this day. last year.

this day last year
we landed in another continent 

as explorers 

but more of wanderers for distraction

travelling, they say, changes you

change that we were seeking, seldom we knew this travel would gift us

a rattled mind and a muddled body was rekindled to harmony

a life was conceived

and since then

how beautifully has life changed

between 

today

and 

this day last year

12102020

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 :)

Hello Hyderabad

I was in Hyderabad recently for a photoshoot. And after a two day hectic schedule, I directed myself towards Mangartai to get some pearl earrings. Loved these natural shaped ones! 

Wallpaper Wednesday

A panoramic view of Shillong as seen from the Shillong peak makes a soothing wallpaper with a black background. Click on the above image to download.

my wallpaper!

{Happy Weekend}

I would love to spend a beautiful weekend on a romantic tree house!
What about you?

A tree house at Ialong in Meghalaya

PS: My tales about Meghalaya haven't ended yet :P

Tynrong :: Pineapple Fiber Craft

Tynrong! I like the name! Isn't it a striking one?!! A small village about 29 km from Cherrapunjee. 25 km of drive and the rest is a 1.5 hour of walk steep down hill. Next day it takes about 2.5 hours to walk back up and then legs are completely out of order! You walk like a duck for next 48 hours. (This is what happened to me :) It is a beautiful village on the hilly slopes nearing Bangladesh border with areca and orange trees allover.
Apart from areca nuts and oranges, Tynrong is known for pineapple fiber craft. Fiber is extracted from pineapple leaves then it is dried, sometimes dyed, twisted and knotted to make beautiful products like doilies, coasters, bottle bags, mobile bags etc.
With the craftspeople, I explored the pineapple fiber with some colored beads beads, knots and shapes and tried to make some hand knotted and beaded jewellery. Here are few pictures of the same...

I'm looking forward to develop more exciting stuff...

Would love to have your views and comments over the same.

Concept: Aarti Badamikar | Photograph: Arunima Singh | Model: Soumya Menon
Acknowledments: Peter Marbaniang, Eson Rymmai, Balbara, Pyndaphun Pde and Yake.

A wallpaper Wednesday of pineapple fiber here..

from Meghalaya to Mumbai

Two months of Meghalaya! Feels like this time was too short and has quickly passed... and the end of two months has brought me back to aamchi Mumbai, I like it as aapli Mumbai!
Things changed for past two months and now are back to being usual!

View from the Cherrapunjee Circuit House

I am back...
from Meghalaya to Mumbai
from high altitude to sea level
from hills to plains
from rivers to the sea
from winter to extreme summer
from pine trees to coconut trees
from room heaters to air conditioners
from woolens to cottons
from clouds in the sky to skyscrapers
from ever turning roads to endless flyovers
from ML 04 to MH 04
from no street lights to the hoarding diwali
from MRDS to MMRDA
from Jowai to Powai
from Tynrong village to Thakur village
from Police bazaar to Crawford market
from Laitmukhra to Linking road
from jadoh to masale bhat
from fresh water fish to salt water fish
from plucked lychee to Rs. 6O for a dozen...

A typical Mumbai picture with the heritage architecture of CST

from research work to development work!

And this reminds me of my pending work. It is high time I get back on the Mumbai track!
But I love being back home and also miss the time there!
Will keep posting about Meghalaya till I have subjects which make interesting posts... and I promise not to bore you by that!
:)

Sha Saw & Jing Bam

No concept of fresh milk here! It is either Amul Tazza or Nestle Everyday milk powder... and that's why it is Sha Saw (red tea)! Sha is "tea" and Saw is "red" in Khasi. One cup of boiling water, perfect amount of tea leaves and optimum sugar makes a cup of steaming hot sha saw to begin your day in a perfect way! Go to local shops, homes or any offices... sha saw is what you will be offered along with some jing bam.

The concept of snacks with the tea is called "jing bam" and it is as exciting as it sounds! The kong (lady) will first offer you sha saw and then in a beautifully handcrafted squarish bamboo basket comes the a variety of jing bam to choose from...It is a confusing situation as you have to choose from a variety of yummy snacks. And you have to be quick! Rice cakes, pan cakes, pattices, puffs, cream rolls, jam buns, sweets of different kinds with samosas, bhajiya and much much more...

Sha Saw lovers (from left) Arunima, Soumya and Dhaneesh @ the Lakadong Tea Stall in Jowai

Lakadong Tea Stall

Sha saw is available all over Meghalaya. But we loved one place- Lakadong Tea stall, is a small tea stall in one of the crowded corner of Jowai market where you will get customized tea...light, strong, more sugar, less sugar or no sugar! Sha saw with cheeni kum was what I always asked for!

Red tea and black gram cooked in onion seed spice.

Rice pancake with sugar topping.

The size of the jing bam basket and the variety of snacks increases as you move from smaller offices to more higher rank and important offices of Meghalya! :P
Unfortunately :( I do not have any picture of the jing bam basket and the "giver of jing bam" in every office; the kong dressed in a typical checkered jain kryshah!

PS: Missing the sha saw and jing bam...

Khublei Shibun

Khublei Shibun means "Thank you very much" in Khasi language. This is the first khasi word I/we (me and Soumya) learnt and is the most pleasing and helpful too.
To admire the overwhelming greet, cooperation and friendship by the lovely people (now friends) of Meghalaya, we made a few Khublei Shibun cards. Here are a few of them...
Khublei Shibun to Ali bhai- the best cook, Shyl Sema- the stylish friend, Sir Hajong- the helpfullest, Bah Pariat- the IIM A man, Peter Marbaniang- the NIDian, Anushka Sharma- the designer, Sujeena Manpoong- the Guwahati friend, Morcha Pde- the SIM friend, Carlo Marbaniang- the architect friend, Mandy- the engineer friend, Ashok Elwin- the well known, Mr. Ladi- the sculptor, Mr. Febby- the NIFT fac, Dorjee- the NIFT fac, Jonathan Rymbai- the busiest man, Ricky- the cool company, Harmless- the non-harmful, Kong Baliyan- the doer of all things, Sir Deepak Chanda- the precise man, Madam Passah- the only madam, Kentiew- the manager, Kong Nian- the enthusiast 1, Hiebhah- the young energy, Dr. Joan- the lady with details, Fomley- the bike rider, Ruati Darnei- the designer, Oriland- the new friend, Mr. Good Year- the good taxiwala, Diana Jathang- the friend, Kong Nampui- the Saipung lady, Mr. Nampui- the Saipung man, Mr. Mangaya- the guide, Jenny- the best friend 1, Chuani- the best friend 2, Sanga Sir- the enthusiast 2, Rema- the cool school teacher, Chungnumga- the secretary, Sumarsing Sawiam- the traditional expert, Teilang Khyriem- the almost busy man, Mang- the perfect entertainer, Bless- the on phone man, Buh- the Sunday awaiting man, William- the best driver, Riew- the never-been-out-of-Meghalaya man, Riaz Bhai- the first and best taxiwala, Sujeet bhai- the exploiting taxiwala, Rashid bhai- the nice taxiwala, Bah Mahesh- the cool dude, Mr. Diengdoh- the Ribhoi expert, A. Khonglam- the in office man, Mr. Bang- the man in office, Pochester Kharkongar- the bureaucrat, Eson- the smart man, Kong Balbara- a typical character, Balawan- the sweet chap, Kong Rikynti- the friendly lady, Ivoreen- the married mystery, Thup- the silent man, Ilis Kramsa- the enthusiast 3, Yar- the Saitsama madam, Bercy- the cousin, T. K. Darnei- the Saipung help, Mayfereen- the NGO lady, Arun Diengdoh- the brother in law, Mr. Yake- the name mystery taxiwala and the countless taxis between Jowai and Ummolong and many more people.

Kublei Shibun to the unlimited pack of Lays- cream and onion, Maggi cuppa mania- chilli chow yo, the bakeries in Jowai, Amul butter and Kissan mixed fruit jam, Britania good day biscuits, Bisleri water and the dal-chawal and alu fry of 5 Stars dhaba for surviving us in Jowai. Khublei shibun to Cafe Shillong, Centre Point, Bread Cafe and Subway for making a difference in Shillong!

Khublei Shibun to all those who have made this trip fantabulous and unforgettable for us!
We love Meghalaya!

*LOVE*
Aarti :)

KHUBLEI is the word to wish well, KHU meaning bless and BLEI meaning God, from the depth of the heart and soul. (Ref.: Golden Vine of Ri Hynniewtrep- The Khasi Heritage by Sumar Sing Sawian)

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..

Cafe Shillong

After consequent unsuccessful attempts made in search of basic food in Jowai, discovery of Cafe Shillong was like an achievement!! After about 25 long days of starvation and survival on bread butter and noodles, I was craving for a meal full of veggies! In the whole of Meghalaya, Shillong is the place for some variety in good veg food! Otherwise, loads of meat is available all over!

On one of the busy streets of Laitumkhrah area is where you will spot Cafe Shillong on the first floor of an ordinary building!

AWESOME FOOD + AWESOME PLACE = AWESOME DAY
is what it makes!

We @ Cafe Shillong

Cozy Cuhions, wall display and the graffitiVeg Cheesy Burger and Veg Thukpa (Tibetan soup)

Black coffee and chocolate brownie!

Click on the menu for a bigger picture.

Short but delicious menu for the veggies and a slightly elaborate one for the non-veggies!! Best place to hog after super protein and vitamin deprivation in other parts of Meghalaya!

The best part of Cafe Shillong is free unlimited Wi-Fi! Superb food and free internet! What else do you need?!! :)
It was not just one but many AWESOME days @ Cafe Shillong! A must place to visit when in Shillong. And I know that Soumya Menon, Dhaneesh Jameson, Jisha Unnikrishnan, Anita Isola and Arunima Singh will second me on this!

Saturday Special: Full Wood House, Smit

Smit, is a small village about 15-20 km from Shillong. Well known for it's traditional Nongkrem Dance, Smit has beautifully preserved the Khasi culture and traditions.
Smit, till today follows a king-ship rule. The King is called the "Syiem" here. Today Morning, I had a chance to visit the Syiem's house. And being a Syiem's house, it is indeed very special...It is a huge, full wood- thatched house without any metal nails. Is'nt it interesting?!! Walls and floor made of oak and pine wood, with a thatched roof and roof windows for light, the house has a complete cane and bamboo furniture. Plus the floor coverings are also of woven cane and bamboo. Pleasant in summers and warm in winters!!
Well, believe me, the summers here are more chilled than the winters of Mumbai. But also, people say that, the warmth here has increased in past few years... the global warming shows its effects everywhere! :|

Coming back to the Syeim's house...
Here are few pictures I captured. Pardon me for the extra bad quality of pictures. (It was a cloudy and rainy morning!)
Thatched houses generally have a low ceiling and a narrow entrance. But this being a king's house, everything here is king size!
The pegs used are all wooden. It is a belief that devils and ghosts are always killed by wooden weaponry, hence using wooden pegs keeps the house safe and away from evil spirits. Also, Meghalaya is an earthquake prone area. The wooden pegs help keep the joinery more intact than the iron nails.
To get to the house, you have to drive through a boulevard fenced by conical pine trees on both sides. It is a beautiful place and Smit is one of the coolest places in Meghalaya!