…. Blue-ming and Yumm!!

Jodha Rao-ji’s beautiful “blue city” is Majestic. It mesmerizes you with its old world opulence, flavors of authentic Marwar cuisine, and historical monuments that aren't just enchanting but also surprisingly clean!

Jodhpur was such a delight! Despite a delayed flight and a sullen face over window seats (FINE. Judge me, but I lovvvvvve window seats, and sadly enough I didn’t get one. So, I sat on someone else’s and thought I would make the little-smitten-girl slash lost-puppy face and get away with it as usual. However, this lady walked in and said “hi, you’re sitting on my seat”. :| I obviously moved like a measly rat back to my own then. We got talking while on our way out of the flight and….), I actually made a Jodhpuri friend before even landing into their lovely city. All smiles!

With the horrible food we got on our flight (Well, Yes! I eat the food served on flights. Feel free to judge again, for I love free food – and yes, I am aware it’s technically not free!! *rolling eyes*), we were famished, and apprehensions intact, we cautiously ordered some authentic yet safe sounding Marwar lunch. Desert string beans and capers (Ker Sangri) came highly recommended, and bowled us over with its perfectly spiced and tangy flavors. The non-vegetarians gorged on the very enticing looking Red Meat Curry (Laal Maans). Everywhere we went in Jodhpur, the food was to die for. Now isn’t that such a plus for a city that has so much more to offer?

Our very pretty Hotel 

The lovely architecture at Taj Gateway

Taj Gateway - The Property from inside

Taj Gateway - Night view

One of the various exquisite art-works found across the Hotel

Colourful (and soooo comfortable) Mojris!

Mehrangarh Fort, and the gorgeous view of indigo dyed rooftops (traditionally to mark houses that belonged to the upper caste of brahmans, and now to give Jodhpur-waasis the much needed cool during  scorching summers) both couldn’t have gotten better without the “audio guide” we opted for. It was not just very informative, but also added so much color and music to our time travel. An absolute must for history lovers……. and a lot of fun for even those who like briefly knowing about the places they visit.

Mehrangarh Fort - Scale Model 

Feeling the blue? I love everything about this picture - the city, horizon, the soaring eagle, and the fort guarding it all

Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahta Hai had blue/green incorporated  in every frame (watch it again if you missed it ;)). Mehrangarh had something similar about it. Love how blue makes an appearance in every shot we took here....

... And one more

Spot the lake?

Truly Royal, right?

One of the ceilings at the Fort

....Some Gold up the ceiling Madame?

.... For the King and his Knights....

The Pearl Room - That's where the King heard his ministers on stately matters

Clicked from the Queens courtyard

What an end to our tour - Watching this squirrel in action :):)

Even our visit to Mehrangarh did not adequately prepare us for the spell that Umaid Bhavan would cast on us (Also famous as Naomi Campbell’s chosen destination for her boyfriend’s birthday bash, and Arun Nayyar and Liz Hurley’s wedding venue). I was really tickled by the thought of Maharaj Umaid Singh-ji’s successor Maharaj Gaj Singh-ji’s sheer presence in the residential section of this palace turned part hotel that we were dining at, (told ya, I am the smitten child). We dined in style and lovvvved the food. While the veggies gushed over and relished the traditional offerings in their thalis, the non-veggies thoroughly enjoyed their a-la carte fare that comprised of authentic takes on chicken and meat. One would expect it, but the servers were well-informed, utterly hospitable and so eager for us to understand and fall in love with their culture and cuisine (which we obviously did. Did I mention, the broccoli preparation, the very Rajasthan jaggery-with-pure-ghee, and their Ker Sangri were lip-smacking delicious. Actually I don’t recollect if a single thing on our table was not that..... A(h)MAZING!!)

Umaid Bhavan - Day View

Scale Model of the Umaid Bhavan Palace exhibited at the Museum Section in the Palace

Now I want to own this!!! Loved this the most from amongst the fabulous other exhibits at the Museum

Courtyard within the Palace

Umaid Bhavan - The Hotel section that retains the elegance of the rest of the Palace

That's where Maharaj Gaj Singh-ji still celebrates his Birthday :)

Night View of the gorgeous Umaid Bhavan

Are you in love too? :)

From looking like ever-famished Ras-mallai addicts, laughing endlessly at each other, to taking in the vibrancy of their Mojris and Puppet-shows, Jodhpur was so much fun. (Of course, all thanks to the company I keep :):):) )

Before I forget, a sure shot and special mention must go to the infamous Pyaaz ki Kachoris that Jodhpur specializes in. This blue city and its various delights took us on such a lovely royal mirage.

And yes, one last thing…..
We. Loved. The. Food.!!!

.... Cheery Summer

 

Summer & Yellow - Mangoes & Lemonades - Sun & The Beaches - If only Mumbai was that pretty though :P

…. Fear of the Unknown

I’m a panicky traveller; the kind who has to look behind, and imagine all the worst situations possible, and then also think how to combat each one of those. Did I mention paranoia? LOL.

Picture this – In Goa for the very first time in life, holding my bag really tight, and walking briskly on the road with the precaution of one who gets followed – correct, THAT is me!

Having said the above, it was the easiest thing for me to understand what my dearest friend must go through on being China bound. Now, did I mention paranoia and panic? Oh, damn I underestimated. Chandni is all that and a tad too “researched”. She read up on crimes in China, on the crime rate in China, human trafficking and any other thing that can completely destroy one’s vacation. For all the potential thieves, Chandni hides her money in 5 different places, one of which is stacked in her socks in the bag. I need to stop talking about her now; else Chandni will block me and also whack me! Hence, reluctantly, but moving on……  The Unknown – as alluring & mysterious as may be, it is scary!

A never explored before career path, an appraisal you’ve prepare endlessly for, a 2 week trip your sister has to take and be away from you – they all scare.

A few years back, I woke up one day, and knew I couldn’t anymore bear to be the software engineer who developed back-end systems&solutions for the world’s largest steel company. Leaving there was the easy part. Figuring out what I had to do next was the most confusing, and scary bit.

So I learned swimming with kids and pinched them under-water (yes, judge you may, I love torturing kids who behave like adults… more about those monsters in another post), went to construction sites (and it thrilled me more each time), shopped (endlessly), and took a vacation (that one’s another story….anyway!). All I know is, I discovered what I wanted for the rest of my life….and am enjoying every bit of it. Just like Chandni enjoyed her trip. :)

It all boils down to one thing -  You’ll probably never get to know what lay ahead, if you chose to not move.

Fear always takes away a lot of “you” very far away from you. It diminishes your confidence and kills your sense of challenge.  It makes you complacent and boring. Just like too much adventure can make you extreme. The key is to balance – to stick around when you are happy and eager, to be patient when it fades, to work on it to bring the spark back, but come on…you got to let go when it becomes a pain. Leap of faith is not such a bad thing fellas! It ends up thrilling you, or killing you, or making you far stronger. :)

That’s enough philosophy and lecture for the month. Will do some fun posts later ;)

.... Sing-a-song !

One of my favourites, and such amazing & eternal advice – The genius of Baz Luhrmann via Sunscreen:

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '97, wear Sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh never mind, you will never understand the power and the beauty of your youth until they've faded!
But trust me, in twenty years, you will look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now, how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.
You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind. The kind that blindsides you at 4 PM on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other peoples' hearts; don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealously, sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.
The race is long and in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults.
If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the "Funky Chicken" on your 75th wedding anniversary.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either.
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body.
Use it every way you can, don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance.
Even if you have nowhere to do it but your own living room.

Read the directions even if you don't follow them.
Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents.
You never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings.
They are your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go.
But a precious few, who should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, for as the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.
Live in northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain truths: prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old and when you do, you'll fanaticize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you.
Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse but you'll never know when either one will run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're forty, it will look eighty-five.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia.
Dispensing it is a way of wishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

…. Nailed it!!

** Warning # This one’s for chicks….
**** If you aren’t warned enough # This one’s about Nail Art…..
There! I believe you got it now… so read on at your own risk….

Let me start by first admitting that I HATE nail art. Okay, fine, I don’t really hate ALL kinds of nail art, just the overtly ugly, jarring ones. I like subtlety – not the same way girls in my parlour say it: “Madam ye popat green aur ferozi pink combo daalo, bahut sattal hai” :P… LOL

Yes, so we were talking nail art, and how much I hate it. I probably tried it once or twice and I’ll say it again… I hated it!! Hahaha…. I made my point, right? I think all the Sindhi women and their obsession for the ugliest nail art has probably ruined it for me.

Yet, there definitely are a few trends I like, and thought of sharing my version of “sattall” with you… here we go….

Love this one - Lovely dull shimmering gold and the ring finger design ~ so precious!

What a perfect one to compliment a huge rock or a humble pearl...

You have to see this twice to even notice the design... So lovely & chic

Shimmer... Shine....

& Some Sparkle!!

Usually dislike blacks, but this is so classy!!!

Pastels are always so beautiful

Peach & Lovely ;)

Okay, I admit this is not subtle, but Chanel is always sophisticated, ain't it?? :)

The ultimate classic & my all time favourite!!

I'm getting these done... soon...  :):)

** Source urls for images: http://makeupgeek.com/forum/viewtopic.php?
f=25&t=32495&start=165 http://raymondleejewelers.net/blog/tag/subtle/
http://brorablog.co.uk/brora-fan-fashions-liberty-dress-nail-art/
http://the-swatchaholic.com/?p=3141
http://weheartit.com/entry/12089526 http://www.flutterandsparkle.com/2012/11/elegant-touch-uv-gel-nails-and-envy.html
http://9images.blogspot.in/2013/01/pink-nail-art-fashion-girly-hand.html

…. The Scent of a Book !!

I love books. The gorgeous smell when you turn pages, those enchanting covers, characters that feel so alive&real you could almost touch them, places & fragrances so vividly described!! Enough (or maybe not) has been said and written about books and perhaps, I will not be able to express what books mean to me, and how I treasure them. All I can say is I truly thank God for all those amazing people who decided they must write to express.

Having being introduced to books pretty late (guess I was 12 then), the geek in me was hooked on instantly. I read like a maniac, feverishly reading as many as 4 different books at the same time sometimes - probably to cover up for all the lost time. I’m still smitten!!**

**Candid confession however is that I haven’t read in a while now. And I’m itching to. Will definitely make sure I make some time every day.

You know how there are these stages, or levels in life, when you feel elevated? Transformed? Enlightened even? Some of the books recommended by a few friends did that to me. They were those highlighted points of life – the ones that enhanced the whole experience of living. Maybe I didn’t thank you guys then. But here’s to the impact & the permanent mark you left on my heart! Thank you :):):)

Nancy Drew
Judy Teacher, Class VII. She was my favourite teacher. So pretty and well-spoken, such a pleasing personality and her happy vibe! I adored her!! Considering I was (# time to show off here :P) the class monitor and topper, I guess she expected me to not make basic grammatical errors at least… err… {now comes the embarrassing part) and definitely did not let go of the fact that in my world “fell” and “fall” could be conveniently interchanged – hear this – “Miss, I was running so fast that I fall down yesterday”. Okay, now, I want to die! Well, she made sure she corrected me, gave me an earful, and kept a very close watch on any such future slip-ups (which thank heavens, never happened again).
During library/reading class one day, she stood behind me overlooking the genre of books I was randomly picking, and quickly slipped me a copy of Nancy Drew telling me how I’d definitely like the book. Sure, I did! So much, that I finished reading it in 2 days, and from thereon read almost all books from the series.
Nancy’s world, her crime-solving logical mind, and very gripping tales were such fun!

Sidney Sheldon
This was at a rather difficult time in life. Everything within and around me was in shambles. I was in college and not doing well even there, which was unbelievable considering how I loved studying. I was lost, weak, and bogged down. That’s when Sidney’s characters, their strengths, the ability and courage to get up and fight, to not give up ever, made a very momentous entry in my world. Chandni, my best friend since time immemorial, handed me her copy, and urged me to start reading again. Perhaps she was somebody who understood so much, saw beneath the façade, and knew the hells I was going through and not expressing. Don’t think I’ve ever thanked her, or even mentioned all of this.
Thanks Chand for making me fall in love with the man, his characters, and the worlds they lived in, their battles, intensity, and their courage. Thank you, for showing me what true blue heroines are supposed to be like.
Sheldon’s books have since been read, re-read, and re-read some more. Love ‘em that much!!
Also, a big thank you, Kanchan - for refilling the stock, at all times. :)

Paulo Coehlo
Just when I became a tad too head-strong, and needed a little push into philosophy, Ram gifted me a copy of The Alchemist. Okay, I hated the book. But the second chance I gave Paulo Coehlo’s narrative was absolutely worthwhile. I read The Zahir, and couldn’t believe how love, loss, obsession, and attraction between souls was so beautifully explained and expressed. I went on to read several of Coehlo’s works, and enjoyed most of them. The Zahir (which means obvious) however, still remains my preferred choice. Very obviously, Thanks Ram…. For never failing to keep pointing out the great books I must read :)

The Secret Garden
I remember I was looking for simplicity. It was rather tough to find. And then there was Vivek handing me a hard-bound copy of The Secret Garden. Now this was a book so full of positivity! Such a humble tale, told so simply. This is one book I ask all my kids (I teach) to read. It’s a spell-binding, easy narrative.
Thus dear Vivek, I have more than calligraphically written French notes to thank you for…. Merci Beaucoup :)

Not without my Daughter & Twilight
All right, there cannot be two more different books suggested by one person. Mentor, philosopher, guide, and a verrrry dear friend, Chumki Ma’am, gave me these books to read. While Not Without…played emotional roller-coasters in my head, Twilight brought to life fresh, non-pukey romance. I hate almost all overtly romantic Jab Tak Hai Jaan kinda romantic movies, so this surprised me. I have since watched the movie versions of both these books, and enjoyed those almost as much as the novels. Surprised again!
Thank you Ma’am… for keeping alive in me the thirst to learn and experiment…! :)

The Last Lecture
Of course I cried. Okay finnneee… I wept. But the book teaches you such precious lessons. Art on a wall, falling in love, treasuring what you have while you can – Dhananjay cannot be thanked enough for this lovely treasure-box of beautiful lessons. It made me so aware of my precious ones. One can only try, but I do my best at expressing my love more freely now.
Thanks Dhan… You have given me the most exquisite presents always !!:)

Game of Thrones
Shwetank Singh!!! This one had to feature here, even if I haven’t completed reading this master-piece yet. Believe me, I will. The book has such a strong personality with amazingly complex characters, and definitely more than 50 shades of grey…..
Thanks SwS for introducing brilliance via GOT!! :)

Atlas Shrugged & Fountainhead
They are my bible. And no, no one contributed here. The cover-page of Fountainhead was so painfully beautiful – with all those lines, and all that precision. It screamed out to me, and I cannot thank my luck more for having me stumble upon this genius of Ms. Ayn Rand. Her books have changed my life, and are absolutely that point, where life becomes before reading and after reading these books.
I love Atlas Shrugged slightly more, but that’s simply nit-picking and over-fussing.
What can I say – Thank you Ms. Rand for knowing who I am, and understanding things I thought no one else could&would.

These are my most treasured books. Let me know your thoughts if you have read them. If you haven’t yet, go get yourself a copy. You won’t regret it. Await your feedback.

Much Love….

P.S. Considering the gap between my posts, accept my apologies in the form of this one’s length (and hopefully content).