Deep ...10 Under!!

Mother nature is full of breathtaking beauty both on land and under water. Having said that, the pristine charm blanketed by the Turquoise sea compares to none!
Underwater is resplendant with myriad colours, awesome creatures and virgin mass. In order to explore it with our own tiny eyes, we braved the challenge of scuba diving.
Looking at the huge, fuller oxygen cylinder/air tank (as big as me), i had 100% doubt whether i'ld be able to carry it on my back. But to my relief, the instructor made use of the buoyant force (long studied and forgotten in school) while in water, to help each one drown perfectly. And we were so up for it! The art to hold the regulator was a challenge in itself - no kidding. Every time we were asked to repeat one of the tactics, the salty water would go inside. Later, after nearly 5 dry runs, we got the method right!! (hush hush)

After all the gear-ing up and training in the sea, our PADI instructor took us deep down below. There was one instructor to each. We were four of us.
The experience is enthralling but the excitement dawns only after the intial struggle of good an hour and a half (..or so)! The pressure mounts on the lungs, ears, neck and God alone knows where and where.
The lungs start to gasp for breath. The ears start behaving crazy and their way of mutiny is by gifting a chilling, sharp pain that seems to crush the entire jaw line. While all this lasted for as long as we were under water, we constantly made an effort at equalizing pressure through the nose. Don't wonder how! Won't be able to demonstrate it in writing! :-P

The hands....they move around a bit. And then become lunatic in a longing to catch what the eyes see. The legs forget they have fins to their respective ends and that they have a purpose. Silly limbs! With all kinds of mismatch and pathetic motor skills, 10m under water, below the crushing weight of the sea, the colourful marine life is cent-percent ravishing! Truly, totally!

Sea horse, super colourful fish varieties (purple, blue, yellow, zebra stripes, green, orange, silver and even multicolored), molluscs, corals and their amazing chemistry left us bedazzled. The marvelous experience we gained underwater was completely out of this world--both literally and figuratively!

-- T :-)

On our way to Havelock

With exactly two packets of Tom-Chi Bingo, Dark Fantasy and Bisleri we set sail for the most pristine of beeches in the Andamans--at--Havelock island!
While excitement was at its peak, we both were anxious, alert, snoozy, amazed and super thrilled--experiencing a concoction of 'n' number of emotions and their very natural permutations and combinations--all at the same time.
...even one dolphin leading the ferry would have proven an added treat for us; notwithstanding the aforesaid goodies our executive engineer provided us with.
...10-15-20 minutes..and that's it. We could no longer bear to not go in the open and let the sea tease us with its ever charming blue water. To hell with all the style, hair and sunscreen! And since God takes care of everything, we left our luggage to Him and sprung out in the open on the deck. ...Lost count of minutes, hours and for that matter even our age, admiring, playing, marveling the solid blue of the sea our ferry seemed to slice through, thereby churning the white foam and cool splash- again, again and again.

While we were lost in the beauty of this vast expanse, the sun started to blush red, bidding bye for the day. The jetty appeared within sight. Yahoo! we had reached Havelock. The rich golden rays dancing in the sea gave us a grand welcome, assuring us of far greater experience that was in store for us. :-) :-)

A moment of joy that's etched in our memories forever.

-- T :-)

Fireworks Boom

Somehow, i have never been able to understand the necessity of bombarding the Universe with Aloo Bomb, Mirchi Bomb, Ladii Bomb and God-alone-knows-what-all-bombs! Come Diwali, and somewhere in my heart I dread the acoustics my poor ears (and other sensory organs) 'ld be subjected to. A sheer torture for them. Therefore, in my quest for digging logic, if any, to such an endearing ritual of this festival, I thought of actually probing the WHY factor. And here is what I collected - Nothing. Mind you, i said, i wanted to find a LOGIC behind such supersonic-types fireworks. Where the hell will ATMAN (the inner self) rise and illuminate if, with every spark, and with every Boom, the entire Nervous System ducks inside the core. Whether people do something constructive (or not) with their very Lakshmi is their own choice. No sermons intended. However, bursting Lakshmi (apply transitional logic to it--->you spend thousands/or whatever amount buying these crackers---> it indeed boils down to banging up Lakshmi) into thin air (sorry, Smoke-laden air) defies all the fervour with which people worship the same Lakshmi just a day or two before, on Dhanteras. So, is it that we first plead for wealth ...so that we can burn it all at will?

Where is the ATMAN? Still very much ducked inside the bill (...aahh.. will)!

                                                                                                                                                -- T :-)

City Market ! zzzzzzzzz

Every time I think of visiting the city market, I get cold feet! Nevertheless, today hubby and I braved this challenge and went hunting for a copper water tanker of sorts (mini version).  The umpteen meanders of an old city area are exactly like the jigsaw puzzle. You have to be really fast and aware of the gullies in order to reach a certain destination. Notwithstanding the rocketing spittle that may come from any direction on to the road. And if you are not alert enough, you may become the target of the spitting spree that comes jetting from almost every shop lining the cramped space. It takes years to become a pro at dodging these incessant showers, you see!

While the entire area seems covered in complete chaos, thick noise and heavy dirt (..in this exact order), there is some predominant laidback method to everything. For instance, even a dog enjoys all the chaos while sitting cuddled, right in the centre of the terribly crammed alley…with dreamy eyes and a steely will of not budging from that position, whatsoever! 

To complement this moony expression donning every dog (and every human being) in that market comes an old hag of a PMT bus, every 5 minutes, honking uselessly to match the thick noise in the air. Absorbing every bit of this adventure, we finally came across one small shop with exactly 2 dozen salesmen vouching for the copper tanker. By the Great God’s Grace, we did get the deal and returned home richer by a water tanker. However, we still dread this excursion. Till we get laden with yet another totally compelling need….

                                                                                                                                                      -- T :-)

Bajra Wada

At first i was about to name this recipe 'Bajra Balls' but then i refrained from doing so! hahahahaha :-D :-D
Never mind the name, rest assured the recipe is quite simple, is quick and is tasty - not the usual types we gorge on in our normal routine life. And i must give credit to my M-IL (Mother inlaw) from whom i learnt this. :-)

Ingredients:
Bajra flour - 1 bowl
Gram flour (Besan) - 1/3 bowl
Wheat flour - 1/3 bowl
Curd - 3 tablespoons
Garlic - finely chopped
Sugar - 1 teaspoon
White Sesame (Til) - 2 tablespoons
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilly/ Green chilly - 1/2 teaspoon / finely chopped (according to taste)
Salt - to taste

Directions:
Knead all ingredients into a dough with very little water. (You may even add finely chopped Methi or Palak while kneading). Make equal sized balls out of this dough and flatten them using just a drop of water. Deep fry. Serve hot hot with Dhaniya-Pudina chutney or tomato sauce. :-)
Happy Eating!!

-- T:-)

Finger Chips with a Twist

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 1/2 kg
Rava/Suji - 250 gm
Green chilly - 1
Ginger
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Cut even-sized potatoes into fine fingers. Wash and keep aside.
Make a thick batter of rava/suji by using very little water. Continuously keep stirring the rava batter till it reaches a thick consistency.
Mix ginger paste, salt and finely chopped green chilly to the batter. Mix well.
Now coat the potato fingers in this batter and deep fry.
Serve it hot with coriander/pudina chutney or with tomato ketchup and enjoy the delight.
:-)

Private Peaceful - heart rending!

We evolve each day with layers of history behind us, covering our primal existence. As much as the bygone era can be recounted for the simplicity of a jolly life, there were episodes as horrendous as hell. Recently, I read a novel – Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo. The story of a teenager is set in the backdrop of World War I. This story keyed me to search further for such pieces and how every single day spent by these men was a struggle for survival. That they had to bear the extreme weather serving nights after nights in trenches, without proper/suitable gear and food is just one part of their struggle. 

What appalls even more is how the young teenagers were pushed to fight for their state – not knowing what good this blood bath would bring to them, their state or to anyone else.

Those who tried to escape were executed point blank. Those who tried to defy or challenge any of their superior’s orders were subjected to court martial and were shot at dawn, without the trial being held at the least. What more, the detainees were not even awarded the slightest chance of presenting their witness, leave alone having someone to fight their case. The system was absurdly skewed towards the insanity of ruthless personnels at position. These 4 years of utter madness and blood bath resulted in 9 million lives lost. A whole generation turned to gore. Till date, the British govt. has not compensated (posthumous pardon) the families of the slain soldiers who were so callously executed.

The Birdie in the Rain

The whiff of earth rising in the air…

The vigour with which the saplings fair

Blanket of grey, pouring all around…

Kissing summers goodbye, the clouds abound

Sitting by the window, engrossed in rain

I behold every detail, though it’s all the same…

Saw a white pigeon like a ball of fur

Cocooned in its whole, it graced a corner

It seemed in no hurry for the rains to seize

...Catch forty winks with so much ease

While the white beauty was lying still

I placed some grains for its post nap fill

…guess now I should just let the bird be

Savour this moment and enjoy my reverie.
         
                                                              -- T :-)

1, 2, 3...

1, 2,….…,10,…puff, puff……….…15

I climb each stair completely determined

The longing for a flat tummy is way too high

I wouldn’t take the lift, but I ‘ld sigh

A small tyre has recently found its way

my tummy has a baggage, or so to say

I‘ve trounced all temptations to reach my floor

I climb with a sprint as if I ‘ld soar

At last when I see my desk, my screen

I catch my breath, uphold my preen

Settling down I get ready for the show

File after file, the mail box flows…

Numbed by the block in my mind

I decide to cull the mails for a while

The urge to have hot breakfast betides

Not wasting a second, I thumb a ride

Straight to the canteen, ...to an appetizing sight!

All the stair-climbing …out it flies

When I gobble up sandwiches, shakes and fries

Satiated with my feed, my batteries charged,

I return to my desk, now work should start...

At regular intervals I munch on goodies,

I hog all day, but I ‘m not a foodie

As evening sets in, I set my pace

I take to the stairs, in full grace

Everyday I religiously stick to the routine

Wobble between my tummy, the stairs and the creams.

                                                                       -- T :-)

A Dash of Mischief :-P

Quite often I get driven to a trance when nostalgia hits me hard. But that, which hits me the hardest, is the good old memories of my school. I had been a hosteller all through, and yet, hadn’t done any remarkable fun-job all this while. Once, all my friends were sitting in the dormitory with their eyes wide open, in the middle of the night, in the last year of my school. All of us were upset with the way our new warden did things. The latest catalyst to fan our disappointment was that we had been forbidden to hang our clothes out on the railing. The warden had thrown away our washed clothes off the railing as a statutory-warning to the new rule. The saddest thing was, her clothes nicely lay on the railing, sneering at our now dirty, fallen clothes. It was 02:00 AM when along with my friends, I quietly approached the warden’s room. We conjectured that ma’am must be fast asleep, at a time when only owls were awake. And taking the better of the chance, we silently picked up her towel and track-pant, and got them to our dorm; mopped the floor with them and then, hung them back in place. The next morning we could actually draw a similarity between the red-rising-sun and the warden’s face!

My Friend's Wedding - An Eventful Evening!

Life is full of surprises. Take for instance, the marriage of my friend I recently attended. It was without doubt the grandest of weddings that I had ever been invited to.

The marriage hall was located at riverside, in full view of the ever-shrinking and sad river. But who pays attention to such details as riverside resort sans river; especially when the venue oozes of a thousand colours. To describe it as 'Gaudy' would be an understatement here. The first thing that caught my attention was the bright Magenta coloured carpet which was spread all over the place. The next conspicuous thing were the multi-coloured chairs nicely arranged in perfect rows, one after another.

As I passed through the passage, towards the stage where the bride and groom were seated in more of a throne kind of an arrangement, I noticed the Magenta coloured roses hung all around the stage with Marigold in contrast. Perhaps, the word sombre did not feature in the dictionary of whoever designed the venue. I moved forward to go on to the stage to congratulate the lucky couple. But as luck would have it, before I knew anything, I was down on my back, flat on the platform. I never knew I was capable of somersaulting at a wedding full of 300 guests! The first thing that hit me was whether my makeup was alright; I had taken a full one hour to get dressed for my friend's grand occasion. This stupendous effort of face-painting and hair styling should not have met this fate…down in dirt.

  

I was clad in a light Blue sari with Navy Blue border. I had no choice, as half of my wardrobe is full of Blue! Is there any surprise then that blue is my favourite colour? …and this sari, my most favourite of them all! While I was still down, trying to regain my composure, I noticed a small nail beside me. Shrugging aside the thought of any more happenings, I pacified my will. Just then, a kid came running and said, “Aunty, your sari is torn at your bums”. As though it was not mortifying enough for me to have performed such a feat, right on the stage, attracting 300 pairs of eyes in pure amusement and two privileged pairs of eyes in pure shock, my bum had now started smiling as well, ah what luck! I managed to pull myself up with the help of a hand; only later did I realise that he was a waiter who must have been double my age. (How I wish some prince charming had offered his hand.)

I quickly covered my dignity with the elaborately embroidered pallu of my sari. I then, mustered courage to go on to the stage and congratulate the extra chirpy husband and the grumpy bride. When I asked Tina why she was looking so sullen? She replied, she badly wanted to pee but just when she was about to leave, somebody would come and hook her to their conversation in which Mr. yap-yap-her husband would most animatedly participate. I somehow managed to call Tina's mother to hold the forte till Tina attended to the desperate call of nature.

As I had already surprised myself enough with one stunt, I thought I would sit quietly with my plate and simply enjoy the Magenta fare that was. I filled my plate with the most attractive looking breads, sumptuous curry and all that was there on the spread that I, for one, had never tasted in my lifetime. I was happy for finally being able to devour all those delicacies there. Just as I sat with my plate, I found myself surrounded by Tina's sister and some of our common friends. All of them were in their best-tip to toe!

I was enjoying the gossip till the topic of 'complexion' arrived. It became all the more irritating when the subject of discussion was me, this time. Thank God! I was number 15 in this line; by the time the other chicks were being discussed, I could at least finish my meal. When it came to me, one girl remarked, “You used to be quite attractive, what happened to you?” I didn't exactly know whether to bask in the glory of my erstwhile attractiveness which, according to the girl, seemed remote now, or whether to crib about my present face. I decided to do neither and test my patience. Just then, another girl added, “Oh! What happened to your face? You have so many pimples budding everywhere. Have you noticed my flawless complexion? I have become peaches and cream.” Before I could answer anything, another dame said, “Have your bosoms shrunk? You used to be quite full up there, in our college days”. As I realised that this time it was I who badly wanted to attend to the call of nature- thanks to the numerous rounds of Coke, I declared, “This is my new style statement-polka dots on ping-pong balls.” 

Here i come...

Have long been thinking of jotting down the trivia of my mind, from my mind. Finally, here i am...
You can enjoy an assortment of articles (with myriad flavors - i promise to post at least one humorous account every now and then), recipes, poems and much more here.
Your feedback and suggestions are heartily welcome.
Happy reading!! :-)