How to reach the fort in Ratangad!

Ratangad is the jewel of forts. It lies in the Ajoba mountain range surrounded by great mountains of Kulang, Alang, Kalsubai, Katarabai, Ajoba and Ghanchakkar. Geographically, Ratangad is at the banks of Bhandardara lake of Ahmednagar district.

How to go to Ratangad (the way we trekked up to the fort)

First catch a train to Igathpuri

Take an auto to Goti village (7-10 rs per head)

From there hire a jeep to Bhandardhara village (20 rs per head)

Here, you can visit the Bhandardhara dam.

Next, you will have to hire a trax to Amrutheshwar temple - this temple is at the base of that fotress (Ratnavadi village). (we struck a deal for 1000 to and fro together)

Amrutheshwar temple is a an ancient temple with a "Shiv ling" in it.

Next, you will have to hire a guide from this place...because inorder to reach the fort we have to pass dense jungles, streams, waterfalls... Its difficult to trek and find the fort in monsoons. We went with chander - infact, Chander was the master - wow! he knew every nook and corner of that place.

When we are almost near, there will be two deadly ladders and a rock climb for reaching the temple and fort on top. (Not for the weak- hearted). Also, one important thing - in monsoons, the rocks will be slippery - so be very very careful while climbing.

It takes almost four hours for the climb uphill. There are differnet routes to take, while trekking. While coming back you can ask the guide to take you through the less slopy route. My legs ached like hell while climbing down.

Map: http://wikimapia.org/1705491/

Stripped of life!

I feel that I am stripped of life

I crave for a space to breathe

I crave to leave this busy life to some peaceful country side...

But when I look around, I see the undefiable spirit of people who thinks that this mechanized life is everything and they fight to survive in this dirt

I am not a fool to think so... there's a better life than this outside

Crammed trains, dirty drains, people shouting on mobiles, no place to sit, no place to stand - I can't see anything so high in this...

Its my choice to be happy or sad - but a meanie i am, I can't be happy with this

I dont choose to be sad either...

I choose to be indifferent and happy at times, but with the unhidden shadows of sadness...

People have lost the common ethics
To be polite is a distant dream

I dont call this the art of life - I call this the "art of survival"

SPITUNNI

I am the great great spittunni (and the spits of the universe)

I spit everywhere ... I live in mumbai

Spitting gives me the high
I like to spit through the window of a running bus.
The thrill...
The wind...
Everything makes my spitting experience a worth while.

I chew pan and I like to create artworks at the bus stop
My ode to my fellow spitters is to spit and spit till mumbai becomes a spit land
that is red with our spits!!!

Have yu tried spitting from a local train
MAN..... if u have not then u have lost entire excitement of the spitting phenomenon

I like to spit on the road
on the walls
on the railings

I leave my mark everywhere...

JOIN THE SPIT FORCE...lets spit till we die !!!

Beautiful Ratangad!

RING TONE ROWDY

U can find this species anywhere
at the bus stop
at a cofee shop
at the mall
in the bus
at office or at home

A ringtone rowdy is someone who is fond of ringtones
be it old or latest!
He subscribes for new ringtones everyother day
When he acquires a ringtone, his soul attains the ultimate unexpalinable satisfaction
U can see a ringtone rowdy listening to different ringtones
wherever it be...
In the bus stop his ringtone playing skills are at its peak
He is satisfied when other's get bugged by his ringtones
He keeps altering the volume till he is satisfied by the ear defening output

A day in the life of a typical ringtody (ringtone rowdy)
He gets up late - and catches hold of his mobile
WOW! a new ringtone again..

Its the donkeys cry - he feels that the music tingles his ears
Its time to go to the bus stop
as soon as he reaches there, he opens the pandora's box of ring tones
Ear blasting, worst form of sound pollution.
A beggar looks at him with a sheepish grin.

He plays the donkey's cry (GUWAAAAAAAH GUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAH)
Few street dogs come running behind him.
He runs away for his life

Running and Panting, he reaches a churchthe church service was going on.
Total silence....
Suddenly, his best friend calls him on his mobile
"YEEEEEEEH DOSTIIIIIIII...hum nahinnnnnnnnn chodengeyyyyyyyyy"
All prayerful eyes on him with disgust.
He slips away with embarrassment.

He reaches back home
A call comes for him.. Himesh bhai croons as the ringtone goes.........."ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"
Baby in the cradle wakes up and screams his lungs out...
His mom throws his mobile out...
He goes out and picks the mobile; back to bus stop again!

Die hard 4.0

Welcome to the era of Cyber terrorism! In this movie, we can see the attack on the entire infrastructure of US through Internet, which brings the complete system to a halt on July 4th. Obviously, the demand is money.

This movie is a one of the greatest action flicks starring Bruce Wills. Its great to see him back in action with this movie. To all those action movie lovers, you got to watch this movie because there is only action and action, less dialogues and not even a speck that can bore you.

In this movie you can see the fight between planes and trucks, also cars and helicopters. Overall, a feast for eyes. The climax and fights are real good. Bruce Wills seems to be stronger than Arnold at times because he keeps emerging like a phoenix after every stunt.

Wiseman, the director, has done a great job. The plot is superb and the stunts are great. This movie breathes Bruce Wills and Bruce Wills only. He balances the role of John McClaine, an NYDP detective and protective dad, with ease and valor.

This is one of the greatest action flicks of 2007!!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Monsoon special - Home-made Paani poori!!!

Hey all, here follows the lip smacking recipe of home-made paani puri. I got the inspiration to make paani pooris at home from one of my ex-collegues. Also, I insist that you try this at home - cos everything starts from the scratch - so no tension of gastroentritis....

Poori:

Rava or semolina - 1 and 1/2 cup
Maida - 1/2 cup
Salt - half tsp
Club soda - half a bottle (I got the pet bottle)
Oil - to deep fry

The Cook's Way Mix the rava, maida and salt evenly and add the club soda and make a semi-thick dough (not so smooth as for chappathis). Add little oil while making the dough. Now, keep the dough aside for 20 mins - cover it with a wet cloth.

Make cigar like rolls of the dough and cut small pieces from them - flatten them evenly using the chappathi roller, but dont make them too thin and also take care not to make the pooris so big!!

Deep fry them and keep dripping hot oil on the top of the puris so that they become cute golden brown spheres. and turn them and its beetr to keep the flame normal so that the oil and puris don't get burnt.

After frying the pooris, spread them on a paper tower to remove the excess oil and then store them in an air-tight container.

Spicy and Yummy Paani:

5 cups of water

1. Ready made Paani puri masala (Baadshah or everest) - 2 tbsp

Powdered Jeera - 1 and 1/2 tbsp

2. Gud (Jaggery) - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - chopped - 1 cup

Mint leaves - chopped - 1 cup (optional)

Green chillies - 7

Tamarind pulp - 2 tbsps

(In case u are not having the ready made paani poori masala, dont forget to use 1 tbsp black salt (kala namak -very important ingredient) )

The Cook's Way Mix ingredients no.1 in 1 cup of water. Grind ingredients no.2 using a grinder. Now blend both these mixtures and all the remaining water and taste for spiciness. Strain this and keep the filtrate aside, dicard the residue.

Sweet Chutney !!! :P

1 cup of water
Powdered Jeera - 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Gud (Jaggery) - 1 cup

Tamarind pulp - 1/2 cup (depends on the "khattaness" u need)

Dates -1 cup (deseeded)

Red Chilli powder -half tsp

The Cook's Way Mix all the ingredients and heat in a deep sauce pan till they melt and reache the desired consistency.

(I loved this chutney - in fact, it was little thick (jammy) and even went well with bread and chappathis)

Other ingredients

Boiled dal (I used a normal thick dal curry for a change)

Boiled black chickpeas - 1 cup - mixed with salt and chopped onion
Boiled potatoes - boiled and chopped finely - mixed with chilly powder and salt
Boiled mung - 1 cup - mixed with salt and chopped onion
Onion - 2 nos - finely chopped
Tomatoes -2 nos - finely chopped
Mint leaves - 1 cup - finely chopped

How to serve Paani pooris:
Crack the top of the poori with yur thumb or spoon and put some dal, mung, onion and i tbsp of paani with a few pieces of potato and gulp it down - and lo!!! a blast of flavours :P

You can try a sweet poori in between by adding sweet chutney :P

Also, use lemon juice as the drink.. A perfect combination!


My verdict: A must try this monsoon!!!