"Pukka Bangalorean-dats wat i am!" abi_maha's Profile

Tryst with Himalayas (Leh-Ladakh 2011)

HOME SWEET HOME- Where my heart is

A couple of years now since we have been back in India. When at home how time flies!! I still feel my 2 years in the US seemed like an eternity. It is so comforting to be back in the country you grew up in. the US break has definitely helped me grow as a person and has given me the confidence that I can survive anywhere, however the true luxury and comfort is being in familiar territory. AJ has a new job in Chennai, so that is our final destination for now. My sister and in-laws being there, I am sure to feel at home there as well. I almost went and hugged my cook of 16 years and my 'ironwalla'- the guy who irons my clothes. Only I know how much I have missed these 2 in the last 2 years in USA. I am currently bloggin about my US trip titled Four Seasons in Minneapolis, you can read the same at blogspot
Last Trip Update: Finally we went to Leh/Ladakh in 2011, despite being a short 10 day trip, it was W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!!! This tryst with the Himalayas was surely like a trip to heaven and back!! This year has been a trip to Sri Lanka, my third visit to this small country but fun none the less. The pages are in the making now :) The Blog is here for you to read Lankablog
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My hometown

Pretty flowers at Lalbagh

Bangalore is known as the garden city of India! Despite all the urbanization it has gone thru in the last ten years, it still retains its charm, has lovely parks all over the city (where we bangaloreans go for our 'morning walk').However it is truly astonishing how much it has changed in the last decade, what was once a quaint lazy town has today become a hustling an dbustling metropolitan city! Am not sure this has indeed been for the better!%c*
Other 'attractions' in Bangalore are:
Temples: ISKCON, Ragigudda, Devagiri, Kote Srinivasa
lakes: Ulsoor Lake, Sankey Tank, Yediyore Lake, Agara Lake
Gardens: Lalbagh, Cubbon Park, Nanda Road Rose Gardens, Namdhari Plantations
Zoos: Bannerghatta National Park & Zoo
Aquarium: Cubbon Park Aquarium
Amusement Parks: Fun World, Wonderla, Innovative Film City
Malls: Forum, Garuda, Swagat Inox, Sigma, Eva, Lido
Waterfalls around Bangalore: Gaganchukki, Barachukki, Shivansamudra, Hogganekal
Bird Sanctuaries around Bangalore: Ranganathittu, Kokkare Bellur
Typical bangalore lingo "Hi da!", 'Fix-ed", "mix-ed", "Maadi", "Yaake?" :))
Some links:
http://www.karnataka.com/tourism/bangalore

Lalbagh

Lalbagh- A place for a nice walk

If for any reason we are not out on a drive over weekends we end up in this garden- which is the only place away from Pollution in bangalore. I truly believe Lalbagh is the lungs to an otherwise urbanized Bnagalore, without it my city will be just another machinery on the run! Of late we have spotted some pelicans and storks in the lalbagh lake it is an encouraging sight indeed!
Now the Metro Project is eaten away into this lovely garden! I don't know on what basis the govt decided to trade nature for modernisation! It is disgusting really!

My Family

My sis, me, dad and Jiju

Like any typical Indian i am doted upon by my family! Honestly, I dunno what i will do without them!!
My dad is an advocate with his own practice here in Bangalore. I have two elder sisters......who pamper me so much i can't imagine life without them!:-)
Small n nice, my family, in my mind, is the best!
Now I am married to a guy I met on a trek and we together pursue this passion of our's called travel.

Activities...hmm....

Aah! for the luxury of a beach now!!

Activities...hmmm....well I am not a very active person!! So how can I possibly have any activities???! ;-) jus kidding!
I love travelling-trekking is the best way to travel in my opinion. I am a member of a trekking organisation called YHA, here in Bangalore :-) Have trekked extensively in India....ofcourse the best place to trek is in the Himalyas! It is indeed an unforgettable experience. The photo is of one of my treks in Goa, which is a very pretty state in India full of beaches. Trekking has truly helped me meet like minded people- including my husband :) Ofcourse I only trek for a hobby, however I do have many friends who have now taken up trekking professionally!
Trekking apart, I am keenly interested in dance. Having learnt Bharatanatyam for well over 10 years I have learnt to appreciate the benefits of our heritage, history and culture. Truly dance has opened my eyes to the richness of India in terms of the kind of history we are blessed with! However my interest does not stop at cultural dances, I am equally a fan of bollywood dance, aerobics and the quintessential dabbankutthu dance of TN :)
Reading novels/comics is also a fav passtime, so is listening to music.

My state- Karnataka

Born and brought up in Bangalore I have had the luxury of getting to know my state better as time has flown. Karnataka is truly a state of wonders, for a nature lover it has everything! From some of the best beaches in the world to some of the most amazing architecture! Though in recent times it has been better known for its urbanisation and IT industry for us Kannadigas, Karnataka is and will always be the "Gandhada Gudi" (Sandalwood Shrine).
let me list some of my favorite getaways in Karnataka:
Beaches: Om Beach, Malpe Beach, Karwar, Devbhagh, Murudeshwar
Forests: Kabini, Masinagudi, Bhadra
Coffee estates: Coorg, Chikmaglur
Hills: Mullaingiri, Kemmangundi, Kudremukh, Kodabetta, BR Hills, DD Hills, Nandi Hills
Rivers: Kabini, Cauvery, Dandeli (Kali)
Architectural Wonders: Belur Halebid, Somnathpur, Badami Aihole Pattadakal, Shravanabelagola, Hundreds of famous temples5f*

My Country -India

Being an Indian has truly been a blessing, with the kind of variety in the terrain and beauty around my country it is but natural that I turned into an avid traveller! :) There is so much sensory experiences in India- so much to see-riot of colors on the road wherever you turn; so much to hear on the roads-traffic, animals,people,music; so much to touch and feel-with population jostling is a common occurence, vendors selling fruits and vegetables encourage you to pick them yourselves on the roads, water droplets from a rain/drizzle, harsh sunlight in summer; so much to smell-jasmine flowers that a peddlar is trying to sell, smoke emitted by the vehicle ahead of you, an open drainage stink; so many tastes-amazing variety in food, the number of spices we use in everyday food is more than 25!! I cant imagine being born anywhere else in the world really, I truly love being an Indian and consider it a privilege that I am born one!
Kashmir to Kanyakumari, India has it all- the best hill stations, a good stretch of the desert, highest peaks of the Himalayas, to Scuba diving in the Andamans- there is no limit to the amount of travelling one can do in this country! I have been blessed to have a Father and an husband who love travelling so I really cannot remember a time when I have not travelled around this country and yet there is so much left to do!! So what all have I seen?
Cities: Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneshwar, Cuttack, Lucknow, Kanpur, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Mangalore, Mysore, Kolar, Tumkur, Chikmaglur, Pondicherry, Goa
Hill Stations: Shimla, Kulu, Manali, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Munnar, Kemmangundi
Desert: Sam dunes, Jaisalmer
Islands: Andaman & Nicobar, St Marys in Malpe
Beaches: Chennai, pondy, Karwar, Goa, Kanyakumari, Trivandrum, Cochin, Andaman

My first time away from Bangalore!

Our community- Christopher Wren

I managed to stay in my beloved Bangalore for years and then in August 2009 relocated to Columbus, Ohio to join my husband. Life has been very different and interesting thanks to this change, for one I am not working anymore, after having had a job that kept me occupied for well over 12 hours a day, this has meant I am finally getting to relax and take things easy.
For another going from india to USA has also been a mighty change- in India we have a surplus of human resources, so I had three different people to help me with my household chores- one man just to wash my car everyday, a cook and a maid to clean the house. Twice a month a gardner to maintain the garden and his son would clean the water tanks for us! Here on the contrary we have nobody coming in to hep us with anything, so me n AJ double up and do the work. Self sufficiency is the key, but having said that the houses are definitely designed for that independence, so while it takes some time it is not impossible!
Our traditional festivals that I am so fond of, we do not celebrate while here, AJ's motto is while in Rome....! So we participate in Halloween, thanksgiving and Xmas celebrations and it is opening our eyes to the American culture and living.
We are both very glad to have gotten this opportunity and am sure in years to come these days will be treasurable memories for us.

Intro Updated Mar 1, 2013
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Comments (96)

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mssthirdeye Mar 20, 2013 at 5:57 AM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRIEND, SORRY FOR LATE WISHES
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  abi_maha May 15, 2013 at 10:22 PM
  
  Sorry for the really late reply...I haven't logged into VT in ages! Thanks so much for your wishes
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  mssthirdeye May 15, 2013 at 11:30 PM
  
  ok
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la-lola Mar 18, 2013 at 7:01 PM

happy birthday...
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  abi_maha May 15, 2013 at 10:23 PM
  
  Thanks you! Apologize for the late reply
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lynnehamman Mar 18, 2013 at 3:38 PM

Happy happy Birthday!
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  abi_maha May 15, 2013 at 10:23 PM
  
  Thanks Lynn! Sorry for the really late reply...I haven't logged into VT in ages!
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iblatt Mar 18, 2013 at 2:33 PM

Hi Abi, wishing you Happy Birthday and great travels! Ilan and Phillipa
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  abi_maha May 15, 2013 at 10:23 PM
  
  Thanks guys! I am hardly logging into VT these days, will try and be more regular henceforth!
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rosata Mar 18, 2013 at 1:12 PM

Birthday Greetings from Sicily, Abi!
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goutammitra Mar 18, 2013 at 8:35 AM

Many Happy Returns of the day! God Bless you!
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akkipaa Mar 18, 2013 at 7:12 AM

Happy Birthday Abi and greetings from Finland!
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Donna_in_India Mar 18, 2013 at 4:34 AM

Happy Birthday Abi!
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  abi_maha May 15, 2013 at 10:32 PM
  
  Rather late I know- but thanks Donna! I haven't been regular on VT these days
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  Donna_in_India May 16, 2013 at 4:37 AM
  
  See on FB that you're busy, busy these days! :-)
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MacedonianUK Mar 18, 2013 at 2:26 AM

Happy Birthday!
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vpas Mar 18, 2013 at 2:06 AM

Happy Birthday Abi!! Have a great day and many travel filled ones in the years ahead!
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  abi_maha May 15, 2013 at 10:28 PM
  
  Here I am wishing you for your budday and now seeing my birthday wishes... am hardly logging into VT these days