Butterfly in Forum!

 


Look what I found in Forum -- a butterfly!! Made up entirely of paper cups [ a lot of papercups to be wasted!! ]. But it does say a lot if you think about it.

Bobby da dhaba

 

Bangalore loves all the good things - Technology, Food and Travel, Photography, Cultural Events, everything! That is the spirit that got me to Bobby da dhaba. This is one place where you can find good Punjabi food in Bangalore.

[ For those who are not aware, a dhaba is Punjabi for an eatery. The food is normally awesome. In older days a manji or khaat would be placed in the open air while the food was cooked in the dhaba kitchen. Now tables and chairs have taken the place of a manji but food is still eaten in open air. Btw, manji or khaat a is a bed with coir tied tightly to a bed structure typically found all over India. ]

The ambience - typical dhaba. No frills and fancies!! The food - amazing. The queues - long :-) People wait in the hot afternoon sun to have their lunch.

Bobby da dhaba is strategically placed; right next to the Alsur Gurudwara. Looks like a run down place [ this will change as they will be shifting to the opposite side near Photo Flash ]. Take left from the Gurudwara and you will find a shanty which [ of course ] you will not believe is the dhaba.

You place the initial order with the person at the counter and wait for your turn to sit. They call out your name and offer you a table which you will be sharing with some strangers unless you are atleast four people in your group. What I absolutely liked about the place is that while you are waiting, your initial order is being taken care of. There is none of the waiting time that fancier restaurants take.

Our methi ke paranthe just melted in our mouth!! I couldn't help eating another piece the moment the first was tasted. Lassi was good too, spicy. And paneer ke paranthe actually had lots of paneer [ which many restaurants fail to understand should be the main ingredient to have in paneer ke paranthe ]. Two people whom we shared our table with had ordered kheer as well and one of them said that he preferred the kheer in Bobby da dhaba to the one made at home!!

We ordered:

Methi ke paranthe - 4
Paneer ke pranthe - 2
Lassi - 1
Shahi Paneer - 1

Total cost -- Rs. 110/-. Pretty good for a whole meal for two people right here in Bangalore!! [ btw, the lassi is served in a tall glass so please ensure you can drink it all, I did :-) ]

This is my entry to my first online event - Latest eat-out in B'lore

Heaven in small pieces

I've always thought of Lal Bagh in that way. Tall stately trees; birds and squirrels chirping all day; people taking an easy stroll. There's no hurry in this bubble of time; no agitation. Life moves on at it's own sweet pace. The roads inside Lal Bagh are wider than many places in the Bangalore city adding to its many attractions [:-)].

With 240 acres of parks and a lake Lal Bagh is just the right place to visit if you want to take a very long stroll on an evening.

Lal Bagh is also a favourite with people who have gardens. It is nestles a huge nursery. Many a times I visit LB just for walking through the nursery. The variety of plants is amazing. Add to it the down-to-earth prices!! Someday I hope to have a garden to plant any and every tree I want. And I know where I can get them :-).

The lake in LB is also beautiful. Ducks, monkeys and lilies [and I'm sure there are fish, for you can't have ducks without them] abound in and around the lake. The fringe of the lake is adorned with coconut palms. When clouds reflect in the lake waters it makes a lovely scene to admire with your loved ones [I had my parents with me :-)].

Twice a year LB hosts flower shows [I've not been lucky enough to go to one of these]. But I was lucky enough to be at the Mango Festival last summer [and looking forward to this year's festival]. Mangoes from all over the country pay a visit and enthrall people. I believe I have seen quite a few varieties of mangoes but what I saw at the festival was beyond words.

I saw people buying mangoes in dozens of kilos. I'm sure those mangoes would have travelled across the country!! Considering the prices at which you could get some of the rarer mango varieties no one can resist buying like that.

There is so much more to LB which I cannot cover in one post and hence, will defer till later. Perhaps, in the meanwhile more knowledgeable people will share their views by commenting in this post.

Cubbon Park

Last weekend my buddy Vish and I went to Cubbon park to photograph the park. And this time I will not talk but let the photos do the job :-) [Sandy, this one is specially for you]

"Lakes" in B'lore

Bangalore had some good rains this year. This was invitation to check out the outskirts. My buddies and I decided to take a look and what we found was pleasantly surprising. Reason - there are still plenty of ponds that fill up every time it rains. They are scenic.

In the dry days people use them for all sorts of purposes. Then it rains. Now the ponds assert who they are. And who they are is attracting a lot of attention.

Builders have realised that B'lore is better known for its natural beauty so why spoil it! Two beautiful ponds that we saw had builders queuing up to buy the land around them and turn them into the centrepiece for an apartment complex. A move much more welcome than drying and filling up the ponds and then using them for construction. Of course, the "lake view" apartments/villas will be much costlier than some other place but at least this preserves the water and beauty reserves of B'lore.

One of my cousins has bought land near such a "lake". The builder has taken up the charge of cleaning up the lake and maintaining it. A small amphitheater has been built on one side. A wire wall has been built around the lake so as to prevent kids from falling in. Both these put together gives young children and their families lovely open space as well as safety.

More such endeavours can be seen. Perhaps in the coming years B'lore will once more gain the reputation of being a city of lakes and gardens.