Himachal, State of a Mind!

It’s a state where, I have had quite a few childhood memories.
Starting From Solan, there have been Memories of Playing cricket with a bunch of my cousin friends for days, whenever we visited, plucking of Apples & Peaches from the Trees, Watching Films at Laxmi theatre a family owned Cinema theatre the first & only one in the town.
To enjoying fresh fruit Jams from now popular Bhuria Jams ( Gauva, Apple, Orange and many more flavours) and then having the HPMC fresh Squashes.
While this would be Solan!
Shimla not being far away and the cousins studying there, we would frequently visit the Hill Station’s too!


A lot of times the spiral roads from Chandigarh to Solan to Shimla would make me feel dizzy’s and a lot of mints and breaks later, We would reach our destination. In Shimla The Toy Trains would be our favourite spot, on many visits would we only like to go there.
The Combermere Pizza’s would be a treat for us, since they would be the most cheezy and the only hot food, we enjoyed in the winters at the Hill station.


We would also like trying out the Bakes from Trishool, the Cream Roll would be the Favourite.


A tiny little Restuarant style place in the lanes of Shimla also served the Best Momo’s and Soups that we couldn’t get enough of!
The Maggi noodles from the Highway near the Waterfalls, where we would Enjoy the shower and witness the sight of Monkey’s jumping and Hopping from the trees.


One time, When we visited Wildflower the Oberoi hotel, one of the most beautiful hotels with a view. There were snow leopards spotted just a couple of days earlier than we had visited.
Wildflower is also the same hotel, where The movie Black was shot starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukerji


When we would visit Himachal in snowy winters we would slide down the hills and throw snow balls on each other.
The memories with Himachal, Solan, Shimla are so fresh that all these Himanchal memories seem like yesterday, but indeed it has been over 3 Decades and Multiple visits of memories.
Now too, though it’s been about six Years. Since the last visit, Shimla hasn’t changed a bit.
The CeCecil Oberoi: Has its own old-world charm that brings you back to the hotel again.


We also went a little further ahead to Theog and experienced the Hills from the Top overlooking all the Pine Trees, or snow trees from the Taj Theog.

Information:

Travel to Shimla from Chandigarh.

3-hour drive from Chandigarh.

Stay:

Chillaru

Taj Theog

The Wildflower by Oberoi

The Cecil by Oberoi

Cafes:

Cafe Sol

Shimla Times for Pizza and Sunset View.

Combermere for Italian Food.

Trishool Bakery For Cream Rolls & Eclairs

March Reads!

Coin Locker Babies by Ryu Murakami.
Also known as the other Murakami.
This book is about two babies who are left in a coin locker in Tokyo.
A concept in Japan, where babies are kept in lockers until they are adopted.
This story is set in the early ’90s in Japan and it’s about two babies, One is a bisexual rockstar in search of his mother, and the other is an athlete looking for revenge from the woman who left him behind.
A dark thrilling read on Japan and Japanese culture.

Around the World in 80 Trains:

A Book, that takes you on a journey around Asia, Europe, the U.S.A. and the U.K. through some beautiful & adventurous train journeys.

Dopamine Nation: Anna Lambke

A study on how certain activities result in Dopamine levels shifting to higher or lower levels.
Dopamine is a chemical messenger that works in the brain that makes you feel good, A happy hormone that is released from the body.
This book makes you question your habits and how we humans have changed behaviours when our dopamine levels shift.

Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah
Is a story Set in Africa about a child stolen from his parents by German troops. After Years, He returns to his village to find his parents gone.
This book is an emotional ride through the lives of the characters.

Forgotten Foods by Tarana Hussain Khan, Claire Chambers, Siobhan Hurley

A Book on Food Recipes, Food as a Culture for Bonding and the Ingredients that Make Food Taste Authentic and More importantly how they originate. Today it’s only a few who follow the recipes with authenticity.

Some of the recipes mentioned are

Soybean Biryani, Qiwami Seviyan, Custard Apple Kheer, Nabi Bux’s Jelly Roll, Qeema Fry, and Kaleji fry.

Flamin Hot Cheetos!


A Story about Richard Montañez who was a Janitor, Bold & Confident about his idea to directly call the boss at Frito lay and tell him about his plan to save the company’s factory and Jobs!
The story is about how some believed him, while others mocked him. It was the push he got from one of the seniors, who believed in his Idea and the CEO who trusted his instincts. Yes! He did save the jobs and Grew the company too, with a simple idea of following his roots for a snack, that’s loved globally today.
A Completely new range of products was introduced and handled by Richard Montañez the man who changed the lives of Cheetos.
He retired in 2019 after being involved with the company for 42 Years…
Flamin Hot is Streaming on Hotstar.

Holi Hai!!


A festival, that’s always been associated with fun, colourful and childlike!
The older crowd, just can’t let their childishness go away. Over the years, Holi has been filled with colours, friends & Family and Food too!
Since childhood Holi celebration memories have been about being soaked in water, Sometimes the faces looked like Mud Pack or sometimes they were unrecognizable.
It would take days before we or someone could recognise us as ourselves.
We would get thrown into inflated water Pools and while all this would be happening, there were rain showers too for Rain Dance with Good Music with popular Holi festival songs and occasionally playing musical instruments and enjoying shaven ice Lollies dipped in Rose, Cola, Jamun and Kala Khatta Syrups to beat the heat.
The food would be a street food style menu.
Chaat, like Sev Puri and Paani Puri, Chole Kulcha, of the north to the South Indian Dosa, Samosa, Kulfi & Jalebi’s for Desserts with Thandai, Coconut Water, Kokum as beverages.
Holi has always been that day where you meet up to socialise with family and friends.
Holi-Day is that festival where you would take a couple of Holidays only to get clean with the mess, because you forgot to Apply the Oil or because you enjoy the break.
Holi Celebration this year was like, the ones we celebrated earlier, but this time with a small group! A celebration after years!!!

Favourite authors! – Observations & Analysis.

Over the years, I have enjoyed reading a few authors again and again and here i have shared some of my favourite authors and what to expect of them when you read their book.

Murakami :The Writing style of Murakami is simple, yet has a depth in the stories and narration that makes you loose yourself in the world he has created for the reader. Books worth reading from the author : Kafka On the shore, Strange Library, Men Without Women, Norwegian Wood and The Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage

Seshi Yokomizo: His stories revolve around A Detective, an island, A large joint family and a family member that’s missing for years. Books worth reading from the author: The Inugami Curse, The Devils Flute, The Honjin Murders

Ogawa : Her stories are about Memory Loss, Death ,Relationship with the past and life in Japan. Books worth reading from the author: The Housekeeper & The Professor and The Memory Police.
Keigo Higashino : His Content is about A detective like no other, a story set in Japan, And how science & Physics studies are used to solve the mystery.
Books worth reading from the author. Malice, The Midsummer equation and Salvation Saint.

Perumal Murugan : His stories are set in South India with A woman as central character.
It’s also about how the society perceive people who behave and react different from the society norms. Books worth reading from the author. One Part Woman & Poonachi

Pico Iyer: His Writing style soothes you and calm your nerves, the elements are always nature and a beautiful setting.
Books worth reading Art of Stillness & Cuba by the Night.

Satyajit Ray: A detective, who with the help of his team solves mysteries in India. That could be based on simple objects or family disputes, through his observations. The Complete Adventures of Feluda Vol 1 & Vol 2

Ravi Subramanium: It’s about Banking Scams, Friendship, and the Race to succeed to
The top. If God was a Gamer & Bankster

Henning Mankell: A Story set in Sweden with connection in Africa and a foreigner who has travelled and started living in Sweden. A neighbourhood that has been peaceful and an alcoholic Inspector.
Books worth reading Sidetracked & Faceless Killer

Jo Nesbo : A police inspector, who handles cases around Sweden & internationally, And some one within the field is responsible for the crime.
The Snowman & The Bat

Agatha Christie: Stories about a detective that’s smart enough to know who might be responsible through his style of investigation. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Lucy Foley :A Thriller without a detective, but has the same surprise and interest for the readers. The Guest list

Paula Hawkins: A writers who’s first book was an introduction to thrillers for me , the way they should be written and since than haven’t found anything like the Girl on the train.

Elif Shafak : A story set in Turkey, keeping in mind the challenges faced by woman for woman’s right. Books worth reading The Gaze & Bastard of Istanbul

Malcolm Gladwell: A writer who uses psychology as the backdrop to explain the fundamentals of human behaviour & Success. Blink & Tipping point must read books.

Paulo Coelho: Writing that keeps you searching for more, And leads you to a journey of self discovery. Alchemist & Birda