Jamai Sasthi-Work can Wait

Jamai Sasthi
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

All play and no work makes 'jamai'(son-in-law) a good boy. When I landed in Kolkata on Monday the 13th June, little did I realise what was in store for me. I had lots of work to do. My colleagues didn't think that was possible. Because it was Jamai Sasthi. A day when the mother-in-law pampers her son-in-law no end with food.

A spirit of gaiety was hanging around the whole city. And in particular in all govt offices where the employees had set their work aside to enjoy jamai sasthi. I should have looked at the Bengali almanac before making my programme. It was the sixth day after amavasya(new moon) in the month of jaishta and for bengalis it is a very memorable day.

Notwithstanding Buddhababu's(CM) call for a new work culture,around 2 pm people wound up their work and headed for sasur bari(in-law's house)with a pot of rosogolla in hand. Not only jamais but women too left their work to prepare an elaborate meal for their favourite sons-in-law. The brahmachari saw no point in being left behind. Offices looked bare,thanks to this self-declared holiday. And there were fewer buses and taxis on the road. Because the drivers and conductors too did not want to miss this one- in- a -year opportunity of being pampered by their sasurma.

And on Tuesday I thought it was all over. No,in Kolkata it is different. The whole forenoon was spent in discussing the previous day's jamai bhoj!

Palapazham

Jackfruit-2
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

That is the Tamil equivalent for jackfruit.On a hot sunny afternoon while I was driving down a busy Basavangudi(bastion of tambrahms) road,I could not resist the temptation of buying the jumping jack.I took the snap of the vendor and then the lady-in-waiting.I put it in my bag and rushed off for a meeting.And in the evening I became a jackfruit myself-so much of the fruitsmell emanated from me!

Jackfruit

Jackfruit-1
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

I love jackfruits.But then I am a poor buyer.And always end up paying more and getting a fruit which is not ripe.Hence I have decided to buy only after it is cut and tasted by me for its quality.I have to therfore perforce buy and eat one sample piece on the streets.Not that I mind it at all,but the question is whether the one piece I test is safe enough to be eaten.I am careful, though,and choose only a vendor who has a clean cart and clean hands.Back home they are thoroughly washed,dried and eaten dipped in honey.
Madhu,Madhu,Madhu.That is what our ancient sages said about honey.And when you take it with jackfruit it is paradise.

Jackfruit-3

Jackfruit-3
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

If you are suffering from abdominal pain,this is what the doctor has ordered.The highly nutritious ripe bulbs are laxative and provide quick relief.
Jackfruit has its origins in India,near the western Ghats.Now it has spread as far as to Jamaica!.Associated with Ramayana and Mahabharatha,a common blessing to a would-be mother is that she should bear a bonny baby like a jackfruit.
Wood from the jackfruit tree has been used for building palaces in Indo-China.It changes colour with age-from yellow to brown or dark red.It is not easliy attacked by termites,bacteria and fungi.Largest among all the fruits,it can weigh around 40 kgs.The ripe bulbs smell like banana and are eaten raw,cooked or made into chips,papad etc.The seeds are roasted and added alongwith sambhar.
It is highly nutrious.Rich in carotene,carbo,calcium,potassium,vit-c etc,it also contains phosphorous and iron.It is taken as a tonic by the Chinese.And the Buddhist monks boil its wood chips and dust in water and extract a dye which they use for dyeing their robes.It is indeed a mutifunctional fruit.It is a jack of all fruits.

From Kanyakumari to Kashmir

From Kanyakumari to Kashmir
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

It has defied the law of gravity so to say.And moved up from KK to K.It is crowding out Wazwan,the mutton delicacy.With the silence of the guns,thousands of tourists are pouring into Kashmir and it appears to be good times once again.An interesting off-shoot of this development is that the average Kashmiri is being exposed to the pan-indian flavour and he is waking up to it.And masala dosa is a favourite among the Kashmiri youth.

Aam Bahut Hon Aur Meethey Hon

Oh Mangoes
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

About 150 years back,the famous Mirza Ghalib while sitting with friends and eating mangoes remarked thus when he had eaten yet another irresistable mango.Let there be plenty of them and let them be sweeter.
In the month of June, when mangoes are on the peak,one can really go mad.The botanical name for the fruit is mangifera indica.Thanks,otherwise,even the dasheri and chausa could get patented by the Kellogs and the like.There is competition from Northern Australia,South Africa and Southern USA.But can there be a match to our alfonsos,chausas and langdas?
There is one horticulturist who has become a phenomenon in mango cutivation.He lives in a dusty village some 20km from Lucknow called Malihabad.He is Kaleemullah Khan. And Malihabad is India's mango capital In 20 sq km radius,about 700 varieties of mangoes are grown.And it fetches a whopping Rs150 crores each season.Of course,hopefully,if the mango mukuls(flowers) don't get affected by a cloudy spell.And there is a 90 year old tree on which grows 300 different varieties.
Dassheri,Chausa,Amrapali,Chitla,Sharifa,Abdulla Pasand,Langra,Alphonso,Bombay Green,Banganapalli,Neelam,Swarnarekha and even Prince,Glass and Tommy Atkins.We have close to 1000 varieties which have hit the market this season.
Probably,the quantities would have been more if the Red Dragon had not shown interest in our king of fruits.For the first time,China has lifted the iron curtain on mangoes and there is a flood of mangoes from India and Pakistan.For 20 years we have been trying to export mangoes to Japan and with no luck so far.That speaks volumes of how difficult it is to trade with Japan.

As usual our friend Kaleemullah Khan is the cynosure of all eyes this year also.He has nurtured 300 varieties of mangoes in one tree,has got himself into the Limca Book of Records and this summer his tree was laden with 1000kgs of mangoes.Yeh to mitti ka masla hai!

Cafe Mozaic at Taj residency-3

Cafe Mozaic at Taj residency-3
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

And that is garlic bread on the ladle containing the spaghetti.

Cafe Mozaic at Taj Residency-2

Cafe Mozaic at Taj Residency-2
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Just to give you an idea of how it looks.

Cafe Mozaic at Taj Residency

Cafe Mozaic at Taj Residency
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Last Friday when I was in Bangalore,after some hectic labour negotiations,I decided to have a light lunch and also do a small recap of the morning session in a quiet corner.I chose my favourite place which in our Bangalore days as a family we must have visited so many times.The Southern Comfort has now been rechristened the Cafe Mozaic.Good ambience,and excellent service.All that Taj hotels are known for.I decided to have something light as I had another marathon meeting in the evening.
Creamy roasted tomatoes and pepper soup served with basil butter.Spaghetti with baby potato,oven baked eggplants in a creamy pesto sauce.That was what I ate and it was quite filling.I was sure I could last out till midnight!

I love you,Cello

I love you,Cello
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

It really amazes me.The proliferation of the cellphone in our country.It is no more the preserve of the rich.Executives,businessmen,doctors,students,bhajiwallas,doodhwallas,newspaperwallas-you name them and they are found holding one in their hands and quite often one in each hand.And almost every workingwoman you see on the road or every school/collegegoing student holds on to the cell like dear life.And whether we like it or not the Ambanis must take a lot of credit for making the cellphone omnipresent in our country as it is today.

Recently,Cheil Communications'Brand marketing institute of South Korea which is a top advertising firm conducted a study which showed that a mobile is one of a Korean teenager's most valued possession.Among 13-15 age group,77.5% said it was a must-have.For those in the 16-18 group, the percentage was 76.7%.The survey showed that mobilephones are the key to the youngster's social network.In the internetsavvy South Korea,the teenagers interviewed said that they would feel totally lost without a cellphone.What would they do to keep in touch with friends and send them pictures and text messages if they did not have the cellphone,they said.

I have a bit of advice.If you are a parent and want to mete out a stiff punishment,confiscate the child's cellphone.

Meme

Meme
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

When I was first introduced to this word by Lulu,I thought the pronounciation is like Pele.But then when I did a google search I realised from one of the sites that the right way is to pronounce it as meem like dream or neem.That is for starters.And now my answers to the 5 questions.

1)Total number of books that I own:
My father was a voracious reader.He left behind a massive collection of books on a variety of subjects.My wife and I have been collecting books for the last 35 years.I have therefore a collection of more than 10,000 books.

2)Last book I bought:Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.An international best seller,the Daily Telegraph calls it a literary masterpiece.

3)The last book I read:The Red Carpet by Lavanya Sankaran.Very enjoyable and witty.

4)Five Books that mean a lot to me:Now,that is a toughie.What comes to me straightaway are:

4.1)The 4000 Sacred Verses by Sriram Bharathi (The Tamil Vedas)
4.2)The Ramayana by Ashok.K.Banker
4.3)The Mahabharatha by C.Rajagopalachari
4.4)Lance Armstrong-It's Not About the Bike,My Journey Back to Life-a true story of a six times Tour de France winner
4.5) Seven Habits of the Most Effective People by Stephen Covey

5)Which 5 people would I like to see fill this out in their blog?.That is still tougher.

5.1)Lulu because she introduced me to blogging when it had just started.
5.2)Rums who reads my blog and comments and I have started reading hers.
5.3)Vir Sanghvi-I like his writing.
5.4)Manmohan Singh-what lies in the mind of this genius?
5.5)Abdul Kalam-for the same reason.

Oh Kolkata!

Oh Kolkata!
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Kolkata has many firsts to its credit.The first cantilever bridge in India-the Howrah Bridge.The second Howrah Bridge-Vidasagar Setu is also one of a unique design.And the city always believed in economical mass transportation.Though again as the first city to have a metro in India,Kolkata has still not given up the electric tramcar.Introduced in early 20th century and probably pulled by horses then,it became a symbol of a modern Kolkata when it was electrified.There are two classes,first and second.The seats are cushioned in the first class.I remember that when I was a student in Kolkata the Calcutta Tramways Corporation had announced a 1 paisa fare increase.There was so much of bedlam that many trams were burnt.Those were the very early days of the Marxists in opposition.Today they are more responsible and sobered lot particularly after the purging of the Naxalites by Indira Gandhi and SS Ray.I have ridden on it many times though not for many years now.It is an experience.Bombay gave it up in the early 50s,but Kolkata still sticks to it.Like they say,Kolkata is the last post of the Marxist Leninist ideology.China may create its own form of Marxism-Capitalism,but Kolkata will stick to the ML philosophy.I am not very sure.Winds of changes are blowing and the CPM government seems to be gradually shifting towards a free market dispensation.
But I love the trams and I hope they do not get blown away.

Jhunka Bakhra

Jhunka Bakhra
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

The other day,I skipped home breakfast and after a while was feeling ravenously hungry.I got an urge to try something different and decided to order one plate 'jhunka bakhra'.This is a staple maharashtrian breakfast and the common man's unmissable morning nourishment.So much so that during the Shiva Sena regime,the government sponsored jb joints all over mumbai and probably even subsidised it to gain votes through the stomach.
Now what is it? Bakhra is millet.It is a form of wheat eaten extensively in the rural areas.It is available in the form of bakhra flour and making bakhras is like making chapatis.
And what is Jhunka? It is a combination of the following and prepared as given below:
Take chana dal,wet for 4 hours,remove most of the water and make into fine paste in a mixer.Take green mirchi separately,add adrak,garlic,and make a paste.Prepare a tadka of asfoetida and mustard and some curryleaves.Add the dal paste and allow the whole thing to cook on a small fire for about 20 minutes.Add salt,red mirchi powder and haldi for taste.
Voila! You have an ethnic breakfast ready.
Bon Appetit!

Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

I picked up this book two years ago at the San Fransisco airport. And I have read it many times over. It is an inspirational real-life story. Of a six-times Tour de France winner. One who fought all odds when it was detected that he had testicular cancer. And now this July he will be making his last appearance. He says he misses his three young children and a younger and fitter body. "It's not an old man's race".
A professional athelete for 20 years,he feels that the body does not keep going and going and going. Diagnosed with cancer in 1996,he has won a record six titles between 1999 and 2004,every year.
Those who know about this gruelling event,will understand and appreciate how the body is pushed to its extremes in this tortuous cycle race of human endurance. 200 riders cycling the entire circumference of France,mountains included,in three weeks in the heat of the summer. Lance calls it a contest in purposeless suffering. The climax is the Pyrenees. One bad day in those treacherous mountains and the race could be lost.
His book,a New York Times bestseller,"It's not about the bike,my journey back to life",makes engrossing reading. Written with Sally Jenkins it is a genuine and honest account of Lance's life from childhood to adolescence and fame. A must read.
Lance will be parking his cycle after tdf 2005. We will all miss a truly great hero.

Kavya and Lavanya

Lavanya
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

They are not characters out of the Ramayana or the Mahabharatha.They are young,flesh and blood puppies.They have entered the "lit-frat" with a bang.And they are getting bucks for the bang.They are now part of the "lit-glitt".And what a red carpet welcome they have got.They got kissed, have got wild and have gotten in.How Opal Mehta got kissed,got wild and got in is the tentative title of Kavya's book and Red Carpet of Lavanya's.
Kavya Vishwanathan is a Harvard fresher and has signed a two-book deal for 500,000 dollars with Little,Brown and Co.She came second in a nation wide poetry contest judged by Carl Dennis,winner of the 2002 Pulitzer prize for poetry.She is keen to become a banker and decided to join Harvard.And little did she know what destiny had in store for her.And with her books set to release in early 2006,the world may lose a banker and gain an author.
And who is Lavanya Sankaran? Also a banker and niece of a wellknown Tamil writer,she had nine publishers vying with each other in a three-day auction for publishing rights.Ultimately,Dial Press in USA and Headline in UK emerged the winners.And Lavanya got a phenomenal six figure sum in US dollars.Eight short stories crammed into the Red Carpet are all about characters with whom Lavanya had interacted while she grew up in Bangalore.Intergenerational clash,societal contradictions and the new assertive youth are the pivotal themes around which her stories are based.Selected by Barnes and Noble as part of their Discover New Author Programme,the Red Carpet is already 5th in the best-seller list in India. Lavanya who has achieved instant fame is very very busy.She has no time to count the zeroes in her cheque.Indeed,a splashing debut in India and abroad.She is already looking at another novel.
.

Nature's Blood-bank

Nature's Blood-bank
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

It is an exhilharating drink.Something that I greatly enjoy and so easily available in Mumbai.Literally on the streets.And on a hot summer day which drink can bring greater joy to the parched soul?.
As long as you ensure that it is prepared in hygenic conditions,you can derive the maximum mileage from this elixir of life.You name it-kidney disease,diseases related to the blood,stomach diseases,what have you.This is a cure all.
In 100 gms of cane juice,there is 90.2 gms water,9.1 gms carbohydrate,and calcium,iron,phosphorous,iron and vitamin A.Wheras in sugar,you don't get iron and vitamin A,you get plenty of it in jaggery.
Vitamin A in ganna helps in formation of corticostorene.Also,it has vitamin B complex and such an easily available and cheap source of vitamins for good health should not be ignored.
When the temperatures have gone through the roof,I can't think of a better drink to soothen the nerves.Add adrak,mint, and lemon to sugarcanejuice and enjoy what the gods drink.

STAR WARS OR BLOG WARS

BLOGGING AWAY
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Star Wars III may be a huge boxoffice hit.But it is now passe.Taken over by Blog Wars.

What is a blogwar?. You have to be rude,mean,humourous,nasty and obscene.Your objective is to make the attacked person's blog look downright ----compared to yours.Why do people indulge in this?.Well if you can't attack your targets physically,then atleast hammer them emotionally.That is the rationale.At the end of the day,all said and done,there comes the truce.War followed by peace.And then everything is forgotten.Because the blogging fraternity is a closed knit community.

So I thought. Till what happened to Indira Nooyi.For comparing the middle finger with USA she got into big trouble with bloggers of her Alma Mater-Columbia, during a recent address to the student community .Some of them literally went to war with her for this comparison.She has escaped mildly bruised though with her apology and fantastic support from Pepsi but it will take her sometime to win back her image.She escaped but Blog Wars can also be fatal.

PEACE IN THE POD

PEACE IN THE POD
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

She is cool.She is sexy.I fell in love with her at first sight.Who is she?. Chill.Just relax.I have not gone wayward.She is the one and only iPod.
When I was visiting Harsha and Lulu last June,they presented this digital musical storehouse to me on my 60th birthday.And Lulu helped me to start it off.When I returned to Mumbai,she went completely out of my sight as my wife would not allow me to keep her.She has now become so addicted to her that I call my wife a podder.I am happy for her ,though, because now she has no excuses to skip her morning walk.
Ours is a iPod mini.She is sleek and compact and has a 4GB memory.She can hold upto 1000 songs.She is a thing of beauty.She gives me peace.
And these days when you go for your morning walks you find many many people looking like doctors with wires dangling out of their ears.Schoolgoers are getting these ipods too and there are more than 1 ipod in affluent homes.
If you love music,don't look at the price tag.Just go and get it.Use Visa power if you must.It is value for money.

Lovely and Sweety

With people having such pleasing names,the world should be a happier place to live in.But then these two siblings live in Bihar,which temporarily has fallen off the India map so to say.Or atleast had,till President's rule was established.The election results gave a thumbs down to Lalu and the verdict being fractured,no party could form a government singly or in unison.The inevitable had to occur.
But then Governor Buta Singh claims that things have improved.Law and order is under control,people are moving around freely,new carowners do not fear that their car would be immediately stolen or doctors that they would be kidnapped for a king's ransom.And school children are a very happy lot.The trauma of being forcibly carried away from school is no more there.The mafia which ruled the roost in Lalu's regime seems to have gone underground.
One would ask where do Lovely and Sweety fit in. It is a nobrainer.They are the sons of Buta Singh and virtually run Bihar.The de facto rulers.Buta Singh claims that they are doing a good job.Period.But then nothing moves without the nod of Lovely or Sweety.Our hangup with dynasty rule continues.Being a Sonia loyalist,Buta Singh appears to be safe.But will the sons Lovelyji and Sweetyji pull him down?.
Time alone will tell.
Sat Sri Akal.

THE HEALTHY PAPAYA

THE HEALTHY PAPAYA
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

I am very fond of it.It is available easily almost throughout the year.As far as possible, I like to have it as the first item of my breakfast.With a quarter lemon ready to be squeezed.I even grew a papaya tree in our Bangalore house.And that was the red variety which many prefer.I don't see many of that in Mumbai; though whenever I am in Kolkata,Mushtaq the Bawarchi in our guest house makes it a point to get for me red papayas.

Why am I so fond of them?.It helps in reducing body fat.By no stretch of imagination am I obese,but then I think I need to shed some fat. Arginine in Papaya is well known for muscle building besides playing a big role in fat reduction.It is supposed to be very good for those who suffer from indigestion.It is effective against worms and is also a pain relieving agent and useful for those afflicted by arthiritis and slip-disc.It heals wounds,boils and ulcers.Doctors in South America where Papaya originated have been using papaya extensively as an external agent for speeding up healing of wounds after surgery and also for dressing wounds.The papaya bark relieves toothaches.And there are umpteen other medicinal properties.It also protects the human body from free radicals and certain types of cancer.It is a wonderful supplement for Vitamin A and Vitamin C.Also it is a rich source for potassium,sodium,proteins,calcium and iron.

What is holding you up if you already are not a papaya lover?.Then, go get it.The Papita.

Akshaya Tritiya

Yesterday was Akshaya Tritiya.A very auspicious day by the Indian calendar.It is the third day of the bright half(shukla paksha) of chittirai,the first month in the tamil new year of paarthiva.On this day,the sun and moon are at their peak simultaneously.According to Vedic texts,the first "yagnya" or sacrifice in the history of humanity was performed on this day.
Akshaya means one that never diminishes.One of the thousand names of Lord Vishnu appearing in the Vishnusahasranama. It is also considered to be the birthday of Parasurama -one of the dasa avataras of Lord Vishnu.A brahmin who eliminated the warriors!.And a very popular deity in the west coast of India,particularly Kerala and Goa for having carved out their present land.
It is considered to be so sacred that no muhurta for performing any auspicious event is required on this day. All over India,people celebrate weddings,enter new homes,start new ventures and buy gold.This day is considered to bring good luck and success.
For me,it was like any other day.Absolutely normal.No weddings to celebrate,no new home to get into and no gold to purchase.
But then,I prayed a little extra.For the benefit of mankind.Sarva: sukhino bhavantu.

Enter the Chinese Dragon

It was deja vu again when the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao visited India a fortnight back.One remembered nostalgically the Hindi Chini bhai-bhai and Nehru's Panch Shil of the 60s and the trauma of the Indo-China war that followed.A full circle has been turned since then.We have recognised Tibet as part of China and they in turn have recognised Sikkim as part of India.

What is the driver for this attitudinal change?.It is economics.Both countries are on a major growth path.China is admittedly miles ahead.But then there are many areas where it is lagging.Therfore it makes eminent sense to come together,the world's two largest populations and work towards transforming the lives of millioins of people in both the countries.

Interestingly Mid-Day came out on this occasion with top five chinese nicknames for some celebrities.
Shakti Kapoor: Ai Su Yu (sue)
R R Patil : Wai Yu Dan Sing (closing down of dancing bars in Mumbai)
Michael Jackson : No Tach Yung Boi
Saurav Ganguly : Hau Yu Ban Mi ( banned from playing 6 matches for slow bowling rate)
Rajdeep Sardesai: Bai Bai Pra Noi ( he is leaving ND TV and Prannoy)

Jai Hind,Jai Cheen!

World Asthma Day

3rd May is World Asthma Day.On this day,my thoughts go out to thousands of those people who are in some form patients of asthma.Having been a sufferer myself for many years while we lived in Bangalore,I can very well empathise with those who suffer from attacks of asthma.
I think it is a day when one should take stock as to how asthma has been managed so far and what needs to be done to minimise its impact on one's health.
Asthma management would include one's lifestyle,environment,emotional condition and other factors that may be contributing to this dreaded affliction.In my opinion,asthma is hereditary as well as acquired.With some commonsense and change of location and lifestyle,a tremendous transformation can be brought about.Asthma is generally caused by severe concentration of dust particles in the air that we breathe,pollens,temperature fluctuations,humidity,altitude,food habits etc.Carefully one can eliminate the main cause over time and lead a relatively less asthmaprone life.Certain yogasanas are very beneficial for overcoming asthma.There is a plethora of allopathic medicines available.But then one has to be very careful.For it has other side effects.
Interestingly New York and Mumbai have come together to attack the problem of asthma prevalence in the two cities.The US Environmental Protective Agency is lending a helping hand.There is lot of similarity between the two cities.Extensive transport networks,humid climates,high vehicular pollution,etc.An estimated one million people have asthma in New York.You can double that figure for Mumbai.
Asthma prevalence rates have been found to be higher among the poor and in the minority neighbourhoods in New York while in Mumbai it is higher in Sion,Chembur and Parel.
There is a lot that both cities can learn from each other for the common good.

OYE BUBBLY

OYE BUBBLY
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

When you are watching a oneday cricket match and that too between india and pakistan,you just don't want to see any advertisements spoiling the fun.but in the case of oye bubbly,bubbly bubbly bubbly,it was different.you welcomed it.because it was novel and thoroughly enjoyable.that is what advertising is about,i suppose. and pepsi seems to be getting a lot of eyeballs not only on tv but also in the dailies as well.
from a singlebrand company it has grown into a multibrand company in a period of about five years.water,juices,lipton iced tea,tropicana and gatorade.in water,aquafina has become one of the top water products in india.pepsi during this period has had to manage competition as well as governmental and judicial activism.and they seem to have managed the environment quite well.

Kurkure-A Runaway Success

Kurkure-A Runaway Success
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

It is hot.It is tangy.It is a spicy cereal product which is making waves.After a long time Pepsi seems to have got it right.And the grapevine says that Pepsi HQ is considering marketing Kurkure through its global chain.Indra Nooyi,a Chennai born lady and President of Pepsi Cola marketing Kurkure in the US!.And Pepsi is not alone.Even McDonalds has come out with shuddh sakahari stuff.Aaloo tikka,et al.When it comes to marketing,we desis can teach these big behemoths some basics in marketing.

Pepsi Catering to Indian Tastes

Pepsi Catering to Indian Tastes
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

It is unbelievable.But it is happening.Pepsi came to India many years ago to sell Pepsi Cola,Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizzas from Pizza Hut.The start was disastrous.Though Pepsi Cola chugged along,the other two just didn't take off.Pepsi had made a huge blunder.It did not study the Indian palate.Their marketing whiz kids thought what is good for the gander is good for the geese.Then the realisation dawned.It did a rethink of its menu.It started marketing bhujiya.And now it has developed its own snack.The smashing success-Kurkure.Is this reverse marketing?

Child Labour-Zari Workers

Photo 276
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

The death of Afzal Ansari,a 12 year old boy from Darbhanga,Bihar,has been the main news for the last few days.He was a minor,and a zari worker in one of the many sweatshops in Govandi,Mumbai.His employers kept him and 10 to 12 other boys in a dingy room where they worked for about 20 hours a day.The children weave bright shiny pieces of metal into strips of cloth.The children are mostly Muslim and are brought from UP and Bihar.It is estimated that about 12,000 such children are employed in Dharavi and Govandi.Those who have seen my earlier posting on this subject will realise the severe hardships these children go through for a pittance and to swell the pockets of their masters.Alamgir,the master of Afzal is now in police custody.

Dr Tangle

Dr Tangle
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

He has a desk in the oncology department of a London hospital.Though he is sitting a bit relaxed with legs somewhat stretched,he has a busy day ahead of him.Though he is in a serious profession,he has not lost his penchant for running after sticks and balls.With his floppy ears and fur coat,he is the darling of the patients visiiting the oncology department.He has an uncanny knack for getting an accurate diagnosis where conventional tests fail,He is no enigma.This quadruped has his mind or shall we say his nose on his feet!.
He works under Dr John Church who uses sniffer dogs for testing cancer.Tangle learned his new skills in just seven months.Given several urine samples,he always hits the bull's eye.His success rate is 100%.He runs his nose quickly at the samples and within a jiffy he spots the cancerous one and wags his tail furiously signalling that he has accomplished his job successfully.His motivation is the chewy treat awaiting him!.

THE DABBA JUGGERNAUT

THE DABBA JUGGERNAUT
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

It is not all hunkydory for the mumbai dabbawallas.After the excitement and hype of the vip powwow dies down,they have to do some serious thinking.They already have a battle of sorts on hand with Rajasthani cooks who have eaten into their market share.The Rajasthanis not only prepare food but also deliver it for Rs 400/in a jiffy.They are about 600 in number and have grabbed about 30% market share around Opera House area.The dabbawallas want a level playing field and are asking for the delivery of the tiffinboxes of the rajasthani intruders to be leased out to them.After all they say it is their ancestral trade and their only bread and butter.They have reached out to Vilasrao Deshmukh and sought his intervention.So, a battle royale is in the offing!.

RICHARD BRANSON

RICHARD BRANSON
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

It was now the turn of the high-flier uk billionaire Richard Branson who took some time out to bond with the now world-famous dabbawallas at churchgate station.He got into the local train at andheri and travelled with them all the way to churchgate enquiring aboout their modus operandi.Little did the dabbawallas then realise that they were the objects of admiration by yet another vip.When Richard B ranson got off at Churchgate and was welcomed by a huge crowd of presswallas did they realise that they had brushed shoulders with a uk billionaire.Clad in a white pyjama,blue tshirt and a gandhicap on his head and also a sleek dabba with virgin atlantic inscribed across it in hand,Richard Branson literally stepped into the kolhapuri chappals of the dabbawallas."It is always good to experience the local flavour of the city with the local people rather than sitting in a hotel".He then rode in a victoria buggy and later played cricket at the oval maidan

THE DABBAWALLAS OF MUMBAI

THE DABBAWALLAS OF MUMBAI
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

The dabbawallas of Mumbai are on cloud nine and are turning Mumbai's gliterrati a peculiar shade of green.Possibly the only two people im Mumbai to receive the invitation for prince Charles'wedding,Raghunath Medge and Sopan Mare couriered their gifts to camillavaini and charlesbhau.Agreen nauvari silk sari for the bride and a puneri pheta for the groom after elaborate pooja and dancing and celebrations.And they met the royal family in the wedding and functions thereafter and were absolutely delighted with the hospitality that they received.

THREE CHEERS TO TEA(CONTD)

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Originally uploaded by gopoo.

The good news is that on its own tea has no calories.With sugar and milk,a cup of tea provides you with calcium,zinc,folic acid,vitamin B,manganese and potassium.
It lowers blood tryglyceride.
Acts as antioxidant and regulates ageing.
Helps to ward off Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting the development of enzymes associated with AD.
Supports normal thyroid function.
Acts as a diuretic.
Kills influenza virus.
Helps in the treatment of asthma.
Stimulates wakefulness.
And many more.
Like aamchi mumbai,it is time to say aamchi chai.

THREE CHEERS TO TEA

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Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Accidentally discovered in China some 5000 years ago,the beverage has now become a lifestyle drink.The plant camelia sinensis has travelled all over the globe -from palaces,monastries,tea rooms,tea gardens,the local chaiwallah and even the vending machine.From abdul kalam to the chaprasi everyone enjoys a cup of tea.
There are different types of tea that are popular today.Black,green,Jasmine and Oolong.Kahwa from Kasmir has almonds and spices along with tea leaves and masala tea from Gujerat has a combinaation of various spices.
Tea is a good source of minerals and vitamins.Tea is known to be high in flavonoids;hence you increase your antioxidant intake when you drink tea.Tea is an excellent source of fluoride.Almost 70% of our intake of fluoride comes from tea.
Green tea protects against cancer,lowers cholesterol levels and helps to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels.It reduces chances of a stroke and heart disease.Don't wait.Become a tea addict.
(to be contd)

Oh Laptop!

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Originally uploaded by gopoo.

I am always a bit scared of my laptop.Particularly when there is some water or tea around.Many years ago,when I bought my first laptop,Lulu became the dominant user.And one day after returning home from work,when I switched it on and it did not work,I was puzzled.I called Lulu and asked her whether there was any problem with the laptop.She started crying and explained how she had accidentally dropped a glass of fresh lime on to the keyboard.Recently,I saw this picture and laughed out boisterously having been reminded of this incident.The little thing had gone on top of the laptop and was showering the keyboard when he got caught in the act.Luckily,Mango and Cherry are grownups and I don't run any such risks.But then wait.I better watch out .After a fortnight Cherry will be littering.It is a wakeup call.

'Dulhan Made in USA'

A refreshingly new romantic comedy from Manoj Kumar Sen.Shot entirely in the Bay Area at low cost-a budget movie.The guy comes from India and dates a series of wannabes-modern,independent and headstrong.He is totally floored by their personalities,both depth and range.He finally comes to the conclusion that friendship first might be just the right route to romantic success.Love is never without passion,revenge,heartache and loss.That is the realization of each character. Manoj Kumar Sen who has a starring role,studied drama and filmmaking at SF State University and has appeared in TV and on the stage in USA.
A far cry from DDLJ (Dilwale Duhaniyan Le Jaayenge) to DMIU (Dulhan Made in USA.)

'BLOG' debuts

Alongwith 57 other new entries BLOG has made a triumphant entry into the latest edition of Webster's New World Dictionary.Its coentrants are both pranky and the infamous.For example,"wedgie".It is a prank in which the victim's underwears are pushed upwards till it becomes wedged between the buttocks.It is a high school creation and if you don't know what it is you are at sea.Also included are cargo pants,partial-birth abortion and irritable bowel syndrome(ibs).And Al Quaeda features too!.And editor in chief Michael Agnes says there are 20 more new senses of existing words.Maybe Google can already throw some light?

Margarita Magic

Margarita Magic
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Magarita.It is magic.The main ingredient is distilled from a plant called the Agave.And this grows in the area around the Mexican town of Tequila.
Beware,nothing else is genuine tequila,no matter what it says on the label.Supporting the tequila is Triple Sec,a colourless orange-flavoured liqueur.
Now comes the 'coup de grace'.Harsha,correct me if I am wrong.You are the expert in these matters.First you rub the rim of the glass with the rind of a lemon .You then dip the rim in salt.Next,shake an ounce and a half of tequila and a half an ounce of triple-sec with ice.And strain into the glass.The result-bien,tre bien, tres tres bien!.
I was inspired to write this after reading an article in mumbai masala by sharon prabhakar.I thought lulu would love to read this as she is an afficianado of this funky,salt-rimmed drink.So say cheers and so down the drink and smack your lips in satisfaction.

Cherry

Cherry
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

A recent survey conducted by dogowners,carried out by YouGov suggests that the annual cost of a dog comes up to about 35,000 dollars over its lifetime estimated to be about 10 years.And that is equivalent to a round the world cruise on the QE-2 or the cost of a brand new 3-series BMW. As this is a longterm and serious financial committment,prospective dogowners are advised to choose their pet after detaied study considering their finances and lifestyle.
After all the first automated toilet for dogs was inagurated some months ago at Ostend in Belgium.The response from dogs was poor.They did not consider it to be sufficiently user friendly.Perhaps the designers will learn their lessons and make the necessary improvisations based on the valuable feedback from the canines.Then those living on the top floors of skyscrapers in Manhattan or Tokyo need not have to wake up bleary-eyed to take the dog out to the nearest park.Courtesy the automated toilet,the dog will do its job and no worry for cleaning up the mess.And no more embarassment of the neighbour's car tyres being sniffed and sprayed at.
Civilisation is progress.Irrespective of what Charles Lindberg in a particularly introspective phase of his life thought.Sales of bottled water for dogs are growing.Mumbai dogowners are finding the tap water disagreeable and instead of risking dehydration of their beloved pets prefer to buy bottled dogwater whose prices are similar to that for two-legged ones.
Bottled water is going to the dogs!.

Casting Couch(contd)

Well it now looks as if the so called rogues are having the last laugh.The film industry is showering both Shakthi Kapoor and Aman Verma with irrefusable offers.Starring them opposite Aishwarya,Rani and the like.They have apologised to the film industry and the whole matter has been forgotten.Life after the sting operation has never looked better for both of them.
Even BBC will be doing a 45 minute documentry on Shakthi Kapoor called the 'Uncrowned Star of India'.BBC wants to shoot his life and work in Bollywood.Also to trace the history of sting operations in journalism and its impact on people's lives.'Duniya main hungama ho gaya',says Shakthi.And Aman says he had never received so many offers from the TV channels and from Bollywood.A blessing in disguise,says he.His hands are literally full and Aman is on a roll.
What an irony!.And now the tormentor is becoming the tormented.Both Shakthi and Aman have filed cases against India TV for invading upon their privacy and defaming them.What happened Rajat Sharma?.Cowed down by Balasaheb? Or some invisible force?.Or is it not adding to the TRP?.Or has it boomeranged?

What Gandhiji thought about mercy-killing

While the Terri Schiavo controversy rages,I was reminded of an incident in the Sabarmati ashram about which I had read many years ago.A maimed calf lay in the ashram and despite the best medical attention,the doctors and surgeon threw in the towel.The suffering of the calf was severe and Gandhiji after dicussions with fellow ashramites decided to end the acute pain and agony which the calf was going through by ending its life.He got the doctor to inject the calf with with a quietus(a poison injection) and in a few minutes it was all over.
Now,the question that arose in Gandhiji's mind was would he apply the same principle in the case of human beings?.And what about himself?.His answer was in the affirmative.Just like a surgeon who commits himsa when he uses his knife to cut a patient's body,under exceptional circumstances it may be necessary to go a step further and disconnect life from the body and relieve the sufferer of the most acutest pain he was experiencing.

To Live Or Not To Live,To Die Or Not To Die

That is the controversy which is raging over Terri Schiavo.And almost all conceivable groups have jumped into the fray.Politicians,religious groups,social conservatives,social liberals et al.For the last 15 years,Terri has been in a vegetative state.And during this period,the feeding tube has been inserted and removed several times due to judicial intervention.And Terri continues to live.Though she may not live any longer as the countdown stated some 11 days ago.As per medical experts she might live for another three or four days.Her husband Michael does not want her to live in such a pathetic state and says Terri would not have wished to live in such a manner.Her parents though insist that there is a glimmer of life still and there is hope that she might still survive.Of course all these are debatable issues and experts will have their own say.

The key question that arises is whether she should be allowed to die with dignity or should be kept further under a life-support system.And if so for how long?.So it is a case between reality and morality.Surely fifteen years is along period to decide on such a matter.But then who is going to bell the cat?.Terri has become a cause celebre for the right to life movement.And they are moving heaven and earth to get the tube back.Unfortunately,Terri has not left a living will behind.Perhaps then Michael could have done what she wanted.To die honourably.It will be a great tragedy if she were made to live in an incapacitated state just on plain moral grounds.

I think the answer lies in leaving it to nature and allow it to take its own course.It is not even euthanasia.It is the right thing to do than keeping a comatose person artificially alive for an indefinite period.Just as there is a right to live,there is also a right to die.

Pahele Aap,Bade Miyan

It was a sad sight to see the cookie crumbling.The Indian cricket team collapsed on the last day of the third test and allowed Pakistan to level the series by playing defensive cricket whereas they should gone for the shots and played aggressively.
When you consider yourself to be a team of international class challenging the very might of the Aussies,how can you play such a pathetic game?.To me,the answer is very simple.It is a contrarian view.And I will be criticized for hitting below the belt.The fact of the matter is that BCCI is persisting with a captain who has lot his touch both with the bat as well as his strategic skills for which possibly he has been able to hang on to his captaincy so far.Saurav Ganguly has let the team down and the country.Even in the tests at Mohali and Eden Gardens we did not come out in flying colours.The current Pakistani team is not a great team.They lack a strong bowling attack though they have good batsmen.And Inzy is not the smartest of captains.But he has outwiited our 'Dada' or 'Maharaja' if you would like to call him so.
It is time for BCCI to replace Saurav.You don't have to go too far.Rahul Dravid is knocking at the door.We want captains to lead by example.Not drop catches and get fooled by googlys.We want them to talk with the bat and/or ball as the case may be or both.And not make gallant statements about out superiority.We want them to pose less as models for the various fmcg companies and concentrate on what really matters.
I think Australia can be kept as the role model.They have fantastic teamwork and don't chase individual landmarks.Their captain Steve Waugh has led by example and is certainly one of the greatest captains test cricket has seen.They are a fit lot who never say die.
Let us change our captain and open a new leaf.Miandad summed it up beautifully when he said that we lost the match because of the 'mind'.We panicked when a few wickets fell,our captain couldn't remain in the crease for long,and Kumble had to show our socalled batting stalwarts a few lessons in batting.
And importantly, even the bigwigs have to be accountable for their performance.Just because you have made it,does not mean that this is a pensionable job.
We have in characteristic Lucknowi style passed on the baton to our honourable guests-the Pakistani team.For them it is a great morale-booster and will go a long way in reestablishing their supremacy in international cricket.

Suk Sagar-The Great Pav-Bhaji Joint

Suk Sagar-The Great Pav-Bhaji Joint
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Best Pav-bhaji

Best Pav-bhaji
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

I visit Suk Sagar almost every Sunday afternoon.The pair of Chandrakant and Pujari are the most friendly chefs one can imagine.And they make sure your return a happy man.And I have a promise to keep.Give them prints of the pictures I have taken.Surely,I will hand it over to them next Sunday.They deserve it.

Photo 292

Photo 292
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Which foodophile in Mumbai has not heard of the famous Mumbai vegetarian fast food chain?.I decided to take some packed pav bhaji and pizza home from this friendly and attractive food joint strategically located at Chowpatty.Loads of Amul butter on the Pav(bread). and a yummy paste of potatoes,peas,coriander leaves,jeera and green chillies and onions.that is the bhaji.delectable absolutely.

Casting Couch

Frankly,I had not heard of this expression till very recently.But then,now it is the talk of the town.Bollywood baddie Shakthi Kapoor and Indian Idol compere Aman Varma(Sharm a ?) seeking sexual favours from film aspirants.Separate sting operations using spy cameras done by India TV channel catching our heroes with their pants down.What I can't understand is that while Shakthi got no support from the film fraternity,Aman got a lot of "hum hai na",from his filmy buddies.Salman Khan,Arbaaz,Sanju,Govinda et al.
Whatever that may mean,the key question that arises out of all this is whether such exposes should be permitted or should they be banned?.The media has no business to peep into their private lives say the film stars and ask why industrialists and politicians have not been targetted.In the same breath one of them said it was a frame-up.
While I was doing some research on this subject,I read about similar happenings in Hollywood where quite a few top film actors and actresses were targetted and exposed.I think the peeping tom saga will get debated for quite some time in the newspapers and television channels.Nothing much is likely to emerge from all these debates and discussions.One thing is certain.Our film stars will be now very very careful lest they fall into the wide net thrown by the sting operation team of India TV-Ilyasi and aka ruchi.

Sania Mania

Photo 286
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Sania has created history by her scintillating performances at Australia and Dubai.She is a terrific fighter and has risen like phoenix from the ashes in several matches.That is what makes her world champion material.

Sania Mania

Photo 286
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Sania has created history by her scintillating performances at Australia and Dubai.She is a terrific fighter and has risen like phoenix from the ashes in several matches.That is what makes her world champion material.

Sania Mania

Photo 285
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Yeah,that is a different ball game.But then she is good at that too.In anycase it is only a pleasant diversion.Her concentration and willpower are superb.And it is only a question of time for Sania to get into the very top league.

Sania Mania

Photo 288
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Sania is the latest tennis sensation to happen in India.She is on a roll and waiting to rapidly move up the rating scale.

Sania Mania

Photo 288
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Sania Mania

Photo 286
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Sania Mania

For a country starved of icons,Sania Mirza has won the hearts of millions of fans.The brave,beautiful and bold girl from Hyderabad,who was spotted at the tender age of 8 while playing tennis in Bangalore, has firmly positioned herself on the international tennis map.After becoming the first Indian girl to win a WTA title at Hyderabad,she has gone on to win many more laurels.
What really propelled Sania to fame was her match with Serena Williams down under in the Grand Slam tournament.Serena shivered and sweated before she finally won the match.And then Sania's dream performance in Dubai where she got a wild card.She took full advantage of the opportunity and humbled world champion Maria Kuznotsova.The oz flight of fancy and the Dubai dream has jettissoned her to 77 from 450 0r so.She now wants to get into the top 20.It is her focus which is her great strength besides of course a lethal forehand and a booming serve at 160-170mph compared to Serena's 190mph.
Jassilike bespectacled and flashing her nosering which has just come back in vogue,Sania with puppy fat on her face has a mind of her own."I know my Indian culture well,I am not going to pose in a bikini",and "Sometimes I think I am 30,so I definitely feel different from other kids my age".That was what she said and on a recent power trip to New Delhi when she met Sonia,Kalam and Sunil Dutt. Sania even administered polio drops to babies during an awareness campaign in New Delhi. Modern in her outlook, she is a great fan of Eminem,wears short skirts while playing and dresses quite hep.She prays 5 times a day and fasts during Ramzan.
Globosport who handle her commercial work say that she has both the achievement and personality.The italian sports company Lotto has signed her up for 3 years and she will be their international ambassador and will have a signature line of her own.The second woman to do so after her idol Steffi Graf.
Making the impossible possible has become a habit with this tennis diva.She is getting ready for her next big tournament in Europe and who knows she may still pull off similar Houdini acts.Her coach Bob Brett is working on all her weaknesses and if her ankles don't give way she may still serve it up,all aces.

Hot Puris and Jalebis

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Originally uploaded by gopoo.

It was too tempting and extremely mouthwatering.The sight of hot puris and jalebis being fried.The ambience was quite interesting and the immediate surroundings not unhygienic . I did want to have a go but then it was too early in the morning.

Birla Temple,Kolkata-A Side View

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Originally uploaded by gopoo.

A side elevation of the Birla Temple.The intricate carving throughout the temple exterior shows the superb craftsmanship of the Rajasthani sculptors.

Birla Temple,Kolkata

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Originally uploaded by gopoo.

This is the Birla Temple on Ballygunge Circular Road.It was built in the early 1990s and was officially opened to the public in 1995.The temple is tall and majestic and gives a spectacular appearance.The marble used in the construction was brought from Makrana in Rajasthan and the workmanship is outstanding. Though the temple is about 10 years old it is immaculately maintained.It is a must see for any visitor to Kolkata.

A Washed Street in Kolkata

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Originally uploaded by gopoo.

In the early 50s when we were living in the then Calcutta,the streets used to be regularly washed.Practically every street had a hydrant.A huge hosepipe would get connected to the hydrant and the street would get a thorough washing.Gone were those days as Calcutta fell into the pits.But then it is now rising like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes.Kolkata is changing.For the good.Streets are again being washed and the city certainly looks cleaner.No it did not rain on Friday morning when I was taking a walk on Ballygunge Circular Road.A huge municipal truck with automated jets had just cleaned the street.It was a bit late for me to take hold of my camera as the truck whizzed past.Anyway the telltale marks were left behind.

A young boy doing gold embroidery

Photo 275
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Recently at Kolkata,I happened to see a shop with 10 boys inside sitting together and feverishly working embroidery on a silk saree.They had to work for 14 hours a day and it would take them 15 days to finish.Selling price-about 1100$.

black is blackest

we watched 'black' very recently.it was awesome.superb acting by rani mukherjee and amitabh bacchan.fantastic cinematography.coincidentally there are three movies having black in their name showing in mumbai.black,black friday and blackmail.ofcourse 'black' is the best.so i decided to refer to it as the blackest.
perhaps this is the best movie rani and amitabh have ever done.sanjay leela bhansali deserves 10/10.i am sure it will get an oscar nomination.
black is beautiful,black is dignity,people look smart when they wear black suits,you wear a black robe when you graduate and in the old days cricket umpires used to wear black coats.when henry ford decided to make a car within the reach of every american,he wanted the colour of the car to be black.it lost its preeminent position to other colours over time but seems to be back in fashion.one sees more and more black car on the roads these days.
kale hain to kya,hum dilwale hain!.

Andal -Lit Cutout

Andal -Lit Cutout
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

while we were in madurai in early january this year we visited srivilliputtur,birthplace of andal,the mystic srivaishnavaite saint.the lunar month of mrigashirsha or margazhi as it is called in tamil is very auspicious for vaishnavaites. every morning tiruppavai of andal-30 verses in soulstirring tamil is sung every day throughtout this month.the verses are in praise of lord krishna with the strong desire of meeting him.we watched the evening utsavam(festival)which took place near the pushkarini(tank) about one and and half kilometers from srivilliputtur at a place called thirumurkulam.it is believed that three sacred rivers meet in the spot where the lake is situated.

Lulu being blessed by elephant at Meenakshi Temple

Lulu being blessed by elephant at Meenakshi Temple
Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Our recent visit to Madurai was very memorable.We worshipped at the Vishnu temple at Srivilliputtur,where the 9th century Srivaishnavite saint Andal was found under a basil plant by her fosterfather Periazhwar,another Srivaishnavite saint.We also visited the Meenakshi temple at Madurai.Lulu was very fasacinated seeing the temple elephant and therefore we got her pictured offering a plantain to the elephant and in return being blessed by the pachyderm.

The winter wedding

Originally uploaded by gopoo.

Surprisingly,mumbai has had an apology of a winter so far.With Delhi going into minus,one would have expected some cold weather in mumbai.But it was not to be.
We had a wedding in the family on the 26th.It was a tamilian iyengar boy marrying a maharashtrian girl.a fusion of two cultures.It was a colourful morning function with priests from both sides competing for the honours.And the nadaswaram and shenai players too did not want to be left behind.The bridegroom looked very handsome in silk dhoti,jibba and petha tied over his head.And the bride wearing a nine yards saree and bedecked with jewels was looking gorgeous.The whole ceremony was such a pleasure to watch and to participate.In the evening there was a reception at the Willingdon Club.And I decide to wear my new suit.Father and daughter took a picture together.Lulu as usual was looking marvellous in her new attire.