On a recent visit, the Gateway of India was lit up for a Classical Indian Music Program. Other than the loud screeching, jostling crowds and ugly barricades, it was a wonderful evening. [Read more...]
Lights at the Gateway of India
April 23, 2012 By 6 Comments
Dayaram Damodar for Sutarfeni in Mumbai
April 9, 2012 By 31 Comments
Post updated with newer pics from a recent visit.
Hope you have all tried Sutarfeni – the sweet, shredded, flaky, rice dough, topped with pista and almonds. What a dangerous agent it is; melts my self-discipline, and like a slobbering idiot I empty a pound of this “buddi ka baal” in no time. [Read more...]
Hanuman Jayanti
April 5, 2012 By 10 Comments
Shree guru charan saroj raj, nija manu mukuru sudhari |
Baranau raghubar bimal jasu, jo dayak phal chaari ||
With the mirror of the mind, cleansed by the dust of the lotus feet of my Guru;
(listen) to the unblemished glory of Hanuman, exalted one of the Raghu dynasty, who can bestow the four fruits (dharma, artha, kaama and moksha)
|
Wishing you all a wonderful Hanuman Jayanti!
|
The Earth is an Egg
April 1, 2012 By 5 Comments
During a visit to the Shivaji Museum in Mumbai, I captured this outdoor installation on the grounds of the Museum by Prashant Keluskar and Laxmi Narwekar. Very creative. The artists are trying to remind us that the earth is fragile. I think it better depicts the fragile and infantile nature of the human psyche. Perhaps you see both here. I have included a few more shots as well as a grab of the artists’ explanation below. What does this tell you? [Read more...]
Cricket at the Oval
March 23, 2012 By 2 Comments
Its a long tradition in South Mumbai ~ come Sunday morning the boys head out to Oval Maidan with whatever gear they can scrounge around. They stake a tiny sliver of a pitch, drive stumps in the dusty field and play some cricket. The pitch (and cricket) is a social leveller; the quality of your gear is immaterial, its how you connect – bat to ball. Three stumps is a luxury and bells are definitely not needed. Who needs shoes and pads? A tennis or simple rubber ball will do. As kids I have even played with layers of paper crumbled hard and held by rubber bands. When you are all sweaty and exhausted, grab some limbu paani or ganna juice on the way back home. Another beautiful Sunday! [Read more...]
Visiting the Gateway of India
March 11, 2012 By 15 Comments
Since I grew up around the corner, visiting the Gateway of India makes my Mumbai visit complete, like visiting relatives, or a nearby temple or eatery. Gateway of India is home. On a recent early morning visit, I noticed this group of out-or-towners striding to the waterfront. Women in colorful sarees and ochre turbans of some of the menfolks caught my eye.
[Read more...]
Ragda Pattis
October 7, 2011 By 4 Comments
The best of street food at home. Pan-roasted Trader Joe’s Masala Burger, topped with basic ussal, yogurt, chopped onions and chaat masala.
I used TJs Masala Burger for these Quick Pattis Roll-ups too.
Ragda Pattis from Kailash Parbat (Mumbai) is my favorite and I have posted their ragda pattis pics twice before:
Meera goes to the Mall
September 26, 2011 By 22 Comments
Meera loves visiting the Phoenix Mall in Parel, Mumbai, particularly one of their stores which has a huge toy section. The Pantaloon store has a small but nice collection of Indian outfits for little girls. Reasonably priced too. Here Meera is trying one on before we bought it. [Read more...]
Ganapati Visarjan: Wadala & Lalbaug cha Raja
September 22, 2011 By 5 Comments
During the 11 days of Ganapati, the murthy is brought into our homes and the divine spirit invited to reside and bless us all. During these days, we treat Ganapati as a valued guest and shower him with the best of flowers, fruits and delicious foods. Friends and relatives visit in awe at the divine presence. At festivals end, we bid farewell and the material form is immersed into a water body so as not to soil it. Bidding farewell to our divine visitor is called visarjan. In villages, Ganapati is dunked in the home or community well, or nearby lake or river. In Mumbai, the murthys are carried with pomp and celebration, with much dancing to one of many beaches and immersed in the waters.
[Read more...]
Ganapati at the GSB Muth, Wadala 2011
September 7, 2011 By 13 Comments
The GSB Wadala Muth Ganapati holds some of my fondest memories of sarvajanik (public) Ganapati. At 8 ft, it is not the largest of the Ganapatis, but certainly one of the most artistically excuted and ‘constant.’ Even though the artisans craft a new murthy from clay each year, this murthy has not changed one bit over the last three decades. The size is limited by the doorway to the hall where this Ganapati sits. The GSB Seva Mandal Ganapati contrarily, is built on and sits on a trolley which is covered under a huge outdoor tent. On visarjan day, the stage is dismantled and the trolley with the Ganapati is pulled out. The Wadala Ganapati is wheeled/carried out of the hall, placed on a trailer and taken to Shivaji Park for immersion.
[Read more...]
Marathoner, Professor, Author, Citizen Journalist, Fitness Nut, Foodie, Meera's father, Hindu, Scientist, Photographer.
