Desicritics Category: Culture: Desi

Book Review Dal - Chawal

Amitabh Mitra — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:15:33 EST

A close friend of mine gifted me this book before leaving for greener pastures in Canada. Dal – Chawal is a unique book on Indian cookery written by Satarupa Banerjee, published by Vasan Publications in Bangalore on 2002. It prompted me to write about it the same way this staple food of millions of Indians must have prompted Satarupa Banerjee to write a book.

I belong to Madhya Pradesh where I grew up in a Dal Chawal and Roti Chawal environment. Not long ago when I had visited my home town of Gwalior, I found that a Roti–Chawal plate is still being served at Atthanni or fifty paisa. Acchar, Mirch and Pyaaj are a free accompaniment of this rustic delicacy. The Dhaba at the Agra Bombay Road is a midnight rendezvous for most of my childhood friends where memories are revived over bowls of a variety of dals, desi ghee parathas and ample beer.

Satarupa writes in her preface that Dal and Chawal (Pulses and Rice) are associated with the very fundamental eating habits of the Indians. And we have myriad ways of cooking these two staples.

What we don’t always realise that there are so many other ways of enjoying them and that Dal and Chawal have various other versions like puffed rice, pressed rice, gram flour, vadis, papads etc.

Each region of our country embellishes dal and chawal by adding other ingredients like egg, chicken, fish, meat, paneer, vegetables and spices.

The book is divided under two main themes of Dal and Chawal and innumerable possibilities of delicious recipes that one can prepare with either of them. Muri Ghanto (Fish Head Curry) which is more like a Pulao prepared with basmati rice, the best that I ever had at a Dhaba in Guwahati in Assam is provided as an easy to prepare recipe. Even the fish that needs to be a Katla is mentioned. Jamaibhog also known as Son in Law’s Special is a culinary marvel from Bengal. She prepares this speciality with a mixture of rice, pineapple juice, prawns, ginger, garlic and coriander baked in green coconut.

I wish to share the Dal-Baffla recipe, one of my favourite which has been given in detail by Satarupa. I love this dish primarily because of my weakness for any Desi Ghee preparation. I remember having Dal- Baffla picnics at rural farms and villages outside Gwalior. Needless to say I do stand at the border of raised cholesterol.

Dal – Baffla is a delicious and nutritious winter delicacy comes from the heart of Madhya Pradesh. It is prepared by the rich and the poor alike on special occasions like marriages, birth and festivals.

Dal
200 gm mung dal
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon turmeric
500 ml water
1 ½ tablespoon ghee or refined oil
½ teaspoon ginger paste
½ teaspoon garlic paste
2 green chillies chopped
½ teaspoon garam masala powder
A handful of chopped coriander leaves

Baffla
250 gm atta
500 gm gram flour
100 gm ghee

Dal
Wash the dal and pressure cook with salt, turmeric and water for five minutes.
Heat the ghee in a frying pan. Season with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Once they stop spluttering add the ginger garlic paste green chilli and fry till light brown. Add the garam masala and pour in the boiled dal. Cook for five minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Baffla
Rub the atta with the ghee and prepare a dough with water. It should be neither hard nor a soft dough.

Boil sufficient water and immerse the balls and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes. When the boils crack slightly on top and float to the surface, take out with a perforated spoon. Drain water completely.

Bake the balls in preheated oven to one hundred and fifty degrees centigrade till light brown. Pour a little extra ghee on each baffla and serve with dal

Quoting Satarupa, ‘The subject is vast. I have attempted only a few. All the courses of a full menu can be created using only Dal and Chawal. Happy Cooking.’

Dal-Chawal
Author – Satarupa Banerjee
Publisher – Vasan Publications, Bangalore – 53
www.mastermindbooks.com
First Edition 2002

When Is It The Right Time To Die?

Deepti Lamba — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:51:19 EST

An acquaintance of the family died at the age of 70 a few years back and my uncle said over the phone - So sad. He went young.

Young?!

I blinked and bit my tongue.

My uncle was three years shy of turning 70 himself. For him the death was early but for me the departed was closer to Santa Claus's age group.

On my recent post two commentators also talked about their grandparents leading active lives well into their eighties but I cannot comprehend vying with a Banyan tree. Good for them but I want to pop it when I am in my mid sixties.

Come to think of it my ma just turned sixty this year and she is a very active lady. And the only one in the family who still drives on her own to work while all others have drivers. I don't want my ma to go nor my uncle to leave us but if I was given a choice I'd like to depart at 70.

There, I increased my lifespan by another five years. After all, if I get to be a rich lady with my health and teeth intact a saggy butt and few wrinkles wouldn't hold me back.

Yet the idea of being a dotty old person doesn't particularly fill me with joy either. Frankly, those who turn that old also aren't quite happy about their bodies wearing out.

They are still young people trapped in old bodies. While reading Jane Juska's book - A Round Heeled Woman where she shared old aged dating scene (or in less polite terms- her sex escapades amongst other things ) I realized that even till one's dying breath one can remain young.

Jane Juska, in my mind, became an epitome of old age. She broke away from the norms set for old people by society. She decided she wasn't going to die a lonely old woman. Obviously, she went through heartbreak (when it comes to love who doesn't?) but she forged ahead through the senior years with optimism, she saw different parts of America, fell in love with New York and most of all found strength within herself to stand by her conviction.

Self-evolution for Juska didn't come with age but through the experiences she went through. She bumbled, lost her dignity and then found herself again.

Jane Juska despite her advanced age became young in my mind. Someone I could identify with.

Frankly putting old people on pedestal is an old Indian tradition that should be done away with. Many of my friends are way older than me and it isn't as if we have to search for subjects to talk about.

Conversation flows naturally. Its the meeting of the hearts that is important and that's exactly what Jane and her young lover realized.

But sadly in India we venerate the old and sometimes this veneration leads to isolation and loneliness. They become gods with clay feet, breathing in some corner of the house, absentmindedly revered and conveniently forgotten.

Some grow to be wise, generous old souls with gentle hearts and some merely sugar coat their meanness with great expertise.

We continue to be ourselves despite the advancing years. Its like the maturing of the wine. Only the good grapes make great wine centuries past. So why venerate the passing years that not all individuals use to become wise hermits the young could turn to?

I wouldn't mind living on well into my seventies if I get to have the iron will of Jane Juska; to have that inquisitive, courageous heart and continue to believe that love can still be found no matter how old or young.

Maybe this is why my uncle seemed shocked on hearing of the acquaintance's death. Maybe he felt that old gentleman could still have achieved much more in his life. Maybe my uncle still feels there are new experiences awaiting him.

I can only speculate like I did when I was ten and wondered what I would be like when I get to be in my thirties. Now I speculate what I will be in my twilight years.

But one thing is for sure if health betrays me during my advancing years I would happily want to kick the bucket.

Do Locals Hold 90% of The Jobs in Mumbai?

Chandra — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:30:03 EST

The TOI posted a story today that quotes a Maharashtra Govt "report" on the percentage of locals employed in Mumbai's SMEs. It that shows that more than 90% of the jobs in Mumbai SMEs are held by locals. This is another example of widespread mis-reporting that our media resorts to these days.

The data was quoted in the context of the MNS protest. Naturally, a headline figure of 90% implies that this story is contrary to what the MNS is fighting for. However, this is not true

a. The 90% refers to an overall universe of 1.1 million workers. However, the working population of Mumbai is more than 6 million (census 2001). Therefore the 90% refers to only one sixth of labour population. Nobody knows which one sixth they are referring to

b. It does not share with us data on the definition of locals. Does locals mean those who have spent more than 15 years in Mumbai (Mah Govt definition)? or does it mean 'Marathi Manoos' that the MNS are fighting for? I can conclude that the data refers to people who spent > 15 years in Mumbai

c. The story does not actually state the source of this data - "officials in the state industries department" is the same as "sources in the ATS". Why can't they provide us with the links or the precise source- Eg: Mr Khanolkar from the Department of Industries?

In other words, the 90% figure means nothing. It is not comprehensive and is not related to the issue that the MNS has raised. Pointless story pretending to dispute the larger issue.

I noticed a second story in the TOI that I was intriguing to the say the least. The TOI reports

'The anti-terrorism squad investigating the recent Malegaon bomb blasts has recorded the statement of arrested Lt-Col Shrikant

Purohit's colleague Capt Nitin Joshi who reportedly said that Purohit had told him about pilfering RDX'

The Economic Times reports

'Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad’s (ATS) investigation into Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit’s involvement in terror activities got a boost on

Tuesday when an instructor (Captain Nitin Joshi) at Nashik’s Bhonsala Military Training School recorded a statement with the police that the the Malegoan blast suspect had confided in him about possessing RDX'

The TOI suggests that Captain Nitin Joshi worked with Lt Col Purohit in the Army while the ET suggests that Captain Joshi worked with the Bhonsala Military Training school. Weird that the same newspaper reports things differently.

Here is an interesting article that reports how the NASA GISS reported that October was the hottest month ever and then rescinded the same after bloggers pointed out to data collection errors in Russia.

Be careful of what you read these days. Validation is critical as everybody is driven by their own agenda

Poetry: kodak minutes - 1:22-1:42

temporal — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:42:57 EST

the bus windows are foggy
it has been raining
correction - light drizzle
falling leaves that drift
are now stuck to the pavement
in a primordial flaming carpet
cars line up by the drive-in window
a sign on the curb declares
                                   upto 90% off
                                   saturday 2-5
inside on desi tv
an earnest young man i knew once
now gray haired and assertive
is painting a scenario with words
while the host paces
                                   and a lady MP
and another investigative journalist
whom i admire from a distance
and frequently quote on baithak
are waiting their turns
the young audience
scrubbed, full of idealism
                                   and yet untouched
by the incessant slaps of realism
listen attentively

m tells me caringly
                                    to go to sleep
i'll i'll i say unconvincingly
last night i got up
from slumber and could not sleep
                                    and ended up
watching india and england
                                    and later
palkistan and west indies
before going to work

the eyes were scanning the field
but the mind was wandering
over blatant injustices
and more blatant displays of intolerance
on this desi microcosm

people who have nothing to say
and say that every chance they get
                                       on every board
others who repeat
the same thing over and over

when dust and ashes meet
what will they talk about?

Poessay: Rosary 17 - Hemashree

temporal — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:29:50 EST

the hemashree whose hand
i held in palliative care
was not the one with golden body
and infectious laughter
though i could see the wrinkles
where smiles danced once
around her eyes and mouth

she was skeletal, taut skin
throaty almost shrill voice

everything is for sale babuji
some you buy with money
others you can barter
or purchase with promises
there is no person or object
that is without a price tag

ghungh'roo ho ya mangalsutra
sub kay sub hee bikao haiN ji*
said hemashree, unread, street-smart

* everyone has a price on their head

Earlier:
Poessay: Rosary 1 - Pink Sand Beach
Poessay: Rosary 2 - Fishing
Poessay: Rosary 3 - Adam and Eve Limited - I
Poessay: Rosary 4 - Adam and Eve Limited - II
Poessay: Rosary 5 - Descending
Poessay: Rosary 6 - Dinner In The Park
Poessay: Rosary 7 - Under the Jamun Tree
Poessay: Rosary 8 - Voices In The Air
Poessay: Rosary 9 - Life Rosary I
Poessay: Rosary 10 - Life Rosary II
Poessay: Rosary 11 - Creating In Isolation
Poessay: Rosary 12 - Kohled Eyes
Poessay: Rosary 13 - By the Lake
Poessay: Rosary 14 - Snow Flakes
Poessay: Rosary 15 - The Drop
Poessay: Rosary 16 - Ageless Quest - tishnagi

Thekedaars of the Middle-Class?

commonsense — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:49:39 EST

We have all heard of the “my sentiments are hurt” claim to push for a ban on topics that we cannot handle. The long list of such political maneuvers includes but is not limited to Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, the artist M. F. Hussain, Taslima Nasreen etc. Such claims by the thekedaars of so-called religious, regional, linguistic communities are quite obviously irrational and appeal to the lowest common denominator in all of us.

The Gujarat government has gone step ahead by claiming that the sentiments of the state and of its middle-class are “hurt” by the loose canon scholar Ashish Nandy’s op-ed piece published last summer in the Times of India.

Stung by the acerbic piece by penned by Nandy (who by the way, received his PhD from Gujarat), the Gujarat state government has apparently lodged a case against the scholar for apparently implying the middle-class’s addiction to development at any cost, is to blame for Modi’s re-election. Nandy of course, is a self-styled provocateur who passes sweeping, frequently quite off the mark pronouncements in the prophetic mode. He is taken more seriously outside rather than within India. Once in a while he does provide quite interesting insights about Indian society. More often than not, he lashes out at any hint of the term “development” and indeed considers himself as the “thekedaar” of the “real” India and Indians.

The point however is not whether one agrees or disagrees with him as far as his takes on Indian society are concerned.

What is ominous is the government taking a writer to court for imagined injuries to the sentiments of the state and its middle-class. Are we slipping backwards to the era when any critique of state policies was labeled as “treason” and the pressure to conform was enforced by intepreting the law in particular ways? This time around, the Supreme Court of India not only dismissed the case against Nandy but also issued a stern rebuke to those who wanted to prosecute the author.

Where exactly are we headed in the future as far as freedom of critical commentary is concerned? If we disagree with any critical commentary, there is always the option of criticising the critic. If established media outlets won't publish our critiques of critics, there is always the world-wide blogosphere. The proliferation of self-appointed of thekedaars of who seek to address real or imagined injuries, is, at least from a non-sectarian point of view, indeed ominous.

I Begin to Understand Mithila Painting

Deepa Krishnan — Sun, 9 Nov 2008 00:10:09 EST

On a wall in the Delhi Crafts Museum, I spotted a series of paintings done in the Mithila folk style. This is traditionally an art form done by women, painted on the walls of houses, in celebration of major events such as births, marriages and festivals.

Even from afar, the murals were striking. They were large, almost 6-7 feet in height, and spread across the entire wall in a series of arches. Each arch contained one painting. This one below, for instance, shows the Goddess Durga astride her tiger, framed inside an ornamented arch.

The colours were bold, and the flat filling-in of colour made the paintings visually stimulating. Below the painting, the artist had signed her name: Shrimati Mundrika Devi, from a village called Jitvarpur in Madhubani District, in the state of Bihar.

When I looked a little closer at the painting, I found myself loving the "double-line" approach. All the outlines were double lines, with the inner portions either left blank, or filled in colour, or filled with little lines. Here's a close-up of one of the small ducks at the top of the mural: see how the double lines and colouring contributes to the rich detailing? Every object in the painting, from the smallest flower, to the largest human, was painted with the same careful attention.

After five minutes of staring closely at small aspects of the painting, I found myself slipping into the shoes of the painter - what was she thinking, Mundrika Devi, when she drew these? Were the walls of her home also filled with these paintings? Did she lose herself in the lines as she painted, did she forget to make dinner? Or did she, as she cooked and tended her house, look again and again at her creation, mentally adding little details?

The more I visualised the life of the painter, the more the painting appealed to me. This was not "Art" as a leisure activity for those with spare time and money. This was art entwined in the daily life, in the very heartbeat of a woman.

This past week, I have been eyeing the walls of my home. I want to do this too, to fill my living space with vibrant strong lines and bold colours. I want to spend time working and reworking pigments, rushing about from corner to corner of a wall, adding a tree here and a bird there, stepping back, drawing again, wandering into the kitchen, wandering back to my walls...working on my email, but wandering back again, always to the colourful wall.

It seems to me that what I really want is to be seduced into a beautiful trance, by the creative and very personal process of decorating my own home. Perhaps that's what Mundrika Devi wanted too.

Brothers and Sisters; Thanks for Clarifying Demographic Issues

SAN — Sat, 8 Nov 2008 12:09:29 EST

Who are My Brothers and Sisters?

As I mentioned in the title, this gratitude is expressed only to my brothers and sisters. There are some Christians who may not consider me as their brother. I do not insist on them calling me as a brother. That is their choice and this is anyway not for them. There might be some Muslims, some liberal Hindus and some atheists who may not call me as their brother. I will not insist on them calling me as a brother either. That is their choice and this is not for them either. But I will insist that every RSS and Bajrang Dal member should consider me as their brother and this is for them.

Allow me to explain my reasons. Recently a self-claimed RSS leader (I am yet to cross-check the veractiy) wrote to me that he can never be a brother of either a Muslim or a Christian. But I gave him reasons why he should call me his brother. Of course, I know that his Guru Golwalkar in Bunch of Thoughts called Muslims and Christians as internal threats and enemies. So I should be his enemy and not his brother. But I will stubbornly insist that RSS and anyone who follows Golwalkar should call me as a brother and not as an enemy if they are Indians.

You see, the Indian national pledge very clearly says that 'all Indians are my brothers and sisters". Since the RSS insist that national song Vande Mataram is compulsory for every Indian, I am sure they compulsorily follow the national pledge and compulsorily call every Christian, communists and especially Muslims as brother and sister. Since I have defined my target audience clearly, and if you do not fall under this category (compulsory brother and sister) and have bothered to read until this line, you may chose to leave. However, if you chose to read further, I do not have any issues as this is not such a family secret. But the gratitude is not for you.

Now let me thank you.

My brothers and sisters, until now I was under the wrong impression that you were against changing the demographics of a society. Some misinformed secularists had written some biased reports in politically correct newspapers that you violently oppose anyone who changes the demographics (e.g. Orissa). For a moment I was perplexed and troubled. I never believed it. How can it be from my brothers and sisters?

But then the issue of transfer of forestland to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) came like Sree Krishna's appearance to Arjuna. All my doubts were cleared after that. I read objections of those Mlecchas to the land transfer - i.e. it will change the demographics of the Valley. How silly!!!

But then I was anxiously waiting for your response too. I was thinking that if those pseudo-secularists were true in their accusations against you, then you would surely agree with those Mlecchas. But then I saw agitations after agitations, destruction upon destruction against such logic of demographic changes.

My eyes were filled with tears. How wicked can this pseudo-secular media become in their accusations against my brothers and sisters. RSS and Bajrang Dal- they will never oppose anyone who changes demography in fact they are for it.

But I had some doubts still left in mind because of the indoctrination of secular media. Then Raj Thackeray came. He fought like Shivaji against North Indians (particularly from Bihar and UP) coming to Mumbai. He too argued against the demographic change (and culture too???).

This time I was not expecting a strong protest like the earlier protests for the Shrine. I only expected an ideological protest in whisper volume. Do not doubt me. This was not just because Raj had a Thackeray attached to his name but also because the Shrine makes business sense. Who bothers about human beings in a land of billions. Somewhere we all need to prioritize our work. I can understand that. So I expected only an ideological protest. And to your credit, you did that.

That is why I am so thankful to you. Now, I know that secularists are lying. You are not against demographic changes. You are for them.

Now, I will surely continue my missionary work. Hope you do not mind if demography changes. If you want to convert, do let me know. We will teach those Mlecchas in Kashmir a lesson or two by changing the demographics.

Thank you brothers and sisters anyways for clearing all my doubts.

Jerry Thomas is a student of comparative religions with Sakshi: An Apologetics Network in India (www.sakshitimes.com). The views expressed here are personal and does not necessarily represent the organization or the Christian community that he belongs to.

Gilchrist, Ponting and Claims of Racism in the Sydney Test Match

Kartikeya — Sat, 8 Nov 2008 05:21:30 EST

I guess it is not remarkable that books by players who participated in the series in Australia earlier this year discuss the events surrounding the Sydney Test Match in detail. What is remarkable is the element of revelation which is implicit in these offerings. Take Ricky Ponting's Captain's Diary for that tour, as excerpted here on Cricinfo. Ponting writes,

"On the night after we made our on-field report about Harbhajan, I had a phone conversation with a senior member of the Indian touring party, who asked me straight to drop the complaint,"

Why is this news? Why is this some sort of conspiratorial revelation? Didn't the Indian Captain, Anil Kumble make it clear that he himself (there can't be a more "senior member" of the side than him - he was captain! - unless Ponting is referring to the Indian team management) spoke to Ponting after the incident?

"On the other events so far, I can only say that I spoke to Ricky that day and having heard from Bhajji and Sachin before that, I was convinced that there had neither been any racist remark made, nor intended. I asked Harbhajan why he started it and he said he hadn’t, Symonds did and goaded, he responded. But he insisted he made no racist comment.

Ricky, meanwhile, was just not willing to listen, nor see my point. When I offered to apologise as Bhajji’s skipper, it was only to smooth things over. At no stage did I admit that he had made a racist remark, in fact, I said he had not.

Unfortunately, these days, when someone apologises, it is seen as either a sign of weakness or an admission of guilt. I am neither unnerved nor are we guilty. In the larger interests of the game, if an apology could help build bridges and smooth things over, then it is better made than left unsaid because of egos."

If Ponting did mention this conversation in his published diary, why is his subsequent conversation with a "senior member" significant? Is it because this "senior member" was ambiguous about Harbhajan Singh's guilt?

What seems to emerge from Gilchrist and Ponting (as publicity for their books) is this apparent belief that Australia were screwed at Sydney, never mind the ridiculous inquiry conducted by Procter (which even Judge Hansen damned with faint praise in his final judgement).

The whole "don't do it again" side of this episode is the most bizarre aspect of it. This allegation of "racism" is bothersome, because it is serious. Does something become a racist taunt simply because Andrew Symonds says it is racist? Let's assume for a moment that Harbhajan Singh did call Andrew Symonds a monkey. Is Symonds's association of that term with racism the fault of the members of Harbhajan Singh's race? Isn't there a difference between Harbhajan calling him a monkey and a white man calling him a monkey? Would it be the same if a fellow Australian with a West Indian heritage called him a monkey? Would that be racist too? Is Symonds claiming some sort of equivalency between Sikhs and the white man?

These are extremely loaded questions, and very complex ones. I do not claim to have an answer to these questions. Neither am i suggesting that simple yes or no answers to these questions suffice. But the one thing that has bothered me about the whole Sydney affair (as aspect which i had refrained from writing about so far) is the fact that everybody seems to accept with absolute certainty that Harbhajan Singh calling Andrew Symonds a monkey would be a racist comment.

And so what if Symonds had explained to Harbhajan Singh once before that being called a monkey was especially offensive because it held racist connotations for Symonds? Doesn't the fact that Symonds actually had to explain this to Harbhajan Singh itself suggest that he understood that Harbhajan probably didn't intend it in a racial way the first time?

Is it seriously the Australian claim, that something Harbhajan said in the heat of the moment, was absolutely and deliberately an intended racist epithet, simply because Symonds may have told him it was so? Doesn't such a claim completely trivialize the serious and offensive nature of racist behaviour - where racial epithets become racial epithets, precisely because they carry with them all the antecedent hostility of one race towards another? Is it seriously the Australian claim that the Sikhs of Ludhiana, Punjab bore any meaningful and consequential (in any serious socio-political sense) racial hostility towards Australians of West Indian descent?

As far as the incident itself goes, isn't there also the small matter of an agreement between Symonds and Harbhajan that they would not talk to each other on the field? Didn't Symonds himself break that agreement first?

Even this discussion on this post, couched as it has been in one question mark after another, is one which i make with a great deal of trepidation, precisely because i consider it to be an absolutely serious charge, not merely because it was made so publicly about an Indian cricketer, but because as someone with some experience of living in cosmopolitan, multicultural environments all my life (just like many of you readers), i am especially mindful, and interested in understanding the idea of racism and prejudice.

Nobody apart from Andrew Symonds heard him say it. Nobody apart from Andrew Symonds was able to recall a single other word that Harbhajan Singh supposedly said to Symonds. So it is far from clear as to whether or not the offending term was actually used. So, maybe Ponting and co. might want to be more humble about their righteous claims.