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Trekking in High Altitude – A Beginner’s Guide

Published by Rekha

The craze for outdoors has seen a great high in the last few years. There are more number of people going on treks or doing adventure activities now than ever before. Its a good sign, but what is not good is the lack of preparation by the people before indulging in such trips. I have seen people coming on treks without even knowing what it is all about. This attitude can be dangerous both to yourself and the environment. While stepping into the wilderness, it’s our duty to follow the guidelines correctly. We need to respect the mountains only then will the mountains respect us. I consider myself as a nascent trekker that is yet learning about the mountains and trekking. Yet, I have made a simple guide from whatever learning I had through my years of trekking in the Himalayas. If you are a first-time high altitude trekker, I hope this guide helps you in becoming a responsible trekker and makes your first trek enjoyable:

1. No Alcohol

 

You would have often heard seasoned trekkers / trek operators advising you to refrain from alcohol on high altitude, yet there are people that ignore this advise. Alcohol consumption leaves your body dehydrated and can result in Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) and Hypothermia, which is the most common and dangerous thing to encounter while trekking. Not following this advise has often resulted in health emergencies and incomplete treks for many.

2. The Perfect Shoes

 

One of the essentials of trekking is having good pair of Shoes. And seldom I see people investing in them. In my earlier treks, I have come across few first time trekkers who come for a Trek in their normal sports shoes like Nike, Puma, Reebok and the likes of it. Like seriously! Sports shoes on a trek. Its a big NO. Both Sports shoes and Trekking shoes have different functionality and different jobs to do. Sports shoes are meant to work on a city terrain and trekking shoes on a rugged terrain. In the mountains, you need sturdy shoes to take on various terrains (rocks, rain, crossing streams, snow, jungles) and challenges. There are many brands and variety of trekking shoes available in the market. In fact there are different shoes available for different kinds of trek like hiking shoes, trekking and expedition boots. Depending on the trail, weather and duration of your trek, select the best suited one. Usually go for ankle-length, waterproof shoes with a good grip. Ankle-length shoes support and protects the ankle from the usual twists, waterproof shoes protects the feet during rains and from getting wet while crossing the streams and good grip gives you a strong hold while walking on rugged terrains.

3. No more Denims

 

Image credit: www.levistrauss.com

Why would you want to burden your already tired legs with your denim weight! When you are in the mountains, you really can’t say how the weather is going to be like. One moment, the sun might be shining bright on you, the other moment you might be fighting the fierce rains and gusty winds. There can also be days of crossing rivulets that can leave your clothes wet. And its a known fact that denim gets heavier the moment it comes in contact with water and trust me, its quite uncomfortable walking in wet pants in the cold. Important things to be considered while selecting pants are the terrain, the weather, fabric, comfort and mobility while climbing. On high-altitude treks which also involves wet weather, go for light-weight, quick dry pants with multiple pockets to store all your knickknacks. Light-weight pants are easier to pack and carry in your backpacks and are breathable for your body. You can select from various options to suit all kind of weather. You can select from standard pants, convertible pants (love them for its versatility) and roll-up pants.

4. The Power of Layering

 

Best way to beat the cold is layering up, it keeps you warm. I usually wear a full sleeve shirt as my first layer. This has dual advantage one it protects my arms from the sun and two if the weather suddenly turns cold, it acts as my first layer to protect from the chill. Instead of stuffing your backpacks with too many clothes and jackets, be smart and select the good ones. The best way to trek is going light on your packing. No, you don’t require new pair of clothes everyday. All you need to pack is two quick dry t-shirt and pants, one thermal for the night, one rain jacket, one fleece, one wind proof or the main/outer jacket , gloves and for extreme cold condition one down jacket. And when it gets too cold, just layer up with these and you would be just fine. Along with this do not forget to carry scarf, cap and snow glasses.

5. Utensils

 

Do not carry plastic plates, firstly they are not good for the environment and secondly, they are tough to clean. Imagine the weather is 5 degree, cold and windy and you are in the open valley, standing in queue to clean your greasy plastic plate and bowl. All your efforts of cleaning it goes in vain, the stubborn grease refuses to leave the warmth of your plate while you are being frozen in the cold. That’s where the good, old steel fella comes into rescue. Steel takes very little water and is easier to clean. Go for steel plates, tiffin boxes, spoon, fork and mug.

6. Toiletries

 

Image Credit: www.pinterest.com

Trekking in the mountains means no luxury, so why carry and load your backpacks with shampoos, cosmetics, wet tissues etc. You are not going to have a shower anyways. Essential things to be carried are tissue roll, good sunscreen, moisturizer, lip-balm, toothpaste, brush, comb, maybe a hand-sanitizer. I carry multi-use antiseptic cream “Kailash Jeevan”, it works wonders and can be used as moisturizer, sunscreen and lip-balm hence you do not have carry separate products. Lot of the trekkers also use wet-tissues, but I would advice you to refrain from this. It’s harmful to the environment and takes upto 100 years to biodegrade. For that matter, even tissue rolls are not a great friend of environment, so use it minimally. Now-a-days there are also eco-friendly options available like shunya.

For the ladies, if you are in your periods while trekking please do not dispose off the sanitary pads/tampons in the mountains. Like tissue papers, sanitary pads are harmful to the environment. Roll the used ones in a newspaper and keep them inside a ziploc bag and dispose off the used pads once you are back to civilization. But, the best alternative to use are eco-friendly pads or cups like Saathipads, made from banana fibre.

7. First-aid Kit

 

Image credit: www.rei.com

Trekking can be dangerous as much as it is fun. You can never predict what situation you might get into, hence always be prepared for yourself and for others too. It is a must to carry first-aid kit. You can check Red Cross for the list of things to be carried. Also, include basic medicines for headache, cold-cough and fever and ORS packets. If you have any other health issues or are on some kind of medication, then do not forget to carry your medicines.

8. No Littering

 

Most of us go on treks because we love nature then why do you we end up littering it? I have come across many so-called nature lovers who do not even think twice before throwing a wrapper in the mountain. Increase in the number of tourists/trekkers have also increased the trash in the mountains. Often you will see empty plastic bottles and wrappers on your path while trekking. Let’s be a responsible trekker by not contributing further in creating this mess. Please carry a trash bag to collect the discarded wrappers, tetra packs etc on your route and also to dispose your personal trash. Once you are back to civilization, discard it properly.

Note: All my work and images are under copyright. Please contact if you want to use it.

 

Ranthambhore Tales

Published by Rekha

Somewhere hidden in the heart of Rajasthan is the small district of Sawai Madhopur where lies the gorgeous and mystical forest of Ranthambhore. Perched between Aravalli and Vindhya hill ranges, Ranthambhore is spread across 500 kms and offers great sighting of wildlife. The forest takes you on a tour of the magical landscape that changes in every few kms. From dense, green foliage to the barren open spaces, from sun kissed long grasses to the mystical remains of the majestic fort. Ranthambhore is a paradise for wildlife lovers.

As soon as you step into the forest, you get transported to a world of bygone eras where the forest used to be the hunting ground of Maharajas of Jaipur. Every stone, every rock, every structure tells you stories of these royalties. But what’s even more exciting is exploring the wildlife that is ruling the jungle now. And if you are a photographer or a wildlife enthusiastic, then just pack your bags and head to Ranthambhore like we did. Because there’s nothing like waking up to the fresh air around you or coming face-to-face with the animals.

Looking at these amazing creatures in their natural environment often evoke reactions from us, but have you ever thought how would these animals react looking at us humans in their territory? That’s why, I thought of presenting these animals reaction through “Ranthambhore Tales.” It’s my way of showcasing what might be going in the minds of these animals. So, Happy Reading!

Glimpses of the Jungle

 

Welcome to Ranthambhore, join us on this exciting safari in exploring the beautiful jungle and it’s enticing wildlife.

Read More

RAIL ROKO ANDOLAN

Published by Rekha
Photo Courtesy – Atul Vaidya
Being an
Indian, one mode of transport which we all would have used at least once in our
life is a train. A mere mention of trains can evoke in our life many memories
like the fun filled train journeys during vacations, an exciting journey to
reach your hometown or the boring train journey for business. I have always
been a big fan of train journeys; it’s hard to tell you what I like the most, I
still can’t figure out if it is the beautiful sceneries, the hustle and bustle
in the train, the constant chattering of the people or the endless food items
making the rounds at every station. But in midst all these things, there is
something more to the Indian rails and that is “RAIL ROKO ANDOLAN.” It is a
common terminology in India, literally meaning “Stop the Train Movement” and
it’s mainly used by a group of people who want to make certain bodies, mainly
the government, listen to their woes. So, what happens when you are on route
your vacation and suddenly it is interrupted with a “Rail Roko Andolan?” I will
tell you exactly how it feels; because, I was one of the unlucky ones to
experience this. So, here is my story about Rail Roko Andolan which happened on
28th January 2010 on route to Bandhavgardh.
It was in
the winter of December, I, along with my sister and friends, decided on going
for a wildlife trip to Bandhavgardh in Madhya Pradesh in Northern India. If you
are a wildlife enthusiast like me then you would definitely know Bandhavgardh,
it is a well known wildlife destination, especially famous for its gorgeous
tigers. We chalked out the plan and decided on going to this trip in the last
week of January 2010. To enjoy a wildlife trip, one needs at least 5 days, 3
days for the jungle safari and 2 days for the travel, so, we planned a 5 day
trip. Now, the thing with wildlife tour is you get two safaris in a day, one in
the morning and the other in the evening. Keeping this in mind, we had planned
accordingly, and booked Kamyani Express; this train leaves Mumbai at 12.40 p.m
and reaches Katni Junction in Madhya Pradesh the next day at 10 a.m. Katni
Junction is the closest station to Bandhavgardh. Our plan was to reach our
resort around 1.00 p.m, to have lunch and then head to the evening safari.
Everything was set and as planned we boarded the Kamyani Express.
We were 9
of us which included me, my sister Varsha, brother in law Sandesh, friends
Purvi, Tanvi their dad Bharat Uncle, Atul, Mitesh and Farhad. As you would
know, no train journey is complete without the food flowing in the group.
Likewise, our journey too was packed with lots of food to munch on and lots of
chit chatting. My sister and I had packed fried rice for dinner, Purvi got nice
homemade theplas and some dry snacks, Atul got awesome burgers and kheema pav
from our favourite eating joint in Mumbai. Happily, we hogged on all the
available food, played cards, cracked stupid jokes, laughed, wondered whether
we would be fortunate enough to get sightings of the magnificent tiger and then
retired to bed.
6.53 a.m – Kamyani Express was
about to reach Sagar station.
6.55 a.m – Kamyani Express was
supposed to leave Sagar Station and head towards Katni Junction.
Photo Courtesy – Purvi Mistry

Alas, it didn’t leave Sagar station! It was around 7.15 a.m, when we all were enjoying
our sleep. In less than 3 hours we were to reach our destination Katni
Junction. Suddenly, our sleep got disturbed because the train was not moving
ahead and we realized it’s been half an hour since the train halted midway. We
got out of the sleep and peeped from the window and saw lots of passengers on
the railway tracks. Puzzled, we asked other passengers in the train about what
was happening at the station and one of them said, “Koi rail roko andolan chal
raha hai Sagar station pe, andolan karne wale trains ke saamne baith gaye hai
aur kissi bhi train ko aage jaane nahi de rahe hain, dono taraf sab bandh kar
raka hai.”  We were about to witness our
worst nightmare! Like others, we too got down from the train and could see
hundreds of people dispersed all over the railway tracks and as we moved
further towards Sagar station platform, we saw a lot many trains stopped on
both the sides of the track. In this entire thing, what was most surprising was
that the movement was mainly led by the women of Sagar. There were dozens of
women sitting on the tracks with big banners and shouting slogans against the
local bodies. After checking with someone, we got to know that the agitation
was against the local bodies asking them to start more local trains for the
locals to commute from Sagar to nearby cities. Apparently, people from Sagar
had problems commuting everyday and even after many complaints nothing had been
done and that’s why this time they  came
down to the “Rail Roko Andolan.”

Nothing
to do and nowhere to go, we too happily sat on the tracks, after all, it’s not
every day that one can enjoy sitting on the railway tracks. This happy moment
was now slowly turning into frustrating one because the people of the andolan
were just not budging. We all were waiting patiently for the train to start and
were optimistically thinking that this all will get over and in next few hours
we would be enjoying our first safari. But it was not going to be the case;
this agitation was not going to end soon. We were waiting from 6.53 a.m and it
had now been 10.00 a.m and we were still waiting for the train to start. At
10.00 a.m, we were to reach Katni Junction, but here we were still stuck at
Sagar. But this was just the beginning, the worst part started when our
stomachs started roaring with hunger and because of the agitation there was hardly
any food available on board. To satiate our hunger, we helped ourselves with
the dry snacks that we were carrying.

Morning
was soon turning to afternoon, it was close to 12.00 p.m and our resort driver
who had come to pick us was still waiting for us at the Katni Junction. It was
getting frustrating now; it was noon and we were still stuck at Sagar, which
means we were going to miss our evening safari. Instead of waiting any further,
we decided on taking the next step and called the resort driver who had been
waiting for us at the station, and asked him if he could come and fetch us at
Sagar station. He said, “Humein Sagar aate aate teen ghante lag jayenge.” 3
hours which means 3 hours of more waiting and we were in no mood to wait in the
train with no AC and it was also getting suffocating inside. We ditched this
plan; each passing minute was angering everyone and to pass the time, few of us
slept, few talked and few waited desperately for the train to move.

Photo Courtesy – Atul Vaidya
An hour
passed by, it was 1 p.m, Bharat Uncle was getting more and more frustrated so
he decided to go out and see if he could do something. And, he came back with a
car rental number who agreed on taking us to Bandhavgardh. That’s it! Around
3.00 p.m, we packed our bags and walked the entire track to get out of Sagar
Station and as we moved out, we gave a sarcastic smile to the people of Rail
Roko Andolan. And I think they were enjoying the sight of harassed poor
passengers. Nevertheless, we moved on, straight into our rented cars. 
From
being a train trip this was turning into a road trip and this road trip was
going to take a lot of time. Bandhavgardh was a straight 6 hours drive from
Sagar, which meant we would reach our resort only late in the evening. As we
were 8 of us, we had to book two cars; the drive was a beautiful one as it
passed through quaint villages and pretty landscapes. Adding on to this, was
spotting of some great birds. As we were starving from morning, we had to take
a lunch break; we cherished some roadside dhaba food consisting of yummy
parathas and moved ahead. But, our little adventure was still not over, it was
getting dark, roads were bad and suddenly one of the cars broke down, there was
a tyre puncture. In the middle of the highway with no street light, it was
difficult to change the tyres, but somehow the driver managed to change it,
they are pro at all these things. The break down affected our travel time, from
evening it was now turning into night and we all were exhausted, we just wanted
to sleep. It was around 11.p.m when we took a dinner break at one of the dhabas
and then headed straight to the resort. I still remember passing through the
dark forest around 1.00 a.m, listening to the various sound of nocturnal
creatures and getting goose bumps from the cold breeze of the night. There, in
the midst of the darkness, all we could see was several flashing eyes which
turned out to be deer. They were happily grazing on grass and crossing the
road.
Finally,
at around 2.00 a.m, we reached our resort and being winters, it was freezing
cold outside. Exhausted, we retired to our beds because we had to get up at
4.30 a.m for our morning safari which we didn’t wanted to miss this time.
Luckily, we didn’t miss the safari, we completed our vacation, saw the majestic
tigers, enjoyed the jungle and returned back home happily forgetting the
anguish which we had to go through because of “RAIL ROKO ANDOLAN.”
And what
happened to the andolan? All I know is the train reached Katni station around
10.00 p.m in the night. And as far as the end result of the agitation is
concerned, I tried searching on net, but didn’t get enough information. I don’t
know if the “Rail Roko Andolan” was one of those political gimmicks and if it
yielded any results, I still won’t blame the locals of Sagar for what happened
that day. But I do feel there are other ways to put across your complaints than
making other’s suffer, that train had lots of old passengers who had no choice
but to keep waiting in the train and you never know there would have been
others for whom reaching their destination would have been an emergency. I
still dread hearing the name “Sagar” it gives me goosebumps even now. 
Every
journey has its bittersweet moments; all you need to do is enjoy every bit of
it, stay cool and take logical decisions. If you ask me if I still love train
journeys, I would say “Yes”. Although, train journeys are unpredictable, they
are fun, and they take you to places which would you’d never think of visiting
in your lifetime. Who had thought that I would ever visit a town called Sagar
in Northern India. If you still haven’t experienced one train journey in your
life then you surely are missing something. Pack your bags, book your train
tickets right now and experience the simple joys of travelling in a TRAIN. 


Note – This write up was also submitted for Railonama, compilation of short stories on Indian railways. Here is the link for details  http://railonama.com/

The Local – New Secret South Mumbai Pub

Published by Rekha

Right now, Mumbai is experiencing a rapid change in food culture. Everyday one gets to hear about some new restaurant, pub or patisserie opening around the city. From specialized restaurants to world cuisine, from pop ups to cooking studios, you name it and Mumbai has it and adding on to this list is the new secret pub “The Local” in South Mumbai. The concept of “The Local” is quite unique, its a secret pub, the entry to which is only through a special code. And thanks to Mumbai Boss, I won a chance to experience “The Local” before it opened its doors for everyone.

What’s the address?

The place is nestled between the numerous shops standing still on M. G Road, Fort. We followed the directions given to us, still it took us a while to locate the place, remember its a secret pub, so there was no sign board. As guided, we were standing cluelessly in front of Currimjee Building, and we kept staring at the graffiti art wall. Suddenly, we hear a voice saying “Yehi hai! Andhar jao aur code enter karo.” He was the valet. As asked, we entered, there were couple of unused keyboards lying at a corner, we punched in our password and the door opened magically, at the first thought, it seemed like something out of a magical story.

The Place, The Food, The Experience:

Its a two level pub, there is graffiti art, along with Banksy written everywhere. According to me, the Banksy connect was not required for the place. The ambiance is pretty decent, it consists of a bar, high ceiling, rusted looking chairs and huge mirrors. The menu has the usual brands of alcohol, spirits, the regular cocktails and their signature cocktails like Kokum High, Imli ka Nasha, Kacchi Kairi to name a few. Their signature cocktails are available in cutting (Rs.160) and full (Rs.220), love the idea of cutting! We settled down for Kokum High and Long Island Ice Tea along with Peri Peri Chicken Drumsticks and Chicken Relleno.

Kokum High was quite good, it had a very subtle Kokum taste and was topped with chilli flakes and kokum. Next came the Long Island Ice Tea (Rs.450), it was potent and tasted good, one is enough to give you a good buzz, so if you are planning to have it more than one, you better have it at your own risk. Drinks are priced reasonably and comes with a complimentary bowl of boiled peanuts.

Peri Peri Chicken Drumsticks (Rs. 250) perfectly cooked, it was melt in mouth, though the sauce was not even close to an authentic peri peri sauce, still it was very tasty. Chicken Relleno (Rs.250) tasted good, but there wasn’t anything unique about it and it was too oily. The food consists of various sections like veg, chicken, pork, seafood and beef appetizers. There is also option for burgers and rolls.

Pros: Go for the drinks especially The Long Island Ice Tea and for the experience of entering a secret pub.

Cons: Music gets too loud. There is nothing local on the food menu, I was hoping to see some local food like Kheema pao and Bhurjee Pao.

Overall, the place is good to chill out, drinks are decent, food is pretty okay. Apart from the name, there is nothing local about this place in fact there is a very goan feel to the place. Go there to unwind after a long day’s work or just to chill with your friends. 

Address: The Local, 111A, Currimjee Building, opposite Mumbai University, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Fort, follow them on Twitter on @TLBombay for updates. 


Damage to the Pocket: 1500 plus taxes with alcohol. 

Peanut Butter French Toast with Maple Syrup

Published by Rekha
We all have our favorite meal that we look forward to having and for me that meal is my breakfast. Yes, I love gorging on breakfasts! A mere thought of freshly made eggs, toasted bread, butter, jam, poha, upma, steaming hot idlis makes me salivate 😛 You give me anything for breakfast and I will happily gobble it down. One of my favorite breakfast dish is French Toast, I love everything about French Toast, its smell, its golden brown color and crispy taste. So one sunny morning, I decided to treat myself with some yummy Peanut Butter French Toast topped with Maple Syrup. And boy, It really did pump up my day!
Things you need:

2 – 4 Brown Bread Slices
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Egg
Peanut Butter
Sugar and Salt to taste
Pinch of Cinnamon (Optional)
Butter To Fry
How it works:
Spread generous amount of peanut butter on the bread slices and keep them aside. In a bowl, mix the milk, egg, sugar and salt, add a pinch of cinnamon. 

One by one dip each bread into the milk mixture, make sure the bread is entirely covered by this mixture. Now, add little butter in a non stick frying pan and place the bread slices in it. Fry them till they turn golden brown. Serve them hot, topped with Maple syrup.

Isn’t it super easy and super yummy to make? So, go ahead and pump up your mornings with this delicious, healthy Peanut Butter French Toast with Maple Syrup. 

Ari Podi (Rice Powder)

Published by Rekha
There are recipes and then, there are recipes which are passed on from generations to generations. And, one such recipe is Ari Podi which is a family favorite and has seen many generations in our household. Its my all time favorite, and I am not ashamed to say that I can gorge on it anytime. Before, I go gaga about this dish, let me tell you what Ari Podi means, its literal translation is rice powder. “ARI PODI” is a Tulu word, I know I know, now most of you are wondering what Tulu is now? Tulu is a spoken language of Shettys from Karnataka, that’s where I come from. Coming back to Ari Podi, let me tell you the reason for loving this dish so much, its the easiest and the tastiest snack and it does not require many ingredients or lot of time to prepare it. So, here is the recipe for this simple and gorgeous dish. 
Things you need:
100 gms Roasted Rice Powder.
50 gms Grated Coconut.
25 gms Grated Jaggery.
2 – 3 tbsp Milk / Water. 
Pinch of Salt.
How it works:
In a pan, roast the rice till it turns golden brown. Let it cool for a while, then grind the roasted rice into a nice brown powder. 
Now, take a bowl, add the grated coconut, grated jaggery, pinch of salt and mix it well. Add the powdered rice, milk and mix it till the powder and the coconut mixer is combined well. Ari Podi is ready to eat. You can also serve this by making small balls of it. 
Ari Podi
Ari Podi Laddoos
 Note:

  • Make the rice powder in large quantity, store it in airtight container and you can use it whenever required.
  • Add more of grated jaggery to make it sweeter.
Ari Podi serves as a good breakfast option, is quite nutritious and very filling. It can be enjoyed both as a breakfast and as an evening snack. This dish will always be close to my heart, as it brings back my childhood memories and always puts a smile on my face. Enjoy eating it! 

Confessions Of A Non Runner

Published by Rekha


Photo Courtesy: Vivek Iyer

Have you ever tried running? If you haven’t, then you should definitely give it a try now. You will be surprised to discover so many new things about yourself. I never ran in my life until, I decided to register for Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2013. This was my first half marathon and I was super excited for it, so excited that a day before the SCMM run I even dreamt about missing it. But luckily for me nothing like that happened and there I was at 5.15 a.m all ready for my run to start from Bandra Fire Station.
Finally, it was the moment I was waiting for, the moment I had been training for, the moment to make myself proud. After meeting my trainers and wishing my running group and other friends, I headed to be in my running section that is C. As, I headed towards my start line, there were two guys walking behind me, chit chatting, suddenly I felt one of the guys face brushing my shoulders. Though the guy said sorry, I thought to myself, “How some people can’t see and push you around? He must be one of those perverts and so on. Anyways, I cleared my thoughts and moved ahead to the start line. And, as I stood there with so many other runners, all I could see was “EQUALITY.” It was so wonderful to see everyone running together without any discrimination. There, no one was divided on the basis of money, religion, gender, hierarchy, caste, age etc at the race everyone was equal, everyone was a runner. 
Finally, the race started and 5 mins to the race, at Bandra Worli Sealink, I heard a guy loudly shouting “Excuse Me!” to the runner’s crowd, I turned around to see who it was and to my surprise, he was the same guy who brushed me near the start line and that’s when I realized the guy was partially blind and he was running with the help of the other guy. Both of them were running together at the same pace, holding the stick horizontally. That moment, I was so ashamed of myself for thinking so badly about the guys and realized how he was not disable, but we are, with our small thoughts. Though, we got eyes to see, still we would  miss the goodness and beautiful things around us. With this thought, I ran to them, told them how proud I am of them and how they are doing a brilliant job and moved on. 
I can’t recollect the time, when I finished the Bandra Worli Sealink as I was not bothered about timing, all I wanted to do was enjoy my run, soak in the energy of people and the environment. As we the runners came to the Worli Seaface stretch, we were greeted with so many cheers of every language all saying, “Run India Run”and trust me cheering does give you a boost. The city which never stops for anyone finally, stopped to cheer complete strangers. As I ran, I came across a Mumbai which had people of all ages kids, adults, oldies distributing water, biscuits, chocolates, sweets and fruits to the runners and this continued till we reached the Chowpatty patch.
Running at the Chowpatty Stretch is always fun, so I quite enjoyed it, giving us company was cheering people, the amazing sea, live music at different intervals and I must say music is another booster, it pumps you up. It’s here, it hit me like a blow of wind that I have finished 19 KMS, and was heading towards the finish line.YAYYYY! smiley I just wanted to scream out and say yes, I ran the entire 19 kms with ease and was going to finish the race and fulfill one of my dream that is running the Half Marathon. Now, running might not be a big deal for others, but for me it was, because I was an over weight kid in my school and college and was always teased and was told that I could never run. And, over the years, though I lost weight and have become thin, this thought still got stuck with me and even I believed that I would never run, but today here I was finishing 21 kms at a stretch, without any trouble. I was nearing the finish line with only 100 meters to go, with the beautiful CST Station welcoming me and guess what? I finished. I finished the race in 2 hours 48 mins and 46 secs. Frankly, I still can’t describe the joy of finishing my Half Marathon. The feeling that you get when you see yourself heading towards the finish line, conquering your dream is out of this world. At this moment, all I wanted to do was thank my trainers Nagesh, Mosen, Mahindra, Pravin from the running group STRIDERS who helped me, trained me to be a runner and experience the joy of running.

Photo Courtesy: SCMM Site

 Yes, I loved finishing my first Half Marathon, but what I didn’t like was people talking on their phones and surfing music during the run and blocking other runner’s way, throwing bottles on the road, chit chatting and walking in between the running path. If you are reading this, then this is my sincere request that next time when you plan to run, please remember not to do such things and be responsible and respect other runners, if you want to walk, walk at the sides, keep the bottles at the sides, give space to other runners and enjoy your run. You know, with my run, I have met some amazing, inspiring people and have learnt a lot about myself. I have learnt to respect myself, you should never underestimate yourself, believe in yourself and conquer your dreams. You, me, everyone can run so, next year, you too should RUN because its FUN and experience the joy of RUNNING. 

Lovely gift from my best friend
And guess what? Running also comes with its perks, just like I got one. My best friend gifted me this lovely note and a cheque on finishing my half marathon. Its one of the best gift I have received till date, it makes me happy to see that I was able to inspire someone.

Note: This article was entered into the SCMM Wow What A Contest on www.marathoninmarathon.com and was awarded fourth.  

Boondi Laddoo Kulfi

Published by Rekha

What happens when you have leftover sweets at home and you do not want to throw it away? All you need is little milk, some imagination and voila, amazing, creamy Boondi Laddoo Kulfi is ready. I thought about making this, when I ended up with, yes, you guessed it right “LEFTOVER LADDOOS” which nobody in the house wanted to eat anymore. So, I thought let’s experiment and I must say, it turned out pretty good and everyone loved my Boondi Laddoo Kulfi. You too should try it out, here is the recipe: 

Things you need:

1 Litre Milk.
2 – 3 Laddoos.
Nuts (Badam, Pista, Kaju) – Finely Chopped. 
Sugar (Optional)

How it works:

Bring the milk to boil in a heavy bottom pan. Now, break the Boondi Laddoos and keep aside. Once the milk starts boiling, add the Boondis and keep stirring the mixture, till the milk reduces to half and thickens up to a creamy texture. This procedure is same like  making Rabdi. Once it reaches the desired consistency, add the nuts and mix well. Take the mixture from the pan, let it cool for sometime, then put it in the kulfi moulds and freeze for at least 4 – 6 hours. Serve chilled. 

Note: Add sugar only if needed, Laddoos are already loaded with sugar, so you really don’t require more sugar. 

Hope you enjoy this new version of kulfi as much as i did. You can also make this kulfi with other sweets like kaju katli and pedas. SLURP! SLURP!

Good Food Day At ITC, Parel

Published by Rekha

Ever wondered what is good food? For some, it might be the food that tastes divine, for some it might be simple home cooked food, for some its their favorite food and for me Good Food means, “A meal whose sight and bite makes me happy and content in life.” Its that happy rush which you get at every bite you take, which shoots straight to your heart and off course your tummy. And, that’s exactly what the idea was at BBC Good Food Magazine’s Good Food Day organized by Times Group at ITC Grand Central. 

Good Food Day was a celebration of three cuisines Indian, Pan Asian and European at ITC’s Kebabs and Curries, Shanghai Club and Hornby’s Pavilion respectively.  The 8 course meals were cooked by some of the best chefs of Mumbai. The moment I got to know about Good Food Day, I had decided to attend it. And that’s what I did, I attended it with my foodie friend Sushant, we choose the European cuisine at Hornby’s Pavilion. So, here is my view on Good Food Day. 

Course 1: 
Bloody Mary meets Gazpacho, with Petit Vegetables by Chef Gresham Fernandes.  

Gazpacho had a lovely flavor and texture to it. I especially liked the feel of petit vegetables in my mouth, though, I would have loved if the Gazpacho had a hint of Vodka and Worcestershire sauce, then it would have definitely been Bloody Mary meets Gazpacho. 


Course 2: 
Roasted Beets, Chevre and Raspberry Salad by Chef Gresham Fernandes.  

It was a very light salad, beets were nice and juicy. Walnuts added the extra crunch and the dressing was good. 



Course 3: 
Tart of Roasted Tomato and Sherry Shallots by Chef Jaydeep Mukherjee.
A nice crisp tart with beautifully roasted tomatoes and shallots. I felt it was little bland and a bit of herbs seasoning could have made it better.

Course 4: 

Lasagne of Wild Mushroom and Grilled Artichoke by Chef Jaydeep Mukherjee.



One of the best course of all, the lasagna was out of this world. It had beautiful layers of cheese and wild mushroom, full of flavors and was yum. After I finished this course, I felt like the over fed Garfield, happy and content 😛

Course 5: 

Couscous with Ratatouille Vegetables Or Jerk Spiced Roast Chicken with Couscous by Chef Viraf Patel.

Jerk Chicken was flavored beautifully, it was tender and mild in flavor. Couscous tasted good. 


Course 6: 

Risotto Milanese with Vegetables or Salmon Risotto Milanese by Chef Viraf Patel.


Salmon Risotto Milanese




Risotto Milanese with Vegetables 

Salmon Risotto Milanese was okay, Salmon was cold and rubbery. 
Risotto Milanese with Vegetables was nice, there was right amount of cheesiness to it, the vegetables were cooked perfectly, they were crisp. But frankly, I have tasted better Risottos.  


Course 7:
Addiction Cake Or Pistachio Opera by Chef Pooja Dhingra. 



Addiction Cake 

We had the option of either selecting the Addiction Cake or the Pistachio Cake. I selected the Addiction Cake and Sushant selected the Pistachio Cake. And, I have to say, both were amazing. Both were extremely moist and delicious. Addiction Cake was a genoise cake and had a nice flavor of caramelized banana. These lovely desserts were made by Pooja Dhingra of Le 15 Patisserie. She is one of the most sought after pastry chefs of Mumbai and needless to say, her creations are amazing. I have been fortunate enough to have attended one of her baking workshops and it was great.  

Course 8: 

Mini Tarts (Chocolate with Salted Caramel, Strawberry, Chocolate and Coffee) by Chef Pooja Dhingra. 



Mini Tarts and Pistachio Cake 

These small little creations tasted great, i particularly liked the chocolate with salted caramel, just couldn’t get enough of the sweetness and saltiness of the tart.

Overall, I enjoyed the meals and I am already looking forward to the next year’s Good Food Day. And did I mention that along with the good food, we also got Good Food Goodies to take home, Have a look at the goodie bag! 



Good Food Day Goodies

Zindagi

Published by Rekha

Zindagi ki bhaag daud mein,

Choot jate hain 
Kuch yaadein, kuch sapney, 
Kuch beeti baatein,kuch log. 
Aur hum kho jaate hain ek aisi bheed mein,
Jahan na kissi ke sapney dikthe hain,
Na kisi ki muskurahat, na kisi ki khamoshi, na kisi ke dard.

Aakhir Kyun is ehaasas ko liye hum chale,
Apne in khwaboon ko yun marode!