Chakna!

All these years in Mumbai, I learnt that drinking or smoking is not considered socially bad, be that for a guy or a girl (not to my concern anyway!). I have stayed with a variety of friends - non- drinkers, drinkers, social drinkers, those only happy with beer or a glass of wine, and I have accompanied them willingly (and at times unwillingly) wherever they have been to drink. This blog is not about social contours of Mumbai but about alcohol and the places most of my friends were affectionate of. For me, it was always the side dish - the Chakna, to be enjoyed while spending endless time chatting and waiting for my connoisseur friends to finish their drink. I don't claim to have explored all areas in Mumbai but the ones visited may resonate the same environment at most locations. 

Web definition of Chakna is, 'a spicy stew made out of goat tripe and other animal digestive parts, is a speciality dish among Hyderabadi Muslims....'

To me, Chakna was the dish (and to disappoint again, I am veg) that gave the much needed succour and company to last those long arduous hours of meaningless chatter with my drunk friends. Mostly free but overeating kills all your appetite for the main dish.

A few places that I have liked, primarily as an experience of the place rather than the food, have been

1. Leopold Cafe - one of the oldest in Town, I like the chairs, tables and the seating arrangement here but not the overall ambience. This is the only place that I have frequented more than twice and honestly, I always felt it to be pricey (not that I paid for any drinks!). Its more westernised for the food with my liking being the peanuts and green chutni served as Chakna. Veg crispy and the sweet and salted lime juice was another best combination for me. I have had back to back lemon juices to eat my time here. Must visit but nothing missed if not frequented; no great food either.

2. Cafe Mondegar - Best is the ambience, famous for the conspicuous plates and the paintings on the walls (Mario Miranda special!!). I like this place, more than Leopold. Onion rings, peanuts and the sweet and salted lime juice were the better combination for me at this place. A full glass Lassi is another time consuming and filling diet to last all the drink stock of others.

3. Gokul -  Economical and youthful, mostly college students. I have been at this place only once, situated in the alley behind Taj, the name itself sounded shady for a place in South Mumbai. It was the most crowded place I have seen for a sitting only bar and even the interiors were not classy with simple bench like tables to sit. Its youthful because its economical, and as I understood from my few connoisseur friends that most college students in Mumbai visit this place atleast once. As far as the Chakna goes, the fried salted garlic was one I liked most. Perhaps its most common across most bar's, but for me it was different and we easily had repeat dishes of it coming to our table.
4. WTF - The abbreviation is enough. Located at Santacruz or start of Bandra (if am correct), this place for me was more for the crowd than the food or drink. I dont recollect the Chakna here but am sure of the pretty faces around made up for most of the time.
All said, how do I not mention of the sessions at the flat and the homemade variety of the Chakna consumed over can of Coke. These have been the home made chakli, the papdi, Haldiram's diet chiwda or the farsan. The best companions for me from being not chucked from any discussions that my friends would have after getting drunk. After all, everyone needs a side kick once a while to stay in the course.
PS: As I finish writing this one, I had food at our one of earlier frequented hotel at Mulund (Hotel Pooja!). I noticed in the menu, peanuts are being charged now!!
a few more places like Pooja, Sports bar, Gaylord or the ManU cafe could have been in he list, but cant remember all the menu's...and as Chakna, salted cashew were also best.

3 Characters

There are few people in our lives who impact us and a few instances about them make us laugh. Listing such 3 people below, for the way they have impacted my life.

Vandana - the corporate maid

Every evening when I step into the flat, I subconsciously start sniffing like the bomb squad dog, sniffing if any food has been cooked for the evening. This is the time I notice Vandana at my subconscious level.
Our association with Vandana (as maid!) has been for more than 7 years (technically 5 years as 2 years might have gone in as leave cum holidays!). She has been working mostly for 5 days a week, cooks as per her convenient time, any time paucity or she has to rush somewhere - expect only rice mixed with vegetables (technically veg biryani), all holidays applicable - she does not believe in any particular religion, avails bank holidays and on diwali her bonus has to be ensured.
Vandana has taught us the importance and the variety of relationships any human can have. Infact, even my mother never exemplified that I could have so many relatives. All these years, I have lost count to the incidents that might have happened to her relatives- happy, sad or whatever. We have uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, etc, etc. They get married, have children, divorced or could fall sick, hospitalised or worse pass away. She taught, that its humane and expected of you to make your presence felt. Thanks to her frequent absences, we command an amazing level of loyalty at our local joint, we just tell them the building with the order and the guy on the other side completes the entire address like an autofill. Even our orders have become standardised and we discuss only the vegetable to be ordered, rest - autofill.
Not that we have not her tried confronting - I had given up long time back but Nihar gave his best shot recently over her absence for a week.  When Vandana stepped in, Nihar in a scornful tone did ask reason for her absence? In response -a box of sweets got opened, sweets offered to both- occasion being birth of baby boy to Vandana's cousin sister topped with a short description of all the events! We ate the sweets and went back to watch TV, no more questions asked.
I vouch for her honesty though. Somehow, Chai had confidence (overconfidence!) on Tom to deposit some cash (30k) at bank and kept the amount on the kitchen counter, disguised enough . As usual, Tom forgot and further (as usual) Vandana checked on the bag. That evening, Vandana came back with shiver to check if the money was still there and was correct. I was at home and only after being told I checked to find the cash in the bag (how concerned friends we were of each other!).
Nonetheless, a lesson learnt from Vandana- for all the damn reasons - your personal life is important to your job!

Jaya - ideal employee

If Vandana is the corporate maid, Jaya is the ideal employee that the employer would want to employ. Punctual, consistent and moreover- she likes her job.
Jaya helps our bachelor pad and our clothes clean (somehow, I know it sounds well off, which we are not - but our theory has been to outsource work at which we are not good or can be best done by others).
 Now, when I say she keeps  our flat and clothes clean, I mean she really keeps them clean. Over the past two years she has washed out few good shirts in a span of few months, so much so that I specifically told her to be kind hearted on them. I have started keeping all my loose clothes locked, if not, they go for washing. It does not matter if they were being washed a day before. A friend was on visit for 2 days, and he kept his socks in the shoes itself- whats wrong? Well, we realised the night he was leaving that they had been washed and wet! He went back without wearing socks.
Jaya has been asking for a pay cut now citing less work - well, ideal employee, I say.

Mhatre kaka - The AAM aadmi

Ah! if any one in our society could give Mr Kejriwal a run for his money, it has to Mhatre kaka. I believe he has held the broom more selflessly than Mr Kejriwal has and would be more famous not only in the adjacent 3 societies but also amongst the BMC ward officers of the area.
I think Mhatre kaka has retired, that is what I gather from the limited interactions I have had with him. I have mostly seen him in his baniyan and his blue coloured knee length short most often with the broom in hand. I didnt know there is something called as OCD - I know now it exists.
I hardly see BMC sweepers clean our society area. But, I have seen Mhatre kaka sweep the front side road, the backyard, clean the tree trunks, and if this not enough, I have spotted him help clean other society backyards! That's some commitment.

Aamchi Mumbai: the Mumbai local

Off late have commented on the joys and pains of my commute  in Mumbai locals, this blog is in continuation of those experiences. 

If Indian railways contribute towards national integration, am sure Mumbai locals integrate Mumbaikars, literally! They represent Mumbai. I remember in my campus interview at Pune, the interviewer had told me that unlike here, where you might see 100 people at a time, in Mumbai you will have 1000's. I didn't take him seriously.

7 years since I must have taken first journey on the locals. New to the City, I had to find out any relatives staying in Mumbai. I did find one, they having shifted from Andheri to Virar recently. So, I had an PHD even before I could graduate a degree in the subject of local commute.

The 3 lines

The City has been divided by the Western, Central and Harbour lines (lines not routes). Took some time to adjust to the count, names and the directions of the platform to get down at the stations on the Central line (apart from Kurla, I know there is an station which has platform on both sides, err which is that??).

Dadar

Of all the stations, Dadar, to me, is the kumbh of Mumbai (and am thankful and fortunate of not experiencing Kurla!!). You walk with some one talking and am sure you would bang atleast 10 people on the way, either you go their way or they come yours. When you do manage to reach, you have already lost the other person and end up calling him to check his location.

A colleague from Delhi had to visit Dadar (e) for some work from Dadar (w), and I suggested her to go via Dadar station. Next day, she mentioned that she has never seen so many people at one place, it was like purani Delli!!

Common spots

Mumbaikars, have common places to wait for someone at the station. Be that the Ist class towards Thane (or VT) or the erstwhile UTI bank ATM (since changed to Axis bank). The UTI ATM was one common spot, I remember always being used.

The compartment mix

Western line, to my knowledge, is dominated by Gujratis and Marwaris...Central line to my knowledge is also dominated by Gujaratis and Marwaris (haha, no offence meant to my Gujju and Madu friends, this is just an general observation).

Then come the Maharashtrians; these guys I think, stay faraway places for no reason but for the fact that they have sold their belongings in Town and shifted to make place for the more business minded classes (again an general observation, no offence to Maharashtrians). No wonder you can easily get a Jain dish at any place in Town but no Maharashtrian food, and we call this the Capital Maharashtra.

Commonly, I admire the cheerful Guju groups from the stock exchanges playing cards and noting points scored by each member at the end of every game till Ghatkopar. I have always wondered, how do they settle the game at the end, if at all they decide to wind up...is that in cash?

Maharashtrians, I have noted, always tend to take the doors. They will have friends across the compartment and will make a point to say bye to each of them while getting down, and at the top of their voice.

The compartment fights... mc, bc the lingua franca!!

I remember an incident, was getting up in the compartment with people following me in the peak rush morning hour. During all the pushing and shoving, couple of them got into an argument. The shorty of them started saying, 'uncle, chalo andar, jaga banao'. The taller though was not budging, the shorty kept on saying 'uncle chalo, uncle....'. The other guy burst...'b*****d, uncle kisse bola, teri umar ka hoon!!' Till date, this has been the funniest argument I have witnessed, really made my day. Saying so, have seen punches galore in Men's compartment but only heard of the cat fights...

The compartment places...standing, sitting, sitting balcony and AC

The trick is how well you manage to get in the compartment. There are a few places to the liking of commuters.

Rush hours, if you get a place to sit in or stand comfortably, you really had a good day. But, there are these other two spots that have always intrigued me...

Sitting balcony: this spot is the one adjacent to the ladies coach. For non commoners, there is usually an wire mesh between the 1st class gents and the 1st class ladies coach. The sit am referring to is the one adjacent to the window opposite the ladies coach. Sitting here, one has the view of the beautiful compartment and the much needed air to soothe (the standing spot is famous as much, but is more obvious).

Standing AC: This one is the best, standing at the door (1st place though). Plug your earphones, forget people with their usual business on the tracks and enjoy the loneliness. Only thing to be kept on mind is to make way people to get down at crowded stations and pray that no stone comes your way.

And, points to consider

Firstly, give a damn to the pressed shirt and the polished shoes. Secondly, even if you had a bad day, dont forget to use the words 'sir or dost', while getting in or out of the locals compartment. And, lastly, graduate to cars (just that u need to have ample patience with the traffic jams and the pot holed roads).

Jai ho.

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Kanha

Some trips are memorable, nearly 10 months down the year with this one, yet feel very refreshing writing on it.

It was Daisy’s marriage sometime late January this year at Gondia (on MP & Maharashtra border), and likeways me, Chai and Tom were planning to attend. Offlate most of my trips with friends have been attending some other friends marriage. Although we are not much of help at the marriage but then we are those silent spectators for the ‘one more down’ phenomenon. Tom, being recently married dodged us; a usual thing for the married, it was the two of us who decided to go ahead. Along with attending the marriage, we planned to visit Kanha- the tiger reserve in MP and it turned out to be a cherishing journey in the wild.

We took the Nagpur Duronto, boarding at CST and reached at about 7 am. We were planning to go to Gondia and then to Kanha (Gondia is enroute Kanha, and would suggest people who may want to visit Kanha to directly reach Gondia via train rather than hopping from Nagpur). Confused for our next move, Chai got a call from some Anuj- colleague of Daisy. Just perfect for us, four colleagues of Daisy-Anuj, Mustan, Nupur & Nidhi were also on the same train to attend the wedding and who had also planned a visit to the tiger reserve. Infact, I was a bit surprised to see these guys come. Somehow haven’t found people from my workplace so enthusiastic to visit a far place wedding. But there were they, my first impression of Anuj was that he seemed senior, helped by his blackberry often checking emails. Mustan, the defying bombaitte, seemed quiet initially. The two girls, Nupur- the ‘thirkee’ and Nidhi- the simplistic, just kept quiet (for those moments only!!). Plus side, these four had some research done on Kanha, proper printouts in place-right from info on Kanha to the cab drivers numbers in Nagpur. I was quiet impressed, atleast better than my yielding to Chai’s last moment plans (I say so, but I prefer plans

of Chai to visit any place, bloody reads a lot of stuff and more or less has some idea of the geography of the place). As I found out later, all of them were new joinees at the workplace which made me remember my first job and the friends I made there. Throughout the trip they had the same topics to discuss about the workplace- bosses, salary and the linkups.

We hired a sumo from Nagpur and decided to go to Kanha directly. Amazing!! my first reaction on the place. Believe me, being from Mumbai and crowded out for space, Kanha was a perfect place to be. Visit any tiger reserve, particularly if you intend to get away from the populous city.

We reached at about 5.30-6.0 in the evening, and though late we decided to get on to the evening batch of the tiger safari (two batches of about 3 hours are organized by the forest department - one in the morning and then in the evening, morning batch starts at about 6 am and the evening at 4 pm). Although we could not see the endangered species that evening, the tour egged us to get up early for the morning safari.

Kanha has two gates to begin the safari from- Mukki and Kanha. Since we took the safari from Mukki gate, we decided to take the morning safari from Kanha gate. The only thought I had at that time was to take good rest during the night but all these thoughts were soon zonked out, by the so called the liquor connoisseurs (just categorizing beer/ wine/ tequila and whatever to simply liquor). I don’t know of how these connoisseurs find out the drinking trait of each other and then how they manage to find a place to get the required stuff, but they do. After again some couple of hours of travel in the darkness, we reached the other side round to Kanha gate, some time about 9.0-9.30 pm. Amazingly, that sleepy place could organize food even at that time –both veg and non veg!!

The connoisseurs had the drinking session on- Chai, Mustan and in a limited way Anuj and the thirkee, before dinner was served. For the love of the drinks (and zero wastage policy) Chai exceeded his drink quota and seemed to be out of his senses for a while. For the first time I saw him sway around a bit. We had the dinner and moved on to our rooms for the much needed sleep. In between though Nidhi had freaked out on some a guy who helped around in the hotel, and must say she had really lost her nerve on that guy for his over helpness to her. The resort room was quiet large and four of us easily accommodated, the two girls slept in the other room. Both these rooms had some distance in between. I doubt the resort had any more occupants, it wasn’t that a perfect season time yet. So six of us, in a small village resort, with one girl freaked out of some haunting image.

I went to bed quickly after the dinner but for the fridge noise, frosting- defrosting. As, I went to deep sleep I felt some one knocking the door. Somehow I got up (had to, as I came to know next morning, none of the connoisseurs even had slight idea that someone knocked their door) to open the door to see both the girls. Now, at about 2 am in the morning both really seemed freaked out, Nidhi more so as she claimed that the hotel help was calling their room number and disturbing them. Half awake then, I just down played the incident and tried providing some confidence. Nupur had a request then- sleep in our room!! Must say, I came to all my senses then. Somehow at times I think girls are at an advantage, they can simply ask any unusual favour from a guy which may not be as simple as it looks. I wouldn’t have minded if I had known these girls for sometime but ours was a day’s introduction and more than that I firmly believed there was no one calling that room but for some wild imaginations. If there had some liquor left, I would have made Nidhi consume it and have made her go to bed as all others were. But,

I had no options but to carry my bed in dark to the other room.

I switched on the light in the bathroom. Their fridge was noisier than the one in the other room. Both girls slept and amidst all the noise of the fridge, I was trying to gather on some lost sleep. The fridge though was really disturbing and I kept on a while thinking of switching it off. But then, I was frightened to get up for Nidhi’s sake. Somehow I felt she might be in half sleep and just might again freak out shouting seeing a guy in her room. But then my sleep got better of my notion and I just got up to switch off the fridge. Thankfully, could sleep for some time then.

As expected, no one in the other room had an idea of all the events during the night, and people say drinking is a bad habit!!

We quickly got ready for the morning safari. We had the guide and the jeep in place and were raring to go to catch the glimpse of the tiger. Amidst all of these, I had plenty of water in the morning and just could not locate any loo at the gate. Awwh, that hurt. No one is allowed to get off the jeep in the jungle at any cost. You can’t attend the natural call even when you are so close to the nature!! We almost spent two hours in the jungle without the sight of the tiger, and I was just looking forward to reach the base camp from where we had to register for the elephant safari. Those two hours, I just felt a tank was about to burst anytime. The guide was at his peak abilities to showcase each bit of the jungle. Finally, when we got to the camping area in midst of the jungle, I headed the toilet. I peed for quiet sometime, much longer that I noticed a few who came later than me to complete the job and go, but I was still standing there, emptying my abdomen.

Finally, we had the sight of a tigress, atop an elephant. The tigress and the large cubs just had a kill for breakfast and with their stomach full they seemed in pleasant mood posing for all the people clicking pics. Such a fantastic sight it was to see the tiger from such a close range in wild.

We came back to Gondia that day evening to attend Daisy’s marriage. Had never seen a barat with people carrying the lamps (could imagine the ‘cholro mint’ ad showing a barat). Overall it turned out to be a fantastic trip; new people, new experiences and then the tiger in wild. Blissful moments.

Caught in-between slow, simple life of hometown and the other way in Mumbai

A life here and a life there…
heart here, mind there
peace here, money there
maa here, friends there
a child here, man there
mom’s food here, dabba there
few intrude here, many there
space here, thronged there
home here, flat there
can pause here, always rush there
can personal meet here, phone & email there
life which way ???
well, somewhere here & there

Hometown is always close to heart particularly for us nomad’s who have left home. We have help built a living there, but then we are not there to enjoy it!!! As is the new hometown, without it out how can we make a living?

tweet-tweet: @ Delhi. Dil ki Dilli. Noticing people, the way of life at the Capital. More to blog on. Thanks PwC, m learning more than my job

My Bachelorhood & (other’s) Sasuma

I liked the tag line. Initially had thought of writing separately on my traits with bachelor days and the phenomenon called Sasuma in a newly married mans life. Thought off nothing better then to combine the two topics…

At this age, and particularly after your elder Bro gets married, every one just keeps saying, ‘chal, ab teri line clear’(don’t know how; as in who had stopped me earlier!!)… a simple line but makes a huge difference in a bachelors life…

Dunno when did I grew so old- children playing cricket alongside ask for a mishit ball from me…chant ‘Uncle ball please’…what to say …I feel yaar tujhe mein itna bada kaha se dikh raha hu…the point is I never understood when did I loose my teens to become more of an adult…

That is why I don’t want to loose my bachelor days….this is something which I can control…that is why I feel saying f***off when someone says ‘ab teri line clear’…don’t feel like being in a jail when I’m enjoying all such freedom…freedom characterized by no one being there on my head asking me to come on time at home… no long phone calls/ the huge phone bills (cant manage a huge phone bill in these recessionary & no bonus time)… no one asking what I eat or where I am late night…just cant bear such questions…

Bachelor days are characterized by fellow friends like me…sharing a flat…no one caring of who comes at what time…nor bothered whom I am talking (I think I’m wrong… they can link me to everyone I speak to)… where I’m going and doing what… even we don’t care that our bathrooms have no latch or our flat’s windows have no curtains… who cares… we are free to observe and be observed… that’s freedom, freedom of no burden on mind…of just thinking and doing things… not worrying for any…the only feminine aspect being the ‘bai’ coming each day (almost…have some doubts on that… she is the only one we care and think most/ or curse most for all her bunks) to clean the flat… that’s bachelorhood… more like virginity…u loose once, it never comes back…

The other side that I have really noticed now-a-days in a newly wed guys life… is the relation of son-in-law & mother-in-law!!!

Now since most friends/ colleagues of my age are getting married, the phenomenon called ‘sasuma’ inevitably gets discussed at some point in time…

Never had I ever thought of caring to know of how important a ‘sasuma’ would be to a newly wed guy… seriously man…with all the gen-next wives these days, whom do u think is the guy being fed the same kind of food that his mother did all these years !! Till the time these gen-next wives get the accustomed to cooking… the sasuma provides the much needed relief… atleast for those who have been staying away from there home for some years now and marry a local girl…I’m not sounding sexist…but men are men…we hardly like to go to the kitchen and cook food… hats off to the one who manage to do that…

My bro has been example for this phenomenon as is one of my office colleague… m sure my bro would never now sleep hungry on any day…if my sis in law is unable get out of office on time, rest assured he has to receive a tiffin…in a bachelors life- forget, no one even cares to ask u…

Then there is one colleague of mine… makes all of us jealous every day at lunch … as usual we eat the canteen food and this chap receives the tiffin from his mother in law…everything from salad to dessert…it has everything…even the sitafal is properly packed in the tiffin after removing the seeds… that’s what I call a perfect lunch…all of us happy to have that if my good colleague is out for meeting…

Seems a son in law becomes a default addition to the mother in laws list of persons to be cared after… makes me wonder …guys now need to ask one important question to all their would be gen-next wives…forget how well u cook food…how well ur mother does !!!

Weird acts I have done in the past 6 months: Part 1

It feels good to write some lines on of how weirdly I have acted in the in the past few months. It’s really a better feeling to do things which no one normally expects you to do. Further that keeps alive the adrenaline pumping to some more weird acts in the future… hope to do more of such acts...

1. Kerala Ayurvedic Massage:

Though not very sporty, it is exciting, particularly when you are not aware of what it is going to be!!

It all started with Chai (close friend and roommate) infusing this thought into my mind. I think he got this idea from the newspapers he reads on Sunday. To be right on this, we would be reading atleast 5-6 newspapers, excluding the supplements on a Sunday. Add to this the magzines Chai picks up from stalls at the railway stations.

No way could I have resisted to this idea, just to get out from the flat on a lazy Sunday.

We decided to go Dadar for the massage, the closest centre for us. With no idea of what really it is, we picked up a towel and the undergarments in case we need to have a bath. TG… smart thinking.

Although it took some time for us to understand the whole process, initially, looking at the ad’s I always had at the back of my mind who really is going to do the massage- male or female?? (all you ladies reading- you wont understand the dilemma men get into in such situations, perhaps because we have the two options available).

Well, it is not the beautiful ladies shown in the ad who do the massage. TG again. No one has seen me so much naked since the day I have learnt to bathe myself!!! Can’t imagine a lady touch my body at all those places that the guy touched to make me feel better… haha ((-:

This guy really had strong hands… he poured litres of oil on to my body first and then just kept on wiping that thing of my body. Before that… he made me wear that thin, really slim cotton undergarment and then made me lie on the wooden plank. I have never worn such a slim thing before. More embarrassment follows when that little thing gets wet… more transparency builds into it. Some more embarrassment when he makes you turn on to your back side. Even I have never seen my backside so closely!!!

It took nearly one to one & half hour to complete the massage. Really can’t say what feeling I had at the end of the massage but I could really feel some of my bones in the chest, back and the buttocks.

Lastly, had that hot water bath in the paste specifically prepared to remove the oil. At the end felt that should also have had some head massage to help the blood circulation to the head as well, which was only now jumping around the body below neck…


2. The Mumbai marathon

Have signed for the 21Km run. There is some time for the marathon… roughly two months to go. To run a marathon is no easy task. Always knew that but have understood more clearly now. To gain the lost stamina is no joke; howsoever good you were in running in the past. This is what I have noticed specifically after starting the practice. Two months into the practice… I started initially with climbing the 18 floors on stair of our building, and now a day’s 2 rounds of the building park. Won’t have dared to sign for 21kms run if I have had initially run those 2 rounds… lets see now in Jan… I do have 2 more months…m coming Mumbai Marathon!!!

Some tweeting: On a long leave for Bro's marriage… such are the only days to be away from Mumbai and the daily thoughts of office/work and people. Look to sneak some more time to write one more blog…