Thoughts of the Day ~ Farewell!

With a heart so heavy, I bid farewell
to a year that has been the quickest in passing.
With finality that a heart knows well,
know this time will never come back again.
So take time to make memories
to last a lifetime and more!

With a heart so heavy, I bid farewell
for the far off shore that you cross.
Standing as I am on this line,
with the world passing me by swiftly.
I step forward with the guiding hand that does,
So should you with thoughts assured there are
souls that cherish and have the best for you.

I take this moment to thank for all the good
And otherwise that came my way,
for life is never black or white, but shades of green.
I have grown a bit wiser, if not grayed.
for life is a journey not a destination.
happiness as the cap, lets march ahead!

Thoughts of the Day ~ If today was the last!

If today was the last day on earth
Would you still yell at your kid for
catching you in a spot?
Would you not lower your voice
and with a twinkle in your eyes, tell
her not to share the secret out with all?

Would you not hug her tight and iron her
worries out as if there was no tomorrow?
When all is fine and you walk out of the house
the day looks very bright, the trees more green
your wheels spinning out fast, with a song in heart,
with a grin creasing your corners, you feel..

blessed for having lived this moment,
for the joys it brought, for the emotions it stirred.
If you know today was the last day,
tomorrow will be a new beginning.
And you get another chance to feel all the
abundant goodness this life has to offer you!

Thoughts of the Day ~ Learn...

Learn to laugh at yourself,

becomes easy to accept when others do.

Learn to learn lessons from small mistakes

gears you better to avoid bigger ones.

Learn to take pleasure at insignificant events

makes you feel blessed with greater ones.

Learn to enjoy what life offers

You never know what you will miss otherwise.

More than all, learn to love yourself

Makes it easy for others to love you better!

Thoughts of the Day ~ Life is like a salad!

Life is like a salad offered in a bowl.
It is left to you on how you dress it up!
Salt or Sweet, Hot or sour, what you pour into it
Steeps in, to bring out lasting taste, that lasts you a lifetime!

Thoughts of the Day ~ Life is a puzzle!

Life is a puzzle, each piece brings you closer to the big picture..
With every step, with great excitement and joy you uncover the mystery.
With a box of puzzle you have the luxury of shuffling it again to play
But with life you don't. You are offered a piece a day,
A piece once used can't be used again.
Every day is a piece in this game of puzzle called life
So savour the joy that comes along, playing each piece safe,
For once you use up all pieces to solve the puzzle, you are left with none..

Thoughts of the Day ~ Life..

Life is a journey, destiny unknown
With past as a shade, take a step towards the future,
The future a mystery, you got but to live to know.
The dawn dawns in, rushes to usher in the dusk.
With the dawn and the dusk competing with each other,
you never know where the days disappeared.

You may wonder if end to your journey, your destiny or destiny the end of you!
All I know, live today as if there is no tomorrow.
Past was there but in your memory, future still in your dreams.
Ponder over the past for the lessons it taught you.
Think of the future for the lessons it will teach you.

Life is but a shower, a blessing for all it can give you,
Life is a bliss, if you know how to see it through.
Life is an adventure, be always ready for it.
Life is a journey, you are but a passenger!

Thoughts of the day

With rain splashing on the face, a passing thought that the visor is doing its job

With soul raising above the self, with the thoughts that sour high

With breeze strong enough to push you off, manage to hold the bike in place

With thoughts that assure you that these are the moments worth living for

With fleeting glances on the hand that can never heal now!

The hand that was meant to heal will never ever do that now

Emotions so strong well up from within, is it the rain drops running down the cheeks?

No, waves of emotions linger round the eye's corner, ready to swallow you any moment

your heart a desert of feeling, ready to desert you any moment it feels fit.

Perceptions ~ in passing moments!

On a speed limit that might sound crazy, I was zooming past the winds across the bridge. I am never reckless, only the cool breeze and the not so early morning, yet a cool one has that effect on me. I live for the moment, with the past hovering its shadows, a future bright with its silver lining. No other reason to think anything else than the moment that lifted my spirits.

I was minutes away from stepping into the office, the future still unknown. The future is always unknown. It is like moments pass away in oblivion and you are just a spectator.

Do I sound melancholic? I think yes, one feels so much light thinking there is always a touch of melancholy and you are trying to be above it. What's fun in all things being fun and cheerful. Where is that feeling of greatness that comes in when you realize you are the warrior fighting your way out in a dark world!

Announcing My Legume Love Affair, Eighteenth Helping!

Imagine having a love affair again! Yes, I was asked and I couldn't resist again. I started this year with this beautiful event and it's only fitting I end with it. When Susan dropped in a mail, I didn't take more than a second to say yes. After all love affairs are so much fun, especially when it is with legumes. Not a day passes without this being cooked at home.

But hey having said that I hope you will wear creative hat and dish out some interesting stuff.

Ok let me first get into what makes a legume, though many of you know and must have read about it a lot. They may be new folks to be briefed on!

A legume is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or a fruit of these specific plants. Well-known legumes include alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lentils, lupins, mesquite, carob, and peanuts. Fenugreek, Beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, and soybeans are some of the common legumes consumed by humans. Grain legumes are cultivated for their seeds, and are also called pulses. Grain legumes include beans, lentils, lupins, peas, and peanuts.

Though the French refer to any kind of vegetable when they mean légume, we are concentrating only on the pods.

This is originally posted here

So you have a wide choice to choose!

Then we have some exciting prizes offered by Susan (All prizes are awarded to one winner)

1) Selected and purchased by Susan: The Blogger Aid Cookbook

The Blogger Aid Cookbook is not just any cook book, but one in which the recipes have been contributed by food bloggers all over the world. More specifically, one hundred percent of the proceeds from the cookbook will go to the WFP’s School Meals Programme, which benefits an average of 22 million hungry children each year.

I am proud to have contributed something to the cookbook. And I happy that one of you will be a proud owner of this book.

2) Hurst Bean Box - A case of six bags of the winner's choice of Hurst Bean products, suitable for every diet, sponsored by Hurst Bean. (Due to shipping restrictions, this prize can only be awarded if the winner is a U.S. resident.) Susan does not receive any personal product nor financial compensation for her agreement with Hurst Bean to provide this prize supplement for My Legume Love Affair.

Now if I have made you sufficiently excited, lets check out the guidelines for participation!

Prepare any recipe with legumes as the star ingredient. Any cuisine, any course is acceptable as long as it features legumes. Non Vegetarian entries are allowed.

Multiple recipes are permitted (although only one submission will be counted towards the random drawing).

Posts have to be in English.

Post them in your blog between now and 31st Dec ’09. Please provide a link to this announcement as well as a link to Susan's host line-up. Entries without links to both the blogs will not be included in the round up.

Once you are done, send a mail with MLLA in the subject line to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com with the following details.

Your name
Name of the entry
URL of your post
An optional photo

If you don’t have a blog but would like to participate, send an email with the recipe and the above-mentioned details.

Older posts are accepted only if they are re-posted with a link to this announcement.

Please do use the lovely logo created by Susan, in your post.

I hope you will make me overjoyed with the entries that you will send my way! Looking forward to your enthusiastic participation!

Perceptions ~ in the still moments of life!

I knew today that my child doesn't love me as much as I love my mother!
Maybe it is wrong to compare my love with what others can.
But still it hurts!
Maybe a child can only limit the mind to elevate the horizon to its boundaries.
Maybe I haven't given enough reasons to look up on me or put me on a pedestal.
But still it hurts!
For I don't want to be on a pedestal but in her heart, to reach out to me
when she finds herself in distress, to seek my embrace when on flight!
But still it hurts!
Knowing I have fallen short in my own perception of what I was!

White as Snow for the Flower Fest!

Living in flats really curbs of you the pleasure of having your own garden. But that never deterred us from having our own Jasmine and Hibiscus for as long as I can remember.

Infact I remember having the same Jasmine plant for many many years. The flower that bloomed had nearly 7 - 9 petals and was very thick with heavy fragrance. After we lost that plant, we got this one when I came to have my own family. This particular one has been with me for the past five years.

Every year around the season my veranda is scented with this enchanting fragrance from the Jasmine!


The other addition that happened to our little garden was this lily plant that Athamma kept. They give so many flowers in one shot!





Below are the details

Common Name : Jasmine
Botanical name : Jasminum officinale


Common Name : Fairy Lily or White Rain Lily
Botanical name : Zephyranthes candida


Both Jasmine and Lily are my entries to this month's theme "White as Snow" as event that captures flowers in its beauty. Ever since knowing about Flower Fest I had been wanting to paint something based on the theme. Finally was able to send only photos!

The hand!

The hand, when rarely I see it again,

Feels the pain that stings again,

The pain remembering what it must have been

but sadly is now what it is..

The hand, that many prophesied to be

that of a healer, sadly remains to be just a nurture.

But the joy that comes knowing there is still

many a thing this hand can do, lifts the heart!

The hand that feels, gives seed to your thoughts,

The hand that seeks, knows more than what you think.

The hand that reaches out, embraces more than what you need.

Oh I hope you forgive me for the hopes I gave you!

The return of the Hero!

The impending danger was sensed and so the 3 little warriors came out running, eagerly looking around. They knew the aliens can attack anytime! They fervently hoped their knight in the shining armour will be out soon to save them. The flash caught their attention and they turned to see the knight flying in with his weapon in hand. The mighty sword was all the little warriors had their eyes on and the big grin on the hero's face!

The three little warriors flocked around their hero, cheering him to kill the enemies. Each stoke from the hero had them in splits. Their merry at the enemy being killed so fast was boundless. Our hero is no less, he jumped and kneeled to find the right spot, to catch the enemies unaware. After all, there is no thing called fair in war or love!

This is war for sure, love will follow nevertheless. The head count rose up steady with the little one counting 35, 36, 38! Oh the little one is still picking up on Maths, alright! With each one down, the hero looked more majestic. He showed around the shining sword with pride! Fut Fut Fut went the sound, with each killing fell one enemy down!

Confiscating the entire place, the knight returned to his palace, carrying his formidable sword to bask in the glory and laurels waiting for him. He looked at his lovely little kingdom, all save and sound. They now can sleep peacefully.

The brand new bat does a great job of killing all the mosquitoes, grinned the Knight a.k.a my hubby dear!

Perfect Bull's eye!

There was a time when I was making the perfect bull's eye! It came with practice I had, by making it regularly for my brother. I don't think I can now, atleast on the first try. I guess it depends on how frequently used the pan is and how well practiced hand you have! What's with a bull's eye you ask? Well try it yourself.

Why all this sudden reference to bull's eye? Well in my mind, if I had ever a question to know what's perfect, I used to think I can hit it right on the spot by saying perfection can be easily traced to a bull's eye. Nothing else ever comes close to perfection. And knowing that, I also know it takes practice to get at it.

These were the musing running riot when I was on my way to office. The morning hours are what I refer to mayhem, trying to get ready on time. I am at my scatterbrains to see how I can get everything orchestrated to perfection. Mom and Dad keep consoling me that its another couple of years for the kids to grow up and then no such issues to worry about.

But then, couple of years later, we have new set of worries to handle. Is life ever without it? I don't think so, I am grown fonder of the issues that crop up, actually!

Life can only be perfect with all its imperfect deeds or so I think!

A Trip to Arignar Anna Zoological Park (Vandalur Zoo)

The day was unexpectedly hot. With Sunday being the only day I am at home, maybe I felt it more! I had project releases planned for the weekend, so I was expected to work on the Sunday too, but luckily I was free in the end. Assuming that he had to keep the kids occupied himself, hubby dear planned a trip to the famous Vandalur Zoo on Sunday. Being there and on return, I really wondered how he could have achieved it all by himself. Or maybe the kids do behave well when being alone with him.

Whatever, I was happy looking forward to the day's trip. We planned to leave by 9 in the morning, knowing we have miles to walk in the zoo, if we have to see all the animals. The kids were all excited hearing about the planned trip to the Zoo. Knowing I don't have the luxury of rolling out Puris, I planned on our next best Sunday Breakfast, it being the Appam with Tomato Kurma and Coconut Milk. It was too delicious not to miss out enjoying it, so that got us delayed by an hour!

For once I was spared the task of arranging the snacks for the trip, as we can't take in outside food. Before leaving we spent some 10 minutes searching for their caps, which in the end never saw the day light! We finally started at 10 am. Chinnu saying he was also a "diever", sat next to his Dad to show him way. Hubby dear was mightily happy getting an assistant. Chinnu was chanting "Nani Diever" Neni Diever" to his Dad.

Towards the course of the journey, he came back to ask for "Jempu" (Gems), he was looking so sweetly at him, that I had was sad saying no to him, I told him that the zoo folks wont' have us getting food inside, so I missed getting it for the car trip too! Still they managed to sit through the 45 mins drive without much hungama. Though they kept asking when the zoo is going to come. On entering Vadalur, on being alerted, all of them scouted to the windows to check out.

We got down and I was having the camera around ready to catch the action. But sadly realized that with the little ones around, you can hardly keep hold of the camera! I managed to click the Signboard on the entrance. Its called the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, also known as the Vandalur Zoo.

Stats on the Zoo according to Wiki, it is a zoological garden located in Vandalur, a southern suburb 30 kilometers from the city of Chennai, India and 15 kilometers from Chennai Airport on GST Road. The Zoo is contiguous with the Guindy National Park. Founded in 1855, the Park was the first public zoo in India. It is recognized by the Central Zoo Authority of India. Spread over an area of 1260 acres, the zoo is believed to house more than 170 species of mammals, birds and reptiles in about 81 enclosures.

On entering the park, memories of my last visit came flooding in! I was in my third year of college when we had last visited. Dad had arranged for a trip with our colony friends. We were about 25 of us and went in a mini bus with all lunch packed. We almost spent the entire day in the zoo walking all the way to get a glimpse of all the animals. It was one lovely day that will for ever be fresh in mind.

Thinking back on that day, I knew we had great lengths to walk. So we had cautioned Athamma on the walking and warned the kids that we will not carry them! As if they will heed to such warnings, guess we tell them as a consolation to ourselves! After parking the vehicle, we entered to buy the tickets. The entrance fee costs you about 20 Rs for Adults and Kids over 5 yrs its 10 Rs. They even sell snacks that are transferred to the special packing they give in. And check your belongings thoroughly before you enter in.

As you enter in there is a huge water spring which gives you the effect of entering into a kid's play area. Then you have the counter for Lion Safari. If you are lucky, you get the van immediately. I should say we were as we had one waiting right away. We boarded the van, which is well covered with mesh. Whether it is for preventing us from leap out or for the lions from not leaping in, remains to be seen!

When the bus was filled in, the driver locked the door and started the battery operated van. It was a ride worth taking, he drove past the zoo into a secluded area, where the forest starts! Its an open den for the 12 lions that live in the zoo. The driver was ready with questions that were shot at him. He said out of the 12 lions, one just gave birth to 3 cubs, and so out of circle. The new mother and the young cubs will be out for the public by 2 months time. How very exciting!


As we entered into the area, there was a huge door which had double doors that had to be opened manually. Seeing it I remembered Jurassic Park and hubby dear voiced my thoughts saying look ahead we are entering the "Jurassic Park!" The eerie feeling you get almost gave you a feeling of actually entering the den! We saw another van stopped in front. we realized they were trying hard to see something. Few yards away in the dense trees, slept a majestic lion. It was almost blending with surrounding, that it took us couple of minutes to actually see the lion sleeping. Lest it leaps on us, we moved away silently.

The driver then took us to farther end where about 4 lions were sleeping. Each literally having a leg up! The hot climate was getting to them, he said. The excitement that my kids had was infectious. They were literally jumping seeing so many lions. Then after convincing them that we ought to get back, the driver silently turned and we finally came out of the natural den.

Oh, look at those Lions Akka!

Apart from the Safari ride, hubby dear told me that we have another mode to get round the zoo. How nice, I don't remember this facility from my last ride. And more than happy knowing that we don't have to walk round the entire area to catch all the animals. As luck would have it, we had one open car or tramp, whatever you call it, came to the counter. We had utter confusion for few minutes, trying to figure who will sit where. The boys wouldn't let other visitors sit in the same row. And you can imagine the entire crowd smiling and giving us understanding looks with Chinnu bringing the whole place down with his crying!

Spotted Deer!

The car finally started, this is again being a battery operated. You can't hear it passing you. The pathway was crowded with the visitors stopping every step to catch the animals. We were told that the vehicle stops for 10 mins at important places like the White Tiger, Panther, Bengal Tiger, Rhino, Giraffe and Chimpanzee. Each place requires you to walk closer to the den. Both the tiger places were awesome with huge safe covering to prevent the animals from jumping over. The huge crowd gathered were trying to get a proper glimpse of the animals. I am sure if the animals can talk, they will vent out at the curious onlookers!

Ok the Lions were too far away and the place was crowded for me to click a decent picture of it!

Tiger Moving around!

Tiger, Tiger on the prowl!

This is the huge place created for the Tigers!

The Circled area is where the White Tiger was sleeping!

After the Lions and Tigers, the kids were eager to see the monkeys. I said I am seeing them everyday at home, so need not go all the way to see the other monkeys. As the boys still can't understand what I said, it was only Konda was protested for saying that! When we went to see the Cheetah, my camera battery gave way! Bonkers what the heck I didn't even notice the battery and was really upset that I couldn't click anymore pictures. Finally had to use the mobile camera which naturally may not be so clear!

Konda was running around in all the places, while both Peddu and Chinnu wanted to be carried to see these animals. The tour round the zoo lasted nearly an hour, halting to see the snake park also. I don't prefer seeing these slimy creatures but couldn't help it really. So with the lack of camera, used the mobile to click one yawning snake. Sorry in my haste, didn't get the name..We finally came to the air-conditioned King Cobra cage. It was written " To beat the Hot Chennai climate, I live in an Air conditioned place" . We thought after all its the King Cobra!

We didn't have energy for any more and requested the driver to drop us. By then the kids were really hungry. We landed in the Tamil Nadu Restaurant that was inside the Zoo and ordered whatever they had. With Chinnu demanding for something else not on the menu and Peddu asking for Chocolates, while Konda not eating her noodles, we finally managed to get away from the place.

With great relief yet with distraught at the heat inside the car, we started back home. The kids promptly slept through the drive back to reach home by 2.30 pm! Hubby dear was most happy at having slept the day successfully outdoors!

Memories of a trip to Tirumula!

A trip to Tirumala Tirupati takes planning. Its not only a place I love visiting but also happens to be my parent's native place. So you can imagine my joy going back there every time. As I child, I remember traveling with parents to grandparents home by train. Getting up early in the morning, packing our breakfast, which mostly would be bread jam cheese. Even though I love this breakfast, eating it in the train has a special attachment. Those days, the trend of eating bread for breakfast was still catching up. But as expected it was already a norm at home. So it wasn't a new thing for us, though our fellow passengers would look at us with a funny expression.

We normally board the Sapthagiri Express which still leaves by 6.20 am. We used to travel by the AC Chair Car and during the season (which by the way is always) its really full! Even though Dad was working for railways, he has to book the tickets much in advance. We used to set alarm to get up early and then after bath, I would get into the ceremony of getting the bread, jam cheese ready. The entire loaf would be spread with either Jam or cheese with cucumber. The typical English breakfast!

The journey starts when we board the train and every time I get this thrill and excitement on hearing the train hooting to start! The entire journey hardly takes more than 3 hrs, still it used to feel so different. Different because we cross the boarders, meet people speaking different language, act differently or that was what I always felt. Most importantly I get to meet all my Aunts, Uncles and cousins. Though our stay at most times has never exceeded more than three days max, it used to be spent shuffles between the different aunt's place for either lunch or dinner. And come back to grand mom's place for sleeping, which usually was on the open terrace.

So even if we were not able to visit the temple, I used to run to the open terrace and look at the Gaali Gopuram. This is visible all over the city and does have a serene effect on the one who looks at it. For us a visit to the temple is a must at least once a year, if not more than that. And Dad used to take care of all the arrangements. From what I remember it wasn't so crowded as it is now. And it used to more of a resort than anything else. The cool weather with the lovely cottages and less crowd. it used to be a trip worth looking forward too.

Years passed, we frequency to the temple city depending on how the dynamic worked at home. After marriage, we got used to traveling by car, which reduced the distance even further. We have been to the place on all festivals. For every festival, the city adorns a different look. I remember visiting it during Vinayaka Chaturti too, but this time its different. Maybe because as grown up you look differently? Whatever the excitement in seeing huge Idols of Ganesh being taken in vans across the villages, entrance of each village had the sign post saying that it was celebrating the day, was surely a sight to enjoy!

When we booked the tickets months ago, it never struck us that it was Ganesh Chaturti. So knowing it, we decided to get back on time for the pooja. We started here by 10 am. On the way I stopped hubby dear for couple of pictures. Normally with the kids around, we don't disturb hubby dear in his driving and normally reach much ahead to our planning. This time round since I was chatting away non stop, we missed catching up with the miles. He finally said either I can talk or he can hit on the road. Well naturally with the scenes changing so rapidly, I left him to his driving.

We reached Tirupati by 1.30 pm, landed at Hotel Bliss for lunch. As always Hubby dear ordered a south Indian Thali, while I ordered Paneer Butter Masala with Butter Naan. He was teasing me that I can never stop myself from ordering these! Well for all that both the dishes were good. While he enjoyed his pappu, I was teasing him that he is no different. I make that pappu at least twice or thrice, still he was eating only that. After spending some 40 mines on lunch. we started for the uphill drive.

The drive from the hotel to Alipiri is about 10 - 15 mins, on the way the roads were quite crowded and it even drizzled for a while. We stopped to capture the waterfall from the mountains. We can see the waterfalls only when there is heavy rains or during the monsoon. After that we moved on to the check post, where every vehicle is checked before climbing the hill. The police does a thorough job of checking the entire car. Depending on your luck, you get this done fast. Since it was a festival the next day, we hardly found traffic movement on the climb.

Before entering, we had a great opportunity to capture the Garuda in his excellence. The entire road was empty and with the drizzling, we could see fog coming out! The beautiful Garuda standing erect looked too awesome! I could also see the Gaali Gopuram, which is en route to the walking path. Years ago, on my only trip by walk, I remember stopping there for a solid 30 minutes for rest. It was still so fresh in mind, the entire 5+ hrs that we took to climb the stairs. The steps from Gaali Gopuram are really too steep. This time round, we stopped to click some pictures too!

The weather so magically changed from being to chill to foggy. along the way I even clicked pictures which reflected on the side mirror. We reached Tirumala by 3.15 or so. Since the Darshan was booked for 3 pm, we went straight to the counter place. The crowd was comparatively less, the next day being the Vinayaka Chaturti. After a long time, we went using the Sudarsanam Token, which on regular days could even take more than 5 hrs for darshan. This time it took about nearly 2+ hrs. It wasn't the usual pushing and pulling experience at all places. Though it normally gets very crowded near the Maha Dwaram.

We mostly go for the Archanantara Darsanam (AAD), which is between 5.30 am to 6.30 am. In this seva, you are sure you can come out by 7 am at the most. When I was kid, I remember going for this and staying in the temple for sometime as they used to issue only about 100 tickets. Now nearly about 2k tickets are sold and it becomes like any other regular darshan. For this we got to report by 3.30 am. So you hardly get to sleep through the night. The cool air that hits you when you go to temple is not something that can match anything!

So I was remembering that when most people were shouting Govinda, Govinda, and you just move on with the crowd. Sometimes you need not even take the efforts, the crowd pushes you ahead! Finally we entered the sanctum sanctorum or the garbha griha, this is where it gets even more difficult and you just move with the crowd. Including the security who makes sure to push all the devotees. Since the mandap is quite high, you get to see the God as you walk towards the entrance. But its all about 2 -3 minutes is all you get. But I remember, as a kid we have had sevas where we have sat in front of the God for some 30 minutes, yet when you come out you will not remember anything later!

As its hard to enter, it also takes time to come out. Entering and exiting is all in batches. On coming out, you are given pasadham, which is normally a small laddo for AAD, while it can be anything from the Ven pongal, Pulihora, Sakkara Pongal or curd rice. Even to get something is a big blessing but the taste surpasses all that you would've ever eaten! Seriously you simply can't recreate that taste at home or anywhere else! Though I was wishing we would be given Pulihora, I was happy I got to taste the Ven pongal. It was simply superb! Finally we came out and I waited while hubby dear went to collect the Laddoos. For each ticket you will get two laddos. Believe me its just not enough.

We started back, on the way stopped to pay a visit to the Coconut offering. We finally came to the rooms, which we got in the Varaha Swamy Guesthouse. The new building is very good and we have stayed in it the last couple of times. Our room was 204 on the first floor. When we climbed up, we were surprised to see mouse holes next to every room and couple of mice running around. I was too shocked to even utter a word. With the heavy lunch, I wanted to skip the dinner, but we anyways went again. So settled for the small joints that are present near the hotel. You can't expect me to order anything other than parotta right!

After that I said I wanted to walk on the Mada streets. The Four Mada streets surround the main temple and are the roads used during the festival time. During the night, its all lighted with serial lamps and very colorful. We sat there for a while, and reluctantly had to leave as it started raining. Lots of shops which is a attractive thing for kids. Finally came back to our room to settle for a much needed sleep. We had planned to have an early start but were really too lazy!

We started the climb down by 7.30 and stopped in many places for the view. The wonderful waterfall in closer view! The view of the city down from the aerial point. There is a Deer park which is also accessible by the walkers. We stopped for a moment at the Gaali Gopuram and saw the long road ahead! And you can't miss the naturally formed Garuda in the mountains! Before even the government put up the notice board, hubby dear used to show it to us every time we visit. Its just too great to be real!

Finally you reach the huge statue of Lord Anjaneya in all his excellence. These pictures are taken during the night, from our previous visits. The way down has more curves than the up hill and takes more concentration. So I stopped disturbing and enjoyed the view.

On the way back we stopped to meet my uncle. And was able to capture these Ganesh Idols that were on the display. The entire city was brimming with its festival preparation and we were hurrying to do our pooja.

We reached home by 11.30 and took the kids for a tour again. Finally returned and made the neivedyam. Had a blissful pooja and only then had time to prepare the lunch. On the while it was a hectic day but finally had a nap and felt it was a fruitful day with so many activities.