Nambi Kovil, Tirunelveli. 08 May 2011

A quick exploration of Nambi Malai. Hope to visit again to reach the hill top to see Nambi Kovil.

Long way to go!

Kalikesam, Kanyakumari. 06 May 2011

Today could not stand the soaring summer heat in Kanyakumari, so thought of riding my bike. Did a quick search on Google Map and decided Kalikesam as the destination. One of the reason is it's about 4KM from Keeriparai, my last visit. Though its not thrilling to trek the same route twice, but gave it a ride.

What made the ride truly wonderful was the unsuspecting rain. Yes, as I neared thadikarankonam, I was welcomed by dark clouds and thunders. And soon it started raining like cats and dogs. In minutes the rough hilly road filled with puddles. Enjoyed it and couldn't stop myself from singing, yes from my heart. Soon I was all wet and it was a nice feeling to ride the bike on such a wonderful place on a summer day. As I reached Kalikesam came to know from the villagers that it's been raining for the past 5 days and there were water streams as you could see it on the pictures. You are welcomed by the Kaliamman (Kalimatha) temple and just behind it begins the hilly water streams and further the falls.

Took some dips in the chilling water and some pictures and prepared myself to turn back. Hope to visit again with family and friends for more fun.

Excerpts from Wikipedia 
Kalikesam, is a scenic picnic spot in the Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, India which is famous for its thick forest and rubber plantations. The Kali temple situated here attracts many pilgrims. There is a rocky river with crystal clear water. It is a nice place for people who love peace and nature. More on Wikipedia

Velankkani Church, Nagapattinum. 07 Jun 2010

 

Givie John Varghese Weds Suparna, 27-11-2009, Mumbai

Givie is one of those friends who has been still in touch after leaving Siemens. A nice and cool guy to hang out. Givie (Malayali) and I met first in a medical check-up while joining Siemens, Worli and it was the same day when we met Amit Bhandarwar (Maharashtrian). So since day one in Siemens, we have been a closely knit guys from training to lunch breaks to rest rooms all together. Then joined Nagaraj (tamilan, Naag as Givie calls), senior to us by 3 days.

Anyways, someday I will gather time to write about working in Siemens in a post called may be ‘Days In Siemens’, even though I spent more time in evening shifts that day.

Coming back to this post, it is Givie’s wedding today (was previous day, its early morning as I write this) with Suparna (Bengali). Yes, its a Love marriage, I assume to be 3 years affair.
I and Amit called couple of friends and three of us including Neelesh Pednekar (yes, only three as many its been 4 years since we left Siemens, except Givie, whom I consider a corner stone n Siemens functioning) decided to meet. I and Amit planned to meet in Sion at 8.00PM and get a gift from an Antique & Art store (Tushar Gallery, at the Sion hospital end of Dharavi’s 90 Feet road). We met just as planned, but dropped the plan to get the gift from Dharavi, but to get it from Chembur were we had to reach. By the way, the marriage was arranged at Nataraj Avenues, near R.K. Studio.
As we reached Chembur to get the gift from an Archies, we got a call from Neelesh that No  need to carry a gift as mentioned in the invitation, so we headed towards Nataraj Avenues. There we met Neelesh just outside the venue. There we bought a Bouquet to present to the bride and went in. A beautiful arranged venue.
There we met Nitesh and Biju, both with their wives. By the way, Nitesh’s daughter is very cute. We also happend to meet Chetan Pawar, who had come all the way from Dahisar on his bike.
As usual, we saw a long queue of guests waiting for each turn to wish the couples and as usual turned to the Food. Bengali delicacies arranged across the place and yes, we started with the main course, then proceed to some chinese, then to some chaat (of course there was plenty of time to just  relax and mingle with the guests and we enjoyed the ambience).

By the time we had tasted most of the delicacies presented there, it was time to meet the Bride and Groom. And after wishing them a happy married life, we headed towards the Bengali deserts. The ‘Roshagulla’ as they say was delicious and we didn’t shy gooing for the send round aand overall we enjoyed it.

It is time for marriage procession, at around 12.00 midnight we met Givie in his Bengali attire, struggling to manage the dhoti and was holding one end of it all the time (you can see what I’m talking about on the picture), then a Bengali gentleman came forward and tied the dhoti well and Givie was relieved.

(Amit, Myself, Givie, Chetan, Neelesh)

Then we met Givie’s parents and some of his friends and spent some last moments with Givie  as a bachelor, before he went to pujari and started the mantras and what not.
It was around 1.00AM and time for four of us to leave the scene and we spent some time chit-chatting just outside the venue, before leaving. I accompanied Amit to Ghatkpopar to his room and we spent some time near the roadside and talked about the past in general. It was 1.30AM and I decided to head back home where Nisheed was still awake.
It feels to me that it was more than a marriage for us, it was a get together, that’s what one will feel after reading this post, and that's what social functions are for though.
Yes, my camera missed the gorgeous bride, Suparna. Givie could you send over some pics?
Once again, wishing Givie and Suparna Happy Married Life!

More Pictures

Givie and his Bengali Dhoti!

Amit sitting along me over a mid-night chat

Chetan Pawar smiling for the cam

Givie on his way to Married Life!

Janet Pushpa Spent the Evening Watching the Ducks

Are You Clicking My Picture?

Am I Not Cute?

Hey You! Don’t Swim Against the Stream!

Wish I could Swim

Close-up Please (I don’t brush my teeth much though!)

The Farsighted Girl! Isn’t?

This is how the evening ends here!

Make Popcorn at Home Quickly

Name: Popcorn
Serves:
Cooking time (approx.): 10 minutes
Style:


INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Corn (Small cup)
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder [Haldi]
• 2 tsp Groundnut Oil [Singdana Tel]
• Salt as per taste [Namak]

DIRECTIONS

1. Take a pressure cooker pan (no need for the cooker lid) and heat the oil in high flame.
2. Add the Corns, Turmeric powder and Salt
3. Cover the cooker pan with a flat lid and hold it with a cloth and continuously stir the pan. You will start hearing the corns pop one by one. Stir the pan continuously for few more minutes until all the corns pop.

Why not enjoy this Sunday afternoon with home made pop-corn over a Masala Movie? Go ahead!

Rava Upma for Breakfast

Name: Rava Upma
Serves: 2
Cooking time (approx.): 20 minutes
Style:



INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Rava (Small cup)
• 1 Onion (Medium sized, sliced)
• 1 Tomato (Optional) (Medium sized, diced)
• 3 Dry Red Chillies [Laal Mirchi]
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seed [Rai]
• 1/2 inch Ginger [Adrak, sliced]
• Salt as per taste [Namak]
• 2 tsp Groundnut Oil [Singdana Tel]
• 4 Cups Water

DIRECTIONS

1. Fry the Rava in a dry bowl in slow flame, stir continuosly till color changes slightly (not till brown) and keep it aside
2. Heat the oil in a bowl in meduim flame
3. Add the mustard and as it splutters add onion, tomato, zinger and red chilly and fry slightly (not till brown)
4. Add water and let it boil
5. Once water boils add the rava slowly and cook for few minutes by stiring continuosly (add a cup of water if uppuma becomes sticky very quickly)

You may garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy your Rava Upma with Tea (obviously hot)

Suggested serving: Try the upma with sugar and let me know if you like it.

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Memorable Alibag Trip

 

This Alibag trip was one of our many quick DECIDE-GO plan. This was our first trip to Alibag and was made memorable by far the boat journey. It was more relaxing and relieving which we don’t get to experience on any other mode of travel.

It all began on a slothful afternoon of  4th Feb 2009, after a hectic weeks of work load we really wanted to escape the life we were living and a thought of a distance trip struck our mind. We all were quick enough to choose Alibag as we had never been there and its the Out Of Mumbai factor.

A quick check on the internet and few calls to friends and we are all equipped with the facts of the Alibag ranging from where to stay, what to see and so on. Suashma was helpful in giving a overall perspective of the place.

We three of us Me, Nisheed and Dhananjay packed our bags quickly, nothing much just spare cloths, and reached Dockyard road in the harbor line, from there we took a cab to Ferry Wharf (Bhaucha Dhakka) for Ferry. We missed a ferry by few minutes but were lucky to get the last one for 5.30 PM.

We had this leaving sensation that took us all

To Be Continued…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tag Cloud: travel, mumbai, alibag, boat trip, trip

Pork Curry [South Indian Style]

Name: Pork Curry
Serves: 2
Cooking time (approx.): 1:30 minutes
Style: South Indian



INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Kg Pork Meat along with pork skin and pork fat (small to medium sized pieces)
• 2 Onions (Medium sized, sliced)
• 2 tsp Red Chilly powder
• 2 tsp Coriander powder [Dhaniya]
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder [Haldi]
• 2 tsp Coconut (shredded) [Naariyal]
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seed [Rai]
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seed [Jeera]
• 1/2 tsp Tamarind pulp [Imli]
• 2 inch Ginger [Adrak]
• Salt as per taste [Namak]

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil Pork meat along with onions with salt on a big bowl for 45 Minutes on medium flame (do not drain extra water)
2. Grind Coconut, Mustard Seed and Cumin seed (on a Mixer is fine)
3. Mix the above ground paste along with Ginger, Red chilly powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder to the still boiling pork
4. Add tamarind pulp and add salt as per taste
5. Let it boil for another 45 minutes on medium flame

You may garnish with onion rings and finely chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Steamed Rice or Paav

Suggested serving!

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