I realized that not all of my Pujo memories were happy ones and that some of the negative memories influence my relationship to this season, even today.

The happy memories have to do with food and family and anticipation that this Pujo will be different from previous years. For many years we went to the only Pujo in Bangalore for many years. There are now 15. I got to wear a new outfit for every morning and every evening of the Pujo I went to. By the end of it I had 8 new outfits!

The afternoon bhog (lunch) was a ritual that we all looked forward to, even though it meant standing in line and pushing with crowds to find a seats together. Community folks served up khichuri, tarkari, chatney and mishti from buckets onto sal patta plates. My mom very thoughtfully brought spoons for us so we could sift through the piping hot food though we always ate with our hands. On Dashami it was dinner of dal, pulao and aloor dum that brought the food extravaganza to a grand close. But everyday also brought a steady stream of Bengali snacks--singara, chop and luchi ar cholar dal.

As a child I also looked forward to the one day a year that I was allowed to stay up the whole night. On the night of Nabami, jatra (epic plays) started at 10 pm and was followed by a Bengali movie that went on to the wee hours of the morning. And on at least one Pujo day, the family ritual was to watch the latest Bollywood formula picture.

It was all wonderful but everyday I dreaded going to Pujo. I didn't know a lot of kids there. None of my friends from school were Bengali and I was a shy child. And it was at Pujo, I realize now, that I was first exposed to the ideas of caste and class. There were children (and adults) who were special and I was not one of them. They wore different clothes, hung out with each other in their cliques. They were perfect little cultured Bengali kids who could recite kobita and Tagore and dance like Anonda Shonkar's dance troupe even at that young age and were part of the "in" crowd. Even though I was generally a reasonably well adjusted child at school, I was never comfortable amidst the people I was supposed to have the most in common with.

And Pujo today brings back those memories. In a lot of ways it's not a big deal, Pujo comes only once a year and I have moved on to find Bengalis that I like (I married one!). The situation strikes me though as one that faces Diaspora communities. In Kolkata, Pujo seems like it is for everyone and there are enough people among one's family and friends that one can find one's place in it or hover from one to another or choose to stay invisible. But here (as was the case in Bangalore), we are all thrown together asked to get along because it appears that we all come from the same place. However far you travel and try to bury the roots that you don't want holding you down, these are dug up quickly in places where your last name and where your house is in Kolkata can betray everything about you.

That being said, like a true Bengali, the promise of good food has always helped me overcome these other issues!

It is colder on my bike--my ears ached in the chilly breeze this morning. I hardly ever ride my bike back anymore--it seems too dark and cold. It is flu season and everyone around me seems sick and it feels like I am always on the verge. To make matters worse, I have to study for the exam--if I can pass it this time, the torture will end. And it becomes really difficult to take great pictures in the gloom of winter.

It is also when I get to go home, to India--yes I live in Berkeley now, that is home. But somehow the annual pigrimage to the motherland always seems like a homecoming. And it always feels too short, too rushed, too quick, too happy and suddenly too sad--when I have to leave.

We walked throught the park blocks, saw all of Halprin's fountains. It was so great to see people come there--adults and kids alike, in their swimsuits, ready to splash around. The Keller was popular, the Lovejoy not so much. We didn't have time to also go the newly revitalized Pearl district. That will have to be another trip.

Looking on, originally uploaded by barnali.

We did go to the Saturday market, which was interesting. The weird thing though was that they had a performance stage there with a couple of kids performing--singing and dancing. And I thought, oh how nice, local programming for the market. Except, it turns out that it was sponsored by Disney radio and all the songs were from Disney movies and sung like Disney characters. It felt really commercial and cheap and exploitative. There was no escape from it and the sounds pervaded the whole atmosphere of the market.

But to end on a high note, one of the best things we did was meet up with one of A's friends who had just moved back to Portland. It's true the locals know the best places! My favorite was this wonderful street intersection he took us to. This was a thing I am sure you would appreciate even if you are not one of us landscape architects.

And there is more--see photos of this wonderful street instersection, the topography of a beaver, plants growing in a toaster, an old fashioned barbershop after hours, a Rumi bike rack.....

I could muse further about how putting yourself out there can be really tiring but it can be healing too. In some ways it is a body of work that I often go back to and say--"wow, did I say that?" or "oh my god, did I say that?"

I hope, you, my dear friends will find time in your busy lifes to indulge me and my thoughts....

That night, it seemed as if Pied Piper had had a change of heart and brought the children back to their homes and the sound and sights of those young years was in the air again.
*sigh*

Laura Splan's doily designs though take this very domestic item to a whole another level. Her designs are all based on the structure of various viruses. The first image is of the Herpes Virus, next to it, the dreaded HIV and then the common cold or influenza virus and the last one the once infamous SARS virus.

I am not quite sure I can explain in words why I like them. I think that the beauty of the result coupled with the subversiveness of the inspiration just appeals to me. The art has an innocent side but on closer inspection and education about it reveals a darker side.

Her other work also has similar qualities. She make pillows cases with blown up images of human skin, paints traditional looking wall paper designs with her blood (you need very little blood to do this) and creates interactive digital artshowcasing scars. Some of it might make one queasy but for me it is about acceptance of the human body, flaws and all and its abs
traction and elevation into art.

"emistry.com As we shall see, the concept of time has no meaning before the beginning of the universe. This was first pointed out by St. Augustine. When asked: What did God do before he created the universe? Augustine didn't reply: He was preparing Hell for people who asked such questions. Instead, he said that time was a property of the universe that God created, and that time did not exist before the beginning of the universe."

"emistry.com I should think it is possible for reason to partially subvert faith; this would happen if, for example, there were a really good argument from premises evident to reason for the denial of something central to faith. That is what people who urge anti-theistic arguments - the argument from evil, for example - are trying to come up with"

"emistry.com The State is not 'abolished', it withers away."

Sept 3rd: One year Wedding Anniversary (anniversary of our civil ceremony). Yeah! It has been a blast so far. I love you A.

Sept 3rd: Mukundan is ONE year old!!! He was a cutie the last time I saw him. We can't make his big birthday celebration but we hope see him soon. I love that we share our wedding date with him.

Sept 5th: Teachers' Day

Sept 5th: Also the last day to donate to Work an Hour.

Sept 5th: Labor Day. Holiday. Yeah!!

I called A to see if maybe he was interested in Thai brunch at the Thai Buddhist Temple in Berkeley. I could see myself probably geting there by 12.30, which would not be too late. But A was too caught up in cleaning the home and wasn't sure that he would be able to make it. Hmm..maybe I should go by myself. That red beef curry and and the taro root fritters are so yummy. But then should I get off at Ashby and then get on BART again so I could get my bike at Downtown Berkeley? I guess I could get off at Downtown and ride my bike to the temple. But I wanted food sooner and having gotten food wanted to be home soon too.

Let's see maybe there are other places that are closer. I could get off the bus at Embarcadero and go to that deli across from the Hyatt that has the yummy falafel and shawarma. The food there was really delicious and cheap when we had stopped there with my parents after going to the Zakhir/ Sachdev concert in the City.

But then there was also Tu Lan. Should I walk over there? But I go there more often then other places, so may be not this time then.

So if I wanted Mediterranean food and wanted to get home quickly, I could go to Truly Mediterranean. It would be on my way home and I could even eat while walking my bike. But A thinks their food is overpriced and not that tasty. It would be worth going in to see their new cool mural though.

I guess I could go to Bongo burger. I have been dying to try their lamb kebab burger.

Or I could go to Top Dog next door and get a cheap fast hot dog that I could also eat on my way home.

If a buger is what I want, then maybe I should go to Oscars. It would be on the way. But then it would be messy and I would have to wait until I got home to eat it.

Hmm...Hello Croissant was also on the way. I have never tried their lunch, maybe I could pick up a piece of lasagna. But I didn't really want lasagna.

I could get my meat and have it too if I went to Gregoire. Their lunch sandwiches are so yummy and more reasonably priced than dinner. But that would mean adding in some waiting time.

I almost get off at Ashby BART. But a friend's message saying that he is going to Viks make me rethink that. I get off at downtown, call the friend, get a voice mail. So I dump the Viks idea.

I almost cross the street to go over to Bongo Burger but turn back halfway.

I am also craving spicy Indian food. So I decide to hold my craving until later that day. A and I are going to a concert at I-house. Maybe I can convince him to go to Nan and Curry after.

I get on my bike and ride home.

p.s We don't end up going to the concert, so no Nan and Curry for me! But aren't I lucky to live in a place that has so many kinds of food in thought's reach?!

Scharffen Berger was my first heavenly introduction to REAL chocolate--more chocolate, upto 82% chocolate and less other stuff.

When I took their factory tour I was amazed by the chocolate dust on the overhead ducts. That was also the day I discovered their chocolate sauce. My vocal love for it prompted people at work to give 6 bottles of it as a wedding present!!

Today I find out that Hersheys is all set to swallow our local Dark-Chocolate Maker. I have found other chocolate that makes me HAPPY but still no subsitute for the chocolate sauce. SB will always have a special place in my heart for opening up the world of good chocolate to me.

This news has spurred quite a discussion on Chowhound including tips for where to get the best chocolate. Enlightening and comforting.

North Berkeley Safeway, originally uploaded by anirvan.

There is a Safeway right across the street from our house. It's no Trader Joes but you can't argue with the convenience of having a "grocery store" so close to home. No need to ride the bus or drive or to freak out if there is no milk for breakfast the next morning. We call it our "big fridge". Also the fact that there is so much parking at the Safeway makes street parking on our street really easy.

But what we discovered about this Safeway was that it has the longest lines at the checkout counter that we have ever seen! If we ever go shopping there between 6pm and 10pm there is almost always a wait. It makes sense that people returning from work just like us might stop by to do their shopping. Thought it seems that they are always short of checkers and that is what causes the delay. And yesterday was the limit.

I was craving Indian Chinese food and decided to make it myself. I had decided that the secret ingredient that makes Chinese food Indian Chinese is spring onions and I just had to get some. It is at times like this that shopping at Safeway cannot be postponed to after 10pm. After all what is the point of having the friendly neighborhood "big fridge" then?

So I make my round of the store and having bought my five items approach the check out. It looks reasonable from afar but as I approach the counter I realize that the real line is hidden behind the aisle. The line stretches to 3/4 the width of the store. There are only 2 counters open. The lines are also strategically located so there is icecream on one side and wine on the other side--temptation abounds. As I look at the icecream I in turn crave icecream flavors with chocolate and other things, mango icecream and the yummy strawberry fruitbars that are heaven sent in the warm weather that we have been having recently. But for shame of appearing to succumb to temptation I hold myself back.

Thankfully people in line seem more amused by the whole experience than bitter about it. We find out that three checkers had called in sick that day. After what seems like 20 minutes in line and with secret ingredient in my possession I walk the 2 minutes to our door ready to make magic in the kitchen.

The ones that I still remember are:

• Russian children books translated into English (those were the days of Indo-Soviet cultural exchange).
• Noddy: A series about a wooden doll with a nodding head. Grimms fairytales
• Amar Chitra Katha: The go to series for all stories related to Indian mythology
• Chandamama and Tinkle: Childrens' magazines
• Fairy Tales from Africa: Inherited from a family friend
• Enid Blyton

Last year I was at the dentist getting all my wisdom teeth removed. In the waiting room I saw a book that I had read as child. In this book of short stories, my favorite one was a story about a giant turnip that a farmer is trying to pull out of the ground. Basically the story is about each animal that comes to help him out in this tug of war. Repitative but enjoyable when you are little and the appearance of each new animal excites you and makes you wonder--are they going to be able to pull it out this time?! Seeing this book from my childhood calmed me greatly before the surgery.

The online discussion board on graphic and information guru Edward Tufte's website had an enlightening post about children's books. The list includes peoples' favorite books growing up and also those that their kids have enjoyed and more importantly why. There are obviously quite a few with exceptional graphics.

Some of the titles mentioned that I thought were interesting are listed below:

• "How to Get Your Child to Love Reading" by Esme Raji Codell
• The Water Hole by Graham Base": It is a beautifully illustrated book that teaches ecology, math, geography." See an illustration here
• "Adventure of the World": "I am amazed by the quality of the artwork and the complete lack of any compromise in the illustrations. No clip art, no cute photos of meerkats, no talking dolphins to patronise the young reader"
• "Is a Blue Whale the Biggest Thing There Is?" by Robert E. Wells: "A brilliantly thought-out, visually clever guide to size"
• "Who's afraid of the Big Bad Book?" by Lauren Child: "the book not only contains the story but also features in it as a physical object"

If you want to buy one of these books you know to go to here. After all it is one of Tufte's favorites!

Have a favorite book from your childhood?

Recently I took the 51 from near work so I could get to the Cody's on Telegraph to watch Sarah Vowell speak. But a few stops later a tall man wearing a red wool hat got in and sat opposite me. I was sitting in the first row of seats and he sat on the last seat of the row along the side of the bus. I can smell him and its not pretty. It makes me feel sick. It's a kind of wet, sweaty, rank, too many clothes on a hot day kind of smell. I think I am more affected by smells than most other people I know. I can't even read books that have descriptions of smells. In fact describing that smell right above made me feel sick all over again.

I hope that he will get off soon. I contemplate moving to another seat. Because of the way we are sitting he can't see me, but I am concerned that I will be judged by my fellow passengers if I relocate. So I stay put and try to distract myself and try to cover my nose in a not so obvious manner. But I can't stand it anymore. So when the bus nears Shattuck, my last chance to decide if I should brave it out or get off--I get off. Ironically so does the man. But there is no turning back now.

I would have loved to see Sarah Vowell but my olfactory system could only take so much abuse in her name!

I chose this photograph as it is one of our favorite wedding photographs (Thanks Chandrayee!).

I spent only about 10 minutes creating it and then 5 more mins editing it. I like the colors and the wood cut character of it. I like the way it looks in black and white. But I don't think any of them effectively retains Anirvan's classic expression.

Maybe Photoshop will add a filter that does the same thing in one step! When I have more time maybe I will try a whole strip!

Do we look comic?

Comic characters, originally uploaded by barnali.