India – Orange You Grape

Busy Busy Busy

April 28, 2008 nainadg

Its been quite busy around these parts lately, hence the lack of posts for weeks, but once the finals are over, I will catch up!

I do have a few updates though and most of these do have photos, but they will have to wait until I can upload and sort through them.

1) J and his band played an awesome show in Boone earlier this month. J and I made a little mini trip out of it and also explored a vineyard around Boone. Photos and a full update coming soon

2) J found out that he should be able to graduate sooner than expected, so we should have some big life changes ahead in less than a year!!!

3) Finals are kicking my butt and I’m miserable and stressed at the moment but hopefuly by the end of the week, all will be well

4) I’m going to SLC, UT for my KD’s graduation! I’m so excited for her and I can’t wait to be a part of her special day! (Also, I might buy a new dress for the occasion…hmmm). I’m also really excited to see good friends and catch up with everyone

5) I’ve gone from straddling the Clinton camp and Obama camp into officially being a Obama supporter. I do feel slightly guilty ,but I do think Obama is the better candidate.

6) I’m terrified and excited for life as an adult! It seems its going to be sooner rather than later!

More coming soon!

Food and Drinks, India, Recipes

Fresh Lime Soda

April 2, 2008 nainadg

One of my favorite drinks in the hot muggy weather of Kolkata is Fresh Lime Soda. It is a universal drink, made from soda (club or any other fizzy ale) fresh limes , salt or sugar depending on your preference. This drink is widely available , from roadside stalls to fancy five star restaurants and is liked by most people. When we were in Kolkata last December, J got a taste of it and now its his favorite drink too! Anyway, ever since we’ve been back we’ve been having our American version of this drink frequently, and now that the weather has started getting warmer, we have it at least every other night. Also, on the weekends we’ve started making them alcoholic as well, and it works really well as a cocktail!

Our recipe is suited to our extra salty palette, but it can be adjusted easily by adding some sugar instead , however using sprite or any other citrus soda, doesn’t really work that well. It needs the bitterness of seltzer or club soda.

Fresh Lime Soda w/ Gin :

2 limes ( or 1 lime and 1 lemon)

Seltzer Water ( Club soda is second, tonic water – a distant third)

heaps of salt (or sugar, or a mix of both, if you don’t like salty drinks)

a pinch of black pepper to make it interesting

Gin

Lemon wedge for garnish

Its best to make the lime soda first and combine one parts gin with 3 parts of the soda. Howevr, with the sweeter version light colored rum works better than the gin.

***photo: google images ***

India, Travel

Bricks and Mortar

February 3, 2008February 3, 2008 nainadg

Slow and Steady, that me when in comes to photos. It took me forever to get my India photos uploaded and organized and now I keep finding photos that I absolutely must post. So if you are seeing of seeing photos, I guess don’t be reading this blog for a while. Hee

An abandoned old house in Ballygunge (my grandparent’s neighborhood). My dad told me a story about how a British Managing Director used to live there in this mansion’s hey day and how he had peacocks and exotic birds as pets in the yard. Sad to see it come to this.

J , KD and I spent a fantastic day with my Uncle visiting some old British Raj architectural gems in Kolkata. This is a photo of a gazebo in the garden of St. John’s church, the oldest Church in Kolkata, from the late 1700’s. I took this photo because it reminded me so much of a setting in a Gothic novel, with brave, governess heroine, old decrepit buildings, exotic gardens.

Inside St. John’s church. The fans are such a Indan touch. This church also had the most awesome shutters on its huge windows, and it had some cool stained glass as well.

The famous Victoria Memorial. It definitely was as cool as I expected.

The Kolkata High Court. It used to be the Supreme court of India when the British used Kolkata as the Capital City.

St.Pauls Cathedral. Another old church but from the 1800s.

India, Travel

Kolkata- By the Ganges

January 30, 2008 nainadg

Boat on the Hoogly (Ganges)

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Vidyasagar Setu during sunset

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Boats parked along the river

India, Wedding

Bou Bhaat, Phool Sajja

January 30, 2008January 30, 2008 nainadg

J and I having the giant post wedding lunch or Bou Bhaat

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I am now officially a married lady so I am now serving rice to my elders

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J ate a fishhead a delicacy for the post wedding lunch

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J and I had a Thank you party at an old Club in Kolkata for our closest family.

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A delicious chocolate Mousse cake that we cut at the party

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Phool Sajja or our flower decked bed

India, Wedding

Bibaho – The Actual Wedding Ceremony

January 30, 2008February 25, 2008 nainadg

The wedding feast.

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Bride

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Groom

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J’s ride

My Mum, J and my FIL. The Bor Jatri (Boy’s family) arrives.

My father offers J many things, he is asking J to marry me.

J accepted, so J and I exchange garlands.

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My father does the Samprodan or Kanyadan (giving away of the bride)

We make offerings to the fire

Putting puffed rice in the fire

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Did it 3 times

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After J has already put the sindoor on my head, my mum and grandma put it on me as a blessing.

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The end of the ceremony.

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With my parents

India, Wedding

Gaye Holud- Morning of the wedding

January 30, 2008 nainadg

J and our friend BD smeared in Turmeric. We had a full on water/turmeric (a kind of spice paste)

BeforeI was smeared my mom did my boron or blessed me

Being doused with water after they all got me good. Unfortunately, the groom and the bride can’t smear anyone. This is just a different version of a photo from my cousins wedding. I guess all bengalis have this photo in their wedding album.

India, Wedding

Vriddhi – Another pre wedding ritual

January 30, 2008February 3, 2008 nainadg

Asking my ancestors for blessings

My grandmother blows a conch

India, Travel, Wedding

Shaam e Ghazal

January 30, 2008 nainadg

Here are some photos from rooftop cocktail party before my wedding. This was just for close family and friends so sort of like a rehersal dinner. This was one of my favorite parties of the year. The setting was the rooftop of my Grandmother’s apartment building. The entire roof was decorated with little lights and there were ethnic umbrellas over the dinner tables. There was an open bar and we had a Mughlai buffet dinner which had roomali roti, mutton rezala and other yummy dishes. The highlight of the eventing was the live Indian band, that sang romantic Urdu ghazals (songs) and some fun songs that everyone could dance. Everyone had a great time

Enjoy the photos. These photos are also from my friend BD.

Before the Party

On the rooftop

The Ghazal Singers

Sunday, March 16, 2008

New Delhi in Black & White and Color