When it comes to India - Pakistan I am pretty much a romantic. I still hope to see a EU like no visa zone for sub continent travel and increased trade and commerce with the "Land of the Pure". In my mind they make far better neighbours than Afghanistan.
Not that i did not hurt at Miandad's six (incidentally my first cricket memory) or jump for joy at Venkatesh Prasad knocking back Aamer Sohails off stump. Pakistan have always been the enemy, be it cricket or Kargil. Over the years however, the team i love to hate in international cricket has been England - i suppose i still suffer from colonial angst!. This transition was no doubt influenced by the sheer talent of a Wasim Akram, a Waqar Younis, a Mushtaq Ahmed and countless other talented Pakistan cricketers who we watched in awe, wished they played for India and longed to be able to cheer for unabashedly in public (when they were not playing India of course) instead of silently admiring them lest anyone accuse us of supporting Pakistan.
The only opportunity we got before the IPL came upon us was the odd Asia XI or India-Pak v Sri Lanka match (during the 96 World Cup which was not properly telecast and was only one game anyway - i still remember Sachin catching Jayasuriya of Akram). The IPL however changed all that. I am a die hard KKR fan and quite frankly have not got much joy from the IPL so far (in fact the initial part of IPL 2 was my toughest week as a sports fan ever). However watching Shoaib Akhtar take 4 Delhi Daredevil wickets in 3 overs with a packed Eden Gardens cheering him on has undoudtebly been one of the most joyful moments of my cricketing life. We could finally legally cheer and support the Pakistani players - all thanks to the IPL.
The IPL provided a framework and could have been the vehicle that could increase people to people contact beyond imagination. The IPL could have been positioned as the Indian Subcontinent Premiere League. The three new teams could have been Karachi, Colombo and Dhaka - maybe even owned by Indian business men and having Indian players. Or if you had to have added Indian cities, maybe you could have added Bangladesh to the KKR catchment, North Sri Lanka to CSK and Pakistan Punjab to the Kings XI Punjab. With Bengal, Punjab and Tamil pride being festered by the respective sides it could have led to improving relations beyond conceivable present thought.
Instead what do we have - a stupid joke with the Pakistani cricketers being humiliated and therefore the average well meaning Pakistani public. Can you just imagine what would have happened if Dhoni, Sehwag and Yuvraj had been similarly snubbed at the Big Bash auction in Australia? I am sure we would have cancelled tours for the next decade.
Sure there is terrorism, and from what we hear and see there has been inadequate action across the border to stop operations against India but it is a common problem. And the average Pakistani cannot be castigated. It is an evil which must be fought together, not playing cricket and not singing the same songs together will not end terrorism. I have seen talkshows where the average Pakistani have questioned the establishment for not acting against the LeT. Now why would an average Pakistani do that? He would do that because he probably loves watching a Sachin and a Dravid straight drive, because he cries while watching Taare Zameen Pe and because he knows peace and prosperity is the only way forward. He is also fighting against the same perceived political compulsions that may never bring about and amicable solution for the Kashmir valley. Incidents like the IPL fiasco do more harm to Indo Pak relations by quietening theses very voices of peace from across the border.
In my view the only way to heal the present situation will be for the two boards to come together and announce the expansion or plans thereof. There is a precedence with the Lahore Badshahs and the ICL, and if Mr. Thackeray and other similar voices so desire we need not have matches in Mumbai. Otherwise this slap on the face of the Pakistani cricket fan (and than would include 90 percent of the country) will take a lot of time to heal and set back relationships further. Anyway i hope better sense prevail and people more adept at home and foreign affairs than me do whatever necessary to improve the situation. Messrs Tharoor, Krishna, Pawar, Chidambaram hope you are doing something about it.
On a selfish note imagine this KKR side with "home" based Bangladeshi players for 2011 and a big buy and captain in Shahid Afridi...Dada as manager after finally hanging up his boots.
1. Chris Gayle
2. Tamim Iqbal
3. Shahid Afridi
4. David Hussey
5. Shakib - Al - Hasan
6. Manoj Tiwary
7. Ganpathy Vignesh
8. Wriddhiman Saha
9. Mashrafe Mortaza
10. Shane Bond
11. Ishant Sharma
Hell... we may even stand a decent chance! Boom Boom! Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Republic Day - 2010: Music - The road to national awareness??
The republic at 60! Jai Hind! were some of the familiar posts on facebook yesterday. All very patriotic and very good .I think we could do with a little more flag waving as a nation (if you compare celebrations to the 4th of July, we look like we are mourning) so flooding the online space with patriotic slogans is very welcome... to me at least. But do we, as a generation know enough about our country? Do we care? Is it important?
I suspect that we do care and believe that the same is important but we do not have the time required to dig the same out - atleast in th current form that the same is avaliable in. Some of us (the late 70s/ early 80s generation) who do know enough about the struggle for independence or about our leaders are probably quizzers or have paid a lot of attention to Class X History, even so the knowledge would be primarily pre 1947 as school texts (at least till the 1990s) did not contain anything beyond the midnight hour on 14th August and there is precious little information even otherwise. Those that are there like "India After Gandhi" and are scarily voluminous for most people.
This Republic Day saw two initiatives on Indian television (apart from the usual reruns of Gandhi), one was a rehash of "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" - a medley involving music and movie stars and showcasing the diversity of India, the other was a great initiative by CNN IBN Republic at 60: Makers of India program where they profiled great Indians shortlisted by Ramachandra Guha (as good an authority as they come), the program was well made, compact and discussed the contributions of a select ten luminaries of our nation and how they contributed to take the republic forward over the last 60 years.
I do not know how many people saw the latter program though as my Facebook comments had more references to Mile Sur and how should have been better represented by Dada and others rather than Rituparna and Prosenjit . Mile Sur was obviously the far more popular watch - although the entire song lasted for 16 minutes.
Maybe the answer does lies in Music!?! Make a Mile Sur (or better still a Vande Mataram remix), only knock off Atul Kulkarni - put in an Ambedkar (put some subtitles), knock off Prosenjit - put in a Bose, knock off the Gujarati singer - put in Sardar Patel, knock off Gurdas Mann - put in Bhagat Singh. Our heroes and their contributions need to be celebrated. We would love to know who all the greats were who shaped the nation if the same is presented in a decently entertaining manner. We tend to be very parochial when we talk of our heroes (a Bose is highly revered in Bengal but a Patel or a V.P. Menon is hardly discussed in the same breath), we need to figure out a way and educate the country or at least (as views tend to be political) give them the information in a format that is engaging. Maybe there is a business opportunity in all of this, but that probably is just the tragic entrepreneur in me that is talking.
Talking of entrepreneurs saw one of our country's best Mr Kishore Biyani at R City, Ghatkopar, Big Bazaar Sabse Sasta Sale - Ritwika and me bought a lot of toileteries and stuff - unbelie
vable prices and a customers delight if only they could sort out the queues - that is obviously one problem Mr Biyani is still struggling with although he wac spending a lot of time looking at the queues and I am sure would make the experience better next time around.
On the food front, had lunch at the food court. My 3rd attempt at trying something good at the food court after trying Lucknow Kebabs, Moti Mahal and this time China House. Highly forgettabl I am afraid. My advice if you are at the R City Mall in Ghatkopar, go for the KFC for "finger licking good" chicken or to the Urban Tadka - probably the best VFM restaurant in Mumbai for Indian food. But more on those delights at a later date.
Jai Hind! India Rocks!!
I suspect that we do care and believe that the same is important but we do not have the time required to dig the same out - atleast in th current form that the same is avaliable in. Some of us (the late 70s/ early 80s generation) who do know enough about the struggle for independence or about our leaders are probably quizzers or have paid a lot of attention to Class X History, even so the knowledge would be primarily pre 1947 as school texts (at least till the 1990s) did not contain anything beyond the midnight hour on 14th August and there is precious little information even otherwise. Those that are there like "India After Gandhi" and are scarily voluminous for most people.
This Republic Day saw two initiatives on Indian television (apart from the usual reruns of Gandhi), one was a rehash of "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" - a medley involving music and movie stars and showcasing the diversity of India, the other was a great initiative by CNN IBN Republic at 60: Makers of India program where they profiled great Indians shortlisted by Ramachandra Guha (as good an authority as they come), the program was well made, compact and discussed the contributions of a select ten luminaries of our nation and how they contributed to take the republic forward over the last 60 years.
I do not know how many people saw the latter program though as my Facebook comments had more references to Mile Sur and how should have been better represented by Dada and others rather than Rituparna and Prosenjit . Mile Sur was obviously the far more popular watch - although the entire song lasted for 16 minutes.
Maybe the answer does lies in Music!?! Make a Mile Sur (or better still a Vande Mataram remix), only knock off Atul Kulkarni - put in an Ambedkar (put some subtitles), knock off Prosenjit - put in a Bose, knock off the Gujarati singer - put in Sardar Patel, knock off Gurdas Mann - put in Bhagat Singh. Our heroes and their contributions need to be celebrated. We would love to know who all the greats were who shaped the nation if the same is presented in a decently entertaining manner. We tend to be very parochial when we talk of our heroes (a Bose is highly revered in Bengal but a Patel or a V.P. Menon is hardly discussed in the same breath), we need to figure out a way and educate the country or at least (as views tend to be political) give them the information in a format that is engaging. Maybe there is a business opportunity in all of this, but that probably is just the tragic entrepreneur in me that is talking.
Talking of entrepreneurs saw one of our country's best Mr Kishore Biyani at R City, Ghatkopar, Big Bazaar Sabse Sasta Sale - Ritwika and me bought a lot of toileteries and stuff - unbelie
vable prices and a customers delight if only they could sort out the queues - that is obviously one problem Mr Biyani is still struggling with although he wac spending a lot of time looking at the queues and I am sure would make the experience better next time around.On the food front, had lunch at the food court. My 3rd attempt at trying something good at the food court after trying Lucknow Kebabs, Moti Mahal and this time China House. Highly forgettabl I am afraid. My advice if you are at the R City Mall in Ghatkopar, go for the KFC for "finger licking good" chicken or to the Urban Tadka - probably the best VFM restaurant in Mumbai for Indian food. But more on those delights at a later date.
Jai Hind! India Rocks!!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Great Kebab Factory, Powai, Mumbai
Friday, January 22nd would have been Babas 68th birthday. I celebrate his birthday every year and this year was no different. Dripto , my in-laws, Ritwika and myself decided to go to the Great Kebab Factory that has newly opened in Powai. We had already been there once and thought that the place though slightly expensive definitely served the best Galouti Kebabs in Mumbai. Yes better than what you get at Caravan Serai but alas no patch on Tunday in Lucknow. I think Mumbai really has to work on good Nawabi cuisine.
The Great Kebab Factory works on an all - you - can - eat concept. One pays Rs 736 not including taxes. There is quite a bit of tax as you end up spending slightly more than Rs 1000, but the money I would say is worth it for special occasions. The money includes everything apart from drinks. It includes 5 types of Non Veg Kebabs, the Galouti (they say its their signature dish) + 4 other kebabs which keep changing. I saw in the menu card that they had added a Jhinga (for Rs 400 additional). I personally do not like prawns in the tandoor/kebab form (the price is not worth the taste) and we decided against it. The kebabs are unlimited - all you can eat, and the Galouti (the highlight) is delectable - they serve it with the Ulte Tawe ke Parathe and you are supposed to have it with some mint chutney and Onion pieces - a truly sumptuous combination. I usually save appetite for at least 4 kebabs - you are advised to do the same.
The Kebabs are followed by Roti and two types of daal and Chicken Biriyani - again both unlimited and reasonable OK. If you are going for the first time you may try out the same but 2nd time onwards (as i did) you will probably fill up your entire stomach space with
Galoutis.
The meal is then capped off with unlimited dessert options from Phirnis to Gulab Jamuns - I am not a sweet buff but my In-Laws and my wife loved it.
The only sour point of the restaurant is the service, the waiters (dressed smartly in blue collar factory clothes) are still to get the act right, although the chef adds a nice touch by enquiring how good the food was towards the end of your meal. So if you miss having kebabs in Mumbai and are looking forward to spending some time in a great ambiance, do go there. I will go there just for the Galoutis.
How to get there: The Great Kebab Factory is in Hirnandani Gardens, Powai and is located on the right if you are driving from Olympia to D - Mart. For those un familiar with Powai. Take the main Pizza Hut entrance to Hiranandani complex and drive straight. You will find a circle, drive straight beyond that. You will find Haiko on your right, 50 m onwards is the Great Kebab Factory besides Chillies. If you miss it you will come to another circle where you will see a D-Mart. Take a U Turn and look to your left, you should find Great Kebab Factory.
The Great Kebab Factory works on an all - you - can - eat concept. One pays Rs 736 not including taxes. There is quite a bit of tax as you end up spending slightly more than Rs 1000, but the money I would say is worth it for special occasions. The money includes everything apart from drinks. It includes 5 types of Non Veg Kebabs, the Galouti (they say its their signature dish) + 4 other kebabs which keep changing. I saw in the menu card that they had added a Jhinga (for Rs 400 additional). I personally do not like prawns in the tandoor/kebab form (the price is not worth the taste) and we decided against it. The kebabs are unlimited - all you can eat, and the Galouti (the highlight) is delectable - they serve it with the Ulte Tawe ke Parathe and you are supposed to have it with some mint chutney and Onion pieces - a truly sumptuous combination. I usually save appetite for at least 4 kebabs - you are advised to do the same.
The Kebabs are followed by Roti and two types of daal and Chicken Biriyani - again both unlimited and reasonable OK. If you are going for the first time you may try out the same but 2nd time onwards (as i did) you will probably fill up your entire stomach space with
Galoutis.The meal is then capped off with unlimited dessert options from Phirnis to Gulab Jamuns - I am not a sweet buff but my In-Laws and my wife loved it.
The only sour point of the restaurant is the service, the waiters (dressed smartly in blue collar factory clothes) are still to get the act right, although the chef adds a nice touch by enquiring how good the food was towards the end of your meal. So if you miss having kebabs in Mumbai and are looking forward to spending some time in a great ambiance, do go there. I will go there just for the Galoutis.
How to get there: The Great Kebab Factory is in Hirnandani Gardens, Powai and is located on the right if you are driving from Olympia to D - Mart. For those un familiar with Powai. Take the main Pizza Hut entrance to Hiranandani complex and drive straight. You will find a circle, drive straight beyond that. You will find Haiko on your right, 50 m onwards is the Great Kebab Factory besides Chillies. If you miss it you will come to another circle where you will see a D-Mart. Take a U Turn and look to your left, you should find Great Kebab Factory.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Cafe Alif, Jogeshwari West, Mumbai
Ever since Feroz introduced me to Cafe Alif, i look forward to opportunities to go to Cafe Alif on Fridays.
Why Friday? Because that is the day that they cook and serve Mutton Khichda. The khichda is Mumbai's Haleem (you don't get the same stuff that you get in Hyderabad in Mumbai), it is a broth of Bohri origins that is had by Muslims in Mumbai to break the Ramzan fast, Cafe Alif however is nice enough to make it every Friday. Today presented a Golden one with Feroz treating Neeraj, Jayant and myself for the ACE award!
The Khichda is a meal of lentils, wheat and mutton mixed 
with the most delectable spices and marinated/ cooked for a reasonable amount of time (the dish takes a decent amount of preparation time, hence not available everyday). At Cafe Alif, the dish is served in a smallish bowl garnished with fried onions, the khichda has a decent amount of gravy, slightly different from the drier variety served at Muslim homes but that is a pleasure that I have yet to experience.
with the most delectable spices and marinated/ cooked for a reasonable amount of time (the dish takes a decent amount of preparation time, hence not available everyday). At Cafe Alif, the dish is served in a smallish bowl garnished with fried onions, the khichda has a decent amount of gravy, slightly different from the drier variety served at Muslim homes but that is a pleasure that I have yet to experience. Anyways one plate of Mutton Khichda + 1 Roti is possibly one of the tastiest, filling and value for money Friday afternoon lunches that you can have in maximum city! Whats more it comes for Rs 50 only!
Today we also had some Biriyani and some Kebabs which were decent, but when i am in office on a Friday in maximum city and thinking about lunch, i will always think of Cafe Alif and the Mutton Khichda. I wish that our office was in Andheri West!
How to get there: Cafe Alif is on SV Road in Jogeshwari. It falls on the left if you are going towards Malad from Andheri side. It is at Barkhamba Junction, after crossing Jogeshwari station. There is an HDFC ATM on the right just before you reach.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Saurashtra - Junagadh, Gir, Somnath!
After Elephanta the day before, it was time for the big trip. Pretty much the whole of Saurashtra, the trip plan was tight and comprised three highlights.
1. Junagadh - a historical city and in my mind space after reading "India after Gandhi"
2. Gir Forest - The home of the Asiatic Lion
3. Somnath - The most historic and holiest of the Jyotirlingas. Again in my mind space after reading "India after Gandhi"
The plan was the following:
15th Jan: Board the Saurashtra Mail from Mumbai Central to Rajkot
16th Jan: Drive down to Gir via Junagadh - Overnight at Gir.
17th Jan: Safari at Gir, followed by a drive to Somnath - Overnight at Somnath
18th Jan: Drive down to Rajkot, board Saurashtra Mail at 5.40 PM
19th Jan: Arrive Mumbai at 6 AM
The plan was all set. Chhoto Mesho had arrived in the morning from Indonesia, the booking were organised by my friend and colleague Mehul.
There was only one catch. Our onward tickets were not confirmed. We had 2 RAC tickets (AC2)on normal and WL 1 - 4. As the in-laws were travelling I had booked 6 on Tatkaal (AC3) unfortunately getting wait listed WL 4 - 9.
As it turned out, the time the chart got finalised at 5 PM, we landed up with RAC 1 - 4 on normal and with 2 confirmed seats on Tatkaal. Reasonably confident that we were going we went to the station where we had to pay Rs 5500 for two confirmed AC 1st Class tickets and we spent the night slightly crazy with 2 people sleeping in AC 1st class, 3 on AC2 (The TT had given us one extra birth) and myself in AC3. Moral of the episode - Bribe the TT instead of the touts at the Railway station in case of travel. Far more effective and a lot cheaper.
The train arrived at Rajkot and Mehul was there at the station. After a wonderful breakfast of Gathias we boarded the Innova that he had booked and settled down for our journey to Junagadh. On the way we took a detour at Virpur and visited the temple of Jalaram Bapa. Apart from the temple the most interesting aspect of Virpur was the exclusive Nescafe outlet - the only one I have seen so far.
We reached Junagadh
- a 150 km, 2 hour drive (kudos to the Gujarat roads - a 4 lane highway with bouganvillaes on the side) and went to have the Gujarati Thali at Modern Restaurant. The thali was pretty ordinary (you get far better ones in Mumbai), post which we did our Junagadh sight seeing comprising the Maqbara, the fort and the Ashoka Edict.
The Maqbara
and the edict were worth a visit but i was very impressed by the fort (far better than I had expected).
The view of Junagadh from the point where the cannon is kept and the wells were the highlight. I recommend walking down to the well floor - there are steps leading down for a rather eerie and different experience.
We then proceeded to Sassan Gir (a further 70 Kms)to a farmhouse owned by a police commissioner called the Lions Paw. The Lions Paw is highly recommended for bachelors and groups of friends. It is rustic, well done and roomy. Whenever people stay the owner sends servants, who cook what you want (unfortunately only vegetarian), light up a bonfire in the evening and are at your beck and call. Where it does not score however is the cleanliness of the bathrooms where it definitely does not score more than 1 star. However the surroundings - pretty much in the middle of the jungle and the setting, unpolluted starry skies and the unmistakable sounds of the jungle peppered by the occasional lions roar more that made up for it and we hit the bed with an alarm at 5 AM to catch the Safari the next day at 6 AM sharp.
Jungle Safaris in Gir, work similar to Corbett, 30 permits in the morning for 30 gypsies and 30 in the afternoon. It is therefore very important to come early to a) get a permit (if you are #31 you do not get one) b) hit the jungle early as the big cats are best seen in the first hour. This time lady luck was certainly smiling on us (we saw no tigers in 4 days in Corbett), as we caught a Pride after 30 minutes! and it was a pride of 2 Lionesses
and 7 cubs!!
We had started normally and seen the usual Sambarh deer and Nilgai. I did not have high hopes after Corbett and was intent to enjoy the jungle rather that pray for Lions when suddenly we saw a jeep in front of us standing still and we found out that there were sounds and the unmistakable bark of a deer. We too heard the deer bark and saw the forest guard in the jeep get down and walk into the jungle. The guide was gone for about 5 minutes and we were wondering what happened. Meanwhile 2 jeeps had piled up behind us and the one in front had gone ahead.
We were about to give up and move forward (as had happened numerous times in Corbett) when suddenly we herd something close to an owl hoot, this was the signal by the forest guard. Then all hell broke loose, we could see the lions and they were behind us. The jeeps sprinted on reverse to catch the lions in case they disappear. In excitement our gypsy actually crashed into the gypsy in front but we need not have worried. The King of the Jungle was in no hurry. Completely unperturbed the pride moved forward at their own pace, cubs playing with each other as they slowly moved along into the jungle while we fumbled with our cameras trying to juggle taking snaps and seeing the beast in its environs and in its full glory.
We could follow the lions for ten minutes before they disappeared into the bushes. The rest of the safari (two and a half hours more)was spent talking about the fact that we were so lucky to see 9 Lions. We saw a lot more deer, peacocks, owls, jackals and monkeys during the safari but nothing came close to actually seeing the lions. The only other thing i will remember was the Stag head which we saw. These are put
up at the spots where carcasses are found and fixed on trees.
The good part of Gir is that they have a sanctuary (16 sq km) where they keep some animals including lions. This is like an open zoo and the conduct bus rides (groups of 20) around it, one is almost guaranteed to see a lion through this ride. We took the sanctuary ride (they call it Deovalia Park) and duly saw three lions. We were lucky enough to see lions in the forest so it did not seem like much to us, but i think it is a good consolation if one fails and is something that the other national parks could seek to emulate. The lions there are obviously fed by the caretakers and do not have to resort to the law of the jungle to survive.
Exhilarated after the Safari, we had breakfast at our farmhouse checked out and drove to Somnath. In Somnath we checked into SukhSagar hotel, clean and very comfortable. Highly recommended for all travellers, this was also where we had some very decent Punjabi vegetarian food, there is only so much Veg Gujarati food that the Bengali stomach can consistently take.
We visited the Somnath temple in the evening at around 5. Somnath is beautiful,
set right on the beach, the architecture and the color of the temple walls against the setting sun is truly breathtaking. I am not overtly religious but loved being at the site. It is also very well managed and does not get to be a pain to travel and see the main deity which typically places of worship in India (Tirupathi and Ajmer Sharif) become. One can stay at the site but darshan is very orderly and organised. Hats of to the planning done by Sardar Patel when the temple was rebuilt in 1947 and the maintenance by the Gujarat government. There are also cloak rooms to keep shoes and cameras and phones. These are not allowed into the temple due to the present terrorist threat. The other stark reminder of the terrorist threat was the warship of the Indian navy which patrols the coast.
Very happy with how the day went, we retired, happy and tired after a few rounds of 29 to round off a long and tiring day. The next morning we left Somnath at ten and drove down to Rajkot. We reached at 2 and had a non veg lunch after 3 days of vegetarian food. The restaurant "Hot and More" reminded me of the Chinese you get in the college canteens of Kolkata but after 3 days, it tasted pretty good. Right opposite the restaurant is Mahatma Gandhi's school which we also took some pictures of.
Our train was at 5.40 and this time our tickets were confirmed. We left Saurashtra on time still talking about the 9 Lions that we had seen! All in all it was a great trip and one which I will remember fondly for the rest of my life...The only downer - the food! Apart from Gathiya where i loved the carrot chutney they serve as a condiment, the rest of the cuisine was not up to the liking of my palate for lunch and dinner. Maybe I did not have stuff at the best places but on the whole Saurashtra cuisine was a dampener.
1. Junagadh - a historical city and in my mind space after reading "India after Gandhi"
2. Gir Forest - The home of the Asiatic Lion
3. Somnath - The most historic and holiest of the Jyotirlingas. Again in my mind space after reading "India after Gandhi"
The plan was the following:
15th Jan: Board the Saurashtra Mail from Mumbai Central to Rajkot
16th Jan: Drive down to Gir via Junagadh - Overnight at Gir.
17th Jan: Safari at Gir, followed by a drive to Somnath - Overnight at Somnath
18th Jan: Drive down to Rajkot, board Saurashtra Mail at 5.40 PM
19th Jan: Arrive Mumbai at 6 AM
The plan was all set. Chhoto Mesho had arrived in the morning from Indonesia, the booking were organised by my friend and colleague Mehul.
There was only one catch. Our onward tickets were not confirmed. We had 2 RAC tickets (AC2)on normal and WL 1 - 4. As the in-laws were travelling I had booked 6 on Tatkaal (AC3) unfortunately getting wait listed WL 4 - 9.As it turned out, the time the chart got finalised at 5 PM, we landed up with RAC 1 - 4 on normal and with 2 confirmed seats on Tatkaal. Reasonably confident that we were going we went to the station where we had to pay Rs 5500 for two confirmed AC 1st Class tickets and we spent the night slightly crazy with 2 people sleeping in AC 1st class, 3 on AC2 (The TT had given us one extra birth) and myself in AC3. Moral of the episode - Bribe the TT instead of the touts at the Railway station in case of travel. Far more effective and a lot cheaper.
The train arrived at Rajkot and Mehul was there at the station. After a wonderful breakfast of Gathias we boarded the Innova that he had booked and settled down for our journey to Junagadh. On the way we took a detour at Virpur and visited the temple of Jalaram Bapa. Apart from the temple the most interesting aspect of Virpur was the exclusive Nescafe outlet - the only one I have seen so far.
We reached Junagadh
- a 150 km, 2 hour drive (kudos to the Gujarat roads - a 4 lane highway with bouganvillaes on the side) and went to have the Gujarati Thali at Modern Restaurant. The thali was pretty ordinary (you get far better ones in Mumbai), post which we did our Junagadh sight seeing comprising the Maqbara, the fort and the Ashoka Edict.
The Maqbara
and the edict were worth a visit but i was very impressed by the fort (far better than I had expected).
The view of Junagadh from the point where the cannon is kept and the wells were the highlight. I recommend walking down to the well floor - there are steps leading down for a rather eerie and different experience.
We then proceeded to Sassan Gir (a further 70 Kms)to a farmhouse owned by a police commissioner called the Lions Paw. The Lions Paw is highly recommended for bachelors and groups of friends. It is rustic, well done and roomy. Whenever people stay the owner sends servants, who cook what you want (unfortunately only vegetarian), light up a bonfire in the evening and are at your beck and call. Where it does not score however is the cleanliness of the bathrooms where it definitely does not score more than 1 star. However the surroundings - pretty much in the middle of the jungle and the setting, unpolluted starry skies and the unmistakable sounds of the jungle peppered by the occasional lions roar more that made up for it and we hit the bed with an alarm at 5 AM to catch the Safari the next day at 6 AM sharp.
Jungle Safaris in Gir, work similar to Corbett, 30 permits in the morning for 30 gypsies and 30 in the afternoon. It is therefore very important to come early to a) get a permit (if you are #31 you do not get one) b) hit the jungle early as the big cats are best seen in the first hour. This time lady luck was certainly smiling on us (we saw no tigers in 4 days in Corbett), as we caught a Pride after 30 minutes! and it was a pride of 2 Lionesses
and 7 cubs!!We had started normally and seen the usual Sambarh deer and Nilgai. I did not have high hopes after Corbett and was intent to enjoy the jungle rather that pray for Lions when suddenly we saw a jeep in front of us standing still and we found out that there were sounds and the unmistakable bark of a deer. We too heard the deer bark and saw the forest guard in the jeep get down and walk into the jungle. The guide was gone for about 5 minutes and we were wondering what happened. Meanwhile 2 jeeps had piled up behind us and the one in front had gone ahead.
We were about to give up and move forward (as had happened numerous times in Corbett) when suddenly we herd something close to an owl hoot, this was the signal by the forest guard. Then all hell broke loose, we could see the lions and they were behind us. The jeeps sprinted on reverse to catch the lions in case they disappear. In excitement our gypsy actually crashed into the gypsy in front but we need not have worried. The King of the Jungle was in no hurry. Completely unperturbed the pride moved forward at their own pace, cubs playing with each other as they slowly moved along into the jungle while we fumbled with our cameras trying to juggle taking snaps and seeing the beast in its environs and in its full glory.
We could follow the lions for ten minutes before they disappeared into the bushes. The rest of the safari (two and a half hours more)was spent talking about the fact that we were so lucky to see 9 Lions. We saw a lot more deer, peacocks, owls, jackals and monkeys during the safari but nothing came close to actually seeing the lions. The only other thing i will remember was the Stag head which we saw. These are put
up at the spots where carcasses are found and fixed on trees.
The good part of Gir is that they have a sanctuary (16 sq km) where they keep some animals including lions. This is like an open zoo and the conduct bus rides (groups of 20) around it, one is almost guaranteed to see a lion through this ride. We took the sanctuary ride (they call it Deovalia Park) and duly saw three lions. We were lucky enough to see lions in the forest so it did not seem like much to us, but i think it is a good consolation if one fails and is something that the other national parks could seek to emulate. The lions there are obviously fed by the caretakers and do not have to resort to the law of the jungle to survive.
Exhilarated after the Safari, we had breakfast at our farmhouse checked out and drove to Somnath. In Somnath we checked into SukhSagar hotel, clean and very comfortable. Highly recommended for all travellers, this was also where we had some very decent Punjabi vegetarian food, there is only so much Veg Gujarati food that the Bengali stomach can consistently take.
We visited the Somnath temple in the evening at around 5. Somnath is beautiful,
set right on the beach, the architecture and the color of the temple walls against the setting sun is truly breathtaking. I am not overtly religious but loved being at the site. It is also very well managed and does not get to be a pain to travel and see the main deity which typically places of worship in India (Tirupathi and Ajmer Sharif) become. One can stay at the site but darshan is very orderly and organised. Hats of to the planning done by Sardar Patel when the temple was rebuilt in 1947 and the maintenance by the Gujarat government. There are also cloak rooms to keep shoes and cameras and phones. These are not allowed into the temple due to the present terrorist threat. The other stark reminder of the terrorist threat was the warship of the Indian navy which patrols the coast.Very happy with how the day went, we retired, happy and tired after a few rounds of 29 to round off a long and tiring day. The next morning we left Somnath at ten and drove down to Rajkot. We reached at 2 and had a non veg lunch after 3 days of vegetarian food. The restaurant "Hot and More" reminded me of the Chinese you get in the college canteens of Kolkata but after 3 days, it tasted pretty good. Right opposite the restaurant is Mahatma Gandhi's school which we also took some pictures of.
Our train was at 5.40 and this time our tickets were confirmed. We left Saurashtra on time still talking about the 9 Lions that we had seen! All in all it was a great trip and one which I will remember fondly for the rest of my life...The only downer - the food! Apart from Gathiya where i loved the carrot chutney they serve as a condiment, the rest of the cuisine was not up to the liking of my palate for lunch and dinner. Maybe I did not have stuff at the best places but on the whole Saurashtra cuisine was a dampener.
Elephanta Caves!
Am back after a break. Have been reasonably busy in office and there have been holidays in between, both of which are good things, anyway we are back and it has been quite an eventful action - packed week in which we have travelled big time to Elephanta and Saurashtra (Rajkot, Junagadh, Gir and Somnath)!
The In - Laws arrived in the evening on the 13th, landed with loads of Biriyani and Mithai (notun gurer shondesh)! We had an early dinner and hit the bed early as we were going to Elephanta Island the next day and wanted to be slightly early.
We were NOT early on the 14th and left our Powai residence at around 10:00. Ritwika, my parents in law, Ritwika's Chhoto Mashi and myself, we made good time and reached Apollo Bunder at around 11:00. We bought tickets from the MTDC counter - deluxe launches cost Rs 120 per person for a return trip. Boats leave every 10 Minutes and the last boat leaves Elephanta at 5.00 PM. We boarded the first "Deluxe Launch" we got at around 1:15 PM and found out that the journey would last an hour.
The launch was pretty decent and comfortable, they have a scam running that they let you go on to the top deck if you pay a measly 10 bucks, throughout the journey we found out that you need quite a few 10 bucks as you will find out. My Father in Law and myself went up and clicked some pretty neat snaps of the Mumbai skyline.
The journey though it starts of well (with the spectacular view of the Gateway and the Taj) gets pretty boring, one is pretty much reduced to
a. Looking at ships
b. Sleeping
c. Trying to guess which of the many islands is Elephanta and how much more time it would take (it takes pretty much 1 hour so the readers of this blog can do without the guessing)
We reached Elephanta at around 2:15, and it was very hot, we decided to take the facility of a toy train costing us 10 bucks a head for a return journey (if anybody is going in Summer, one is advised to leave at 6 in the morning so you are back by 10). The train took us to a place where the steps leading up to Elephanta caves start, you can start climbing the steps after paying another Rs 10 which we did.
Once you reach the steps, you can either climb on foot, which is what we did, or you can take the option of going up to the caves on a chair bound by two sticks. Four strong Marathi youth can carry you to the mouth of the caves and back for Rs 500 a head. High price point but in the mid afternoon summer heat, that is an option people with high disposable incomes can well exercise.
We trudged along on foot. The path is flanked by hawkers on both sides selling t-shirts, beads and food items primarily. The path is covered by tarpaulin sheets and is pretty much infested by monkeys all around. The monkeys can get pretty aggressive and one is advised to keep ones bags very close by, bright colored bottles (fanta etc) seem to be a particular favorite. The climb to the mouth of the cave took about 25 minutes,15 - if you do it without breaks and window shopping and the same is well worth it for two reasons.
1. The view
which we took in over some cold drinks at a cafe near the gate. Its remarkable and covers the Island, the jetty and the toy train track. Tourism India can do some rocking business by creating a high quality resort but I am sure there would be some very good reasons why that is not happening
2. The caves itself for the history and the architecture.
The sculpture of the three moods of Shiva is pretty awesome as is the Nataraja
sculpture. You have to buy tickets to get into the cave (for Rs 10 again!), the same covers a trip to a museum which disappointingly contains nothing but pictures.
We then retraced our steps which was a lot quicker. We boarded the ferry back to Mumbai and left around 4, reaching Mumbai at 5 totally famished as we had not had lunch. It was Pongal, and we needed to have some sort of proper food which made us select Madras Cafe as our high tea destination.
The Bisibele rice, Pongal and Butter Poodi Idli at Madras Cafe, nicely rounded off a tiring but very worthwhile day.
The In - Laws arrived in the evening on the 13th, landed with loads of Biriyani and Mithai (notun gurer shondesh)! We had an early dinner and hit the bed early as we were going to Elephanta Island the next day and wanted to be slightly early.
We were NOT early on the 14th and left our Powai residence at around 10:00. Ritwika, my parents in law, Ritwika's Chhoto Mashi and myself, we made good time and reached Apollo Bunder at around 11:00. We bought tickets from the MTDC counter - deluxe launches cost Rs 120 per person for a return trip. Boats leave every 10 Minutes and the last boat leaves Elephanta at 5.00 PM. We boarded the first "Deluxe Launch" we got at around 1:15 PM and found out that the journey would last an hour.
The launch was pretty decent and comfortable, they have a scam running that they let you go on to the top deck if you pay a measly 10 bucks, throughout the journey we found out that you need quite a few 10 bucks as you will find out. My Father in Law and myself went up and clicked some pretty neat snaps of the Mumbai skyline.
The journey though it starts of well (with the spectacular view of the Gateway and the Taj) gets pretty boring, one is pretty much reduced to
a. Looking at ships
b. Sleeping
c. Trying to guess which of the many islands is Elephanta and how much more time it would take (it takes pretty much 1 hour so the readers of this blog can do without the guessing)
We reached Elephanta at around 2:15, and it was very hot, we decided to take the facility of a toy train costing us 10 bucks a head for a return journey (if anybody is going in Summer, one is advised to leave at 6 in the morning so you are back by 10). The train took us to a place where the steps leading up to Elephanta caves start, you can start climbing the steps after paying another Rs 10 which we did.
Once you reach the steps, you can either climb on foot, which is what we did, or you can take the option of going up to the caves on a chair bound by two sticks. Four strong Marathi youth can carry you to the mouth of the caves and back for Rs 500 a head. High price point but in the mid afternoon summer heat, that is an option people with high disposable incomes can well exercise.
We trudged along on foot. The path is flanked by hawkers on both sides selling t-shirts, beads and food items primarily. The path is covered by tarpaulin sheets and is pretty much infested by monkeys all around. The monkeys can get pretty aggressive and one is advised to keep ones bags very close by, bright colored bottles (fanta etc) seem to be a particular favorite. The climb to the mouth of the cave took about 25 minutes,15 - if you do it without breaks and window shopping and the same is well worth it for two reasons.
1. The view
which we took in over some cold drinks at a cafe near the gate. Its remarkable and covers the Island, the jetty and the toy train track. Tourism India can do some rocking business by creating a high quality resort but I am sure there would be some very good reasons why that is not happening2. The caves itself for the history and the architecture.
The sculpture of the three moods of Shiva is pretty awesome as is the Nataraja
sculpture. You have to buy tickets to get into the cave (for Rs 10 again!), the same covers a trip to a museum which disappointingly contains nothing but pictures.We then retraced our steps which was a lot quicker. We boarded the ferry back to Mumbai and left around 4, reaching Mumbai at 5 totally famished as we had not had lunch. It was Pongal, and we needed to have some sort of proper food which made us select Madras Cafe as our high tea destination.
The Bisibele rice, Pongal and Butter Poodi Idli at Madras Cafe, nicely rounded off a tiring but very worthwhile day.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Madras Cafe, Kings Circle, Dadar
Indisputably one of the cult "southie" joints in Mumbai. This is where i landed up to satisfy afternoon hunger today.
The place is small, full of South Indians and is always full - if you get a place on Sunday afternoon you must be incredibly lucky. Neeraj was with me (we had a meeting at Wadala with Apna Paisa) and as Neeraj is mostly veggie (on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) this was where we decided to go.
We ordered the Combined Lunch (which i had heard a lot about), a Mysore rawa dosa and Butter Poodi Idli - which I had loved on my previous visit. The combined lunch was half curd rice, half Bisi Bele Rice (this sometimes changes according to the rice of the day). The curd rice was the best i have had, slightly sweet and tasting a bit like raita - it had some cucumber pieces in it. The Bisi Bele Rice was a bit like a good khichudi though it had a distinct South India flavour and was very tasty.
The Dosa was good although i am not an expert and will not comment. The Idli was as good as it was the first time - surpassing the high expectations a second visit always brings. The dish is served with 2 idlis, sprinkled with butter and Poodi and with chutney spread over it. The best i have had in Mumbai - Absolutely wonderful, though not a match for Murugan in Chennai.
All this for a 100 Bucks. Super in true Southern style!
The place is small, full of South Indians and is always full - if you get a place on Sunday afternoon you must be incredibly lucky. Neeraj was with me (we had a meeting at Wadala with Apna Paisa) and as Neeraj is mostly veggie (on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) this was where we decided to go.
We ordered the Combined Lunch (which i had heard a lot about), a Mysore rawa dosa and Butter Poodi Idli - which I had loved on my previous visit. The combined lunch was half curd rice, half Bisi Bele Rice (this sometimes changes according to the rice of the day). The curd rice was the best i have had, slightly sweet and tasting a bit like raita - it had some cucumber pieces in it. The Bisi Bele Rice was a bit like a good khichudi though it had a distinct South India flavour and was very tasty.
The Dosa was good although i am not an expert and will not comment. The Idli was as good as it was the first time - surpassing the high expectations a second visit always brings. The dish is served with 2 idlis, sprinkled with butter and Poodi and with chutney spread over it. The best i have had in Mumbai - Absolutely wonderful, though not a match for Murugan in Chennai.
All this for a 100 Bucks. Super in true Southern style!
How to get there: Madras Cafe is just off Kings Circle. It is on the exit just bordering the Reliance Communications showroom on the left.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Sernyaa Momos and Barbequed Pineapple!
Well yes! We barbecued pineapples and it tasted bloody good. Probably the second most tasty item just following the chicken marinaded with lemon. Bloody Brilliant!!
But let me start with Friday first... Ritwika picked me up from office and we went to Burandis for the marinade party, i got mostly bored as there was no flash on burandis comp effectively ruling out Zynga Poker. The highlight though was the dinner we had just after at Sernyaa on Link Road, Andheri West. The place is owned by an elderly gentleman called "Uncle", he is warm, friendly and the ambiance sort of reflects his persona. The place has great Momos and a
whole array of Tibetan stuff (i frankly found it hard to decipher, but the great part is that uncle is usually around to help you order). The place also has one of the best condiments you will ever have. Made of finely minced cabbage marinated in lots of chilli (beware! its very spicy) and other sauces this particular condiment makes you order and extra plate of Momos just so that you can have some more.
We were joined by Burandi and Rajneesh and we ordered Momos, Stir fried Sausages and Chicken and Vegetable pot rice. I have already spoken about the momos, the sausages were good and a particular favorite of Ritwika with a good sprinkling of bell peppers, the pot rice however was surprisingly rather good. I say surprisingly because apart from the sea food pot rice at China Gate which is mind blowing i have not liked the other versions i have had. This one however was quite good and had enough veggies and chicken to not need an accompanying dish - it was a mini meal in itself so it scores on the value for money parameter.
We rounded off the evening with fresh strawberry and strawberry ice cream at Naturals in Powai to round off what had been an appetising day dreaming of further gastronomy with the barbecue that was to follow the next day.
I was not super excited for the barbecue. Firstly - we had some Goan Pork sausages for lunch and i had had my fill - as usual a little more than i should. Secondly - I was driving and boozing was not possible. Ritwika and Dripto however were super excited and were looking forward to barbecue ing and being the DJ respectively, i trying vainly to raise my personal excitement level. This was however till i started to actually barbecue.
Dripto was telling me that there is something manly about a barbecue, i only partially agreed with him, I think that a barbecue is "caveman"ly. There is something animalistic about cooking raw meat on a fire which appeals to our guttural instincts and makes the food which i doubt would otherwise taste great, taste so bloody awesome. We had a fantastic evening, highlights have been mentioned earlier. The "Lemon Chicken" and the Pineapple, although the Apples were a disaster - Chhoto Bou - you were right!!
So that brings us to Sunday, Chhoto Mashi thankfully did not bring Biriyani, she got some home grown veggies we had for dinner last night. Phul kopir torkari (Cauliflower Curry) with Parathas is very tasty also as is the Deccan Chicken, Ritwika had made for lunch, but more on that later...With the In-Laws landing on Wednesday the world is going to get a good deal tastier...Burp!
But let me start with Friday first... Ritwika picked me up from office and we went to Burandis for the marinade party, i got mostly bored as there was no flash on burandis comp effectively ruling out Zynga Poker. The highlight though was the dinner we had just after at Sernyaa on Link Road, Andheri West. The place is owned by an elderly gentleman called "Uncle", he is warm, friendly and the ambiance sort of reflects his persona. The place has great Momos and a
whole array of Tibetan stuff (i frankly found it hard to decipher, but the great part is that uncle is usually around to help you order). The place also has one of the best condiments you will ever have. Made of finely minced cabbage marinated in lots of chilli (beware! its very spicy) and other sauces this particular condiment makes you order and extra plate of Momos just so that you can have some more.We were joined by Burandi and Rajneesh and we ordered Momos, Stir fried Sausages and Chicken and Vegetable pot rice. I have already spoken about the momos, the sausages were good and a particular favorite of Ritwika with a good sprinkling of bell peppers, the pot rice however was surprisingly rather good. I say surprisingly because apart from the sea food pot rice at China Gate which is mind blowing i have not liked the other versions i have had. This one however was quite good and had enough veggies and chicken to not need an accompanying dish - it was a mini meal in itself so it scores on the value for money parameter.
We rounded off the evening with fresh strawberry and strawberry ice cream at Naturals in Powai to round off what had been an appetising day dreaming of further gastronomy with the barbecue that was to follow the next day.
I was not super excited for the barbecue. Firstly - we had some Goan Pork sausages for lunch and i had had my fill - as usual a little more than i should. Secondly - I was driving and boozing was not possible. Ritwika and Dripto however were super excited and were looking forward to barbecue ing and being the DJ respectively, i trying vainly to raise my personal excitement level. This was however till i started to actually barbecue.
Dripto was telling me that there is something manly about a barbecue, i only partially agreed with him, I think that a barbecue is "caveman"ly. There is something animalistic about cooking raw meat on a fire which appeals to our guttural instincts and makes the food which i doubt would otherwise taste great, taste so bloody awesome. We had a fantastic evening, highlights have been mentioned earlier. The "Lemon Chicken" and the Pineapple, although the Apples were a disaster - Chhoto Bou - you were right!!
So that brings us to Sunday, Chhoto Mashi thankfully did not bring Biriyani, she got some home grown veggies we had for dinner last night. Phul kopir torkari (Cauliflower Curry) with Parathas is very tasty also as is the Deccan Chicken, Ritwika had made for lunch, but more on that later...With the In-Laws landing on Wednesday the world is going to get a good deal tastier...Burp!
How to get there: Sernyaa is on Andheri Link Road. If you are driving from Juhu side towards Malad, you will have Fame Adlabs and Cinemax on your left. Cross the signal and drive straight on towards Oshiwara. Sernyaa is a 2 minute drive on the left after crossing the signal.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Getting used to Saturdays off
The company i work for is going through a rather rough period... The CEO quit some 3 months back and now we are on the anvil of an internal merger of two businesses. Tough times but as with every cloud this one too had a silver lining - The new CEO is Mexican and chances are that he was rather influential in our company's recent decision to make Saturdays off. Viva La Mexico!!!
In my 6 years of work i have never had Saturdays off and was never aware of the great joy of a 2 day weekend. One can now actually plan a weekend instead of the usual Saturday recreation and Sunday recuperation.
So whats on for the weekend?
1. Saturday Bar Be Que party with the GT Mumbai junta... The marination party is tonight at Burandis place
2. Plan to see a movie maybe Pyaar Impossible or Sherlock Holmes if time permits
3. Chhoto Mashi is landing on Sunday afternoon hopefully with some Kolkata Biriyani
Also have to take my car for some much needed servicing.
Have a great weekend everybody! See you on Monday!!
In my 6 years of work i have never had Saturdays off and was never aware of the great joy of a 2 day weekend. One can now actually plan a weekend instead of the usual Saturday recreation and Sunday recuperation.
So whats on for the weekend?
1. Saturday Bar Be Que party with the GT Mumbai junta... The marination party is tonight at Burandis place
2. Plan to see a movie maybe Pyaar Impossible or Sherlock Holmes if time permits
3. Chhoto Mashi is landing on Sunday afternoon hopefully with some Kolkata Biriyani
Also have to take my car for some much needed servicing.
Have a great weekend everybody! See you on Monday!!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Bhuna Chicken - Uday Spice, Andheri East, Mumbai
Taste has to do with more than just the masala and the ingredients. Am just listing 4 additional factors...
1. Hunger - when you are hungry stuff automatically tastes 100 times better.
2. Love - food cooked by your wife/ mum always tastes better
3. Narcissism - i think i am a great cook
4. Expectation - The chicken bharta which is so bloody good at Ballygunj Phari Dhaba would be scorned at, at the ITC Maratha.
This is why the Bhuna Chicken at Uday Spice deserves a mention. Very tasty and value for money, and certainly far better than you would expect from the look of the shop.
Feroz and me discussing details of travelling to Mecca and how they figure out who is a Muslim and who is not apparently you cannot go into the holy area if you are not Muslim and do not hold a green pass...One full plate of Chicken Bhuna and 4 Rotis - a fantastic meal for two...Rs 100 only and fully worth it!!
How to get there: Uday Spice is on Andheri Kurla Road, opposite Apple Heritage building. If you are on the Western Express highway driving towards Kandivali from Bandra, do not take the Andheri flyover, take the 3rd and final right under the flyover. You will hit Andheri Kurla Road. Drive straight on past the MIDC/ Marol exit on the left. Uday Spice will be on the right so you will have to take a U Turn. Parking may be a problem. They do not have valets.
1. Hunger - when you are hungry stuff automatically tastes 100 times better.
2. Love - food cooked by your wife/ mum always tastes better
3. Narcissism - i think i am a great cook
4. Expectation - The chicken bharta which is so bloody good at Ballygunj Phari Dhaba would be scorned at, at the ITC Maratha.
This is why the Bhuna Chicken at Uday Spice deserves a mention. Very tasty and value for money, and certainly far better than you would expect from the look of the shop.
Feroz and me discussing details of travelling to Mecca and how they figure out who is a Muslim and who is not apparently you cannot go into the holy area if you are not Muslim and do not hold a green pass...One full plate of Chicken Bhuna and 4 Rotis - a fantastic meal for two...Rs 100 only and fully worth it!!
How to get there: Uday Spice is on Andheri Kurla Road, opposite Apple Heritage building. If you are on the Western Express highway driving towards Kandivali from Bandra, do not take the Andheri flyover, take the 3rd and final right under the flyover. You will hit Andheri Kurla Road. Drive straight on past the MIDC/ Marol exit on the left. Uday Spice will be on the right so you will have to take a U Turn. Parking may be a problem. They do not have valets.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
First Post
The day started well.. Won a round of SitNGo with 25k buy in taking me close to 700,000 chips in Zynga Poker. Badshada in town so Dripto, Ritwika and me went and gave him company for breakfast at the ITC Grand Maratha...:)
No complaints on the quality of breakfast - It was the ITC Grand Maratha after all but we reached late (breakfast closes at 10) and I could not order my standard scrambled eggs with cheese, mushrooms and ham. Badshada had sweetly ordered a ham omelet which i gobbled down. The highlight of the meal was the chicken dumpling which made it the 3rd time i had dumplings at breakfast after the prawn variety i had at Bangkok and the mackerel variety at Poddar Court (thanks Rajdeep!).
Haven't had lunch as the tummy is still full... Ritwika is at Spencers and one is hoping dinner will be good!
Other thoughts - Surprisingly not affected by India's loss yesterday. KKR have bought Manoj Tiwary. That makes the line up Gayle, Ganguly, Pujara, Tiwary, Brad Hodge/ David Hussey, Wriddhiman Saha, Abdur Razzak (Hope they buy him)/David Hussey/ Brad Hodge, Ajit Agarkar, Iqbal Abdullah, Ishant Sharma, Umar Gul
Not a bad line up! Hope they buy Razzak or Shakib or Afridi else we will have to play Bangla Tiger!!
No complaints on the quality of breakfast - It was the ITC Grand Maratha after all but we reached late (breakfast closes at 10) and I could not order my standard scrambled eggs with cheese, mushrooms and ham. Badshada had sweetly ordered a ham omelet which i gobbled down. The highlight of the meal was the chicken dumpling which made it the 3rd time i had dumplings at breakfast after the prawn variety i had at Bangkok and the mackerel variety at Poddar Court (thanks Rajdeep!).
Haven't had lunch as the tummy is still full... Ritwika is at Spencers and one is hoping dinner will be good!
Other thoughts - Surprisingly not affected by India's loss yesterday. KKR have bought Manoj Tiwary. That makes the line up Gayle, Ganguly, Pujara, Tiwary, Brad Hodge/ David Hussey, Wriddhiman Saha, Abdur Razzak (Hope they buy him)/David Hussey/ Brad Hodge, Ajit Agarkar, Iqbal Abdullah, Ishant Sharma, Umar Gul
Not a bad line up! Hope they buy Razzak or Shakib or Afridi else we will have to play Bangla Tiger!!
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