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...

Happy Krishna Janmashtami...

On the eve of Krishna Janmashtami it is customary to paint Krishna's footprints right from the entrance of the house to the prayer room, symbolising the arrival of Krishna.
My cute Krishna idol posing with a beautiful orchid flower:-) Usually a long list of sweets & savouries are prepared at home, but I guess mine would probably be a very small list;-)

Do check out my pics on Flickr for updates

Wishing all of you a very Happy Krishna Janmashtami!

Magical Mango Tree....

* I have been to Hampi twice and my husband 6 times.

* As we were riding through Hampi bazaar on our gear-less scooters, we bumped into my husband's 'first tourist guide' who took him around Hampi in 1995.

* It was late evening and we were hungry, after exchanging pleasantries the 'first question' to the 'first tourist guide' was, 'Which is the best place to eat?'

* He simply said 'Mango Tree' and asked us to follow the Tungabadhra river.

* So here we were on 3 scooters riding along the river into dusk.

* We reached a quaint little gate with a small board that read Mango Tree with no mango tree in sight.

* Clueless we followed a path through a banana plantation and jumping up when we heard a rustling sound nearby.

* Reached a place that looked like a village home.

* We were asked to remove our footwear near a shelf which was filled with freshly fallen white flowers from the tree above.

* As we moved in I caught a glimpse of the river flowing peacfully ahead and my heart started beating in anticipation.

* I saw the huge mango tree form a canopy above us and somebody swing right ahead of us in a long rope swing.

* Then the magic happened when we walked down the steps....the river was the giant 70 mm screen and rocks forming the backrest of the seats.

* Low benches with glowing hurricane lamps were placed right in front of us as we stretched our legs and gave in to the beauty of the place and the service of the friendly waiters....