Dussera - Chennai Style!

This year we happened to spend Dussera in Chennai. In this part of the country, this festival is associated with Golu(Doll Arrangement). Every couple, is gifted a pair of wooden toys on the eve of their marriage and to this they keep adding new dolls year on year.

A typical Golu!

While in many cases Golu seems like dolls arranged thoughtlessly row after row, look closely and you may be surprised! Mind you, usually the girls of the house put random dolls together to create these scenes.....

A village house complete with temple and Kids playing Caroms

A temple scene complete with devotees and Horse men!

A Musical Recital In Progress

Grain Merchants - Don miss the Money Box

A scene straight From South Indian Wedding

Post Marriage Procession :)

It's only in Chennai ....

.....that I have seen 'coconut flower' being sold by dozens on road side.

Considering my roots are from the 'land of coconuts' this one is a definite delicacy for me ;-). What makes it all the more special is the fact that my chances of tasting it before was purely based on luck !!!!

Linking this to AtoZchallenge - C is for 'coconut flower'

Daddy O' Daddy!

Thank you god for all you have done

For giving me a friend, the best under the sun

He guides me in whatever I do
Always with me filling my life with hue

He makes me laugh and makes me cry
With him around life is never dry

Sometimes he is someone who I really hate
Other times he is my very best mate

Life is crazy with him around
To him I am eternally bound

He can be the worst critic on his part
When he appreciates something, it comes from his heart

He is someone I will never understand-a complete enigma
His character and patience unchallengeable- hundred percent six sigma

He makes me happy and he makes me sad
But then I'll always be his lad

By best friend in the world
U guessed it, will always be my dad!!

This lines were penned by my husband a long time ago. But each word still resonates with truth today - a decade n more later. It must indeed speak of something abt a person who sticks to his ideals thru thick n thin of life! Selflessly helping others has been the motto he is lived thru his life - giving back to the society much more than what hes got, never being awed by problems, seeking new challenges daily - Qualities of a true leader or should I say of a true rotarian.    You see  ma FIL is now the president of one of the chapters of Rotary club in Chennai :-)

The power Of Udhi...

Well the power apart, jus realized that it could be a great beauty accessory(wink)... don belive me? Here hv a look......

Clicked at Mylapore Temple in Chennai....

Udhi is yet another term for Bhasma\Vibuthi ~~ The sacred ash used in religious worship in Hinduism.... You can read more about it here

Linking this to ABC Wednesday (U is for Udhi)

Yet ANother Weekend!

Ha looks like this space is v soon becoming a 'weekend-only-posts' space... didnt I tell ya addiction is a bad thing :-D

Ha this weekend saw me n hubbs driving down to chennai... well not a fun trip ... Ma father-in-law wasnt well (or rather isnt) n so the visit! Now truly speaking I had butterflies in ma stomach ...Cause I was as-usual dreading the much favoured 'Good-News' topic! But ha I grant it to them... Not once was the topic bought up..... I sooo much respect them for giving us this space(Now will somebody teach ma mom this :-D)

Well Now I was abt to write the relationship I share with them... But well the words arent just coming out n my eyyes are almost drooping... SO I'll suffice to say that - Touchwood! Am Lucky :)

The one thing that I love the most at home there is the collection of figurines from across the world - from Africa to Thailand to China to Japan to Kerala to Andhra........now if I were to try n put up the entire collection here welll I wouldnt do justice at alll!! So for now I will let u drool over the impressive collections at home straight from Africa!




Anything Defines Africa Betta?




The Water-Bearers



On the River Nile (????)

N I know they read this space... So here its straight from horse mouth~~ Probably the first time am accepting it so publicly..... Yea, I so much await the good news as each of you are :) (Thou I still donno if am awaiting it for ma self or for all of u?)... So plzzz wish me luck!

N ofcours ethe reason for the hurried post ... ha the same addiction I spoke of in LiNe 1 :)