Happy Holidays...

I am taking a 'Winter Break'
...will be doing some travelling, meeting family & friends, shopping, eating, sleeping and taking loads of pictures:-)

Meanwhile have updated all my blogs, look around:-) and before you go do join me for a cup of earl grey in my balcony...Happy Holidays!!!

Fly away into the open sky, my little one...

* Yesterday a mother's heart overflowed with pride.
* A loving smile appeared on the face of a father who had waited patiently for the sight of 'his beauty'.
* Hands burned from clapping constantly through the 3 mins.
* Sixty days of dropping & picking ups vanished into a blink of a tear-filled eye.
* A little one whose hand you held to help take her first step, today danced her heart out infront of hundreds.
* The sparkly outfit that I mocked at looked like celestial stars that made her glow.
* Suddenly I realised my little princess wasn't liitle anymore and the world was her stage.
* I am sure all the mothers and fathers too, sitting in the audience echoed my feelings.

It's...

that time of the year when
* tabebuia blossoms paint the earth as well as the skies pink.
* sparkly stars descend on the balconies.
* the sun decides to go to bed early.
* hot, thick comforting soups are simmered.
* my home gets dressed in shades of red & green.
* the mind wanders in multiple directions trying to decide on what to bake.
* melodious voices of carol singers add excitement to a quiet winter's night.
* colourful arts & crafts fair are organised in the city.
Here are some amazing colours from Kala Madhyam Folk Mela organised by Madhyam in Chitra kala Parishad ( Art College)Blue Pottery from RajasthanCeramic mugs from KhurjaBastar Metal ArtTraditional Kerala Painting
Blue Pottery Ceramic Tiles
Enamel work Meenakari earrings in various colours.

Mind joining me...

...for A Cup of Chai?
Yes, that is the name of my new blog!

You ask me, don't you have enough blogs already?
I say yes, but I am also a person with various interests and passions.
One of the passion being my LOVE for Chai:-) That celestial beverage that people also call the cup of life!

In A Cup of Chai, I'll be posting photographs of the many cups of tea from my daily life. As time progresses and when my mind gets into a creative mood, I will be posting other new features!

I would love to invite all of you to my 'Tea Party'

Crescent shadow moon & a blank page...

* I am a mistress of 'To-do' lists, but today my mind draws a blank.
* I hear a faint sound of a diwali firecracker.
* Festivities are over.
* A new day begins. A Monday. The day after Sunday. It is a Sunny day today.
* I see a crescent shadow moon in my teacup.
* I watch the steam originate from the surface of the chai and disappear into the rays of the sun.
* I stare at the curve of my handwriting waiting to continue.
* My mind & hand are conspiring against me.
* I take a sip of my cardamom tea and give in.
* There is beauty in blank unwritten pages of a notebook.
* The blank page remains and my mind follows suit.

Isn't tomorrow another day? (Where have I read that line?)

*Blank*

Happy Diwali to all you lovely people...

Here's wishing you a very happy & prosperous Diwali. The "Festival of Light," where the lights or lamps signify victory of good over the evil within every human being.A glimpse of some of the Diwali Decorating Ideas I have been posting everyday for the last 10 days on Rang Decor ( My interior Design blog) I want to thank all of you who have stopped by to encourage, appreciate and suggest. Thanks for being there and supporting me during the last few days.

Wishing all of you a very Happy Diwali!!!

Touched by kindness...

* I sip my lemon tea, feel the hot liquid warm my body as well as my spirits.
* Contemplative is my mind, you ask me how can tea warm my spirits?
* The tea was incidentaI it was a soul's act of kindness that has given such a beautiful start to my Tuesday morning.
* A little girl waits for a school bus every morning. An elderly sweet lady waits for the little girl every morning.
* To give a bunch of freshly picked flowers from her garden. To speak a few words of kindness.
* The little girl is excited to get lovely flowers and tell the sweet lady about her school.
* What a delicate, un-named relationship they share.
* A thread of kindness & innocence binds them together.
* The little girl being my Mallika, the elderly lady our sweet neighbour & the fresh yellow hibiscus is from her garden:-)
* Touched by this act I thanked her for the flowers and as I turned to leave, she said,"My daughter too was like her...when she was little." reminiscing her daughter's childhood.
* I had a lump in my throat and quickly walked away hiding a teardrop.
* As I placed the flowers in water I realised how beautiful life is and how people touch our lives in different ways.

The month of October...

This leaf, so complete in itself,
Is only part of a tree.
And this tree, so complete in itself.
Is only part of the mountain.
And the mountain runs down to the sea.
And the sea, so complete in itself,
Rests like a raindropOn the hand of God.~ Ruskin Bond (Book of Verse)

Autumn? Fall? What does this season bring with it in an Indian context?

I love seeing this beautiful season of warm colours and dry leaves captured through the eyes of many a photographers, poets and simple people like me from around the world.
Autumn in Bangalore- I sharpend my senses and set out with my daughter into the season.

* I smell the change in season.
* The trees are still green but there are subtle changes, the tulip trees are flaming in orange.
* Dry leaves fom trees fall silently on the ground.
* The comforting smell of burning dry leaves.
* Prayer calls from the mosque during 'Ramzan'
* Excited voices of children playing cricket on the streets.
* Dusshera holidays.
* Beginning of various festivals.
* My heart fills with festive happiness.
* Twinkling lights appear on earth lining the roads and shops.
* Nip in the air and the sunlight brightening up various corners of my home.
* A craving for giant sugary doughnut and strong filter coffee.It's also a month of contemplation, a month where I turn a year younger...
Like Maddie says Autumn is a time of birth, of renewal.

* A time to rethink, the things I love.
* Have been wondering can a person be and do many different things?
* Inspiration comes in various forms.
* Learning is a constant thing and I plan to learn, more.
* Listen to my senses more.
* Read more.
* Feel more
* Share more.
* Love more.
* Do more.
Enjoy the season, dear friends...

A place that nature calls home...

* Cauvery river gushing down the rocks and forming white foams.
* Mallika's excited laughter as she swings by on a long swing on the tamarind tree.
* I look at the textures on the wooden steps leading to our log hut.
* Blue..yes Cobalt blue was the sky and blue was the water too.
* Sunlight making the Mulberry leaves glow.
* Faint screams of the 'White Water Rafting' team through the roar of the river.
* Fluffy candy floss clouds fill the sky while I settle into the hammock with a book.
* I see colourful kites in the sky...Kites?? Gosh! I must have dozed off while reading 'The Kite Runner'
* I always have flashes of scenes from the books I read even many days after finishing. ( Does anyone else have a similar experience?)
* Little fish nibble at our toes when we dip our feet in the cool water of the river.
* A trek up the hill leaves me panting and my hands smelling of lemon grass.( well the hill was filled with them:-)
* My head feels giddy after the coracle ride downstream.
* A feeling of calm surrounds all of us sitting along the shore, when the sun sets painting all of us in a beautiful shade of orange.
* The logs of wood crackle under the flames of the bonfire while the stars appear silently into the night sky.
* My husband sighs, Mallika whines and I refuse to leave this place that nature calls home.

Calm...

Sunset at Cauvery Fishing Camp, Bheemeshwari.

Have loads to share with you all...
Wait for me while I drag my thoughts back from our very relaxing and close to nature trip.

Meanwhile do check out my Flickr for uploads from the trip:-)

My Princess turns 5...

* Today I look at her and my mind goes into a flashback.
* All huddled up in a hospital blanket as pink as a rose.
* Sucking all her fingers and then settling for her thumb.
* I can't take my eyes off her when she sleeps her little sleep and that is so true even today.
* The day she took her tiny first steps, it was like I was learning to walk.
* The many firsts...will always be the best memories in my mind.
* Yesterday I baked an apple cake in a hurry for her and it didn't turn out the way it was supposed to and I was very upset...she came upto me and said, 'Amma it is alright. It smells good and it tastes great only thing is it doesn't look like a cake' I saw the look in her face...she was trying to make me feel better.
* I thank God for a miracle called Mallika.
* What would life be without daughters!

For all the daughters and for all the mothers with amazing daughters.

This is to you all!

I finally managed to bake another cake and Mallika decorated it:-)

Enjoy the cake while we take off for the weekend...see you all soon:-)

Kantha Work

I just can't get over these absolutely beautiful handbags & pouches with exquisite Kantha Embroidery on them.

You can buy it online here.

Colours for the week...

Flipping through the glossy pages of the first issue of the Indian edition of Vogue, I came across some images that I liked.

This colourful, rustic look by Sabyasachi Mukerjee for aza bride.

Very seductive, sensual pictures by Prabuddha Dasgupta for a feature on Traditional Indian Jewellery. Here are some of them...

Have a great colourful week ahead...

Update...

One hour maybe is not working, but two hours is definitely working:-) * My creative juices have been flowing, thanks to the internet cut down time.(See this;-)
* Been taking loads of yummy food pictures.
* Finger-painting with Mallika, though I seem to enjoy it more than her.
* Reading The Kite Runner & One Hundred Years of Solitude simultaneously.
* Eating bourbons and drinking spiced apple cider.
* Toast with roasted garlic and olive oil (I love the taste & aroma of roasted garlic)
* Cleaning my cupboard, strangely clears the cobwebs in my mind:-)
* Waiting for Indian Idol finale.
* I wake up with the voice of KK singing 'Ajab Si' echoing in my head.
* Enjoying the changing season, a nip in the air and warm blanket around me.
Happy Weekend!

Life in a 24hr broadband internet age...

I have four blogs, a flickr account and a daughter...

I have been asked many times how I manage to do all this and more.

Well, everyone goes through a phase in their lives when some thing just consumes the whole of them and becomes a integral part of their life. I started blogging a little over a year ago and from then on it's become a way of life.

Blogging become one of the many colours of my life...

As much as I love sharing and getting inspired in the form of blogging & flickring, the amount of time I spend online is enormous and it eats away into my time, that I used to spend enjoying my other colours of life.

Some of my other blogger friends have done it and I plan to do now. No, no I am not taking a break!

I plan to limit my internet time to an hour a day...!

One Hour!

How am I going to blog, flickr and visit all those amazing blogs?

Honestly, I Don't know.

Meanwhile let me leave you all with the aroma of freshly baked Cinnamon Rolls and the dreamy music of 'Om Shanti Om' that I have been listening on re-play lately.

You can watch the trailer of the lovely song- 'Ajab si' here.

Ganesh Chathurti celebrations at home...

Ganesha Chathurti has to be one of my favourite festivals.

* A festival where the whole family comes together to celebrate 'Ganesha' -the elephant god, the remover of

obstacles.
* The day when my husband gets fresh clay and let's his creativity flow to create a beautiful idol of Ganesha.
* Mallika's grandparents come down to be part of the festivity and give their blessings.
* Morning begins with the vedic chantings.
* Auspicious-ness is in the air.
* Everyone works with festive enthusiasm.
* Mango leaves are strung at the entrance of the house.
* Colours from various flowers fill up the home.
* The aroma of saffron & cardamon permeates from the kitchen.
* Ganeshas from my collection come out to be part of the get-together.
* The colour & fragrance of sandalwood paste & kumkum has not left my fingers.
* All the family members contribute towards the preparation of the menu.
* Modaks, Ganesha's favourite is prepared by the skilled hands of my mother.
* Mallika's creativity overflows in the form of a mouse idol. ( the vehicle of ganesha)
* Family prays to Lord Ganesha to remove all the obstacles and ensure happiness & peace in life.
* Satisfying of the senses with the colours of the flowers, the melodious voice of Shubha Mudgal singing Mangalswara, the aroma of melting jaggery & eating the sumptuous lunch consisting of 8 to 10 different dishes...

Now you know why this festival is so special:-)

Happy Ganesh Chathurti to all of you and hope the Lord removes all your obstacles and fills your life with happiness!

Ganesha idol on a bed of beetle leaves ready for the pooja.Fruits & flowers for the Lord

My husband's eco-friendly handmade Ganesha
My Ganesha collectionCoconut and jaggery stuffing for the modaks

Celebrating Ganesha...

Received an invitation from one of my favourite stores Eka, announcing their 'Celebrating Ganesha Festival'So if you are in Bangalore or Goa this week, do check out their exotic store with hand-picked one of a kind artifacts from all over India.

A note from my friend in Israel!

I received this beautiful card from Ayelet Iontef in the email today and had to share it with all of you:-) It's New Year in Israel today! Happy New Year Ayelet!

Ayelet Iontef has a beautiful blog called all*over*print. Do check it out.

Happy Happy...

Simple things in life...

* The fresh faces of the chrysanthemum make my heart glow.
* A bright sunny day with clear skies, dotted with fluffy clouds.
* Chirping of the little birds on the trees.
* Squirrels running up and down the coconut trees.
* Aroma of freshly brewed coffee from my neighbours house.
* Squeals of laughter of children playing far away.
* Roar of the traffic at a distance with an occasional loud horn of the autorickshaw.
* A jasmine bud blossoming into a fragrant flower.
* The smell of dry eucalyptus leaves being burnt at the street corner.
* Fuzon singing my favourite raaga 'Khamaj'
* Seasonal fruit 'Sitaphal' ( Custard Apple) bursting with sweetness to be devoured.
* Mallika's 'Happy' on the slate makes me very happy.

Hope happiness fills your lives too.
Happy Weekend Everyone:-)

Hampi: Part 2

The ruins of Vijayanagara dynasty-Hampi has been described by innumerable people in many a poetic ways...
but this is what I feel being amidst the ruins.

* I imagine many hands carving the hard granite rocks to create these exquiste masterpieces.
* The seven notes of music arising from the magical, musical pillars.
* The grandeur that would have been the name of kingdom of Vijayanagara.
* I marvel at the rocks that have stood the test of time.
* I feel a sense of calm when I see the sun rise over the Mathanga Hill.
* The Tungabadhra flowing peacefully through the ruins.
* I try to read the faces of many sadhus and holy men who throng the temples of Hampi.
* I am lost in a world where rocks speak to me about the bygone era and ask us preserve them for the future generations... A picture perfect Lotus Mahal- An Islamic influence in an otherwise Vijayanagara Style architecture.
Details on the Lotus Mahal...Beautiful Vijayanagara Architecture in the Vittala Temple...
Close-up of the wheel of the Stone Chariot in the Vittala temple premises...
Honestly now I truly understand how she feels looking at these structures & rocks...