Ghar ka ghee

Making ghee at home is an experience. Despite non-encouragement from various quarters like amma, Bhavin (surprise and subtle) and even Muzayun, I decided to embark on this journey. I was keen to be thrifty and frugal in these times of economical downturn and thought it would be a good start - 'make your own ghee, not buy it!'.

Enough malai was collected from many days of collection process, and the time was ripe on Makar Sankranti to try this. I made the first mistake by trying to read my book while making ghee, the mixture boiled over and much of it came out. The disaster in the kitchen was thankfully limited more to the stove and the area around, but my quick cleaning attempts also didn't help matters much. Finally I resigned myself to enjoy the fire which burst out around the vessel due to the overflowing ghee!

After 50 more pages in the book and some occasional stirring, and two phone calls to amma, I was finally ready with my first ghee. I was hoping that the unadulterated ghee would smell heavenly, unfortunately it smelt of 'nothing'. But, of course, this was completely unacceptable and I finally convinced myself that there was a subtle aroma, not discernible unless you have highly advanced olfactory senses.

I am yet to use it, but I am already convinced its the best ghee ever. Waiting for some innocent visitors now so that I can experiment on them.

in the mood for love...

"He remembers those vanished years,
As though looking through a dusty window pane,
The past is something he could see, but not touch.
And everything he sees is blurred and indistinct."

These are the closing lines of this amazing movie. The last sequence is gripping and will almost certainly end up making you feel low, but its poetic and beautiful still.

Here are a few lines from an online review of the movie by Simma Park, elaboraing a little more on the last scene.

"If this film has a flaw, it is that Western audiences may not find the film to be satisfying entertainment. It will disorient those who need an ending with closure - the threads of the characters' lives trail off, leaving not the slightest inkling of their future. And those who need happy endings will be heartbroken by the last scene, which drives home that everything we do - and do not do - must eventually be consigned to the oblivion of time."

p.s. I wrote this quite some time back, and it has little relevance today. Still, its not a bad idea to share these words.

Just added this video of the last scene from the movie. I apologize to all for any copyright violations.

140

'140 or so' is what Johhny told us inside the only Synagogue in Gujarat, while telling us about the dwindling numbers of Jews in the state. From a few thousand when the Synagogue was built in the early 20th Century, through the mass exodus to Israel in 1947 and onwards, now only a few from the faith survive.

The synagogue, known as the Magen Abraham Synagogue, is located in the Khamasa area of Ahmedabad city, opposite the Zoroastrian Fire Temple. Built in the year 1934 with donations from the wealthy Jewish population (the Bene Israel Jews) in the then Mumbai Presidency, this was a replacement for an old worship area in the old city market area. The Synagogue has inscriptions in Hebrew and Marathi, and apparently some Hindu Marathi customs are also adopted due to cultural assimilation of the two faiths.

From three days a week, now public prayers are offered only once a week on Saturday in the evening, immediately after sunset. Another prominent change is in the seating area for the men and women. From an earlier arrangement when women used to sit on the second tier and men on the ground floor, now everyone shares the space opposite to the alter but on different sides. The top section has now fallen into disrepair.

Apart from all Jewish festivals, the synagogue also hosts marriage ceremony, circumcision for the new born and so on. For circumcision, a doctor has to be specially called from Mumbai. The Jewish population runs three schools in Ahmedabad, which are open to one and all.

Johnny welcomed us after a quick glance at our NID ID cards and has answers to some of our basic questions. My interest was to know more about the history of the place and the Jews in Ahmedabad. It could be an interesting trail to follow. More updates on this, as I discover more.

For anyone curious to know more about the Synagogue, this link is useful.

Over a cup of chai...

A girl walked past while I sipped tea, she was barefoot. Apparently she never wears any footwear...never ever. I don't know her name...

The stronger black pup continued to bite the other one with the cyst. The brown pup with the cyst is dead, or so they say. Mishi also almost died due to a cyst in 1994. Seems like a long time ago.

I look at my hands and wonder if future is ugly too. Someone had told me in 2007 that I am doomed with live with them. Something, somewhere is rotten inside.

The chai gets cold, I continue to sip it. It doesn't matter. I am still new to tea, started only in 2006.

A plan forms in my mind, a plan for a trip. Alone, like I always used to enjoy, seems like distant past.

The moon represents my heart

Saw this really interesting movie recently which had this beautiful song, reminded me of someone due to the moon connection. A couple of very beautiful screen shots too are here.





This song was used in the movie and I quite liked it; sharing it here...

You ask me how deep my love for you is,
How much I really love you…
My affection is real.
My love is real.
The moon represents my heart.

You ask me how deep my love for you is,
How much I really love you…
My affection does not waver,
My love will not change.
The moon represents my heart.

Just one soft kiss
is enough to move my heart.
A period of time when our affection was deep,
Has made me miss you until now.

You ask me how deep my love for you is,
How much I really love you.

Go think about it.
Go and have a look [at the moon],
The moon represents my heart.

This was written by Teresa Teng, an extremely popular Chinese singer, originally hailing from Taiwan. To date she currently holds the record of being the highest selling Asian artist of all time with sales of over 100 million copies.

The video is for Muzayun, the only one I know who completely loves and worships moon (apart from all the Majnus, poets and astronauts). The score here is the original Chinese song...