Blog

  • चायबाज़ आरोही (Chaibaaz Aarohi)

    This is the first of Chaibaaz ChaiTalk Series that I plan to do on Chai ki Dukaan! The idea is to find a T-lover and ask some questions about Tea and more!
    Aarohi Singh, a self taught artist, is based out of Bangalore, India and paints in Oil, Acrylics, Watercolor, Pastels and works on Paper, Canvas, Metal, Cardboard, Wood, Fabric. A visit to her website is going to make you stick to it for a few hours atleast!
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    – Why Tea?

    I think it’s as much as for the taste as well as for the memories associated with it.

    – What if you had to make a flavor of tea, what would you have in it, other than Tea leaves?

    I love masala chai. So I use a flavored tea and add freshly crushed peper corns. I also love chai with fresh Pudina or Tulsi leaves or ginger. And very little sugar and milk.

    – What would you do if you were given two days in a tea estate?

    Find out everything about tea…actually I did. As a child I saw tea leaves being rolled etc. But, I don’t remember much. Need to go back as an adult :-)

    – Tea in a cup? or Tea in a steel glass? or Tea in a kulhad (earthen cups) or tea in a paper cup? or tea in a glass? and why?

    It’s in a big fat ceramic mug. Chota mugs are just that- too small.

    – What is your earliest memory of Tea?

    Seeing my parents and grand parents have bed tea in my grandparents bedroom. Full on service of separate chai in a silver tea set!!

    – Do you remember when you had tea for the first time? Is it related to why you like tea so much?

    I am asthmatic. Tea contains theophylin. And my mum who is a doctor, gave me a hot soothing cup of chai to help my breathing.I always associate it with comfort.

    – What would you tell someone who does not drink tea, about what they are missing?

    Ek cup chai say dil khush ho jaata ha…

    – Your favorite T-shop? and why?

    I am a little biased to the tea I make myself at home.

    – Your favorite brand of tea and why?

    Red Label- Natural Care. It has the basics and then I add on flavours to it.

    – Your favorite website related to Tea and why?

    I like your blog and Archana Srinivas’s blog- A cup of chai. I feel comforted looking at the images of chai.

    – If Tea was a person, what would that mean to you? What would that person be like?

    Comforting, multi faceted but with an underlying flavour of richness. But never too strong in their influence.

    – Your favorite T-picture please…


    This reminds me of Tea, and painting both together! Was taken after a successful day of painting…

    – Your favorite T-quote-

    Come lets catch up over a cup of chai.

    Please do visit Aarohi Singh’s website : Art By Aarohi. I was bowled over by the amazing kettles that she has painted!

  • Appraisal Gyan!

    For everyone who did not get a good (read : as expected) rating in their annual appraisals :
    निंदक निरये राखिये, आँगन कुटी छाबाये |
    बिन पानी साबुन बिना, निर्मल करे सुभाए ||
    The annual appraisal system somehow tends to bring in the worst of a lot of appraisers, however it also is a good time for everyone who is being appraised to hear out what could have been done better… I say a lot of the 90 minute gyan is something that we know (and I can say this with confidence having being an appraisee and an appraiser myself), however a good critical evaluation of an year’s performance can make a world of difference.
  • damn! i am back!

    • 1 weekend
    • 3 days
    • 1 car
    • 2 people
    • 650 kms
    • 2 states
    • All weathers… hot, cold, rain, sun, hail storm, almost snowfall
    • All terrain… road, no road! hills, plains, village, town, city, national highway, state highway, no highway!

    • 1 feeling!
    When am I doing it again! 🙂
  • I am afraid!

    of death!

    Not mine! no!
    but of people who I think I will be death without!
    I get tears in my eyes every time I think of it!
  • Mark Sloan and his intern

    In Grey’s Anatomy, almost every intern who is assigned to Mark Sloan, the awesomest plastic surgeon, has to fetch coffee for him in addition to doing a lot of tasks which are not related to surgery!
    I do not want to be that intern, and I do not want to be working with a Mark Sloan ever, even though he is the best that one can get!
  • good ideas

    Jim Corbett plan postponed! no issues! good idea infact!

    Looking forward to a training and another certification! good idea again!
    Spending the weekend at home, not doing much except watching a movie! good idea!
    Getting the tires aligned and balanced! very important idea!
    Preparing an additional spare tire for long drives! good idea!
  • Google Apps for AndPictures

    For the ones who did not know, if you have your own domain, you can use Google Apps (Gmail, Calender, Docs, Chat, and some more) for free, in case your users are less than 50.
    It takes a bit of effort to configure everything, and I have been trying to get Google Apps up and running for my photography portfolio website : www.andpictures.net
    All settings have been done, configurations completed, and all I need to do is to wait for the back-end sync to complete and I should be good to go! Being google, it should also work nicely on my Android, which makes it nice!
  • Seona

    Some photographs from a recent shoot in Singapore!!! Was staying with Aseem and got an opportunity to take some photographs of Seona, Aseem and Mala’s daughter who turned 1 on the 19th of January this year!!!

    Seona looking at Mala

    Seona with Pooh

    Seona

    Seona

  • ज्ञानचंद दोहेवाले

    साधू संत सब कह गए, दिल को रखिये साफ़ |

    जो करेगा सो भरेगा, आप कीजिये सबको माफ़ ||
    Prashant Bhardwaj, Feb’2011

  • 9 2 11 (नौ दो ग्यारह )

    Have been trying to find the origin of 9-2-11 since morning… have asked a few colleagues at work as well!

    but no go!
    Anyone knows when and how did the phrase 9-2-11(नौ दो ग्यारह ) originate?
    Why this post today? Well! today is 9-2-11! that’s why!