DesiReflections

The origin of mulled wine is very old. It was created in the 2nd century by the Romans who would heat wine to defend their bodies against the cold winter. As the Romans conquered much of Europe throughout the next century, their love for mulled wine spread across their empire and the regions they traded with. As its popularity further continued to grow through the middle ages, different parts of Europe experimented by different ingredients but one thing was common  that is alcohol mixed with  heated wine with combination of spices, it was  believed that the concoction would promote health and avoid sickness. They would also use herbs and flowers as natural sweeteners to make unpalatable wines taste a lot nicer. Over time, the craze for mulled wine faded across the  Europe except for Sweden, where its popularity only increased. Claret (Rhen wine, sugar, honey and spices) and Lutendrank (various spices, wine and milk) were just two of the variations that the Swedish m...

मुसाफ़िर हूँ यारों : करजत Today I was in Karjat with two other members of मुसाफ़िर हूँ यारों  क्लब  Aditya Bhai and Arvind Bhai . It is around 80 km from my home at Goregoan but due to ongoing flyover work in Govandi it was total traffic jam in early hours of day and it took more than three hours to reach.Once you cross New Bombay , the entire landscape  changes from urban to lush green forests, rivers , Khopoli is highly industrialized and polluted but beyond that till Karnataka it is nature at its best. There are innumerable farm houses on the way belonging to mighty politicians, industrialists , celebrities and businessman from Bombay who are agriculturists on papers, some are so mighty that rear landing of their farm houses is directly  in the dams and rivers !  Its steep Ulhas Valley takes green avatar  in the rainy season . Bahiri Cave, overlooking the valley, is a old pilgrimage site. The ancient Kondeshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Kon...

आदमी जिस तरफ देखता  हूँ भीड़ ही भीड़ है नहीं दिख रहा फिर भी आजकल आदमी कुछ ने कलमा पढ़ा बन गए मुसलमान कुछ ने डाले जनेऊ बन गए सनातनी कुछ का बापितस्मा हुआ बन गए क्रिश्चियन कुछ का नवजोत हुआ वो बन गए पारसी पर नहीं कुछ किया जो बनें आदमी धर्म  के नाम पर बंट गया  आदमी भाषाओँ में  बंट गए प्रान्त में बंट गए  हम हैं तमिल तो कहीं तेलगु बन गए महाराष्ट्र के मराठी तो बंगाल के बंगाली , उड़िया, असमिया , मलयाली और बिहारी  अलग भाषा है और अलग इनके झंडे  सरहदें खींच कर आदमी बंट गए  जो इनसे बचे जात पांत पर डंट  गए  कोई क्षत्रिय पुत्र तो कोई ब्राह्मण कहलाएं  कोई वैश्य कहता कोई राजभर  है  चलो कहीं एक ऐसा जहां  हम बनाएं  जहाँ धर्म ,भाषा से मुक्त बस आदमी हों                                                                   ...

Recently I traveled to Indonesia and surprised to learn that culturally Indonesian are very close to us. Even their food has certain commonality. And interestingly I come to know that our very own Idli has its origin in Indonesia. Let us start with religion. Hindu and Budhist influences arrived in this archipelago much before birth of Jesus Christ. It is however unclear that how the cultural and spiritual ideas from India were diffused in the area. It appears that there had been regular trade links between southern part of India with Ceylon, Java, Sumatra, Bali as well as many other Islands in Indian as well as Pacific ocean. The traders from India brought their cultural, culinary and religious influences. Java legends refer to Saka-era, traced to 78 AD . Stories from the famous epic Mahabharat have been traced in Indonesian islands to the 1st century; whose versions mirror those found in southeast Indian peninsular region. The Javanese prose work Tantu Pagelaran of the 14th cent...

A flight between Mumbai and Jakarta on Srilankan Airlines with a layover of almost eight hours that too spending entire night on a chair in airport the waiting lounge was was painful one. But once I reached Jakarta ,south-east Asia’s most culturally-diverse capital I simply forgotten layover pain. Jakarta is similar to Bombay in many ways. It is landlocked due to sea, only possibility of growth is vertical , heavy peak hours congestion, sometime your 14 km drive may takes two hours ! In the recent years the government suddenly woken up and like New Bombay it has developed Tangrang , an organized, planned and vibrant township having good hotels, Malls, shopping complexes, IT Hub. Some 10 million people live in Jakarta, but almost everyone has roots elsewhere, resulting in an exuberant blend of Javanese, Balinese, Chinese, European and numerous other cultures. I had 10 hours at my disposal in Jakarta. My hotel Nunia Inn is located in Areopolis which is a part of Tangran...

I received an invitation to attend an International conference on Communication at Banyuwangi in Indonesia. I never heard about the place, I enquired with number of frequent foreign travelers but could not get any vital information. I approached few tour operators as well as  travel agencies here in Bombay but initially they draw blank  and when I told them my urgency to visit the place, I got quote for to and fro journey roughly Indian Rs.120,000 which to me was on very high side as I normally reach any US destination at the best at Indian Rs 75,000. Then I decided to search on various airlines sites, after thorough search, I myself picked up two airlines - Srilankan upto Jakarta and City Link from Jakarta to Banyuwangi, in this quest I managed my return tickets for Indian Rs.42,000 !  I was full of doubts about the place Banyuwangi, and my worry increased when I enquired with my hotel manager at Jakarta to find details about the place and he almost shown his ...

Probably Bombay is only metropolitan city in India which can boast to have a National Park  within its municipal limits.  Our  Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Bombay works works as green lung for the city and is habitat for variety of animal as well as home to rare  flora and fauna.   The area close to the periphery of SGNP is also very green,  a part of that is under possession of a Builder.   National Green Tribunal has  clear directives  that the area in the periphery of a  National Park will also be protected area , but no body has a answer that how such area is in a builder's possession.  From last few years this green area adjoining to SGNP is systematically converted into barren land piece, the builder has army of workers who roam freely with all the potent weapons to destruct green trees. And every one in administration knows it but no body in bothers about this.   Yesterday night...