Making my Mama and Kaku proud!!!

I have always been a foodie...

Talk about delicious food and I am at the foremost.

I remember I could guess what is cooking in the kitchen of our house exactly from a good distance...

I should say I have been pampered a bit as far as food is concerned.

Well I realised that till I actually started cooking...

Initially, it was a bit difficult.

Getting the right combi of salt, spices, etc.

I did screw up as well.. But then learnt my lessons as well.

I have always believed in putting some extra effort in the food that we eat.

Just so to get the complete satisfaction.

The food that I cook has always been inspired from what Mom and Kaku cook at home...

Whenever I'd decide on making a dish that would be made at home, I would think hard to remember how it looked, how it tasted.

Things like Did it have garlic?, Did it have green chillies?, How 'bout onions, How much Turmeric, etc....

And I could remember a lot of things.

I remember they put a bit of garlic in the bhindi ki sabzi, that they put curry leaves in some of the preparations, that they'd make the pulao in ghee, put in bay leaves in them and so on...

Even to the extent that they'd generally cook bhindi in kadhai. And there is a very good reason for that as well.. I have come to appreciate that as well.

I can remember the smell.

I can remember the taste.

I can remember the look.

I do hard to replicate that in the food that I cook.

And when I do get a good deal of success in doing so, I feel excited...

I mean it feels very nice.

I feel I am making them proud.

Believe me. When it comes to food, I am a very tough customer to please.

So today when I made baingan bharta at home and it was very close to what I would have it at home, I could sense the smile that Mom and Kaku would have when they hear this.

Seriously, ain't I making them proud???




Oh, Yeah!!!! :-D

The Great iPod

Yippppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....

I got my iPod!!!!

I so wanted to get one.. But did not want to spend much on it.

So finally got one. The new iPod shuffle.

Smaller than a match box size. 1GB memory.

Now that is you can call a gadget.

Had opted for the free delivery.

Booked it on 30th Oct night at 11.59pm.

Apple gave me a date for delivery as 13th Nov. I was a bit disappointed.

But the world is really fast.

Got my iPod on the 2nd Nov morn. Now that is customer delight.

First look at it and I was head on heels in love with the thing.

Obviously, being Apple, you'd expect the best sound quality which it does have.

And guess what??? I could get a message engraved on it.

So the words that I got on it were....

Tejas the Great

:-)

Anyways, while I listen to songs on my new funky iPod, I give people a chance to envy me. :-D.

Here's a peek at it.

Obviously, Tejas the Great should have an equally royal name for his iPod.

So the name is....

The Great iPod. :-)

The Silver Jubilee Post..

My 25th "published" post.
(Have got one in drafts for long. But somehow haven't completed it yet.)

The Silver Jubilee Post.

Probably right time to take this set of questionnaire. Checked 'em at Pavan's blog here.

Thought this'd help me to identify what the blog means to me.

So here I go.

1. Are you happy / satisfied with your blog, with its content and look?

Lookwise, I'd say currently yes. Being a slightly moody person, I need constant changes. Hence I'll keep changing it frequently compared to others. I'd prefer to keep it sober though throughout.

Contentwise, Yes. Completely satisfied. The only intention was to write whatever I wanted to. I do it. So no issues. Just hope that I probably get to write more often.

2. Does your family know about your blog?

Yes. They do. My Mom reads quite often. Recently, I was most surprised when my Kaku told she was very emotional when she read the Diwali post, wherein I wrote almost the smallest detail of my Diwali.

So far I have no reason why I need to keep my thoughts away from them.

3. Do u feel embarrassed to let your friends know about your blog or do you just consider it as a private thing?

Same holds true for friends. I don't feel embarassed at all. Rather I ask them to keep coming.

I feel that if at all there is a need for me to write something which I do not wish to share with anyone I know, I know I can simply open up a new blog and start writing. Big Deal, huh!

4. Did blogs cause positive changes in your thoughts?

Don't know about positive changes and all.

But somehow I feel a lot better. With a job where you keep moving and close friends not accessible at times, I think a blog is a good medium to vent out any frustrations, share any good news or even simply gibber some crap.

I feel good after writing a post. I feel like a burden off my back. Relaxed, you know.

5. Do you only open the blogs of those who comment on your blog or you love to go and discover more by yourself?

As it is, not many comment here. People know about my blog 'coz I comment on their blogs. But then I feel those, however few, comments are an inherent part of my blog.

Anyways, So I feel the second question is more apt here. I do keep scanning around for some folks with whom my frequency wud match.

6. What does visitors counter mean to you? Do you care about putting it in your blog?

It does mean something to me. It is definitely not the thing. I would not do something special to get attention of the world. I do not wish to set the counter on fire. A visitor a day is also fine. But it does bring me a smile knowing that someone in the other corner of the world spent a few seconds here. Maybe it was an accident.

But then it still feels nice.

7. Did you try to imagine your fellow bloggers and give them real pictures?

I would imagine as to how they would be. We all do that. Not just for bloggers but for all the people that we have interacted with and but not seen. We do create an impression of how they'd be.

But for real pictures, I am not for it.

Unless I have formed a serious friendship with someone.

Unless the bond is that strong.

8. Do you think there is a real benefit for blogging?

There is! There, indeed, is!

It helps u get a lot of things of your system.

You can call it a junkyard or a safety locker of thoughts.

Either you use it share ur precious memories or trash ur unpleasant ones. Choice is urs..

In any case, it helps.

9. Do you think that bloggers society is isolated from real world or interacts with events?

I don't the blogger society is isolated from real world. Rather it is a part of real world. Most of the times we talk about things from the real world.

Blogger world is highly influenced from the real world and its events. At an individual level, it may not look so b'coz anything outside one's life may seem like a fantasy.

10. Does criticism annoy you or do you feel it’s a normal thing?

Noone has criticised me on anything. But it would not annoy me. I generally look at it as a point of view of another person.

11. Do you fear some political blogs and avoid them?

Political blogs are not my type. I'd generally skip them. Not because of fear, but more because of lack of interest.

12. Did you get “shocked” by the arrest of some bloggers?

Who was arrested? When? Why? Sorry, No Idea.

13. Did you think about what will happen to your blog after you die?

I find this question very amusing. Don't know if I'd blog till then or not.

If I do, I'll leave it out for the whole world. I bet they wouldn't want to miss out on some pearls of wisdom. :)

14. What do you like to hear? What’s the song you might like to put a link to in your blog?

Have already put one of them on my blog here.

Here'z another one that's topping my charts right below.

Cook Cook Cook Cook... What to Cook?

What to cook for tonite's dinner??

A haunting question.

The same question haunts daily.

After a long tiring day at the office, the last thing that one would want to be worried about is this.

The problems go like

* Sabzi Nahi hai
* Sabzi hai to mirch nahi hai
* Sabzi hai lekin ye khaane ka mood nahi hai
* Kabhi namak nahi hai
* Kabhi pyaaz nahi hai
* Sab hai to Parathe nahi hai

Sometimes I wonder how does Mom manage at home.

I mean now when I cook, I appreciate the effort that she puts in for making food.

That too not once, but twice. Lunch and Dinner!

Maintaining the Kitchen is not easy at all.

You need to be continuously on your toes to see what is out of stock and what needs to be bought.

Rather its not about what is out of stock, but what would be out of stock in the near future.

Now that's not an easy thing.

What if you land in such a situation where you run out of options???

Well innovation time, it is then. Try out new things.

True, I agree necessity is indeed the mother of invention... or rather innovation.

Today after spending some time outside India, I have probably learned a thing or two about cooking.

Atleast can say that I can cook Ok, with an occassional "special" item on a weekend.

But then, all aside. The question still remains for now. What do I cook???

I think its time now to try the simplest and the best items.

Khichdi. :-)

So, off I go to the Kitchen to make my Khichdi. Well not exactly like the one which Birbal made.

Meanwhile, take a look at this ad which I found on Youtube. Splendid one.

Had me in splits.

Man, an amazing accent zis guy 'as... :-)

This is 'MY' Diwali...

From Today, Dhanteras or Dhanatrayodashi, Diwali has started.

Diwali, a time for celebrations.

Diwali, a time for sweets.

Diwali, a time for fireworks.

Diwali, a time for new clothes.

Diwali, a time for fun.

Diwali, a time for family.

I miss everything. Celebrations. Sweets. Fireworks. New clothes. Fun. And Family.

Diwali would be five days of total relaxation. Five days for family.

Today, when I am not in India, I am remembering each and every moment of how my Diwali would be.

Just before Diwali, we, the whole family, would go shopping. Ours being a joint family, we'd be a minimum of seven people going out shopping. Obviously, the most time consumimg would be the saree shopping for Mom and Kaku. And hence the most boring time for me, my dad, my Kaka and my brothers. We would be spend our time passing comments on the various so-called "in-fashion" sarees. Our shopping, mine and my brothers'. Well it used to be pretty quick as we generally did know what we wanted. The only problem with it used to be the budget. Normally, we'd definitely overshoot it by a handsome margin. We'd have some resistance from our Kaka and dad. But then such lovely guys they are. Either of them would always give in. Mom and Kaku would normally take care of Dad's and Kaka's shopping.

After shopping of clothes, the next item on the agenda would be firecrackers. For the last few years, we'd generally have a lot of crackers unburst from the last year's stock. But then that would always look insufficient for this year. So we would have to convince Dad and Kaka for almost an hour to get them agree to buy more. Sometimes I feel, they know that they'd buy more, but then they show some resistance just for fun sake. The arguments that we would have would be real entertaining. We would have to come up with innovative ideas to convince them. Then once we land up at the crackers shop, we'd literally pickup a sample of almost all the items. Kaka would do a review of the items. He would reduce a few of them, obviously which we would oppose. But then we'd reach a compromise and by then we'd get crackers worth a few thousands of rupees. Before Kaka would pay the bill, we have to convince him that this year we would finish almost all of them and not keep anything, except a few for the cricket matches which India would win. (I think that explains why we are left with so many crackers).

Meanwhile, Mom and Kaku would stock up the various Diwali Special snacks and sweets. Most of the snack items would be ordered from a sweetmart. But a few items would be always prepared at home. e.g. Karanji, Laddoos made of desi ghee, etc.

Just before Dhanteras would start, we'd light up the house with a lantern and the lighting of small bulbs along the perimeter of the roof. Mom and Kaku would draw very nice and colourful Rangoli in front of the house every morning.

This is how we used to get ready for the five days of Diwali.

On Dhanteras, we'd have pooja of the golden jewellery items in the evening. Everyone would sit down together for the pooja.

The next would be Narak Chaturdashi. Generally Narak Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Poojan would fall on the same day. Narak Chaturdashi would be in the morning. Everyone had to get ready by 6.00am in the morning. Being the most lazy folks of all, we, brothers, would be the last ones to get up. Uncle or Dad would come up to us and force us to get up, take bath and get ready. I dont know why we have to get up. But as a tradition for every year, we get up. We'd get up, light a few fancy crackers and then get back in the house for some Diwali snacks as the breakfast.

Lakshmi Poojan. Finally the time to wear the new clothes arrives in the evening. We get dressed up and get ready to go to Dad's and Kaka's offices. Mom and Kaku would go and light the diyas outside the office doors. Dad and Kaka would worship the account books. Coming home, we'd have to get ready for the pooja of Lakshmi devi at our home. Mom and Kaku would keep everything ready and they would sing the Aarti. We'd be forced a book of Aartis and made to read out loud from them. This would be the best time to play pranks. Me and my brother would keep pushing each other and then when Mom or Kaku would notice they'd give a cold stare indicating us to do the "needful". The most fun part of this would be when we all would be reciting the aarti of Durga. Kaka, who would otherwise keep mum for the whole aarti, would get into action. Of the whole aarti, he would speak out only one phrase loudly, which being "Taarak Sanjivani Jai Devi Jai Devi". The simple reason being my Kaku's name being Sanjivani. Everyone would be giggling at that moment. And that too in the midst of the Aarti.
After the Aarti, again it would be cracker time and then we would all go onto the terrace to see the different types of fireworks in the sky. That would be a very lovely scene. Colours of red, blue, green, white all around in the sky.

The next day would be Padwaa. Mom and Kaku would do an aarti of Dad and Kaka respectively.

After that on Bhaibeej, my aatya( My dad's sister) would come down at our place and all the sisters would do an aarti of their respective brothers.

This is how I celebrate every year. But not this year.

Diwali for me has been more than just a festival. It has been a time together with the family sharing the small joys.

Woh Kaka ka bhaav khaana..

Aur Humaara unhe manaana.

Woh Ghar ka Diwali special khaana...

Aur Saree ki shopping ke waqt Mom/Kaku ka maara hua taana.

Specially now when I am away, I remember each and every small thing. I miss each of the small thing that I wrote here on this blog.

Contrary to the current happenings in India, I am here in US avoiding to go to office that too on a weekend. I have been missing Diwali so much that I am now very eager to make up atleast a small bit of it. I want to celebrate my Diwali here. I dont want this Diwali to go as if it hasn't come at all this year. I have been thinking all day about the various things that I can probably do. Finally, I have got a few diyas to light along with some other pooja items.

Rarely ever I would do a pooja or even go to a temple. But somehow today I feel like doing it. It makes me feel how important is my culture, my values are to me. I may say I dont believe in God or so. But today I am considering doing a pooja or going to a temple 50 miles away on the eve of Dipawali. It makes me feel closer to India. Closer to my country. Closer to my roots. Closer to my family.

I got some stuff from an Indian store nearby with a determination to not let this Diwali pass by without a noise. Afterall, this is 'MY' Diwali and I am not used to a Diwali, where there is no noise. I'll do my best to celebrate in whatever way it is possible for me.

Finally, to sum up my feeling,

Lamps - $14
Incense Sticks - $1
Kumkum - $2
Agarbatti Stand - $3
Silver Kumkum and Haldi containers : $20
Lakshmi Coin - $5
Steel lamp - $2
Cotton Wasps - 50c

Feeling that Diwali is here and I am close to my family and country - PRICELESS!!!

WISHING EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY AND A PROSEPOROUS DIWALI....