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Everyday Phases by my Mother part 2

  I have been meaning to write this part 2, especially after Every Day Phrases by my Mother , the first part was liked by so many and also because, well, the phrases and the dialogues never end with my mother. I did tease her about writing a book or making a scrapbook about all her phrases, but we never got around to it. So here we are, after almost 4 years, apologies if the Nepal bhasa wordings are incorrect somewhere Ne tha ne masau Bhwauthau pwa This is basically saying, not being able to take advantage of the situation or not doing what you are supposed to do at the event. If you get invited somewhere that has food, you should eat there. Neu twanyu tha yu yethe, jui chwanyu kata pinyu yethe I have heard this one many times. In the society that we live in, impression and your social image matters a lot, especially when it comes to family prestige. So it does not matter what you do at home but once you step outside, there is this social obligation of dressing appropriately, behav...
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The Best of Both Worlds

Back when we were about to get married, I had shared with my now husband how I was scared and nervous of leaving my childhood home. I had never lived far away from them for too long, not even stayed at a hostel. How was I going to leave home? I had wondered. “Why don’t you look at it from a different perspective?”, he had said. “Instead of thinking how you are leaving one home, think of how you are gaining a new one, now you will have two homes.” That always stayed with me, somehow. And that is exactly what I remembered as I held his hand and boarded the plane to Bangalore. I was nervous, I was excited, I was scared; this was the first time I would be leaving my country for long term; I had only gone for short holidays but never to settle down. What would leaving our home country and settling in a new country and new city be like? Why not think of it as gaining a new home again? Why not think of it as getting the best of both worlds? Now, I get to experience life in a different, vibran...

The Magic of Kashmir

Kashmir was not unheard of, for me; a beautiful naturally blessed region, sadly full of chaos and ridden with dispute, long since I knew of it. Of course, I had heard the name of Kashmir in several movies, their famous chili powder, in the map of the world, what I didn’t know and realize was the magic of their food and their culture. The curiosity awoke by watching “Raja, Rasoi aur Anya Kahaniyaan” on Netflix. The very first episode I watched was that of Kashmir, and it was quite captivating to say the least. It was when I saw this whole other side of Kashmir, and came to know about their popular delicacy Kashmiri Wazwan, their Kashmiri Kehwa, their noon chai, their leafy greens and peculiar taste, their influences, and so much more, Among these, Kashmiri Wazwan caught my interest the most. The Kashmiri Wazwan, comprising two words Waz and Wan where Waz means cook and Wan means chop. An intricate dinner consisting of several dishes and courses. Guests are seated in groups of four and s...

Watching Spongebob Squarepants as an Adult

  Spongebob Squarepants was one of my favorite cartoon series growing up. I sang along with the theme song, I giggled with them and wished for a friendship like that of Spongebob and Patrick. I related more to the fun and chaos that Spongebob and Patrick enjoyed, while feeling Squidward was always so negative and a spoiler. Fast forward to nearly two decades later and I can totally understand Squidward’s perspective. You want to have some peace and quiet when you get home, you want some relaxation, you want some me time after being around people all day. It doesn’t help when you have noisy neighbors who have no idea about boundaries and personal space or when you say no, it means no. You do not have to be grumpy or cynical as Squidward or hate your job to feel that way. The gist is you do not always have to be doing something to enjoy your time. As a child, you enjoy the innocence and energy and giddiness that Spongebob and Patrick are, as an adult you see they can be annoying ...

The Leaving vs The Left Behind

  I still remember,  I was standing near the entrance looking out at the garden. I was at my best friend’s home and she had gone to get her ever famous chips chilly for me. I was to leave for Bangalore again, in a couple of days. While I waited, I looked out at the garden and this thought came into my head. “Who is it harder for? The one leaving or the ones left behind?” Is it going to be harder for me in a new place readjusting and exploring, or my best friend here, who will me miss me? Is it harder for a person to settle in a completely new place with a completely new lifestyle and have to find new people or for a person to see the same old places, the same old alleys and reminiscent the good times they had with their friend who are not around at the moment? It was a random thought that filled my mind a couple of minutes and then I got over it. Some time after resettling here in Bangalore, my best friend sent me a reel. The reel was about 2 close friends who used to lived ...

The South Indian Hospitality

  The ideal Indian food would have you counting garlic naan, butter chicken, shahi paneer, dosa, samosa, pav bhaji and chhole bhature, off your fingers, but the Indian cuisine is so much more. If you go down South: appam, iddiyapam, Mangalore buns, ragi dosa, rava dosa, idi samvar, besibele bath, puliyogare, pongal, Mysore Pak, puttu all await your taste buds. To be honest, even I got to know and am still exploring the South Indian dishes. Internationally, the aforementioned dishes are more popular, even to the neighboring countries, it is the Northern Indian dishes that make it to their knowledge. There is no comparison, of course, each dish is unique, each dish and cuisine just as delicious. While exploring the food here is a big part of my every day journey, what caught my attention is also the local food hospitality. While my mother always wanted my eldest brother to sit down while consuming food, because he eats his meals standing up, she would probably be surprised by the l...

A Weekend in Pondicherry

  Beaches, aesthetic building, clean roads, delicious food; Pondicherry is just a good vibe. I had always wanted to visit the coastal areas when we moved here to Bangalore and we had to wait to the right moment to visit Pondicherry and it was so worth it. How to get to Pondicherry Pondicherry falls in the state of Tamil Nadu, if you are in one of the nearer cities like Bangalore or Chennai, you can easily get a bus to Pondicherry. A lot of them are available on daily basis and even AC sleepers. You can also book a train seat to Pondicherry and if you are short on time, you can always arrange for a flight from wherever you are. Best Time to visit Pondicherry The best time to visit here is from October to March when the weather is slightly more timid and relaxed. In summer, it gets way too hot and during Monsoon from July to September, visiting coastal areas is just not the same. History of Pondicherry The history of Puducherry can broadly be classified into two periods: ...