Often one looks around and sees pointless violence. It’s senseless and without any apparent motive or benefit. But agendas always persist as we saw recently.
But such sectarian violence can have huge repercussions and cause even deeper divides. Here is a fantastic excerpt of a book that seems to be a must read… (Link courtesy)
Quitting my job has some released my from some kind of proverbial rut. I have embarked on a major movie watching spree.
Movies seen in the last week: Pirates 3, Shrek 3, Ocean 13, Pan’s Labyrinthine, Taking Sides, Black Friday, Cheeni Kum– and all superb while Shrek was only Good.
Any other good recommendations?
The last few days, in the light of this Gujjar fracas, I have been wondering why has it cropped up now? why are the Gujjars protesting now?
Meenas may have all the clout in administrative wings of the government but its not as if they were included in the list last month. I read reasons like feel deprived of benefit that the other ST or OBC communities are getting and wondered if the real reason is being afraid of competitiveness and talent?
Their leaders may have promised them the star and moons for elections and they are, perhaps, right in demanding that these promises be fulfilled (but four years later??) but can’t they see thats what’s politicians do? Make promises just to garner votes and have no intention of keeping them?
In a weird, reverse reasoning, I think I am going to protest that nothing is kept aside for Brahmnins. I feel left out. Jokes apart, if 60 years later we still need to fight for reservation (right or wrong), there must be something fundamentally wrong in the way opportunities are presented to us for education and jobs.
Now a panel has been formed and some months later, sneakily, they will included into the list. “Just like reservation in student seats happened,” seethed a colleague of mine. Though I dont know why either cause upsets him.
But I still have not figured out why now.
Experimentation is fun as I am discovering. Experimenting with what you may like to do, the people you would like to be with or even ingredients in recipes you couldn’t earlier pair — all is extremely entertaining. I guess reading all those food blogs had to rub off!
A few months ago, on one of my many grocery trips, I came across tea bags of the Kashmiri Kehwa. Though its not one of my favourite teas, I thought a nice, fragrant change would do from the fruit-flavoured ones I preferred.
The kehwa in a tea bag in an incredibly fragrant but light brew. Fragrant enough for your colleagues asking what you are drinking.. A couple of cups (and weeks later) I realised why not try and imbue this incredibly fragrant tea into a cake.
Nothing like a light cake with a delicate flavour and light traces of spice. And these are what I got. Beautiful risen, a little too white for my taste but incredibly fragrant.
¾ cup self-raising flour
¾ cup plain flour
1 egg
3-4 tsps oil
1 cup strong brew of Kehwa ( I used four bags)
½ cup sugar (brown sugar is better; better avoided if sugar is already brewed with the tea)
1 tsp ground cardamom
¾ ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon powder
— Preheat the oven
— Mix all the ingredients while the tea cools somewhat.
— Make a well in the centre and add the egg and 2 tsp of oil
— Add the brew to this mix by the spoon
— Alternating it with oil (Oil is not really necessary but a spoon or two helps)
— Put in a greased pan, especially one for cupcakes and bake away
All those who ate ’em loved ’em, but me in my true nature, I thought it could be bettered with some oil.
The Age of Aquarius 