My foster sister in Tajikstan

Children in Tajikstan.

It was during one of those days in January 2009. Life was a bit busy and thrilling. I had come up only in the morning(as usual) and I sat down with my computer to continue writing my article placed in drafts. I had been writing about Culture and Lifestyle of Indian States-an article still in drafts! I diverted to another topic and I was soon browsing about the Central Asian Republics Kazakhstan, Tajikstan-former Soviet republics. I collected some photos of food, lifestyle of people. I came across this pic(shown above). I stood amazed for sometime. The smiles on the two girl's face is amazing and speaks a lot about care, affection and innocence. I wish that if I had a sister she would be like one of them shown in the above pic. I showed it to my father later. My father liked it too. My mother liked it too. My father asked where I took this pic. I told that it was through Google Images while exploring about culture and dressing style of Central Asian Republics. My father said, "They look like Muslims". Yep! True. Who cares whether they are Muslims or Christians. A sister is a sister!

Many of my relatives use to say that I have a greater chance of living a peaceful life. Maybe true! But human relations are more valuable. Human relations, animals, plants are the greatest gifts to mankind. It wasn't until recently, some years back I did discover something called Universal Love-during one of train travels. But there wasn't any time to implement this and I am still discovering it. Universal love is all about showing love towards everything including plants and animals probably a better theory than Lenin and Marx's communism.

If you are reading this you must be one of my neighbourhood guys, school friends, teacher or lecturer or college friend. It's my guess that you should be one of them! The reason why I posted this post is to share my joy after seeing these two photos-while surfing the Internet long time back. I am posting after 6 months nearly, but still I feel it is worth sharing and its from my personal collections. I hope you too liked it.


Brother and sister relationship.

How to make Aloo Poori?

Sev Poori decorated with Kurkure and Lays Stax. Service with Tropicana juice! Add some Dahi(curd) on top of Aloo Poori and Aloo Poori becomes Dahi poori.


Though I suggested the idea and some procedures I was assisted by my cousin brother and aunt in carrying out this plan. Why should women be kept only for kitchen jobs? I believe both men and women are equal, each should assist in each other's activities to lead a better life. During my 14 years of schooling, I had lady teachers throughout and they are responsible for my success in a few things. If either of them had thought otherwise, my life would have gone for a big six. Many people would wonder, instead of living a comfortable life why am I writing all these. The answer is simple! It's my interest and goal. I should mention a funny thing here. Though I 'might' be a feminist, I still quarrel with girls, foster sisters :-p


Soviet era poster for Woman's Day. Women were given equal rights in the Soviet Union.


Quantity:-
1. Onions-5 Nos
2. Tomato-4 Nos
3. Potatoes-8 Nos
4. Carrots-4 Nos
5. Coriander Leaves
6. Lays Stax
7. Kurkure
8. Om Puri
9. Chat Masala
10. Garam Masala
11. Paani Poori Masala
12. Salt
13. Tomato Ketchup
14. Chilli Sauce


Dahi Poori with all decorations. Try it out.

Masala Preparations:-

1. Take some onions. Chop them into small pieces.
2. Take some tomatoes and remove the interior seed portion and then cut them into small pieces.
3. Take some carrots and grate them.
4. You can use Coriander leafs, Lays Stax, Kurkure, Om Puri for decorations.
5. Take potatoes. Remove the skin and boil them in water for some time. Mash them! Take mashed potatoes and add salt, paani poori masala, chat masala, onion pieces, tomato passes. If needed you can add some salt.
6. Take a poori and put a small hole on top. Add the above masala into the poori.
7. Put a little of tomato ketchup on the above dish.
8. Add a little of Chilli Sauce on top of it after adding the ketchup.
9. Decorate using Lays Stax.

Aloo Poori is ready!

10. If you are want to make Sev Poori, buy Chat Pappad available in Super Markets and use that instead of Poori.
11. If you want to make Dahi Poori, just put some curd on the Aloo Poori and

Dahi poori is ready!

Make chaat items yourself! It would be the best. Take my word. Generally, what happens outside is that the chef in charge is quite busy or in a hurry while preparing the dish that he does everything in a hurry. Some part of the dish isn’t properly covered with sauce or he forgets to add different flavours of sauce. I haven’t added the green chutney, Om puri and kaara chutney.

Experience the nation's diversity through food. Let's be good to foreigners whether they are good to us or not. Let them visit our land, see our culture, lifestyle and they would know who really is living in the third world.

-Krishna Kumar.S
(Written during the time in which Indian students were attacked in Australia)