.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mumtaj Mahal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7CpiiRVv3Ig/Uby89jZxnlI/AAAAAAAAAuk/GaOwGo893Y8/s1600/mayawati_statue_20090710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7CpiiRVv3Ig/Uby89jZxnlI/AAAAAAAAAuk/GaOwGo893Y8/s320/mayawati_statue_20090710.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maya Wati</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMh284nOPKma_0xulHk26qKwcvZYiqjtX9WyENS_sNZGAYJ_OCI9H_u_8kIdNSTO-jF01meNddCNg_4EI60ysf4OhssKyXerEpmojIrau08FANX4MxNv_0ZDz5VnzbIwxOGkKxm91Vu8/s1600/Image512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMh284nOPKma_0xulHk26qKwcvZYiqjtX9WyENS_sNZGAYJ_OCI9H_u_8kIdNSTO-jF01meNddCNg_4EI60ysf4OhssKyXerEpmojIrau08FANX4MxNv_0ZDz5VnzbIwxOGkKxm91Vu8/s320/Image512.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ridhima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Please suspend your disbelief for a while and imagine that all of them have access to and can use internet enabled smart phones with the We Chat app installed on them.<br />
Also keep in mind that only one person can talk at a time and the others have to listen quite like with the old walky talky.<br />
The year is 2013.<br />
Kasturba Gandhi begins the chat session saying," Dear friends, I don't know if you know me or remember me. Could you tell me what is going on in our beautiful country? My husband worked so hard for that. Is there Ram Rajya like we imagined when we sacrificed our personal lives for the greater good of the country. Was it really worth it?"<br />
<br />
Maya Wati answered Kasturba," Ba, the country has progressed much from your time. No one needs to sacrifice anything for the greater good any more. There is a free for all in all spheres of life. We are taking turns to rule the country and do good for ourselves. Recently, I was able to build temples to ensure that no one forgets me or my hand bag in a hurry."<br />
<br />
Ba was confused but before she could answer, Mumtaj Mahal began talking," Hello all. My husband promised to build the Taj Mahal as a symbol of his love for me. Did he actually do it or did I die in vain bearing those fourteen children? I must know."<br />
<br />
Meena Kumari chimed in at this point," Ladies, Don't trust men when they promise something. See my example. I ruined my life by caring so much for the men in my life that I forgot all about my own self. I drank myself to death. For all my pains I received the moniker of 'Tragedy queen'. Huh? What the heck? Who wanted to be tragedy queen?"<br />
<br />
Ridhima had been listening to this conversation deferentially. She felt that she did not have enough weight in years and experience to respond but still she had to respond with her point of view. She said," the more things change, the more they stay the same. The world is the same. Men and women are the same. Their concerns, cares, feelings, all are the same. The only thing that is different is that now there is more of everything. Money, means, meanness, and mores."<br />
<br />
They would have chatted some more but time and tide waits for no one. So they promised to meet up in the WeChat session the next day and catch up.<br />
<br />
http://www.youtube.com/user/WeChatIndia?feature=chclk<br />
<br />
References: Wikipedia for images. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07785425938004410820noreply@blogger.com6