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Bai The Way
1970s – A bustling Mumbai with immigrants pouring in from all states, eager to make a living, maybe more. Dreams, hopes, ambitions soar high. While husbands busy themselves with work and prospective business opportunities, wives busy themselves with housework, bringing up the children. It was very rare those days to…
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The Universe Spoke, I Listened And Replied
Last week I wrote about how I’ve felt the presence of The Universe in the past couple of months, and how events unfolded that made me rethink how I want to live my life, what is my higher purpose and most importantly, can I ever get there? You, my family,…
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Messages From The Universe
I’ve always believed in the concept of The Universe and its power, influence and benevolence over all living things on this beautiful home we call Earth. We each identify with this concept in different ways. Some of us align ourselves with nature and it’s wonders. Yet others find this same…
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Straight From My Art – Workshop 17 – Our First Warli Painting
Warli art is a beautiful art form practiced in tribal areas of the state of Maharashtra in India. The joyful stick figures drawn on the walls of the village homes with white clay lend so much vibrance and movement to the decor inspite of the human figures not having the…
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Straight From My Art – Workshop 16 – Lord Ganesha in Madhubani Style
Last year during the Ganpati festival in September, my niece came across this ornate and intricate drawing of our beloved Lord Ganpati in all His glory. She attempted it to coincide with the festival last year and inspired all of us to try our hand as well on this. My…
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Straight From My Art – Workshop 15 – Cat in Stained Glass Style
Towards the end of last year, I came across this pin of a very cute cat coloured in stained glass style. I shared it with my sisters and some of us attempted this over last year. I was the last to finish almost a year after I had floated the…
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mykidneybeans turns seven
Regular readers of my blog would probably recall my annual self-imposed ritual to turn to my friend Yosvon’s photo blog and pick one of his amazing clicks based on whichever one inspires me and fits the theme of the year best. There are years where the theme comes to me…
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An Artist and a Workaholic Meet at a Bar
She rushed in with the weight of a hundred worlds on her head. Even as she walked into the bar to meet a long-lost friend, her mind was miles away in front of her work laptop, trying to recall if she’d sent out that super urgent email as well as…
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My Strong Amma
“Didi, Amma bahut strong hai! Aap kyon kamzor ho rahe ho? Amma theek hai!” Elder sister, your mother is very strong. Why are you being so weak? Your mother is fine! Amma’s nurse’s repeated refrains fall on my ears as tears stream down my eyes without even trying. I’m sure…
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The Guilt Trip
My spice rack. A creative idea that came years ago. A vision brought to life thanks to my husband. It has travelled with me since the last couple of decades across houses. There’s never been a guest or family member who has visited us and not marveled at the tiny…
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COVID19 Contingency Planning – The Home Version
Author’s Note: This post commemorates the launch of my YouTube channel – “Chitti Give Me The Recipe“. I look forward to your feedback and suggestions. Most importantly, I hope it helps everyone who finds themselves with a sick cook in need of care. So there we were, on a Friday…
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Protect, Respect, Honour, Love
Once a year in the Hindu tradition, brothers and sisters celebrate their relationship and reaffirm what they mean to each other with the festival of Raksha Bandhan – literally translated to the bond of protection. A ceremonial thread that the sister ties on her brother’s wrist seals this deal. The…
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How Amma Named Her Recipes
It’s a long holiday weekend of five days. Me, my husband, our nephew and a good friend have spent the last couple of days on long drives in the day, late nights of song and conversations, and a lot of food indulgence along the way. By the third day everyone…
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Fourteen Years Without Appa
My Appa passed away on April 19th, 2009 Till date, it is hard for me to say or type these words. I think all of us expect parents to remain eternally alive. No matter what the level of closeness, affection or interaction we have with our parents, there is always…
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My Stoic Amma
Over the years of my writing journey I have written a lot about my Appa. His life and philosophy are the foundations on which I built my life and the way I choose to live it. The unexpected side effect of having a larger than life father is only dawning…
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Straight From My Art – Pelmet Decor
We shifted to a new home earlier this year. As is our modus operandi with any house shifting we’ve done over the years, we measured out all the different areas of the house, planned how the furniture layout would work out etc. The window layout between the two houses was…
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Straight From My Art – Henna Designing
As far as I can remember, I always loved applying henna on my hands. I enjoy the cool tingling on my palms that settles as the henna dries, absorbing your body heat and cooling you down. Henna also has skin healing properties and is great even for cracked heels. At…
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Straight From My Art – Heart Dreamcatcher
As I mentioned in my last post, I got a unique opportunity to send my artwork to my sister. She was going to meet up with my niece as well so I further used the chance to send my neice something that commemorated her recent engagement to the love of…
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Straight From My Art – Playful Ganpati
My sister’s favourite God is the gentle elephant-headed God who we invoke before we embark upon anything auspicious or important, be it an exam, a new job, a new house, or a wedding in the family. Just about anything really. He is the go-to God who clears obstacles in your…
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mykidneybeans Turns Six
When I look back at the stats and insights in WordPress, I am both humbled and surprised how far I’ve come in this journey of six years. At some point I crossed 200 posts, 400 followers, 20,000 views and 10,000 visitors. It both awes and humbles me to see this…