When a seller buys!

‘I see the world through a different lens. I look around the world with a different view. When the world feels amused seeing the birds chirping- I get dazed hearing them talk! When people around me start talking; I fail to hear their voice. I get stoned at times realising the speed at which the earth is revolving around us and then at times I hope to outrun time.

I am on my own journey- treading the path of life, in search of the place where I don’t feel out-of-place…’

Like any other day, as Ayanti was busy putting her many, contradicting thoughts fighting inside her head on paper- she heard a knock on the door. She looked at the clock- 10:00pm. Ayanti rarely had visitors. The only time people wanted to visit her or call her was when they are in need! Never in her life did she have a companion, who had shown a true interest in knowing her, talking to her or patiently listening to her… The surging emotions within Ayanti were always left un-surfed!

This time she was not keen on opening the door. There was a certain part of her that was not ready to let her mask her feelings with a smile and open the door to the world.

While she tried getting back to her writing she again heard the knock.

 She put her pen down, put her glasses away, stole a glimpse of herself in the side mirror, arranged her curls and got up to walk towards the door.

She saw through the eye hole, outside the house stood a dark huge ugly man with a child. She asked, ‘What do you want?’ The man replied, “I am sorry, I know you are shut for the day but it’s urgent”. She looked down, took a deep breath and slowly opened the door- she looked up at the ugly man’s face and then down at the innocent child. She knew what he wants. She knew what the child wanted.

Still, she again asked, “What do you want?” The man said, “I would again need a jar of Care”.

Ayanti looked shocked! She asked, “But only last week I gave you 5 bottles of Care! What did you do?” The child replied, “Father, again came home drunk, had hurt my mother and pushed me back. That’s when all the jars got rotten and we had to throw them”.

The child with tears in his eyes, kneeled. With his tiny palms folded before Ayanti, pleaded for another jar.

She looked into the eyes of the child and then she stared at the man. She knew if she again gives them ‘Care’ the man would again let it decay.

She lifted the child, smiled at him. She held him close to her bosom and whispered into his ears. The child looked into Ayanti’s eyes and smiled.

Ayanti, then picked up a small jar full of determination and gave it to the man. She told him, that it’s only his determination to ‘love’ and ‘Care’ his family can help him leave the many distractions in life.

Further, once he had determination with him, no illusion will be able to influence him, anymore.

The man did not seem to be convinced. But, he knew that Ayanti had never been wrong in her life when it came to selling the right emotion to a person.

He accepted the jar of determination. The child smiled, waved goodbye to her and left with his father.
While leaving the child looked back once at her with a hope of not to return. Each one who visited Ayanti had always left her with the hope of never to return because they never wanted to lose the emotions they get from her, nor did they ever wanted to feel the emptiness again, which Ayanti’s jars of emotions, helped to fill.

Ayanti was very well-versed with how people around the city felt when they left from her house. But, still she was happy. She knew that the overflowing barrels of her emotions would be of no use if she can’t give them to the ones in need.

But, in her business, while she kept inflicting emotions in others and getting hearts together, Ayanti was being left all alone.

No one has ever walked through the doors, to find the emptiness in Ayanti’s heart. Never had there been a visitor who thought of finding out the ‘true soul- trapped in Ayanti’s body’.

Ayanti was known all-around the city as the ‘Smiling Queen’. No one has ever left her house disappointed or without a jar of positive emotions. But, while she traded emotions for the world. While she distributed joy around her… while she gave feelings to people, she kept feeling empty.

She was waiting for someone who would not just see her smiling face but will be able to hear her soul-crying out for help. She longed to be with a heart that will not just want to take emotions from her but will give her some in return.

But, Ayanti knew, it’s a wish that can never come true. She knew she was born to ‘Sell Emotions’. She was born to spread joy, love, care… She was born to take care of others.

Days went by, months passed-by. Every day, Ayanti opened the door of her house and her heart- welcoming people.

Her smile was enough to assure each heart that they can never be denied of joy. Each one visited her, poured their heart out to her. Ayanti, patiently would listen to each one of them and help them with the right dose of every emotion that they were deprived of.

People found comfort in confiding their deepest/darkest secrets to Ayanti because they knew, she never believed in making her assumptions about a person. She would accept each one with open arms and a big comforting smile.

Ayanti was always heard telling her visitors, ‘Don’t worry, I will make sure you feel better’. But, no one knew that Ayanti herself was longing to hear these words for herself. She felt tired from within- taking care of the world. Her soul craved to break-out from her body and be no one but herself. She wanted to cry when she is sad, laugh when she is happy, dance when she celebrates. She never wanted to be bound by time. She never wanted to live by the rules of the world or get burdened under the responsibilities of the world.

But, the world kept looking up to her. She knew the world outside her home needed her. They wanted to seek emotions from her. Thinking about the rest of the world Ayanti let her life go by. She let the world rule her life as she kept ‘selling emotions’ to them.

The only way she kept her soul alive was by writing. Her only companion were words. The only one who understood her emotions were her thoughts. So, every night Ayanti, let her soul pour her feelings out on a paper and sealed it away so that none can ever know!

Years passed-by.

From being a young, charming girl, Ayanti grew into an attractive woman. The few strands of grey in her hair reflected her experiences in life. The few wrinkles around her eyes showed the many paths of emotions that she had tread in her life- through other people’s heart.

One day, as the clock struck 12 midnight, Ayanti got up from her sleep as she heard a vigorous knock at the door. She got terrified by the sound. Never did she expect a visitor so late! But, the knock on the door didn’t stop. She hurried down in her night gown to open the door.

To her surprise, there was no one. She looked outside the door but found none. She locked the door and was about to walk back to her room- when again she heard the thump.

She ran down to catch the one at the door. But she was again disappointed. She looked to her left, then to her right- there was no one. She screamed, “Hello, who is it”, no reply. She again called out, “Don’t worry, tell me who you are!”.  No one replied. As she was walking back into her house, she stumbled upon a small jar. It was the same kind of jar in which she sells her emotions. It had a pink ribbon on it. From the colour of the ribbon she knew that the jar held- smiles.

Ayanti, was over-joyed. Never had she imagined anyone to think of her need and extend such emotions to her. She took the jar in. Kept it on the table and smiled. She smiled for real. She smiled from within. She felt her soul smiling as she realised that there was someone out there concerned about what from within she wanted. While Ayanti, spent the time staring at the jar and unable to stop smiling; she again heard the same knock on the door.

She ran to the door, and opened it. Soon, a wind blew on to her face, swirled through her curls and left her feeling cold. She felt the sharp wind gushing inside her heart, moving through her body. She could find her skin feel the excitement in the air. She could smell the sweetness in it. She felt thrilled to experience the air brushing across her cheek. Her lips felt parched! The excitement within her; left her numb. For the first time in her life, she could sense her emotional storm from within swirling outside her.

She heard someone whisper in her ears,

 “Let thy emotions flow, Let every moment glow.

Let your heart sing-a-loud, dance and be-proud!”

The words cast a spell on Ayanti- as she started dancing like a young girl. She forgot the bindings of the world. She forgot the responsibilities she was born with. For the first time in her life, she got the time for herself. A moment that she can claim to be hers. She saw every feeling running towards her. She felt as if the whole world was waiting out there to listen to her, talk to her, look at her and understand her. She felt for the first time- that without words she was communicating. She was truly expressing her emotions. She cried, she laughed and she felt over-whelmed.

The night passed-by with Ayanti being embraced by all that she ever wanted. The sun-rise brought with it a new day. It was a day, where Ayanti didn’t have to live only for others. She just didn’t have to take care of other’s feelings- she knew that the universe was now taking care of hers.

But, as the day progressed, people came to her door to find her lying on hundreds of jars of emotions. She lay on them, cold and dead!

 But, she still had the smile on her face. People sobbed around her. But, this time Ayanti’s soul smiled in peace. The smile on her face was not just for others but for herself.

Her soul felt-free. She was free.

BEE HAPPY

In a faraway land, lived a Bumble bee with his clan!

While all other bees worked for the queen

This bee was not so keen...

He wanted to explore the world,

See the land beyond the walls.

The other bees tried keeping him away-

But from his choice he could not be swayed.

With a small sack and a big leaping heart...

Our Bumble bee really stood apart!

He flew over seas, some deserts, some trees

And even crossed many mountains-

to reach a land that was different!

He smelled the air, touched the land

In daze, looked all around!

He passed many humps and big roads,

To reach a small corner- where grew two rose.

There was one black, there was one white

They looked different from others in the sunlight!

Bumble bee, kept staring for a while

And then befriended them with a smile!

The white smiled back and let him come near

But the black had some fear!

She never wanted any bee to hurt her

Or make friends that never turns forever

But, little did she knew that this bee was unique

Who made the black rose shine with chic

The white rose was simple, never thought twice,

But the black was a little vice.

The bee was happy to be around the white.

Their bond kept growing with all might!

One day, as the bee buzzed around the black-

She felt her emotions bouncing back!

She had turned black by a curse,

But his goodness made it disperse.

All her vice seemed to wither away,

As with the bumble bee she swayed.

Their bond grew stronger each day,

As the black seemed to fade away!

The white and the black smelled delighted.

Even the Bumble bee seemed very excited.

Then, soon as the black rose turned bright and red

The Bumble bee fled!

He wanted to explore more lands,

So he left to see more sand.

The white drooped in blues and sorrow,

The black too felt in her heart a little hollow.

The happy buzz around them was gone,

Now no joy was left in the lawn.

But the Bumble bee promised to meet them again,

That thought helps them to regain.

Now the white and the red look back at the days

And even get lost while treading the many memory’s ways!

My Choice- is to love woMan!

Being a feminist is-My Choice. But, that doesn’t mean: I am fat, I am bi-sexual, I am undisciplined or having extra-marital affair or prefer to have sex outside marriage.

So, going by the current norms set by 99 role models of the country, am I any less of a woman? Or Am I not ‘modern’ enough; since I don’t like unzipping my bra in public?

I do hate being fat not just because I want ‘men’ to like me but also because I want to stay healthy in life. I am not bi-sexual that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate woman’s beauty or not ‘h****!

I feel as a feminist, (also if I can speak on behalf of all other feminists I know) - our choice is ‘Not to get objectified’.

Why do we have to convey our message about our ‘choices’ by bringing in the layer of ‘sexuality’ in it? Sexuality/ choosing a sex partner is completely a personal choice- irrespective of a person’s gender.

In this confused part of the world (read: India) where the concept of being a feminist is still understood as ‘Naari Morcha’, videos/vlogs wrapped under the package of ‘Woman empowerment’ conveying such vague messages will not just mislead young woman but also give people a chance to talk and act against ‘woman empowerment’.

We don’t want a husband to think that if his wife believes in making her own ‘choices’ in life that means she would choose to be fat/ugly, bi-sexual or be immoral.

We don’t want a father to think that if his daughter believes in making her own ‘choices’ in life that means she is going to be undisciplined or prefer getting objectified!

So, I feel marketers, trying to encash on an issue should be responsible enough and re-think before making any statement of such magnitude. Because this is not just a brand’s CHOICE.

It’s about millions of women who are trying to make a choice in their life-to become a human with equal rights!

We know and must have heard various celebrities talk and support ‘Feminism’ but did we ever think about what the male equivalent word is?

-          Being Manly (like we all use as a compliment)

Now, just like along with good looks, fit body a man’s softer side (caring, lovable, etc) makes him appealing and called as ‘Manly’ so is a woman with a blend of all the positive and good living styles can be called ‘a feminist’.

We are biologically created different because then only we can be together and make the world a better place to live in. It doesn’t make sense of overshadowing or outsmarting each other.

Here what makes sense is a very clichéd word ‘TEAM SPIRIT’.

So, let’s stop sounding too sexist but sound ‘Sexy’ (read: Effective).

Out of the World

Ayanti, was born in Kolkata in a family that had a legacy to talk about. Her home was an ideal ‘Bangali Bari’. Tagore was the only legend in the world and Uttam Kumar -the only Hero of the Film Industry (Bollywood or any modern Hindi Films were never considered to be viewable). Nothing but Bhaat-Maach was considered the best cuisine in the world. If possible they could even have pizza bread with rice and fish toppings on it!

Amidst this well-fed Bengali family there laid Ayanti on her bed. Weight-wise she did represent her family (She had never been a thin girl in life). She looked good. She was fair, curly-haired sweet-looking Bengali girl. But, yes deep inside her soul there was a wild, punk.

Every afternoon as she saw the fan moving over her head she could see her life moving in snail-speed before her eyes- without having any adventure or meaning or direction.

Each day she used to wish; wish of being someone else. Wished she could be one of those stylish lots. Wished of being one-of-those people of the society who  are considered to be ‘Modern’ (though the word is relative) by the conventional world.

One day, in Ayanti’s life the-much-awaited miracle happened! 

And truly what a miracle!

On her 21^st birthday, while having a spoon of payesh (rice kheer) from her mom’s hand she closed her eyes and wished to have not been in the world- where she lived.

She wished for a world which would be less predictable. She wished to live in a society where there were no boundaries. She wanted to live in a world where colours mean word and a thought means language.

Her heart was craving for a little bit of ‘indiscipline’. She was wanting to be a little bit more free.

But, little did she know that her wishes would come true!

Few weeks later, she (as usual lost in her own thought) was coming out of her house when to her amazement she found a weird vessel outside her house.

She stared at it for a while, not knowing whether to scream or ignore. For few minutes she kept ogling at it. Something struck her. She looked at it from a distance. It did resemble a map of some Indian state. But she could not understand which one, though.

A huge magnet came out from the vessel and came close to her. Like a north pole getting attracted towards a south pole of a magnet, Ayanti got stuck to the magnet so strong that she forgot about her family-inhibitions, traditions, conventions. 

She just went away!

The vessel landed her to a land-unknown.

A land known to the ‘normal’ world as ‘The world of Chaos’.

Ayanti, had no clue what to do. 

Though, she had been an ardent book-reader but never had she come across this world or heard about this world in her life. 

She didn’t know that the ‘Chaotic’ world she was getting into is a place where a girl hailing from such family (read: legacy) is not suppose to. 

For the initial days Ayanti had to struggle. She struggled to survive the indiscipline. Though she always longed for it, but when it actually started happening, her mind, her body and even at times, her soul would give up.

It was the world exactly she had wished for- full of struggles, weirdness and unpredictabilities. But, wishing for it and living it are two different aspects. She understood that the phrase ’Easier said than done’ had such deeper meaning than she has assumed of.

She felt like an alien. She felt like a person from Earth landed on some other planet.

For the world, morning starts as soon as the sun rises. But, for this chaotic world every sunrise declares the end of a day. It was a time to catch up on a quick sleep, before the office hours of human beings-dressed-in-formal-whites starts!

When the world thinks of planning for the weekend, creatures of this world plans for a quick drink in the nearest/cheapest bar before coming back to their desks and cracking new ideas.

Commonly, the world would be concerned about the ‘pitch report’ while dwellers of this world are always out on a war to win new pitches!

Here in this world where Ayanti has arrived imaginations, Ideas, Out-of-the-world, Out-of-the-box, are the common lingua of the dwellers but living a common life is very fictitious and imaginative for them. 

It’s a place where being crazy is considered normal. 

Where a guy with a straight hairstyle or girls with plain Jane clothes are considered weird!

After the initial hiccups (figuratively) Ayanti  could find her place in this WORLD. She now walks, works and are very much one of those weird who gets up at 1am picks up a pen to scribble down ideas before it runs out of the head.

She chose to get over her sufferings and started stepping out to explore the ‘new’ world where she has arrived.

It was partly because deep down inside she knew, it was her wish. Back in her ‘normal’ world she could easily live her life like a princess but she always wanted to break-free!

She decided to explore. She decided to celebrate each day of her stay on the Chaotic world.

After her decision, never did she turn back. Never did she think of going back to her normal world. Though she knew that in her normal world she would get all her happiness packed in a chest but the uncertainty, unpleasantness, hardships for every small thing, adventures at every moment of life, struggle for existence attracted her.

She found her happiness in her own way. Further, she also found love in this world. It gave her a bigger reason to stay.

She reached the world as an Alien. But now she has become a dweller.

She finds anger, hatred, jealousy, selfishness and greed flying from all corners on this world but still it’s the courage that prevails and passion –the driver who never lets these aspects affect her living.

After almost a decade of staying on this chaotic world she finally understands that though weird in its own way, this world knows how to give back. You give this world hard work it pays you back while you give this world laziness or dishonesty it knows how to hit you back hard.

But, the world has place for all. It never rejects anyone. Be it an outsider like Ayanti or a native. This world knows how to accept all. It doesn’t know how to minus people. 

 It’s truly an ADd-world!

Thank God!

God created world, God created us

Then we all made the world get into a rumpus.

God created love, God created life

Then we all made true love get into strive.

God created heart, God created passion

But we mistook emotions for obsession.

God created freedom, God created bond

And we built boundaries all around.

God gave us soul, God shows us the way

Which we follow and come out from dismay.

God created darkness, God created light

And also gave us the might to fight.

For every mistake we make

For every wrong steps we take

God brings us back into light from the shades.

So,

when we say THANK GOD make it more meaningful...

Say it from the heart and be truly grateful.

Bongs & Burps!

(log on to: www.foodtuts.com, to celebrate taste)

At every part of the world, 1^st of January is celebrated with utmost pomp & show, as a welcome gesture for the NEW YEAR! In this, Bengalis are no less a participant! Still, no matter which part or corner of the world a bong lives, its not only new year but also NABO Barsho that brings with it equal excitement & curiosity about the beginning of a new (oops! Sorry) Nabo barsho!

We all know, Bengalis ‘Live to EAT’, for every occasion, for every day and for every time of the day there has to be variety of dishes served to a bong. And, for any bong, a meal is never complete till he feels like stealing an hour or so for a quick siesta (you see we bongs are the most immaterialist on earth! We never bother or greed for more earning rather we prefer simple and a relaxed life).

Talking about greed though bongs mostly non-greedy, peace & Rabindranath-loving species but the greed for good and delicious food is very evident across bongs of all age groups.

Thus, for nabobarsho as well, bongs have their special and delicious variety of recipes that are religiously cooked, served and relished on Nabobarsho. One such dish is Peas Kachori (Karaishutir kachori)- http://www.foodtuts.com/peas-kachori-recipe/  has been updated on my website: www.foodtuts.com

Along with it, there are various other sweets that are also relished by bongs.

It’s an age-old tradition that on Nabobarsho a bong visits his/her local jeweler to open a new credit a/c (though there is no guarantee that he/she would use the a/c ever). Such a/c are normally opened by paying the jeweler a token amount from Rs.101 onwards.

But the intention for any bong to visit such shops is the food!

But, whatever said, it is very true that Bengali cuisine is very relishing and involves immense variety, thus for bongs-burping with a satisfying smile on their face after every meal is nothing surprising.

To all my fellow bongs wishing you a Shubho Nabo Barsho- keep burping & keep flourishing !

Well-cooked LIFE- The journey from boiling eggs to www.foodtuts.com 

It’s just 6 years ago, when I first landed on Mumbai; the city threw at me various challenges at every step. First, the challenge of getting accommodation, the challenge of finding a job, the challenge of learning how to wash clothes and yet catch the train to reach office on time. But the challenge of cooking was something in my life that I was very sure that I would never be able to conquer!

I still remember seeing my mother pack at least 20 Maggi packets and 10 pasta packets with 5-6 soup packets when I was leaving Kolkata. Her act was very evident of the fact that even she was confident of me failing in learning the art of moving the ladle on a wok to turn raw vegetables edible!

As for me, cooking or for that matter food had never occupied a priority in my life.
But, as they say you search throughout the world just to find your true love always following you- in the same manner, my true love (cooking) started following me  quite early- without any further thoughts I decided to take up  Nutrition & dietetics major in college (again Food science). Through my curriculum I mastered the knowledge about the nutritional factors of food but never could think of mastering the art of cooking.

Coming back to my journey in Mumbai- after getting a job, I even managed to win the heart of my long secret love (who was also in Mumbai ). During my courtship, I learnt that he was a keen food lover. And as the old saying goes ‘the path to a man’s heart goes through his stomach’ I understood the only way to make him feel happy was by cooking! Now, it sounds very easy but for me fighting for him with the world was easier than cooking for him! But, I started learning- It all started with boiling eggs (time:45 minutes) then, half cooked shapeless chapattis, raw vegetable curry , etc.

But in two years time I was cooking delicacies for 12-15 guests!

I would say, such is the power of love.

It was merely for my love (now my husband) that I decided to cook. Now, after 4 years I see myself cooking any and every delicacy.

Now, I not only cook to make my husband happy but also do it commercially. I have started the India’s first Food tutorial website. I have realized while going through the self-training of cooking, we come across various recipe websites or videos- we follow every step according to instruction but still the perfect required taste of the particular dish at times cannot be achieved.

This is due to few small and intricate techniques that most of the recipe websites, channels, books or videos miss out on.

I believe it is not the amount of salt that matters but how and when its added that helps in achieving an extra edge over others while cooking the same dish.

Keeping this need in mind I have developed this website which has all possible categories required for any learner to get self-trained about cooking.

The general recipe category offers recipes from Starters to main course to desert and also continental. The quick recipe category solves the big problem of working people. They can follow the daily updates and cook variety of food at home in less than 20 minutes!

Then, the video recipe category includes all those elaborate recipes that needs greater training.

And of course while cooking knowing about food is very important, hence I have also incorporated a category that talks of nutritional value of the commonly used food items.

My website www.foodtuts.com  is thus a complete solution for people like us to get self-trained on cooking.

Now, I can proudly say, I have conquered the challenge of cooking, as well.

My life is now 'well-cooked' with a desired profession as a writer, husband-cum-lover and acquiring the tag of a good cook!

So, to all those who feel that they can never cook, turn to find the person you would love to cook for, then just wait and watch to find yourself grow as a cook (because now you have the assistance of www.foodtuts.com!)

All the best,

Happy Cooking!