The Tempest

I was going through some old photographs and I crossed path with this one. This photograph was taken in Pondicherry, India, a few years back and this has been my all time favourite ever since. I just love the backdrop, it reminds me of "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare.

" If by your art, my dearest father, you have
Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them.
The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch,
But that the sea, mounting to the welkin's cheek,
Dashes the fire out. "

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Paradise gained

I admit I have really tiny feet and these days finding the perfect shoes for my tiny feet are next to impossible (especially in Bangalore...the people here have really large feet...at least in comparison to mine). So it was a real pleasant surprise when I came across this tiny shop tucked away in a corner of the busy Mahakal market of Darjeeling. This shop was pure heaven, a shoe paradise for all those shoeholics (like me). I found some amazing and affordable heels and flats. Whats a girl gotta do when she has such amazing stuff staring back at her??? I lightened my purse of a few grants and got home some sexy babies...and I sure don't regret it. Here are my top three favourite buys. (Please dont mind the pics it was taken by my really old mobile cam)

1. These sexy studded blue heels top my list. Its light and really comfy. I can wear them all day long


2. These heels remind me so much of Kim K. The animal print bow just adds to its sexiness.

3. These brown loafers are so comfy. A right mix of fashion and comfort. Just love them.
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Tihar....

This year I was home to celebrate "Tihar" the Nepali version of Diwali. Tihar has always been my all time favorite festival and celebrating it with my family after almost four years made me realize why I love it so much. From the salivating smell of selrotis, the beautiful melody of bhaylenis to the beautiful diyas enhancing the charm of the bright orange saiparti malas adorning every household door, each element adds to the charm of this joyous festival.

I just love the way our quiet Darjeeling is transformed into this busy town throbbing with excitement and vigour during Tihar. The market scene before tihar is a total chaos, every shop is brimming with activity. Every place you go you will find people busy purchasing something or the other. Sweets, flowers, jewellery, clothes, utensils the shopping lists are endless.

Tihar in Darjeeling is a three day long event (sometimes four). Starting with Laxmi Puja, the main day we pray to Goddess Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth and welcome her into our houses, the many bright diyas guiding her way. Words can't express how beautiful my Darjeeling looked on the eve of Tihar. The familiar song "Bhayleni ayo agan ma, barali kurali rakha na" lingered in the air and brought back wonderful memories of childhood when I used to go around my cousins house singing the beautiful melody. The next day we hear the bhais and dajus singing "Deusure", some as ethnic as it can get with madals guiding the singers and some with modern twists including Sakti Kapoor and Sunil Shetty (so hilarious). The final day is the bhai-tika where all the sisters fast for their brother's well being and adorn their foreheads with long and colourful tikas. The beautiful bond of the brother and sister cannot be expressed more beautifully then the tikas, the longer the tika the longer the life they say.

Being at home this tihar made me realize what I had been missing for the past four years and being submerged in this vibrant ethnic festival made me proud of my ethnicity, proud of the fact that I am a Nepali...."yo maan ta mero nepali ho"...

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