Tribal Route

A few days back I met an enterprising lady called Mamta. While we got talking I learnt that she is one of the Partner/Business Manager of an outlet called ' Tribal Route', that sells 'carefully selected and hand-crafted' merchandise.

Tribal Route is located in Versova, a beach-village in suburban Mumbai. The store is run in quaint little cottages away from the maddening sounds of the city. You can drop in and have a look at the various products they have in store - studio pottery, decor, dining, candles, frames - or maybe you could sit and have a warm chat in their majlis courtyard.

I haven't had the opportunity to visit Tribal Route though I did glance through their website. Soon I'll be going there in person. Meanwhile check them out here:

http://www.tribalroute.com/

http://www.tribal-route.blogspot.com/

India da connotations

Mirchi (मिर्ची):

n

1. fruit of a plant belonging to Capsicum genus

In India mirchi has it's own connotations.

1. fruit of a plant belonging to Capsicum genus

2. a hot looking babe

3. spicy food that sets the taste buds on fire

4. a tongue (of the fairer sex), that can shower the choicest expletives

The 2nd and the 4th connotations are better handled by men (roadside romeos). And Bollywood villains have always done complete justice to 'mirchi' in their various roles where they are seen coiling a belt or maybe a stole in their hands approaching the quivering heroine addressing her as nothing but 'a fruit of the capsicum genus'.

Think mirchi think:

Radio mirchi

Rakhi Sawant

Govinda (tujhko mirchi lagi to)

Vada pav

Mallika Sherawat

pani puri (gol gappe) - teekha wala

Mirch Masala - especially the last scene

The husband and his wife - Part 1

The husband has decided to quit smoking. He's been trying that for the last five years. Poor soul. The efforts are not paying off and the wife is utterly disgusted.

Now the wife is very broad-minded. She doesn't mind smoking when it's done by other men. (Isn't that what being broad-minded is all about? You don't mind it as far as it's not happening in your life, in your house.) But the moment she spots a cigarette in the husband's hand her blood pressure shoots up and the rythm of breathing undergoes a change. It turns into hyperventilation.

After a bit of coaxing and cajoling things get to normalcy state. The husband promises her that 'tomorrow is the last day'.

And the wife knows...tomorrow never comes!

Way back home - Conversation I

" Do you know that we have muscles in our body? We have muscles in the stomach too. Did you know that?"

"Yeah. They taught that in school. Did they teach you too?"

"Yes. Auntie showed us pictures of the human body. She told us about the muscles in the stomach. But I don't understand one thing. How do babies manage to enter the stomach in spite of the muscles?"

Ecstasy

This week's craziest things...

1. Bought one more pack of cumin seeds from the departmental store - that makes it a total of three packs that's already stored in an airtight jar away from sunlight and my line of vision.

2. Wasted an egg (not talking about an ovum here). Saturday I was making omelettes. The bin was on the left side and the blender on the right. Cracked the first egg - shells into the bin and egg into the blender. Second egg - shells into the bin and egg into the blender. Third egg - shells into the blender and egg into the bin. Oops!

3. Saw a strange insect. It looked like this. Called my son and told him to have a look at this beautiful bug that look like conjoined twins. Little did I know that those bugs were mating...

Colour of the day

Orange is the happiest colour.
-Frank Sinatra

This picture of fresh carrots was taken in Ooty, on our way to the Ooty Lake.

Monisha Bharadwaj

I have always felt inspired by this lady. I don't know if it was because we shared the same passions in life or is it just plain adulation, but somewhere I admire her for her cookery, her writings on home decor and her ardent love for dance.

I became conversant with Monisha through her book 'The Indian Kitchen' - a book that I consider a bible on Indian pantry.

Later on I discovered her books on Indian homes. Books that lend you a peek into the origin of traditional Indian home decor.

Bottles make for good vases and plant holders.






















Pothos in an old Antiquity bottle.

काली चाय?

इसे काली चाय क्यों कहते हैं? क्या यह काली नज़र आती हैं? खैर...

Sasural gendha phool

सैयां छेड़ देवे
ननंद चुटकी लेवे
ससुराल गेंदा फूल।

Though I didn't enjoy Dilli 6, I liked the songs in the movie, particularly the folksong Sasural gendha phool. There is a certain rawness to it and the use of colloquial language in the lyrics adds the extra zing. But if you ask me what i means, sorry, can't help you.

Mouth-watering...

Hot potato patties (read pattice) ready to be served with spicy pea curry and a dash of tamarind chutney...garnished with fresh coriander and chopped onions. Have it at streetside stalls for that authentic yummilicious taste!

Pav bhaji! Yes - Pav and bhaji, pau and bhaji or pao and bhaji. Spell it the way you like, but savour it at local street stalls of Bombay with a generous topping of the popular Amul Butter. A blend of vegetables - cauliflower, potatoes, green peas and capsicum - boiled and mashed to mix with sauteed tomatoes and pav bhaji masala . Sprinkle chopped onions and fresh coriander and serve with the laadi pav buttered and mildly run on a pan.