Bleeding and all that ... #HappyToBleed

My two cents on Bleeding .

 Menstruation has become a very popular debate of talk in the last few days suddenly , thanks  to the  ongoing subject  of #HappyToBleed.  Here are my two cents on this issue .

 In tropical climates like that of the subcontinent,  the average age  of ‘maturity’  is 12  . In colder climates its around 16 or more .  I came of age at  11 . I remember my mother trying to tell me ‘something’  (  but mostly she managed to mutter and murmur )   the past few days before  . It did puzzle me that my father suddenly went away on this long mysterious office tour and could not be seen for several weeks to come .

 In my school , girls would talk about this and I knew about this but not in detail .  Luckily one visiting  ,younger aunt was by my side when this happened and to this day I thank the lords above for her presence then and there .  She took care of me through this new testing time  , talked me  over  this    changeover chapter of my life and was with me through out for several months  to the extent of dropping me to school and getting me back home .
Even to this day ,  I wish my mum  had been more communicative .

It came as a shock suddenly  ( I will spare you the gory details ) and  it took me a long long time to come to terms with  my new ‘ bloomed’  status .  

Since times immemorial, this has been a subject of hush hush talk .  

 Of late while watching an advertisement  on sanitary napkins my 10 year old daughter told me  with a knowledgeable face  “ I know what this is . This is adult girls’  nappy. When  big girls continue to do pipi in bed they wear this like  we used to wear  as babies . “.

Sigh ..Very soon its going to be time for The  TALK with her .  I am gearing up for it but my job will be easier than my mum’s . They have counseling and advising sessions in the school today .

Many of our daily activities are associated with  strict religions rituals and monthly menses is no exception .

 Menstruation women are  not allowed in public places like Temples etc.,.   even to this day .

 Temples ( or any religious places ) like Shabarimala  ( Kerala )  / Maula Ali ( Hyderabad ) are atop a  hill and  were surrounded by dense jungles  inhabited by dangerous carnivorous animals   Devotees had  to undergo an arduous journey  on hard  sloppy  rocks to reach the top  in the pre -public  -transport   days . 

A menstruating woman is going to  find it very difficult  to  endure this  course which can last upto several days . Added to that ,  the animals  might get restless with  these smells  exuding from her and come too close for comfort  .  The  beasts and birds have a more sharp sense of smell than us humans .

Not only in the subcontinent , but  in many regions  over the world , the traditional houses had a small room built with a small window in a secluded portion with one  stone bed . The door directly led to the well  /lake which was at the back of the  house .  She was not  supposed to come inside the house for 3   days  and had to eat / sleep / bath  in her own room . 
In Hindu households , She had to eat the 5 elements of purity ( called Panchakari ) which included cow urine / cow dung  and only then enter the main house .  Its reasonable , because cow urine is a disinfectant .
I am sure , in other cultures too, there are such  dietary requirements .

 Some families make the  daughter-in-law have a small piece of Tamarind before she has her 3rd  day ceremonial bath and can face her husband .   Tamarind  is supposed to evaporate blood .  A piece of this is meant to stop the blood flow totally and the  'bleeder' is deemed fit again for 'family  life' . 
Because of this blood-absorbing quality ,  too much of this  spice is  considered too bad in daily cooking . 

Fresh flowing blood  provides a  fertile ground for germs .  Those days there was no  concept of hot running water / disinfectant hand washes / disposable sanitary napkins .   Things like Pickles and papads have to last the entire year . If they come in contact with a girl in her period then chances are that it will contact fungus and rot .  

Imagine a slitty eyed mother in law  asking her  timid daughter in law to rest during  whatever time of the month or year  . The latter will  be given heavy grinding or  pounding  on a daily basis and ‘such’ times  would be no exception The  mother in law  is more prone to leave her daughter in law alone when threatened with spreading  dirtiness or  angering the gods  .

Not only religious   beliefs, this  subject   also has some fantasies and legends associated with it .  Some of my friends from other religions say that  intercourse during such times results in  Jinn like babies with wings or pointed ears .  In the Indian mythology , Draupadi the heroine of Mahabharata was menstruating when the game of dice was going on . Hence she was wearing just one piece of cloth and was waiting for her ritual bath in the ladies chamber .     So she refused to come and face the elders of the  family when called politely the first time  .  Her refusal enraged  the  villain of the piece and he sent his brother to drag her by hair .  The elders of the house  apparently  felt the sight of a woman with dirty stained cloth more revolting than the fact that she was a princess and was  being dragged into a men’s  assembly by her own brother in law.

 I am not a doctor I have heard that a woman’s bleeding helps her from  many problems like BP / heart attacks etc., due to the  circulation of  fresh blood .

In my past several decades of being an  ‘adult woman’  , not once have I heard any one say monthly  bleeding is a ‘bad thing ‘. They did say its something separate or  confidential .   I feel its  definitely something to be kept  private and not bandied about in public . 

Some time back , there was an Instagram picture  of a girl menstruating whose face was turned towards the wall and she was sleeping in a curled position with her back side sticking out and a bit of blood glaringly showing on her light grey pant . there was a spate of politically correct articles and blogs supporting this photo .

 I  ,  for one , found the photo  revolting . its like saying don’t cringe or revolt when I show you picture  of my other  ‘so-called’ offensive secretions like phlegm /  mucus or …. I leave the rest to your imagination ... 

There is no need to overtly publicize such a daily natural activity loudly .  Today houses and families are getting smaller . They have inbuilt shower rooms / sanitary bins with aromatic bin liners attached / disposable  smell free napkins  come in small discreet packets . If the woman of the house ‘sits out ‘ then who will take care of    her work  in her small individual family of 4 -5 members ? So its practical that she wears a discreet tampoon or pad and goes around her daily duties  in a routine manner. 
 Rules and regulations  are always made for someone's good and security . When they say women in productive age should not enter a temple ( say like Shabarimala ) its for her protection.    Over a period of time  some might get obsolete . One must change with changing times , of course. 
Present-day , We have regular awareness programs in schools / colleges / TV  for girls to prepare them for this natural transition of their  youth. 

Its  a good thing that  the taboos and  secrecy surrounding a woman’s bleeding are withering away    thought I must admit I don't  approve   of     blatant  exhibition  of agape  pads or tampoons  .   

#sabarimala  #Menstuation  #Bleeding #MaulaAli

Vegetarianism , ritual killings et al ....

Vegetarianism or No vegetarianism

Our forbearers have rightly said - You are what you eat .  Alimentation

 has been the topic of heavy  altercation  and discussion since eons .  Public have split decisions on what to eat when and where . Governments have been toppled  or stabilized  over this issue .

Even today , Strict vegetarians  sit mostly  separately at tables  from those who eat non vegetarian food   - be it schools  , hotels , railway canteens ….

Food preferences comes in various forms - Vegetarian/non vegetarian/eggetarians ( word coined by me to denote vegetarians who eat eggs )  / Vegans …

 Though from a strict vegetarian community ,   my family is eggetarian.  We permit ourselves to eat eggs when no other option is available like during travel .. holidays , collective dinners etc.,  We also  obediently   intake   medicines in the form of capsules which are made of pork fat .  Cakes and breads are a must every few days in my abode  which contain a heavy dose of eggs .

While some even refuse root vegetables like potatoes and garlic , a  branch of my community   always needs to have  a healthy  measure  of fish in their diets. They  live near the coasts and water creatures are aplenty near their residences.   Fish , shrimps etc have unavoidably  made their way into their daily diets.   So its not just religion or  lineage which decides what you eat .

Vegetarians  feel  that killing and eating  animals is bad  because it means taking another life  .  Non vegetarians argue that  vegetables too have lives and plucking and cutting / chopping vegetables  amounts to cruelty.

My home town of Hyderabad has a famous family which feeds live fish stuffed with home made medicine to cure Asthma .  Caste or no   , priest or no , they all come to   intake this medication . Year after year , there is a huge serpentine line waiting to  swallow this  without any grudge or complaints . They go  home happily all  ameliorated.

Sacrificial carnage exist in many  religions  and  societies . Today we speak freely of animal sacrifices ,  once upon a time we had human sacrifices to appease the gods . Thankfully that’s illegal today .  I don’t see any need to ban animal sacrifice of any kind .

I personally don’t care  who eats what as long as they don’t force me to eat .  Stunning the animal either through a  gun or cutting the jugular vein is a humane way of   slaughtering  the animal .   So the pain factor in this execution is less. 

A substantial size of the  honest /hard working / tax paying populace  is engaged in animal related industries like poultry , leather , butchery , animal husbandry etc.,

 Even among vegetarians , some strict ones prefer separating the cooked food from the uncooked ones .

Once you start cutting and cooking , the process of degeneration starts. One of my  aunts was very strict with her regulations . She would give cooked rice with lentils to my cousin and tell her sternly not to put it in her  hand bag as it  will ‘pollute’ .   . My wise and earnest  cousin would nod her head diligently, hold that steel lunch box in her hand , gown down the land and put it quietly in her hand bag . Now who is responsible for this    ‘cheating’ or  ‘dishonesty’ ?  Credit to her , She has borne all our snickers and sneers  quietly and taken it in her stride.

One of my other cousins is a strict vegan. She does not  touch  anything related to animals and I don’t mean just  eat meat . She  has sworn off against anything remotely connected to animals  even consumption of milk .  Recently she refused to return home in  her friend’s car because it had leather upholstery.  One of us had to rush in a  car with rexine  padding to bring her home at an ungainly hour .  She might win points from animal lovers for doing ‘ the right thing ‘ but gets no marks from me . Having  beliefs and principles is fine as long as we don’t trouble anyone with  our  views .

Till a few decades back, butchers used to have a secluded part of the town because of the smells and infections they  would emit  , especially in a  predominantly vegetarian society .

Today  , thanx to disinfectants , fresheners ,  repellents ,preservatives,   proper sanitation  this is not a problem and we can spot a  butcher or a boner in every nook and corner of every small town. 

Animals are supposed to be a good source of protein. Well ..  here I beg to disagree.  Non meat eaters get  equal share of their proteins from milk  products  ,  lentils , leaves  . .. among others .  Like McDonalds we  also have chain meat suppliers .

Till A century ago,  if  a non meat eater traveled by ship and crossed the seas, then he was ostracized .  The vegetables and other consumables the ship carried  would rot or finish in a few days time and  the passengers would be forced to consume sea creatures  freshly caught during their ship ride . 

I can narrate  quite a  few incidents where the prodigal sons of my  family  have been thrown out for crossing the seas to go abroad to study  or work.

Once you are done with initial suspicion  , wariness  or wide eyed  fancy  in a new neighborhood , you will understand that human beings are all alike irrespective of their food  choices   .  if  you leave  your cozy comfort zone of your house , your village ,your community and settle in a different land  , interact with people of other backgrounds  and cultures ,  you will realize that food forms a small part of our identity  and existence .  We all  go through  the same feelings of fear ,  yearning ,  liking ,  hatred , prejudices , foibles ,  craving for affection etc., (   albeit  in various degrees ) heedless to what we intake .

Whoever said travel broadens horizons was correct to the core .

I have interacted with people who are not your  routine meat eaters  without any hassle  . I don’t  mean  just those who consume  popular  meat  like fish or chicken, not even beef or pork. I  am talking of those who eat animals like horses , snakes, rats  , cockroaches etc.,

I heard that Mongolians eat  lice from their children’s heads .Their logic being  -  you ate my son’s flesh , now I will eat yours . I am sure they don’t grow 4 arms or 10 heads suddenly . Its understandable in a region which is more or less barren where farming is  anathema .

The Chinese believe that anything which has its stomach to the ground and back to the skies is worthy of eating .

While we are free to eat what you feel like , it’s the responsibility of each citizen along with the government to discard the waste off  tidily . Huge amounts of  left over food and waste  is thrown in  already overflowing dustbins  making  it  an easy prey to the street animals / urchins etc., Diseases and infections rise at such times. It’s the duty of each family to discard the leftovers  in an amicable manner . either give it to the  needy or store them for future consumptions  themselves.

In defence of the upper most caste ( Brahmins ) of Hinduism.

In defence of the upper most caste .

Suddenly there is a lot of talk about the Hindu Caste system due to the ongoing  unrest  against the reservation system  in Universities and the job market . Heres my two cents on this issue . 
Caste is not unique only to the Hindu religion. In some or the other form it has always existed in history among various communities  . For example the Samurai are the warrior class of Japan.   The Mercenary  class  has existed in all regions and religions  since ...  for ever .   They have been trained in vigorous ruthless blood shed generation after generation.  Father to son , they have transferred knowledge  about battles  and remained loyal to their rulers . I remember reading about a  training college for these Mercenaries in some remote place  -  I think Alhambra or Mongolia . A few decades back, It made  for a romantic read I must say .
Go to any museum or castle  in Europe and you are sure to  see paintings  depicting priests  coronating kings of their regions . 

I don't want to dwell on the   how the Caste system originated in the Hindu religion . Its all too well known by now .
 We broadly have 4 castes  ,  Brahmins (priests )  , Kshatriyas ( warriors )  , Vaishyas  ( Businessmen ) and Shudras  ( Anything  which is not included in the other 3 like the professions of Barbers / midwives / cleaners etc.,  ) . 
The early   settlers along the Sindhu river ( who went by the name of  Hindus )  had  divided themselves into guilds  .  One  group  responsible for translating the ancient texts ( which was barely written and mostly orally handed down generation to generation )  , one   body  taking care of iron mongering  etc., , one  batch responsible  for  medicine , one group excelling in cleaning , one  party  bettering   in management of business etc .,
None of the professions had any untouchability or stigma attached to it . Over a period of time , degeneration occurs everywhere and the caste system  too was not immune to this . For instance : People engaged in cleaning  came to be regarded as 'unclean' . Its understandable way back then there were no disinfectents or throw away bin liners . 
 Its  but natural that the son should carry forward his father's profession . Its natal  for a father to  impart his knowledge to his son . So a goldsmith's son is  most likely to shine  in the same profession as his begetter.  
Birds of a feather ( like to )  flock together .The people in the same  craft  are bound to be  associated with common rules/ rituals  / customs / habits  . Small wonder that  slowly  they were grouped under one congregation or one caste .  It made sense for a girl of a caste to marry a boy of her same caste . Among other   factors   ,  it was easy for her to adjust   because  the life style  and behaviour of her in laws will be the same as her own family . 
A   Brahmin girl is taught to make ornaments out of cotton or flowers to decorate the idols  from day one .   A kshatriya girl is  naturally inclined to  adorn the  implements of war like elephants , swords etc.,  or sing encouraging ballads while the retinue is ready to go for war . 
Intercaste marriages  called Anuloma or Pratiloma  ( be it due to love  ,  convenience ,  treaty between two kingdoms  or business houses  ..  ) have always existed parallely  in ancient Hindu history  .
  Shantanu  and Satyavati   , Kacha  and Devayani  are just some of the examples  of the above 
in  the  Hindu mythology .  
The priest  ( Brahmin ) community is the upper most  caste  of Hindus . Since times immemorial , their duties 
 involved       translating  the ancient texts and imparting  the knowledge to other  groups   . Their advice and services were sought  by other  classes during  important  times like the birth of a child , death of some one , appeasing the gods during floods etc.,   The priests traditionally  have not been known for their worldly assets . At the age of 8 , a Brahmin boy had to leave home and stay with his Guru ( teacher ) in dense forests tolerating the  vicissitudes of  day to day life . His duty was to learn and  soak in as much knowledge as possible  .  Even a fistful of flour was considered a good enough   Guru Dakshina ( teaching fee )  in return of the know how he gained from his teacher .  That was  how sacred and self less this act of   knowledge pass-on was  way back then . 
Once he graduated , he lived mostly on alms which he obtained by  going house to house .
 Its totally different if he  finds a patron in some king or some rich businessman. Then , of course ,he  will  own cattle , houses , jewellery and what not . 
A genuine priest , even to this day  does not   ask any fee  for himself .  Its up to the other party to give  what they think fit . 

Its wrong to associate caste with skin colour .  Just like we  logically   associate Charminar  with Hyderabad ,  its commonly understood that priests are fair which the  other  castes are darker . Skin colour and other features ( like height etc ) comes from the region they inhabit .  People belonging to any caste in the North of the subcontinent are usually fair and tall , those in the South are   browner  and shorter . 
It  goes without saying that there are always exceptions to this pattern . 
Life is all give and take .  Whatever caste you belong to , you cannot live in an island . The  'Others'  need some one to read the right hymns to  rest their dead , bless their war mongering elephants and  horses  so that they  come back wining the war,  appease the gods  to have good monsoons etc., 
The   priest  class   needs some one to clean his house , cut his hair  ,  help his wife deliver his progeny etc., 
There are always black sheeps and  rotten apples lurking around . Some priests  twisted the ancient texts to suit their needs . For example  , they would add their own imaginary chapters about the big donation to be given to the intermediary between the gods and the other classes , there by pocketing a huge sum  themselves . But it was and is an exception and not a rule . 
Usually when some one lights says the upper caste  has been domineering the lower castes , they mean ( rather ,SHOULD mean ) the middle rung two castes . The  dispute  is usually between the land owner and the tiller , the king and his subjects  and so on ... 
How is a  priest who is  not privy to colossal  assets , elephants , horses ,massive  land  ...  supposed to subjugate  anyone with anything  and for what reason  For God's Sake ?  
In those days , texts were usually imparted orally . Only since the last few centuries , they were printed and published . Hence it slowly became relatively  easy to gain knowledge by reading these books .  Learning is   more accessible  today. 
At the birth of Democracy ,  reservations were started in many fields like education , careers etc ., which was a very correct step.   A certain number of seats in the college was restricted to students belonging to  a particular  community . Noble thought , indeed. 
A student coming from an educated , aware background with a rich ancestry of literates is bound to have a high grasping power. Au contraire , a young student without much academic help at home is bound to lag back in his class. He needs a  nudge to reach one level higher .  
The middle class is a  new phenomenon which   has come into existence only a few decades back. People belonging to all communities /religions and castes form a part of the middle class world wide . We share the same lifestyle . We all own  a couple of  cars , a couple of children ,  a couple of houses .  If we  are not rich enough to  own horses, we are  also not poor enough to clean horses for a living . Our lives are not led in extremes .
we  have enough to  rent horses for birthdays and parties. A huge group of people from varied backgrounds / castes / religions  can sit and chat  for hours together without getting religion or caste in their conversation  today . Their talk will border mostly on  common topics of rising prices , increased taxes , failing administration  , school fees etc., Inter caste , inter religious and also inter racial marriages are common place and well accepted in the society today  since the life style is  becoming more or less the same . 
To take an example : There is no scar attached to professions like  barbars today . We have high tech hair spas managed by people holding degress to this effect . 
Many of the so called upper castes are today cleaning railway platforms or worse due to lack of opportunities in education or the job market  . Paralelly  many of the so called lower castes today are   scientists or surgeons  ( a position well earned , no doubt ) with their honest hard work and also thanx  to reservations in schools or jobs .
With so many things going against the priests of today  and equally many things going for the other castes , Its high time the world stopped  looking at the upper most caste with suspicion ,jealousy or  contempt . 

#Brahmins #agraharam #caste #Hinduism 

Write your thoughts to me . suparcot@gmail.com

The Saudi king booking an entire hotel and all that ...

Recently the news broke out that a monarch  has spent a  few millions and has booked an entire   star  hotel  in a bustling city for himself and his  colossal entourage  .
Au contraire ,  people from nearby countries are forced to flee their rightful abodes which they have built with hard earned money  . The reason   could be  anything ranging from wars  to  weather conditions .   They see bleak futures in their regions . They pay huge amounts to some obscure person who promises a safer land .
Bewildered and confused  ,when they are about to embark on this  journey to some unknown dreamland  in crowded and cramped boats or buses , they  fall prey  and succumb .  After all , How long can the human body endure the vicissitudes of   discomfort ?
While Death  is  final destination we all share  ( whether we like it or not )  ,  it does not have to this  bitter manner .  Such  accounts make a sad reading , indeed. 

Its true that  the two  stories side by side  make  conflicting reading . 
Honestly speaking , the wealthy have very few defences up their sleeve. They are at the receiving end of endless taunts , jealousy , grudges and what not ...
Makes me wonder - Is it a crime to be rich ?

Truth be told the said entourage is not staying free of  charge . They are paying out of their own pockets. 
What difference does it make to the  lodging if they are getting  paid by the  different guests  or just 1 client who has booked the entire  plush dwelling . 
A huge makeover was  apparently  given over night to the  star  lodging  with gold  taps , gold mirror frames ,  gold lamp  ,  gold coat hangers and other such affluent furniture and fittings.   Its  understandable  because the guest is no ordinary person . I have no idea if these fittings will be removed once he leaves .  The gold might later be melted and made into jewels . Unlikely but ... worth a thought . 

Please spare a thought for honest hardworking folk in these ' rich' industries like diamonds , plush red velvet carpets ,   diamonds, gold ,  silk etc.,  
Silk does not get sold as commonly as  cotton . People in both the industries work equally hard. 
Unless some one buys these luxury products , they wont get a market . The people in these sectors  will be out of jobs . Tax paying folk in these enterprises will need to look elsewhere and thus crowd the  other businesses which are already congested   . 

If one diamond necklace gets sold , it gives work to so many people starting from the end sales girl in the diamond jewellery shop to the designer  to those sweating in the diamond mines  .
If one big tower is coming up in an already stuffed  city , then it gives employment to many starting from day laboureres to engineers to  the maids who will be ultimately   polishing  those glittery gilded door knobs .
The usual logic is that  the Haves  don't do enough for  Have-nots .  I am not talking of the about mentioned  guest and his retinue  but lets accept that the well off ones are not responsible for all the ills of the world .  When smart , intelligent , educated, aware people like you and me don't donate much to charity ( the most we have done so far is donate old books and clothes ) , why expect these other-class to do so ? As long as they pay their taxes , its fine with me . 
I am not trying to defend or offend any particular class here . But why do many resent the  monied class  ?

#Saudi king #rich #Luxury

Cornwall

Cornwall .

I often revisit my old blogs on travel destinations to relive my trips. Blog or no , Some  trips remain etched in  the memory for eons  while some  quietly fade away.  Cornwall ,undoubtedly ,   belongs to the former category .

Needless to say ,  this is not a routine travel blog ,  and hence does NOT cover all the ‘must-visit’ places in that region. I have jotted down my own viewings and experiences here  Hope you find it purposive.

Cornwall , is a breathtaking  area near the coast line in the far west of   England  .  If you are  driving  from London , then it’s a good 6 hours drive .

It’s a peninsula like India  and  Italy .  It   is an interesting place to visit  for a  short holiday (  from a weekend  or a  whole week ) .  Its not   possible   to cover the whole of Cornwall in a week .   I have noted  some of the main attractions  which   should suffice to give  a broad know-how of  this region .

To Stay:

Its advisable to  start  the trip from Truro . Its  is a big town in Cornwall. Cottages  (self catering or  other wise ) , hotels , travel inns  can be found near this  town. Local buses and vans ply from Truro to  ( some )   places of public interest so you actually don’t need a vehicle of your own .

 Many ( centuries ) old farmhouses there have been converted today into B&B (Bed and Breakfast) . Some of them are as  old as 400 years  still maintaining the same structure and design . 

Try to  look for a ‘long house’ .  It’s a   unique feature  of this region .   It’s your typical  farmhouse but the ground floor  is built in such a way that,  apart from the usual kitchen , dining room and living room , it also houses a  ‘room’ for the animals .  No,  its not a routine stable  , kennel  , pigsty  .

A chat with the host will reveal that  till some 100 years ago, families and animals lived in the same residence  The people lived in the front portion and the cattle , horses ,poultry and other  live stock  lived in the back side . The doors from the back opened on to the farm where the live stock   and poultry were let out during the day .They shared the  roof with their  owners at night .

In some farm houses, that portion of the long house  has been converted into a normal lodge to house  visiting guests .  Old fashioned joint families are common in these  parts with  sections of the long-house accommodating the ageing parents  or in laws of the hosts.

I would recommend all to stay in a cottage   while traveling in the  countryside than staying in a hotel. 

One advantage of staying in a B&B is that you get to interact with your host and learn some house keeping  tips from him / her . The English  are very meticulous and like their clattery buttery china  ,  crystals , ceramic , wood,  glass , silver, white metal for cutlery , crockery ,  always  glittery , sparkling  ‘bric a brac ‘ like napkin holders etc.,  I learnt to make various shapes with butter shavings .  Start with very cold ( almost frozen butter) and use the butter curls to form any shape of your choice like flower petals or feathers . These are used to adorn the pasta or bread servings . It’s a good lure to get the children to their plates.  This does take some practice but fret not , the less than beautiful curls can be used in other cooking or baking .  I never knew that  when you  get up  to fill your plate  the  second time , you should not carry your ‘used’  cutlery on your plate  to the main table . It should be left behind at your dining table . Hmmm now that’s one valuable lesson learnt.

Many farms ( today turned into B and Bs) still operate actively and grow their own products like hay ,  poultry,  pigs , vegetables, corn … among other things.

To Eat :

Truro is a big city so it has many ‘Desi’ restaurants. There are also many ‘Desis’ working in other  joint  like Pizza hut or McDonalds.

You can simply walk in any eatery  and start talking in Urdu/ Hindi / Bangla /Gujrathi and you are sure to be answered in your own tongue .

It was a popular haunt for pirates and shipmen as Cornwall is a coast so ,there are many old pubs and restaurants  boasting of their hundreds of years’  continuous run .

The local cuisine  consists  of crème teas and Cornish pastries  stuffed with meat  or vegetable filling .  The authentic pasty uses lard ( a healthier version than butter) so it’s a common breakfast dish .  You get  more or less  ‘fat ‘ version in every bakery .

The whole of  UK is a  herbivorous -friendly country so hard core vegetarians need to have any measure of dread while traveling in Cornwall .

The above picture shows a tray full of Cornish pastries .

To visit :

Another big town near Truro is St Austell .  It is  the location of the ambitious ( and successful)   Eden project.  It’s a bio project  which won the world tourism award in 2002.   Three huge bioms   (  domes ) are  built inside a now defunct mine. Flora from all over the world have a home here .  It houses many unique exhibits . 

The above picture shows figurines showing fertility rituals from South America in the centre of the Eden Project.

My favorite stop was the chillies  section.  I don’t know about its nutritional value but there are few things in life more  electrifying  than biting into a scaling white hot ( not temperature wise ) chilly. More than a score varieties of chillies are grown and studied here .

Products like sauces  and pickles from  locally grown chillies and other spices are  for sale  .

The above picture depicts  products made of various kinds of chilies grown in the bio park.

The above  picture shows a pineapple in the process of ‘taking birth ‘.

The above picture shows an outside view of the Eden project .

The above picture shows  the inside of  one biom  of the Eden project.

If you really strain your eyes you can see some people walking to the left bottom of this picture hidden among the banana leaves . That should tell you how high the ceiling of this bio room is .

Tropical plants and trees are grown in closed rooms  to maintain the temperature throughout the year .  Give at least one full day to do justice to  the Eden Project.   It houses a canteen so items for meals or just munching  are not a problem.

Another  site of interest is the ‘lost gardens of  Heligan’. This is  the location  of a well grown garden standing   for more than 500 years  .This  treasure was  ‘discovered’ only a 100 years back when there was an organized  cleaning project to remove the fallen debris and dead trees from what-they-thought-was-an- abandoned  patch   . When it was removed ,they realized that  it led to a  huge and still-hale –and – hearty   garden inside. Then they started ‘digging’ for information and found that some 500 yeas  back a rich cotton merchant had sent out many people all over the world to get saplings and seeds of exotic plants to England . He got them planted in his patch of land . Obviously and unfortunately  , he could not bequeath this to any one to be maintained after him .   His family does not get much mention in the  town records.

We get to see   the original plants  shipped  from  then-far-off places like Sikkim , China and Tibet.  A few minutes into this  Greenland and you will realize that trees start talking or telling stories all of a sudden. Of course the children will never know  that . Just you and me can guess that there are real , I mean , actual real alive and kicking people dressed as trees telling those stories.  Boy, aren’t we clever.  Its not something you can cover in a jiffy . More than  one day is required to roam around the lost gardens of  Heligan leisurly .

St Michel Mount is a cathedral  just one hours’ drive from Truro.  Arch angel St Michal was sighted here in 450 AD by sailors . Hence this name . This is a small castle built with its own private chapel. Many legends of ghouls and giants make rounds in this area . The incorrigible romantic can spend days listening to these tales with awe in his / her eyes .It was a concoction spread by ‘worldly wise ‘ pirates to keep the locals at bay when they used this island to store their ill gotten treasures.  Its besides the Atlantic. The ocean is beautiful  , vast , crystal blue and magnificent . I will run out of adjectives describing this  estuary . Err that’s a new word I learnt which means  a body of water with its connection to the sea.

Is it just me or do many feel humbled  and lost standing  adjacent to a mighty ocean ?

A view of the  town  from atop the cathedral .

The above pictures   shows  the cathedral of St Michel Mount.

Land’s end  is a  much  publicized and advertised station in Cornwall  . It is the western most tip of England . However there is nothing much to see or click pictures there , They just have one short walking trail across the sea path . The cliffs over the Atlantic are steep and dangerous . Its advisable to arm yourself with thick walking shoes and a guiding stick in hand before you start your sojourns on this rocky terrain.

The above picture shows  THIS side of the Atlantic .

Minack  is a small pretty town tucked in between the cliffs.  Its famous for a theatre built on a cliff. In the background one can see big , heavy waves  playing hide and seek on the  rocks .  The drive to this town can be  tricky  as the  paths  are narrow and zigzag .  The tickets are sold out quickly but the rehearsals are open to all and sundry.  Unbeknownst to myself, ( I like to use dramatic phrases )  I happened  to walk   into one or the rehearsals of the Titanic which was being played  that  entire  summer and ended up spending the  entire day there .

The above picture shows a dress rehearsal in progress of the drama – Titanic .    The  passengers ( in white )  are rushing out in their nightgowns to see what is the  loud noise and disturbance about .   The maids and butlers (  in black  ) are calling out to wake them masters up .

Operas, dramas , musicals are played during the summer months .

Beaches are dime a dozen in these parts as it’s a coast  - Each one prettier than the other .  I am not much of swimming or boating buff so I didn’t venture out much to the coastline.

The blog describes , just ,some of the attractions in the area of Cornwall , Great Britain .

With  truckloads to offer  in the form of cathedrals , museums , flora , fauna . Cuisine , beaches , theatre, intrigue  , romance ( folklore   involving pirates  , mermaids and other legendary creatures ) not to mention its mild sunny weather during most months , Cornwall  is a welcome destination if you are planning a holiday  alone or with your friends and family  .

Hyderabad as I know and Feel.

Hyderabad

The  region  of the subcontinent , today , known as Hyderabad  in  the district of Telangana ,  is very aged   and dates back to the iron ages  . Many   episodes have shaped the character of the city and shot it to prominence in the last 400 odd years.

Deservingly, the city has had  hundreds of well  illustrated articles  describe  its allure in manifold publications over several   generations . 

Mine is not a regular tourist  essay on Hyderabad per se .  I will not be   ( though righteous )  predictably waxing  eloquent about the obvious locales like Charminar or Salar Jung Museum .

My family has lived in that province for over a century .  They have lived in the Deccan forever.

So needless to say , we have  a huge extended family   spread all over the  twin cities of Hyderabad , Secunderabad  and its neighboring regions . 

Till a couple of decades ago,   Hyderbad was  acknowledged  mostly  for its   Biryani  and Pearls .   Currently , of course, its also acknowledged as being a fertile  hub for   software and finance .   I  have tried to compile my  memories/ feelings / observations /vexations /  reminiscences about my town  in this blog .

The  Deccan   ,  included the parts of the region which , today, belongs to the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu , Maharashtra and Karnataka .  Small wonder that it has  a rich mix of   people with varied back grounds . – Kannadigas , Marathis , Tamils not to mention  the local Telugu  and Urdu populace .  Though the town is worthy of being   called a cosmopolitan  ,  we must understand  that its relative  .  It was ( at least till the software boom  )  surely not  as metropolitan as Mumbai .

 In the early 90s when I was in my very early 20s , I left my home town to work for a big financial house in the big bad world of Mumbai  .   The first thing which stuck  me was the language .  The Hindi spoken there  was  clearly    quite  different from the Urdu and Telugu mixed  Hindi spoken  in Hyderabad .

The yearning to hear the local parlance of my hometown never left  me during my entire stay there . Every few months , when it was time to visit my family , I  remember  coming to the railway station hours in advance  merely to  walk around the platform  to   interact with the intended  passengers speak  a mix of the Hyderabadi Hindi .  Chancing upon  territorial  words like Howla ( madcap )  ,  Juloos ( procession ) ,  Galeez ( dirty )  , chaar anna ( 0.25 INR  , chaurasta ( cross roads     ),  Duftar ( office ) ,  dastakhat ( signature ) , Hallu ( slowly )  used to  give me an indescribable thrill.

The second thing was  the weather. Hyderabad is no where near any sea bank  and  hence you sweat very little .   It took me a while to get used to the moist , sticky weather of the coast. 

While you don’t need to change your smelling , dripping  clothes as often as  in the coastal areas but  the minus point  is   the sun remains a lot in your body and instances of sunstroke are common .  In those days the television was a  toy to be found only with  the affluent , we used to get  radio announcements warning us not to venture out during peak sunny hours .

Hyderabadis are basically simple  and  peace loving .   At every road side , you can see places of worship belonging to different religions and sects.  Fridays are a sight to behold  at these  pious  sites with crowds thronging . It’s a day sacred for both Hindus and Muslims .

The above picture shows the corner compound housing  the  worshipping place of both Hindus and Muslims at Nimboli Adda  . There are hundreds of such  collective  places all over the city .

This  is the city of the Nizams  meaning the System or the Order .

The Nizams were noted to be  benevolent rulers .   I am privy to  first hand   narrations  about how   the government  guards  would  roam around incognito  at the shops and  see if the customer  ( especially foreign faces ) is being cheated  on the price or the quality .  Deccan had its own currency    and at the border towns like Gulbarga, Dornakal or Ganagpur , the passengers could get their currency coverted . 

The  local Hali sikka was made of pure silver .It was  a common  practice  for householders to melt the  Hali rupi and make   usable objects  like plates etc., 

The  very popular and , then ,  stylish   Rumi Topi is very much around in my  family and  is exhibited as a  heirloom  at occasions .

Sweeping and spraying  the streets with disinfectants  might be typical  today but  for scores of  decades  ,  all over the  region of Deccan  , ( not only the main cities )  the roads near  the religious  and collective places were cleaned with flowing water  blended  with cowdung which is a natural repellent . 

Since times immemorial , it’s a familiar sight  to see ladies sprinkle the same mixture in front of their houses to settle the mud down and draw intricate designs  early morning .

The state had its own  public transport service which had a good network.    Young  maidens   could travel on their own without any risk  of being robbed or manhandled.   In the  pre metro / train days , the  kingdom  had a dedicated fleet of buses  catering to passengers   proceeding to various  locations .

The above picture shows an exhibit of  an  old model of  mini bus . Today Its kept as  an exhibit at the RTC   office  near  their chikkadpally  offices .

The last  Nizam’s   Turkish wife , Begum Niloufer   was an educated and aware lady.   Not surprisingly , numerous charity organizations and hospitals  are named after her  .    She is buried in  Paris in the  Bobigny  cemetery  along with the other members of her Seljuk dynasty .  I have promised myself that one day I will surely go hunting for her resting ground .

Many of the government employees have supplemented  their professions  as their surnames   The  sons   habitually  inherited the line of work from their fathers.   Hence ,over a period of time , the profession became their  surname  . For example : Karodgiri was the name of those working in the customs , Kotwali for those who used to man the police department , Baldia for those in the municipality etc.,

My  awareness  is mostly based on hearsay. I profusely apologise  if any information I have mentioned above deviates from  the truth.

The old folk of my clan  only need a nudge to start talking nineteen to the dozen about their childhood and what they have heard about the childhood of their old folk. You can sit for hours and days together letting them  recite  without feeling tired.

Cuisine .

He who has not heard of   Hyderabadi Biryani  has been living under a cave .   While there are  hundreds of so-called ‘authentic’ Biryani joints mushrooming all over the city, there are also  some  eateries which strive to serve  legitimately  real Biryani .

Bawarchi  and  Paradise  are some of the  acknowledged names in this field.  Started over 5 decades ago ,  the  main cooks of Paradise restaurant  got trained under the Iranian chefs  . Sadly .,when they have over 20 non vegetarian  Biryani dishes , they have only  a couple of vegetarian Biryani   platter which is  traditionally   served with Mirch ka salan  and butter milk ( to balance the effects of the spices ) .

The final accompaniment to Biryani has to be the local Kubani  ka  Meetha  ( sweet  apricot ) .  The bill for one family can come up to 1000.00  INR  which roughly translates to 10 or 12 Euros.  It makes a filling lunch for one family especially during weekends or  when you have time to spare.  I would surely not recommend Biryani  for a working day quick lunch . Its  not something you can relish in a few minutes .  You need to savor each bite  slowly  and feel the  tang of spices on your tongue .

The above picture shows the  main branch of   the  Paradise Biryani  eatery.

The above picture shows vegetarian Biryani  with mirch ka salan being served at Paradise .

What else , but a hot cuppa to calm your system after  heavy meal ?

At one time ,  Iranian chai defined the culture of Hyderabad .  They have survived competition from  the   onslaught of bio , organic , natural , raw , albeit , healthy  juice bars  ( which have sprung up  at every intersection )   and can be seen at many corners even today . The local fabrication of Lasa Lamsa tea is slightly sweeter  but  will leave you more refreshed after a few sips .  They come in many flavours like chocolate ,  black , herbal, green tea etc., 

The  public used to hang around these  tea rooms sipping tea with the ubiquitous  bun  muska ,  principally  in those days when burger joints  had not yet raised their  inevitable heads in the twin cities.   

Before the rushed , stressful lifestyle  of the metro era  started , when the man of the house said  - “ I am going to the Iranian  tea house ” , then the woman of the house knew that she should not expect him to return   for several hours to come . She had no say in the matter anyway .

The city  offers many    delicacies from near by regions  like sweets made of rice starch ( poota rekulu )   ,    wheat flour and sugar ( madata khaja ) ,  bread pudding ( double ka meetha ) , gutti vankaya ( stuffed baby aubergines)   along with the others. 

Like a good girl , I too have assisted my mother in making pickles and chutneys . Each year , we would make pickles  of mangoes, lemon , ginger , Amla  and what not .   Mango pickle was our family favourite and we  used to buy at least 500 mangoes for this to last a whole year .

Today  blame it on migration to colder weathers or the pressures of day to day life  ( anything but the obvious lethargy )  many families are not able to do this themselves.  Truth be told , I did try to make pickles a couple of  times but  the less said about the end result, the better  . Grrr so much for my skills on domesticity.

 Thankfully , countless chain shops   provide reliable ,  home made pickles and spices which can be bought at reasonable prices and kept year long .  I  try  my condiments from  different  establishments  which  are equally in the business since several decades .  The  masala market is volatile and every year there are new entrants in this arena , each one better than the other . loyalty is  definitely not my middle name .  So I don’t  restrict myself to  one manufacturer.

Creation  of pure gold and silver foils locally known as Wakar  has been in vogue since hundreds of years . The custom   is  maintained  by  traditional families . If you are nonchalantly walking in the Charminar area and you hear a dull pounding of hammer , These are used to decorate sweets  or the omnipresent Biryani .  This was unique to Hyderabad till the industrialization took over .  Some 100 thin sheets are folded and covered with a special leather  jacket and pounded for several hours by a hand held hammer.  

 A peculiarity of the old city is the Khova market .  I don’t know if other cities too have it but it used to be sight way back then.   Khova made of split milk is the main ingredient in many sweets. Near Shalibanda beyond Charminar , they used to have a unique practice . Daily at the stoke of 10:00  the khova markets  opened  up and and the headman would announce the rate on a daily basis depending on  the weather, supply , demand etc.,

All the buyers would rush to give their orders  as stocks would vanish in no time .

With so much on the platter , if you  suffer from stomach burns or indigestion, then , local Unani medicine  outlets can be found at every carrefour. Though it originated in Greece, its  practiced  with fervor  in Hyderabad . The main university of Unani medicine offers research and PhD facilities too . 

Shopping :

Hyderabad can be a shoppers paradise   but   you should know  from where to buy what  . 

The yearly Numayish ( exhibition )  which started in the 1930s  still holds attraction  ,  nonetheless  , today ,  its commercialized with advertisements and publicity stunts . In my university days , we used to  hang around  there to get a dekko of Bollywood actors who were invited as guests.   It was originally started to  advance the local products and give a boost to the regional entrepreneurs but   present-day  ,  they have stalls from all over the country .   They must have discontinued it today but way back my cherished stall was the one selling aromatic oils and herbs from Kashmir .   I have not seen it in recent times . The smallest vial of  the Zulf E Kashmir hair oil would cost some 30,00 INR  and it was always on our list  of must-buys .   Upon usage , the hair carried  a fruity fragrance for several days to come .

The yearly exposition   held for   around 40 days  starting from the first week of  January  in  the  big exhibition  grounds in the city centre of Nampally .   Days only for female customers , stalls maintained by only ladies  , ex convicts , the handicapped   are some of the unusual attractions .  Its well organized with  an office for lost and found , baby care facilities , water outlets at regular places , tailors offering cheap alteration  et al .

Begum bazaar  ,  Charminar  Koti , Abids , Laad  ( or Choodi ) bazaar  are among the well known  shopping  spheres .  Although  , everything is available everywhere ,  I  would recommend  buying  pearls from  approved shops  in the Charminar area and  the sweet scented Pakeezah henna from Begum bazaar  .    The street smart  hawkers  will trick  you into   purchasing almost  anything claiming it to be  “authentic” .  Be warned and go armed . Hyderabad is no hermitage and  its not the dwelling of only the saints .  Like all other places , here too you need to be “in-the-know”.   

Places to visit .

Apart from the very obvious Charminar or Salarjung meuseum , Hyderabad offers many sights and sounds to  soak in for the average visitor . 

A visit to the 100 odd years’ old main Osmania University campus can take you a full day . Built in the centre of a sprawling campus , thanx  to its  buildings , flora and fauna , the  lush grounds lure  the students  of biology, architecture , ornithology ( among others )  .

Early morning joggers  are a frequent sight along with cyclists  , those just wanting to soak in the fresh  breeze  or  simply relax under one of the numerous  heavy shaded trees.

The above picture shows the main campus of Osmania university .

The above picture shows the name board of one of the offices in the Osmania University campus .

I can  assure  you  that  apart from the  conspicuous attractions ( which I have named at the start of this blog  ) ,  a  quiet visit to the Golconda forts  ( described below )  ,  the Qutub Shahi tombs under  the  same fort ,  The Dargahs of  Maula Ali  , Pahade Sharif , Birla mandir made fully of white marble , the palaces of   Falak Numa ( exhibition of the skies )   , Taramati  ,  Chaumohalla    will be  equally beneficial .    

 Regrettably .  Today many of these  dwellings big and small alike belonging   to the regality are being  smoothly   converted  into hotels or high end spas  thereby restricting deserving visitors . 

You can  unearth some rare gems of  history  and architecture  when you take a leisurely walk about parts of the town .

The above picture shows  the one and only mosque built in the Spanish style   near Begumpet ( old airport area ) . I was not allowed inside so could not click the pictures .

The above picture shows the tomb of Sydena tomb near the Boat’s club built in  Armenian style . 

The above picture shows the  clock tower at Secunderabad . Built by the British . Its been showing the correct time since it was built in the late 19^th century .

Credit where credit due . While the surrounding    park is reasonably well maintained ,   go warned  of the  lurking addicts and  the  professed homeless.

The above picture shows  a goat market at  Amberpet. The goatherds are only too happy to let you caress their stock free of charge.

 If you want a change from history  , then there is no dearth of places for recreation and rejuvenation .   Indira park ,  Lumbini park  , public gardens ,  The Tank Bund  road which was built as a dam for the  Hussain Sagar lake and which bridges the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad , The    zoological park , Ramoji rao studios are perfect for a day’s outing .  I have tried to  portray  some of these sites  below .

Indira park was the favourite of us cousins as it was near our  residence .We would play hide and seek among the trees and bushes there , my  dear hiding place being the  sweet smelling  group of kewra plants   .  The only way I  would climb down was when threatened with snake bites.   .   I don’t know if its true  but I have been told that snakes  are attracted by the odour of kewra flowers.  If its of any concern to anyone , then,  I was not bitten even once by any snakes or bees  during the hundreds of times I have climbed and  holed up among those plants .

Lumbini park  was  constructed  in the   early 90s  and  its colourful dancing fountains is still a  major draw .     

Ramoji Rao studios was built in the mid 1990s   .   Though I have heard  of  its opulence  from  friends and family  , its only recently that I got a chance to visit  .  I must say I was not disappointed .  The ticket per head costs 900.00 INR and is worth every penny . The minus point is that you need to walk at least 5 kilometers  among the  layouts  .  There is a bus plying inside taking you  station to station describing in 3  languages ( English/  Hindi  / Telugu )  but be prepared to  physically stress your self .  Its no promenade I tell you when you go with your family including a couple of kids .  It takes a whole day  .  Apart from the  conventional, grand  film settings , it houses Bonsai garden , a bird sancturary, a  butterfly   breeding garden  and a place for children’s’ activities.

 One good thing is that they have drinking water at all places so you don’t have to carry heavy water bottles.  The gardens and buildings are very well  preserved . That’s a  welcome change   from the other  so called “well-maintained” attractions in the city in particular and sub continent in general.  You do agree with me don’t you ?

The  above picture shows just one of the  rare  varieties of birds in Ramoji Rao studios 

The above picture  shows workers  trimming the studio gardens .

Golconda fort is just  1 hour’s journey from  the Osmania University .  A bulk of the land  inside the fort compound today has been trespassed  by  the   self proclaimed  descendents of the Nizams . 

I feel its my  mournful  duty to warn would-be visitors that the fort as such is not very well  kept . Large portions of this beautiful fort has been  understandably  destroyed by conquering invaders . There is very little we could have done to control that  .

Desecrating larger  portions  of this centuries’ old fort on a regular  basis by the so called  civilized   visitors is sad , indeed .

There is no  awareness  or scrutinizing the  tourists  about how to preserve this heritage which was built over 1000 years ago with extensions and repairs done by subsequent  dwellers.

Among the other information imparted to us by our guide , we were fascinated by the following  teeny weeny detail .  I doubt  if it crosses any ones mind to find out . That is that the palanquin bearing the  aristocracy had 2 dwarfs at the front and 2 men with normal height at the back because of the slant  and steep steps  to make sure that  it did not topple .  Wow logical indeed.

The voice mechanism of the fort  makes it a worth a visit . Even the slightest sound like a traitor trying to remove the knife from its sheath  in the main durbar will be echoed and amplified to  the guards sitting scores of  meters away  .

No wonder they say – even walls have ears .

The above picture shows a group of  “literate” college students  (  ? ) writing their names on the walls .  When we  politely explained to them  why they should not be doing this , they just grinned and moved on to the next wall.

There was no officer or guard in sight to report .

The above picture shows a view of the city from atop the Golconda fort .  It’s a stressful  climb of over 600   uneven rocks  with not much  help for the handicapped or the  seniors .

The above picture shows a view of the city underneath from atop the Golconda fort.

If you  do manage  to climb the slippery pebbly steps , then you are rewarded with a splendid view of the town  below .

Once you  descend down the Golconda fort ,  at a short distance is the Qutub Shahi tombs . You can take your vehicle inside for a small fee.  There are a group of 7-8 big tombs and you can stroll among the lush greenery for half a day . Its  undeniably more tranquil than the  fort itself and makes for a  calm  picnic spot.

The above picture shows one  portion of the serene tombs which houses over 7 tombs  of the Qutub Shahi   dynasty. 

There are innumerable places to visit , sites to view , restaurants to try out , activities to engage in  and their numbers are growing day by day . I can go on and on about  Hyderabad  . Like most towns, this too is undergoing many  advancements  . Change is inescapable. Anything which does not change will start stagnating .  Vast expanses are added to cater to the ever growing influx of new  comers.  While I can expectantly  lament that the city of my childhood is fast depleting  , I also need to accept that new  stretches are being built and cultivated  as per standards like the    world famous   Hi-tech city .

We cousins have spread over all the 5 continents today .  We do try to meet up every couple of years in our home town where our extended tribe lives . A  group  sojourn  of the familiar streets  is a must each time  as   the next generation has to start   getting familiar with this glorious city  .  We girl cousins  never omit the  walk around the famed Charminar   , at least to feed  our  addiction of … what else … shopping .

#Hyderabad #Niloufer #Golconda #QutubShah #Biryani #Bawarchi #Charminar #Pearls #Numayish  #Deccan #Syedna

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