(Beaten rice with potatoes and lemon) When you’re craving something tangy, spicy and delicious that’s quick to put together, look no further than poha. Poha is a dish made of flattened dehydrated rice. While the origins of Poha are lost in the mists of time, rice has been a staple of the South Asian diet …
Last week was Janmashtami. The birth of Lord Krishna. Krishna, the adorable imp of legend; the heartthrob of Brindavan. Krishna who grew to be the shrewd advisor to the Pandavas. The one to whom the wisdom of the Gita is attributed. This time of the year, in the Indian calendar, is that of plenty, of …
Malacca! ; Once the busiest entrepôt in Southeast Asia. A melting pot of cultures….Chinese, Indian, Arab, African, European- all jostling for trade and power. ; Godowns and bazaars, cheek by jowl with bordellos and opium dens. A babel of different tongues- Tamil, Arabic, Gujarati, Hokkien, Bengali, Teochew. Shrines to Mazu and the Guanyin, elaborately carved …
We met again last Wednesday, for two fabulous presentations- on Babylonian and Indian Creation Myths. It was great hearing about the ancient Mesopotamian civilizations- the Sumerians who were later succeeded by the Babylonians- and the stories of their innumerable Gods and Goddesses. Google the Enuma Elish which is one of the oldest written texts in …
A wonderful and prosperous festive season to you all! Yesterday I guided another group of tourists and friends on a tour of the Festivals of India. An interested and interactive group, that stayed back and discussed religion and social practices, culture and rituals. One of the stories that I included was on Savitri. The epitome …
I love Indian festivals. I enjoy the chaos, the confections and the celebrations. But most of all I love the myths that surround the festivities. Today I had the privilege of guiding a group of visitors on ‘The Colours of India- festivals and their celebration’ at the ACM, Singapore. In a frenzy, I researched a …
Study Groups are fun. They are a very interesting way of gathering knowledge and presenting it to a small group of like minded people. The keyword being “small”. In the process you learn, you research, you hone your skills at power point, but most importantly you learn to tell a story that enthralls your audience. …