tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88299953902170521382024-03-05T19:29:41.961+05:30Karishma Pais (Kim) in PrintArticles written by me that have been published in print or on sites with stringent approvals. And recognition of my articles/blogs that aren't paid for or otherwise personally influenced.Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.comBlogger150125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-57277893748737422462014-11-16T05:20:00.000+05:302014-11-19T05:24:25.726+05:30The Foodie & the Fotographer : Champaner & The Glory that Surrounds It.From : <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=8&edcode=1310005&eddate=2014-11-16">The DNA</a><br />
16 November 2014<br />
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<b>EAT AND DRIVE :- History, Spirituality, Royalty, Natural Beauty & a Unique Craft @ Champaner, Pavgadh, Jambughoda & Sankheda</b><br />
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<i><b>The Foodie & The Fotographer – Kim & Brajesh go Road Tripping through Gujarat.</b></i><br />
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A Month Ago, (<a href="http://karishmapais.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-foodie-fotographer-catch-up-with.html">DNA, 16 Oct 14</a>) we explored Patan, a recently declared UNESCO World Heritage Site, but Champaner was given the same honour more than 10 years ago in 2004, as the only complete and unchanged Islamic pre-Mughal city.<br />
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In 1484, Sultan Mahmud Begarah took possession of the Pavgadh Hill fort and renamed it Muhammadabad. Champaner was constructed as the Capital City of Gujarat by the 16th Century. <br />
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Today the town sees hordes of visitors, but 99.9% of them head only to<b> Pavgadh Hill</b> to the temple of <b>Kalika Mata</b> – belived to be a Shaktipeeth because Sati’s toe is supposed to have fallen here. Unusually, there is a shrine built over the temple dedicated to Muslim Saint <b>Sadanshah</b>, who supposedly pacified Mahakali, who in a fit of rage had set out to destroy the world.<br />
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It is possible to take your vehicle half way up the hill to the parking area, which has a basic Government rest house with very nice staff, who have snacks and tea on offer (if they are open) and usable washrooms. The view from their basic outdoor dining is gorgeous and with a steaming cup of tea and piping hot pakodas, you can forget the world and the crowds outside.<br />
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Many pilgrims climb the Pavgadh hill in pilgrimage (4-5 hours round trip), but for those less physically inclined, there is a mono-cable ropeway that can carry 1200 people per hour. However, this ropeway only operates in certain seasons and is often closed for repairs and maintenance, so be prepared for that eventuality.<br />
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The <b>Champaner Heritage Site</b> encompasses this temple, the living town of Champaner and the Heritage Buildings spread all over the area, many of which still lie unexcavated. You can see some of these monuments as you drive up the hill. If something looks interesting, park your vehicle (at a proper space that doesn’t obstruct other traffic) and get out for a walk. Walking around these monuments is the only way to truly appreciate their size and intricate work.<br />
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The <a href="http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_champaner_monuments.asp">ASI Website</a> lists over 35 monuments that have been studied, but not all of them are easily accessible. Our car often had its capabilities tested to the maximum on some of the side roads and we still couldn’t find some of the monuments on the list. We treated the whole exercise as a treasure hunt and had loads of fun.<br />
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The main series of monuments is located directly opposite the path that leads up to Pavgadh Hill. The Jami Masjid here is accepted to be the model for later mosque architecture in India. Some of these Historic sites, now house Government offices. If you ask nicely, they will let you take a walk around their premises.<br />
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Champaner is 154 km away from Ahmedabad and takes around 2.5 hours to drive, bypassing Baroda, via Halol. However, you can also spend Friday night in Baroda and then it is less than an hours drive (58 km) to Champaner. You can choose to return to Ahmedabad via Baroda (stopping here for lunch), We however prefer the more scenic route via Jambughoda (25 km) & Sankheda (40km). Then another 167 km to Ahmedabad, for a round trip of around 400 km.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.jambughoda.com/"><b>Nature Lovers Retreat</b></a> is a Heritage Property of the Jamughoda Royal family, that has guesthouse style rooms and serves brilliant food. Call at least 24 hours ahead to book for lunch. You may not see any Wildlife, but the Greenery is a soothing balm to the soul. Next time we may try the recently opened <a href="http://champanerheritageresort.com/"><b>Champaner Heritage Resort</b></a> or the <a href="http://www.mountheritageresort.com/"><b>Mount Heritage Resort</b></a>. If you want to explore further, head to the <b>Jhund Hanuman temple</b> in the sanctuary, with its 18foot high murti, believed to date to the Mahabharata era or the Government Guest House which has great views of the reservoirs.<br />
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Then take a quick drive to <b>Sankheda </b>and watch the carpenters known as <i>kharadis </i>create the unique lacquered woodwork furniture of this region. It’s a 400+ year old craft, practiced by 100+ families. Pick up a sofa set or a photo frame and know that you have bought something that isn’t manufactured anywhere else in the world. <br />
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After such a series of varied experiences and sights, head back to Ahmedabad content in all that you have achieved for the day.<br />
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<b>Entry</b><br />
Champaner Heritage Site – the main mosque – 5 Rs – same ticket can be used for entry to the other monuments too.<br />
Ropeway - 75 Rs<br />
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Read the Entire Article on the <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=56711&boxid=73459&ed_date=2014-11-16&ed_code=1310005&ed_page=8">DNA Website</a><br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/karishmapais">@KarishmaPais</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Brajesh_Bajpai">@Brajesh_Bajpai</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-88429524739657307002014-11-02T04:04:00.003+05:302014-11-02T04:09:45.301+05:30The Foodie & the Fotographer : Are Shocked & Awed at JunagadhFrom : <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=7&edcode=1310005&eddate=2014-11-02">The DNA</a><br />
2 Nov 2014<br />
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<h2>
EAT AND DRIVE :- Shock & Awe in Junagadh</h2>
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<i><b>The Foodie & The Fotographer – Kim & Brajesh go Road Tripping through Gujarat.</b></i><br />
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Junagadh is often overlooked by most travelers to Gir or Somnath as a tiny town that you pass along the way. However, it is the most undiscovered and untapped gem of Gujarat for us. We have never found tourists (local or foreign) here, except for the pilgrims visiting Mt Girnar, inspite of the town housing multiple sites of interest from Buddhist and Mughal time periods too. <br />
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The journey to Junagadh from Ahmedabad, via Rajkot is around 317 km and takes roughly 5 hours, unless you decided to break at <b>Rajkot </b>/ <b>Khamabaliya </b>or take a detour into <b>Gondal</b>. <br />
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Junagadh means “Old Fort” and this little town has been ruled in turn by the Mauryas, Maitrakas, Solankis, Chudasamas & Mughals – each of whom have left behind a bit of their history, architecture and aesthetics.<br />
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For a regular tourist, the main place of interest is the <b>Uparkot Fort</b> which was virtually inaccessible when it was built. Today, you can drive your car right into the fort and actually drive around it. The entry is on the narrow side, but an SUV can get in easily, as long as you come to an understanding with any driver approaching from the opposite direction.<br />
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Inside the Fort, the largest spot of interest is the 15th C. <b>Jama Masjid</b> which is itself built like a fort. Its covered courtyard is a unique feature in Indian mosque architecture. Be adventurous and climb up to the higher floor on the rickety stairs. The views are most definitely worth it and you can take multitudes of profile photos (which is what most of the visiting kids end up doing)<br />
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The oldest part of the fort is its <b>Buddhist caves</b> that are 2 – 3 stories underground carved out of monolithic rocks. You may feel that there is hardly anything to see and everything is faded, but remember that these caves are almost 2000 years old and use your imagination to visualise what it would look like in its heyday filled with Buddhist monks.<br />
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Hire a guide if you would like to hear the mournful story of <b>Adi Kadi</b> – the sisters who were sacrificed, so the stepwells would fill with water. Or have your picture taken astride a stuffed tiger with a BB gun in hand to resemble a shikari of yore, or scramble down the <b>Navghan Kuvo</b> which provided the fort with water in case of long sieges.<br />
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There is a snack shop opposite the Adi Kadi Vav, who sells packaged namkeen and cold drinks and you will often find street vendors selling seasonal fruits and cholafali or singdana. You may also find a lady selling local herbs and spices, be wary of what you buy, we found that the aroma of everything vanished even before we returned to Ahmedabad.<br />
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Just walk around this whole place and take it all in and enjoy the beauty of the fort and its magnificent backdrop.<br />
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Come back towards town and head to the pinnacle of Islamic Architecture in the State – the <b>Mahabat Maqbara</b>, with its external spiral staircase encircled minarets - from the Babi period, but built with a mix of European (Gothic columns, French windows), Hindu and Moorish influences. Climb up one of those staircases for some brilliant views and pictures of the Mahabat Maqbara and the neighbouring <b>Bahauddin Maqbara</b> which is also extremely picturesque.<br />
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Stop for lunch at <b>Petals in Lotus Hotel</b> for a pretty decent Indian meal with usable bathrooms. It’s also a good option for an overnight stay with comfortable rooms. <br />
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After lunch head towards <b>Mt Girnar/Neminath</b> which is home to Jain & Hindu temples, Buddhist Cave shrines and even a Dargah of a Saint. The <b>Amba Mata Temple</b> is sacred to newlyweds, <b>Guru Dattatreya Temple</b> is built on the spot where he performed severe penance to Lord Shiva for 24 years and <b>Kalka’s peak</b> dedicated to Kali Ma and the resort of Aghoris are the most famous. The annual <i><b>Girnar / Lili Parikrama </b></i> is a festival spanning 7 days and involves walking 36 kms and climbing 4000 steps upto Girnar Taleti and most pilgrims do this over 3 days. <br />
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If this is not your cup of tea, just drive up to the furthest point and stop to visit one of the few surviving <b>Ashokan Rock Edicts</b> from 3rd BC along the way.<br />
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If you spend more time in the city, the other spots of interest are the <b>Sakkarbaug Zoo</b> – which has an excellent conservation program with Asiatic Lions, <b>Narsinh Mehtha no Choro</b>, <b>Bhavnath Mahadev Temple</b>, <b>Willingdon Dam</b>, <b>Datar Hill</b> or the <b>Darbar Hall Museum</b>.<br />
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If you want to extend your trip to Junagadh, you can head off on a spiritual quest for God at Somnath / Dwarka or find God in nature at the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary.<br />
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@KarishmaPais<br />
@Brajesh_Bajpai<br />
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<b>Uperkot Fort</b><br />
Entry – 4 wheeler with passengers – 40Rs.<br />
Entry – 2 wheeler – 5 Rs<br />
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<b>Most sites are open from 9 – 6 and entry fee if any, is 5Rs per person.</b><br />
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Read the entire article on the <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=56067&boxid=69077&ed_date=2014-11-02&ed_code=1310005&ed_page=7">DNA Website</a>.Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-36716481971906752014-10-24T10:03:00.000+05:302014-10-28T02:25:38.661+05:30The Foodie & The Fotographer : Catch up with the Sun & The QueenIn : <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=8&edcode=1310005&eddate=2014-10-24">The DNA</a><br />
On : 24 October 2014<br />
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<h2><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">EAT AND DRIVE :- Catch up with the Sun & the Queen.</span></b></h2><br />
<b>Kim & Brajesh go Road Tripping through Gujarat.</b><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/karishmapais">@KarishmaPais</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Brajesh_Bajpai">@Brajesh_Bajpai</a><br />
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Rani ki Vav at Patan was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site just 4 months ago, so it is not yet inundated with tourists. Grab the opportunity to head to this magnificently worked ancient stepwell and see for yourself, why this 11<sup>th</sup> Century monument is worthy of this honour. On the way, stop at another Solanki monument of the same era at Modhera and breathe in the beauty at one of the 3 main Sun Temples surviving in India today.<br />
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This can easily be covered in a day trip. Start early from Ahmedabad to avoid the morning rush. Modhera is a 100km away via Kalol and takes about 1.5 hours to drive. <br />
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If it’s too early to prepare breakfast at home, you can always stop at <b>Janpath Hotel</b> near Mehsana, which opens as early as 6:30 am and serves great poha and lassi. Gota, samosa and bread pakoda are also on offer for those who like a crispy start to the day. If you arrive a little later in the morning , they will even offer you fresh dosas and parathas. Almost opposite, is a new <b>McDonalds</b> Drive-In (only), which works well if you want a fast food fix or are a little more conscious about overall cleanliness.<br />
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Drive on to the Modhera Sun Temple, where there is more than adequate parking. I have never seen the GTDC cafeteria – “Toran” – at this location open in the 15+ visits we have made, so do carry food with you, if you plan to picnic on the lovely sprawling green lawns at this site. There is a shop near the ticket window, that sells namkeen, cold drinks and water. <br />
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The museum at Modhera has been recently opened to the public. While it may seem like there is no point in spending time on broken sculptures, when a large temple complex awaits exploration, there is something to be said about browsing individual sculptures slowly. I find that I pay more attention to detail this way, but tend to gloss over intricacies when presented with a larger structure.<br />
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The Sun temple is broadly divided into the <i>Surya Kund</i> – Sacred Tank – surrounded by 108 mini shrines, mostly dedicated to Lord Shiva. <i>Sabha Mandap</i> – Assembly Hall – This is beautifully worked and since it is a semi open structure, here is where you can best admire the carvings of episodes from the Hindu epics. The <i>Garb Gruh</i> – sanctum sanctorum was designed in a way that the first rays of the sun on 21<sup>st</sup> March, would fall on the idol of Suryadev in here. There is no longer an idol in this temple, or any idol of Suryadev. But there is a small functional temple to Shivji alongside the main temple and there are plenty of depictions of Suryadev on the interior and exterior of the main temple.<br />
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Drive on for another 45 minutes (36km) on SH 7 to arrive at the Rani ki Vav in Patan. Before stopping here, head a little further on the same road to the <b>Sahastralinga Talav</b>, to get an idea of what it must have been like during the process of excavation. <br />
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Then return on the same road to the Rani Ki Vav (supposedly built on the banks of the River Saraswati) which to us, is the pinnacle of Solanki architecture in Gujarat. Stepwells in Gujarat were not just constructed for the practical purpose of water, but most of them were also used as a social gathering place and hence great attention was paid, to make it a beautiful space. The Rani Ki Vav is the pinnacle in the design & aesthetics of subterranean architecture. It is awe inspiring, right from the time that you begin your descent into the 7 levels. The walls are covered with over 500 main sculptures and 1000 minor ones from mythology and religion. The most prominent are the dashavatar and the image of Vishnu reclining on the Sheshnag, resting in infinity between the ages.<br />
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There is rumoured to be a tunnel at the base of this stepwell which extends 30kms into Siddhpur, to be used by the Royal Family for escape, in case of emergency. <br />
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At the end of this visit, you can relax and spend time in <b>Patan City</b>, exploring its multiple Jain Temples or admiring the Patola weavers exquisite skill. You can head towards the picturesque town of <b>Siddhpur</b> and stop at <b>Bindu Sarovar</b> – the only place in India for matru shraddh. Or you can head back to Ahmedabad via Unjha and Mehsana, stopping for a lovely South Indian lunch or dosas at <b>Sankalp</b>. <br />
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If you are not yet ready to call it a day, then you can visit <b>Thol Bird Sanctuary</b> en route and time it in a way to be there around sunset to witness the amazing cacophony of 1000’s of birds coming to roost around the lake.<br />
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There is so much natural beauty, history and architecture to be discovered around Gujarat, that it is never a question of “<i>what is there to do this weekend?</i>”, it is more about “<i>how much can I see and do this weekend?</i>”<br />
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<b>Modhera Sun Temple</b><br />
Entry 5 Rs<br />
Parking 20 Rs<br />
Usable Washrooms behind the museum<br />
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<b>Rani Ki Vav</b><br />
Entry 5 Rs<br />
Still Camera 100 Rs<br />
Booklet 30 Rs<br />
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<b>Sahstralinga Talav & Bindu Sarovar</b><br />
Entry – Free<br />
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<b>Thol Lake</b><br />
Car with passengers – 200 Rs<br />
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<b>Websites:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.ranikivav.org/">http://www.ranikivav.org</a><br />
<a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/922">http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/922</a><br />
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Read This Article in Detail on the <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=55767&boxid=68685&ed_date=2014-10-24&ed_code=1310005&ed_page=8">DNA Website</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-68610192263902207932014-10-12T19:08:00.000+05:302014-10-14T19:53:34.018+05:30The Foodie & The Fotographer : Drive to Diu & Explore the Hidden GemsFrom : <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=6&edcode=1310005&eddate=2014-10-12">DNA</a><br />
12 October 2014<br />
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The Foodie & The Fotographer – Kim & Brajesh explore Gujarat through their road trips<br />
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Let’s face it : Living in a Dry State like we do, the minute you say that you want to drive to <a href="http://diutourism.co.in/">Diu</a>, most minds jump to the most obvious. But there is so much more to see and do in Diu, including just enjoying the sun and sand on one of its many beautiful beaches, bordered with Hoka Palms that were originally imported from Mozambique.<br />
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The drive to Diu from Ahmedabad is approximately 350km and takes around 6 hours. You can go via Dhanduka on SH 236 or via Bhavnagar.<br />
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We prefer the Bhavnagar route, because it also gives us the option to break journey at the beautiful <b><a href="http://nilambagpalace.com/">Nilambagh Palace Hotel</a></b> for lunch. Whether you eat in the formal dining room with its humongous Burma Teak table and Czechoslovakian chandeliers or at the serene Garden Restaurant, you will always remember this place. They serve Indian, Chinese and Continental cusine, but we heavily recommend their Indian food, especially the local style chicken curry and tandoori chicken with rotis.<br />
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If you are heading straight to Diu for lunch, our first recommendation is <b>O’Coqueiro</b>. (No relation to the infamous restaurant in Goa with the same name) It’s a simple space, with food cooked in the house behind and while service is sometimes slow, it is worth the wait. Try their Penne Calamari, Bavette con Gamberi, Caldo de Camarao or the Fish in Tomato Curry. They also have quite a range of vegetarian dishes that are good, but the seafood is outstanding - absolutely fresh and tasty.<br />
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After lunch, pay a quick visit to the <b>St Thomas Church</b> next door, which is now the Diu museum. It’s a 10-20 minute stop, but has some good antique statues and wooden carvings. Try the <b>Sao Tome Retiro</b> upstairs, for budget accommodation and great BBQ parties (for residents only)<br />
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Once it’s slightly cooler, head to the <b>Diu Fort</b> to work off some of those calories from lunch. Built by the Portuguese in the 1530’s, it is worth climbing its ramparts for the magnificent sea views and a glimpse of the Island Fort - <b>Panikota Forte do Mar</b>.<br />
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For dinner, head to<b> Cat’s Eye View</b> at <a href="http://www.resorthoka.com/"><b>The Resort Hoka / Hoka Island Villa</b></a>. It’s a lovely chilled out Garden venue which also serves brilliant seafood – Indian and Continental. If you are not in the mood for a heavy dinner, choose from a wide range of snacks to go with your drinks – batter fried prawns or fried brinjals there’s something on offer for everyone and their breakfasts are great too. The rooms here are quite quirky, but comfortable.<br />
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<b>Heranca Goesa</b> is a great option for breakfast after a swim / dip at one of Diu’s many <b>beaches </b>– Nagoa, Jalandhar, Chakratirth or Ghoghla. <a href="http://whazzupgujarat.blogspot.in/2014/10/gangeshwar-mahadev-temple-diu.html"><b>Gangeshwar Mahadev</b></a> is a Holy spot with 5 Shivlingas supposedly constructed by the Pandavas to worship Lord Shiva before eating. During high tide, the Shivlingas are constantly washed by the sea spray. <b>St Paul’s Church</b> is a functional Church that holds services on Sunday, but can be visited almost anytime.<br />
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If you want to do something more adventurous, head to the <b>Naida Caves</b>, that are extremely picturesque (they are the backdrop to Rani Mukherjee’s opening dance sequence in Aiyya) and great fun to scramble around. If you want to do some serious caving, carry a flashlight and always go with a companion.<br />
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Honour our brave sailors who died defending our country at the <b>INS Khukhri Memorial</b>. This is also a perfect spot for a sunset viewing.<br />
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If you are not particular about staying on Diu itself, the <a href="http://www.magicodomar.com/"><b>Hotel Magico Do Mar</b></a> is an interesting option just before the bridge that crosses over into the island. The cottages are very cosy and they have a private beach too.<br />
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Entry to all places of interest on Diu (except the <b>Shell Museum</b>) are free. Timings vary, but are generally sunrise to sunset. The Fort has a functional prison, so the timings here are a bit stricter.<br />
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<u><b>5 Accessories to carry on driving trips</b></u><br />
• Sunglasses & Caps for all<br />
• Sufficient supply of water<br />
• Camera - not the phone variety<br />
• Music <br />
• Phone<br />
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Read the Entire Article on the <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=55254&boxid=72499&ed_date=2014-10-12&ed_code=1310005&ed_page=6">DNA Website</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-38697783167030046152014-10-05T10:38:00.000+05:302014-10-09T04:17:39.346+05:30The Foodie & The Fotographer : Take a Leisurely Drive to Velavadar National ParkFrom : <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=2&edcode=1310009&eddate=2014-10-05">DNA</a><br />
5 October 2014<br />
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One of the easiest drives for good wildlife sighting in Gujarat is to the Velavadar Blackbuck National Park. <br />
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Velavadar, is about 140km away from Ahmedabad and a leisurely drive, takes around 2.5 hours with random stops for either photography or food.<br />
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You also have the option to visit Lothal and the Uthelia Palace enroute, for a peek into some history, if you so choose. The drive is very comfortable, roads are good and the only thing that you need to watch out for is - the actual turn, off the highway towards Lothal / Velavadar, that isn’t very clearly marked.<br />
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The Velavadar Blackbuck National Park is open from sunrise to sunset (except during monsoons) If you want to take just a day trip, depart from Ahmedabad at about 5:30-6 am, reach the park and go in for a drive. Have lunch at <a href="http://theblackbucklodge.com/">The Blackbuck Lodge</a>, relax there until the sun loses a bit of its fieriness, go on another drive around the park and then head back to Ahmedabad.<br />
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The only reason, we suggest a day trip is because, the lodge has just 14 independent cottages and is constantly in high demand. However, to truly enjoy the beauty of this place and relax, it is advisable to spend at least one night at the resort.<br />
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The 35sq km Velavadar Blackbuck National Park park has grasslands, shrub lands, saline plains and mud flats, which support a variety of grass, 95 species of flowering plants, 14 species of mammals (blackbuck, nilgai, Indian grey wolf, striped hyena, Indian fox, golden jackal, jungle cat and smaller ones like hare, gerbil, field mice, mongoose and hedgehog), over 140 species of birds and many reptiles. The Alang and Paravalia Rivers, three artificial ponds, two check dams and nearby coastal marshes provide an ideal habitat for aquatic flora and fauna. From a conservation viewpoint, a unique feature of the park is that it is the only tropical grassland in India to be given the status of a national park. This used to be the private grasslands of the maharaja of Bhavnagar before it was converted into a national park.<br />
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Ardent birders head here for rare sightings of the lesser florican, endangered vultures, demoiselle cranes and a variety of raptors. The park also hosts the world’s largest harrier roost. We visited during the monsoons when the main park is closed (mid-June to mid-Oct), but we saw lots of blackbuck and birds and even a jungle cat on a general drive outside the national park. It is a single lane road and the road behind the Velavadar village has massive craters, so you need a vehicle with higher clearance (like one you could use inside the park) to make this drive.<br />
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The Blackbuck Lodge is the most peaceful resort that you can visit in Gujarat. The cottages are spaced out more like an African (think Kenya / South Africa / Tanzania safari resorts) resort than a Kutchi / Gujarati one. It is spread across acres and acres, with no boundary wall in sight, just rolling swathes of green and blue. The chirping of birds is brilliant background music to this visual relaxation.<br />
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They have a fantastic in house library (small, but with plenty of books on wildlife and lots of different magazines if you prefer) at the reception and the sit out here overlooks a beautiful lake, that makes it the perfect spot to cosy up with a book or just sit and contemplate the glorious silence.<br />
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You have to choose the all-inclusive plan as there is no other place nearby to visit for lunch or dinner, unless you plan to visit Bhavnagar for the day. But the food at every buffet that we tasted, was very good (you just have to adjust salt and chillies to your taste - they are served on the side). The non-veg is excellent and quality is very high. Its worth waiting to arrive here for your meal.<br />
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However, if you feel peckish along the way, the most popular stop is the recently opened Gallops that serves more-than-average highway food (for Gujarat), although most of the options are deep-fried.<br />
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Our personal choice was a much smaller and less swanky “<b>Darshan Hotel</b>” near Pipali which served us some of the best dal that we have eaten on Gujarat’s highways. Let the staff recommend what is best for the day and just trust them blindly, you can’t go wrong.<br />
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Whether you head here just for a day’s outing or for a long weekend, enjoy the park responsibly, do not harm or frighten the wildlife, avoid loud obnoxious behaviour and respect Mother Nature.<br />
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<b>5 Point checklist before a long drive</b>.<br />
1. Fuel (The obvious full tank)<br />
2. Air in tyres (including stepney)<br />
3. Tool Box & Jack (you never know)<br />
4. Papers - RC, PUC, Insurance, Licence (right side of the law)<br />
5. Map Route - Paper or Virtual (while getting lost has its own charm)<br />
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The <b>Gallops complex</b> enroute has its own restaurant upstairs, an eatery downstairs, a couple of outlets outside selling chikkis, paan, channachor and frenchfries. CCD and Havmor are due to open shortly. Gallops kitchen isn’t very clean or inspiring, so we preferred driving a little further to Pipali and eating at <b>Darshan Hotel</b>.<br />
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The <b>Blackbuck Lodge</b> serves a lovely buffet, with salads, a fairly large vegetarian spread, a non-veg dish (chicken / mutton) and a dessert. We had some awesome mutton kurma, mutton roganjosh, kofta curries and gulab jamuns. Definitely don’t miss the amazing pista colored gur which is made in the village nearby.<br />
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Read the <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=54987&boxid=65900&ed_date=2014-10-05&ed_code=1310009&ed_page=2">Entire article on The DNA Website</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-4714725486336206062014-08-11T09:56:00.000+05:302014-08-12T03:57:36.477+05:30For Amdavadis, printed word holds an irreplaceable charmBrajesh, me and <a href="http://whichbooknext.blogspot.com/">our book review blog</a> featured in <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=2&edcode=1310005&eddate=2014-08-11">today's DNA Ahmedabad</a> (Page 2 of Main Paper) <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=53005&boxid=554225&ed_date=2014-08-11&ed_code=1310005&ed_page=2">article on Booklovers</a><br />
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<b>For Amdavadis, printed word holds an irreplaceable charm</b><br />
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The adage – ‘Wear the old coat and buy a new book' — goes very well for Amdavadi bookworms who are still hooked to the woody aroma of the printed pages. These bibliophagists appreciate Kindle, but say digitisation cannot replace the charm of printed words. dna’s Himali Doshi finds out how the city-folk declare their undying love for printed books on Book Lovers Day<br />
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‘Begin reading today and change your life’ <br />
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Brajesh Bajpai, business head, Vodafone Ltd Gujarat, <b>owns a 1,500-book library. An active blogger on <a href="http://whichbooknext.blogspot.in/">http://whichbooknext.blogspot.in</a>, he and wife Karishma summarise and rate the books they read across all genres. ‘My library grew naturally when my wife Karishma brought home her own large collection of books,” he says revealing how he thought of making a library. </b>“The print form is being challenged by lower costs and easy accessibility of e-books, but will survive for its own unique reasons,” he says with hope. His favourite author is Devdutt Pattnaik whose “Mahabharata” he rates highly, with all its renditions, versions and speculative fiction. <br />
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‘Read books and let your imagination soar’ <br />
“When my family moved from Sindh, my grandmother brought with her only a few clothes but a trunk full of books,” says Prakash Ramrakhiani who has a 5,000-book library which he calls 'Danai' meaning 'knowledge' in Greek. His love for books soared when he began receiving books as a prize for standing first in class.” His favourite authors are PG Woodhouse, W Dalrymple, John LeCarre and Frederick Forsyth. That books would be redundant soon was speculated even 20 years ago, he remembers and feels e-books can never replace the smell of fresh paper or the charm of holding a book in the hand. His message for the young is that they should read all genres to develop mind and thought. <br />
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‘Food for thought weighs more than food for stomach’ <br />
Founder of 'The Riverside School', Ahmedabad, Kiran Bir Sethi has about 1,000 books in her personal library. Lending and borrowing books was an essential the part of growing up she remembers and insists that parents should encourage their kids to make their own collection. Though she loves e-books she says, reading printed books gives her unparalleled pleasure. “Youngsters read a lot of stuff on social networking sites, but they need to be inspired to read books” she says. Among her favourite books are 'The difficulty of being good' by Guru Charan Das and MK Gandhi's 'My experiments with truth'.<br />
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<b>Published Date:</b> Aug 11, 2014Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-84895614111566098732014-07-28T03:25:00.001+05:302014-07-28T03:38:00.557+05:30My Interview on sulekha.com<a href="http://sulekha.com/">Sulekha.com</a> is a very popular Indian Website in the US. It was one of the first websites to start a Indian Recipe section way back in the late 1990's as far as I remember. While their focus has slowly changed, the food section is still quite prominent and I'm quite kicked about the fact that they wanted to interview me :)<br />
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The interview can be read on site - <a href="http://indiapulse.sulekha.com/food-recipes/beyond-butter-and-paneer-lies-bamboo-shoot-by-karisma-pais_post_6709">here</a><br />
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Many of us cannot even think about an Indian delicacy beyond garam masala, ghee or butter. Beauty of the food lies in humble ingredients. “Noodles Vs. Snake meat” is just a cloudy vision about the unique cuisine from North East. Karishma talks about innovating delicious Indian food via North-East cuisine on “<a href="http://jhovaan.blogspot.in/">jhovaan.blogspot.in</a>”.<br />
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<b><i>Could you please share with us the moment you cooked your first Thevo Choo ? </i></b><br />
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In October 2010 we were posted in Delhi. In preparation for the Commonwealth Games to be held in the City, there were a lot of folk performances and food stalls from all over India. I smelt some lovely pork being cooked in the Food Stall from Nagaland, so I stopped and picked up a plate. It was delicious, light and spicy and I was hooked. (<a href="http://kimeatsnblogs.blogspot.in/2010/10/nagaland-stall-delhi.html">http://kimeatsnblogs.blogspot.in/2010/10/nagaland-stall-delhi.html</a>) I knew I enjoyed these flavours and I wanted to try to recreate them at home. I bought Hoihnu Hazel's "<i>The Essential North-East Cookbook</i>" and flipped the pages and the Thevo Chu (<a href="http://jhovaan.blogspot.in/2010/10/recipe-thevo-chu-pork-with-bamboo-shoot.html%29had">http://jhovaan.blogspot.in/2010/10/recipe-thevo-chu-pork-with-bamboo-shoot.html)</a> had ingredients in it that seemed very different from any other pork preparation that I had ever cooked before, so that's when I decided to make it and I was hooked on the taste and flavours. In those days I used to use regular chillies.<br />
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In May 2011, we were transferred to Guwahati and that’s where I finally got my hands on Bhoot Jholakia's (Naga Chillies) in every form - fresh / dried / pickled / preserved in oil or alcohol. The flavour from using these chillies is phenomenal.<br />
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I also got to barely scratch the surface on the 100's of varieties of greens and herbs that are used in North Eastern Cooking. These aren't available anywhere else in the country and you have to make a trip to the North East to really savour these dishes in their original form. It is also heartening to note that there are now regular restaurants in Bangalore and Delhi that only specialise in North Eastern food and I heavily recommend a visit.<br />
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<b><i>When did you discover that cooking is more than a therapy in your eyes?</i></b><br />
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As a child I spent a lot of time with my maternal grandmother and she loved to cook. But more than she loved to cook, she loved to feed people, guests were always welcomed to share our meals and nobody ever turned down an invitation from her to stay on, because she was a brilliant cook. Basically she supervised the preparations (cleaning, chopping etc) and lent a hand when needed, but the final preparation was always done by her. I was her shadow as a 6 year old child and would be allowed to taste the masalas that were being ground and she would let me help in processes where there were no knives or fire involved. The only thing she hated me doing was sneaking bites of freshly grated coconuts. She always warned me that stealing this grated coconut would ensure that it would rain on the day of my "roce" (a Manglorean Christian equivalent of the "haldi" ceremony) and she had a good laugh when it actually did rain completely out of season on my roce day :)<br />
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As soon as I graduated from XLRI in 1999, I moved to my own apartment in Bangalore for a job and this is when I got back to cooking with a bang since I had spent 2 years in a hostel with no opportunity to cook. I was 22 and often had a whole bunch of friends inviting themselves over for a meal or asking me to cook at their kitchens because they too missed "home cooked" food. I never minded, because I actually enjoyed cooking and feeding people and I realised that the genes had passed from my nana to my mum and now to me. I used to wait to return from office, so I could get into the kitchen. No matter how stressful a day, an hour in the kitchen always cheered me up.<br />
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A stint in the US in 2000, introduced me to new ingredients and more global cuisines. In Atlanta, I used to often cook for most of the Indians in the office who were also staying in the same complex of apartments. The only sad part was that most of them were vegetarian, so I was forced to brush up on some Vegetarian recipes. I learnt basic Tamilian, Marathi and Kannadiga Vegetarian cooking from the recipes that these guys would get from their mothers and wives back in India. My next stint in Chicago was brilliant. Chicago has such a wonderful array of Global ethnic food stores and restaurants, that it pushed me to learn more whenever I got the opportunity.<br />
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In 2001, I was back in India and for the next few years I moved around the country Bangalore-Gurgaon-Hyderabad-Bombay, meeting with friends who would invite me home for a meal cooked by their wives or their mothers and this is when I truly started to appreciate the different styles of cuisine that we have in India.<br />
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Later stints in Cairo and Dubai as a trailing spouse, gave me more opportunities to interact with other expats and I also had more time on my hands, since I was no longer working full time. A few Egyptian, British and American friends used to come home to learn "Indian Cooking" and I would try to pick their brains on their kind of food.<br />
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Except for a few food taboos in certain regions or religions, food is an extremely binding experience. The minute you share a meal with someone, it brings the relationship closer. I treasure every one of the iftaars that I was invited to in these countries and especially the pot lucks where everyone would bring a home cooked dish.<br />
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Cooking and food for me is now more than a hobby, a past time or a relaxation therapy. It is a way to connect - with people, with their cultures, their heritage, their country, their village, their history.<br />
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<b><i>How do you explore the taste of regional cuisines? Where do you get your ideas from?</i></b><br />
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My husband and I are restless nomads. We relocate often and travel frequently. Food is one of the ways in which we explore a region. Where food is concerned I draw the line at insects and snakes (I classify them extremely unscientifically as "creepy-crawlies"), I have not been able to get past a mental barrier here. The other place I drew the line was at cat and dog meat that was served to us at a feast in Nagaland hosted by the Tourism Minister (I've had over 50 beloved cats and dogs as pets in my lifetime and I was convinced that their ghosts would be back to haunt me that very night if I did :) )<br />
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But whether it was frogs legs in a French restaurant or fresh unpasteurized cheese in Lebanon, carpaccio, ceviche or sushi, I will try it all and I really love some of them. I've recently developed a bad allergy to shrimp. But other than shrimp, stinky fruit (durian, jackfruit etc) and the afore mentioned creepy-crawlies, I will eat anything. Whether it is standing with one leg on each side of a dirty naala in Agra, eating the most amazing aloo tikkis from a street side vendor, sitting on the floor of a fisherman’s hut in Goa eating fish curry - rice or eating chicken cooked under the sand, while rice cooked on the fire above in the Bahariyya desert of Egypt, I will eat anything that smells decent and is freshly made (especially with street food). More often than not, it ends up tasting great. I trust my nose completely on whether to eat something or not and which stall to eat from.<br />
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I love watching my friends, their mothers and their wives cook. The sad part is that in most of India that job is now relegated to maids and cooks and these maharaj's steadfastly shoo you out of the kitchen. I love talking to grandmothers about what they used to eat as children. We eat out often and we now have a surfeit of food chanels on tv or youtube and food bloggers across the world who are all a source of inspiration. I also keep buying cookbooks (my husband has a standing joke that if I were to cook just one new recipe from each cookbook that I own every day, we would have enough variety to last us a couple of lifetimes)<br />
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There are some technical dishes like breads and sushi rice where it is good to be physically present when it is being made by someone who knows what they are doing; this gives me an idea as to the required temperature, texture, consistency etc. But a lot of dishes can be replicated from text recipes and then I use these as a starting point to sometimes push things further.<br />
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<b><i>Could you define the moment, when you tried your first ‘eat-out’? How do you dare to try something new as Chetna Special Chicken?</i></b><br />
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My dad is in the Merchant Navy, so I started traveling across the globe even before I could walk. I have to credit my mum and dad for making 4 of us siblings open to trying anything new when it came to food. While my dad and mum are both from Mangalore, their families food habits are pretty different. My dad’s family loves dishes made from fish heads, goat heads, intestines etc and my mum's mom would normally just put all these things aside for the dogs. While my mum still can't get herself to eat some of these things that were alien to her, she always encouraged us to try them out before we decided whether we would like to eat them or not. This option was not allowed where vegetables were concerned -these we HAD to eat, no matter what.<br />
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When we topped the class we were allowed to decide where we would like to go out for dinner. The main option in those days was Indian-Chinese as this was the one kind of food available in a restaurant that was hardly cooked at home, so that’s where we would end up. But all of this was part of life.<br />
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My first "Daring" food experience I would say was when I represented my college at a National Debate Competition in Loyola College Chennai in 1996. The hostel that we were put up at, had some North Eastern students there, who took a shine to me when they realised that I too was a "non-vegetarian" and like them trapped in a "vegetarian" hostel. Since the competition was held over a weekend, some of them had gone fishing and they had cooked the food elsewhere and smuggled it steaming hot into the hostel. There were frogs and tiny fish and pigeon and a lot of stuff that I had never seen before, let alone tasted, but I took the plunge and tried it all. And after that there has been no turning back. I will eat anything other than shrimp, stinky fruit (durian, jackfruit etc) and the afore mentioned creepy-crawlies.<br />
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<b><i>‘Temptation’ is something, we are desperate to deny, but the realm doesn’t let us to! We saw your Stove Top Chicken and Mushrooms! Do you just taste your recipes or do you like indulging them?</i></b><br />
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I LOVE the food that I cook. I rarely follow a recipe to the "T". I don't know if this makes sense, but when I read a recipe I can kind of figure out what it’s going to taste like (like if you can read music, you look at the score and you know what it will sound like), so I adjust as I cook to suit our tastes, so I've rarely made something that has turned out to be inedible. On the off chance that it doesn't taste good, it ends up getting recycled into a completely different dish. For eg if the Goan choriz sausages don't come out well, they are turned into feijoada.<br />
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I was always of medium build, but then in the last decade or so, I was badly overweight. In the last 1 year I have lost 15 kilos, not by any drastic exercise or diet but because I have come to understand my body better. We finish dinner before 8pm, I avoid carbs at night. Sweet stuff is restricted to the afternoons. White flour and deep fried foods have long been out of our home cooked menus. So I've turned towards eating smart and semi-healthy and if I overdo it one day then the next day the food is kept really light and fresh (fresh fruit or salad) to balance it out.<br />
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<b><i>Where do you get your ideas for ‘Dinner party menu’? </i></b><br />
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Everything I see, smell or taste is an inspiration. When I plan a dinner party, I don't fixate on a menu before I set out to shop. I have a rough plan in my head, more to do with the theme of food - Middle Eastern / Manglorean / Mughlai etc. Then the day before a dinner, I look at what is available in the market and looks freshest and how it would fit in with the theme and take it from there. In Ahmedabad, all the protein that I buy is frozen, so I normally can plan that ahead of time, but in other cities, I would go to the market and see what cuts of meat or what varieties of fish are available before closing in on the final menu.<br />
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<b><i>You share appetite through your food blogs. What would be your ‘signature dish’?</i></b><br />
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Biryani. No doubt about it. It’s not a signature in terms of the biryani that I make, will always taste the same every time I make it. It’s a signature dish, because no matter which way I make it (completely from scratch or with a masala powder), it will always taste amazing. And this is what my family asks for if I ask them what they would like me to cook.<br />
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However, if you ask my friends they would say pork. It’s very difficult to get good hearty pork preparations in a restaurant in India. The South East Asian varieties are much easier to find, but the hearty Manglorean, Goan, North Eastern pork dishes are difficult to find outside of Bombay and Goa. So most of my friends would request me to cook pork for them, when they are invited over for a meal.<br />
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<b><i>How far do the family meals count to you? </i></b><br />
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Our family is basically me, my husband and our cat. Both of us have crazy travel schedules and even when he is in town his timings are all over the place. Earlier I would faithfully ensure that I would wait for him and we would have dinner together even if it was 2 am in the morning. But once I realised that all this was affecting my weight negatively, I now finish eating before 8pm as far as possible. While we might not eat together, I still sit with him when he is having dinner and we discuss our day.<br />
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Our house is also constantly filled with guests - friends and family who come over for an evening or to stay for a while. I love having an open kitchen and normally friends enter our house and head straight for the dining table as I am happier having the kitchen to myself, but I can easily chat with them through the open kitchen.<br />
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The cat eats through the day, but when we sit at the table to eat, then she too comes to her food bowls to eat a few bites and when she has her 2 main meals of the day, she loves having my husband standing or sitting next to her while she is eating. She often goes and loudly demands that he come near her food bowls and wait there while she eats.<br />
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<b>If you eliminate three ingredients in your recipes, please name them.</b><br />
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It’s not so much an ingredient as a technique - I don't deep fry. It’s been 10 years since I have stopped deep frying anything at home, except for the very rare occasion of some pooja that has to have a deep fried component. My MIL herself is very open and broad-minded. Her mother insists that on any "auspicious" occasion rotis/phulkas will not be made, only puris will do. My MIL realises the health concerns and is ok with us making rotis. There are only a couple of poojas where kadi pakoda or puris or gujiyas HAVE to be offered during pooja that these will get made at home.<br />
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I rarely use maida (all purpose flour) at home. Its only now that I hope to make more bread at home, that I need to use maida for binding, but I'm hoping to get my hands on some "vital wheat gluten" and work with that.<br />
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My husband has gone off potatoes completely in the last one year. It’s a really tough change for him since potatoes are added in almost everything in the food in UP. In Manglorean Catholic Cooking we rarely use potatoes except fried as garnish in some dishes. Otherwise adding potatoes to a dish meant that there wasn't enough meat to go around the table. But now I've cut them out of our grocery list, except for the rare pork indad or some fry that absolutely needs a little potato in it for the alternate texture.<br />
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My recipe and food blog : <a href="http://jhovaan.blogspot.com/">http://jhovaan.blogspot.com/</a><br />
My Restaurant Review Blog : <a href="http://kimeatsnblogs.blogspot.in/">http://kimeatsnblogs.blogspot.in/</a><br />
My Twitter Feed : <a href="http://twitter.com/karishmapais">http://twitter.com/karishmapais</a><br />
Follow me on facebook : <a href="http://on.fb.me/Kims-Recipes-n-Reviews">http://on.fb.me/Kims-Recipes-n-Reviews</a> Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-9865661070662876892014-04-08T16:26:00.002+05:302014-04-08T16:28:32.486+05:30My Review of Trader Vic's Featured in Zomato Mumbai Guide 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS1RE4lHlH-bBt3ZRfdLog6dBn4vTNBblhCO-zCWFMXS62G_SWGfWoqT9NpZ6mf2d4QQoM4BuPkmjw7brzX8PA6CncbNnyY1OPaetUfQPYmF65OAIQrWgnlSt2GWR6BdFO5_I4ySIsjHJ/s1600/Zomato+Mumbai+2014+(1)+Edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS1RE4lHlH-bBt3ZRfdLog6dBn4vTNBblhCO-zCWFMXS62G_SWGfWoqT9NpZ6mf2d4QQoM4BuPkmjw7brzX8PA6CncbNnyY1OPaetUfQPYmF65OAIQrWgnlSt2GWR6BdFO5_I4ySIsjHJ/s1600/Zomato+Mumbai+2014+(1)+Edited.jpg" height="400" width="302" /></a></div><br />
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Read this review on the <a href="http://www.zomato.com/mumbai/trader-vics-mai-tai-lounge-lower-parel/reviews#tabtop">Zomato Website</a>.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.flipkart.com/affiliate/displayWidget?affrid=WRID-139695419860692229" style="height: 260px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-5278776906345449052014-04-08T16:18:00.001+05:302014-04-08T16:18:54.587+05:30My Review of Monkey Bar Featured in Zomato Bangalore Guide 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqliO5nOAnDUmmpLK0wPxJwTQniyKq0moPFza8kpricJ3O7BW9xk4dJ2SLEtQEXL2XaeinugBnN_58ifg6rapMv0nE4271ANmI1hz_oXoMHxQy9Vyk1n6T-gKgXkGSxuU1ktIWq6sFf8/s1600/Zomato+Bangalore+2014+(2)++Edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqliO5nOAnDUmmpLK0wPxJwTQniyKq0moPFza8kpricJ3O7BW9xk4dJ2SLEtQEXL2XaeinugBnN_58ifg6rapMv0nE4271ANmI1hz_oXoMHxQy9Vyk1n6T-gKgXkGSxuU1ktIWq6sFf8/s1600/Zomato+Bangalore+2014+(2)++Edited.jpg" height="400" width="281" /></a></div>
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Read the Entire Review here : <a href="http://kimeatsnblogs.blogspot.in/2014/04/monkey-bar-bangalore.html">kimeatsnblogs.blogspot.in/2014/04/monkey-bar-bangalore.html</a><br />
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Read my shorter review on the <a href="http://www.zomato.com/bangalore/monkey-bar-richmond-road">Zomato Website</a><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.flipkart.com/affiliate/displayWidget?affrid=WRID-139695358937915574" style="height: 260px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-76459597875042776392014-02-13T00:22:00.002+05:302014-02-13T00:22:34.471+05:30My Recipe in the February Issue of CaldronMy Recipe for <a href="http://jhovaan.blogspot.com/2012/02/recipe-manglorean-sweet-pulao-pilaf.html">Manglorean Sweet Pulao / Pilaf</a> has been featured in the in the 'Love Bites' section of the February 2014 issue of Caldron - an online food magazine.<br />
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You can view the magazine : <a href="http://tinyurl.com/l8kkovg" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/<wbr></wbr>l8kkovg</a><br />
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My recipe is on page 54. Unfortunately, my own photo, is the one I use for general social media, where I don't show my face and the magazine picked that one up :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlug_aAbZDiUI4eZc4qUv-P4oH1IeoFGqLj3PHg90is1NaogLfq4483eUaTej30oRCNpMKTVmnAEVcykuXc1vCcU6_y9zrgMzYR5KLD3Z0FFfl-93hHo-MYVC0VO2CzB7iM1VMzGcpn9OG/s1600/sweet+pulao.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlug_aAbZDiUI4eZc4qUv-P4oH1IeoFGqLj3PHg90is1NaogLfq4483eUaTej30oRCNpMKTVmnAEVcykuXc1vCcU6_y9zrgMzYR5KLD3Z0FFfl-93hHo-MYVC0VO2CzB7iM1VMzGcpn9OG/s1600/sweet+pulao.png" height="640" width="536" /></a></div>
Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-53653648560631395742012-11-07T16:42:00.000+05:302012-11-07T16:42:43.096+05:30First Runner Up - Delmonte Blogger Recipe Carnival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=64" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Del Monte - IndiBlogger Contest Runner-up">
<img alt="Del Monte - IndiBlogger Contest Runner-up" border="0" height="175" src="http://www.indiblogger.in/badges/145x175_del-monte-blogger-recipe-carnival-runner-up.png" width="145" />
</a></div>
My recipe for <a href="http://jhovaan.blogspot.com/2012/08/recipe-pasta-with-chargrilled-pepper.html">Pasta with Chargrilled Pepper Sauce</a>, won First Runner Up Place at the Delmonte Blogger Recipe Carnival.
The entries and the rest of the winners can be seen at the : <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=64">indiblogger site</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-23437282013824290252012-02-20T21:40:00.000+05:302012-02-20T21:40:52.235+05:30Yaayaavar Jeevan Mera - Part 5My series on our 10 day trip across the <a href="http://whazzupnortheast.blogspot.com/">North East</a> is being translated into Hindi and published by <a href="http://www.newsbench.in/paper.aspx?epaper=80">News Bench - Delhi</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=180212065206.gif">Part 5</a> was published on 20th February 2012.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_CGbVFn5fkTyIx-pARzBbhzazal6b5q5ag8_Fe-_0Ms_C-LAD-O-FDNNNSczCkSUZ4MaKInIbRclyX3IZb6idZHYMPO6E1sY6KQ3g4mDrbBjfVtCU5hbY1IkBcNqguSv1EIQ_9G4rOvd/s1600/180212065206.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_CGbVFn5fkTyIx-pARzBbhzazal6b5q5ag8_Fe-_0Ms_C-LAD-O-FDNNNSczCkSUZ4MaKInIbRclyX3IZb6idZHYMPO6E1sY6KQ3g4mDrbBjfVtCU5hbY1IkBcNqguSv1EIQ_9G4rOvd/s640/180212065206.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The entire article can also be read at : <a href="http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=180212065206.gif">http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=180212065206.gif</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-26770048157754078252012-02-13T15:05:00.000+05:302012-02-15T15:08:31.959+05:30Yaayaavar Jeevan Mera - Part 4My series on our 10 day trip across the <a href="http://whazzupnortheast.blogspot.com/">North East</a> is being translated into Hindi and published by <a href="http://www.newsbench.in/paper.aspx?epaper=80">News Bench - Delhi</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=130212122703.gif">Part 4</a> was published on 13th February 2012.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuAz5-TwD92rwVVlqya2PMzn4_MDYYTTQ1AsMQJHNfmL_DJRHMRWu3mfU4FJY6KdxLsjlhGoAj3sBXscHJDovakSQwvFJHSXCLHed09PIfQY-fen8U6RSG8lhE4GZGmoGZ4nGO69MH_B5/s1600/130212122703.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuAz5-TwD92rwVVlqya2PMzn4_MDYYTTQ1AsMQJHNfmL_DJRHMRWu3mfU4FJY6KdxLsjlhGoAj3sBXscHJDovakSQwvFJHSXCLHed09PIfQY-fen8U6RSG8lhE4GZGmoGZ4nGO69MH_B5/s640/130212122703.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The entire article can also be read at : <a href="http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=130212122703.gif">http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=130212122703.gif</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-28406549104478973002012-02-06T23:27:00.008+05:302012-02-07T23:32:01.688+05:30Yaayaavar Jeevan Mera - Part 3My series on our 10 day trip across the <a href="http://whazzupnortheast.blogspot.com/">North East</a> is being translated into Hindi and published by <a href="http://www.newsbench.in/paper.aspx?epaper=80">News Bench - Delhi</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=060212123004.gif">Part 3</a> was published on 6th February 2012.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19ZvGWeRngziWXlDDjd0Y9oX9-SvMFKJXbUBLL_VnpwPpgH9l6p-he3KuiPPJTOorno8h-ejrLwoaLCzPNlL5twNR1QyL4nuABjLEGzoJyle-JAfPvjHhums4BlfcOMAq1K2Dt-jozH_R/s1600/060212123004.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19ZvGWeRngziWXlDDjd0Y9oX9-SvMFKJXbUBLL_VnpwPpgH9l6p-he3KuiPPJTOorno8h-ejrLwoaLCzPNlL5twNR1QyL4nuABjLEGzoJyle-JAfPvjHhums4BlfcOMAq1K2Dt-jozH_R/s640/060212123004.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The entire article can be read at : <a href="http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=060212123004.gif">http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=060212123004.gif</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-52930712553678856762012-01-30T20:33:00.000+05:302012-02-01T20:40:25.197+05:30Nail Biting to the EndWe were in Jaipur for the Literature Festival and the Sirmur Cup.<br />
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This picture appeared in the Jaipur edition of the <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/">DNA </a>on 30th January 2012.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh833VdJ8hyphenhyphenWPyFX0OpOT0Jgf4O_V7A7k_vB3VOfoQSCx3V2LcSEQdhYh0r1a7mRDRtvvoslGU_kv3_T-ZSAi0ylCGTDfOgr5moWnXDsD6KrLWmGttXCDulqFrXw-BYa_J9wHw9E4qe0HAh/s1600/dna+jaipur.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh833VdJ8hyphenhyphenWPyFX0OpOT0Jgf4O_V7A7k_vB3VOfoQSCx3V2LcSEQdhYh0r1a7mRDRtvvoslGU_kv3_T-ZSAi0ylCGTDfOgr5moWnXDsD6KrLWmGttXCDulqFrXw-BYa_J9wHw9E4qe0HAh/s640/dna+jaipur.bmp" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The article can be viewed on <a href="http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=2663&boxid=28712110&ed_date=2012-01-30&ed_code=1310016&ed_page=11">http://bit.ly/dna_jaipur</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-29842853377449333182012-01-30T19:55:00.001+05:302012-02-01T20:00:31.440+05:30Yaayaavar Jeevan Mera - Part 2My series on our 10 day trip across the <a href="http://whazzupnortheast.blogspot.com/">North East</a> is being translated into Hindi and published by <a href="http://www.newsbench.in/paper.aspx?epaper=80">News Bench - Delhi</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=300112014223.gif">Part 2</a> was published on 30th January 2012.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGEtYOKi4n_mjvhADSNYDOKIv8BXkR57kuP6HgQe70sHItqyTDYyzBjQqX8rVSNydKbw1O0t6dg-tQat_D3RF3PKSkfY6OEWAxfxQRvv5CyR_FuYVcpHgq3MLjdwLj-j1OIPWx4AzZWiU/s1600/300112014223.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGEtYOKi4n_mjvhADSNYDOKIv8BXkR57kuP6HgQe70sHItqyTDYyzBjQqX8rVSNydKbw1O0t6dg-tQat_D3RF3PKSkfY6OEWAxfxQRvv5CyR_FuYVcpHgq3MLjdwLj-j1OIPWx4AzZWiU/s640/300112014223.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The entire article can be read at :<a href="http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=300112014223.gif"> http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=300112014223.gif</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-54216277522013565812012-01-23T19:39:00.010+05:302012-02-01T19:54:53.176+05:30Yaayaavar Jeevan Mera - Part 1My series on our 10 day trip across the <a href="http://whazzupnortheast.blogspot.com/">North East</a> is being translated into Hindi and published by <a href="http://www.newsbench.in/paper.aspx?epaper=80">News Bench - Delhi</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=230112010948.gif">Part 1</a> was published on 23rd January 2012.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoEb9zcao5s7NZaNgibqCOge_P79O0lVoKETcE507tOyRCgd0JDXTH7BRFZqACk-olkdOCkj__E1UWIosGIYXoEBmCYnL7YjldEEfcUnBSvWuFEvUKaS0hguEjuaiUf_DbbysI5j_BvcE/s1600/230112010948.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoEb9zcao5s7NZaNgibqCOge_P79O0lVoKETcE507tOyRCgd0JDXTH7BRFZqACk-olkdOCkj__E1UWIosGIYXoEBmCYnL7YjldEEfcUnBSvWuFEvUKaS0hguEjuaiUf_DbbysI5j_BvcE/s640/230112010948.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The entire article can be read at <a href="http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=230112010948.gif">http://www.newsbench.in/links.aspx?nt=230112010948.gif</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-77495636017794627112010-12-08T20:43:00.001+05:302010-12-08T20:49:51.154+05:30Eating out in DelhiPublished on <a href="http://www.expatarrivals.com/india/delhi/restaurants-in-delhi">Expat Arrivals</a> for the benefit of expats in Delhi.<br />
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<div id="main-title"><h1>Restaurants in Delhi</h1></div><div class="drdot"><hr /></div><span class="print-link"></span>It's said that cuisine in India changes every 500 metres (1500 feet). It comes as no surprise then that <b>restaurants in Delhi</b>, one of the nation's cosmopolitan centrepieces, offer an enviable range of both regional Indian and international fare.<br />
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<img align="right" alt="restuarants in Delhi" height="225" src="http://www.expatarrivals.com/sites/default/files/images/butterchicken.jpg" width="149" />People of Delhi take their food seriously and love to eat. There are dining options on every street, some small with mid-range prices and some expensive. While Chinese, Thai, Italian and Japanese are most popular, you can also find Lebanese, Mexican and Mediterranean restaurants in Delhi.<br />
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There are plenty of vegetarian choices as well, and vegan selections make common appearances on menus in the city. That being said, chicken and mutton are the meats most often used for cooking, while pork is served only in some establishments. <br />
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Some expats may be surprised to find that beef cannot be sold legally in Delhi, and can only be served with the appropriate licences. It follows that beef dishes are largely restricted to five star hotels. If beef dishes are offered in other restaurants, it would likely be buffalo, rather than cow meat that is used.<br />
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If you're a newly arrived expat to Delhi, then it would be better for you stick to bottled water and the larger, more mainstream restaurants. These do tend to be more expensive, but they will also be more hygienic and a safer option until your body adjusts to the local conditions. <br />
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Once you get rid of the fabled "Delhi Belly" and you're stomach develops a bit of the steel lining that Indians pride themselves on, you can even start enjoying the street food and hole-in-the-wall kebab eateries; some of Delhi's most precious hidden gems.<br />
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For up-to-date reviews and comprehensive contact details expats can check out either the Hindustan Times or the Times of India. Both newspapers release annual top 10 rankings, and put together print publications as well. Otherwise, magazines, like Burrp and Time Out also review a smaller selection of restaurants in each issue.<br />
<h3>Recommended Indian restaurants in Delhi</h3><b>[Frontier Food] Bukhara</b><br />
A favourite of the Clinton's, and a multiple award winning restaurant that has dishes named in honour of the famous presidential couple. Arguably the most famous Indian eatery, it is ranked among the top 50 restaurants in the world and it serves delicious Northwest Frontier Province cuisine.<br />
Tel: 2611 2233<br />
<b><br />
[Mughlai] Karims</b><br />
Karims' cooks are rumoured to be descendants of the royal cooks of past, and many of the recipes used are hundreds of years old. While there are many outlets spread across the<br />
city, the best is undoubtedly the original - located in the picturesque Chandni Chowk area. This is the place to go if you are craving authentic kebabs.<br />
<a href="http://www.karimhoteldelhi.com/" rel="nofollow">www.karimhoteldelhi.com</a><br />
Tel: 2326 9880, 2326 4981<br />
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<b><img align="left" alt="restaurants in delhi" src="http://www.expatarrivals.com/sites/default/files/images/tandoori.jpg" style="height: 221px; width: 181px;" /></b><b>[Punjabi] Moti Mahal</b><br />
Moti Mahal claims that its originator, invented the famous "butter<br />
chicken". While the bold statement can't be authenticated, their version of the dish is excellent and can be enjoyed with hot rotis and Makhani Dal. There are many branches in the city, expats should be sure to choose Moti Mahal, and not the Moti Mahal Deluxe chain.<br />
Tel: 2327 3011<br />
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<b>[Punjabi] Punjabi By Nature</b><br />
The first restaurant to experiment with Indian flavours, try their drunken<br />
prawns, tandoori quail and vodka golguppas.<br />
<a href="http://www.punjabibynature.in/" rel="nofollow">www.punjabibynature.in</a><br />
4151 6666, 4151 6668<br />
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<b>[South Indian Vegetarian] Sagar Ratna</b><br />
This is the place for excellent crispy dosas, hot idlis and sambhar and a host of other vegetarian dishes popularly known as Udupi cuisine. Sagar Ratna also serves some North Indian vegetarian dishes like Chole Bhatura and Rajma Chawal. They also have multiple locations across the city and NCR.<br />
<a href="http://www.sagarratna.in/" rel="nofollow">www.sagarratna.in</a><br />
Tel: 2433 3688<br />
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<b>[Indian Fusion] <a href="http://kimeatsnblogs.blogspot.com/2010/11/indian-accent-delhi.html">Indian Accent</a></b><br />
The chef here does some innovative takes on Indian food using local and seasonal organic ingredients. There's a wonderful Chef's Menu if you want to taste the highlights; a wine pairing option exists as well. <br />
<a href="http://www.themanordelhi.com/restaurant.htm" rel="nofollow">www.themanordelhi.com</a><br />
Tel: 4323 5151<br />
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<b>[Kashmiri] Chor Bizarre</b><br />
While Chor Bizarre does serve food from across the Northern region, the best option on the menu is the Kashmiri Wazwan cooked by chefs from Kashmir. Both vegetarian and non vegetarian options are available. The a la carte is much better than the buffet.<br />
<a href="http://www.chorbizarrerestaurant.com/newsite/index_india.html" rel="nofollow">www.chorbizarrerestaurant.com</a><br />
Tel: 4366 3600<br />
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<b>[Bengali] Oh Calcutta</b><br />
Bengali food focuses on fish and seafood, so it can be a welcome respite from the chicken and mutton heavy menus found in the rest of the city. Their lunch buffet is excellent value for money.<br />
Tel: 2646 4180<br />
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<b>[Gujarathi & Rajasthani] Rajdhani</b><br />
A Bombay institution that has opened in Delhi and Gurgaon. They serve only unlimited vegetarian thalis. There is no menu, whatever they cook that day is what you get. The range is huge and the servers will keep feeding you until you are about to burst. Be sure to save space for dessert.<br />
<a href="http://www.rajdhani.co.in/" rel="nofollow">www.rajdhani.co.in</a><br />
Tel: 4374 5577, 4109 6346<br />
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<b>[Kerala] <a href="http://kimeatsnblogs.blogspot.com/2010/11/gunpowder-delhi.html">Gunpowder</a></b><br />
This small eatery requires hungry patrons climb four flights of stairs, but the excellent Kerala food on offer is well-worth the trek. The fare is spicy, but the waiters can guide you towards less potent preparations and the appams and parathas are outstanding. Call for reservations before making the journey.<br />
Tel: 2653 5700<br />
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<b>[Anglo Indian] Brown Sahib</b><br />
When the British were in India, a unique kind of cuisine was born. British staples recreated with Indian ingredients and Indian staples adapted for British palates. Brown Sahib is one of the very few restaurants in the country where you will get to taste this cuisine. They also offer Bengali food.<br />
<a href="http://www.brownsahib.in/" rel="nofollow">www.brownsahib.in</a><br />
Tel: 4082 0027, 4082 0030<br />
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<b>[North Indian] The Great Kebab Factory</b><br />
You have a choice of vegetarian and non vegetarian. The menu for the day will have a limited variety of kebabs but in unlimited quantities. Excellent kebabs. Stick to the kebabs and breads, although the price also includes biryani and dhal. Multiple outlets in Delhi and NCR<br />
<a href="http://www.thegreatkababfactory.com/" rel="nofollow">www.thegreatkababfactory.com</a><br />
Tel: 2677 9067<br />
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<h3>Recommended International restaurants in Delhi</h3><b>[Japanese] Ai</b><br />
Ai serves excellent Japanese food including sushi flown in fresh daily. They<br />
have three seating areas. The restaurant, the open air terrace and the lounge<br />
area.<br />
Tel: 4065 4567<br />
<img align="right" alt="restaurants in delhi" height="150" src="http://www.expatarrivals.com/sites/default/files/images/sushi.jpg" width="225" /><br />
<b>[Thai] Ego Thai</b><br />
The waiters are extremely helpful and will accommodate most requests to<br />
eliminate or change certain ingredients. A lounge cum restaurant<br />
spread across two floors, it offers excellent soups and Thai curries.<br />
Tel: <span class="float_l" id="phoneNos">2633 1181</span><br />
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<b>[Chinese] The China Kitchen</b><br />
Chinese was one of the first international cuisines that was available in India because Chinese traders came across and settled; opening shoe shops and restaurants along the way. A few years back, what passed as Chinese would actually be Indianised versions of Chinese dishes (called Indian Chinese), but some recent restaurants like The China Kitchen are doing excellent business, serving authentic Chinese Cuisine.<br />
<a href="http://delhi.regency.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/restaurants/index.jsp" rel="nofollow">delhi.regency.hyatt.com</a><br />
Tel: 6677 1334<br />
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<b>[Italian] Diva</b><br />
Chef Ritu Dalmia is well known for her passion for Italian food and she sources a lot of her ingredients from Italy itself. There are some unique pastas other than the standard white and red sauce options.<br />
<a href="http://www.diva-italian.com/diva-italian" rel="nofollow">www.diva-italian.com</a><br />
Tel: 2921 5673 <br />
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<b>[Greek] Its Greek to Me</b><br />
One of the first authentic Greek restaurants to open in India it is heavily frequented by the expat crowd.<br />
Tel: 4101 2240<br />
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<b>[Middle Eastern] Shalom</b><br />
All the standard favourites from the Lebanese and other Levantine and Middle Eastern menus can be found at this eatery.<br />
<a href="http://www.shalomexperience.com/" rel="nofollow">www.shalomexperience.com</a><br />
Tel: 4163 2280<br />
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<b>[European] Smoke House Grill</b><br />
They change their menu regularly and have some excellent dishes on offer. There's even a charcuterie on the premises if you want to pick up sandwich stuffers. Their Smoke House Deli in DLF Place in Vasant Kunj is also excellent and has an outdoor seating arrangement too.<br />
Tel: 4143 5530<br />
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<b>[Mexican] Rodeo</b><br />
While expats will find many a familiar Mexican dish on this menu, they may not taste exactly like their original inspirations. Still, the food is quite good. <br />
Tel: 2371 3870<br />
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<b>[Café]The Big Chill Café</b><br />
One of my favourite eat out locations in Delhi. They have two outlets in Khan Market and one at DLF Place in Saket. The décor is Hollywood posters and the food is excellent - from the home made ice cream based milk shakes and malts to their humongous dessert servings. Salads, sandwiches, pasta, grilled meat, pizzas, you can find it all here. Definitely try their baked potatoes with toppings.<br />
Tel: 4175 7533<br />
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<b>[American] All American Diner</b><br />
They serve breakfast all day - sausages and eggs and skillets. Their portions are large, and they have an all you can eat offer until 11am.<br />
Tel: 4122 0000Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-51972108247188612132010-11-18T17:36:00.002+05:302010-12-08T20:45:06.879+05:30Keeping in Touch in IndiaI've just started writing for <a href="http://www.expatarrivals.com/">ExpatArrivals</a> - an online resource for expats across the globe. <a href="http://www.expatarrivals.com/india/keeping-in-touch-in-india">Keeping in Touch in India</a> is my first article for them.<br />
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<b>Keeping in touch</b> with family and friends back home during your stay in India is easy and the options are many, especially if you're an expat in one of the metros (<a href="http://www.expatarrivals.com/india/delhi/moving-to-delhi">New Delhi</a>, Gurgaon, Bombay/<a href="http://www.expatarrivals.com/india/mumbai/moving-to-mumbai">Mumbai</a>, <a href="http://www.expatarrivals.com/india/bangalore/moving-to-bangalore">Bangalore</a>/Bengaluru, Madras/Chennai, Hyderabad, Calcutta).<br />
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Internet, telephone, mobile phone, and post are available and service standards are quite good. Online news sites are accessible with any Internet connection to help you keep abreast of current events in your home country and most Indian newspapers can be viewed online, so you can always stay informed. <br />
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<h3>Using Internet to keep in touch in India</h3>Until a few years ago, Internet in India was unreliable and sporadic, with only government players to choose from. Fortunately, better sense prevailed and today expats can choose from quite a variety of services and service providers. Internet speeds are still lower than a lot of developed countries, but with the sanctioning of 3G, which should be in working order by 2011, things should improve.<br />
<h4>Internet connections</h4>Dial up connections are possible but the speed can be extremely frustrating. Since you are charged for the time you spend online, this can get very expensive and hence Dial up is no longer a popular option. <br />
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DSL and Broadband are the two leading forms of Internet connectivity in India.<br />
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The major DSL providers in India are Airtel, BSNL Dataone, Airlink Broadband, Reliance Communications and Tata Indicom Broadband. For Internet access via DSL, you will need to have a DSL land line installed. <br />
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For most broadband connections too, you will need to have a land line installed, but speed is generally faster than DSL and monthly download limits are generally higher.<br />
<h4>Internet costs and service providers</h4>Costs vary depending on the company and the packages on offer (download "x" amount each month for a fixed sum, or pay a higher amount for unlimited downloads). The major broadband providers in India include BSNL, Tata Indicom, ZeeNext, Railwire, Cable Internet services, Airtel, Sify, MTNL, Tikona, DSL, Reliance, Hathway, YOU broadband and Connect Broadband.<br />
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Some major cable operators provide internet services along with their cable services. Sify and Hathway are well-known recognized providers of both. But organised cable providers are a recent phenomenon in the Indian marketplace. The majority of cable television service providers in India are not formally organised, and they operate in small areas. <br />
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Internet cafés abound across India; even in smaller towns. Rates are pretty reasonable, around 60 Rupees per hour, or less. However, hotels charge much more.<br />
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While WiFi technology is rampant and you can get it for your home or office use, the concept of free WiFi is not yet popular in India. If you want to be connected on the go, then the best option would be to go for a Blackberry or a smart phone; for more frequent use a "data card", which is a mobile Internet device which you plug into a USB port of your laptop, is recommended. <br />
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Reliance, Tata and MTS provide the best connectivity in this segment.<br />
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<h3>Using telecommunication to keep in touch in India</h3>There are multiple fixed line (land line) providers in India. This includes the state run BSNL and MTNL, which have been in the running since inception, and the private newcomers Bharti, Reliance and Tata Teleservices.<br />
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Expats will need to provide identification proof and proof of residence at the location where you want to get the phone installed. Make a refundable deposit and in a couple of days, you will be good to go.<br />
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Fixed lines offer discounted rates in the evenings and on holidays. To dial internationally, you will need to pay a higher deposit.<br />
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The international code for dialling India is +91 and each city has its own STD (Subscribers Trunk Dialing) code. Delhi - 11, Gurgaon - 124, Bombay/Mumbai - 22, Bangalore/Bengaluru - 80, Madras/Chennai - 44, Hyderabad - 40, Calcutta-33. <br />
<h4>Phone booths in India</h4>There are manned phone (PCO) booths on most major streets across the country where you can dial local, international and mobile phones. A meter attached to the phone you are using will show you how much the call costs in real time, and then you pay the person at the booth,once you're finished. You can also ask for a receipt for the calls you made.<br />
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Payphones are common only in Airports where you prepay with coins to make local calls. Some of these phones may allow you to make calls to mobile numbers.<br />
<h3>Using mobile phones to keep in touch in India</h3>Mobile telephony (58% penetration) has completely overtaken fixed lines (3% penetration) in the race for connectivity in India. Fixed lines are generally used only because they are a prerequisite for a stable Internet connection or at offices. <br />
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The reason for this is that mobile companies have infrastructure which makes it easier for them to offer new connections in remote locations than fixed lines. With fixed lines you pay local rates for calling within the city, but pay higher rates for outside the city also called STD (Subscribers Trunk Dialling) calls.<br />
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With a mobile connection, expats can pay the same flat rate for the entire circle, or state (with the exception of Maharashtra) and there are discounts across circles if the person you are calling also uses the same mobile services provider as you do.<br />
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Mobile service providers also offer closed user groups (CUG's) to companies, where all registered mobile numbers of employees working with the company get free or highly discounted call rates when calling each other.<br />
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Initially, mobile telephone provider licenses were limiting and it was difficult for people who travelled a lot to find a service provider who operated across the nation. Fortunately some of the restrictions have eased and service providers have formed alliances which allow their subscribers to travel across India with almost seamless connectivity, except for a few areas. <br />
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Jammu and Kashmir and some parts of the North East still have a lot of restrictions on mobile telephone connectivity because of security and insurgency issues. But other than this and a few blind spots between cellphone towers on long distance roads, you can be constantly connected on the go while you are in India.<br />
<h4>Mobile phone costs and service providers</h4>The major operators in this segment with pan-India presence are Vodafone, Airtel, Aircel, Reliance (GSM & CDMA), Tata Indicom, Idea, BSNL (except Delhi and Mumbai), MTS and Virgin CDMA. Tata Docomo, Uninor and Videocon. Other than these larger players, there are some smaller operators who operate in a very few circles but provide good service. These include Connect – Punjab, Loop – Bombay/Mumbai, MTNL – Delhi & Mumbai, S Tel – Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh.<br />
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There are 2 payment plans with mobile telephony: pre-paid and post-paid. At times it may seem like the calling rates and schemes with pre-paid are much better and more reasonable than those on post-paid. Rates and plans keep changing, so they can be extremely confusing especially if you consider the small print. It is recommended that expats choose a provider depending on connectivity in your base location, and commonality with the people you call the most, as calls will be discounted. <br />
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SMS (text messaging) comes with a basic plan, but you may need to pay extra or give instructions to your provider if you want MMS (multimedia messaging), international roaming, Internet access and other options.<br />
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You can buy your phone and Sim card separately in India and upgrade your phone at any time. There are no lock-ins barring a few exceptions.<br />
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Blackberry services are provided by most major operators with the major ones being Vodafone, Airtel, Idea (Recent launch), Tata, Reliance, Aircel, Docomo and MTNL/BSNL. Blackberry chat is a cost efficient way to stay in touch with friends and family across the globe who also have a Blackberry connection.<br />
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Due to security and other issues, mobile telephony is highly regulated by the government and an array of paperwork is demanded before you are sanctioned a Sim card. <br />
<i><br />
Documentation for prepaid connection includes:</i><br />
<ul><li>Proof of Identity</li>
<li>Photographs</li>
<li>Valid passport</li>
<li>Visa</li>
<li>Local Reference</li>
<li>Local Address & Contact Number</li>
</ul><i>Documentation for postpaid connection </i><br />
<ul><li>In addition to the above, the subscriber needs to provide Standing Instructions to a bank for bill payments.</li>
</ul>Companies often take Sim cards in their own name as COCP (Company Owned, Company Paid) connections & provide them to their employees. In such cases, the onus of payment lies on the company. When the connection is taken in the name of the employee himself/herself, all valid documentation as described above has to be provided. When the onus of payment lies on the individual, the individual has to sign a Standing Instruction form. <br />
<br />
When the companies officially declare that connections are taken for expats, valid copies of passport and visas have to be provided.<br />
<h3>Other forms of Telecommunication in India</h3>Satellite telephony is illegal in India. <br />
<br />
VOIP services like Skype are partially available in India. They can be used to dial numbers outside India and to make Skype to Skype calls. Calling Indian MSISDNs from Skype is not yet available as a service in India.<br />
<h4>Phone cards in India</h4>Phone calling cards are available in India, but they are not as popular as abroad.<br />
<br />
MTNL Delhi has a product called the “Virtual Calling card” (VCC) which enables customers to use any MTNL landline/PCO to make calls using VCC. <br />
<br />
Vodafone WCC (World Calling Cards) are also versions of Phone cards which allows the customer to use the card on any Vodafone India phone for making a call.<br />
<br />
Mobile Companies have now launched several calling cards with reduced call rates to specific destinations covering US/Canada/Middle east/Europe etc. They are not heavily advertised but they do exist and can be purchased from certain locations.<br />
<ul><li><i>For Example:</i> Calls to US/Canada are now at Rs. 1.5/min with Vodafone ISD cards. Similar rates are also offered by Airtel & other operators. This has reduced ISD rates considerably in India. Landline companies in India have also launched cards which can be used only on their network for calling.</li>
</ul><h3>Using postal services to keep in touch in India</h3>The Indian Postal Service is the most widely distributed post office system in the world. Due to its extensive reach across the country, it also offers a range of supplementary services. <br />
<br />
Post Boxes are located on most major roads and the mail is picked up once or twice a day, depending on location. Regular post takes two to three days to reach a recipient in India, except during the heavy mail deluge of the festive months from October to January. The Indian Postal Service also offers Registered Post and Speed Post facilities at slightly higher prices, for which you have to visit a Post Office. <br />
<br />
Local Courier companies offer extremely competitive rates, with same day delivery in metros and next day delivery to most towns.<br />
<h3>Media and News in India</h3>India is a land of many languages and newspapers are printed in all the major languages. The Times of India is published across India. The Hindu is popular down South and The Hindustan Times has large readership in the North. The Economic Times is the most popular Financial newspaper in India. Newspapers like DNA, Mid-Day, Indian Express, New Indian Express, Deccan Herald and Deccan Chronicle are printed only in some locations but are leaders in their circles. <br />
<br />
Expats who prefer to read a favourite publication from home will find some foreign newspapers available in the metros; although, they may sometimes arrive a day or two later than the date of release in their home countries. <br />
<br />
Weekly and fortnightly magazines like India Today, the Week, Outlook are also great options to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the news. There are plenty of financial magazines in the market and quality of coverage is quite high. Time Out is published in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore and is a wonderful resource for local event listings. <br />
<br />
Newspapers are door delivered every morning by the local paper boy. You can request the delivery of magazines, or subscribe directly from the company who will mail or courier your copy to you.<br />
<br />
CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg and BBC are broadcast in India. Twenty-four hour news channels abound in all major Indian languages. NDTV and CNN IBN are good Indian channels for English news.<br />
<br />
Almost all the major newspapers and news channels have an online presence. Samachar.com links to the top 5 stories from all the major news sites. <br />
<h3>More information:</h3>►<a href="http://www.bsnl.co.in/stdsearch.php" rel="nofolow">STD</a> (Subscribers Trunk Dialling): codes for Indian cities<br />
►<a href="http://delhi.mtnl.net.in/services/vcc.htm" rel="nofollow">Mobile Phone Cards</a><br />
►<a href="http://www.indiapost.gov.in/" rel="nofollow">India Postal Service</a>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-4146630758878933652010-11-13T02:03:00.000+05:302010-11-13T02:03:14.392+05:302 Cookbook Prizes in a WeekLooks like the Diwali season has brought its own foodie blessings upon me. I had entered 2 food contests last week, before I left on my diwali trip to the inlaws place and both results came within 24 hours - since yesterday. I won them both. Yay!<br />
<br />
The first contest was hosted by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&tid=1553058380474#%21/pages/Rushina-Munshaw-Ghildiyal/178099380752">Rushina</a> of <a href="http://a-perfect-bite.blogspot.com/">A Perfect Bite</a>. She had asked her readers <i>"If you could be a spice, what would you be and why? <br />
Best answer wins a copy of The Mainland China Cookbook! !"</i><br />
<br />
My response was <i>"Cinnamon - I go well with everything (sweet, savoury, drinks) and just add a subtle hint, yet my presence is not unnoticed. Also enjoyable completely undiluted and a bit of me, can be relished for hours leaving behind a fresh feeling."</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qBGQBV-adS9fkXM0dzFCSczxG1Pmfl6OYowZpD__ZNVWGICGrp2w3KTMVSzjXRFNG7wPnYJ9qz1L4FVklnGZDQlHZgs_Og6-aT3vpVPLKuXjGwbyqYudyvMlAVqSzkvH_G03fNmg0Jf4/s1600/Mainland+China.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qBGQBV-adS9fkXM0dzFCSczxG1Pmfl6OYowZpD__ZNVWGICGrp2w3KTMVSzjXRFNG7wPnYJ9qz1L4FVklnGZDQlHZgs_Og6-aT3vpVPLKuXjGwbyqYudyvMlAVqSzkvH_G03fNmg0Jf4/s200/Mainland+China.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><br />
So thats the Mainland China cookbook in the mail for me. I'm really happy with this one as it was released just a month or so ago and I haven't been able to find it in any of the Delhi bookstores or Flipkart either. Was thinking I would have to trek to Gurgaon to eat at Mainland China and check up if they had any books in stock. Given the high possibility of non availability, I've been postponing that for a bit :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The <b>Second Contest </b>was held by Pratibha Jain and Jigyasa Giri of <a href="http://www.pritya.com/">Pritya Books</a>, the authors of 2 wonderful collections of Heritage Recipes: <a href="http://pedatha.com/">Cooking with Pedatha</a> and <a href="http://www.pritya.com/sukhamayu.html">Sukham Ayu</a>. The Ayurvedic Cookbook - <a href="http://www.pritya.com/sukhamayu.html">Sukham Ayu</a> stood second in the category of "Best Health & Nutrition Cookbook in the World" by the <a href="http://www.cookbookfair.com/">Gourmand awards</a> (2009) organization. <br />
<br />
The Contest asked <i>"Can you think of a traditional, vegetarian, festival dish which is your favourite? Write a description and your reasons for liking it in 100 words"</i>. <br />
<br />
Well, I do love to write about food and there are plenty of festive dishes that are so much a part of my memory. The best memories and experiences of cooking festive foods was the assembly line of my mom, her sisters and some of the kids that was set up around the dining table under the eagle eye of my grandma (to whom this blog is dedicated) - who supervised the proceedings and of course the sneaking of bits and bites of the fillings and batter during the processes.<br />
<br />
Now to choose just one, a Vegetarian one (all dishes with eggs were out) and to describe it within 100 words, seemed nigh impossible. But this is what I finally sent in: <i>"<b>Kidiyos </b>(khulkhuls) - maida and coconut milk shaped into little worms (kidis) on the back of a fork and then deep fried are my favourite kuswar (Christmas Goodies). As a special treat, one batch would be dipped in sugar syrup and left to crystallise. These treated kidiyos would have the sweet crunch of a layer of frosted sugar, followed by the crisp outer shell that had been deep fried and the soft heart that had not been directly exposed to the boiling oil. A combination of textures and flavors that even today make me miss grandma more than ever.</i><br />
<br />
It won FIRST place. You can take a look at the other entries on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119328678128305&ref=mf">The Contest Page</a>. I would love to hear your favourites too, so leave me a comment.<br />
<br />
I'm now waiting for my copies of the Mainland China Cookbook and Sukham Ayu.<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=whazegyp-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=8190299301&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=whazegyp-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=819029931X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-84548831271485920712010-07-03T04:53:00.000+05:302010-07-03T04:53:12.297+05:30I'm Cooking on BBCJust did a food photo shoot with BBC for their program "India Business Report".<br />
<br />
It will be aired this Sunday, 4th of July at 11am and 10pm IST.<br />
<br />
Its a section on International food in India and I cooked a Thai Glass Noodle Salad. Will be posting the recipe soon on <a href="http://jhovaan.blogspot.com/">my food blog</a><br />
<br />
Very excited as this is the first time someone other than the husband has recorded me cooking :)<br />
<br />
<i><b></b></i><br />
Here are the timings for those countries where we have the most friends, for other countries, please check the timing online at <br />
<a href="http://www.bbcworldnews.com/Pages/Schedules.aspx?">http://www.bbcworldnews.com/Pages/Schedules.aspx?</a><br />
<br />
<b>India</b>: 11:00 & 22:00 (11am & 10pm)<br />
<b>Egypt</b>: 8:30 & 19:30<br />
<b>USA </b>(Pacific) : 9:30 - repeat (There may be a show on Saturday) and another repeat at 17:30<br />
<b>Canada </b>(Eastern) : 1:30am, 12:30 & 20:30<br />
<b>UAE</b>: 9:30 & 20:30<br />
<b>Germany</b>: 18:30 - repeat (There may be a show on Saturday)<br />
<b>UK</b>: 17:30 - repeat (There may be a show on Saturday)Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-68917903955863888592010-05-20T17:45:00.002+05:302010-05-20T17:45:46.468+05:30Book Review : Yajnaseni - the story of DraupadiThis is a translation of the work of Oriya writer Pratibha Ray on the story of Draupadi. This tale portrays Draupadi in a completely different light from Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Draupadi, in <a href="http://muserkim.blogspot.com/2010/03/book-review-palace-of-illusions.html">Palace of Illusions</a><br />
<br />
I feel this book has lost a lot in the translation. The first half of the book was very diffcult to get through. The language is clunky and for someone unfamiliar with the multiple names for Arjuna, Krishna, Yudhishtir and Draupadi, the characters can be extremely confusing.<br />
<br />
The translator Pradip Bhattacharya, is an IAS officer and the text of the first half is very heavy with convoluted sentences which made me feel like I was reading a bureacuratic report. It takes until the second half, for Bhattacharyato get into his groove and start writing a bit more naturally which really helps the story flow more smoothly.<br />
<br />
Pratibha's Draupadi/Yajnaseni/Krishnaa is a woman trapped by circumstances. First having given her heart to Krishna (then told by Krishna himself that her destiny lies elsewhere) and then to Arjun, she is forced to split her time as a wife between 5 husbands, each with their own personalities and peculiarities.<br />
<br />
A pre-occupied Yudhisthir, a demanding Bhim, Arjun who blames her for accepting his brothers as her husbands (for not saying no to the suggestion, although he himself didn't), childlike Nakul and Sahadev. Each husband needing to be treated differently according to his temparament. It is easy to empathise with Ray's Draupadi and feel sorry for her predicament. <br />
<br />
To love Arjun and want to be his alone and yet have to spend 80% of her time with her four other husbands. Plus Arjun's long travels, as penance for intruding on the privacy of Yudhisthir and Draupadi, to gain astras from the different devas while marrying different princesses along the way. The final straw is when he marries Subhadra and brings her back to Indraprasth, before Draupadi herself has had the chance to be a wife to Arjun (in Ray's sequence of events). Yet, she manages to reconcile herself to all of this with the help of Krishna's council. <br />
<br />
In this interpretation of the Mahabharath, Draupadi and Krishna share a spiritual level of trust and love that her five husbands accept and understand unquestioningly. Draupadi, even instructs one of Krishna's wives on how the wives have got it wrong in their constant fighting to possess Krishna for themselves, while what they should be doing is surrendering themselves to him.<br />
<br />
Karna is not the flawless noble hero, but an insecure man who nurses his insults and loses no opportunity to rub salt in Draupadi's wounds, even though he also saves her life at one point of time. <br />
<br />
Ray, bases her novel on the Mahabharath by Vedvyas and the Oriya Mahabharath by Sarala Das. She also adds a few incidents from her imagination and mixes up the sequence of some events to help her own narrative.<br />
<br />
Although Draupadi is one of the five satis, she is often insulted as the one with five husbands and hence implied to be a woman of loose character. Ray's objective in writing this tale was to clear this "negative" interpretation of her and to give her the honor she deserves for holding the Pandavs together and being an "agent of change" in her time.<br />
<br />
Also published on <a href="http://desicritics.org/2010/05/20/062119.php">desicritics.org</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Yajnaseni-Story-Draupadi-Pratibha-Ray/dp/B003DRH9RY?ie=UTF8&tag=whazegyp-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Yajnaseni - The Story of Draupadi</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whazegyp-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003DRH9RY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-91476792490397917202010-05-19T19:41:00.000+05:302010-05-19T19:41:51.727+05:30Book Review : The Hadrian Enigma - A Forbidden HistoryThe Hadrian Enigma - is a story of love, intrigue, politics, and scandal set in pagan Rome and Egypt, about 130 years after Christ.<br />
<br />
The story is based on real characters and falls in the genre of speculative fiction. It starts with the discovery of the body of the Bythinian youth Antinous rumored to be Caesar Hadrian's lover or <i>eromenos</i>. While history says that his death was an accidental drowning in the Nile, George Gardiner weaves a story of intrigue around the incident that is quite entrancing.<br />
<br />
The tale is revealed as a series of depositions to Special Investigator Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus who is charged by Caesar, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Antinous within 2 days.<br />
<br />
Within the first few pages, it seems the suspect is so evident, that you wonder why the story runs to 476 pages, but as you read along, you realise there are many more players in the mix.<br />
<br />
Gardiner has written an interesting and gripping story, but I do wish the editing was tighter. Given that large parts of the book are third person reports, a lot of the minute details included seem superfluous and out of place. He seems to have suffered from a typical writers problem of having done extensive research and then wanting to include as much of the details as possible into the end product.<br />
<br />
The language keeps oscillating even when the same person is speaking, from high brow Latin and Greek peppered sentences (sending one scurrying to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/">wikipedia</a> and <a href="http://www.dictionary.com/">dictionary.com</a>) to American colloquialisms like "that guy".<br />
<br />
Font sizes change suddenly and inexplicably, quite often. Words are underlined for emphasis, which left me feeling like I was reading a manuscript or a draft, rather than a final copy.<br />
<br />
While the novel is based on the same sex relationship of Caesar Hadrian and Antinous (currently deified as the God of Homosexuality by some) and marketed as a <a href="http://www.mmromancenovels.com/">male-male romance novel</a>, it isn't a turn off to the average reader who wants to read it as a mystery novel. What is vexing though, is the repeated use of the word "crutch" when the author actually means "crotch". Whether this is a problem of the "spell check" software or new slang (I checked <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=crutch">urbandictionary.com</a> which did not imply any such meaning to the word - crutch), I'm not sure.<br />
<br />
Its an extremely readable story, shedding insight into the life and times of a not-as-renowned Caesar, who had one of the most peaceful and prosperous reigns of his dynasty. It's a page turner, once you get past the initial Greek and Latin terms. I just wish the editing could have been tighter. Then this book would have really stood out for me.<br />
<br />
Also Published on <a href="http://desicritics.org/2010/05/19/044959.php">desicritics.org</a><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=whazegyp-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0980746906&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-61786340634472518162010-05-19T05:32:00.002+05:302010-05-19T05:32:50.483+05:30Book Review The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel ChristThe latest book from the Philip Pullman stable, being called in certain quarters as the Gospel according to Philip.<br />
<br />
The plot is based on an innovative concept - that Mary gave birth to twins - Jesus and Christ. In Philips narrative Jesus starts out as the mischievous one, getting into trouble which his quiet, academically oriented brother Christ keeps getting him out of. But then Jesus goes into the wilderness and returns as a preacher and Christ follows him around discreetly chronicling his words and deeds and yet giving a "twist" to the tales to make for better reading. And these twists are what are commonly accepted details today.<br />
<br />
Pullman draws on various sources and uses commonly accepted "facts" and twists them around in this book. It is an insight into how details "might" have changed in the re-telling.<br />
<br />
For eg: the miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana is offered a possible explanation of Jesus shaming the chief steward into producing the wine that he had hidden away to sell on the side.<br />
<br />
While staunch Christians might find the book blasphemous, Pullman disclaims the book with "This is a STORY" in a large Gold font on the back.<br />
<br />
The writing style is extremely simple and may come as a shock for those who enjoyed the complicated storylines and concepts of his Dark Materials Trilogy. The book makes for extremely easy reading with short simply written chapters.<br />
<br />
Pullman also finds time to denounce the current child abuse scandal being faced by the church in the words "prayed" by Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. For me, it is this chapter written as a monologue of Jesus - trying to communicate with God - that holds the crux of the book. The whole point of writing this book, seems to be concentrated in this chapter.<br />
<br />
As someone who was brought up on the Bible and has read up on the beliefs of the orthodox churches too, it was very easy to correlate all the incidents and compare them to their "original" tales. I would be interested to hear from someone who is not that well versed with the "original material" who has read this book. Did you find it confusing? Did any of the tales seem irrelevant?<br />
<br />
Also published on <a href="http://desicritics.org/2010/05/12/203427.php">desicritics.org</a><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=whazegyp-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=080212996X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=whazegyp-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0375842381&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8829995390217052138.post-10773967853812667202010-04-29T05:29:00.000+05:302010-05-19T05:30:23.830+05:30Book Review : The Other QueenThis is my first book by Philippa Gregory and I admit that it was the movie version of "The Other Boleyn Girl", that got me interested in her as an author.<br />
<br />
While I knew the basic outline of the fate of Mary, Queen of Scots, this novel still kept me engrossed. It brought to life characters from history in a way that only movies seemed to be able to do until a few years ago. It is wonderful the way so many new authors are re-looking history in the form of personal stories. It humanises the past as no text book or ledger of facts and figures ever can.<br />
<br />
This novel tells the tale of Mary Queen of Scots from 3 perspectives between 1568 and 1587, with a few flashbacks thrown in for good measure. Bess, a self-made woman who has used husbands as stepping stones to the higher ranks of aristocracy until her current rank as "My Lady Countess of Shrewsbury". Her current husband George the Earl of Shrewsbury, forced by a <i>request</i> from Queen Elizabeth, to keep Mary under house arrest in his home and Mary, Queen of Scots herself.<br />
<br />
Bess is a woman constantly worried about the finances of housing Mary, who though a prisoner is also a Queen and has to be treated as such. The Earl slowly finds himself falling under Mary's spell and Mary manipulates everyone around her to try and get what she wants.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately for Mary, (as you all know) things did not work out for her. But Philippa's novel has done a wonderful job of bringing her to life. Not as a helpless twit at the mercy of political machinations, but a young woman entrapped by birth and circumstances to spend most of her life as a prisoner, but never giving up on hope and the desire to free herself and rule her own country. <br />
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Also published on <a href="http://desicritics.org/2010/04/28/093513.php">desicritics.org</a><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=whazegyp-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1416549145&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=whazegyp-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1416560602&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=whazegyp-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0012QE4Q2&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687803417221589161noreply@blogger.com0