Quirky Me!

The other day I was pondering over the vagaries of life, as my lil son snuggled next to me for his morning nap. My trail of thoughts (its usually a long trail) took me on a self-discovery trip and I realized that I am quite quirky by nature. Now, now every man has his own share of quirks & twists, its just that the sudden realization of them made me quite unnerved. Is it like am afflicted with something or are there more like me out there?

Well here am adventourously compiling a few -

#1 I Count - I mean, when I am in a room I sub-consciously count. It could be the number of rings on the curtain rod or the number of door panels or the squares in the carpet design. I don't know why I do it but I simply like to keep a count.

#2 Creaseless Bedspread - I necessarily require the bedspread stretched and lengthend to its limit. Always. I hate to see a crumpled bedsheet or a bunch of dirty clothes on them. Hubby dearest by now knows the twitching of my eyebrow and would never leave a stray towel on our bed :D

#3 I doodle - I don't need a pen, pencil or paper....i find some pattern interesting & my finger tries tracing it out even on a desk that's in front of me.

#4 Newspapers - By now you would have got the hang of it. Yes I hate to see newspaper's strewn carelessly nor the centre page lying apart. Before I can stop myself the newspapers are all turned to the right page and neatly folded like it was just delivered :))

#5 Useless Abbreviations - It irks me no end to see people (esp senior ones) using unwanted abbreviations in sms or in mails. I completely abhor when people send messages like: "Cn U Cum 2day?" Well, its not that I never use short forms but for goodness sake if you can type "cum" so can you type "come" too.

Well I did discover a lot more things about me but I dont want to make myself appear like I am some looney-out-on-the-loose (if I haven't already managed to give that impression). Ta-ta!

Monsoon Recipe: Crispy Bread Rolls

Am not a well-versed cook as I have hardly spent any time in the kitchen. Yet here is a snack that I am quite adept at making and would like to share it with all out there. Crispy Bread Rolls is the ideal snack for a raining evening as its quite easy to make and most of the ingredients are usually available at home.

Crispy Bread Rolls

Ingredients -

Sandwich Bread - 6 slices
Baked Potato - 2
Chopped Onion - 1
Green chilli's - 2
Oil & Seasonings

Method of Preparation -

Add a teaspoon of oil into a frying pan and then slowly add the chopped onions. When it turns golden, mash the baked potato's and add them along with the finely cut green chilli's. Add seasonings like finely chopped curry leaves, appropriate quantity of salt, turmeric and mix it well for a medium flame. The filling that goes into the bread pakoda is ready.

Cut the sides of the bread slice. Slightly damp the bread with a little water but ensure it does not turn soggy or too moist. Place 2 or more spoons of the above masala filling in the central portion of the bread and slowly roll into a ball. Fry these in a pan of oil till they turn golden brown and drain them well.

Serve hot with sauce or chutney.

Cheat code -
The bread roll can be made more easily when the filling is substituted with any dry bhaji or poori masala made earlier in the day

Rediff GetAhead publishes my recipe

Did You Know? Suppandi Has A Son

Recently, I saw a couple of Tinkle comics on a coffee table that caught my attention and brought back lots of happy childhood memories. Shikari Shambu, Suppandi and the rest used to be our favourite characters. I still remember how mom used to hold up the comics with a condition to finish our evening tiffin and homework. She could have blackmailed us to jump off the roof, and we would have easily done that too.

This reminded me how my parents had inculcated the habit of reading in us. I clearly remember the newspaperwala supplying us with a regular dose of Tamil magazines, comics & other general magazines along with the newspaper. My dad used to always encourage us to spend at least 10 minutes sifting through the morning paper, and that has become such a habit that my morning cuppa coffee is not completely enjoyed without the newspaper. As we grew, the comics gave way to CSR (Competition Success Reviews) and then slowly to Readers Digest, which I still enjoy immensely.

Am not sure how many are aware of this Russian children's monthly called "Misha". My dad had taken a three-year subscription of Misha, and I still have all 36 books. Each copy of Misha would be delivered in the name of 'Svetlana', which used to thrill me no end. Just as Misha, there used to be a science mag called "Sputnik".

Suddenly I realised the conversation around the coffee table had paused, and all were looking at me puzzled. Comics and children's magazines teach values in a way that nobody else can, and every child should get a fair chance of enjoying them.

Though there are online editions for most of these comics, I am not sure how the pleasure of turning page after page, carrying them stealthily to school or hiding the magazine from your little sister, can ever be replicated. Now before I break into another reverie, thank you Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle, Champak, Chandamama, Gokulam and a host of other books that made my childhood so so very pleasant and happy.

Oh BTW, while Tantri the Mantri is still plotting ways to kill the king and Kalia, the crow & Doob Doob the crocodile are still at loggerheads, Suppandi seems to have given way to Little Suppandi.

Thinking of You, Dad

I see flashes of you smiling benevolently at me when I made a mistake, smiling indulgently at my office banter, shaking in good mirth when I lost to you at a game, and smiling sheepishly when you were wrong & I was right.

I remember those rainy afternoons when the four of us played "Rummy" and when we sisters used to gesture to each other on the sly & cheat you. And yet you somehow always won. 

I remember the times when you cooked masala dosa or poori-masal for breakfast and left mom fuming over a terribly messy kitchen.

I remember the umpteen arguments we have had and the number of silly fights we have fought.

I remember you waiting for me at the gate for my return, with an expectant look like that of a child.

I remember the customary once-a-month family dinner outings, the same restaurant and the same-old orders, and how we used to argue about how much to tip.

I remember those old anecdotes & stories of your childhood that you would narrate so hilariously.

I remember you telling the history behind those antique silverware or the story behind the winding alarm clock.

I remember you taunting our poor knowledge of English grammar and questioning us incessantly on Gerunds, participles & infinitives.

I want to hear all of it once again. I yearn to get some more of your worldly-wise advice in your loud, booming voice. I wish I could wind the clock back....Ah! I wish

The world is celebrating Father's Day, and I am thinking of you.

It's Father's Day, and I am missing you, Dad. Wish you were here.

I And My Story - Personalization Gone a Step Ahead!

Here's a business idea which makes me feel shucks-why-didn't-I-think-of-that! So this company offers comics or illustrated books wherein the storyline characters are all personalized by you. So you can have a storybook for your child which goes something like - "Niya goes on a treasure hunt..."

Wonderful way to lure children back to the world of books and create a healthy habit of reading in them. Brilliant guys.

IandMYStory.com - Imagine a book where your child becomes the star of the story, making reading enjoyable. The story comes to life with the child's name, age, hometown, family, friends, and uncles & aunts all being part of the adventure.

Not entirely original but fantastic adoption of concept. Hoochymail uses a similar concept to create personalized erotic fiction (eyeroll). Just wondering how feasible it's going to be to customize & print each & every book. But then my knowledge of the printing & publishing industry is minimal.

Am so interested to see if this concept of personalization is going to open up new industries. 

Top Five Diaper Brands

Having a baby inadverently means changing diapers umpteen times a day. It's also among the most important things one shops for & for quite some time to come. Having tried almost all the available brands in Bangalore for my son, here is a list mothers-to-be might appreciate.

#1. Pigeon Diapers - The best that I have seen till date. Soft, cloth-like-feel and a little more pricey than the rest, but totally worth it. Available at Apple-of-my-i, The Junction, Urbanite and other select outlets only. Japanese make.

#2 Nice Baby - The first diaper that my son used. Amazing fit, very comfy and never gave any kind of rash to my baby. We used to travel all the way to Mallya hospital to get our monthly stock since it used to be available at Mallya Hospital's Pharmacy alone. However it has been discontinued for some time now since they took up Pampers distribution. Made in Canada & imported here, I don't think its available anywhere else.

#3 Bella Baby Happy - Not a bad choice considering the rest of the brands available.

#4 Huggies Active Baby Ultra - The only huggies type that suit my baby's need among the rest of their products.

#5 Wipro Babysoft - Good design and sizing but very strongly perfumed, these diapers are fine to be used just for potty time.

Pampers is the worst of all diapers and will never recommend them for anybody. The edge of the re-adjustable tapes are very hard and cut into the baby's thighs. Very badly designed and gets soggy within 2-3 wettings.

Bijapur: A Quaint Old City

Last weekend we took a road trip to Bijapur, an ancient city that still seems to hold on fast to its historic relics and yet where modernisation is fast catching up. One might wonder why Bijapur, when the sun especially scorches down in all its fury, while better counterparts such as Ooty, Thekkady and Munnar are available. Well, let me hope that it suffices to say that we had our reasons.

We took the sleeper A/C coach from VRL, which seemed a little claustrophobic at the beginning but turned out to be quite comfortable once we got used to it.

Here are a few places we got to visit.

Torvi Narasimha Swamy Temple: It was here that Kumara Valmiki is said to have composed the famous Toravi Ramayana in Kannada. The deity idol is placed way down below in a cave and though the pathway has been tiled and modified, it yet gives one a queer feeling.

We were fortunate as it was supposed to be the week of Narasimha Mahotsav. Since our visit was on a Saturday, we offered coconut, sugar cubes and oil as was customary at the temple and also partook the mahaprasad.

Gopal Krishna Park: Located near the Alamatti Dam, this is a rock garden (not like the Chandigarh one) with life like models depicting Lord Krishna's leelas.

Alamatti Dam: There is also a model of the village that was in existence there before the dam construction began. The village replica with all those mud paths, water tank and the old run down school makes it look almost real. A scenic park near the dam provides a welcome break from the heat. With the Krishna flowing quietly by and the lawns neatly maintained, it is hard to imagine that this very place once housed an entire settlement. We spent quite some time simply walking around and taking in the view.

Gol Gumbaz: No visit to Bijapur would be complete without seeing the mighty Gol Gumbaz. The sheer size of the dome is impressive enough, but what fascinated me most was the famous Whispering Gallery. Even the faintest whisper seems to travel effortlessly from one end to the other. Watching visitors experiment with echoes, much like excited children, was perhaps as entertaining as the monument itself. The climb to the top is through a narrow spiral staircase and can be a little tiring, but the panoramic view of Bijapur from above makes it worthwhile.

Yelagur Anjaneya Temple: Nestled amidst quiet surroundings, the Yelagur Anjaneya Temple offered a welcome sense of peace after the bustle of the city. The temple itself is simple and unassuming, with none of the grandeur of the monuments that Bijapur is known for. Yet there was something deeply calming about the place. We sat there for a while, enjoying the breeze and the silence before beginning our journey back, carrying with us memories of a weekend that was quite different from the usual hill station holiday.