Shree Thaker Bhojanalaya - my tribute

Lets get the difficult things about Shree Thaker Bhojanalay out of the way first.

I visited it only twice in my life, and will admit that its difficult to find even the second time.  In Old Mumbai in an area near Bhuleshwar (called because you’ll forget where you are - its a maze of confusing criss-crossing, non-linear lanes). So, I will explain how I go about locating it shortly.

Chennai Kitchen - the best South Indian Restaurant in SE Asia

When we go abroad, and live out of a suitcase it is hard to express how much we miss home made food. There’s always at least one Indian restaurant in each city and you can eat there some times, but very few of ‘em match the palate and the feel of home cooked food.

And when you do, it is important to celebrate and call out them like I am doing – for this fabulous restaurant that I had the privilege of enjoying more than 10 years ago.  This is the Chenai Kitchen in Bangkok which I am hoping is still going strong, as I haven’t been to the city in nearly a decade now.

The food served at Temple festivals

Each temple in the South Kanara district of Karnataka has its own annual festival that usually involves some festivities and popular customs & rituals.  This usually lasts for a couple of days and sometimes up to a week. What is notable is that meals are served to all devotees attending this festivities usually in the evenings, but in some temples also during afternoons.

What I have found very distinct is the food served at these temple festivals (and I can only talk about the temples thronged by the GSB community).  This food is treated as offerings to the Deity and taken as blessed ‘Prasad’ by the community.

The beauty of Malleswaram in Bangalore

I have retreated for two weeks of relative solitude at my brother’s home in Malleswaram Bengaluru and discovered this neighbourhood that’s a unique microcosm reflecting south India.

And it’s a wonderful way to discover some of things I quite like about Bengaluru and the potential the city had.

Bhajans – devotional music

Singing Bhajans – devotional songs, have been an integral part of my family.  It was a ritual, a daily practice even, when we were kids.  In my community (the GSB – Gowd Saraswat Brahmans) this used to be a common practice in my father’s generations.  In the evening when the lamps were lit, there would be a short session of Bhajans.

For me, it started off as an unwanted discipline and chore that I couldn’t avoid, to now something I genuinely enjoy and is one of my favourite things to do.

Bombay - Meri Jaan

Yes, this is a filmy line, but it sums up my very sentiment towards this great city.  I can write and discuss about it forever and still not adequately convey the greatness of the city fully, nor my love for it.  (and BTW I always called it Mumbai during my childhood and this was more referring myself as the 'Pai from Mumbai' and not for any political reasons. Bombay is actually closer to me than Mumbai is...Ok this is only for the Indians who will get what I am saying)

I have been an itinerant Indian. Within India my family has travelled to various places thanks to the banking job of my dad.  Once I was asked which place did I like best from the towns and cities we had stayed in, and I said all of them. Each one of them was special to me.

            

We had started of in Mumbai and then it was a few cities after that.  But Mumbai feels special to me for my career more than anything else.  One of my Insti friends had told us how everyone had to eventually  come to Mumbai if they had to grow – I mean it was inevitable. (even though Gurgaon and Delhi/NCR is soon turning out to be a bigger centre of gravity now).

The temples of Goa

My community – the Gowd Saraswat Brahmins contain various clans (called Kula) and each of them have their Kula deva sthaan (or the clan's temple) in the province of Goa.  This is also common to other communities from Karnataka and Maharashtra. 

                              

At various stages in life it is customary to make a pilgrimage to your Kula devasthaan – some do this annually, a few only on special occasions (thread ceremony, wedding etc.).