थोड़ी सी खट्टी
थोड़ी सी तीखी
जो भी है क़माल है यह कॉर्पोरेट चटनी
पैसे की भूख जब सताती मन ललचाती यह कॉर्पोरेट चटनी
मन का मलाल
प्रेमिका का सवाल
नयन के पीड़ा
घड़ी की सूयिआन
है ये कार्पोरेट चटनी
माँ का ख्याल , लाल सी एक कार
अल्चोल की फीस , हल्की सी एक खीज
तीखा सा तेवर छोटा सा मज़ाक
दारू की बोत्त्ले चखने के साथ
पहली तारिख हरे रंग के साथ
बारिश के बाद फीकी हो जाती
नए पुराने रंग दिखती यह कार्पोरेट चटनी ….
4 of us went to Fava on a Saturday evening. As expected this place was buzzing with life. We were a hungry bunch so decided to skip the starters and jump to the main course. Before that, we ordered for drinks.
Cranberry Juice – Cranberry flavor sugar syrup!!
Impeached – Mix of Peach flavor syrup, soda, lot of ice. In all, very diluted. When we asked the waiter to make it better, he added some syrup but it still tasted very watery. So we decided to e our own bartender and added the Cranberry juice with this mixture and??? it tasted a lot better!!
Virgin Mint – Nothing but our own Virgin Mary. I liked it a lot. It was icy, not too spicy and tasted different.
Main course:
2 of us are non vegetarians and the other two are pure vegetarians.
My dish, tenderloin with veggies and mashed potatoes was pure heaven. The meat was cooked just right. It wasn’t chewy at all. The other dish was, duck served with rice and dressing. The duck was tender and the blend of sauces and spices was just right. The only bummer was the overload of Soy sauce in both the dishes.
My vegetarian pals looked happy with the basic pasta served in tomato sauce and grilled veggies served with cheese and garlic bread. The dishes were simple and well made. The portions were filling.
After the main course, we ordered the desserts. Traditional Baklava was served with fig ice cream. It was filled with dry fruits and a dash of honey. I would go back to Fava to have it. Cherry Crème Brulee tasted like home made pudding, it was good. The presentation was wow!! The chef had made spoons with caramel and added six segments of sweet lime in a small Martini glass to complete the decoration. My friends looked please with their portion of Tiramisu.
The place seemed under staffed we had to wait for long hours to chat with the waiter. They were courteous though. The management should seriously think about hiring more people.
A big thanks to Gaurav and Parul for the dinner 
Fava is located at:
203, 2nd Floor, Comet Block, The Collection UB City, Vittal Mallya Road, Bangalore
Landmark: Next to The Tasty Tangles
Phone: 22117444, 9886434410
My first day in Ranchi as Mrs. Singh began with the Satyanarayan pooja and ended on a yummy note with the special panchamrat. I and Sachin were given the most comfortable room of the house. Where, I was supposed to spend the rest of my week. First two days were spent in meeting all the relatives and neighbors.
Not being used to covering my head, I had a tough time. The good part was that I was treated like a princess. I never had to do anythingJ. I enjoyed it for a day or but after that a while became quite stifling. My sister-in laws and brother in-laws were my saviors. Not to forget their adorable kids, who accompanied me during the stay. If it wasn’t for the lovely of family, Sachin would have lost his bride, thanks to the killer confinement.
I wasn’t supposed to move around the 3 floored mansions. The only time I could use an excuse to move out was when my nephew wanted to go out. Like a dutiful aunt I used to accompany him and play in the garden; an excuse to get some air.
Coming to the most eerie par t of the trip was a unique dinner I attended.
Our neighbors invited us for a dinner. So, I immediately got dressed in my best sari and loaded myself with all the possible jewelry. I covered my head and we all walked towards the mansion. After entering the house I conveyed my regards to the couple. I was briskly taken to a room, where, I spent the rest of my evening!!! My sis in law was there to keep me company. After seeing some photo albums, whiling away some time, a platter overflowing with ‘n’ dishes, arrived. I devoured each bite. The hostess had prepared all the dishes on her own and they were heavenly!!! There is something about north Indian food cooked by a north Indian, in any part of north India J. As I was about to finish my dinner, my companions were asked to move to the dinner table. There I was, left alone in the room with nothing to do!! While the men chatted and the women enjoyed the meal, I sat cautiously managing my pallu (making sure it doesn’t fall) what if some ancestral ghost was watching!!! I was very uncomfortable and annoyed.
To respect someone is one thing but to be treated like that for the sake of “respect” is humiliating. Can you imagine going to someone’s house and made to sit in a room alone for 3-4 hours ?
Finally after most of the members were done with the dinner, my knight in shining armor sensed my discomfort. He took me home. While going the hostess was generous enough to present me with an expensive gift.
Remaining days were tad relaxed. After all the guests staying with us had left, I was allowed to explore the house and watch TV. The day before my return journey, we went out to have lunch. Due to no movement and bland food (made by some 90 year old maid), my stomach was crying. I couldn’t relish the food in the hotel. But whatever came my way was delicious. I was happy to be taken out of house J. We spent rest of the evening shopping, checking out Ranchi, and devouring local ice cream.
The last day of my stay was super busy. I met the photographer for finalizing the pictures, picked some yum Sondesh, made food for the trip, packed and rushed to the station. We reached the station, 10 minutes before the departure (so unlike me). It was indeed a roller coaster ride…
A trip that I will never forget.
Flash is the word that best describes my wedding. Since most of you missed my wedding, I will take you through the roads of Ranchi, my wedding mantap, and the spectrum of my mind . I juggled with my emotions as the day approached. From cold feet to cultural shock I experienced it all.
After I reached Ranchi, the first good thing was the dinner. We were lucky to get delicious dinner at 11:00 PM at Kaveri. The food was heaven!!. After ages I ate yummy dal makhani and kofta…sluurrp!!!
Next day, 27th June was Sachin’s Tilak ceremony in the evening. His family visited us to discuss the rituals and the formalities. My folks got busy shopping for it and I, the princess was getting Mehendi done . By the time it was night, I had allergy on one of my hands. The pattern was a disaster!!! Strike 1 for the bride to be. The good news was that Tilak was flawless. The food was good, Sachin looked good and the folks were happy. His folks sent food for granny and me as we did not attend the Tilak. As per the customs, the bride is not supposed to attend this function.
28th June started with rumbles and tumbles in my stomach. Due to change in water, food and tension, I fell sick. A bad stomach, headache, and what not!!! Strike 2 for the bride to be. My mom was busy giving me medicine whilst my uncles were busy purchasing customary stuff. I was fasting. Luckily, yummy Sondesh were allowed!!! I forgot all about my bad stomach and gorged on that!! After all, happiness comes in small boxesJ. In my condition, I am happy that I was fasting.
It was 7:00 PM and amidst the general wedding commotion, my beautician entered- a Punjabi aunty with her daughter, Sweety. From 7-8 she cribbed.. slapped me.. pulled my cheeks.. hair and turned me in to a pink monkey!! All for the makeup.
Aapne gold facial nahin kiya.. face pe waxing nahin kare….. chehre par yeh lagao who lagao… yeh use karo.. meri beti kingfisher main kaam kartee hai.. Sweety , don’t simply stand help me… Oh God I am so late.. arrey gajra nahin hai..arrey light ultee pad rahee hai.. blah blah blah!!! Phew.. She used yellow glitter on my eyes.. pink blush on my face.. eye liner to outline my lips !! The Maroon color lipstick was applied so well that my lips started looking black… I started the emergency treatment. Wiped out the make to make it light. and applied Bronze gloss. Strike 3 for the bride to be. If I had someone to help me out I would done self make up.
I was chauffeured in a decorated Honda City. When I reached the venue, I was overjoyed to see that Sachin had arranged for my favorite flowers even though they are hard to get in Ranchi. The mantap was neatly decorated with flowers towards the end of the room. The stage was set with two chairs. I waited for the barat to turn up. As expected they took ages to turn up. At that time I was totally blank at the same time, a concoction of concerns, issues, hopes, and apprehensions spun my head and heart.
Shortly, I was called for garland exchange ceremony. It was fun. The ceiling was low and that made it easier to garland Sachin even when his pals raised him. With 100s of eyes staring at you, my face had a conscious smile. On top of that I was asked to “behave” like a bride. I wonder why isn’t a smiling and chirpy bride acceptable to people? Is it like a Faux Pas?
After the garland exchange got over, I was made to wait in a room for like two hours. Meanwhile Sachin started the puja. Once instructed, I changed in to my traditional Paithani saree and moved to the mantap. At wee hours in the morning, the pair of eyes staring at lessend. The rituals were cut down and pandit did everything in a time saving manner. The highlight of the rituals was the application of sindoor. My hair were opened and neatly parted at the center. Dollops of ghee was applied to hold the sindoor . All the ladies from my side put sindoor on my head. Then, Sachiin applied a generous amount. Throughout the ritual, my forehead was covered so that the Sindoor does not fall in to my eyes. Thanks to my co sisters, the quantity of sindoor that was supposed to be put was reduced.
Once the rituals were over, I got some food to eat. By then I had lost my appetite. Never the less, having few bites from my dad’s hand was priceless. Next was vidai ceremony. Sachin’s dad took me and Sachin to his place. We were tired and sleepy. That did not deter people from conducting the moo dikhaee ceremony. One by one all the people came, saw my face and whether they liked it or not gave me gift. So by the end of it I was fully loaded 
. Overall it was an overwhelming day.
That’s not the end of it. There is lot more masala left to my stay at Ranchi. For that, you will have to wait for Bride Talk - II.
Meanwhile you can check my pictures on FB and @http://picasaweb.google.com/prateekjoshi24/NikkusNew#. Let Let me know if you are unable to view them.
Signing off, Mrs Singh J
It was a fruitful week. I gave my clothes for stitching to Ruby. I got bangles from Bhavani Kangan Store, Jayanagar. 2 pairs of heels from Reliance Foot print (I never thought I would ever buy anything from “Reliance”), rest have been borrowed from pals. Vinod @ Spratt trimmed my hair to perfection. Secretly I am waiting for the day when I can get my hair cut really short!!! Hopefully that will happen in July. I hope to meet Soumya on Monday and finish shopping for cosmetics. Folks are out getting cards printed which I picked from a shop in Sultanpet. Anyone who plans to get married should visit this area to buy wedding cards. The shop had a good collection of cards. On the flip side, the salesman was misinformed and the owner’s son was pretty rude to us. We made a quick exit.
Today was supposed to be house hunt with Sachin but heat struck me and I am sitting home with medicines and lemon juice. However, I am glad that he is hunting for houses on my behalf. Hopefully, tomorrow I should be able to go with him.
Being jobless before marriage can be relaxing at all fronts but an empty wallet does scream at times . I hope I will land up at a new work place soon and get the moolah flowing in..
C u all soon.
I looked in your eyes,
Saw love the way I wanted to
I love u the way u know love
Still want to know if I can love u more
‘Cause hw much can I love u, even I don’t know
Your smile is like the dawn that spreads a hope in my heart.
The hope of a bright and sunny life
So smile not only for yourself but also for me
You are my rush
You are the calm
I could call you a painting, but it is so still
I could call you a rainbow, but it disappears
I could call you the beat of my heart, but it will stop one day
Let me call u my SOUL, because soul is forever
You are a vision
You hug with out a reason
You let me cry in your arms
When I cry I can’t hear myself coz u keep me close to your heart
All I hear is your heart beat and my sobbing is lost in them
I realize that your love will always conceal my misery
You look into my eyes and you know what I want to say.
It’s a totally different world with you,
A world beyond my imagination
There is something more perfect than fantasies
That is you
Nikita anee Sachin…
Sukhroop saonsarachi kamana karoon
Kela ek dosrya la jeevan samparman
Prem anee ashirwad gyun tume yave
Sukhroop lagna paar padawe
Yach manaat thewon deto tumhala, langacha amantran
Image courtesy litarisherbs.com
I am relieved. I am writing. I know that this irregularity was not what I had mind when I started this blog. I will strive to write more often. Couple of good news that came my way and I wanna share it with you all.
At work : Bootes is over J
At personal front: I am getting married in Ranchi
The credit goes to Sachin for making this happen. With the wedding venue as Ranchi, I am sure that many more will make it. Suddenly everything seems simpler. The previous venue was good too but this one is better. YAYYYY.. I am kinda charged up now!!! I don’t have to worry about the typical bride stuff like hair, make-up, mehendi, travel… etc. All those who got married are aware of them.
I am on my way to soak up the good news by sleeping some more and dreaming about my wedding..
Happy reading J
There are millions of reasons why a girl loves to be a gal. Here are couple of reasons why I love the fact that I am a girl J .
I get to ..
Let me know why you love being a gal…
Every time I looked up and said, “That’s it”, He mockingly said, “Yah right”!
The more you don’t want certain things to happen, the more they do. Every time I think this is the last time, I am proven wrong. I am not sure where do I get the strength to go through all this again. When He means testing times, I think he REALLY means it. Just when happiness was sinking in…
Couple of sunny days, and then it starts to pour once again. We are drenched and the cold wind hurts. The rain drops fall on us and seem to sting. The difference is that this time we have more umbrellas. I am not sure how many times will I have to face such rains. I am struggling to find a ray of hope out of all this Doesn’t He pity us? We are managing with rags. Don’t take that away from us. I am quite sure we have suffered enough. At least change the misery. Fighting a new battle is comforting. With stitched lips you can’t even curse. Sometimes I laugh at the situation. It’s like watching a terrible movie every day till you get sick of it and then after an hour’s break you are made to watch it again.
The ones with a pure heart are not suppose to face the storm. They have lost the strength. Of whatever is left, they have to keep it intact for some other time. Times, which will bring showers of pain, but with a promise of a sunny day. Far off thought of spring is what keeps us going.
When vice creeps in, sanity is lost. So are love, respect, and all those feeling which binds mind with body and body with soul. Bonding between soul and the rest of the world is also at loss. Some things have fallen forever. I don’t want them to rise up again. I want them to be eroded away with time. They are meant to be because they never supported what they were supposed to. Once they were perceived as the most beautiful structures but deep down they were weak.
I think this is the longest I have taken to write few lines. Distractions… thoughts… pain. I am not sure what exactly is blocking me, may be my mind is too clouded to find out the right words… Right now even the worst will not affect me.
I won’t say this is the worst .I wont say the worst has passed. I won’t say the worst is yet to come.
| सो | मँ | बु | गु | शु | श | र |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « मार्च | ||||||
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 | |||||
 | Ria on कॉर्पोरेट चटनी |
 | Angelism on Bride Talks again.. |
 | Thousif Raza on Bride Talks again.. |
| Thousif Raza on Bride Talks again.. |
 | Rachana on Bride Talks again.. |
