Karvanda!

Last week on our way to Nashik, we took a halt near Kasara for refreshments. And we were refreshed by the wonderful karvanda also called as kali maina in Marathi.  Wikipedia describes karvanda here.

From the family of Plums and also categorized amongst one of the smallest fruits, these yummy things were packaged in ingenious baskets made using 2 leaves. I haven't seen the shrub of this fruit so I'm not sure whether these leaves are from the same shrub, but these completely natural leaf baskets are awesomely genius! The leaf stems are twisted together to make a handle, the leaves properly folded to have a conical shape are put together by stitching twigs onto them.

Couldn't take more pictures are Mahesh hurriedly bought 2 of these and made me rush back :)

Moths??

Do you also have these uninvited guests on your walls as well? Tell me about them! I get super annoyed by these spirally flying moths and I feel that they will plunge into my ears or just dive in my freshly cooked curry. Aarrghh!! It is ok if they are stranded on the wall but it adds on to the task of sweeping the next morning. So this way or the other they do not stop their annoyance.

Well, the wall at my desk was their target last night. The wall had a scattered confetti look which I liked. But the liking was restricted for few minutes and I quickly took a picture of it.
What do you think? Does it make a different picture?

Rainy Saturday

We have a waterfall when it rains :)
One of the pleasures of living besides the few hills of Mumbai. A restful view away from the restless world, a calm chair in the balcony, hot steaming tea and casual conversations! That's a perfect rainy Saturday!

Dear Meghalaya, from Gujarat

Dear Meghalaya,

It's not many days that Aarti has been away from your country of clouds, and she is already missing them! May be she badly needs them! Within fifteen days she has come from extremes of 14 degree to 43 degree Celsius of atmospheric temperature. Clouds have arrived on the Mumbai horizon and all of Aarti's friends are happy and she is waiting for her part of happiness.
Kindly arrange loads and loads of clouds for her in Ahmedabad, as you have them in abundance.
Thanking you...

With Regards,
Gujarat

PS: Issued in interest and concern of all the Amdavadi public.

A panorama of clouds on the way to Nongriat in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya.

Sunday Special: Sacred Groves of Mawphlang

Sacred Groves! It sounds special, doesn't it?! A large stretch of forest land untouched with any sort of human activity! Pure and virgin nature, that's how special it is. They are the forests preserved for beliefs associated with Khasi religion and traditions.

We (me and Soumya) visited the sacred groves of Mawphlang, one of the largest and best in Meghalaya which is about 25 km from Shillong. To explore the forest, you need a guide to take you around as finding your way back is a bhool bhulaiya! And after a point it is quite scary! Or else you have drop things on the way like Sita dropped her jewels as a direction for Rama or like the Greek hero Thesus who carried a ball of Scottish wool while entering the labyrinth to fight the devil and dropped the thread as a trail to return back safe.
Thank God that these forests are botanically rich and not rich in wild life!! :D

Here are few pictures of the Mawphlang Sacred Grove...
Google mata has more to say on the sacred groves. Few links to that are here and here..

Ferns and Petals

Just cannot resist taking pictures of flowers and leaves here! Yea... I'm still in Meghalaya! Place of sheer beauty and vivid nature!! Love the ferns and petals here..
A month back this place was mysterious, people were strangers, names were alien and language was tangent! But now about a month and half later, the place is limitlessly beautiful, people are friendly, names are familiar and language is logical.
There is a lot more more to this place...will keep posting in bits and pieces.

Happy Earth Day

This picture shows one of the mesmerizing part of the earth in Meghalaya! Evergreen forest, ever flowing river and the suspension bridge to get the most of it! Crossed this and many such bridges on a 25 kilometer, eight hour walk from Saipung to Mualsei in the Jaintia Hills district.

Photograph by Dhaneesh Jameson. Find more photographs on his blog "through my snaps"

Wallpaper Wednesday

love BAMBOO love

Click on the image to download.

Bamboo Weaves

Bamboo, a very versatile natural material is in abundance here. Every thing from houses and furniture to plates and containers, tools and equipments is made of bamboo.
Bamboo Rocks and Bamboo Rules here!

Here are some woven structures used for the walls of houses.
Yo North East!

Flower Zoom {Happy Sunday}

Unlike in Mumbai, it is Spring here! Abundance of flowers; fresh bright and beautiful. Meghalaya is the place! I've never seen so many flowers together. Here are just a few. Don't ask me the names! I just know lilies and irises.

Lily

Iris

Happy Sunday!

Updates with Pine cones

Hello everyone!
I'm not lost! Absolutely alive and aal izz well!! I'm just in another world! A little cut off from the blogosphere, I'm in the state with plenty of pine cones, tall pine trees and wide expanses of pine forests! I am in Meghalaya- The Abode of Clouds!
As of now I have pictures of pine cones, yet to capture the spread of lovely clouds here, and I love pine cones. The love began when I designed few pine cone motifs for Christmas. Had never seen them earlier and now here there are loads of them. I've collected some to take back to Mumbai and have some fun.
In past few weeks, I have missed a lot of things on the blogosphere.... it was Holi, then the April Fool's day, then Gudi Padwa and many of motif Mondays and wallpaper Wednesdays! *sigh*
But I have more interesting things coming up straight from Meghalaya!! :)
For example: World's best turmeric is grown in Meghalaya!

Turmeric

Will get back with more details and excitement in upcoming posts, till then...
Ciao from Meghalaya!! :)

Friday Fresh Flowers

Pink pale and yellow! Love these roses that colored my dining today! :)

{Happy Monday}

It was indeed a happy Monday morning to see a dark pink flower blooming bright in sunshine on the ganesh vel in our balcony! And many more buds are coming up :)
We had a hard time to grow this small ganesh vel. Yeaa, but now it is all healthy, wealthy & bright!
Further... it is a happy working Monday!

Happy Thanksgiving

Maple and oak leaves, they are such wonderful forms and superb colors! There is some beauty in their hindi names too, chinar and saigun.
I have seen them just in pictures. Not available in my part of the world *sigh*
I keep asking my friends to get me some maple and oak leaves while coming from Kashmir, US or Germany! But they think I'm crazy and they never make it a point! *sigh sigh*
But I never miss to use them as favorite fall motifs!

Sunday Sunflowers

Last Sunday, on my way back to Solapur from Belgaum, there were fields of sunflowers to add cheer. Sunflower being the favorite flower of Van Gogh *(I love Van Gogh)* and also a favorite motif for patterns, I did not miss to take few pictures.
I always prefer self-shot images, firstly because the photographs are shot according to my ticking thought and then I can use them with a lot of freedom :)
More sunflowers here and here.