Tag: ritika bhandari parekh

Categories
Read

Review: The Year I Met You

Set in Ireland, this Cecilia Ahern novel gently, slowly reels you in with its philosophy on love, life and friendship.
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

I read this book around Valentine’s Day this year, and it was worth the time I invested in it. Cecilia Ahern’s latest book, The Year I Met You, is quite unlike her previous novels. This one, set in her home country of Ireland, keeps us guessing on the love quotient in the story.

The plot revolves around Jasmine and Matt, who are neighbours, but have no idea that the other exists. Both are workaholics, and their paths intersect due to some pretty interesting circumstances. Soon and steadily, the author introduces us to the world as Jasmine sees it. A high-flying job involving the selling of start-up businesses, an older sister with Down Syndrome, a father who remarries and a ‘gardening leave’ clause in her contract are the reason for her turmoil and happiness.

Matt, on the other hand, is a famous and controversial radio jockey. His drunken rants introduce us to his family. But it is his unlikely relationship with Jasmine that is the cause of more than a seasonal change in his life.

Ahern sketches the character of Jasmine in minute detail by taking us through the constant talk in her mind. With no job (she gets ‘fired’ subtly), Jasmine tries her hand at gardening. Though futile at first, she tries and eventually succeeds with some neighbourly help and guidance from YouTube videos. As the months go by and the new seasons come, Jasmine’s life picks up. While most of us would love to take a break and do some soul searching, Jasmine is handed an opportunity on a platter.

Her insecurities, manic moments, suspicious behaviour, peeking from windows…all of these habits make the reader eager to know more about her story. Her bond with Heather, the older sister, verges on motherly affection and a guilt-ridden sibling love. The writing charms the reader and prompts him to look beneath the exterior and scrape off the superficial to reveal the truth about Jasmine’s philosophy in life.

If the book was a movie, it would have two parts and the second part would be more interesting; this is where the novel actually reels you in. One has to reach that part patiently, where the intrigue sets in and the story flows naturally from that point on. Like a caterpillar, the story progresses and as the seasons change, its metamorphosis into a butterfly is revealed.

With secondary characters to support Jasmine, the book is a lengthy read. But if it is for the love of reading you have picked up the book, Ahern doesn’t disappoint. With sprinkles of love in the story and friendship amongst the most unlikely candidates, The Year I Met You is worth a dekko.

Order the book from here.

(Picture courtesy thebookwormery.wordpress.com)

Categories
Places

A Buddhist temple at Worli

Blink, and you’ll miss it – look out for the sublime aura of the Nipponzan Myohoji temple at Worli Naka.
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

Amidst the lovers waiting to reach the Worli sea face and the cars honking to go home, Worli Naka was engulfed by the flag-waving bike riders celebrating the India-Pakistan match victory in the 2015 ICC World Cup. Our search for the oldest Japanese-Buddhist temple in Mumbai on this day was met with curious glances from passers-by. I, fleetingly, remember a Japanese inscription written high on the walls of a shrine each time we passed the locality. But that evening, I was destined to experience its tranquil nature.

The Nipponzan Myohoji temple at Worli was built in 1952 by Jugal Kishore Birla. Legend has it that the philanthropist and Gandhian built the simple shrine on being impressed by the Buddhist philosophy imparted by a Japanese monk (Bhikhu) Nichidatsu Fuji. Fuji had come to India to fulfill and gain knowledge from the prophecy of a 13th century monk named Maha Bodhisattva Nichiren.

Nichiren had said that the ultimate salvation for all humanity lay in the western land (according to Japan’s position on the map) known as India, the place where Buddhism originated. With an all-welcoming attitude, the temple is witness to the changing nature of Mumbai.

A sublime experience

Once inside the premises, I heard the chant of ‘NaMu-MyoHo-Renge-Kyo’ mantra and in a second, all noises faded. The stress of a sleepless afternoon didn’t disturb me, as I took in the beautiful facade of the simple temple. It was evening time and we saw the resident monk, Bhikshu Morita, sitting and softly chanting the lotus mantra.

With just the two of us in the temple, i.e. my partner and myself, we explored the area leisurely. Quite a few clippings of the temple’s narrative along with Morita’s younger days are showcased in one corner. But if you glance up, you will be taken on a tour of the story of the Buddha – painted with vegetable dye.

While the main statue of the Buddha is made of marble and placed right in the centre of the temple, one will get a peek of other Buddha statues in different poses. One standing under the Bodhisattva or the Tree of Enlightment, another sitting in meditation, with another lying horizontally.

What catches the eye is the huge Japanese drum, being played in sync with the lotus mantra. There were two more devotees, who played to the beat on smaller tennis-shaped rackets. The hand-held rackets had the lotus mantra written on them.

As we went ahead, the monk urged us to silently go inside the main chamber and pray to Lord Buddha. We bowed our heads and took the prasad. Then we read about the birth of Buddha as Prince Siddhartha and saw a few postcards from different countries with wishes for the New Year.

And slowly, just like the setting sun we made our way out and back to the busy street. But this time the rush in our steps was not there. Just the calmness of our mind accompanied us.

Visit the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist temple located near Hindu Smashan Bhoomi, Jijamata Nagar, Worli.

 (See more pictures at www.facebook.com/themetrognome.in. Pictures courtesy Ritika Bhandari Parekh)

Categories
Hum log

A sweet little cheese story

You’ve eaten ghar ka makhan, but have you tasted handmade cheese yet? Enter Mausam Jotwani and her awesome cheesy tales.
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

Imagine an alternate universe where Willy Wonka was not a chocolatier, but a cheese maker in the concrete jungle of Mumbai. With no space for a factory, he decided to convert his refridgerator into a temperature and humidity-controlled cave to get through his cheesy ways. Now also imagine Mr Wonka to be a 28-year old woman, and you have Mausam Jotwani, an urban cheese maker with the brand ‘Eleftheria Cheese.’

Mausam JotwaniAn HR professional at CapGemini, Mausam doesn’t remember the last time she had processed cheese sprinkled on her pizza because she makes her own cheese and sells it too. Her fresh, spreadable cheese also known as Fromage blanc is what finds its way to a crusty baguette. “It all started when I had gone to Germany as a teenager. I was studying the German language and that is the first time I had artisan cheese,” she says. Unlike the Amuls and the Brittanias, her palate was exposed to a gamut of handcrafted cheese which were fresh and interesting.

Her tryst with Germany continued through her work commitments. She continues, “Every time I would try different varieties of cheese and sourdough breads there. I was actually, quite amazed with the explosion of flavours. I never thought cheese could taste so good and that’s how I got very interested in it.”

The journey

She remembers how in 2011, when she was completing her masters in HR in the United Kingdom, cheese became a part of her daily diet. “Just like we have vegetables, I had it in my fridge all the time. Once I was back, I missed eating it. At that time, handmade cheese was not readily available. And because I had tasted the good stuff, I decided that if I can bake my own bread then why not make my own cheese?”

She read, googled, watched videos and graced her bookshelf with the Fundamentals of Cheese Science. The science and art behind creating cheese intrigued her and when her first batch flopped, she realised it was not that simple. She imported the ingredients and made another batch of fromage blanc. “I took it to my office and gave it to my colleague. And the next day, she had made a cheese cake out of it!” she exclaims. “I was like, is this my cheese? My colleague loved the consistency and texture and was willing to pay for the next batch.”

Amazed and stumped, Mausam loved the appreciation and the fact that somebody would pay for it excited her. Started as a hobby, soon the joy of creating and making cheese with her own hands from scratch prompted her to come up with Eleftheria.

Hobby to side-business

“Eleftheria actually, means ‘freedom’ in Greek. While brainstorming for the name, the thought process was to choose something that I would like even 10 years down the lane. The word ‘freedom’Cows Milk Fetta_Eleftheria Cheesepopped in my head as it gives me immense freedom to go out there, explore and experiment. It gives me freedom from the corporate world as well. And in the end, it is freedom from processed cheese,” she grins.

Mausam’s passion for cheese and learning new languages combines when she has to decide names for the different cheeses that she makes. “Recently I made this saffron-infused cheese and I call it Netania. You see the famous cheese names like Mozzarella, Brie, Gruyere and more can’t be used as they are protected. So unless I use the milk from the same breed of cows and buffaloes they use, I can’t term them so. This gives me the pleasure to invent and christen my cheese creations, which I love.”

Her struggles

A mini cheese appreciation club – that’s what she calls the feedback session from her friends. “Making cheese is not about just reading a recipe and reproducing it. It is about the raw material, mainly milk, that goes into it. One has to understand how milk reacts at different temperatures, which cultures go into it, how do these cultures behave, what role does temperature and acidity play and more such small details,” she explains.

With the weather in Mumbai acting up, she had to constantly reassess and modify the recipes. “Also good quality milk is of paramount importance, because your cheese is as good as your milk. How you actually separate the milk solids and what you do with these solids, gives each cheese its own character.” Hence, feta tastes different than a parmesan and cheddar. Today, she sources her milk from a farm in Igatpuri and maintains high quality standards.

Another battle on her home front was convincing her parents. “I was working seven days a week and they thought I had gone mental. So it was a task to make them realise that the cheese we were eating was not actual cheese, but a homogenised version with 51 per cent milk and rest all preservatives and emulsifiers. And the reason my cheese tasted different was due to the freshness.”

IMG_8798Luckily, they sensed her passion. So when she is out on exhibitions, her brother helps while her bhabhi is the official taster. Mausam also has a mentor who guides and fine tunes her recipes. “He is a pioneer in the cheese making industry. He started 20 to 25 years ago, when people didn’t know what mozzarella was. I have been fortunate enough as it has been a constant learning process, under his tutelage.”

Her dream

“With Eleftheria, I want to give an Indian touch to cheese. I wish to make a fresh, handcrafted cheese with locally sourced ingredients that is inspired by Mumbai and India.” So while paneer is Indian cheese, she would love if someone visiting Mumbai would make a point to try and take back Eleftheria cheese for being tasty.

With plans only for quality stuff and iconic cheese, Mausam hopes that cheese finds a way to be a staple part of the Indian diet. “It is not only a concentrated source of protein, but also elevates the mood just like good chocolate. It is a healthy choice for breakfast, too.”

She leaves us with this anecdote: “Cheese is milk’s sleep into immortality.”

To order your own handcrafted artisan cheese, follow Eleftheria Cheese on Facebook or visit their website www.eleftheriacheese.com

(Pictures courtesy Mausam Jotwani)

Categories
Wellness

Understanding the FX Syndrome

Have you heard about the FX Syndrome? It is caused by a genetic mutation and it affects several young boys.
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

Every new born baby’s face is searched diligently for signs of its mother or father’s features. It could have its mother’s eyes or its father’s nose. But apart from these obvious physical attributes, how can one know if the genes responsible for that baby are normal or have gone haywire?

One major impact of this can be the genetic condition known as the Fragile X syndrome (FXS). FXS is caused by a gene mutation in the FMR1 gene, at the time of conception. The FMR1 gene is important for producing proteins that help in our brain’s development.

As the FMR1 gene is found in the X chromosome, it usually affects young boys and results in mental impairment, learning and communication disabilities. FXS is also a major cause of autism in children. Luckily in India, there is an organisation called the FX Society which helps to support families fighting the FXS.

Ami and Shalini41-year old Shalini N Kedia, chairperson of the Indian FX Society, started the organisation 11 years ago because of a personal experience. She says, “I realised that there is very little information about FX in our country. I wanted to do something about this.” Despite no medical background, she decided to accomplish three tasks for society.

“Our main role is to support the families which are already diagnosed with FXS. We give them accurate information and explain the dos and don’ts when dealing with the child. Since it is a genetic disorder, not everyone is acquainted with the science,” she explains.

“One of our major accomplishments is that we are very well networked all over the country today. So if your child tests positive, they are referred to us. And with our team of gynaecologists and paediatricians, we explain how something goes missing in the brain,” she adds.

Accompanying Shalini in her mission is 37-year old Ami Mehta Kothari, secretary of the FX Society. A trained multi-sensory educator, Ami has 10 years of experience in teaching special needs children. Ami says, “Our society also educates professionals in the country, because many children are not diagnosed because of ignorance. So we try to have seminars and workshops in educating people. Our third major task is to give women information so that they can take an informed decision when they opt for another child.”

Since there is no particular cure for FXS, the problems can be improved with various treatments. These treatments consist of special education, speech and language therapy, as also occupational and physical therapy.

The Fragile X Society is present all over the world, with the maximum research being done in the US. They have created reading and writing programmes for special needs children. “We have all the international level programmes, facilities and therapies available in the country. Last year, we facilitated the opening of Ummeed, a child development centre at Lower Parel. Thus, we can claim that any child who is diagnosed will get the best facility and treatment,” says Shalini.

But the crux of the matter is creating awareness. “The rate at which the syndrome is growing, we are definitely looking forward to take professional help of a PR firm in helping us reach more people,” Ami adds.

So if you know any child in your neighbourhood who has attention problems or is undergoing delayed development, help them reach out to the FX Society in India. Alternatively if your parent or grandparent is having balance or tremor-related problems, ask your doctor about Fragile X testing.

For more details, log on to http://www.fragilex.in or call 022 666 42151/+91-98201 99092.

(Featured image courtesy www.babycenter.in. Image is used for representational purpose only)

Categories
Little people

Being buddeez with special children

A South Mumbai-based programme teaches the value of companionship to special needs children and opens a new world for them.
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

Mumbai is a bewildering city for a newcomer. But give yourself enough time to observe how it works, and you will notice that it has a heart. Entrepreneurs abound and initiatives flourish here because Mumbaikars care. One such initiative is Buddeez.

Ami and ShaliniThe ‘Buddeez’ programme was started four years ago in South Mumbai to offer friendship with a difference. Started by South Mumbai residents Ami Mehta Kothari and Shalini N Kedia, the programme pairs special needs children with normal ones, thus giving each a chance to enjoy the joyous moments of friendship.

What the programme is about

Children with special needs may include those with learning disabilities resulting in dyslexia, or those facing delayed developmental problems causing autism. For young children like them, it is a challenge to have a social outlet for playing or even to make friends. Ami, a trained multi-sensory educator says, “Working with special needs children over the years made me realise that they do not have any interaction with other people, except for their siblings or parents. . I cannot imagine life without having friends, so I felt we needed to do something about it.”

The programme consists of students who volunteer to spend a 45-minute to one-hour session doing activities with a special child. For this, they’ve tied up with BD Somani School, which gives their 11th and 12th grade students an opportunity to become friends with special children. The students also earn grades as a part of their CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) curriculum.

Ami says, “A certain sensitivity and maturity is needed to make the special child feel happy and important. 11th and 12th graders tend to be a little mature and so we have zeroed in on them.”

Shalini says, “We hold two sessions. The first orients the mainstream children with our programme and the special children. The second session is where we talk about the child that they have to be buddies with. So four or five mainstream children who volunteer will have one special child. They are told about the special child’s likes, dislikes, allergies, favourites, peculiar traits. We familiarise the volunteers with this information, so that it becomes easier for them to get his attention.”

The volunteers are friends with the special child for two academic years. From meeting at parks to playing kho-kho or saakli, Ami and Shalini try to incorporate different activities for different children. “Some like to meet at home or play board games, while others love to roam in malls or coffee shops. We encourage volunteers to do activities that these children love,” says Ami.

There is an adult accompanying the volunteers to monitor each session. So if the ‘buddeez’ make pasta for the child that doesn’t like loud noise, the adult keeps a check on both.  Having four or five mainstream children is an advantage because some special kid may just want either boys or only girls to come. So this gives the supervisors the flexibility to adjust.

Success stories

Buddeez is slowly changing how people, especially their immediate family, looks at special children. Ami says, “There was an older special child and his normal younger sibling. The younger one would not play with the brother in the building compound. So one day, all these older boys from BD Somani came and gave him so much importance. They played ball with him and followed his instructions, which gave him a big boost. On the third day, the mother called and said the younger one took the older one down to play – all because the big guys had come and played with the elder child.”

Another incident had a non-responsive child, who for weeks would not play with his ‘buddeez’ group but simply ride his bike. The girls coming for the session were very disappointed with this. But after a few months when the girls were leaving, the child bid them goodbye saying, “See you next week.”

“Since the child was autistic, it was difficult for him to express what he felt. He loved the importance the girl ‘buddeez’ gave him,” reveals Ami.

Shalini adds, “In fact, we make a point to tell them at the orientation that some children will not respond, but don’t give up. They want you there, if they don’t want you, they will push you out.”

The project has the potential to sensitise school children and instill a sense of fulfillment and achievement in them. “They learn to think on their own,” explains Ami. “I remember when we took this child suffering from a lot of allergies and needed gluten-free and dairy-free food, to Priyadarshini Park at Nepeansea Road. He saw an ice-cream stall and demanded one. But the buddeez volunteers realised that he could not have the ice-cream because of his allergy. So one bright child comes up and says, ‘Oh! But he can have orange ice-cream.’ And so we went and got him an orange candy. It makes these children look out for solutions wherever possible.”

Volunteer to be a buddy

“We definitely need more volunteers,” says Shalini. ‘Buddeez’ is currently based only in South Mumbai. “We have special children from Bandra and Chembur who have approached us, but the lack of volunteers makes it difficult for us to go there,” Ami says.

Shalini says, “The attitude that friendship is a luxury for children with special needs, requires a change. It is a necessity, so instead of only working on their reading, writing, math and cross motor skills, we should make an effort to teach them friendship.”

If you wish to volunteer your child for ‘Buddeez’, you can contact Ami Mehta Kothari at +91 9820199092 or Shalini N Kedia at +91 9820028730.

 

Categories
Eat

Go back to the kitchen

In a city teeming with processed foods, lifestyle diseases and rising inflation, cooking should be made compulsory for every individual. Here’s why.
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

It’s time to learn how to cook. Besides getting compliments over time, cooking what you eat will help you respect your body and palate like never before.

Look around the city and you’ll find an advertisement or two on weight loss at every corner. Obesity is one of the major lifestyle diseases on the rise in our country. Blame it on the easy availability of junk food, canned ingredients, the lack of time in our busy schedules, or simply the fear of the kitchen, which has made us prone to this disorder.

Vani HariVani Hari, a US food activist (in pic on left), famously known as ‘The Food Babe’ has a simple solution for maintaining equilibrium in a world of supermarket dinners. She suggests cooking at least 15 meals per week at home. She blogs about how to make better choices at the food section of the market and steer clear of GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) ingredients in your plate.

Everyone – man or woman – should cook

The shocking revelations on her blog related to major food companies like Subway and Starbucks makes one realise how tricky it is to make a healthy eating choice. Luckily, most Indian cities have the advantage of a vegetable market just around the corner and so we should equip ourselves with a few cooking skills. Parents should teach not only their daughter but also their sons how to cook some basic dishes from scratch. The skills will help them survive in the maze of canned foods and their longevity will be attributed to their cooking.

Today, not even milk is free from the grip of the sugar industry, reveals British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. He started the food revolution in the US and Britain to change the way people eat and improve the nation’s health.

Why cook at home?

In his 2010 TED talk Oliver says, “The power of food has a prime place in the house.” He reveals that most Americans have not seen their parents cook and are therefore, clueless as to how to cook besides reheating and thawing frozen food. For him, the culture of eating is passed on at the home.

As a culture, Indian cuisine varies from State to State and even in States, from region to region. So Maharastrian cuisine differs from Konkani with the slight hint of flavours. A Google search willHealthy Indian food reveal how Indians living abroad are trying to make the most of the desi ingredients available to them and recreate the magic of ‘ghar ka khaana’.

With cooking being relegated to the status of an art and Masterchef Australia introducing us to the world of gourmet home cooking, suffice it to say that cooking at home has achieved cult status like never before. People are realizing that home-cooked food is the key to a happy and healthy body. So the next time you are at the supermarket make a better choice and try to pick more real food – one which is not processed or loaded with chemicals.

Lastly, here’s a thought by author Michael Pollanto to sum up, “The most important thing you can do with your health is cook. Cooking is more powerful than any medication.”

(Pictures courtesy www.vedicodyssey.com, wellandgood.com, www.wiseshe.com)

Exit mobile version