My Princess turns 5...

* Today I look at her and my mind goes into a flashback.
* All huddled up in a hospital blanket as pink as a rose.
* Sucking all her fingers and then settling for her thumb.
* I can't take my eyes off her when she sleeps her little sleep and that is so true even today.
* The day she took her tiny first steps, it was like I was learning to walk.
* The many firsts...will always be the best memories in my mind.
* Yesterday I baked an apple cake in a hurry for her and it didn't turn out the way it was supposed to and I was very upset...she came upto me and said, 'Amma it is alright. It smells good and it tastes great only thing is it doesn't look like a cake' I saw the look in her face...she was trying to make me feel better.
* I thank God for a miracle called Mallika.
* What would life be without daughters!

For all the daughters and for all the mothers with amazing daughters.

This is to you all!

I finally managed to bake another cake and Mallika decorated it:-)

Enjoy the cake while we take off for the weekend...see you all soon:-)

Kantha Work

I just can't get over these absolutely beautiful handbags & pouches with exquisite Kantha Embroidery on them.

You can buy it online here.

Goddess Lakshmi.

A quick post before a big one later this week...

A beautiful re-painted wrought-iron Goddess Lakshmi grill. Isn't it interesting? Found it in one of the by-lanes of a South Indian village during one of our trips...

Colours for the week...

Flipping through the glossy pages of the first issue of the Indian edition of Vogue, I came across some images that I liked.

This colourful, rustic look by Sabyasachi Mukerjee for aza bride.

Very seductive, sensual pictures by Prabuddha Dasgupta for a feature on Traditional Indian Jewellery. Here are some of them...

Have a great colourful week ahead...

A Palace for Ayurveda.

Kalari Kovilakom or the Palace for Ayurveda is located in the old princely capital town of Kollengode in the foothills of the Annamalai range, Kerala, India.

Kalari Kovilakom was built in the 19th century and the name 'Kalari', comes from the fact that it was built on a site that contained a ritual space for 'Kalaripayattu', Kerala's ancient martial art.Hand painted wooden fresco in the 'mandapam'

Today it has been restored by the CGH Earth Group into an unique experience of wellness. The palace has two main wings the Old Guest Wing with old colonial western styled rooms & Palace Wing which has traditional Kerala architecture.
A typical room in the Old Guest wing, a section of the palace built specially for visiting European visitors and see the lovely four poster beds and 30's style floor tiles.Amazing carved wooden panels on the ceiling with vegetable dyes. Kalari Kovilakom with beautiful hills in the background.
Kalari Kovilakom's breezy dining area with plenty of light and fresh air. Look at the red oxide flooring:-)

The empty spaces have been converted into beautiful bedrooms retaining the charm of carved doorways.Go in for the ayurvedic experience, learn yoga or Kalaripayattu, de-stress with many herbal massages, eat simple & healthy food prepared in the ayurvedic kitchen.
So what are you waiting for?
Start planning your next 'Ayurvedic Holiday' soon.
De-stress, rejuvenate, relax and forget about your worldly worries while you are treated like royalties in the Palace of Ayurveda.

( images from http://kalarikovilakom.com/)

Update...

One hour maybe is not working, but two hours is definitely working:-) * My creative juices have been flowing, thanks to the internet cut down time.(See this;-)
* Been taking loads of yummy food pictures.
* Finger-painting with Mallika, though I seem to enjoy it more than her.
* Reading The Kite Runner & One Hundred Years of Solitude simultaneously.
* Eating bourbons and drinking spiced apple cider.
* Toast with roasted garlic and olive oil (I love the taste & aroma of roasted garlic)
* Cleaning my cupboard, strangely clears the cobwebs in my mind:-)
* Waiting for Indian Idol finale.
* I wake up with the voice of KK singing 'Ajab Si' echoing in my head.
* Enjoying the changing season, a nip in the air and warm blanket around me.
Happy Weekend!

Please take a seat...

...relax,
make yourselves comfortable
and let me show you some interesting seating ideas from Incredible India... Beautifully carved Shekawati chairs from Rajasthan teamed with colourful embroidery cushions.
The planter's chair or the easy chair is my all-time favourite. How can you not relax your tired torso on the curve of this piece of art & prop your legs on the arm rests?

A folding easy chair with colourful fabric for those hot sultry days.

The cool swings, jhoolas or hichkars from Gujarat.The to and fro motion of the swing can put anyone into a state of bliss.

Chettinad style furniture from South India.
This eclectic piece from North India shows the mixing of Imperial, Empire & Indian style.
Lovely wood and cane sofas with red cushions.
A caned daybed from Kerala placed between two open doorways provides a breezy resting spot.
Look at this lovely 'Sociable' -this is a Victorian style furniture still found in some of the old colonial mansions in India.
An old Goan wood & cane divan.A Regency inspired Indian sofa made in Goa fills up an otherwise bare room.

I Love Bhaitaks -A floor level seating arrangement that comprises of thick soft mattresses placed against walls and loads of decorative cushions & bolsters thrown in to at a burst of colours.An Anglo-Indian influence in the form of a Victorian design settee.The humble Charpoy turned into a charming piece of furniture by Stringbedco, they make amazing charpoys with modern sensibilities.
The Rattan chairs and settees are excellent for indoors as well as outdoors.

Enjoy these while I curl up on my favourite sofa with a cup of chai.

( images from eruditiononline.com, Indian Style, Stringbedco, Inside Outside Magazine)

Life in a 24hr broadband internet age...

I have four blogs, a flickr account and a daughter...

I have been asked many times how I manage to do all this and more.

Well, everyone goes through a phase in their lives when some thing just consumes the whole of them and becomes a integral part of their life. I started blogging a little over a year ago and from then on it's become a way of life.

Blogging become one of the many colours of my life...

As much as I love sharing and getting inspired in the form of blogging & flickring, the amount of time I spend online is enormous and it eats away into my time, that I used to spend enjoying my other colours of life.

Some of my other blogger friends have done it and I plan to do now. No, no I am not taking a break!

I plan to limit my internet time to an hour a day...!

One Hour!

How am I going to blog, flickr and visit all those amazing blogs?

Honestly, I Don't know.

Meanwhile let me leave you all with the aroma of freshly baked Cinnamon Rolls and the dreamy music of 'Om Shanti Om' that I have been listening on re-play lately.

You can watch the trailer of the lovely song- 'Ajab si' here.

Ganesh Chathurti celebrations at home...

Ganesha Chathurti has to be one of my favourite festivals.

* A festival where the whole family comes together to celebrate 'Ganesha' -the elephant god, the remover of

obstacles.
* The day when my husband gets fresh clay and let's his creativity flow to create a beautiful idol of Ganesha.
* Mallika's grandparents come down to be part of the festivity and give their blessings.
* Morning begins with the vedic chantings.
* Auspicious-ness is in the air.
* Everyone works with festive enthusiasm.
* Mango leaves are strung at the entrance of the house.
* Colours from various flowers fill up the home.
* The aroma of saffron & cardamon permeates from the kitchen.
* Ganeshas from my collection come out to be part of the get-together.
* The colour & fragrance of sandalwood paste & kumkum has not left my fingers.
* All the family members contribute towards the preparation of the menu.
* Modaks, Ganesha's favourite is prepared by the skilled hands of my mother.
* Mallika's creativity overflows in the form of a mouse idol. ( the vehicle of ganesha)
* Family prays to Lord Ganesha to remove all the obstacles and ensure happiness & peace in life.
* Satisfying of the senses with the colours of the flowers, the melodious voice of Shubha Mudgal singing Mangalswara, the aroma of melting jaggery & eating the sumptuous lunch consisting of 8 to 10 different dishes...

Now you know why this festival is so special:-)

Happy Ganesh Chathurti to all of you and hope the Lord removes all your obstacles and fills your life with happiness!

Ganesha idol on a bed of beetle leaves ready for the pooja.Fruits & flowers for the Lord

My husband's eco-friendly handmade Ganesha
My Ganesha collectionCoconut and jaggery stuffing for the modaks