Tag: Madhya Pradesh

Earth Magic Kanha – When the soul needed feeding

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It’s been a while since I travelled to Kanha. But then, some stories take longer to get out of your head and take the shape of words on paper…my laptop screen in this case.

As the banner of this blog proclaims, I travel for food; food for the body. But then, there are times when the soul needs feeding. It needs to release every pain it has been taking up. The heart needs to let go. And these are the times when I pack my bags and find solace in places that feel far removed from everything that’s familiar to me…a waterfall in the remote village of Meghalaya; a sunrise somewhere in Kutch; and a forest where I can disconnect with everything to connect with myself.

Kanha, where I was two months ago was one such place for me. I travelled there with two beautiful souls – Chetna Chakravarthy (Circle Of Positivity) and Natasha Mahindra (Anam Cara Yoga Retreats) for a retreat that the two were hosting; four days of yoga, chakra healing clubbed with the forest safari. Away from everything that would connect me to the rest of the world – in that beautiful lodge by the river bed – I was tuning in to a different frequency. Rooting myself to mother earth, flowing like water and letting fire ignite the dreams and passion in me.

I turned into a bougainvillea tree during meditation; broke down after dancing uninhibitedly and gave away my secrets and pain to the forest. Have you ever spoken to the forest? To its large tree trunks with thick roots, branches and winding roads? The forest listens if you talk to it and it takes everything that you’re hiding inside you and buries it in its vastness; no questions asked, no judgments. That place, those little spots in the majestic Kanha National Park were accepting and healing. And it might sound something out of a Hollywood movie…Eat Pray Love-esque. But it’s true. Nature is healing; it has the power to take away the heaviness and pain, and fill one with a sense of awareness.

That’s what Chetna and Natasha are doing with their Earth Magic Retreat series. Creating magic by helping you connect more with the nature; holding space for you as you come to terms with your true self; creating a safe space to share your deepest fears as well as your biggest triumphs, your dreams…however irrational they feel to you. Call it a place to overhaul, cleanse or just a space where you can be happy cause that’s what I felt in that forest for four days…happy!

What better way to close this post than a quote by Sylvia Plath:

“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery — air,mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy”

I don’t know if this post made sense to you. But if it did touch a chord, do leave me a comment. Also, Chetna and Natasha are planning their next retreat in Croatia. You can find out more about it here.

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The best meals of 2017 – Where and what I ate

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How you begin the new year sets the tone for the rest of it…

It’s true. I started 2017 with a langar at a Gurudwara in New Bombay, wishing for  equally great meals in the coming year. And what a fabulous food year it was. I traveled to various cities for food. Took a trip to Pune to try the famous Bedekar misal and loved it, went to Surat to eat the locho and visited the ponkh market, traveled to Indore (done that twice this year already) and found another food city to fall in love with, took a solo trip to Calcutta and Meghalaya (where I ended up making some most amazing friends), traveled to Goa to learn sourdough which became one of the most brilliant experiences of 2017, traveled to Indore (again) and ended the year with a trip to Srilanka. Apart from all the good food I ate at these places, there were umpteen fabulous meals cooked by my mother, a couple of trips to Lucknow that involved loads of chaat, and some amazing beef curry/fish curry and rice meals at Chetna (PositivityAngel’s) house. Don’t think I can be thankful enough for this year.

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I am an atheist, but somehow going to a Gurudwara doesn't feel like I am confirming to any religion. The idea of following a teacher and learning from his/her experiences sounds more logical to me than blind faith. Also, what fascinates me is their self-less service and the feeling of giving back to the community. Eating at a langar with people from different casts, religions and financial backgrounds and accepting your food with a feeling of gratitude is a humbling experience. So glad to start my food journey this year with such a beautiful meal. I hope the food that I eat this year helps me connect to my roots and make me aware of the efforts people put-in to put that food on my table. Also, here's a big thankyou to all the people who came into my life this past year, taught me new things, gave me new experiences and motivated me to be better than myself. I don't know whether all of you will be part of my journey onwards, but I will always cherish and value those times, learnings and experiences. Wish you all a very happy, healthy and successful new year. #NewYear #gratitude #CircleOfPositivity #Happy2017 #gurudwara #food #langar #feelinghumbled #thankyou #HappyNewYear

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Why Sarafa Market Is The Jewel In Indore’s Nightlife

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This post was written for India Food Network

“This is Sarafa market, you will feel a different vibe here in the night,” said Amrita, my friend and host in Indore, as we drove through the tiny by-lanes during the day. In a city where food is a conversation starter, my hopes were high and I couldn’t wait to dive headlong into the street, which has many seasoned food writers swearing by it. I walk in at Sarafa, armed with my curiosity and appetite.

The shops that had gold and silver jewellery shining through their windows now had their shutters down, and the street was lined with makeshift food stalls. Amrita has the itinerary chalked out listing down everything I must try with room for whatever catches my fancy.

Bhutte ka kees and garadu, Sarafa Market in Indore

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What to eat in Indore – In pictures

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I was in Indore a few days ago for a mere one and a half day trip, and man what a trip it was. In just one day I covered 56 Dukaan, Nafees Biryani and Sarafa Bazaar. Here’s my Indore food trip in pictures (it’ll make you pack your bags, trust me) and a quick checklist of what to eat and where whaen you travel to Indore.

Pohe-Jalebi, Sabudana Wada with Dahi, Aloo ki Kachori, Indore

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A weekend in Bhopal

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When in Bhopal do what Bhopalis do; eat pohe – jalebi in the morning with rounds of kadak chai and loads of bakar (random conversations about anything right from the weather to politics). The city is sleepy and slow still you will see people getting up early in the morning just to eat pohe, jalebis and kachoris fresh from the wok. That’s exactly what I did on the first day; woke up to watch sunrise from Kaliyasot Dam which is a 15 kms drive from Shahpura lake. The lake is equally beautiful early in the morning and a perfect place for bird watching. Thick fog floating over the lake during winters gives it an almost mysterious look.

After soaking in the early morning sun and the view we took a pit stop at a sweet shop in Nehru Nagar to eat jalebis, pohe and hot cup of Banwari Bhai Ki Nakhrali Chai. Every nook and corner of Bhopal serves this simple yet delicious breakfast early in the morning. On a chilly winter morning when you don’t want to leave the blanket, stepping out for crispy hot jalebis is worth all the trouble.

Another great place to grab some breakfast is the very famous Indian Coffee House in New Market. Although the decor has been changed a lot and the signature green curtains are gone yet the food remains as good as it was years ago. Hot idlis and wadas dunked in sambhar coupled with filter coffee is the perfect comfort food.
The new Bhopal city has plenty to offer; there’s Sair Sapata near Bada Talab, perfect for an evening stroll and a boat ride in the lake. Birla Temple gives a beautiful view of the lake and city in the evening. For the History and Culture buffs there’s Manav Sangrahalaya and the newly opened Tribal Museum.
 
A part of Bhopal which is not to be missed is the Old City. There’s a beautiful charm in the narrow lanes of the markets around Jama Masjid. The area is always bustling with people and there are small shops making chhole tikiya, phulki (Bhopali version of Pani Puri), kulche, chhole bhature, lassi and much more. Hotel Jameel in Ibrahimpura is a great place to grab some nalli nihari, rumali roti, kebabs and chicken fry for lunch. However, post 7pm all Bhopalis have just one destination, the famous Chatori Galli selling bade ke kebab, haleem, nalli nihari and biryani (my visit to this unparalleled galli is still due and I promise a separate post on that after my visit). 
 
There are also a couple of bakeries in Ibrahimpura market which sell freshly baked breads like sheermal, bakarkhani etc; a perfect foil to the spicy mutton gravies. If you’re not fond of breads do pick up some nankhatais and rusks from these shops.
One delicacy that you shouldn’t miss is the Barf rasmalai ke done at Ramudada’s stall. At around 4pm a guy comes on a Bajaj scooter near Jama Masjid with his whole stall set on the backseat of the scooter. Apart from the regular ice golas (crushed ice flavoured with syrups) he makes the rasmalai dona. He takes crushed ice in a paper bowl, tops it with sugar syrup, pours a big spoon full of thick rabdi over it, tops it with rose syrup and serves. The grainy rabdi with a layer of ice under it is a perfect combination and I can’t be thankful enough to the blog Bhopale for this recommendation.
10 minutes away from Jama Masjid is Taj ul Masjid, Asia’s largest mosque. The minarets of this mosque can be seen from the Birla Temple which is literally at the other end of the city.
Bhopal has both, an old world charm and a fresh and young vibe in the new city. There’s a lot of development yet the nature has been kept intact. While it’s chaos in the old city, the new city is more planned and clutter free. I wish to explore and share more aspects of this city through words and pictures in my visits to come.