Serendipity

This is a short story about one of those strangers who gradually turned into an acquaintance and eventually become one of my inspirations. I dedicate this to the one who I had accidentally discovered, when my family and I had shifted from Nerul to Kharghar (both in Navi Mumbai), way back in the year 2008. My relationship with him has only blossomed over a period of time. Until recently, it never occurred to me that he could be the subject of one of my blogs. The reason which prompts me to write about him is already becoming the reason for me to see him less frequently, and this thought is making me a bit sad and emotional. Although I distinctly remember that we shifted to Kharghar, in the rainy month of July 2008, I don’t recollect exactly when I bumped into this stranger. I do recall although that it was not for my own watch, but for getting the cells of my wife’s multiple watches replaced, that forced me to go out on a sleepy afternoon of a rainy weekend, looking for an effi

Those who have been following my blog will be taken by surprise by this one. I have changed gear to present to you a different side of mine, which was until recently unknown both to me and my followers. I never knew that I have had an interest in working in the kitchen. Although for the last few weeks I’ve been preparing my own breakfast (which I’ll present in a separate blog), making an egg omelette a few times in a week and of late preparing ‘kadak’ tea (which I’ll present in a separate blog) for my beautiful wife, as a welcome drink for her, after she’s back from teaching in a school, I didn’t imagine that these excursions would lead to my increased interest in preparing a simple and healthy yet exotic tea-time snack, which I’m proud to present to all of you. I’m hopeful that you all have known or at least heard about ‘Makhana’, also called ‘Foxnut’, the starchy white seeds which are largely found in eastern and southern Asia. Bihar, a state in India, produces 90% of the worl