The Menace of Monkeys

Monkeys are found universally. In India monkeys can be seen from North to South. and from East to West.The monkey population is enormous in rural  as well as urban areas. Even in a place like Delhi the monkeys  are innumerable.The population of monkeys  is on the  increase. They are a  source of great nuisance. Recently  I  read  in The Times of India  that  senior  Officials of the Municipal Corporation  of Delhi  petitioned in the Supreme Court of India that they should be relieved of  their duties  of controlling the monkey population.Their numbers have increased beyond control.The reason is that people give them food. Monkeys are considered  to be the  living representation  of  Hindu God Hanuman.  The officials feel that as long as the people feed them,this menace cannot  be controlled.About two years back a senior civic official died when a monkey attacked him in his house. After this incident the authorities  become active  and made efforts  to shift  the monkeys  to far off  forests,but  no positive results were seen .
  The monkeys  happily continue with their antics. There is a comic side to many of these monkeys'  aggressiveness.   Some of these antics ,though a source  of nuisance, are amusing and bring a smile.I will narrate some personal experiences with the monkeys and some which  have been  shared by friends and relatives.

•  Our colony witnesses  attack by  hordes of monkeys in intervals.Some times a lone monkey enters the house,opens the frig and takes away the fruits. He will,then as if to tease us, sit on the parapet wall merrily eating the fruits and throwing  down the seeds and the skin.
• We had planted corn in our kitchen garden.  A naughty fellow pulls out the ripe ones and consumed them .
• Many a time a whole crowd will  raid the garden and destroy all the plants.
• I remember  that when I was the Principal of a school a class teacher had collected  fees from the children which amounted to a big sum. She kept her purse on a table and was taking her meals, when a monkey just landed from nowhere,took the purse and ran away.She started shrieking but the devil ran away with it and within  a minute or two was seen sitting on the parapet of wall of the roof top. There was great chaos in the school. All the staff and the pupils crowded in the compound watching the high drama that was being enacted. The clever monkey held the purse tightly under his arms. All actions failed to take away the purse from him. The roof top could not be reached as there were no stairs leading to it. A lab.Asst. of the school took an empty purse and climbed up to the roof of a  neighbouring building and waved  an  empty purse as if to tease the monkey. He, then threw the purse in the school ground. The monkeys are known to be copy cats .He too took the purse from his under arm ,looked at it carefully for a few moments and as to tease the person on the next roof top threw the purse down. Ha,ha,ha.
• Another incidence  of a similar type was seen by my  husband in the market place. A monkey  was strolling in the market place. Suddenly his attention was drawn to a dry cleaner's shop.A coat was hanging there.The monkey took a fancy for it.In  a flash he grabbed it and climbed on an electric pole. Any amount of cajoling and coaxing had no impact  on him. He held on tightly to it, and went on to sit on an electric pole.A crowd gathered there. A resourceful person threw a banana  at the the  monkey , presuming that he may throw away the coat.But the opponent was  more clever. He grabbed the banana but held on tightly to the coat. Hey hey hey.
• A very interesting thing happens every weekend, Sundays and holidays. Hordes of monkeys invade the North and South Blocks of Central Secretariat  and take charge of the buildings,which  houses the top most beaurocracy.,including the Prime Minister and  other Ministers of Govt of India.It appears that they take over the reins of the Govt. adminstration  on such days.Oh ,oh, oh.
•  I usually used to work in my office till 60 clock in the evening. Once when I was delayed, a monkey  appeared,  peeped into my room a nd went back He returned every ten minutes, looked inside my office and quietly retracted.I was amazed. What was all that. I called the security gaurd and asked him about the monkey. I was amused when I was told that after I leave my office a  monkey family occupies it and makes it their abode. Thereafter they do not brook any interference.

I want to conclude that the simians cannot be     vanquished and we have  to accept their
  suzerainty at some time or the other.

 

Images courtesy google

From my kitchen Diary xv111

 What to prepare for lunch / dinner? This  question very often arises in the mind of   a housewife. More than  actual cooking ,it is very difficult to decide what to make. You ask your children what would they like to eat  for lunch/dinner. The reply, nine times out of ten, will be 'Mom make any thing'.  The same question you  put to your hubby, the  answer will  be, ' Dear you prepare anything .I love the the taste of every thing prepared by you'. You are  where you started!! Thinking what will be appreciated by the family!!  I have one solution.
Today I  prepared  a dish suggested  by a friend of mine. It was tasty. The most satisfying aspect is that it  was  appreciated by all the family members. It is  a Rajasthani dish  prepared  with Papad. I have  modified it  to give it some different  flavour.
 Papad Curry.
 Ingredients:-
Curd  1 cup
Besan (gram flour) 2 tbsps
Papad  4 small ones.
Boondi   1/4 cup
Cooking oil  4 tsps
Salt as per taste.
Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp
 Chilli powder  1/4 tsp
Garam Masala.
Cumin seeds  1/4 tsp 
Onion   i medium
Tomato 1 or 2
Ginger/garlic paste 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves. for garnishing
Red chilli  1 dried.

Method
.1  Mix Besan and  curd in a bowl, add turmeric powder and  water and stir very well to make a smooth paste.Keep aside.
2.Cut onion and tomatoes finely,
3.Put oil in a karhai add the ginger, garlic paste.Stir for a few minutes, and add the onions and tomatoes. Roast well.Add salt, chilli powder,a pinch of turmeric powder and garam masala. Add water for gravy.After  the water starts boiling, lower the flame and simmer till the gravy thickens.
3.Till the water is boiling, dry roast the papads till they are crisp. Break  them into pieces. and add to the gravy along with the boondi. Allow it boil for a couple of minutes.Remove from the fire.
4.Put  little oil in a frying pan,When the oil becomes hot, add the cumin seeds and whole red chilli. As the cumin seeds start  spluttering , remove  and add this  to the curry. Garnish with coriander leaves.
5.Serve hot. 

The second recipe is for cutlets. Generally  cutlets  are deep fried but I make them on a non-stick Tava and very little oil.
Corn Cutlets
 Ingredients
1.  Corn     2 cups
2. Paneer (cottage cheese) 200 grams
3.Grated ginger  1 tsp
4.Bread slice   1.
5 Besan (dry roasted)   2 tbsps
6. Salt to taste. 
7. Pepper powder 1 tsp.
8.Cooking oil   3to4 tsps.

Method
  Crush the corn  seeds  coarsely. Mash the paneer  thoroughly.Mix the two.  Remove the sides of the bread slice, dampen it  and mix it with the corn/paneer.Add  salt pepper powder and besan. Shape  them round. Temper the non stick tava and roast the cutlets on medium heat     Serve them hot with mint chutney or tomato ketchup. These cutlets may also be deep fried, if you prefer. They can be served as pre-dinner snacks.

Some useful tips

  1.Save the drained juice from frozen or canned fruit and use 
 fruit juice instead of water in your recipe. This is only a good 
 idea if the juice does not have a lot of sugar in it.

2.Bacteria on food will rapidly multiply if it is left at 60 C or above.

    Avoid  keeping food at this temperature for a long time.

  3. Avoid crowding food while deep frying.The food must be 
   surrounded by bubbling oil, and you must keep the temperature 
   from falling too much. If you add too much food to a small 
   amount of oil, the temperature will plummet, and the fried food 

   become greasy and soggy.

  

Why not men's day?

We celebrate Women's Day,  Children's Day,  Sister's  Day  and many other days.

 Why not a Men's Day? Have we ever given a thought to this? Read the following

 few lines and ponder.

 Who is a MAN?

> A man is the most beautiful part of God's creation who starts compromising at a very tender age.

> He sacrifices his chocolates for his  sister.

> He sacrifices his dreams for just a  smile on his parents face.

> He spends his entire pocket money on buylng gifts for the girl   he loves just to see her smiling

> He sacrifices his full youth for his wife and children by working late  at night without any complainl.

> He builds their future by taking loans from banks ,and  repaylng them  for life time.

> He struggles a lot  and still has to bear scolding from his mother, wife  and  boss.

> His mother, wife and  boss all try to control him.

> His life finally ends up only by compromising for others'  happiness.

Respect every male in your life.

You  will never know what he has sacrificed for you.

Worth reading  by  every man to make him smile and  every woman to make her

realise his worth!!

BECHARA MARD...!?

Agar Aurat par hath uthaye to BESHARAM,

Aurat se maar khae to BUZDIL,

Aurat ko kisi ke saat dekh ker ladai kare to JEALOUS,

Chup rahe to DARPOK,

Ghar se bahar rahe to AAWARA,

Ghar me rahe to NAAKARA,

Bachhon ko dante to ZALIM,

Na dante to LAPARWAH,

Aurat ko naukari karane se roke to SHAK KARNE WALA,

Aurat ko naukari karane se na rokey to BIWI KI KAMAI KHANE WALA,

Maa ki mane to CHAMCHA,

Biwi ki sune to JORU KA GULAM...

Na Jane Kab Aayega

"HAPPY MEN'S DAY"

 

Courtesy Google

--

Live and let live

 Live and let live

An old adage ‘A man is a social animal’ has been coming to my mind for the last few days.I have been compelled by my mind to give it a serious thought.We exist in a society.We all need the society as much as the society needs us.It is a  case of give and take,  mutual trust and understanding.Some people adopt the ‘I don’t care’ attitude,but at some stage of their life they come to terms with reality.The question arises  after all what comprises human relations. Human relations as I understand ,is the  interaction  between  individuals .This interaction can be  at the level of:

1. among  the  family  members 2.neighbours  3.work place  associates  and  4.society  at  large  which includes relatives and friends.

 No  one can survive without communication. For  the  water  that we drink,  the delectable food on our dining table , the house  that we live in and  hundreds of luxuries that we enjoy  are the result of  mutual  human involvement.  Even  a  hermit,  living in seclusion, is indirectly the beneficiary  of the labour  of others.   

 We learn our first lesson of maintaining  good will from our family. If a family is well knit and has a positive outlook, it will be transmitted to the members. Here the Mother’s role is very significant.It  is the mother who has to inculcate   good values

 in the children.The concept of  tolerance, concern for the feelings of others  and to a  large extent selflessness  and good behaviour  and co-operation  is acquired by the children  in their early years . These  values get ingrained  in their system. The mother ,therefore,  is  a psychologist, who can  effectively  judge the emotions of her  household.  The  Mother  is the  first and foremost  teacher.

 Next  comes the School. The school plays a very important part  in the development of the child.  The character  building process starts within the boundary of the school.The qualities of  sharing,  give and take  and shouldering responsibility  are acquired at the school level. It is within  the precincts of  the school  that the qualities of  head and heart  and  discipline are imbibed in the individual  and  equip   him to face the challenges  of   life.  Education  will not be   complete if the child is not  exposed to the vagaries  of  the harsh world.  It is generally noticed  that the  children who have not  taken  any  formal education are by nature  not very  co-operative   and do not possess a very pleasing disposition. The  habits that we have acquired in childhood in our school  and college  always remain with us. In fact these experiences form  the basis  of human relations.  Education  leads us to the royal path of virtues   like  equanimity,  good will  and  fellow feeling.         

 As we grow  we   come across various characters,  young and old,  pleasant and not so   pleasant, fun loving and morose. We have to tackle  them  all. Human  nature varies from person to person. We have to adjust  with every one. I  have  come across  characters  of all sorts during the course of my professional life. Dealing  with  human beings enabled  me   to  judge the natural  bent of mind  of individuals  to a great extent.The test of  a person’s credibility  in maintaining harmony starts from home.We have many times noticed  that  some people  who  show exemplary behaviour ,have a co operative  approach  and are very helpful  to others in the outside world  are  dictators at home.They are intolerant  and  virtually  abusive  and insensitive   towards the feelings and  requirements of their own family. Such  persons    are   utter failures  in  life. If we are good  within  the four walls of our home,   it is beamed  on our  face  and personality. We are all familiar with the saying that   charity begins at home.But at the same time it should not end there.

 While browsing through the Internet I chanced to see a formulation  titled ‘Ten  Commandments of Human Relations”. I am reproducing it below for ready reference  and emulation. Here I also acknowledge my indebtedness  to the author of this  Happiness formula :

10 Commandments of Human Relations Speak to people. There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting. Smile at people. It takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile. Call people by name. The sweetest music to anyone's ears is the sound of his own name. Be friendly and helpful.If you want friends, you must be one. Be cordial.Speak and act as if everything you do is a joy to you. Be genuinely interested in people.You can like almost everybody if you try. Be generous with praise...and cautious with criticisms. Be considerate with the feelings of others.There are usually three sides to a controversy: Yours, the other fellow's and the right side. Be eager to lend a helping hand.Often it is appreciated more than you know. Add to this:a good sense of humor, a huge dose of patience and a dash of humility. This combination will open many doors and the rewards will be enormous.

Welcome old age or is  it  golden age!! The beauty of childhood and the glory of  youth has given way to quietitude and tranquillity of  old age.Looking backward I see not only a life of  fulfilment and success but  also that of trials and tribulations. The arrival of old age  has unfolded  new hopes and aspirations of a kind never  experienced before.Our life is now  more regulated.We find pleasure in things which we never even noticed  before. We have all the time in the world to  give fruition to  our hobbies and desires  lying beneath our  subconscious mind.
       I spoke to some oldies  to know their views about ageing.Majority of the people feel that they are now relaxed and at peace with themselves. I remember Somerset Maugham's  words,
'Old age has its pleasures,which though different,are not less than the pleasures of youth'.It has been observed that  as we grow older, we become more tolerant;we acquire the ability to control our emotions  much more notably than when we were young.The transition from youth  to old age is much more smooth  than we anticipated.A very unique  feeling of  spiritual  glory overtakes an individual.The vision of the God Almighty which  brings harmony and a sense of surrender  is  visible. This is not to say that  in a youth  there are no such emotions but  with the passing of years this affinity   with the Supreme comes to the fore.
   There is no doubt that physical infirmities slowly  make their way and take charge of the human body.One has to be  fortunate  to  be spared of the onslaught  of these irritants. Fading vision ,  hearing capacity   diminishing, and weakening of  joints  are common ailments of old age.In olden days such problems might have prevented people  from performing their daily  activities but  now  prompt and effective  medication is available at affordable  price and do not in any way become a hurdle in performing   daily chores. Now is the time to observe and enjoy the wonders of nature, little birds twittering ,squirrels running at jet speed and  hordes  of  monkeys descending  from no where and disturbing the  flora and fauna  of the neighbourhood!! In our  younger  times where was the time  to even notice  such  captivating and bewitching sights.A saying by a famous poet' Sans eyes, sans teeth, sans every thing', no longer holds true in  the modern age.
 Most important  factor at this age  is  family bonding which tend to get  strengthened  in old age. In our youth we were so much engrossed  in our profession that  we  could hardly pamper and  cuddle  our children.  We were more concerned about  teaching them good manners and  disciplining them.  Now when  we are  old we are more indulgent towards our grand children. Every move and every action of our grand children  thrills us .The roles are now reversed. In fact  they   decide and dictate and  we don't have the heart to disappoint them!! To maintain  harmony  and peace we allow our children  to have their  own space and  privacy. They are where we were once! They must have the liberty to manage their affairs.
         It  is unfortunate that  in some households harmonious relations  are not maintained. On one side the aged parents  feel neglected  and on the other side the children   treat   their  own parents as  a  burden. Generally  lack of understanding and adjustment lead  to such a situation. In fact both sides  need counselling.
  I  must end with a happy note that old age  is melodious and  not malicious.




















      

From my kitchen diary 17

To day  I intend to make sandwiches ,which I  had taken  yesterday,The sandwiches were so yummy that I HAVE to share the recipe with friends. The sandwiches were made by my  talented grand daughter, Ramita. Once I had made Sandwiches,  and she had  named   them Dadi special sandwiches.. Today in appreciation, I am naming these as Rom's Special  Surprise.

Ingredients:

1.Breadslices  8

 2   Cheese spread  4 tbsps.

3.   Capsicum       1    (cut into small pieces and squeezed)

4.  Tomato     1 medium size (cut intosmall pieces  and squeezed)

 5. Corn        1 tbsp

6.  Olives       4  (crushed)

7. Tomato Ketchup 1 tbsp

8.  Oregano  1 pinch

9   Salt  as per taste

10   Pepper  1/4 tsp

11  Basil leaves  2

12. Butter  1 tsp

Method

The sandwiches can be grilled or  taken as simple  sandwiches.If you want them simple, you may cut the sides of the slices  otherwise the slices may be taken  as they are.

In a  bowl  put the ingredients (s. no.1 to  s .no 11).Make a paste by mixing  lightly. On one side of a bread put very little butter and the other side spread the paste evenly.  Press lightly. Cut them in any shape you like  or  keep them for grilling, till they are brown and crisp. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grand son becomes a Doctor

Today is a great day.The year 2012 is coming  to an end in the next few hours...Reflecting on the by gone days and years, one becomes  nostalgic .Today my grand son has become a Doctor. My memory races twenty two years  backward. That was the day, when my daughter  became a doctor.Time has come a full circle. Today The  31st December 2012 her  son has become a Doctor. Several years ago  I contemplated to go for a Doctor's degree,but could not achieve my goal. My daughter and grand son  have successfully reached  the destination which  I could not. They have  in a way brought my dreams  come alive. My blessings are with them.Incidentally I may state my son-in -law too, is a very efficient  doctor.
                                        Tejas, my grand son,  has always been a studious child. As the saying goes,'coming events cast, their shadow before', Tejas was a brilliant student right from his Nursery/KG  and showed signs of achieving greater heights.  Besides studies  he  is an achiever in debates and  quiz competitions. He also has a flare for writing. He has made the whole family proud.We wish him  all SUCCESS in life.