Food for thought....

This thing called life has been the most amazing teacher - 

• it has given me plenty of lessons to learn from 
• it has encouraged me with rewarding ups and moments of sweet joy
• it has punished me with critical yet constructive downs and bitter times
• it has been the perfect recipe to shape the imperfect me! 

Sometimes I sit and look back at my adventurous journey so far; from a silly teeny-booper, to a serious working professional, from an unsettling mind to a calmer soul and I wonder how teeny weeny things in life can bring both unwelcoming and welcoming changes... It is simply about letting go of the inviting yet harmful changes as a passing phase and holding on to the right ones I guess. 

It is at such times I am reminded of a few things I am often told, especially when moments appear glum for no reason - 

• you cannot change everything about a situation, especially when most elements are not in your control
• you have to learn to let go, learn to see through certain things or situations in order to feel stress free
• the beauty of life never lies in textbook perfect situations or candyfloss - the fun and beauty is in accepting what is perfect and balancing the imperfections with panache! 
• there can be no problem without a solution to it!

Simple things, we know, yet often tend to overlook.  There are times when I promise myself to always remember these tidbits and keep my chin up no matter what... It is simply about sticking to that promise, not for anyone else, but for myself - for I am the creator for both my happy times and sad - the choice is mine, simply mine! 

Baklava and the Brouhaha

My love affair with all things sugary and sweet must have surely begun while I was resting patiently in my mom’s womb… My parents are food lovers, especially fond of sweets and desserts and invariably I have ended up carrying the genes forward!

A serving of assorted Baklavas

I haven’t travelled far and well to experiment and experience several cuisines, gourmet foods and the likes but I’ve surely tasted a few that have left a lasting impression on my mind and taste buds! One such being the lip-smacking ‘Baklava’, a rich, Mediterranean dessert, probably known to have originated in the Middle East made of phyllo pastry filled with chopped nuts and soaked in honey.

While the origins of this delicacy have been debatable, history suggests that the Assyrians first created the Baklava around the 8th century and it was the food of the wealthy until the mid-19th century, a luxury of sorts! Baklava was discovered by Greek merchants and seamen who travelled east to Mesopotamia, after which they brought the recipe to Athens.

Representation of various types of baklava

The basic ingredients used in making the baklava are nuts, flat bread (phyllo) and syrup or honey. The type of nuts or the syrup ingredients often suggest the origin of the recipe. Syrup with rose water and cardamom would most likely be from Arab countries, while syrup with cinnamon and cloves would most likely from the Balkan region is what I am told. They have different varieties such as Baklava pistachio, Baklava walnut, Bird’s Nest, Burma, Fingers, Balloorieh, Kol-ou-Skor, Basma, each depending on how they are rolled, what they are filled with and how they are wrapped.

My first tryst with this divine treat was almost four years ago when a friend travelled from Dubai and carried a box of baklavas for us at work. It is around the same time that baklava has slowly been finding in-roads into the palates of foodies around the country, albeit scarcely.

Maharashtrian Chirota &
Sindhi Praghree

Wonder what took them so long to introduce these delectable flavours to India, especially when several other Middle Eastern delicacies are already a rage here. Also, if you look carefully, a baklava can probably suit an Indian palate for the simple reason that we have a variety of sweets within our country that, when slightly tweaked, can resemble the baklava, like the Sindhi delicacy Praghree or the Maharashtrian Chirota.

As I understand, perhaps one reason why there is less demand of the baklava is because it is tedious to prepare, requiring the right ingredients, especially the phyllo sheets that are difficult to source in India and need to be worked with care and precision, along with the nuts and hint of spices which make it an expensive affair! In fact I happened to spend almost Rs 800 for a half a kilo box of baklavas recently. Ordering them online from specialized dealers can increase the cost further.

However, if you are the adventurous kind, love food, and enjoy trying your hand at something new, I found out a recipe of creating phyllo at home and making your own baklavas.

http://gayathriscookspot.blogspot.in/2011/06/baklava-with-home-made-phyllo-sheets.html

I am all game for trying this soon and probably adding variations based on expert comments from my “master-chef mom” at home! Will fill you in on how it turns out! Bon appétit! Here’s one for the Turkish touch - ‘Sizin baklava keyfini çıkarın!’

Where can you find Baklava in your city: While Baklavas are fairly easy to source in Mumbai and Delhi, it was rather challenging for me to find one in Bangalore, considering it is still not as popular here. Hours of Google search and driving around tirelessly in rain and traffic-filled roads, finally yielded some result as I found two places in Bangalore that served it, although I have managed to source it from one! 

• Zaks, Frazer Town, Bangalore - You have to pre-order since it is not readily available. Depending on your order, they deliver within 2-3 days and you have to pick it up from there. Price range is around Rs 700+ for 500gm of Baklava

• Byblos, Indiranagar, Bangalore - The Syrian chef prepares a delectable spread, around 5-6 varieties of them, available at their live Baklava counter any time of the day! Subtle hints of cinnamon and other herbs, full of pistachio and nuts, soaked in honey, the bird's nest baklava and fingers are an absolute delight among others. A box of 500 gm of Baklava can cost up to Rs 800. You can order a generous portion with your main course at the restaurant for around Rs 275

Scribbles in Verse...

There have often been times when the writer’s block hits me and I begin to wonder will I ever be able to put pen to paper, express how I feel or simply scribble something and still feel good about it!

That’s when I take off to what people may call poetry and I refer to simply as scribbles in verse (considering my poor knowledge of poetry writing) in a vague attempt to put down my thoughts! Reproducing some of lines...

Something called hope....

One of my first few poems, closest to my heart and something that can find relevance anytime of the day

"Calm and quite it was, like no life in it,

The tempest seemed to rise, as hallucinations lit.

Only hallucinations they were, as reality's light stopped to succour,

Everyone looked petrified, as end seemed to occur.

But someone believed, something called hope exists,

Thus he began to clear, the hallucinations' mists.

And the mists gave way, reality with obstacles began to cope,

Only because someone believed, there is something called hope".

Of Friends and Friendships

A shout out to all the wonderful friends I have been blessed with & those I will meet

I dream of the days of frolic and fun, of banter, of chuckle, of smiles that we spun.

Strong bonds of friendship that fills the air, tiffs and squabbles, oh so rare!

I walk along, with a heavy heart, seeking those dreams on a journey I depart.

A shoulder to cry, a hand to hold, I seek my friend with a heart of gold…

I look, I search, I hunt, in vain, a thousand eyes hound me in disdain.

But my heart tells me, you’re there my friend, to spread a smile, and desolation to end.

And as the sun begins to set, as bees and birds return to their nest,

The dark engulfs me, I begin to fear, you eclipse the dark and wipe my tear!

And those times when that writer’s block hits!

So much to express, so much to say,

Need to gather my thoughts, for another day...

Things may look grim, they may be dark,

But with a smile & some will, I'll have them my way!!

Glimpses from a Unique Mela!

Being in the profession of communication, I have had the privilege of seeing some great and ‘oh-you-don’t-want-to-see-this’ trade fairs and exhibitions across the country, but none have turned out as surprising as the recently concluded Indo-German Urban Mela at the Deccan College Ground in Pune.

When I hear the word ‘Mela’, with all due respect, I am reminded of a dusty, rustic village scene with giant wheels, carts selling titbits, children running behind a juggler or the candy-floss seller and some food stalls! But when I heard the phrase Urban Mela, little did I know what to expect considering it is more of an oxymoron – now how can a rustic fair be urban at the same time?! The answers were interesting, intriguing and as hatke as the concept of this Urban Mela!

As I walked inside the huge premises, I was welcomed by ‘pavilions’ (or tents as we would normally call them), each wearing a unique design, shape and emitting beautiful colours of light, making them look like sparkling gemstones under the moonlit sky! I was told these designs are the brainchild of a German architect, Markus Heinsdorff, who was seen taking enthusiastic architecture and design students around a guided tour, explaining the concept of these innovative pavilions and inspiring our young guns to experiment and play around with design!

While about seven or eight different German companies based in Pune were showcasing various innovative products, applications, solutions and technology for a smooth, seamless and urban tomorrow, what really caught my attention were the City Simulation Game by Seimens, a cool, chic and trendy single-seater electric car model by Volkswagen, an easy window-farming model displayed by Deutche Bank and a Kid’s Chemistry Lab at BASF. Each one of these presentations was interesting, captivating, engaging and clearly the solutions for a hassle-free tomorrow!

A particularly sweet looking, humble gentleman caught my eye one afternoon. He wore funny clothes, painted his face, wore the best smile and described himself as a 75-year-young clown with a soul! He started his act in front an enchanted audience of 12 year olds with gibberish such as ‘Abra kadabra hocus pocus filliboos' to go ahead performing several antics up his sleeve. Adoring the kids sitting through his act, he said they were not his audience but in fact, his partners and believes that are many forms of comedy but to be a clown is more special because with people, Shiven can laugh at himself and not at any other person and their disability.

While innovation, education, technology were a stronghold of Deutschland, the Indian flavour and a ‘Puneri tadka’ were fitting in the form of some great cultural workshops, shows and events.  Theatre, dance and music workshops, engaging workshops and activities for children, some amazing concerts by home-grown talent such as Agnee, Raghu Dixit and Amaan Ali Khan, Ronu Majumdar kept me and so many others like me entertained and asking for more!

The entire event was a seamless partnership between India and Germany, each showcasing and blending their strengths to offer solutions for a better tomorrow!

While all this has been a truly fabulous experience, what stood out was flawless detail in executing this event by the organisers – be it their efficient shuttle service to and from the venue to the Parking Area, security or an enthusiastic bunch of young volunteers eager to help!

This one’s won me over and I can vouch that with such finesse of the west and warmth of the east, this was one truly ‘urban mela’ that should not have been missed… 

The Time is NOW

A simple girl-next-door, out one Sunday evening with her friend to enjoy life just like you and me, was subjected to brutality that has left sane humans speechless. It happened to her one evening and it could happen to my friend or me some other time!

I am, like one of those millions of Indians, shocked, horrified, angry, scared, and most importantly I AM ASHAMED!

• I am ashamed of being a citizen of this country where it has become impossible to guard the sanctity and life of a woman
• I am ashamed that police are busy nabbing girls for lousy Facebook comments rather than taking action against rising crime against women
• I am ashamed that I live in a society where the Khaps decide the fate of a woman, the upper class men have a free hand of molesting and raping the lower class women, where the girl child is killed even before she can come into this world
• I AM ASHAMED THAT I BELONG TO A COUNTRY WHERE ONCE IN 25 MINUTES A WOMAN IS MOLESTED AND ONCE IS 40 MINUTES A WOMAN IS KIDNAPPED AND RAPED

I belong to the so-called ‘new world’, ‘new age’, and ‘progressive’ society where my parents taught me to be a strong individual, do the right things, be successful, be at par with a man. Today, however, looking at the way women are treated by the very men who idolize her form in temples, parliaments, judiciary, I stand confused with what I was taught growing up.

Within 48 hours of the horrific rape and assault, protests, candle-light marches, blogs, social media updates, online petitions, outrage is pouring from all corners. Parliamentarians were trying to come up with stricter norms and laws in order to curb this in future. BIZZARE! It is bizarre if these law-makers woke up to this plight after thousands of rape cases, only increasing year-on-year! I was surprised and shocked when I saw the news flashing of our Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde speaking in the Rajya Sabha today stating that it has been decided that tinted glasses and curtains will be removed from buses. And why was this shocking???

Here’s why:

• The Supreme Court of India had passed a judgment on sun control films / tinted glass in vehicles on May 14, 2012, banning these films throughout the country. Rule 100 of CMVR clearly states that 70 per cent VLT (visual light transmission) on the front and rear glasses and 50 per cent on the side windows should be permitted. But the Supreme Court directive does not accept this anymore. It was mandatory for the cabs and private buses to undergo RTO checking for clearance every year.

•  Further, under a special provision, the Delhi government had allowed about 600 low-floor DTC buses to use tinted glasses, on a temporary basis, for Games duty, which were to be taken off once the Commonwealth Games were over. Many of them, however, were being used as public transport vehicles and not for the Games. Also, no DTC bus has ever been challan-ed for using tinted glasses, so far. An official of the traffic department said they turned a blind eye to these buses since issuing challans to them would have been a huge embarrassment for the Delhi government. The bus in which the girl was brutally raped also had tinted glasses and curtains. Would there have been a slightest possibility that the culprits would have thought twice before committing a crime as heinous as this had the bus been devoid of tinted glass and curtains?

It is time for a change, a constructive, conclusive change for these so called guardians of law to stand up and take notice. The time is now to do things differently, in unison, to start bringing about a change within this regressive society. While there are a plenty of things that could be done, here’s my take on small little steps towards a small change:

•  Slap that guy who tries to grope you in the middle of a busy market place, street, in the bus or train next time. Look into the eyes of that guy who is ‘raping you with his’ eyes at a public place, not with fear, but with rage and strength till he is ashamed of himself 
• Use these protests and pressure tactics positively – we can demand for a death penalty in this one case. What about long term? How do we try and instill fear among these heinous men? Today’s young, educated men who came out in support of the victim are an answer to this – mobilize them, for they could be instrumental in sensitizing young men and women in small towns, they could form support groups – start small, say for instance start with your surroundings (where they live, work) – get them to stop an act or attempt of harassment, molestation
• Why can’t we have an active 911-kind of a support group for crimes against women? We are a huge population – training several jobless men and women to act against these crimes through a helpline should not be too much of an effort, while telecom companies, as part of CSR could help set up toll-free lines or numbers. One missed call to this number could send out an SOS to the police, support groups or the helpline!
• And finally, it is about time we put an end to the attitude of the ‘male’ child of the family being felt important, immortal, special and therefore so powerful that he can get away with anything. Having said that, it is equally important that the women from the weaker sections of the society are empowered so that they are not submissive to domestic violence and they are conditioned to be strong enough to say no! It is time she is given the strength to fight back.

Whether we girls should start carrying pepper sprays or stun guns in our bags from now on is a different case all together, ‘coz if the law and the nation is too weak to protect us, it is time we did it our style and show them the Strength of a Woman!

A Case of Restroom Injustice

One thing common to traveling by long distance trains, watching hutments near the railway line, and more recently, crossing slums (also portrayed in the award-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire), is the stench, cramped spaces, lack of hygiene and most importantly, lack of basic sanitation facilities, especially when it comes to women. Recently, as I took to road-trips more seriously, I stood witness to a startling problem, one which I was subject to as well – the case of ‘Restroom Injustice to Womenfolk’!

Keeping the adventure, fun and frolic aside, one thing has always made me cringe and continues to haunt me – ‘The pain of finding a decent, hygienic restroom and not falling sick with an infection on using a dirty one! Without sounding like a feminist, I can safely say that men, no matter what, never face an issue while on a road travel and can relieve themselves almost anywhere, and by that I mean ANYWHERE!

As funny as it may sound, I have several antics up my sleeve that I have had to put to use to find a decent restroom; some samples being:

• Locating a good petrol pump on a highway in spite of a full tank to run to the restroom (usually a decent petrol pump will have a clean, separate restroom for women)
• Realising the importance of a McDonalds or a Coffee Day on the highway – not to quench my thirst or fill my tummy with good food, but use the restroom in the hope of it being hygienic, clean and woman-friendly!
• Tricking the husband (read: forcing him with puppy-face expressions) into stopping at a fancy-looking restaurant/ hotel and make him drink the world’s most tasteless tea at Rs 30, just so that the wife can use that decent restroom there!

Wondering if I was being a drama queen or was there really such a dearth of sanitation facilities for women, I went looking up on the problem and I was taken aback with startling revelations. It is not simply the lack of separate, clean toilets for women on the highways, but a shameful lack of proper sanitization facilities across most cities, big and small. 

Here’s how:

• According to a NYT article printed recently, a census data found that more than half of Indian households lacked a toilet, a rate that has actually worsened in the past decade despite India’s growing wealth, as slums and other substandard housing have proliferated in growing cities (Read complete article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/15/world/asia/in-mumbai-a-campaign-against-restroom-injustice.html?pagewanted=all)
• A 2009 report by the Centre for Civil Society found that Delhi only has 132 public toilets for women (men had 1,534). In Mumbai, there are 10,300 pay-as-use toilets for a population of around 12.5 million (2011 provisional census data)—around one toilet per 10,769 people.
• For roughly half of India’s 1.2 billion people, toilets are still something of a luxury. Recent census findings show that 46.9% of households in India have a personal latrine, while 53.2% own cell phones.

While this is bad news for everyone, it is worse for women, and particularly for urban women, for whom, lack of a private toilet can mean the difference between safety and sexual assault. A 2010 report on Delhi slums by Sanitation and Hygiene Applied Research for Equity found that of the 42 women in three slums surveyed, 66% suffered verbal abuse, 46% were stalked and 30% have been physically assaulted while going to the public toilet.

At a time when we presume India is shining, FDI is making its inroads, we’re winning Olympic medals, the most powerful country is standing up and taking notice of India, we somehow choose to shun some of the most basic problems, which, if ignored, can snowball into disaster… Well then, is there something called hope and resolve to this?!?!

Thankfully there has been some action, and one can see some light at the end of this dark, dingy, dirty tunnel… A few years ago, the Haryana Government started its ‘No Toilet, No Bride’ campaign, painting walls across the state with the slogan: “I won’t allow my daughter to marry into a home without toilets. Not very long ago, superstar Shah Rukh Khan stated that he wanted to build public utilities for women through his own investment, in small towns and villages…

In another instance, a tribal bride from Madhya Pradesh's Betul district had risked her marriage and left her household in the absence of an indoor lavatory. She was even invited by then President Pratibha Patil and Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh, who honoured her for her boldness towards a social cause.

Another girl from Kanchanpur Kuiya village threatened to leave her in-laws' home after three days of staying there while strongly objecting to the absence of a proper toilet in the house.

Looking at all these instances, I am pleasantly surprised and proud that more rural women are stepping out to fight for a ‘clean’ change within the society! But don’t you think it is about time the educated, urban, fairer sex swung into action???