A Thought Provoking Sunset and a memorable experience at the mighty Mahanadi, Chhattisgarh-A Photo Essay

Spellbinding-Standing on the banks of the Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh

There are some moments in time that remain etched in our memories  forever. Thats  probably because they have touched our minds and hearts deep within and stayed right there. In this Photo essay, I'm going to share a series of exactly such moments with you and hope that you can feel some of that same emotion. 

During my recent trip to Chhattisgarh as a part of the #TWC2015 I had an opportunity to stand on the banks of the Mahanadi and it was one of the most profound experiences of my life. It may have lasted for a total of just about 20 minutes but stays in my heart forever.

 

En Route -Passing through the Shiva temple 


 The Mahananadi river  is truly the life line of Chattisgarh. Flowing from the Eastern Ghats to the Bay of Bengal through Cuttack, in Odisha and into the highlands of Chattisgarh, it flows through Odisha to reach The Bay Of Bengal.

Like all other rivers, the Mahanadi too is a revered one. It plays a major role in people's life and is part of all the major religious functions and festivals.It's water is considered to be highly auspicious for any occasion - and it is believed that this water has miraculous powers and can easily convert bad things or situations into into good ones.Rising from Central Chattisgarh, it passes through Eastern Ghats Mountains and ends at Bay Of Bengal, near Cuttack, Orissa. It forms a Delta at the Bay of Bengal. The Mahanadi's catchment area is estimated at 113,440 square kilometers. In the rainy season it carries an immense amount of water, up to 51,000 cubic meters per second especially at at the Naraj gorge.As the river flows at high speed, the Rivers Tel and Hasdo contribute as the main tributaries to the Mahanadi River. The Hirakund Dam, the world's highest dam is constructed on Mahanadi. There is a high Gandhi Tower for the introspection of the Dam and the drainage of the Mahanadi is shared by the Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa.

The iconic Shiva Temple

When we arrived, the birds were chirping and the sun was just about to set.The sky was a painter's delight and it got better as the time slowly ticked on. 

Watching the people closer to shore

There were a few men at the river bank and looking closer, I saw that most of them were 'Kavariyas'( those who carry holy water from the rivers to the cities.) 

  After having collected that water from the river the Kawariyas made their way back to the Shiva temple. Chanting 'Bol Bam' over and over again in honour of Lord Shiva, they moved in complete synchronicity and effortlessly climbed up the steps past where I was standing..

Moving towards the temple

And closer 

Just past me 

Almost at the gate of the Shiva temple

And they are inside 

I stood there for a few more minutes, loath to leave

Then it was  time.

We had to move on to our next destination and the journey continued.

But this was truly an unforgettable moment in time.

A Food Tale With a Twist- From Bastar in Chhattisgarh

Writing a piece in 'Food For Thought 'is a really great way for me to go down memory lane and recall some interesting snippets as I go through the journey called 'Life'. You might recall that in my last post, I have touched upon my magical trip to the heart of India, enigmatic Chhattisgarh  and how I find myself changed for the better in so many ways.

A range of food is always one of the most interesting possibilities of any trip and on the 4th day of our journey into the Bastar region in Chhattisgarh, we had a chance to sample of the most intriguing as well as one of the most delicious meals I've ever eaten!

Daal, Chawal and Aamat- Simple and delicious 

The day panned out in surprising ways. Our gracious hosts at the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board had engaged the services of the legendary Mr Abesh Ali, arguably the most well known guide in the region and one who can fluently speak the local language. Best of all, he has these enviable connections throughout the region and to our delight we were informed that we would have an opportunity to spend an afternoon in a local household of the 'Dhurwa' tribe. What sounded even better was the fact that we would have an opportunity to sample a local meal in their home. 

Mr Abesh Ali tells us fascinating tales

That afternoon will remain one of my most memorable ones and as I progress you will soon learn why.For one, we had this very generous offer from our host family to settle down and watch the meal being cooked. But even before that, we were all walked deep into the jungle  by the head of the family to hunt red ants. Sadly, it was a different matter that on that particular day, there weren't too many ants to be found but we will come to more of that later. 

The view from where I sat 

The sunny afternoon soon turned into a cloudy one and some of us (including me )decided to explore the surrounding area, but not before getting a clear fix on what the lady was cooking.

Starting with cleaning the rice 

I soon learnt that we would be eating 'daal', ( pulses) 'aamat' (vegetables ) and 'chawal' (rice) which was served in 'Doni’s' (bowls made from leaves). The cooking process was a revelation and we saw the whole family 'hands on' during the process. While the older lady was clearly the head chef, one of the younger women in the family cleaned the rice, while another one chopped the vegetables, and yet another person made the bowls in which we ate our meal.

All smiles as we wait-With Parnashree Devi

Cooking that simple meal over a wood fire took over an hour and then we were invited to sit down.Looking around, we could see the sky darkening and knew that it was only a matter of time before the rain came.  Our eager anticipation soon ended as that fragrant and freshly cooked meal was served .

Served with a lot of love

This was what my meal looked like.But hey- No spoons?

Now -that was an unforeseen dilemma.Furious thoughts ran through my head.Do I eat it or do I stay hungry?

 Finally,the rumbling sounds in my tummy clearly showed me the way ahead.I would eat my meal and in the same way as my travel companions, who were clearly relishing their lunch.

Tentatively, at first and then with  more confidence as I got the hang of it, I ate my meal with my hands.

For the very first time in my life.
And loved it!

And then came the clouds, followed by sheets of rain

So we moved inside the covered area and spotted this

The door to the little house really intrigued me

Looking inside, I was amazed- Neat, clean and a whole lot of books


Soon after the meal,  the lady and her son headed back to the cooking area.We followed as well and learnt that they were now making  'Mahua' (the local alcohol) which they love to substitute for water. Incidentally, we too had a taste of it and while I didn't particularly relish it I was encouragingly informed by most people around me that it really was an acquired taste and with time, I might just....

Making the 'Mohua'

I did say that this was a Food Tale with a twist. And here it comes.

Just as we were leaving, one of our team members asked how I had liked the meal.

My prompt response- 'I loved it!'

'Was it because of the ants? she continued.

'What ants'?

'The ones in the 'aamat'? I really think that's exactly why the vegetable curry tasted so good"

Then looking at my pale face she gently enquired.

"You didn't realise it"?

'No.' 

And I was speechless.

But only for a while.

Sanity soon re-asserted itself."Do in Rome as Romans Do"  I sternly told myself. And it was indisputable- I had really enjoyed that meal.

A Painter's delight- the fascinating landscape

Some time later, we left that sweet little village and drove on to the next adventure.And that journey was truly a painter's delight.

Enigmatic Chhattisgarh. Decoded -My magical journey into the heartland of India

Green, red, mysterious and magical- Chhattisgarh in the monsoon

Its been a while since my last post and for those of you who have been wondering, I've just returned from an unforgettable 6 day trip to enigmatic Chhattisgarh in the heart of India. Ever since my return, I find myself thinking incessantly of the magical journey that took me into fairly unchartered territory including the Bastar region and brought me back a changed person.

Changed? I could confidently say, for the better. For one, I've eaten my first meal of rice, daal, and 'aamat' cooked by a lovely little old Bastar lady with my hands. I've also travelled and made lifelong friends with a wonderful group of people,  many of whom I met for the very first time on Day 1 of the trip.

I also forgot what 'elevenses' are and happily went without that eleven o clock 'must have' cup of coffee ( until it was available- sometimes over three hours later- because we were on the road and it really wasnt possible to stop the convoy to grab that increasingly elusive cuppa)

Almost, but not quite- Touching the sky

But lets start at the very begining. My trip to Chhattisgarh materialised purely by virtue of the fact that I chose to join #TWC2015, ( Travel Wizards Club 2015) Started recently by Shraddha Gupta an avid traveller and blogger of Street Trotter.com a Boston based travel fashion and lifestyle blog, it  is a wonderful forum to meet and bond with like minded people. 

After the first meet, 12 lucky bloggers had a lifetime's opportunity to travel to Chhattisgarh as guests of the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board 

http://www.chhattisgarhtourism.net/

to witness 'Monsoon Magic' and to my utter delight, I learnt that I was one of them.

Having recently moved back to India after 24 years in Muscat, Oman, I must admit, it presented a wonderful opportunity to visit and discover completely unknown terrain( in my book) and a few days and a whole lot of generous family adjustments later, I found myself on a Raipur bound flight with a few of the others and that was the start of one of my best travel adventures till date!

From having the most delicious lunch at Kanker Palace to walking in the footsteps of Hsuan Tsang and more recently, the Dalai Lama, a stay in luxurious tents at the Chitrakote falls, India's Mini Niagara followed by the totally awesome and thunderously cascading Tiratgarh Falls, a hugely thought provoking sunset on the banks of the Mahanadi and those great meals served at each of the resorts we stayed at, we really couldn't have packed in more than we actually did over those unforgettable 6 days.  

Lunch at the Kanker Palace, Chhattisgarh

Some glimpses for you..

The memorable long walk towards the Chitrakote Falls

Chitrakote Falls- The mini Niagara of India

Green, clean, lush  and beautiful

Served up with love - My very first tribal lunch in the heart of Bastar

Standing in front of  the majestic Tirathgarh waterfalls

Bright, colourful and very approachable- Tribal women of Chhattisgarh

Looking back, looking forward -in the jungle

Of course, there is a whole lot more. 

My top of mind  thought- something on the lines of more than can actually  be put in words because it is the feeling and the experience that has imprinted itself on my mind.

But I'm sure as hell going to try, so do watch this space for more.

And maybe..

 Just maybe...

That would actually be enigmatic Chhattisgarh decoded....

The descent -Back to New Delhi with a treasure trove of memories

Food for Thought Turns 1 and an Arabic special with some unique Ritz Carlton Al Bustan recipes from Oman

Re visiting a landmark post

Time  flies and here we are on the 25th of June, 2014.Today,  its exactly one year since I started 'Food For Thought' and this also happens to be my 50th post. I've had a really great time writing each and every one of these posts and my journey through this year has taken me to kitchens in France, Oman and India in addition to my own. 

However, 'Food For Thought' is not merely about cuisine- I have also tried to share my love for art and culture through some of these posts  and am fairly satisfied with the outcome. I've received feedback from readers as well as many of the restaurants and locations that I've featured. Best of all, I know for a fact that I've learnt a great deal as well!

Top of mind, I recall the three sessions I had at Paul Muscat, with Pastry Chef Mohammed Kessrwani who unhesitatingly shared his  Chef's secrets, special tips and allowed me to ask him "anything at all". Similarly, a Chocolate fondue making experience at the Al Bustan Ritz Carlton, the delightful new Anar Cafe, Caramel Bakery, Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, I could go on and on.... 

Creations by Chef Mohammed Kessrwani of Paul Muscat

    

Delightfully decadent

A special occasion ought to be marked by something special and I'm going to try and do exactly that. Oman is currently in the grip of Football as well as Date fever and we are enjoying the very best of both. There are so many uses of dates in recipes and over a period of time, I will share some of these with you. Meanwhile, here's a glimpse at what most of the date palms in Oman look like at the moment.

Ripe for picking

As mentioned in my previous post on Pre Ramadan musings, I'm going to to write about some of the Ramadan Specials that various hotels and restaurants in Oman will be offering during this one month period.I will also try and get into the kitchens of some of these places and watch the chefs at work creating the most amazing delicacies and share that with you as well.

To start with, I've got some special Iftaar recipes which  Erika Anggreini, the Public Relations Manager at the Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel has very graciously shared with me.

The first one is a Rose Water Rice Pudding served with Mango compote 

Rose Water Rice Pudding

Ingredients 

·         114gr Arborio Rice

·         ½ Ltr water

·         ¼ Tblspn Salt

·         1 Ltr Milk

·         57g Powdered  Sugar

·         118 ml Heavy Cream

·         60 ml Rose Water

·         1 tbspn Cardamom Seeds

Procedure

Combine water, salt and rice.Cook until rice is tender, adding milk, cream and sugar and continue cooking on low heat until it becomes a pudding consistency. Add the  rose water & cardamom seeds and cook for 10 min. Finally, chill before serving.

Mango Compote

Ingredients

·         4 Mangoes

·         2 Oranges/ Juice

·         100gr Powder Sugar

·         1 Vanilla bean stick

Procedure

Cut two mangoes. Place all ingredients in a pot and caramelize for about 10 minutes, then blend to make sauce.

Once the sauce has chilled,  cut the remaining two  mangoes into small cubes and mix in with the compote. 

In a bowl serve the rice pudding and mango compote garnishing with pistachio crumbs. 

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And here is a great Summer cooler, a very special Ramadan inspired beverage also from the Al Bustan Ritz Carlton. This is Coconut Ice Tea which is really simple to make. Try it, I'm sure this will immediately become a family favourite!  

Coconut Ice Tea

·         ¼ cup of coconut puree

·         8 black tea bags

·         Lemon for flavor

·         Sugar

·         Ice cubes

Fill a blender with ice and blend all the ingredients.

Finally, sit back, relax  and enjoy!

To close for today, here's wishing all of you a great week ahead and looking forward to hearing from you on what else you would like to see in Food For Thought.