LEISURE

I haven’t got around to writing a new post in a few weeks, and part of the reason was this inspiring set of posts from fellow gardener Srikant that left me thinking what more I could write. This is part 3 of his beginner’s series that also has links to the previous 2. http://thealternative.in/environment/a-beginners-guide-to-organic-terrace-gardening-from-seeding-to-pest-management/  A discussion with a friend the other day on how to get started off on waste segregation set me thinking on some of the ways composting, segregating waste and gardening have affected my life. Here are a few: Buttermilk is now no longer something that quenches…

It’s been a while since my last post. I have been travelling with a friend. My friend owns a grooming salon for dogs and she was participating in a contest. I went with her for moral support. What’s life without friends, right? The same holds true for dogs as well, as Tigger’s story will demonstrate. In November last year, I got involved with an animal welfare organization called Precious Paws Foundation (PPF). As part of my involvement I fostered a puppy called Rackles. Rackles stayed with us for a few weeks and soon found a home. Rackles became Mishka in…

The Lalbagh Flower Show in Bengaluru needs no introduction really, but the January 2014 edition of the show is rather special. The flower show, currently in its 199th edition, is just one short of completing its bicentennial. That’s not all; this edition also marks the 50th year of the Horticulture Department. Over 200 varieties of flowers and vegetables are on display. The showcase also features huge floral structures in the shape of mushrooms, bananas, coconuts and more. With props that act as the eyes and lips, these structures make for a quirky spectacle. There is also a huge 18 foot…

I remember arriving in India for the first time, into New Delhi almost 10 years ago. I would liken it to a bull calf walking into the ring for the first time. A million things hit you; heat, light, shouts, screams, arms, signs, men, women, men, more men, a million people telling what you want and what you need, a million people trying to sell you food and get you into their cab or their friend’s cab, or their uncle’s cab, or their friend’s uncle’s cab. Arriving in Bengaluru was nothing like that. If my first arrival in India was…

Reading of Children's Fantasy Novel   Venue: Atta Galata Time: 4.30 pm   The Book: Building on influences from Asia, Africa and the ancient language of Sanskrit, Janaki Murali takes on readers on a phantasmagorical journey. Dive deep into the bowels of a volcano in the Bay of Bengal and meet the fire-breathing Mrigas, shape-shifting Bahulas, four-headed Gufiyas and the special unugly Gulu. Watch them as they employ insects of espionage and wield weapons of fantasy.See a whole new world through the eyes of three earthlings who learn to stand united after losing a parent, and are pulled into a chain reaction that…

In my last blog, I wrote about how dogs are survivors. Ever so often I am reminded of this by remarkable stories around me. One such story is of Raja and Vasudev. Vasudev meets Raja...for the first time When we all first saw a picture of Raja on the internet it was hard to watch the picture. When I heard of someone adopting him I reached out to that man and thanked him. Thus started a friendship with a unique man and a very unique dog. Both have made a huge impression on me. The love they share is one…

A large number of people, motorists as well as pedestrians, traditionally throng M G Road, Brigade Road, Residency Road, St.Marks Road and Church Street on the New Year’s Eve. Parking restrictions will be in place to regulate the movement of traffic of vehicles on M G Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, St.Marks Road, Rest House road and Residency road on the night intervening between 31/12/2013 and 01/01/2014. A press note from Bangalore Traffic Police has put in place the following regulations: 1.    No entry for vehicles except police vehicles and vehicles of essential services on duty, from any direction, from…

I’m sure many of us never think of waste and rewards in the same breath :). When something is useless in our eyes, it just goes into the waste bin and then who cares what happens next. Well, I did start caring at some point and it was one of the most enlightening journeys of my life, in fact I credit it to be the beginning of my gardening journey as well! Once I started consciously thinking about the amount of waste generated by my household, it has never been a question of “Why we should manage our waste” but…

It's been two months now since my husband and I started using jaggery (bella in Kannada) in our tea and coffee. This traditional sweetener, known by different terms in different languages, from gud in many parts of North India to chakkara or sarkkara in Malayalam and vellam in Tamil, lends a subtle and deeply flavourful taste to everyday beverages. Coffee sweetened with bella for instance, has a lovely aroma and tastes wonderful, especially in this chilly weather! Many friends of ours have also made the switch. Of course, some of them only use organic powdered jaggery (available in speciality stores…

Think of sugar and it brings sweet memories to everyone’s mind. Sweet memories of chocolates, payasams, laddus, cakes, milkshakes and all the lovely treats that are ‘oh so sweet’! Can you imagine a day without eating sugar? Not unless you are a diabetic. A day without sugar is something unimaginable for most of us. Imagine drinking that cherished cup of tea or coffee without sugar! Well, thankfully most of us don’t have to eliminate sugar all together, but what we need to do is keep a watch on the amount we consume every day. Back in 2009 the American Heart…