Tag: blogging

Jodhpur

My first visit to Jodhpur was in 2018 and on my first visit I hardly had any time to absorb the place .it was a short Work trip and 2019 was back on the second visit- It was more or less the same but had visited more streets rather than the usual route hotel to venue and now on the third visit in 2020 I finally visited a tourist site and our venue for one of the wedding function (Mehrangarh Fort) The Venue the fort was fifteen to twenty minutes from any of the hotels out there and the walk up to the fort is “uphill task” Concreate steps with the structure around like the typically Rajasthan architecture, the small windows and curve and tomb designs framework when you walk up to the rampart. A Panoramic photography viewpoint – You can See the City from this point and see those Blue Houses Jodhpur is known as the Blue City of India.

You can also see Umaid Bhavan Palace from here and that’s not all if you climb and go to the concert area – This is where the sangeet function was held you will find another viewpoint – Where you can capture and experience the Sunset. There are only two things to see in Jodhpur, the Fort, Umaid Bhavan Palace and the local market for Traditional Rajasthan souvenirs and local Rajasthan Cuisine.

It wasn’t just the Mehrangarh fort that one of the only touristy outing, But witnessed a Polo match that was organised between Two teams (Bride & Groom ) 7 minutes each and there are four Chakkars – A Game last for Twenty Minutes with each team trying to score a goal by knocking the ball in the goal post that is placed on either side of the ground.

Must try the Janta Kachori – A Traditional snack fried stuffed with onion paste at one of the oldest places and Visit the Mehran Café at the Fort.

Self Isolation – Coronavirus!

It isn’t something that isn’t new anymore in the digital age! 
But, When you are forced to be self-isolated all of a sudden. That’s the challenge. 
And what does one really do in self- isolation? 
  • You can look for self-improvement. 
  • Exercise – Start with a routine which you can follow (Push-ups, Planks and crunches, Meditation, Breathing)and stretches at home. 
  • Read – If you always wanted to read that favourite book or start reading- Now is a perfect time – You can read books on kindle or subscribe on Magzter for all the popular magazines and newspaper and Flipboard for all interesting articles.  
  • Write – Start writing a diary, notes of what was the unexpected or expected that happened today. 
  • Draw – If you were always interested in Art than now explore that side. 
  • Cook & Bake – Learn to make your favourite things at home. https://www.youtube.com/user/BonAppetitDotCom
  • Learn – Something online that you would like to know more about. – You can lookup https://www.coursera.org/ & https://www.edx.org/  you can also learn a language https://www.duolingo.com/ 
  • Social Media – Now is the perfect time to start your own online channel and share what you know.
  • Watch Movies & Tv show – Netflix, Hotstar, Prime Play,zee5, Balaji Alt MUBI and Ted Talks
  • Play- Online Games with your friends. 
  • Listen – To Podcasts  – https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Stuff-You-Should-Know-p295446/ https://tunein.com/podcasts/Comedy-Podcasts/The-Read-p499920/ and on Saavn you can listen to a whole lot of them too.
But most importantly one will need to be Disciplined to Implement any of things they would like to begin and one more tip have a schedule for the day to try and work out the forced self- isolation period.

Reading- Reader!

 

Reading : 

There is so much that goes into breaking down the story, The thought, the idea – Where you can look at a simple story from your point of view and your personal experience, the difference & Similarities you felt before you read the book and travelled to the authors country to reading a book after travelling to the authors country to living the authentic life of the story you read- Behaving like the characters you loved the most and travelling and believing you are living in that city or travelling to the exact locations of where the story takes places to compare how the author has matured over time by comparing his previous works to the most recent works. 

Reading can enrich you in so many ways! It can make you look at the same things through a tunnel vision or through an experts eye and give you clarity by reading similar topics from other authors. 

Reading makes you imagine a certain thing and when you travel to that particular place, the reality is different or the same vision you were shown by the author. 

Reading can give you insights about locals otherwise you would be Oblivious to. 

And when you are part of a reading club – You can associate with so many things through the experiences of others as well as yours. 

Djembe Expercience!

The first social outing for the year!

Began with an evening at a friends place with about eight more couples invited for the evening. The Evening felt like “The invitation” as the couples that were invited that evening were from different backgrounds.

The evening was all about first breaking the ice between all of us incase we did not know anyone or were meeting some of them after long.

But, The highlight of the evening was “Drumming Circle” Where an organisation “Drumwithfreedom” Had carried twenty odd Djambe drums – A style drum of drum that origins from African. djembe comes from the saying “Anke djé, anke bé” which translates to “everyone gather together in peace”

“djé” is the verb for “gather” and “bé” translates as “peace.”

But the catch here was we the guest were involved in being part of the activity right from starting first with right hand than to left hand and later coordinating all that we learnt repeatedly until all are hands went Red. 

This was a wonderful experience as it broke the monotony of a typical social event,Was a New experience and was in many ways great to share how we all felt by doing this activity as a team and as an individual. 

What a way to start the year and the decade with another “New learning” and a New experience. 

A little history about the instrument.

•In the 1980s, a number of Guinean djembefolas started hosting tours to Guinea, allowing djembe students to experience Guinean culture first-hand.

•Djembe players use three basic sounds: bass, tone, and slap, which have low, medium, and high pitch, respectively.

•The combination of rhythm and the differently pitched sounds often leads an inexpert listener to believe that more than one drum is being played.

•The djembe is headed with a rawhide skin, most commonly goatskin. Other skins, such as antelope, cow, kangaroo, or horse can be used as well. Thicker skins, such as cow, have a warmer sound with more overtones in the slaps; thinner skins have a sharper sound with fewer overtones in the slaps and are louder

A typical evening just like how I had experienced:

Musicians form a circle, with the centre of the circle reserved for dancers. Depending on the particular rhythm being played, dances may be performed by groups.

Book Review – Bastard of Istanbul!

Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak’s is a story of Nineteen year old unmarried woman who walks into a doctor’s surgery.

‘I need to have an abortion,’ she announces. And twenty years later the daughter is born from the unmarried woman, Asya Kazanci who lives with her extended family in Istanbul. But, All the Kazanci men die in their early forties, Victims of mysterious family curse, so it’s a house of women. Asya’s cousin visit‘s the family in Istanbul and she bringing long- hidden family secrets connected with turkey’s past. Elif Shafak the author had been on my reading list for a long time and my sister got this book as a souvenir from turkey. In many ways It was like revisiting Turkey, Istanbul and enjoying all the local delicacies through the storytelling as the story unfolds and explores sides of Istanbul that only a local could show you around. The locals delicacies described in the book from Pilaf a popular rice dish in the middle east to Bastrima – Beef cold cuts like Salami is more commonly known as Pastrami to the Manti a type of Turkish dumpling to musaqa baked dish that mainly consist of eggplants ( Aubergines) or potatoes with meat. Very popular in Greece and the Middle East.To the last but not the least Kaburga a Turkish term used for Ribs make the book more authentic and enjoyable.And besides the food, the whole experience and details written, Are more relatable and deepens the connect to understands the country and locals. A Book that will make you want to travel to turkey if you haven’t. And if you have would make you want to revisit turkey.