Grand-izing all and sundry

This guy wrote a children's book and an albeit famous one and focussed on Native Indian people and their folk lores. For 10$ one can see his house, where he slept, his chest, his collections, his wife's sewing machine, her slippers, their rest room, etc etc. And of course one could take an audio tour to go around his house.

That guy helped his brother kill some outlaws and survived it. So we get to see the "intact" remains of the place where one of the good guys stayed in, the window he saw the fight from, the bed he slept in, and of course the shop from where this other photographer viewed it all. All this, with the pictures, audio tour, 3d movie, settings, mock shoot-outs and a newspaper for 20-30$

Then you get to see the art of coconut breaking, pig roasting in leaves in sand, how a performer enjoys his act as a king, his royal path where civilians are pushed aside, his laws, his wife, etc.
A song and dance affair with food in tow and reception at the entrance based on how much you pay. Flower garlands, coconut beads, shell necklaces, pictures, and the list goes on.

Do we appreciate the documenting ability, or are we too gullible and willing to empty our pockets for every person who is famous in every area we visit?

What if we did this form of documenting in India - what if with every Tipu Sultan and Shah Jahan, about 100 more king's lives and their living places were shown with audio tours to the denizens, rather than ruins of a Jahaz Mahal or a Hindola Mahal, where the hallways whisper a forgotten lore, and leave the rest to your imagination.

What if!!

Think every custom in every state showcased by the hotels and the cultural centers, wrapped around with grandeur and a dinner thrown in to the public for say 1000-2000Rs.

Imagine!!

Documentation - Where does it start and where does it end - do we fit in ? Benefit ? do we even like it or ridicule it ? or do we watch in awe as it all goes in, out, everywhere.

Food for thought on a glorious rainy Friday evening. Need a hot tea and plateful of pakoda to think it out further :-)

Revival - Part II ided by an aimless idling mind

1 year + few months odd is how long it took me to decide to pen something here, rather than access this page and go searching for foodie blogs.
So do I really have anything noteworthy to say in this blog !!

Sure - its an update on the changing world around me. Babies are on the way making everyone around wonder who is next in line. Volunteering still continues off and on though some KT's of the world feel no one else volunteers except them [:D]

The wishlist of trying sky-diving and para sailing is still intact - though river rafting is a no-no if you have non-english proficient people heading the raft. On second thoughts - sky diving can blind people supposedly so that will go into a "possiblilty" category than urge!!

Valley of the sun is still hot and making all wonder if there is a winter in the Az'ian dictionary. Fancy light rail stations are up all around, while the construction and rails on the road make the cars fly and lose some air. Driving - lets not go into that in case I get some honks!!

The urge to do up the apartment with a modernistic twist comes true finally with an added bonus of falling water:-)

Realized the dream of charcoal roast butta, embers flying off into the air and moonbeams playing off the water with the trees rustling in the background, and a log cabin (phew!! 2 gud to be true ?) in Minnesota. And with it came the accepting of the fact that despite the oh-so-pretty- sound of music-ish plains of Greer, its cabins are no match for the log cabin by the water!!

So the story of life continues and dreams of the perfect indo-chinese is still being perfected while bhindi-masala did pass the proof test :) amongst other things.

TBContd.