Thoughts from heart

There are few instances in everyone's life that influences them for better.I pen down this blog based one some personal realisations.

-Every moment is precious and love makes it more worthier.

-Love is of all passions the strongest,for it attacks simultaneously the head,the heart and the senses.

-Love is an electric blanket with somebody else in control of the switch.

-In the arithmetic of love one plus one equals everything and two minus one equals nothing.

-In the game of love,your mind might win temporarily but your heart is the final winner.

-Love makes you realise, as a person ,how strong you are and how weak you are.

-Tears from the eye is the natural stimuli that your heart signals.Take care to see that you dont see it in your partner's eyes.Atleast dont be the reason for causing it.

-A small note of appreciation can be the best gift to your partner.Learn to appreciate.

-Get busy loving your partner and there by you are living your life to the fullest :)

Live mint article and my comment

Check the article and the comment that I have posted.

http://www.livemint.com/2009/08/27220957/When-will-the-BrahminBania-he.html

Weekend Recipe

This weekend vegetable poricha kootu was the highlight of my cuisine.

This is a simple yet spicy ,tasty and goes well with pudhina thuvaiyal.

Ingredients:-
snake gourd- 1 cup (chopped into small cubes)

drum stick - 1 (chopped in to medium sized pieces)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Moong dhall - 2 or 3 tbsp (just fill the less than1/2 cup toor dhall with moong dhall).

For Grinding:-
Channa dhall - 2 tsp
Urad dhall - 2 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp(according to taste)
Coconut - 2 tbsp(can also use more but this is optional)
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 1 or 2 (acc to taste)

Dhania - 1 tsp.

For Seasoning:-
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Red chillies - 1 (optional).

Preparation:-

Pressure cook snake gourd with moong dal with a pinch of turmeric powder.Fry the Channa dhall,urad dhall,cumin,red chillies,dhania in one table spoon of oil and grind them in to a paste adding a little amount of water.

Add oil to a pre heated pan splutter mustard seeds,urud dall,curry leaves,asafoetida powder and red chillies.Add the choppped drum stick pieces in the pan and fry till it turns light brown.Take care to see that it is cooked well.Once it gets fried add the grinded paste and cook for one minute.Then add the steamed snake-gourd and moong dhall.Add salt to this according to the taste and boil it for few minutes.Garnish the leaves with coriander leaves.The spicy porichu kootu is ready.This goes well with steamed rice and pudhina chutney.

Adventure of my debit card

On Sunday we went to the atm near our home to withdraw some money.This is not something that is unusual.After all sunday night is the only time that we get to go for a walk and on the way we visit the atm.While setting out I comfortably handed over my debit card to my husband and while he asked if Iam carrying my pinky purse I was happy to reply "NO...."...He was supportive enough and placed my card in his wallet.We started walking in that silent night,full moon,pleasant breeze...I jus love this freestyle walk.Reached the atm I got the debit card,withdrew the money gave the card back to my husband.Did not fail to notice that he placed the money in his wallet and card in his shirt pocket..We came back home and I got the money from my husband.

Three days later I had to make some online transaction and I was reminding myself to finish it off as I might forget it.Logged on to my net banking , got in to the fund transfer section.
I had to fill the corresponding codes for the alphabets behind my card.Picked my purse and took the cover in which I usually place my debit card.I found only my credit card inside that.Ok let me check the other compartments of my purse.Hmmmm...No...My debit card is missing?..May be Lost?...
I was just trying to recollect... Did I pull out the card from the atm first of all..'yes'...did i place it back in my purse 'No'...I never carried it...Did I give it back to my husband?...Yes!!
Picked up the phone and dialled him...'My debit card is with you??...I din carry the purse with me ..The debit card must be in ur wallet?'...
HD replies 'Iam checking right now but I dont find it here...I would have given it back along with the money...' He was replying me amidst his busy schedule...'Ók I will check it again..' I hanged the phone.Started to look around if it is lying some where...it is in my hand bag...?!!...Not found anywhere..and I was like Oh My God!!

If at all it was in his shirt it must be in the place the shirt was washed and dried.
Suddenly I had an instinct to look in to the washing machine...Opened the safety glass door of the washing machine and found it was empty.Opened the window of the drying area where we used to dry the clothes...checked if it was lying in the portico area...No.
Then my mind started drawing the flowcharts for the next set of formalities with the bank.Calling them up and reporting the loss of the card,listing the pending financial transactions to be completed with my account.The entire online transaction gets blocked.The only way to withdraw money is to issue a cheque and I was running out of cheque leaflets.And the bank rule restrcits its customers to apply for a cheque leaf over the phone banking if you had applied for a new debit card which leaves me no other way but to visit my bank in person write an application explaining the entire incident ... Even if the card is found today there is no guarantee that it will not have any damage...and the atm will reject it and again it becomes invalid for usage.What a day!!
Meanwhile i thought to check HD's shirt once though the probability of the card residing in the pocket after a day in laundary basket,resisting the wash,spin and dry actions of the washing machine is very less..Even if it is found it must be in a very bad condition.I lost hope but still picked up his shirt from the wardrobe..Inserted my hands in his pocket and yes I found my debit card comfortably resting in the pocket and to my surprise it was not in a very bad condition.But still will it work in a atm?? will the electronic reader sense it correctly??
I logged in to my online account agin made some transactions online so that the withdrawal doesnt become an issue with the damaged card.
Walked in to the atm...praying almighty to make my card work...!!..Inserted...The bank screen
asked for the password,amount,yes/no for withdrawal slip...all answered the few seconds of wait...And atlast I could here the 'grrrrrr..' the sound of the bucks getting counted by the machine and I was relieved when I realised that my card works....!
Now back at home,writing this blog,with a blend of -relief , joy, guilty of not carrying a purse and being careless,wondering how the card survived...above all smiling at my hubby's shirt that held my card safely. ;-D

Counting my blessings

Thank God for Iam being blessed.
The ups and downs that moulds me.
The sweet and bitter sides and beyond.
The failures and success that positively builds me.
The love that makes my life meaningful.
The sky being the limit , the sea being my cradle.
Thank God for Iam being blessed.

Musings @ IOB

My visit to banks for transaction started sometime during my college days when I have fill up the fee chalan for paying the semester fees.Also I had been for quite a few occasions for deposits/withdrawl.Today I had a chance to visit IOB near my home for opening a safety locker.
Normally it is a given fact that locker facility is subject to availability,that too in a residential area where the residents would not prefer to take an auto/taxi to carry the valuables to the bank its evident that the number of applicants for the limited locker quota will be quite high.
Once I entered the bank I felt the atmosphere was pretty decent with chillness in air.I got reminded of my dad's office 18 years back where only the Regional Manager will have a air-conditioned cabin.Lots of infrastructural changes in GO's for good.
I walked towards a counter in front and enquired if i could get the details on availability of safety locker.The official incharge (he must be in his early 40's) in a fancy yellow t-shirt (when did Government offices bring this ''friday casuals" custom??) nodded his head from left-to-right.
I could'nt understand what he was trying to convey and asked "Iam sorry,I need to open a safety locker.Dont you have that facility?"...Now he raised and lowered his head...Now , I wondered if he dint know how to reply in english.I admit that I was not good enough to phrase the question in hindi.But the way he responded through action irritated me and I was like "Oh My God!!"
After a few seconds he told "ab yahan lockers khali nahin hai...apko chahiye tho usko puchiyae"
(There are no lockers available now...If you want enquire that person)
The seat he showed was empty....I asked "kahan he woh?"...He said "abhi ayega"...
I had no other choice but to wait...I asked "Locker open karne keliye application form hain...chahiye muje"...he said "Usko puchiye...muje maalum nahï"..
Whaatay response that too when there were only 2 to 3 customers waiting in the bank.
After sometime the concerned person walked to his seat...he was on a mobile phone call ...I waited till he hung and and approached his desk...I repeated the same set of questions and dint get any extra information.I was jus asked to open a savings a/c.Then I will have to apply for a locker.
Now my interaction with people in a metropolitan city like Mumbai has taught me few things.
* Try to make your conversation in Hindi though your grammar is not good as long it makes sense.
*Never expect a salesman , a government official or any one who portions out his work mainly in such conversations to talk/reply in English.
*Be patient enough till you get your work done be it an enquiry @ a bank / negotiation with a vegetable vendor.
*Learn Hindi.Its an easy way to survive.Teaching English /Expecting this major junk of people to talk in English would be a daunting task.

VenPongal and Sambhar

Back with a traditional cuisine...

What else will it be other than the tradional most important VIP menu ...?

Ven Pongal and Sambhar...!!

Bon Appetite ;-D