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.

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

Bounty

When silence becomes your presence

the unsaid words 

should be told to the world

CHAPANER - Chapter 1

Champaner (ચાંપાનેર شمبنر ; Muhammadabad) is a historical city in the state of Gujarat in western India. It is located in Panchmahal district, 47 kilometres from the city ofVadodara. The city was briefly the capital of Gujarat.

It was founded by Vanraj Chavda, the most prominent king of the Chavda Dynasty, in the 8th century. He named it after the name of his friend and general Champa, also known later as Champaraj. By the later 15th century, the Khichi Chauhan Rajputs held Pavagadh fort above the town of Champaner. The young Sultan of Gujarat, Mahmud Begada, deciding to attack Champaner, started towards it with his army on 4 December 1482. After defeating the Champaner army, Mahmud captured the town and besieged Pavagadh, the well-known hill-fortress, above Champaner, where king Jayasimha had taken refuge. He captured the Pavagadh fort on 21 November 1484, after a siege of 20 months.^[1] He then spent 23 years rebuilding and embellishing Champaner, which he renamed Muhammadabad,^[2] after which he moved the capital there from Ahmedabad. In 1535, after chasing away Bahadur Shah, Humayun personally led some 300 Mughals to scale the fort on spikes driven into rock and stonework in a remote and unguarded part of the citadel built over a precipitous hillside on Pavagadh Hill. Large heaps of gold, silver and jewels were the war booty even though Bahadur Shah had managed to escape with a lot to Diu^[3] Champaner is today the site of the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, which UNESCO designated a World Heritage Site in 2004.

The above text have been copied from wikipedia. A brief research during my visit to chapaner. although i clicked more than 100 of pics there but few ones just strolled my mind as they are quite close to me.

A Visit to Kadoli Farm

A  Visit to Kadoli Farm

Sunday 3.3.13, a bunch of friends left for Polo forest for photo shooting. It turned out to be a fun filled day with the most authentic, traditional, simple and delighted lunch treat at Kadoli Farm.

Kadoli farm, situated in the interiors of 8 acres of cultivated land owned by King and Queen of Vijayanagar, district Gujarat. The humble welcome by King Harvardhan Singh Rathore (he avoids to use Rathore as his surname owing to his personal reasons) and Queen Gargi Devi took us to the journey of royalty and its current existence.

After a quick ginger tea, we went for the work, we were scheduled for. The shoot was fun filled and tiring. The scorching heat made us dehydrated and hungry. The hunger pangs forced us to return back to our host where a sumptuous lunch was waiting for us.

I was terribly hungry; I quickly freshened up and asked the queen if I can start the meal. I complimented her as she looks like my aunt. She was dressed in chiffon sari, nicely draped covering her head. The two bangles and vermillion in her forehead, reminded me of my aunt.

I started opening the casseroles in which food was served on the wide table. I was expecting some rich spicy, dry fruits clad meal. But I was disappointed to see the simple, traditional food served in every Indian house. The menu was small and same, a paneer recipe, sabzi,chapatti, dal chawal , curd, salad and gajar ka halwa.

With a disappointed face, I started my meal. With first bolus of food, I felt the most amazing, soft buttery paneer cooked in rich green gravy. The sabzi was aloo mutter. Palak paneer was made as per the traditional authentic recipe: you blanch, blend and make spinach puree. In a thick bottom pan, sauté finely chopped garlic and onion. Add spices (black pepper and salt). On medium heat, cook the puree for ten minutes. Add cubes of paneer. The aloo muttar recipe was same as I had published in my earlier posts.

What sweeps away the heart is the dal. The yellow lentil (arhar/toor) which we regularly cook in our houses was the best part. Very simple, easily made. Just boil the lentil, in a pan sauté the diced garlic in desi ghee till burnt. Add salt. Add the tempering to the lentil. Garnish with chopped coriander. YESSS! The simplest recipe ever, trust me, it blew my taste buds.

The curd; rich creamy smooth like vanilla icecream. I asked her the secret; she told us that they get the fresh pure milk from buffalo for curd and paneer.

Gajar ka Halwa: Against my quick recipe which I make from condensed milk, the dessert here was quick too, grate the carrots, add few ml of milk and add loads of malai (the thick layer of milk after pasteurisation).cook for 15 min. Add sugar when it is almost done. Remove from heat, let the sugar melt itself. Garnish with dryfruits.

The menu was simple yet delightful, full of flavours. A savoury you rarely relish and eagerly look forward to. Moreover before completing this draft, the food is incomplete if the love is not added to food which I could see in her gestures and happiness while serving us.

Thanks to her highness Mrs Gargi Devi for the most memorable lunch ever.

HOOK

Brittle aspects of life

keep me hooked to rusty nail

fragile state of mind

wanders explosively without a trail.