Life is Beautiful! Love it the fullest!
The GSB Seva Mandal is one of the largest Sarvajanik (public) Ganapati celebrations in Mumbai. The murthy is 14 ft tall and all pujas (services) are performed in Sanskrit following traditions prescribed in ancient scriptures. See pics from our 2009 visit here.
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The Best of Mumbai: Matunga Flower Sellers during Ganapati Festival. Looking forward to more. [Read more...]
During travels to Mumbai, I often bring Meera to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum (formerly the Prince of Wales Museum), a few minutes walk from our house. Meera enjoys running along the gardens chasing butterflies and the spacious interiors. She is invariably awed by the stone sculptures of cows, horses or lions, and loves the Natural History wing. She gets to see animals (stuffed) she only has seen in pictures. She loves the ducks (badak), parrots (popat), turtles (her favorite) and the huge whale hanging from the ceiling.
The wild animals scare her. She points and whispers their names, safely between my legs. She knows the ferocious bears (bhalu), rhinoceros (meera calls them rhinosom), tigherrr, lion and cheetah. Love taking her there. [Read more...]
How to Get a Bicycle? Just ask Pappa.
Meera on her brand, spanking new bicycle.
Here is the phone call with M:
M: Just because Meera cries does not mean we should buy her a bicycle.
A: Absolutely right, no bicycle for Meera.
Meera on phone (in soft lilting voice): Pappa, cycle jaay (I want cycle).
A to M: Buy bicycle for Meera!
And Meera gets a new bicycle. Now you know how the rest of my life will be.
Meera loves chocolates!
At M’s home in Mumbai, she finds a small pot of chocolates and promptly finishes them off. Pictures were patiently captured by M.
Happy Birthday Meera!
Jai Hanuman Gyan Guna Sagar
Jai Kapis Tihun Lok Ujaagar
Glory to Hanuman
Limitless ocean of wisdom and virtue,
Glory to leader of primates
Whose fame lights the three worlds
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In the New Year!
May the gracious Hanuman guide you To overcome weakness, and Use your strength to serve the Divine! Meera, M & A |
Growing up in Mumbai, dosas were a staple in our home. We never tired of them. Could munch dosas for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the expert hands of my mother, dosas were easy; its the parathas and North Indian fare she avoided. We didn’t miss those.
Now I start every Mumbai visit with a pilgrimage to Kamats (Colaba, Mumbai) for their delicious South Indian (Konkani style) fare. The wait staff recommend newer dosa varieties, but I stick with the tried and true: the rava dosa or the plain dosa. On this visit I got a chance to go in their kitchen and record the cook make the dosas.
In the video notice how the cook ‘pours’ the runny batter for the Rava dosa. This is the secret for the perfect Rava Dosa and difficult to emulate at home. Observe also how fluidly he spreads out the batter for the masala dosa. He makes it look sooo easy. Those who have tried, know how difficult this is.
Shilpa from Aayis Recipes has recipes for Rava dosa and Masala Dosa. You may find other recipes, but only in this video you will learn the secret of actually making dosas.
Tucked away on gritty Princess St and across from Parsi Dairy Farm is one of my favorite book stores: Gita Press Ki Dukan (Bookstore of the Gita Press).
See, I came late to this genre of Hindu scriptures. Educated in a convent school, I drank deeply of the Kool-Aid that western writers were the axis around which the Universe rotated. We studied Browning, Byron, Keats and O’Henry, and passed on Dnyaneshwar, Eknath, Kanak Das and Tukaram. I knew more about priests and nuns, and zilch about Alvars and Nayanmars. Romeo & Juliet was a Classic, Ramayana a myth. We doted on Shelley, Hemingway and Shakespeare, but skipped Tulsidās, Mirābai, Tyāgarājā and Kālidās. I knew more about St Peter than Bhagwān Ādi Shankarāchāryā or Swami Madhvāchāryā.
Thankfully I graduated and real education could begin. A tiny booklet of Swami Vivekananda’s lectures bought at a railway station was the spark. And what a roaring fire it kindled. Was engrossed in it for days. Followed hungrily by the Bhagavad Gitā, Upanishads, Purānās, commentaries of various masters and Bhakti poetry. I had just scratched the surface. [Read more...]
Ganapati is a fabulous time for our extended family. At the end of five days of festivities, Ganapati Bappa is taken in a procession to Chowpatty for consigning to the waters. Behind the truck bearing the Ganapati, nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts, meera, friends and family, all walk or dance along.
Enjoy the unique ishtyle of Mumbai street dancing!
Marathoner, Professor, Author, Citizen Journalist, Fitness Nut, Foodie, Meera's father, Hindu, Scientist, Photographer.
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