Measured thoughts

Today, monsoon truly set in. The makeshift valley (makeshift because there is no telling when the God of Unplanned Development makes provocative changes in the Regional Plan) looked like a car that has gotten a facial. Green, as it should be in its multifarious forms, became the theme of the day. It seemed apt to start writing at a time when everything was getting washed anew, sparkling avatars ready to make a splash. In honour of the rains, from today I hope to share measured thoughts on my blog.
Mysore Blog Park used to be a vibrant community; I hope it still it and I write here first to invite like-minded friends to pick up the threads of conversation, as they deem fit, and provide company as we all juggle individual battles to express ourselves.
Sometimes I wonder what is more important, the art of saying things succinctly or the hope that someone will interpret your thoughts with the same gentle approach that you yearn for? Is saying more important than being listened to? Of late, I have come to believe that being listened to is a rare commodity. Anyway, I hope you read, comment, and embark on a journey that I abruptly cut some time back. You, my anonymous friend, help me measure my thoughts. -GG

The Haunted Bungalow of Dumchipara Tea Garden

A cat, a missing kettle and an old man dressed in khaki. Yet nothing is at it seems. Read this true story by my husband over your mid morning chai! NOT after dark.Indian Chai Stories:  The Haunted Bungalow of Dumchipara Tea Garden Many more like this - like our Facebook page Indian Chai Stories for updates!!

Halim recipe

Am back to the blog after long and it is somehow always food that works as a comeback post most of the times. Here is a halim recipe I tried this week. I referred to many online recipes, including Sanjeev Kapoor's chicken halim recipe, but changed a lot along the way to get the taste I like. 

I prefer halim to be slightly bland, with flavours of the lentil and meat as the stars, and pulling up the dish with garnish. It is garnish of fresh coriander, green chilli, onion, lemon and ghee that brings that simple flavours to another level. 

Here goes:

3/4 cup each - Broken wheat (dalia), mung dal and chana dal

1/2 cup - Arhar dal

1.5 inch ginger - Crushed and use the juice 

8-9 green cardamom - Crush and just use the seeds ground with little water

Garlic - 2-3 pods, finely chopped

Red chilli powder - 2 spoons (adjust according to taste)

Jeera powder - 1 spoon 

Haldi / turmeric - 1/2 spoon

Hing / Asafoetida - 1/2 spoon

Lemon - 2

Salt to taste

Mutton on bone - 300 gm

1) Marinate mutton overnight with red chilli, jeera, turmeric, hing, juice of half a lemon.

2) Wash broken wheat and the lentils well in two-three changes of water and soak overnight.

3) In a heavy bottomed vessel (I used a cooker), put marinated mutton and the lentils with two cups of water and start cooking on slow flame. Add cardamom extract. Cook for about two hours. 

4) Once meat starts falling off the bone, remove the pieces out and de-bone. Grind in a mixer and add to the lentil mix. Add salt. Adjust spices if required. Add garlic. Cook for another half an hour. The mix should be creamy and smooth.

5) Garnish with coriander, finely chopped green chillies, and fresh onion. Add a dollop of ghee.

Most recipes use chat masala/Garam masala as well but I like the taste as is. Experiment along the way as per your taste. 

Halim is a popular dish, especially in Hyderabad, cooked during the holy month of Ramzan. 

An afternoon of food, books and friends.

I am part of a Facebook group of bibliophiles. When I saw a post a week ago, about plans for a get together, I had mixed thoughts running through my mind.

Read more: http://ow.ly/N3yDX

The Tanjavur Quartet

Some months ago, we traced the route taken by exponents of Carnatic music in the Vijayanagara kingdom to Tanjore, where the Maratha Nayaks patronized them. That there were a number of music and dance forms already is pretty clear, but with time these new systems became the norm. The new forms flourished but with pressure from the new British rulers and missionaries, some of the old practices were getting forced out. One of the older forms that underwent change was what was termed Dasiattam and four brothers known as the Tanjai nalavar got involved (together with some others) in its revival and restructuring into what we know as today’s Bharatnatyam. However for certain reasons they were forced to move. Let’s go to the Tanjore of those days and retrace the steps of the famous Quartet to Travancore and their stay there.

read more at 

 http://maddy06.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-tanjavur-quartet.html

Names of cities haven't changed

From November 1, Bangalore is written in all English communication as Bengaluru. I doubt, how right it's to say that the names of the cities have changed.  ... More

Successful Mars mission and unsuccessful earthly missions

The nation erupted in joy yesterday as India's Mars Orbitor Mission decelerated to the right extent to descend to the Martian orbit. But the spectacular achievement of our scientists also elicited some cynical comments. If they space mission succeeded, there are reasons; if our earthly missions have failed, there are reasons for it. More

A small tribute to Abraham Tharakan

A small tribute to Abraham Tharakan, who left us recently. 
He will be missed, as a person, as a blogger.

And the waves became silent

Parayail Abraham Tharakan – Fondly remembered

Our association started sometime in 2006 after both of us had decided to enter the blogosphere.  Since then I have followed his voluminous output with so much respect, so much interest and much kinship, for we had similar tastes though so apart in age (That comparison was not to signify how far in age he was, but how young at heart he was). Interestingly we became good friends after he helped me source an article on Mehaboob the Singer. We had never met and even though Abe, that was how I called him, invited me on a couple of occasions to his ancestral estate located at Olavipe as his village was called, I never managed to get to traveling down south to meet him and his family. I think he was bit miffed by that, and I had always had that lapse prick my conscience, and it continues to do so.

http://maddy06.blogspot.com/2014/09/and-waves-became-silent.html

God bless Indian sports

What is common between an old priest our village church had and the World Cup footballers? You wouldn’t know, of course. Well, the answer is ‘shoes’.

More..

Short story: Captain of the St. John's team.

(This story was written long ago. I am republishing it.)

Ponnaiah could hear the crowd inside the stadium from where he stood in a corner of the dressing room watching his team lace up. It was obvious from the clamour that the stands were full.

The Maharajah’s Gold Cup Hockey Finals always attracted a large turnout but that year was something special. 

More...

Rape fallout - fear, suspicion, loss of innocence

The assaults on girls and women are leading to serious personal and social issues in families. More 

My son and his book

Penguin published a novel written by my son,he is only 18:)just wanted to share this here:)
http://www.flipkart.com/wicked-games/p/itmdxcc7g2pdqvhp?pid=9780143333203&otracker=from-search&srno=t_2&query=arjun+krishna+lal&ref=aa9d3aa8-2230-4eff-8ed3-42e1a0f92b28

Thanks
meera.

When All India Radio delayed its news bulletins

Thirty years ago, a number of Indians tuned into All India Radio at 8 pm to listen to a special address to the nation by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. But for reasons that were not known then, it was delayed. The most popular 8.45 pm Hindi news and 9 pm English news were also put off - most unusually. Only the next day, we all got to know Mrs Gandhi addressed the nation the previous night.
Read more

Vishu Greetings

 More....

Memories of Yercayd

This post is written at my request by Mrs. Teresa Bhattacharya IAS (Retd.), former Chief Secretary of Karnataka. Some of you might remember her taking over the position when her husband Mr. BK Bhattacharya !AS retired as Chief Secretary.

MORE

WHO Declares India To Be Polio Free

It is really so heartening that World Health Organization (WHO) has declared India and 10 other Asian countries to be Polio free. More

Gmail at it again -- with Shelfie

It's tailor-made for Gmail to pull it off on April 1. That is the day when the service was launched as a beta release in 2004. So, when Gmail tells you that on their birthday, they have something new on offer, it's quite natural for anyone to be taken in, unless of course, you remember what Google had been up to the previous year or years. .... More

Newspaper seen as credible source of information

Those days there were no apps, mobiles, computers, internet or 24x7 news coverage.  After getting to know very briefly about news developments on All India Radio or Doordarshan, we had to wait for the next day's newspaper to know the details.

Cut to the present. The widespread belief is that fewer and fewer people are interested in reading the newspaper. But it may be too early to write their obituary. More

Fiction (Flash): The Wait

I’m sure that I fell in love with her only after my death.
Read on 

Kerala Medicare – good nurses, doctors, hospitals

Three hospitals were involved in treating my recent medical problem. My good blogger friend ER Ramachandran has suggested in a comment on Life without computer - 2 that I write about my experience, particularly about the hospitals, the doctors and nurses.

Well, here we go. More...

Haemophilia - the Royal Disease, the Christmas Disease.

He was the bravest man I have met. From his childhood he struggled with a crippling disease. Even while enduring bouts of severe pain there was always the charming smile that was his trademark. He did so much for patients like him and for others including the poor fishermen living along the coast. He had a large circle of friends from all walks of life.

 


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Short short story: Medicine Specialist

 Please click here to read.

Two photos of our tharavad

Please click to see

Life without computer 2

Please click here.

The Occasionally Populist Stand Taken By The Indian Media

Our media must always remember that it is supposed to educate and enlighten people, rather than behaving like a grocery store aimed at supplying people exactly what they demand. More

Who will be the crew of Mangalyaan-2?

                                                                                                      Tongue-in-cheek Search..

Now that Mangalyaan is blazing towards Mars, ISRO has started working on a Manned Mission to Mars, Mangalyaan- 2 (4 M- 2).
Who should be part of the crew? Several names were considered... Sonia Gandhi, Narendra Modi, Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, Advaniji, Sushmaji, Sachin, Amitabh....Even Barrack Obama..Nobody could make the grade.. read on..... http://mymysore9.blogspot.in/

Chong Chiu Sings Thyagaraja Krithi!

'Rama Ninnu Nambina...' A Thygaraja Krithi in Telugu  rendered by Chinese- Malaysian,  Chong Chiu Sen. Chong learnt Carnatic music from Late D.K. Pattamal.

Listen to Chong.  He is as good as  musicians who sing in Madras Music Academy Chennai, Gayana Samaja Bangalore. Reminds you of Late Higgins Bhagavathar.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fxVJNlAbko&feature=youtu.be                   http://mymysore9.blogspot.in/

Kasturirangan Report: Crusade in Kerala

There have been eight major crusades from 1095 to 1270 organized by the Roman Church to bring the lands around Jerusalem under control. Minor crusades were also organized against pagans and heretics and for other purposes.  All of them failed. Now the Catholic Churches in Kerala have started a crusade against the Kasturirangan Report which is meant for preservation of the Western Ghats. Their strange bedfellows in this are the Communists and some political parties.

 

More...

The origin of Bangalore Blues' for President Obama

Bangalore has grown so much even Kempe Gowda, is sure to lose his bearings if he dared to set foot on a city which the chieftain once founded.
He had named the hamlet Benda kaLooru which means in Kannada  ‘small town of boiled grams’  after eating them when he landed there for the first time.
Since the original name started with food, much of Bangalore’s fame came from the Eats which the city became famous for.

 Whether it was the Masala dose in Vidyarthi Bhavan, Puri - Saagu in Mavalli Tiffin Rooms ( MTR),  BeNNe Masale dose in Udupi Krishna Bhavan, Rava Kesari in Malabar Lodge,  Idli, Vada, coffee in Malleshawaram Tiffin Rooms,............. 
.......
when did eating become some kind of springboard for Bangaloreans to pose a direct challenge to US Presidents.........http://mymysore9.blogspot.in/