Hapus ka simple joy!

Come April, the markets all over in India will be flooded with variety of mangoes. April, May - the season of Mango and they are used in almost every cuisine.. Juice, Milk Shake, Aap ka panna, Lassi, Mango curry, Salsa, chutney, Desserts, Ice creams, and what not. 

I just love the season of mangoes and they are healthy too, until and unless you overeat :-D

Title courtesy: Prashant Bhandare

P.S: This post was in my drafts folder for a long while. Not sure why I hadn't posted this at that time. Anyways, kudos to the king of fruits and really miss the season.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

With the new government, we have lot of expectations and confidence. Cleanliness and hygiene is something India was in need since inception and now we have a right guide with a perfect vision. We see all the celebrities and public figure too promoting and demonstrating Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Cleanliness should start within, start from our home, our surroundings. While I come outside the house, my own neighbors keep the garbage bags outside. Poor dogs, they try to find something to eat resulting in scattering the garbage all over.  I see lot of people, who may keep their house and surroundings clean but don't bother about the public property, like throw the paper, plastics in the road and lot more. We should think that every public property is our property, we are the ones who pay tax and should be responsible to care about that. Hope to see all this get in order at the earliest.

We start now and start breathing fresh air, enjoy the beautiful vision of each and every corner of India soon. It’s possible only if WE DO IT.

I had shot this image last December on the way to Goa. Even, this will have a new look if WE DO IT.

No more Kambala's at Kadri

Image Credit: Prashant Bhandare, the winning entry of the contest Redefining Storytelling conducted by Sapient India.

Kambala - the most awaited traditional sport of tulunadu (Coastal Karnataka, India). It is the traditional buffalo race in the slush water held during December to March in various districts of Coastal Karnataka. The buffalo's running at headlong speed, it is an absolutely breath taking and thrilling experience. The racetrack is around 159 mts and the buffaloes take 20/30/40 seconds to complete the track. You can get the detailed information about the Kambala at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kambala

Years back, there were paddy fields throughout Mangalore city and each region would organize annual Kambala events. With time, all the regions stopped farming, sold the land, fields turned out to monstrous buildings but Kadri Kambala field being in the midst of the city has kept the cultural game alive until last year. Kadri Kambala is also known as Devara Kambala, as it is related to Kadri Manjunatha Temple.

It was disheartening to see the Kadri Kambala field filled with soil on one side. At first, my thought was they sold this land of cultural importance. Later, while browsing through the news I studied that due to some land dispute, they had to stop this and the bottom line is there will be no more Kambala’s organized in this place. In spite, there will not be any Kambalas within Mangalore city as Kadri Kambala is the only one, which was organised within the city.

The coming generation has already lost many historical, cultural experiences. Kambala was one such event, which our current generation was witnessing. One by one, even this experience is stolen from the next generation.

Few of the picture memories from Kadri Kambala of year 2011.

P.S: Image is copyright protected to Prashant Bhandare. Anyone who wants to publish or use these images for any purpose, please contact the concerned for permission.

Dancing 'round the nature!!

The point is that when I see a sunset or a waterfall or something, for a split second it's so great, because for a little bit I'm out of my brain, and it's got nothing to do with me. I'm not trying to figure it out, you know what I mean? And I wonder if I can somehow find a way to maintain that mind stillness. 

~Chris Evans

I feel the same when I'm around nature, especially near a waterfall or a stream. It's so relaxing, peaceful, stress-free, and secure. 

Change of name = Changing your identity!

Few things makes me think that we are still in the 19th century. I see most of them follow the same age old system of changing their name after marriage.

Most of the well educated, independent women these days change their identity when they get married. I don't understand what is the necessity to change their identity, is it from pressure or the age old system rooted within them. Personally to me, I have made my identity and people know by my name, and I will not change my identity for anything in this world. It's against my rule book. My name is my pride and I wouldn't let anyone change that.

When I was a child my parents just gave me my name and an initial just to segregate from the similar names. As I was growing up I did not find my initial fancy enough. I changed my name to my fathers surname. That was years back when I left school and I made my identity with that name. 

The younger generation now does not require their fathers name or husbands name. They just need a name. They will make their own identity. My niece and nephews all four of them are not given any surname or fathers name or mothers name. They have their first and middle. names which is different and unique. They are happy with their names and they feel different from the crowd.

I have also seen few people, if their wives has not changed the surname after marriage, they hesitate or not ready to include the spuoses name in the passport! This is heights, it's each individuals perception, whether to change or no. 

Women adjusts almost everywhere and in everything after marriage. Is it an adjustment all the women do in changing their name? In my opinion, changing the name is not a Requirement, changing people's perception is the Requirement.

Equality between men and women made me think of this topic this morning.

Bangalore Rains...

Pre-monsoon rains started in Bangalore... Getting the good feel so far...

Chitra Santhe 2014 - Assembling the platform

Tomorrow the streets of Chitra Kala Parishath and Kumara Krupa Park will be filled with various Art Work and Art Lovers. This year it's the 11th year of Chitra Santhe, unlike every year is on the first Sunday of January.

I was around here today at the Karnataka  Chitra Kala Parishath, the preparations are in full swing and the team is assembling the platform for tomorrow's inauguration. 

Few flicks from CKP

Be there on 5 Jan 2014 to encourage the  artists, also do visit the stall no. 856 beside Sindhia School.