Free at 97

The mind says:

• When you are 6 months beyond 97 years,
• When you are but a skeleton with a super active brain,
• When you are dependent on others to move around,
• When your eyesight fails you,
• When people younger than you die, and you cannot do a thing about it - and when this includes two of your own children and one grandchild,
• When sleep evades you inspite of medicines,

maybe its good for you if you can leave this material world.

But can the heart agree? My Granny was the centre of our lives. She was fragile, but gave us (everyone in the family) the strength to face the world with her optimism. Such was her positivity that we almost believed she would continue to support us forever. Everytime we went out or came back from somewhere, the first thing in the morning and last before we went to sleep, we would sit on her bedside, holding her hand. The conversations would be about anything she could recall - ranging from how unsafe it was to hang out after dark to rains in Calcutta. We were always left in awe, wondering who kept her abreast about global current affairs.

When we were elsewhere, she used to write letters to us, as long as she could. Later, she'd dictate, with me as her scribe. The frequency dropped as regular phone calls made communication more convenient, but less charming. 

Granny was a beautiful lady in her hay days, but her grandchildren have always seen her as a cute old lady, full of love, inspiration and support. She encouraged us in whatever we did, even if our experiments were not exactly successful. And never would she allow anyone to say a negative word about any of her grandchildren. She had a difficult life, a 65 year-widowhood, challenges flung at her over and over, but she was always the soldier who sailed across seas of joy and pain with equal ease. 

We lost her on 10th January, 2015 - a vacuum which cannot be filled. She left us with a challenge to live up to what she expected us to become. Rest in peace, my lady. 

Enliven your Kitchen

Bright colours. Convenient. So durable that it can be passed on through generations. What do you think I am referring to?

All that may come to your mind is not correct for the above descriptions refer to kitchenware from Le Creuset. I personally have always felt that the designs of utensils, accessories and likewise that we use in the kitchen haven't evolved as much as the modern consumer... until I chanced upon Le Creuset store in Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. 

The staff told me there are outlets in South Delhi too, if I wished to pick up something later. 

Attracted by the bright colours and simplistic, yet functional design, I picked up a medium sized cooking bowl just to take a better look at it. It was so heavy!

The staff smiled to tell me that most cookware was made of cast iron, a material that has been known to human beings for long, but in a revamped version. The weight would make a utensil sit right on the flame and there's no need to hold it while stirring. Plus the material would ensure uniform heating. 

Incidentally, that day there was live cookout at the store in association with Bonne Maman, a brand renowned for traditional preservatives. There were chefs with international fame who demonstrated to us how Le Creuset utensils can be used for cooking, baking and more. It was an evening very well spent.

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Photos courtesy Angon Bhattacharjee

Grilled by Chicken - Nando's

Connaught Place is the place to hang out with friends for many a Delhi resident, including me. After a very satisfying shopping expedition, my friend and I were attracted to Nando's, a newly opened restaurant in F Block, mainly by its huge glass facade and modern interiors. Once we ventured in, the menu excited us all the more: it was mainly about chicken, flame grilled in Peri Peri style.

So we began the gastronomic journey with chicken livers. It was soaked in a tangy sauce and served with Portugese bread. The staff recommended two absolutely refreshing drinks for us - Madeira Red and a minty concoction. 

We ventured with chicken wings next, and an assortment of roasted chicken. Our food was recommended with the mild sauce, but if you would like it, you can go for spicier and hotter ones too.

We are such committed much non vegeterians that anything vegeterian on the menu went ignored by us. We ordered Portugese Salad and Moroccan Wraps, both with generous helpings of chicken.

You can imagine we were full to the brim by the time we finished all the food. The idea of dessert was a complete no-no, but they do have interesting options in their menu to complete your meal.

Nando's is a chain started in South Africa in 1987 and has presence in 20 countries. The interior is designed uniquely in each - and the one in Connaught Place is inspired by a basket in which chickens are usually carried. Do make sure to check out their lighting.

So next time you are in Connaught Place, do remember to hit Nando's!

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Photos Courtesy: Supratik Bhowmick

"Real" Family Day for Underprivileged Children

In continuation to the overwhelming response received to the "Cheer a Child" campaign, Real Greetings, along with Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre Society hosted a Family Day for underprivileged children in Hotel Kempinski, New Delhi. 

A handful of families and bloggers were invited to interact with the children, play games and engage in various activities such as crafts. Each family would be associated with a team of children, so that they do not feel abandoned, but as a part of a family. 

This is an extension of the previous campaign that had pledged a packet of Real juice against every wish collected vide missed calls, online and field promotions for the nutrition of the children. And this one helped them associate with families.... isn't that wonderful?

The event was for a few hours, but the positive impact of this bond would be everlasting for the children.

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Photo Courtesy: Real Juices

Fun & Food @ Yum Yum Cha

Loitering around lazily on the 2nd floor of Select City Walk Mall, my eyes were attracted to the newly opened Yum Yum Cha. Against a serene backdrop of white, what attracted me was the abundance of fun shapes such as umbrellas, flip flops and various fun objects in vibrant colours. See for yourself how exciting an ambience the colours create!

 

 The staff were very friendly when we admitted that the menu was too tempting to choose from. Many of the dishes were brought to India for the very first time. Some items you cannot afford to miss, and I'll personally vouch for are

• Sea food salad - a cold salad of diced crab on cucumber
• Sushi platter - which is wonderful even if you've never had sushi before 
• Takoyaki Octopus dumplings  

And the pleasure doesn't end there! We tried the hot pot of Ramen and pork - it comes in a paper bowl placed over a tiny fire- so it remains hot. We tried sizzling rice -it comes with the ingradients neatly arranged on rice, but to have it, you'd have to mix it all! It is placed on a stone wok, and it crackles to increase your apetite!

We were too full, but for me, even a small bite of dessert is essential. So, between the two of us, we ordered just one espresso creme bule - and it would have been a big miss had we not tried it. You may try the other desserts on their menu, but make sure you order this one too!

Come, discover "Little bundles of Joy - Huge Bowls of Happiness" in Yum Yum Cha, a new presentation from the owners of Yum Yum Tree.
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Photos courtesy Angon Bhattarcharjee, who shares my immense appetite for good food.  

Cheer a Child - a Campaign all of us should join!

Festivity is in the air. While you gear up for the celebrations, spare a thought for those who never do.

Dabur India Ltd, a brand we all know of, along with Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre Society have launched a programme in major cities of Delhi - NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra in order to bring a smile to underprivileged children. All that one has to do is to give a missed call to +91-7053123123. The caller would receive an automated call back and he can record a wish for a child. And for every wish recorded, one pack of Real fruit juice would be committed to a child in need.

Further, a dedicated team from Réal will visit big markets across these states to garner support for the neglected, street and working children. They will educate people about the nutrition needs of underprivileged kids and encourage them to sign on a pledge to support these kids. Against each signature, Dabur has committed to give one pack of Réal fruit beverage to a child in need. This initiative is not linked to any product purchase and all that is required from the people is a signature or a wish as a mark of their support.

Isn't this a wonderful opportunity to spread cheer among children? Please find out more by watching the video here.

An all in one App: Ask me!

Every service around me seems to be saying “Download our app”, be it banks, pizza services, online stores, job portals, whatever – this is indeed times of smart phone revolution! I was wondering what a clutter all these applications would create on one’s phone, let alone the subsequent confusion, when I chanced upon a commercial on television. It was about an application called “AskMe”, that offered to consolidate all services into one.

I downloaded the app right away, just to give it a shot. I loved the icon – a rectangular callout representing conversation. The app could detect my city straightaway. The top two lines asked me what I was looking for and where. I had been looking for a dentist near my home for long, and once I fed in the details, I was handed a list of dentists within fraction of a second. Addresses and contact numbers were visible and I could easily select one that suited me best.

Needless to say, I found this extremely useful. What is more, when you select a service from this app, you can see the rating it has received from people who have availed of the same before you. There are reviews for you to set your expectations, and you can add your rating or review as well. You can make a list of favourites for myself. You can share your experience across all social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.

While browsing, I came across various deals available. I was planning a hangout with friends, and discount coupons from Pizza Hut proved really useful!

The tag line of AskMe calls it the “Bapp of all apps” – the app that brings everything under one umbrella. It indeed is so. Download it and I am sure you would love the experience!

Of Awards : Liebster Blog Award

I had stopped participating in blog tagging and awards for long. But when two fellow bloggers nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award at the same time, I could not say no. Thanks a lot, Anjan and Noopur.

What I dislike is nominating further bloggers for the award. I feel everyone out there in blogosphere deserves this award and there could be no criteria to filter out select few So, I decline this activity, of my own accord. Here's to all my blogger friends!

Now, comes the difficult part - I have to answer 11 questions asked by the nominator. Since I was nominated by two people, I've to answer 22!

First, questions asked by Anjan:

1. One thing about my personality that I hate most: 
I trust easily.

2. If I could go back to the past, what would I change?
Moments when I yielded.

3. If I were to live just for one day, what is the first thing I would do?
Thank all those who loved me.

4. Love or Friendship?
Friendship - it is a love affair in its own right.

5. How do I judge a person?
I am bad at this. :(

6. What makes me smile?
When I want to hide how I am feeling.

7. What would I like to be reborn as?
His wife.

8. Living with someone who likes you or someone who loves you?
I would prefer staying with the person I love.

9. Most dreaded dream?
Death of my loved ones

10. Life in 5 words?
Him. Family. Travel. Books. Blog

11. An Inspiring Blog
I get inspired by all bloggers.

Now, questions asked by Noopur:

1. What would I do if I were invisible?
Nothing. I believe in doing what I do openly.

2. What does my blog mean to me?
Somewhere I can write what I feel like. Now, that's important.

3. Person I admire?
Not one person. I admire various qualities in different persons.

4. Most Embarassing moment?
When he discovered what I felt for him.

5. A co-author for my blog?
I am not very open to the idea, but it could be him.

6. Dream I want to come true?
A world tour while I am still young.

7. My opinion about Noopur's blog
Lots of appreciation - for I definitely cannot write poetry.

8. First impression about Noopur's blog
I like the name.

9. A wish?
Isnt that a repeat question? No, I am not writing all my desires here.

10. Post I like on Noopur's blog
All... and usually the latest.

11. Person who deserves credit for me being me?
I think its me, credit or discredit.

My Super Seven

Guiding 7 undergraduate thesis projects - it was a big challenge. I was not sure if I could do it. So far in my so called career as a part time teacher, I had helped post grad students who are marginally more serious. In my own college days, I was a truant myself, how could I even expect these children to be any different? 

  

So began the journey. The industry has evolved, and so has the way Architecture is taught : Modern practices, thought processes and materials. Lot was to be learnt by my own self, shedding apprehensions. There were senior professionals around - and as they taught, they had an additional student in me.

All said and done, working with the seven students in my group was a experience in itself. Let us start from the left. The young lady in white is Apoorva. She may look all so studious with her spectacles, but she is exactly the opposite. She'd refuse to work beyond what she thinks is right. But she can spot her errors fast and can make up statements to cover them during her presentation.

The guy with dishevelled hair and beard is Ankit. He had a very ambitious project, and the biggest problem with him is that his interests lie in far too many places. I had a hard time dragging his attention back to academics, and am glad that he could do justice to his thesis at the end.  

Third in line for you is Dinesh: the bespactled guy. He is the only one among my students who knew what he wanted to do, but had a very challenging site. He could conjure options out of nowhere and finally could transform the limitations into opportunities.

The short doll in black on my left is Shivani - she is a store of ideas, but she tends to get confused. However, working with her was comparatively easy, for all I had to do was streamline her energy.

The smiling boy behind Shivani in a blue shirt with white collars is Deepanshu. And is he a brat? You can make out from his mischievous grin. He'd miss discussions and bug you, but you just cannot scold him for when he comes, there is significant progress in his work.

The lady in pink on my right is Bhavya. She is quite a doll, and obedient. We had initial hiccups together, but afterwards, her enthusiasm surprised me.

Last but not the least, on the extreme right is Sahil. He is everything he does not appear to be, and is not anything what you may think of him. He is a hardworking guy and working with him was good fun.

At the end of the semester, my students gave me a showpiece as a "Thank You" gift, which is their custom. Although I felt it was quite unnecessary, I was touched by what the card said:

What more can a Teacher ask for?

Summer Menu - Perfect for this Season!

Its that time of the year in India which most of us hate - Summer. It rains once in a while, but it makes the weather all the more unbearable. As humdity weighs our spirits down, what happens to us, the foodies, who want to eat out but the idea of oily preparations make us sick?

Chef Sujan has come up with a perfect menu for this season at Olive Qutub, Mehrauli. Its tasty, its light and its refreshing. Even after a long day at work.

So much attention is given to detail, that you shall simply love digging in. It maybe a simple watermelon terrine, but it is coupled with greenapple, avocado and mint to enhance the taste.

The season demands more salads than anything else, and thus, the new menu offers variety of light salads- nutritious, but feather light. The chef offers you a light soup, and then brings in his master stroke : Lamb rump - a non vegeterian's delight!

For those who have a sweet tooth, do not forget to check out the Tiramisu - its teasing coffee flavour, heightened by a biscuit like texture.
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Photographs: Team Olive. Mine are on the way.

T for Teeth

The first thing you would ever notice about me is my teeth - whether you meet me in person or see a photograph of mine.

And this comes as a challenge to any photographer who would dare to participate: try clicking a photo of mine with my teeth in. You cannot.

One of my colleagues once told me, "You are always smiling. That's what I like about you." I shared the secret with him - "Perhaps I've a couple extra" . Its not true, of course.

A smile is a curve that can set many things straight, isnt it? So, even in critical situations, irrespective of what I may be feeling deep in, I'd always put up a bright exterior and try to keep the show going.

Lot of bright teeth for you in the snapshot on the right.

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Discover Things that make me who I am :  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S

S - Secret Keeper

If you want your secret kept safe, just tell me. I am a good listener, and would never utter a word to anyone. And the best part is, I would not give you any unwanted advice.

Since Childhood through today

However innocent our faces were, my group of friends were the most notorious lot. And pranks had to be planned. I had that capability - to be part of it all, but not a hint of it would show on my face. I was usually assigned the task at the climax, for I could keep a straight face.

Later, as we grew up, most of us developed crushes on someone or the other, and there's a charm of keeping it secret from the person in question. But when cupid strikes and with a fluttering heart, you just cannot do without sharing it with someone. Needless to say, the trusted confidante would be me.

In the very first year of college, I had guarded a similar fact about a girl, even from my closest friends. When the affair surfaced, everyone secretly developed a respect for me - "This is a non-porous repository."

Till today, I am the confession box for many. I carry with myself lots of secrets dumped with me - some shared to relieve stress, some to test impacts of wild ideas, and more.

Sorry, it doesn't apply to myself

However silly it may sound, I am a complete flop show when it comes to guard my own secrets. When troubled, it shows so much on my face that people around me start worrying. I wont say anything if I choose not to, but you'd know something is wrong. Lend me your shoulder, and soon, I'll be up and going.

Can you keep secrets well?

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R

R for Rowing

 Now, this is something very few people know about me - I was a rower! 

I was part of the Swimming team of my school, and when the Rowing team was being formed, I was sort of automatically inducted. It was something that was God had planned, for Rowing clicked for me instantly. For once, my broad structure helped me, and I excelled. 

I joined the Rowing Club after the Interschool championship, much against the wishes of my parents. Every morning I'd get  up and go for practice. I had completed school and joined Architecture, a course that requires one to prepare detailed drawings. I was an organized student - I'd start work way ahead of my classmates, row in the morning, go to college, work in the evening, sleep late, get up early and back. So much so, my work would be ready before others and I often helped others after that.

I was a good team member and sportsperson. My fellow rowers would forbid their teams to talk to others for fear of letting their strategies slip, but I'd do no such thing. I just asked my team to give in their best, and that's what worked. 

I gave up Rowing in the 3rd year of my college (had to make a choice between studies and sports). I had won many races, here are some of the medals and cups I had won, of which two are from State Olympics. 

History repeats:
When in Bhopal for work, we had taken a recreational break for boating in the vast Upper Lake. I was claiming that I could do it all, when the navigator let the oars down suddenly and asked me to demonstrate my skills. I had to! You can read about the trip here. Till then, here's a photo for you!

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q

Q is for Questioning Minds

On a foggy winter morning, I was travelling by a bus to work. There was a school boy in the seat ahead of me, accompanied by his mother. He turned back when I slid in, and I noticed the handsome child was, unfortunately, blind.

All along the journey, the boy kept asking questions- things which we see everyday, but do not notice. Since the fog was thick, perhaps we were almost in the same position as him - we could not see the beautiful world around us, although we inhabited it. The child's incessant questions compelled me to re-look at life.

This post is not about free advice.

I've observed many a child after that - they ask so many questions, sometimes over and over. I admit its difficult to sustain constant bombardment, but I cannot agree when the parents snub their children. Comeon, its their formative years and if they do not question the world, who will?

We should all have inquisitive minds.

Do not accept things just the way they are. Ask why. Atleast think why. Then if it appears acceptable, let it be. If not, question it. There is nothing that is right or wrong -it is just what has been taught to us over generations. Lot of things have evolved over time, and there is still a long way to go.
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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P

P for Photographs

I love photographs - they can defy time. Our priceless moments are captured in them, and they stay with us as long as one can keep them.

Over time, everything changes : the way we look, people around us, locations, etc. But once captured, maybe photographs hold those moments that remind us of our past, experiences, family and friends.

The art of photography has evolved a long way, and now photo sharing and backup is much easier. I am of course, not the correct person to discuss this evolution.

Since my theme for the A-Z challenge is about things that define me, here are two priceless photographs which date back about 30 years!

  

Can you recognize me?
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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O

O for Optimism

Abstract:

Life throws many a challenge at us, some of which are very difficult to face. But if you give up, you'll never emerge successful, isnt it? On the other hand, if you give it an honest shot, you may just achieve the elusive goal. Chances are equally strong that you may go down, but at least you'll know that you had tried - That's my philosophy, and I try to inspire people to think positively.

There is a brighter side to everything, and its important to realize the beauty in small things. This has been there long, and I was amused to find one of my previous blogs convey a similar thought. Read it, you'd feel better!

Just keep the positivity going:

I am known to be a super-optimistic person among my friends. Even in situations where there is no hope, I'll hang in there, or inspire you to cling on, and say that perhaps things may just change for the better. There are lots of factors that one cannot control, yet we tend to fret about them. You'd agree there's no point.  Take a simple situation when a group of my friends are watching a cricket game on television and after the first innings, our favourite team lets our enthusiasm down with a paltry score to defend. While everyone would say it is a waste of time watching rest of the game, I'll say, "It takes just 10 deliveries to get the opposition out ..."

"Never say die", I say to those I need to inspire, and bring the best out of.

What is your approach to life?

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N

N is about Nicknames

Born 30 years before Indian Independence, my Granny was given an English petname: Jewel. More than 30 years after Independence, my Dad named me "Angel". So my nickname stands out among the whole family.

In college, I was christened "Maya" by our seniors during the very first round of ragging. The name stuck, and so hard it hung on me, that I almost forgot what my original name was. Even the faculty would call me Maya. I have graduated more than 10 years now, and still my juniors refer to me by this name.

There was a Bengali guy with a name that is not exactly complex : Dwaipayan Chakraborty, but his classmates used to call him DC. His profile on social media still says "DC" !!

There are people who prefer being called by their shortened versions or pet names: Debleena was called Luna, Shubhabrata was called Logo, Nitin was referred to as TinTin and Tarun was christened "Train".

Samarjit, whose skin colour can put ebony wood to shame, very sportingly allows us to call him "The Dark Lord" !

Share your nicknamein comments!

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M

M is Motivate

"Your topic is the best one in not only your batch, but the whole university!", I told a young student, encouraging him to work hard. He had taken up a World Trade Centre as his thesis topic, which was appearing too daunting for him. Something in my words changed the way he felt about his project, and his final submissions went off very well.

I have a rare achievement of scoring a perfect 100 in Mathematics in my board examinations, and irrespective of the fact that it was 18 years ago, I still get requests from parents to guide their children in the subject they tend to dread. "If you solve a problem correctly in Maths, you'll get full marks. Isn't that exciting?", I tell the children.

There was a member in my project team who could not deliver, in spite of all his intelligence. Wondering whether he was going through personal problems, I chose to have a one-to-one discussion with him. It turned out that constant criticism was pushing him to a shell. I gave him some pep talk, offered to reduce his load, gave him critical responsibilities, and finally, could bring out the best in him.

Everyone could do with a bit of motivation, isnt it? 

There is another story pertaining to M I must share:

Law number 49 of the Indian Penal code relates to mad people. And the point to note is my house number is 49. So now you know where my madness stems from?

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L

L is for Liar

Well, this is a difficult one. But people who know me since childhood would certify this.

Perhaps I was over-imaginative. Lying to me seemed like story telling. And I was real good at it - if I told you something as absurd as that I have travelled to Mars, you would be bound to believe that.

The problem is, the general impression about me was that I was a fibber and most definitely, the naughtiest child around. So, even if I were not lying, people would not believe a word I said.

An absolute contrast to this was my younger brother - his impression was that of an apostle of truth : a child who just could not lie. And in critical situations, he'd coolly let me down. "She did it", he would say, framing me for a round of scolding, and walking away.

After many incidents, I realized lying is taking me nowhere, and one needs to remember versions of the truth to keep the story going. Finally, around the age of 15, I gave up on this habit after I got my group of friends on the verge of serious trouble.

Mischief still dances in my eyes, but I am far mature and trustworthy. It's been a long journey, though!

What is your take on lying?

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K

The K of Anupama K.

I always had a fascination for middle names since my childhood. Once, a new girl joined our class - her name had a male name after a female one. When I pointed this out, she told me her middle name was her Dad's, and it was a custom in her native place to include one's father's name. "In South India, people include names of villages, grandfathers and whatever they can think of !", she joked.

Later in my life, when I interacted with more and more people, I found this was quite a common practice. To do something different, I chose to include my mother's initial, instead of my Dad's. Her name is Kakoli, hence the K. Not legally, but wherever I could, I write my name as Anupama K. Mazumder.

My mother was moved when she heard this, but she didn't say anything.

Many friends have asked me about this, some of wondered quietly, here's your answer!

Call me a female chauvinist if you may, but I like this version of my name.

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J