Author: Archana

Once a Physiotherapist now a Wordsmith. Field Botanist. Bonsai. Proud Indian. Fauji Wife. Doting Mother and Mother-in-law. Devoted Grandmother. Reluctant Cook. Happiest on a road less travelled. 60s are the new 40s ;-)
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Second Innings!

Such a well known term particularly in cricket crazy India.
Yet it can take on a different meaning for some of us non-cricketers in real life too!


Looking back, its been a year that I started writing this blog. A year full of new learning’s in this field that I had so tentatively entered into….
A move away from Physiotherapy! It seemed the unthinkable, more so for others than me…
That was my first innings….
I can’t say that I scored a ton, but I did my bit. Working with special kids, seeing their progress and most of all, seeing the joy in their parents face is something that I can never forget.
Working with adults was just as rewarding.


Yet something drew me towards a change, try out something new.
Why not? Its the norm of the day is it not…
So that’s how I began writing and slowly it became more and more important.
The second innings…
Thanks to you all who have been reading my thoughts and mailing in your comments.


Robert Frost’s words come to my mind:


“Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village though.
He will not see me stopping here,
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer,
To stop without a farmhouse near,
Between the woods and frozen lake,
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake,
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep,
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.”

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Ganesha Hamesha


Every year, we look forward to the Ganapati festival. Ganesh mandals continue to proliferate at a rapid pace, I counted five in a space of 100 m in under the Paud phata flyover.

Each year, civic authorites urge people to immerse the idols in specially prepared ‘houd’ (tanks) so as not to pollute the river. This year I found volunteers of ‘Yugpath’ (a youth organisation) on hand to collect ‘Nirmalya’ and even kept satistics of the number of idols immersed in the tanks. (The photo above shows the tanks set up beside the river)
We did not really think what would happen to the idols thereafter. The ones made from ‘Shadu’ ( a type of river mud) were meant to dissolve yet a large number are also made of Plaster of Paris. They obviously would not dissolve. We left it to the God to fend for himself mainly from the Pune Muincipal Corporation it would seem.
According to reports in the Pune Mirror, the PMC is supposed to transfer the PoP idols to a quarry nearby (Pune Mirror did not find any evidence of that). They actually ended up throwing the idols back into the river which by the next day did not have much water. I shudder to think of the condition of the idols, which just a few hours prior we protected with our lives from any damage……
Other than environment issues, it raises some questions in my mind about our commitment to our ‘guest’ at home for ten days in the form of the idol. If we can behave in this manner towards Ganapati then other irresponsible human behaviour currently the norm is a forgone conclusion.
Ganesha is a ‘Vighnaharta’ ‘Sukhakarta’ ‘Dukkhaharta’. God does not expect anything in return yet we ply him with flowers, modak, silver and gold ornaments. Celebrations become grander and more opulent each passing year. Yet we do not think of the idol once the ‘uttar puja’ is done.
Surely there has to be some solution for the 21st century. Religious experts must offer some solution.
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Enough is enough

Nobody doubts that cleanliness in public areas in most Indian cities leaves much to be desired. Lets leave swanky south Mumbai or Lutyen’s Delhi out of this..

So while we spend hours cleaning our homes its all promptly dumped outside.
Now it seems the world has taken note of our habbits and joined the fray.

This news from Economic Times dated 08 Sep 2008 should serve as an eye opener. Of course UK councils have all the right to make their environs clean and green and in a cost effective way. But does it justify shipping their garbage to be dumped on Indian soil? And what are our local authorities doing in letting the muck accumulate here?

Sunita Narayan and her cronies should surely be raising a ‘stink’ on this issue but I have not yet heard anything.

Have we become so immune and thick skinned that hygiene matters so little? Has the perennial rat race for money and better living dulled our sensibilities of our earth?

We must change. Recycle, reuse is all fine but please do it sensibly. Remember the world is watching. We have only ourselves to blame if more such waste lands on our shores.
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Dragon Fruit

A few weeks back a Pune daily carried reports of the ‘Dragon’ fruit that farmers located on outskirts of Pune were growing for exports. What caught my eyes was the colour! The dark pink skin stood out against the grimy newsprint and I was keen to take a look.
Finally yesterday I found the Dragon at my fruit shop. At Rs 100 a kg I was a bit hesitant to try it. What if it had a peculiar taste or horrible smell? Seeing my hesitation the guy condescended to let me take one piece (that was 500 gms) and I came home with my trophy. The family was most suspicious to say the least of this new addition to the weekly shopping basket
I had detailed instructions on how to ‘slay’ the Dragon as it were! The dark pink armour had scales and seemed really tough so I got out my most evil looking knife. Yet to my surprise it cut through easily (almost like cutting a papaya) and no thanks to the knife mind you! The inside was pure white pulp with a speckling of black seeds like ‘black til’ or ‘kalonji’. The skin is not edible I was told!
I sliced it into rings like a pineapple and viola my family looked on with some trepidation at the unusual desert for that meal. The Dragon is almost devoid of odour and very tender. One bite and you get the impression of eating a crunchy ‘litchee’. The pulp is extremely watery and sweet.
On the whole, we managed to clean the plate without much trouble.
The fruit is from the Cactus family, my research shows. Click here for its nutritive value and here to know more about it.
I believe Pune farmers are exporting the Dragon fruit. I had read about and seen rose farms that were doing the same but this is a first for me.
All the best to our entrepreneurs!
Ciao!
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Marathi Bana- मराठी बाणा

After a long long wait we managed to attend the 655 th show of the hit Marathi musical ‘Marathi Bana’. We had been warned to take seats at the back of the theater and go armed with cotton ear plugs. That sort of had me a bit wary plus the huge dent the tickets made in my wallet.
I guess Marathi theatre is coming of age as Ashok Hande- the all in all of this extravaganza- has successfully wooed middle class marathi manoos to shell out big bucks for something that they already know but have forgotten.

But what show! Superb! The 120 artists sing dance jump their way into our hearts. The costumes, props, attention to detail is excellent. While 20 vehicles cannot manage to make their way straight on Pune roads without getting into a jam, the stage has over 30 men and women dancing in perfect sync with not a step out of place. Looking from a physio point of view, these young gals and guys are extremely fit and flexible. Energy levels remain high through each performance and the artists seem to enjoy every moment of it (except probably some of the lead female singers!- cant blame them it was past 10PM when the show began!) The ‘bharud’ and dance depicting the ‘Ambabai’ is par excellence. The tribal dance and the ‘lavani’ got a vociferous call for an ‘encore’. Lighting is used imaginatively and the musicians (about 15 of them) stayed on stage all throughout.

Does it seem like 10/10 for all departments…..?
Well the one that goes down is audio for the simple reason that it becomes deafening and can actually cause your heart to go thud thud at times… All parts of Maharashtra too did not seem to be represented.

Ashok Hande himself is the able ‘sutradhar’ and leads from the front.
Full marks to him for the concept and execution.

All in all, don’t miss it for the world.
Smiles!

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Indulge Yourself!

On one of my usual retail jaunts around the city, I discovered ‘The Body Shop‘. I had seen the stores in London but the little digits printed on the labels put me off! Multiplying by 83 at lightning speeds and trying to look unconcerned can be extremely trying, so I just gave up.
But not for long!
I discovered their shop at the SGS Mall, Pune and decided that they deserved a visit from me. Armed with my reading glasses and my credit card I happily left my shopping bags with the security guard and took a close look at what was on offer.
And what an extensive range it was… skin care, eye, make-up, eye, bath and body, fragrance and hair range ‘pour hommes et femmes’.
Phew, just the ‘Try me’ samples were enough to drain me out and leave me completely confused as to what to choose. Products containing the familiar Vitamin C, E, Almonds, Jojoba, honey and oats and unfamiliar seaweed, blue corn, tree tea oil all had me wondering which would be the winner to restore my skin to its youthful glory…
But choose I did, and a few days of use had me completely sold out!
I heavily recommend their repair products. Chapped lips, cracked heels all disappear like magic leaving you feeling pampered, indulged and like a Queen….
Does that sound exaggerated? The Body Shop website says, “We believe that every woman has the right to feel fabulous, so we put our all into finding the highest quality natural ingredients, ethically and responsibly grown and bought, and turning them into innovative products, honestly marketed, and priced so that everyone can afford them.”
Don’t take my word for it. Check it out yourself.
Give it a try, you owe it to yourself!

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Citizen Journalist’s Meet

Meri News.com in association with SIMC and Lokmat had organised a meeting of Citizen Journalists at Pune on 26 July aimed to take inputs from CJs to prepare a Citizen’s Manifesto 2067. The panelists included experts from diverse fields and some came forth with concrete points. Matthew Mattam a social activist and President CYDA put forth six interesting points for India in 2067 the important ones being, that candidates not be allowed to contest elections more than four times, there should be 50% reservation for women in the Parliament- and most of the representatives should be below 45 years. Prof Dhulia a senior official of IGNOU came up with an interesting suggestion that there should be a stress on informed citizenry and low cost media literacy courses should be available for people. This will help people ‘see through’ what ever is dished out to them via various media and understand what is really happening.
Prof Ujwal Chowdhary Director SIMC ably gave a direction to the proceedings, summing up and adding to various points. A major point he brought out was that politicians need to debate face to face in the public (like their US counterparts). Let there be a healthy exchange of ideas and not mere verbal bashing.
The General Manager of IBN could have spoken more giving an insight on what the industry has to say but he chose to transfer the job to his editor- I missed his talk due to time constraints.
The CEO of Meri News, Vipul Kant Upadhayay explained his idea behind the venture. An important point he made was the lack in quality and numbers of people choosing teaching and defence as a career.
Attendees then came up with their own points. A senior retired Naval officer rightly pointed out that it is important to visualise what India will be like in 2067, what will the population be and plan to deal with it. His emphasis was on infrastructure. A gentleman from the UK, raised the relevant point about protection for rights of Citizen Journalists especially if the points they raise are unpalatable.

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Cinnamon Spice

Pune has fast developed into a foodies paradise. Despite being a relatively small city, getting around is a problem but nothing should stop one in search of a well cooked and attractively served meal.
Cinnamon Spice a ‘dhaba’ style restaurant is one such joint one can safely head for. Situated in Aundh, this is a compact open air well decorated place with welcoming and knowledgeable staff. Now getting a table for 2/3/4 or more people without a reservation in Pune particularly on weekends means spending at least the better part of an hour staring into plates of current table occupants and desperately trying not to show it. Why do people have to keep ordering that extra course??
Yet we found that space was not an issue at Cinnamon Spice which for me was a big plus. No parking woes either as they offer valet services else there is plentiful space for those who do not want that extra bit of feudal service.
The restaurant has an open kitchen which means one is treated to a potent mixture of aromas and fumes as the chefs busily work at the tandoor or the stoves. Additionally it also means, hygiene standards are necessarily high.
Decorated to resemble a dhaba complete with the staff outfits, Cinnamon Spice has a live band (a duo on the day we visited the place) singing what else… Hindi numbers.
Muted lights, terracotta shades, copper serving bowls set the mood and service is quite prompt.
The menu offers limited choice for vegetarians, though the list of kebabs on offer is varied enough. The selection of liquor and mocktails is adequate too. Angrezi tarkari, Dal makhani lived up to expectations as did the butter naan. Pomphret, prawns, chicken all seemed tantalising and delicious as I smelt and watched them being served piping hot right in front of me!
Rates are on the higher side but worth the drive out there.
For those looking for an option this weekend, check this out.

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Bulls and Bears

Fuel prices hiked, scream newspaper and other media headlines.

Roll back, urge everyone but those in power.

The Sensex falls by a few hundred almost daily.

Inflation in double digits.

Crude reaches new peak.

Is there no good news, I ask?

Search and you will find news pegs of Indian firms forming JVs or even acquiring firms, winning major projects and adding capacities.

Despite the nay sayers, I am told there was record high payment of advance tax for the current quarter. I am not a finance person but is that not because company earnings are good?

The gloom is not an India specific phenomenon. One finds inflation across the world, to a larger or smaller extent. So many foreign companies are reporting losses, banks going under and retrenchment is on in a big way.

There are several so called ‘experts’ who fuel negativity with dire predictions. Yet there are some sane voices.

Should we really let the bear hug lower our moral, our determination?

Life is never a bed of roses. We have no control over whatever happens abroad or for that matter our politicians. We need to continue with our work, make a difference wherever we can and things will change for the better soon. They have too. It cannot be a one way fall downwards…

Let the bears and bulls continue their fight. We have work to do. Nation building is something each one of must contribute to.

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Laxmi Road

Laxmi Road situated in the heart of Pune is the fabric centre of the city. Sarees, menswear, kids clothes, fabrics of all varieties and cost are available here. Though the city is rapidly growing in all directions Laxmi Road remains the ulitmate solution for many clothing needs. Saree shopping in particular is unmatched in this area. Despite many upscale retail outlets sprouting up in many areas, Laxmi Road is the place to go for uniforms, books, rainwear, plastics, raw materials for arts and crafts etc.

Appa Balwant Chowk (lovingly called ABC) located a stone’s throw from ‘LR’ is populated only with book stores and those too of the academic kind! So for all engineering, medical, law, entrance tests, school or anything else under the sun, head to ABC. Avoid Sundays as many stores remain closed going against the usual city custom of Monday closed. Mondays too are avoidable as one then cannot club the trip with other shopping.

What is the need to club, you may well ask? Pune traffic being what it is reaching Laxmi Road can be a harrowing experience irrespective of weather you are on 4/3/2 wheels. To say parking is a nightmare is an understatment.

On my visit last evening, Laxmi Road was in its full glory. It seemed as if all of Pune had descended on this one square kilometer. Traffic was choc-a-bloc, there was no space to walk as the footpaths were full of hawkers, two wheelers and what not. The seething mass of humanity seemed to be all hurrying from one shop to another. Be it the jeweller or the new-style garment stores, toy shops or the road side thelawala, all did bustling business. Laxmi Road certainly showed no signs of the much talked of inflation and consequent affect of people spending powers.
I gave up trying to enter the famed ‘Tulsibag’ a small shopping cluster located in the maze of bylanes. Yet the place is full of exclusive stuff so dear to Marathi households that items from there find their way on the shopping lists for NRIs to take to far away lands.

Laxmi Road does not have many places in terms of food joints to recharge tired limbs though there are many tiny outlets selling fast foods. The best idea is the go the Deccan Gymkhana and recoup at the many excellent cafe’s there.

Its these crowds that are the very soul of Laxmi Road, go there on a weekday morning and you will not recognise the place to be the same.

Laxmi Road has a special charm, something exclusive to offer each time I visit. Any number of malls may come up in Pune, yet Punekars cannot do without Laxmi Road! Me a confirmed shop-o-holic can vouch for it!

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