कैसे कहूं

इश्क में चोट खाए इस दिल-ऐ-नादान को कैसे बहलाऊँ,
इस टूटे पैमाने की गम-ऐ-शराब को अपनी आंखों से कैसे रुलाऊँ
इस नन्हे से दिल में जागे इन हजारों अरमानों को कैसे सुलाऊँ,
तुझे मिटा तो दूँ पर कमबखत तेरी यादों को कैसे भुलाऊँ ॥

Bhindi Ki Subzi

Underwent a culinary mood change today and I feel like sharing the recipie for my 'bhindi ki subzi' :

Ingredients:

500 gm Bhindi, 1 Medium Onion, Ginger Garlic paste, Cooking Oil (tastes better in mustard oil), Haldi, Jeera, ,Red chilli powder, Garam Masala, Dhaniya powder, Hing (asafoetida) if available, Lemon Juice, Salt

Quantities have not been mentioned since I assumed the reader has a basic idea of cooking.

Procedure:

Wash and dry the bhindi thoroughly.

Throw away the top cap and cut the bhindi into thin circles (not the long side)

Chop the onion finely and saunte it in a frying pan with about 1 tbs oil. Flame should be low.

When the onion starts getting soft, add all the masala.

When the masala gets mixed, add the jeera in a little oil and see that it turns black.

Add the GG paste and keep the mixture moving till the onions start getting pinkish-brown.

Add the cut bhindi and satrt stirring the curry gently.

Add about 10 drops of lemon juice to the curry. It will help prevent the bhindi from sticking to each other.

Continue stirring and frying the bhindi till it becomes soft to the touch and all the masala has stuck to the bhindi. If the curry startes sticking to the base, add very little water (alternately, half a tomato can be used).

Add salt to taste and serve hot.

Tastes best with home made phulkas and dal or rajma as accompaniment.

The Million Dollar Buddha

This pic was taken during my trip to the Innovative Film city in bangalore. The laughing statue in the pic is actually made out of shredded dollar bills which were then plastinated to give it this shape. It is believed that the total amount of currency this statue needed was close to a million dollars. It is a common belief that rubbing the stomach of the laughing buddha helps you get lucky. Here I am trying the same :)

There were many other interesting things at this place. I will talk about them in future posts. Till then "Buddham Sharanam Gachchaami"!

Dark Knight V/S Red Monster

Two warriers, in the middle of the night, rose up from their sleep and got ready to fight. The first one wore his black armour and hopped onto his black horse. The second one carried the baggage and sat pillion. Both awaited the red death with all its might and glory. But the monster was late and not in a mood for fury. It was pitch black and the sky was pissing its gloom. The warriers were irritated and with a swig of indian tea, they galloped away chasing the red monster.
The weather was treacherous and the road slippery. The horse was galloping with all its might but the heavens burst asunder. But this will not enchain the spirits of the warriers for they have a mission in mind. The black knight raced his horse with the deftness of a jockey. After around 20 miles, they drew level with the monster who looked in no mood to be confronted. But our knight was determined to take it on. In a matter of seconds, the horse was in front of the monster and brickbats were hurled. The monster opened its mouth and engulfed the pillion. Having finished the job, the knight returned back to his lair with the peace of mind of a hermit. Little did he realize that his companion had left his sword behind !
However the other warrier was smart and managed to conquer the monster's lair with his presence of mind. The knights were praised for the bravado and both lived happily ever after.

Lemme take care of my rose

The time was right or the time was wrong,
I didnt know then but my heart was on song
The rose had bloomed, but it had its thorns,
It exploded on my face and in strife I was torn
My heart bled, but it was bleeding love,
I watered my rose, played the peace dove
The rose smells good, it sootheth me,
The fairy of life doth schmoocheth me
As I see the rose today with a beautiful mind,
The fragrance is strong and the thorns dont mind
I'll nurture it till death do us apart,
Unless destiny decides to play its part
The day the thorn grows to prick me,
I'll pluck my rose and offer it to thee

A day in the life of me

As the gasp of cold air cools my already shaved off head, my body realizes its time to get up and embrace a new day. Finishing my ablutions, I dress up and get ready to goto work. My mind is heavy and my body stiff. This whole thing is so damn mundane. With a reluctant mind, I reach office and get in front of the system as usual. This entire routine has become a way of life it seems. Checking my mail, I discover there are a couple of ship stoppers waiting to engulf me. I prepare myself for a tough day ahead, when suddenly, the program manager appears out of nowhere. I have to interface with a support engineer who is supposed to be my guest for the next couple of days. Oh my god! this translates into two 12 hour days for me. Though I get scared initially, I sail along nicely with the support guy. End up with some startling relevations. Back to work after the date with the guest. The work seems lifeless and dull. The customers are yelling and the support is clueless. Amidst this mail cacophonoy, I also have to work on the POC for an IP. Work till late and finally go home at around 9, where a 2 hour study session awaits me. Just as I enter the house, the current goes off to add to my already miserable day. Just then, comes the call from an angel, to breathe in a fresh lease of life into my already half dead body. The conversation unwinds me and I get set to take on the books. No sooner I sit down, than my roomie starts complaining of sickness. I look after him and by the time I put him to sleep, half the night has fled past. I finally decide to call it a day at 3. The alarm goes off at 7.30 again, and as a programmed system, I begin my day from sentence 1 of this writeup!

The Guest Son

Here I am, with all the amenities in the world. 5 yrs back, I was just another kid in school with aspirations matching the Indian youth today. Cricket and sports used to be my passions. I took up science keeping the practical aspects and monetary returns in mind.
I was from a lower middle class family where my father was the sole bread earner of our family. I have a younger sister whose ambitions are higher than mine. We spent my childhood in a single room with common toilets and the locality resembled the modern day 'chawl' in mumbai.
Then came the testing times of the entrance exams. I went out with my friends for the first time all alone for the CET. I had my target in mind and got that easily.
College too was a breeze. But I was separated from my family. Whenever I went back home, I would be given the treatment one would give guests. There was basically, no place for me in the house. When I had to sleep, a makeshift arrangement was done with a mattress on the floor. It didn’t look like my house at all. It resembled some relatives' house. Everyday mom used to ask me what I wanted to eat, what special I wanted.
I was not looking forward to this mom... All I wanted are you all too just keeping the old affection you had towards me. I just wanted my identity as it used to be like when I stayed in home. I dint want you to go and announce that your son is coming back for a week. I didn’t want all that attention to be given to me. I didn’t want the relatives to schedule a lunch in my honour.
All I wanted is to spend time with my parents. I just wanted to lie down the whole day on the bed and listen to what mom has to say. I just wanted to go out with dad on a father-son expedition. I just wanted to hang around with my sister and enjoy the city.
I didn’t want my name to be advertised by everyone as a good marriage candidate, but as a person who is working hard for a living. I dint want people walking up to me and asking about my CTC rather than the hardships I face living here. I didn’t want to be identified as the guy who works in so and so company. I wanted to be known by my own name or my father's son. Everywhere I go, my own identity goes in the background and other identities that I carry always steal the light. No one cares if my name is Bhawik. All they care is that I am employed and have the potential to earn big time.
Parents are happy that their son is earning and sending money home. They are happy that very soon, I all get married and settle down. Why don’t they realize that al this is bringing in coldness in our relation? Why mom does you think I don’t want to listen to your anecdotes about other people? Why do you think I try and switch the topic when you complain about how others are prospering? I want to know about you, not others. I want to know that you are fine and enjoying life. I want to make sure that you visit all those places that we dreamt of going to as a family. Dad, why do you not realize that all I want is your affection not your advice for the time being. When I think I need an opinion, you will be the first person I will turn to.
Probably this happens to every individual and I am just being too fussy about it. Whatever it is, I have this weird feeling that I am losing interest to be called your son. I do realize that I will not have an identity without you. You have made me what I am and you are the people I love the most in the whole world. But please show your love once a while. I am sure you love me too to the same extent as I do, but it needs to come out. I am not a guest in my own house. I don’t need publicity in our social circles. I am an adult with perfectly sane rationalizing powers and so please entrust me to make my own decisions. I am no one special. I am your own son. Treat me like one.