Fire trick!

Fire tricks of Delhi chanawalas' are very simple and natural....I found one chanawalla near Karol Bagh, Delhi. Here the Chanawala is trying to wax up the heat of the clay pot to serve warm fried chana to his customers...

As I have told you, the trick is very simple...

The chanawala has managed a small clay pot with some burning charcoal in it. The clay pot has a handle made of iron wire. If you notice carefully, the clay pot has some small holes at upper part of it for ventilation.

After placing some burning charcoal in the pot, chanawala puts small wood pieces to ensure continuous heat. Now, next step is very simple...using the wire handle place the fire pot inside the pile of fried chana.

Warm fried chana is very populer among commuters especially when they are returning home after a day long business in Delhi.

Next time you come across a chanawala, think before ignoring his warm chana with black salt!

[Chana=Chickpea. Chana is also known as chhola or chola in India. Chana is a part of reguler Indian diet and well apprised for its high protein and fiber content! ]

Lonely Boat

A stationary boat in Hugli River, Kolkata. I was really moved by the solitariness of the subject...

Retirement...

I thought to name the post as "Lonely Chair", then gave a second thought and changed it to "Retirement"...but still in dilemma about the appropriateness of the name :(

Happy Birth Day India!!

15th August is the happy birth day of my mother land, India.
Wish her a very good luck and many more happy returns of the day!

After centuries of blood shedding freedom fight India became a free nation from the British rule on 15th August 1947.

Today being a son of her, I wish all of we a happy, peaceful and lovely life. :)

Dacres Lane or Decers Lane? .....Itz simply Tiffin Gali!

If you want to know Kolkata better and test her delicious street foods, Dacres Lane (also known as Tiffin Gaali, decers lane, dacker lane etc.) is a must visit place for you . It is a very narrow and short lane with arrays for food stalls. Decers Lane is one of the populer lunch destination for working people of Kolkata.

Once Kolkata or Calcutta was the Capital of British India and since then the lane is serving lunch for babus. Most probably in 1773, the lane was named as 'Dacres Lane' after Mr. Philip Milner Dacres who was then collector of Calcutta and member of the business council. Gradually the name of the street has become Decers Lane and then Tiffin Gali!

Almost none of the reguler visitor knows the history of the lane....what they know is that the Decers Lane is destination of their quick but heavy, spicy but healthy(subject to your digestion power), sufficient but cheap lunch. Here you will get all the Chinese, Afgani, Western, North Indian, South Indian, veg, non-veg foods with a pinch of Bengali touch ;)..Never mind!

Ohh! One thing more!

We in Kolkata, never finish any meal without sweets. Likely in The Dacres Lane (or decers lane)you will find sweet vendors with their magic stuffs.

In single line Dacres Lane (or Decers lane or Tiffin Gali) is an old example of One Stop Food destination!

[Note: Decers Lane is there in the heart of Kolkata, West Bengal. It is a lane between Esplanade Row (East) and Waterloo Street. Peak hour is between 1pm to 2pm IST. I took the above shots around 2.30 pm and it was still crowded! Apart from small stalls hotels/motels are also there in the lane. You will not get beef or Pork items in any stall here.]

Jhau Gach: The Aussie in Indian Garden!

Jhau Gach or Jhau Gachh is very common shrub of India. Rarely we miss to have shot of our dear one standing in front of a Jhau Gach. Jhau gach is the bengali name of the shrub and I was really surprised to know that nobody care about its origin. When I asked others about the tree they simply replied "Itz just a jhau gach!"

The origin of the tree is Autralia, where it is know are oak or ironwood/beefwood. The name of the genus is Casuarina and there are more than 17 species in the family Casuarinaceae, almost all are native to Australasia.

In India they are known by different names in different parts, like Vilayati Saru in UP, Bihar, MP etc. ; chouk in Chennai and other southern part.

Well! no more gyan enjoy the beauty of the evergreen shrub and next time never forget to have a click in front of them!

Cheers!!!

The Indian Goat to get the top position!

It way a sunny day and as I was walking through a river side lane I got him all of a sudden!

He was standing on the roof of a hut and enjoying the sunlight. I found him very cool with outsider. Without any sign of xenophobia he gave a plenty of time to shoot.

No doubt he enjoyed the whole photo session!
Thank you Mr. Goat!