With Meera and M in Mumbai, I can only reminisce about Meera's favorite anecdotes. Here she is exploring the Kumta train station enroute to Mumbai on the Konkan Railway. She thoroughly enjoyed the train ride.
Three more Meera pics and anecdotes!
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In Interval Training, you combine a short, 1 minute burst of high intensity exercise followed by a 4 minute recovery period of low to moderate intensity. You string together these 5 minute cycles, or intervals, and end up with a very intense exercise regimen with amazing consequences. Also called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), a 30 min interval training is the quickest way to lose weight, get physically fit and enhance your running speed.
Read more: Benefits of Intervals and Tutorial!
(sorry for the late cross-post)
Tutorial on Intervals!
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Now is such an exciting time for Indian History! New technologies from satellite imaging to DNA sequencing are bringing scientific curiosity to the understanding of our ancient history.
The latest findings are typically scattered in scientific journals and archaeological reports. In history books I find a sad disconnect between what they are still parroting and the latest findings. Thus it was such a joy to see the latest issue of the e-zine Pragati, dedicated to early Indian History.
Nitin Pai, an Editor of Pragati, who blogs at Acorn, has done a masterful job of collecting related topics in one issue. Nitin was magnanimous in writing here a short introduction to Pragati: A Sense of History. He has also given permission to have the complete issue of Pragati available at ArunShanbhag.com
Read more!
Nitin's Intro and Downloads!
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Turmeric is an ubiquitous indian spice and a common ingredient of pre-mixed curry or masala powders. Turmeric (haldi, Konkani; haridra, Sanskrit) is also an essential component of fish marinade.
While I take for granted the turmeric used in cooking, I distinctly remember my grandma preparing scalding hot, turmeric milk whenever we had a sore throat or cold. And grandma admonished us to sip it hot, letting it course its way down the back of our throats. Haaiiii! She had alchemized this common root, to a piping hot, golden elixir, which not only got us back to school the next day (unfortunately), but also back on the playground (v good). Something magical about that turmeric milk! If she only knew!
Read more!
Several more pics and a review of Turmeric Health benefits!
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Is Immigration Good for America?
Depending on their ideology and incomplete data, politicians, media, unions, and technology companies espouse disparate views. A recently published, detailed economic impact study, sheds a clarifying light on the productivity of immigrants compared to the native American population.
Jennifer Hunt of the National Bureau of Economic Research summarizes that immigrants as a group make significant contributions to US productivity, but is dependent on the type of visas used to arrive in the US.
More!
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Since they were infants, I have shot pics of all our friend's kids. They are a joyous bunch and I love showcasing them. Now, with Meera on the scene, some of my friends wonder if I'll ever be as passionate about taking their pics. Well, they do have a point :-E| But for now, here they are. They make me laugh and they make me cry; and in turn I love to spoil them with Lindt chocolates ~ while their moms give me the evil eye!
Four more Pics!
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Every evening we take Meera for a walk. Its just a few blocks to the local Maruti temple on Colaba Causeway. After darshan, we invariably stop by Kailash Parbat for some chaat. The bestest!
PS, I apologize for cross-posting this here so late.
More and a pic of Meera's feet!
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This tiny girl amazes me! She's got me completely wrapped around her little finger - twice over. She only has to coo and I start babbling baby talk like a blithering blidiot. I love it! When she is a sleep, I gaze at her. What is she dreaming? Is she happy? I wonder at this miracle and our good fortune to be enslaved by her.
More and one pic of Meera sleeping!
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Just received results from the recent Karnataka State Board Exams (Std X) for students at the Shanbhag School in Kumta, Karnataka. The students have brought in another spectacular performance! Congratulations! Our gratitude also to the teachers who do a fabulous job, every day!
Summary of Results:
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Results and More!
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When I work mornings from home, I'll make a quick lunch before rushing off to work. A quick lunch is usually a sandwich or a roll-up.
For a leisurely dinner, I may roast vegetables on the grill for a roll-up, but for lunch my favorite is using Vegetable Masala burgers from Trader Joes. Mumbaikars will recognize these as the pattis of a ragda-pattis! We horde 5-6 boxes of these in our freezer. For weekday dinners, M may crisp these on a tavaa (flat pan) and top with freshly made 'ussal.' Top with some yogurt, minced onions and chaat masala; yumm! Roll-ups with masala burgers take less than 15 minutes to make and are delicious.
Recipe and one more pic!
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Meera's day starts with a tael malish (oil massage) by Suvarna maushi. We routinely use Dabur's Lal Tael, for the massage, but have also made our own by infusing a red bark (ratanjyot ?) in coconut oil.
For about an hour, while Suvarna maushi cleans the rest of the house, Meera waddles around, impervious to her body slick with oil.
Bath is usually a long drawn out process with Meera sitting nicely on a traditional wooden paTh (a low wooden seat) while Suvarna maushi pours scorching water and takes turns soaping. Meera is understandably not in good spirits and bawls her head off. I disappear to an inner room.
M couldn't stand it and has now taken over bathing Meera. Using merely hot water, Meera enjoys the experience. She plays with the soap and rubber duckies while M painstakingly cleans every toe and sq inch of her body.
Meera screaming at water torture by Suvarna maushi. :-P
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After basking in Meera's joy for three weeks, I'm back in Boston. Thankfully, it is spring here!
One of many advantages of spending so much time in Mumbai is, I get to explore fine eateries in the suburbs! A few years ago, Mumbai was blessed with a eatery dedicated to Idlis: those delicately steamed rice cakes. South Indians start their day with idli, dunked in sambar and a liberal side of coconut chutney. In our home, I enjoy piping hot Idli Sambar for brunch, or accompany the afternoon chah or kaapi. Leftover idlis are used to make golden crisp Idli fry, or crumbled and scrambled with with a medley of dry spices. On family trips you have all initially groaned, when aunts unpack fresh idlis and semi-dry chutney - the ultimate travel food. By the end you are licking chutney of your fingers, while fellow travelers stare at you with envy.
An overdose of Idli!
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The days that used to lie
curled up,
numbed
by penetrating frost,
bit by bit
stretch out
their limbs
now that winter's past. ~ Sri Dharanidhara
from Vidyadhara's Subhaashita Ratnakosha
Translated from the Sanskrit by Daniel HH Ingalls, Harvard University Press
A couple more!
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