Beauty is fleeting

 Beauty is fleeting

Advancing age, and we loose the temper to find love, hence forth the desperation of getting attached increases exponentially. 

Recently, a friend of mine decided to get settled down the old ways. He holds a list of suitable characteristics he seems to justify in suitable match. For my dismay, the top of list holds a tick box labelled "Beautiful". 

Gone are the days, when we used to get figured out with trophy wives alongside our arm.

One thing I have learnt in my short dating life span, is that in the end of very tiring day, you want to end up in someone who makes you laugh. Wet kisses, warm hugs and exchanging day pleasantries over the kitchen stove makes the day worth living.

Call it my fantasy or aging love, I enjoy the intricacies of life when I fall in love with the smell of touch more than the physical beauty. For, physical beauty is always fleeting.

                              If you want to know what distracts me, read the second word. 
 
  

all about you

 

My past is

All about you

And overcoming you...

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Haiku

 There

Just like

Not being here.

Eccentricity of Asymmetry

Eccentricity of Asymmetry 

There are days when I wake up to find a new freckle or vesicle developing on my forehead. Days of drinking giving me a beer belly. And there are days when I am worried about my asymmetric nose on my oval face. 

These eccentricities, have found a permanent place in my heart, body, and mind. how hard I try to evolve, my soul is just chained to numerous question marks of my objectivity.

I keep scratching my scabs of old wounds, never to realize they recall active bleeds. The more it itches, the more I scratch and the more I bleed.

Recently, I started accepting myself the way I am. The more I accepted myself, the faster I started healing. I am still paranoid about the scars which came up with healing. But I know now, they are not scars, they are signatures of my vulnerability. 

Dhanshaak

Recipe of Dhanshaak

On the demand of friends, this weekend it was a night of Parsi cuisine. I ended up making the richest and widely made recipe in every Parsi household kitchen, the Dhanshaak. 

Dhanshaak, in the verbal term, means lentil and vegetable. In itself, it's a wholesome meal but ideally served with brown rice or bread.

For, it is said, that traditional recipe varies from house to house and availability of vegetables in the freeze.

My version is as follow:

50 gms of split pigeon pea (toor dal)

50 gms of red lentil (masoor dal)

50 gms of yellow lentil (moong dal)  

A variety of other lentils can be used as per taste and availability.

one medium brinjal

one medium potato

a few cubes of bottle guard and pumpkin

two medium tomatoes 

bunch of fresh fenugreek leaves 

For Dhanshaak spice

2 dried red chili

1 green chili

few cumin seeds

few fenugreek seeds

2 cloves

peppercorns

a stick of cinnamon

For tempering

Oil 2 tsf

one medium sized chopped onion

salt to taste

If you are one of the friends who love their meat, feel free to add chicken breast or mutton. the recipe is as versatile as it sounds. 

Here we go:

In a pressure cooker, add the washed lentils, pigeon pea, peeled potatoes (cut in roughly 4 cubes), bottle guard, pumpkin, brinjal, tomatoes, and fenugreek leaves. Add the salt. add enough water just to soak the mixture. give a boil for three or four whistles.

After the whistles, blend the mixture in a blender. Usually, the consistency of Dhanshaak is very thick but one can add the water to this stage as per requirement.

Prepare the Dhanshaak spice:  Roast all the spice ingredients on a pan and blend them in a mixture jar with some water.

Prepare the tempering: In a wok (kadhai), take the oil. Add the chopped onions. saute till brown. At this point add Dhanshaak spice and wait for one minute till the spice get mature.

Add the tempering to the blended vegetable and lentil mixture. Boil the Dhanshaak in the wok for another five minutes. 

You are ready to serve.

My take, 

One of my parsi friend, who generoulsy hosted me for this recipe previously had added mint leaves in the vegetable mixture. I found the mint flavour overpowering the rest of mild flavours. So, I usually

avoid mint leaves in my blend. 

IRISH STEW : MY VERSION

IRISH STEW: MY VERSION

Lately, I was down with pharyngitis and laryngitis. My job calls me to speak for hours and I was becoming in-audible with the progress of the infection.

Saturday night, I thought of re-inventing the recipe of Irish stew for my sore throat.

My version is a bit easier and suited for Indian grocery ( as most of the traditionally used ingredients are not available in Indian stores).

Ingredients required: (serves 2)

250 gm boneless chicken cut into one-inch cubes ( lamb can be used )

200 gm spring onion ( my take on one medium onion and 100gm celery)

200 gm of carrot chopped in bigger cubes 

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bigger cubes.

olive oil for sauteeing

Coarsely chopped parsley and thyme

pepper and salt for seasoning

shavings of ginger (optional)

water 2 cups

Preparation

1. On medium heat, take oil in a pan and cook the chicken on one side until brown and cook it on another side. No need to cook it properly.

2. Add the chopped spring onions in the same pan. and stir them in the oil until caramelized.

3. I added the shavings of ginger for that little spice and the medicinal property of it for a sore throat.

4. Add the potatoes and water to the pan. (alternately we can use chicken or beef stock if available)

5. Add the salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook in its steam for about 20 minutes.

6. At this moment when potatoes are still tender add chunks of carrots, fresh thyme, and parsley. 

7. let it cook for another 10 minutes. and there, it is ready to serve.

Serve it with your bread loaf and butter. or just eat it alone. The wholesome dish full of proteins, minerals, and carbohydrate for those winter nights when immunity is at its low.

On those days when I crave for some extra calories, don't hesitate to put a generous serve of full-fat cream in the stew. 

 

KOLKATA KRAYONS 2

KOLKATA KRAYONS 2

The idol makers of Kumartulli, are famous for their indigenous expertise in sculpting Hindu gods and goddess  

Holi at Jodhpur

                                                  

                                                       HOLI AT JODHPUR (THE BLUE CITY)

This year, I happened to celebrate my birthday as well Holi (the festival of colurs) at Jodhpur city India. Jodhpur is quite known as the blue city of India owing to the blue walls of its houses.

The fervor of festival can be seen in any given road of the city. Yet, the best amazement is seen at Clock tower of the city centre. 

one can also visit the Ghanshyam Temple at specific times. The temple is open to Holi revellers at specific times. we happened to missed out our first entry. Usually, it starts early at 630 am (Mangla Aarti) for an hour or so. We attended the next schedule which is 12:00 noon IST (Rajbhog Aarti)

The city is very much tourist friendly. One can see the international tourists jiving to the Indian beats on the roads.  

If you passing by the city during the festive hours, dont miss the chance to play with colors against a backdrop of blue wall.

The River Stories

I have equal fascination for rivers as I love the vast barren desserts of country.

Workplace and the Art- scape

                                                             
                                                               Workplace and the Art- scape


Recently some of my google create members were in the city when I took them out for a quick tour to my work place. they were surprised with the scope of photo-documentation that could possibly be done at the campus.

Himanshu Panchal, a dear friend and fine art curator (the best person I have met in fine art curation) insisted me to start documenting mundane textures of life.

At first, I was not sure of the idea of using my workplace for the discovery of art into the walls and people visiting the campus. But then I started exploring a bit of it and got fond of it.

After all, Its no bad to convert the workplace into an art-space. As art is ubiquitous. If my profession is a religion so is Art,

She and Camel Man

She and Camel Man

"My mom has always told me the stories of horse rider and her dream man. She lived in a small village of Khar Rajasthan", said Ranjeeta in her perplexed tone. 

Her dreams never got quenched, as the poor lady didn't realize that man in Rajasthan come on camel as opposed to the white horses of fairy tale. 

Nor that her dream of a horse rider got crashed, she became a household to the man who used to sell camel for his survival. During daytime he used to run a camel cart for the travelers coming to see the scenic beauty of  vast barren dessert but he himself failed to admire the beauty of her women.

The days went by; from dusk to dawn. She lived a life because she had to live one. 

Often I asked her if there is a purpose in your life. As in a reluctant dead tone, she always say, "I don't want you to be one of me". I never understood her till the day....

A camel man came to see me, with the loft of his camels riding a camel. 

Life-Scapes

Life-Scapes

As a traveler, the weekends come with an urge to move around in the empty wide spaces of nature. Often i join the troll of my friends to abandon my streets for the varied perspectives of empty lands.

The ample beauty of solitude and parched lands allows me to retrospect and introspect my head-space.  often I get the luxury to have a conversation with my self far away from the city shore.

Far away from the human grounds, lies a world of wilderness. where nature is wild, the hunter is a prey and the prey is the gladiator. 

There is a horizon, where the water meets the sky. the earth is serene and the air is pure and fresh. The life is still there. Perhaps that's what a heaven is.

Sometimes I feel like eloping into the vast sky, way above the mountains where the boundary walls are not made of brick and cement. There is enough food for everyone, greens for the eye and love for the hearts.

The ever lasting poem of Rabindranath Tagore plays in my mind: Where the mind is without fear ... into that heaven, my father

let me spread my wings and fly away

 ( a bit of my version)

Making of Buddha

Making of Buddha 

During my Bhutan trip, I got a chance to visit the design school of the capital city, where young students are taught the traditional art of embroidery, painting and sculpting.

Few shots I clicked, during my interaction with a student. 

Stories of solitude

STORIES OF SOLITUDE

We often travel alone but seldom we enjoy the luxury of solitude. We look for silence in the noise of city traffic yet we forget to reach out for a shout when we can fill the silence with our voice. Understanding the silence and speech is akin to solitude and companionship.  

Mango Basil Cheese Cake

Mango Basil Cheese Cake

Before the mango season wraps up, here is the recipe of Mango Basil Cheese Cake

All You Need:

Digestive biscuits : 100 gms

Butter : 40 gms

Mango pulp freshly blended and sieved : 2 cups

Cream Cheese : Half a cup

Powdered sugar: 50 grams

Finely chopped basil: 1 twig

Gelatin: 10gms

For Garnishing

finely sliced mango and basil leaves

Here you go:

In a mixture jar, crush digestive biscuits with butter. In a cake tin ( I used 6 inch diameter tin) spread the biscuit and butter powder evenly and press it with the help of spatula. This biscuit crust will form the base of your cake. Put the tin in fridge (on top shelf) for setting. 10 minutes will be suffice.

In a pan, heat gelatin with 2 tsf of water until it gets properly dissolved.

In a bowl, with the help of hand blender, blend mango puree, sugar, cream cheese and basil leaves.

Add the gelatin syrup to the mixture and mix properly. Make sure there are no lumps of gelatin.

Pour the mixture in pre set cake tin. and let it set in the top shelf of your fridge for 2-3 hours.

Garnish with sliced mango and basil twig.

Remarks:

1 I prefer using Alphonso Mangoes, as they tend to be sweet. This avoids me adding extra sugar.

2 The recipe requires 20 minutes of preparation and 2-3 hours of setting. My take: quick to make and can be prepared before the party.

3 I added basil leaves for that extra zing and flavor. One can replace basil with orange zest.

4 No oven. No baking required.

5 Gelatin can be replaced with Agar Agar. For those who are strict vegetarian.

waiting for your feedbacks.

 

Lost soul

Lost Soul

The river divides us 

As the season of fate

But then 

As no tide awaits

My love would last

With the withering last vein.

I speak up for the last; O' love

The poetry of your lips

The imagination I bear

The fireworks of your love.

Behold those breathes we shared 

As the night has returned 

With dark and wrath 

The body might belong to them

But the soul will await for me love.

For Last We See

For last we see
Let me hold you like a song
The song I will never sing again
The song I will never hum on again.

For last we meet
Let's not say goodbye
Goodbyes are hopeless
Goodbyes never so honest.

For last I see you
Let me offer you, the favorite orchids
Shower the love
Before they bury you into the eternity.

Salt Pans of Kutch Gujarat

The Salt Plains Of Kutch, Gujarat

I started for the vast salt plains of Kutch in the early fall, when winter was settling in its blossoms. The journey started from Ahmedabad, we were scheduled to visit a small village near the Bhuj, a district of Gujarat, India.

These salt plains are created every year artificially to generate the salt which is then refined and transported to the homes of citizens.

The ground water here is ten times saltier than sea water, which is pumped out using bores and then filled into small fields of about 25 by 25 meters

“As the sun beats down on this water, it gradually turns into silvery salt,

When I was capturing the beautiful salt-scapes, I wondered, if it was the plain who was burning out or the skins of hard working laborers working in the heat.

It was just the time, when they had recently began to dug out water from the ground, and started making big pans. So unfortunately, I could not get the images of final process and product. 

I wish I had gone  at-least a fortnight later. Nevertheless I enjoyed some hours on the vast barren land. Even the saline tears can make someones meal palatable.

Lemon Tarts

An quick easy start up dessert to finish the left over sweet tooth craving.

its a perfect balance of sweet and sour.

All you need

Refined flour: 100 gms

Salted butter: 50 gms

Cream: 100gms

Powdered sugar: 50gms

A lime 

few mint leaves

Making of a tart:

Mix the flour with chilled butter. Roll out a sheet out of the flour dough. with the help of cookie cutter, take out round dough sheet and put on greased tart moulds.

bake at 180 degree for roughly 15 mins. Make sure, to tap the dough with the fork, so that it doesnt rise.

Whip the heavy cream with the beater. As the cream doubles, add lime juice, lime rind and powdered sugar. Fold the cream with mixture. 

Fill the cream in piping bag and put in blast chiller for 30 secs.

take out baked tarts. wait while they set to room temperature. 

Fill the tarts with the flavored whipped cream from the piping bag. 

garnish with a mint leaf.

Serve and relish

Riverfront Ahmedabad

RIVER FRONT- AHMEDABAD

The multi-crore and most ambitious project of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation was started way back in 1997. Today, it has become a landmark for the face of Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Plenty of projects, fairs, exhibitions are held every year on this stretch. the twenty kilometer stretch facing the Sabarmati river is quite seen flocked with joggers and lovers.

This Sunday I went for a walk. Few clicks enchanted my mind