Mehendi (Wordless Wednesday)
Shringar (Wordless Wednesday)
River Walk And A Cry
Pune is lucky to have not one but two rivers flowing through it – The River Mutha and River Mula. They come together at a spot commonly called Sangam and flow as the MulaMutha to join the River Bhima and then onwards to the River Krishna and eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal. A really long east-ward route for the rivers considering they are pretty close to the west coast of India but then I guess geography must decide their course! I confess my knowledge was very limited till I went on walk called ‘Nadi Kath Che Pune’ with the Prof Ghanekar which was part of the Virasat Pune Heritage Festival 2014. What an eyeopener it was and one that totally changed my approach towards Mutha. I say Mutha because that is the river closest to me but the Mula is not excluded.
Obviously any discussion about the Mutha is incomplete without a mention of the floods of 1961 when the Panshet dam burst causing massive destruction of life and property, the scars of which may be evident even now. Several ghats along the river were washed away, many trees uprooted, homes and families destroyed forever.
Nature has a way of making its presence felt, especially when people take it for granted. Many of us don’t even know their names, a sad state indeed. Recently I came across a group of enthusiastic ecology lovers who also love the city of Pune and specifically its rivers. The Jeevit Nadi has taken up the mantle of reconnecting Punekars with its rivers and their Muthai River Walk successfully does that.
On a chilly December morning I joined a fairly large group of people for this walk which began at the Vruddeshwar Siddeshwar Ghat. The sky blushed with the rising sun to welcome us, an awesome sight indeed. As walks go, the distance covered is not really large or strenuous but it subtly focuses on the sad state of affairs there.
Obviously any discussion about the Mutha is incomplete without a mention of the floods of 1961 when the Panshet dam burst causing massive destruction of life and property, the scars of which may be evident even now. Several ghats along the river were washed away, many trees uprooted, homes and families destroyed forever.
Nature has a way of making its presence felt, especially when people take it for granted. Many of us don’t even know their names, a sad state indeed. Recently I came across a group of enthusiastic ecology lovers who also love the city of Pune and specifically its rivers. The Jeevit Nadi has taken up the mantle of reconnecting Punekars with its rivers and their Muthai River Walk successfully does that.
On a chilly December morning I joined a fairly large group of people for this walk which began at the Vruddeshwar Siddeshwar Ghat. The sky blushed with the rising sun to welcome us, an awesome sight indeed. As walks go, the distance covered is not really large or strenuous but it subtly focuses on the sad state of affairs there.
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| Brrrr… 6.8deg C that morning |
The guides took us back several thousand years, as they narrated a mythological story about the origin of these rivers. Believe it you wish or dont… either way its an interesting tale. Based on the artefacts found on the banks of the river, the river may be older than the Ganga, they added.
Phew!
Standing on the river bed, we are at the lowest spot in the city. On either side, the Mutha can be seen to be meandering in gentle curves through Pune. I had never realised this aspect of the river course till I stood at that spot.
There are several interesting sites along the river, some historical, some religious but all point to the river’s importance in the daily lives of people of Pune in the days gone by. Bapucha Jhara near the Omkareshwar Mandir is the most interesting as it is a perennial source of water.
Possibly a couple of hundred years ago, once the city residents no longer had to depend on the river for their water requirements (development of underground water ways by the Peshwas and later due to construction of dams followed by modern municipal water distribution systems), they slowly got disconnected with it. Eventually an apathy has crept into us about our natural water resource and heritage. We take it for granted.
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| Residences alongside the river had steps leading right up to the bank. Here is one… |
We walked along trying to imagine the flora and fauna that flourished here and not too long ago. Salix tetrasperma, Wild Date, Cyperus rotundus, Polygonum glabrum, Crinum viviparum, Homonoia riparia are among the riverine plant species, of which only one Salix tree still exists… Avian friends like the Pheasant tailed Jacana, Pied Kingfisher have long left the Mutha…
The river is dammed hence whatever water is seen flowing on the Mutha is water that has been used – domestically and by industry. Pune is located not far from where the river arises and it is the first major urban settlement on its course. There is no need to describe the pollution we Punekars pour into the river- the sight and smell along the course is sufficient to pierce every conscience.
On that day, I learnt about the things we can do at an individual level that WILL make a difference. All that is required is a minor change in our lifestyle, in the products we use – one at a time.
Here are some images that force us to sit up. Think. Act. Today… Instead of the annual attacks of consciences that we suffer on Ganesh Immersion days.
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| Mural of the Lakdi Pul seen along the river near the Poona Hospital |
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| Below the iconic Lakdi Pul (photo not during the Jeevit Nadi Walk) |
If you are too lazy to walk and prefer a journey from your arm chair then, the following book is for you!
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| “Muthekathche Pune” by Prof PK Ghanekar gives the history and geography of Pune on the banks of the River Mutha |
Obviously there is much that the authorities can do but possibly the will is lacking. I read an article in The Telegraph that the River Thames was biologically dead at one point in time. As a result of massive efforts to clean up and undo the damage, the Thames has become clean and beautiful again.
Surely we can do something similar here in Pune.
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| Hyacinth filled river (Photo taken on Anant Chaturdashi 2015) |
I have seen some old paintings or photos from the British era that show a beautiful flowing river. obviously Pune is much bigger now, and the dams mean water is used by Punekars yet surely, some of the river’s glory can be restored. I pray for the day when the River Mutha and Mula regain their beauty.
So if you are looking for something different to do this weekend, take a walk by the Mutha River.
Can you hear its cry for help?
Rings (Wordless Wednesday)
Book Review: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
For the first time, I began reading a book after I read about it on Twitter, namely Atul Gawande’s ‘Being Mortal’. That plus the fact that it was a book written by a medico. We have heard of bankers, engineers, Indian-origin folks who have turned writers but doctors… I find that ‘Being Mortal’ is on the list of 10 best health books in 2014 by The Huffington Post.
The book left me with mixed feelings. I usually like to complete a book in one go but this is of a different category. The reason is not because it fails to hold attention but actually because it does just that. The ideas that Gawande puts forth compel the reader to think, to introspect, to look at ones own life and family and the decisions one has made or have to make. This demanded that I put the book away to gather my thoughts.
Book Review is not a correct term for the post, I am not really in a position to ‘review’ it. Obviously a lot of hard work has been put in by people much better placed than me in the publishing industry. My Impressions would be a better word, I guess. Anyway here goes…
As the title suggests, the book deals with old age and all that it brings along for the person and people around him*. Aging is much much more than greying hair and wrinkled skin and lost teeth. In fact those are the least of one’s problems. Gawande has drawn extensively on his medical experience to describe how we and the medical world deals with reducing mobility, medical issues like dementia/cardiac/neurological problems etc that are an integral part of growing old. The final chapters deal with cancer and how people react and deal with impending death.
Aging does not discriminate between nationality, gender, financial status or designation. It happens to all and each one faces different changes and our reactions vary from person to person. How do we accept the restrictions that slowly creep upon us? How does the family react? How do the doctors react?
As the author has said, not many doctors take up Geriatrics because its not a glamorous stream nor a highly paying one. Probably not as rewarding in terms of achieving medical goals as well.
What should be the focus of medical management? Should the steps adopted be convenient to the immediate care-giving family members? Should it be to make the individual happy and mentally occupied? Or to enable him to continue a routine that he enjoys and looks forward to? Or keep him well-fed and safe so that his medical parameters are optimum? The latter often means a strictly regimented routine that defeat the previous goals. Often medical interventions are painful, expensive and traumatic for the patient. At times they only delay the inevitable. Are they even worth while then? Who makes these difficult choices?
In India, families still continue to look after the old and infirm and sending them off to old-peoples homes is not common. Yet. Gawande tends to look favourably on this system that too has its drawbacks. He has analysed the rise and fall of the ‘assisted living’ concept and shared results of several studies that affect emotional states of the elderly. Notable among these is a path breaking ‘experiment’ by Bill Thomas to ‘inject’ life into a nursing home.
There exists a dire need to make the twilight years dignified, happy, lively and enjoyable.
The author is brutally frank when describing his feelings when he first ‘met’ death and towards the end of the book describes his father’s final years. He has quoted moving examples of real life people most of them from the USA but those
living in India can easily see similarity in one or many of those.
‘Being Mortal’ is not a book one ‘enjoys’ because it makes the reader uncomfortably aware about the choices they may have made or have to make. It is not light reading.
Will I recommend it? Yes. If nothing, it will spur us to plan for our own old age.
Of course, the best laid plans often do not work because Fate has something else in store.
Have a healthy and happy 2015 folks!
🙂
*For the sake of convenience, I have used a male reference. It can just as well be a ‘her’.
Sunday Shopping
Many people in this city have a tradition of visiting vegetable markets like the Mandai to purchase vegetables for the entire week. I am not sure how or why this practise has arisen but there is no comfort like having a fridge full of veggies. An almost mandatory accompaniment to the veggie purchases is Patties or Misal. Patties can be from Santosh Bakery or Hindustan Bakery (almost iconic outlets) and the Misal can be from Bedekar or Shri Krishna Misal. Click here for an e-food walk of the city and then get yourself out to actually taste those goodies!!
But I digress. This post is not about ready made food rather about the veggies and to be specific, vegetable markets. Over a period of time, places other than the Mandai too have become popular vegetable shopping sites probably because of distance and parking constraints. Several vendors (not sure if they are farmers of just middle men) set up shops on the street sides near the DRDO circle in Pashan and on Karve Road. The produce here is fresh, fairly cheap and all seasonal (and some unseasonal) stuff is available. There are also the established Mandai in Aundh and the iconic Shivaji Market in Camp.
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| Dehydrated Sweet Potatos, Lady’s Finger, Gawar (Cluster beans) |
A new entrant is a farmer’s market near Gandhi Bhavan at Kothrud. Compared to the other venues mentioned above, there were fewer vendors but some of the vegetables seemed cheaper. I use the word ‘seemed’ because I cannot compare same-day prices across the city. My comparison is based on my last purchase! This place looked like a ‘haat’ with lots of interesting stuff. Besides vegetables and fruits there were dals, biscuits, papads, kurdai, pickles, dried vegetables, Bhel, ready-mix for fruit shakes, and a stall selling Pohe and Dhirda for the hungry birds. Here are some images from our visit. Its a good effort and is especially beneficial for those residing near Gandhi Bhavan.
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| Fresh pineapple. He readily cuts it up for you |
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| This weighing scale had nothing to weigh |
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| For the hungry birds |
Happy Sunday Shopping!
Tedious Yet Satisfying!
An important part of Ganapati celebrations at home is preparing the offerings. Besides the usual retinue of flowers and garlands, the Pooja includes offerings of leaves of different types (generally referred to as Patri). Offerings of Patri is a topic which demands a separate post (read more in this article from The Hindu) and this post focuses on one particular type that is Durva (दुर्वा) .
The Durva to be offered is the tender shoot of grass with only three terminal blades including the new shoot. Usually a bunch of 5,11 or 21 Durva are offered. Panicum dactylon, Imperata cylindrica, Desmostachya bipinnata and Cynodon dactylon are some grass species identified as sacred grass.
In bygone days, possibly each and every household had a garden or at least a place where people could visit to pluck Durva. So-called development in urban Indian cities has created a concrete jungle with almost no gardens. The only source for Durva is the market where one can buy bunches of grass, which cannot really be offered to the God. Ideally the grass should be sorted out, almost akin to picking out leaves from a bunch of Fenugreek leaves! Its not a good idea to think about the origins of the grass, who or what has walked over it. One can simply wash the ready Durva before offering it to Ganesh.
It took me almost four hours to sort a bunch of grass into Durva for offering.
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| Each Durva is carefully separated into a steel plate |
Each twig has to be carefully examined and cut out at the
correct spot (so only the terminal three shoots are present). At this
stage the twig must be handled very carefully else a blade may break off
which means the Durva cannot be used.
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| Each twig of grass is assessed. |
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| Finally: the small pile of Durva and a big pile of blades of grass |
End result, 16 bunches of 21 Durva each! A time intensive, delicate process but strangely satisfying and enjoyable!
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| Each bunch has 21 Durva.The string must be firm but not too tight else the delicate stems will break. |
An alternative to this is to get a bunch of pure silver Durva that are available at most jewelers in Pune.
Have a happy, noise-free, eco-friendly Ganesh Ustav!
Here is a link to an article by Devdutt Pattanaik in Times of India about the legends associated with Durva.
April 2014 Rewind
April 2014. Its has been a very hectic month quite contrary to my expectations. I had signed up for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge and picked a theme as well which meant I had to stay focused. If exercising can be tedious or boring then writing 26 different and interesting posts was even more difficult. I am happy to have completed the challenge but what a month. Besides the blogosphere there was so much happening all around me.
In India, the FX channel was broadcasting the popular US serial The West Wing. I began watching as I am a big Martin Sheen fan but soon was totally enthralled by the workings of the west wing and characters therein. It was the seventh season that depicted the whirlwind election campaign in the US.
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| Image from IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0200276/?ref_=ttep_ep_tt |
Coincidently we in India to have ongoing general elections and I kept contrasting and comparing the styles, rhetoric of the politicians. I realised there were many similarities in election politics – effects of conservative voters, immigration issues, religious beliefs, minorities and so on. Of course The West Wing is a TV serial but it must be based on some facts. Ours is a very real campaign with real issues. We will not know our exit poll results till May 12, 2014 but for all of April we were glued to the TV news channels, or on the Internet for updates and speeches and interviews. That encroached on thinking time for my blogathon…
April is also repotting time for my succulents. This meant having to take extra care of them post-repotting. The rising temperatures meant all house plants needed more attention.
This and more stuff had to be cleared off. And, no photos of my Jade and Adenium. They are camera shy!
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| Mess to be cleared after after repotting |
Then there was the Pune Heritage Week happening here organised by Virasat Pune. Eight days of a brilliant reconnect with the natural, architectural, cultural, artistic heritage of this great city (Pune). I could not miss this opportunity to see and learn about places, things so close to me. I met people who had lived here for years but had never visited heritage institutes right in their backyard. There’s a saying in Hindi “चिराग तले अंधेरा ” (Chirag tale andhera). Loosely translated it means there is darkness next to the flame of the lamp.
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| Heritage building in Western Circle of Botanical Survey of India |
Through April I read many wonderful blogs across the world. While I think I am getting along in terms of age, I realised people who are much older are ‘penning’ their thoughts …is that the right word? should it be typing or sharing 😉 That has motivated me to be more regular and creative in my posts.
Here is a list of some blogs that impressed me. Many blogs had interesting features which made the page more attractive and informative to read. Aaaaannd… most of them are women writers!
Here are a few, I will add these blogs to my link list on the right panel in due course.
Linda Maye Adams: Soldier, Storyteller
Debbie blog: Debbie the “Doglady” online
Vinitha: Pooh’s Den
Corinne Rodrigues: Everyday Gyaan
Shilpa Garg: A Rose is A Rose is A Rose
MAJK: Saffire Blade
Jetgirlcos: Forty and Fantastique
Usha Menon: Kuch Khatta Kuch Meetha
Rajlakshmi: Destiny’s Child
Sonia Lal: Story Treasury
These are just a few. The link list closed at 2015 this year which means there are many awesome blogs that I have yet to read. According to this article in DNA there are about 100 bloggers from India participating in the 2014 Blogathon.
Wow!
Lets stay connected and share thoughts!
Thanks AtoZ and the team who kept us motivated.
🙂
Zero… Size Zero
This is the final post for the April 2014 A to Z
Blogathon. Its been a month of “exercising for fitness” and I was not
really sure I would be able to complete the challenge and stay within
the theme. Suddenly I had a gamut of ideas for blog posts which had
nothing to do with my theme. They were banished to the ‘drafts’ and
hopefully should be up soon. So keep visiting.
Thanks
to all of you who have visited and commented here. Its been a pleasure
knowing all of you and reading your thoughts. Do follow my blog on GFC or on Twitter so
we can stay updated on our posts.
Blogathon. Its been a month of “exercising for fitness” and I was not
really sure I would be able to complete the challenge and stay within
the theme. Suddenly I had a gamut of ideas for blog posts which had
nothing to do with my theme. They were banished to the ‘drafts’ and
hopefully should be up soon. So keep visiting.
Thanks
to all of you who have visited and commented here. Its been a pleasure
knowing all of you and reading your thoughts. Do follow my blog on GFC or on Twitter so
we can stay updated on our posts.
Stunning models in fashion magazines look beautiful, lean and toned and whatever I do I somehow never achieve that look. Obviously a lot of it is due to superb photography, make up etc but size matters as well. I had a painfully thin frame and never ever was it considered to be beautiful. Rather it was looked down upon.
In my time, fat was beautiful.
Some years ago, the so-called size zero became quite the craze in India when Kareena Kapoor (an actress in India’s film industry) was down to this size for the 2008 film “Tashan.”
So thin was in.
Later on I saw the movie “Bride Wars” when this dialogue about a wedding dress by Vera Wang has stayed with me till now: “You don’t alter Vera to fit you; you alter yourself to fit Vera.”
I am not sure what dimensions qualify as size zero but I assume its something painfully thin as is evident in photos in the links above. Can one reach and stay in this size in a healthy manner? Obviously it would mean cutting down on food which will affect nutrition and energy levels. Will there be long term side effects? This is an eye opening article about models who go to all lengths to maintain the sizes required for their work.It involved eating less or not at all, sustaining oneself with drips but not much mention of exercise. The focus was only on the size and not on fitness. Fitness is not only size but involves overall strength, flexibility and endurance. Its the combination of these that makes a person fit.
But obviously the requirements of the fashion industry go beyond fitness. Appearances count.
So is it worth risking long term damage to our bodies to reach and stay at size zero? Thats a question we have to answer for ourselves.
If you ask me then its better to be happy with our bodies as God’s gift, try not to damage it wrong diets, wrong exercises, wrong lifestyles.
Stay fit all of you. Stay healthy.
Cheers!
Disclaimer: All
suggestions are general in nature. Readers are advised to exercise
caution before implementing them and seek expert advise about what is
suitable for their specific needs.
Yes, I can
A common excuse for not exercising is lack of time. There is some
project near its deadline or a team member is non productive or the
boss is over demanding and so on. When work calls we Always find time… be
it at 10 pm or 4 a m.
project near its deadline or a team member is non productive or the
boss is over demanding and so on. When work calls we Always find time… be
it at 10 pm or 4 a m.
So why not get up an hour earlier, do a few Sun Salutations and then begin work? If its late then do some stretching
exercises to help relax the muscles.
Its all a question of having the will to do it. In London I have seen
folks jogging in parks in lunch hour. Initially i was quite amused but locals
told me these executives use any free time in this manner to stay fit!!
If Yes, I can is your motto you will find the time to exercise And
work.
No more excuses.
Make this your motto “Yes I can”
Cheers.
Disclaimer: All
suggestions are general in nature. Readers are advised to exercise
caution before implementing them and seek expert advise about what is
suitable for their specific needs.