PEOPLE | FOOD | EVENTS | ENTERTAINMENT | CULTURE August 16, 2014

PLUS InstaPune | Scor’d | Pune Express | Photo Feature

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FOODIE DELIGHTS LIP-SMACKING GANESHOTSAV TREATS

Independence Day Special

THE HEROES OF REVOLUTION

I“Keeping with the sentiment of the month, we present our hum-ble effort to highlight the freedom fighters of Pune. We hope you take the time to read through and make note of their sacrifices in our yearning to build a great future. ”

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Contact: hello@puneunltd.com

Editor-in-ChiefAditya Kuber

Editors Veethi Telang Apeksha Bhagchandani

ContributorsVedvrat Shikarpur Sharan Garcha Soni Khadilkar

DesignPrasanta Kundu Maddy Kulkarni Sanjali Manekar

MarketingAnish Sohoni Rekha Achtani

PublisherMedia Sphere Communications Pvt. Ltd.www.mediasphere.co.in

67 years on…It sounds like a lifetime. Because 67 years is a lifetime for most. That midnight on August 14 in 1947 when modern India was born, it bore the burden of history. And the burden of creating a future. Nearly seven decades on, we seem to be just about getting started.

Through our country’s struggle for Independence, there were many hotbeds of activity. Honestly, every village, town and city played its part. As did Pune. From Vasudev Balwant Phadke to Lokmanya Tilak to many unnamed reformers, Pune contrib-uted to India’s freedom in no small measure. Punekars are known to take pride in almost everything associated with their city (and at times, for no reason!), but Pune’s contribution to the freedom struggle is indeed something to be proud of.

Keeping with the sentiment of the month, we present our humble effort to highlight the freedom fighters of Pune. We hope you take the time to read through and make note of their sacrifices in our yearning to build a great future.

As India enters her 68th year, let us all make simple changes to our way of life and pledge to conserve natural resources and be civil to each other. That in itself could help alleviate much of our problems.

Jai Hind!

Aditya Kuber

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Cover Photo: Vinoth ChandarUsed under Creative Commons License

LIVE06 PUNE EXPRESS

What does Freedom mean to you?

08 GANESHOTSAV SPECIAL

Facts and Fables From how Ganesh Chaturthi was first celebrated the way it presently is, to the myths surrounding the curse of staring at the moon during the festival - there are several fascinating things about the festival that you probably aren’t aware of. Read up on and get awed!

12 ENTERTAINMENT

Is Marathi cinema coming of age? Here’s to the new trends and a broader horizon...

SEE

20 INSTAPUNE Capturing the soul of Pune on Instagram

22 PHOTO FEATURE Showcasing awesome work of Puneri shutterbugs

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IN THIS ISSUE August 16, 2014

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Remembering the RevolutionariesPune gave birth to many prominent freedom fighters. In honour of Independence Day, we looked back at the lives of a few Punekars who were a part of India’s freedom struggle.

30 SPECIAL FEATURE

Mangalwar Peth Small businesses, temples & shopping

EAT

26 FOOD

Treats for Ganapati BappaHealthy alternatives to your favourite Ganpati treats. Go on, try them!

PLAY

21 SCOR’D Reviewing all you can watch, read and eat in Pune.

35 EVENTS These are set to rock Pune for the next 2 weeks.

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Priyanka BajajFashion student

Freedom to me is the ability to make your own choices. Even slavery can equal freedom if that’s what you want.

Radhika SaghviPhotographer

Being able to be myself at all times means freedom to me. As long as I’m not hurt-ing anybody’s feelings, it’s important for me to be able to live, speak and act the way I want. I’m not even good at something as trivial as giving a fake smile; I have to make a conscious effort to do that even!

Saahil SharmaIT Professional

No bar, no restriction, no limitations. To live your life your way is what freedom is. I don’t have an issue with rules. I have issues with limitation. I want to fly without having to think about anyone else in the world.

“I always wonder why birds choose to stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth, then I

ask myself the same question.” Harun Yahya’s moving quote sums up the concept of

freedom in a handful of words. But, is the same for everyone? We asked a few Punekars and they sure

had different things to say.

What does FREEDOM mean to you?

S RamamurthyChemist

Chuck the rules us humans have to live with and I’ll be happy to live the life I’m leading. Freedom for me is to break free from the boundaries and run away. When I’m 65, I don’t want to regret the things I didn’t do when I had a chance. Sadly, life doesn’t work that way.

We would love to know your views on the topic.

Write to us at hello@puneunltd.com

Jahnvi ShindeContent Writer

Freedom? I don’t think we’ll ever taste it in this age. However, I think it’s to live without worrying about con-sequence. The ability to do whatever it takes to live life to the fullest, without look-ing back. That’s freedom for me.

Shalini DasguptaChef

Freedom for me means to travel and see the world. When the time comes to choose a life partner, I will only settle for one who will be alright with that, even if, at times, he isn’t able to join me. I have a list of places I want to visit and I’m already done with the first two; Jordan and Istanbul!

Payal IsraniBusiness Analyst

I want to live life to the fullest! That’s what freedom means. I want to keep studying, skydive, learn at least 2 music instru-ments, speak minimum two for-eign languages fluently and live in various countries for a couple of years each. We’ve reached a stage where a woman can do all of the above, and more, without the world frowning upon her.

Arti PrasadJournalist

If I feel like having a cup of chai at a tapri in the middle of the night and I’m able to do it without worrying about what dangers a woman might face out there at the time; it’s freedom. It’s really as simple as that.

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PUNE EXPRESS

What does FREEDOM mean to you?

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Facts & FablesFrom how Ganesh Chaturthi was first celebrated the way it presently is, to the myths surrounding the curse of staring at the moon during the festival - there are several fascinating things about the festival that you probably aren’t aware of. Read up on and get awed!

� Sharan Garcha

Photo: anaxilaUsed under Creative Commons License

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IGANESHOTSAV SPECIAL

Dant’. There are many myths about the missing tooth of Ganesha. The most common is the story about the tooth being lost as it was hurled at the moon who had offended Ganesha by mocking him.

Lord Ganesha is known for his elephant head and his enormous belly. He is one of the friendliest Hindu Gods, who is bereft of malice and curses. The cute and cuddly image of Ganesha inspires lots of love among his devo-tees, which is why he is called ‘Ganpati’, the lord of the people. Ganesh Chatuthi is special festival meant to cel-ebrate the glory of Lord Ganesha and is due in a week’s time. So, let us find out what are the things that Ganesha loves the most to please him on this special day:

Modak: Everyone who celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi knows this one! First things first, Lord Ganesha is a com-plete foodie. The love handles and enormous pouches on his body leave no doubt that Ganesha just loves food. So, the easiest way to Ganapati’s heart is through his belly. Modaks are Ganesha’s favourite sweets and must be offered to him on Ganesh Chaturthi.

Dhruva Grass: These are basically blades of grass that have three branches and grow wild in the fields. There

It is that time of the year again. Ganesha idols are seen everywhere, and the city is gearing up for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. It is believed that Lord Ganesha him-self descends on Earth to bless his devotees on this day and anyone who worships him during this time is certain to find success in whatever he endeavours.

Much credit goes to revolutionary freedom fighter Lok-manya Tilak for resuscitating interest in the festival. It was during 1893 when Tilak urged the masses to unite and come together to celebrate the festival. The main motive was to unite people and inculcate feelings of patriotism in them.

Lord Ganesha is also referred to as “Vigana Harta” (the remover of obstacles) and “Buddhi Pradaayaka” (the giver of wisdom and intellect). In fact, there are around 108 names of Lord Ganesha, but Ganesha and Ganpati are more common.

Ganesha Chaturthi is also the day when Lord Shiva declared Ganesha to be above all Hindu Gods, excluding Vishnu Lakshmi, Shiva and Parvati.

Lord Ganesha is sometimes represented with only one tusk. This form of Lord Ganesha is known as ‘Ek

Photo: Shantanu Prasade

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conch at home while doing Ganesha aarti. The shrill sound is supposed to wade away evil spirits.

Fruits of the Season: Coconuts and bananas are Gane-sha’s favourite fruits. Ganesha’s head is of an elephant and thus has a weakness for bananas and all parts of the plan-tain. His idols are usually surrounded by banana leaves and also the stem of the banana plain. Some people also offer plantain flowers to Ganesha.

Did you know that it is considered unlucky to look at the Moon during Ganesha Chaturthi? According to Hindu mythology, once while returning from a feast, Ganesha rid-ing atop his mouse, was accosted by a snake. On seeing the snake, the petrified mouse dropped Lord Ganesha on the ground. Because of the impact of the fall, the belly of Lord Ganesha burst open and the food he had at the feast spilled out. Ganesha gathered all the fallen ladoos and modaks and stuffed them back in his belly, using the snake to hold his belly together. Chandra (Moon) who was watch-ing everything burst out laughing. This enraged Ganesha and he broke his tooth and hurled it at the Moon, cursing him to never be able to shine again. Later, the Moon sought forgiveness and the curse was undone. But, the myth about looking at the moon as a bad luck omen still prevails.

The vehicle of Ganesha is the mouse. But have you won-dered, why the mouse? The mouse has ability to break down substances into their tiny parts. We need to develop an intelligent mind that is capable of understanding things in detail, which enters into the depth of matters.

Ganesha also carries snake around his waist, which is a symbol of the energy which resides in all human beings. This energy can be used both beneficially and for destruc-tive purposes. The position of the snake at the navel of the murti is a symbol of ‘vyaan’, an aspect of Vayu – the element of air within the body.

is an interesting story that explains why Ganesha loves Dhruva grass. Ganesha once swallowed an evil demon named Analasura who was tormenting the Gods. But, after swallowing the demon, Lord Ganesha was in immense pain as the evil demon refused to get digested. Some ancient wise sages rained Dhruva grass on him and his stomach cooled. From then on, this grass is a favourite of Ganesha.

Marigolds (Genda): Most people who bring the idol of Ganesha home to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi use red and yellow marigolds to decorate. Ganesha loves marigold and he is often seen wearing garlands made of marigolds and Dhruva grass.

Conch Shell (Shankh): Ganesha has four hands and one of them holds a conch shell. Many Hindu festivals are initiated with the blowing of the conch shells. Ganapati too likes the sound of the conch shells. His devotees blow the

Photo: Preshit Deorukhkar Used under Creative Commons License

Photo: Jose Pereira Used under Creative Commons License

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When it comes to buying Ganesh idols you have vari-ous options to choose from. If you think that all Ganpati idols are the same, then you are in for a surprise. Here’s what each idol represents:

The Sitting Pose: This is the most popular form of Ganpati idol. The God is usually seen sitting on a lotus or a throne. The most common pose is one where one leg is folded at the knee while the other foot rests on the ground. This is known as Lalitasana or the relaxed pose. Almost all such idols have a mouse, which is Ganapati’s vehicle near the feet.  This idol is the one you would find in most households.  

The Standing Pose: This idol is a representa-tion of the right attitude. These idols are generally huge and look very regal. These statues are also believed to look very bulky as the enormous belly of the elephant headed god is seen.  Some variations have such idols leaning on thrones or have the feet resting on his vahan, the mouse. Some of the biggest idols that are seen in mandals are of this variety. 

The Dancing Pose: The Natraj Ganpati or danc-ing pose is the one which portrays the elephant-headed God as a musician. This pose symbolises the energy of destruction. This form is seen more in art. These idols are also more commonly seen at mandals and not in homes. 

The Reclining Pose:  This pose symbolises lux-ury, wealth, comfort and prosperity. This kind of idols usually have the Ganpati reclined on a pillow. This pose is generally seen in paintings and sculptures than in idols worshipped at home. 

Alone in the city, the celebrations range from normal idols at home, to pompous celebrations in various places in thousands of numbers.

Photo: Thejas Panarkandy Used under Creative Commons License

Photo: Aarthi Ramamurthy Used under Creative Commons License

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ENTERTAINMENT

� Aditya Kuber

IS MARATHI CINEMA

COMING OF AGE?

being for connoisseurs or for the masses. This, unfortu-nately, cut out the in-between audience that didn’t enjoy crudeness or art-y movies. Movies such as Natrang or Shwaas or Harishchandrachi Factory were made with entertainment and a message in mind. These mov-ies appealed to a huge audience and the rewards they reaped underlined the fact that the Marathi movie audi-ence was interested in Marathi cinema, but good cinema.

Films dealing with social issues and a message were made with budgets and that improved the appeal it held for the audience. Much credit for this should go to Marathi actors like Atul Kulkarni who were open to playing chal-lenging leading roles in difficult stories. Previously, Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde, Sachin, Nana Patekar, Reema Lagoo and others have always played central characters

Not since the Mahesh Kothare-Laxmikant Berde or Sachin-Ashok Saraf era has Marathi cinema enjoyed as much prominence and popularity as it is currently wit-nessing.

Remember De Dana Dan or Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi? Clas-sics, no? But think back to most movies made during this time and a common theme emerges: bumbling heroes who find themselves in awkward situations and make their way out of it. Choose a movie and the back-drop may change and the cast may change (a bit) but the overall theme remained the same. Yes, movies like Chaukat Raja and Kalat Nakalat were also made during this era, but these were few and far in between.

Over the last few years, though, this has changed. Marathi cinema was always acknowledged as either

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IS MARATHI CINEMA

COMING OF AGE?

in Marathi movies, their appeal from their Hindi film presence helped draw audiences.

A notable shift in the past few years has been the vastly enhanced production quality. A look at the recent pro-motions of Rama-Madhav starring and directed by Mri-nal Kulkarni is proof of this. Also, Riteish Deshmukh’s Lai Bhaari put Marathi movie promotion at a different level. Both movies aren’t without substance, mind you, which makes the promotions worthwhile.

The names of actors listed above are just a few. Most Marathi actors successfully toggle TV and cinema and are therefore household names. And their contribution to the recent success is not a small one.

But is this a trend? Or is this the way forward? What the Marathi movie audience is looking for, is

production quality at par with Bollywood. Films made in the Southern states have achieved this and in some cases, gone even further. So why not Marathi cinema, especially Mumbai at its heart for technical and com-mercial purposes?

For younger audiences to be attracted to Marathi cin-ema, the treatment of movies has to be current. We are exposed to Hollywood and Bollywood and Tollywood and would really like it if Marathi cinema came out of the woods! It’s possible.

So if you are someone who has not been to a Marathi movie, please pick one that’s playing and take a look. And if you’re a homebody, here’s some you can rent or buy and watch (our must-watch list).

Balak Palak (2012)

Natarang (2010)

Saatchya Aat Gharat (2004)

The Damned Rain or Gabhricha Paus (2009)

Harishchandrachi Factory (2009)

Shwaas (2004)

Lai Bhaari (2014)

Rama Madhav (2014)

Mee Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy (2009)

10.Kaksparsh (2012)

This is a list of some of the good movies in the past 10 years or so. There are some good ones running at a the-atre near you right now! Go, buy a ticket.

ENTERTAINMENT

Remembering the Revolutionaries

Vinayak Damodar SavarkarThe great freedom fighter, better known as Swatan-tryaveer Savarkar, was born in Bhagur, near the city of Nashik. However, a great part of the leader’s grooming took place in the city of Pune, when he enrolled in Fer-gusson College. Always a fierce patriot and inspired by the new generation of radical politics, he formed a polit-ical outfit called Abhinav Bharat. Savarkar organised the first public bonfire of foreign clothes in Pune in 1905, due to which he was expelled from college but allowed to appear for his degree examinations.

He passed the BA examination and would soon shift to London, writing articles and books that inspired the young towards revolutionary means of freedom struggle and organised revolutionary activities. He was arrested on arrival in London on March 13, 1910 and while being shipped to India, Savarkar tried to escape by jumping through the port hole and swimming to the shore. How-

ever, by the time he could successfully escape, the alarm was raised and he was recaptured.

Savarkar was brought to Yerawada Central Jail and kept here for a few days until he was sentenced to 50 years of rigorous imprisonment in the infamous Cellular Jail in Andaman. He would spend many years at the Andaman jail and write poems dedicated to the Motherland on the walls of the prison cells using thorns and nails. Many of those great poems are recited in Marathi even today.

Vasudev Balwant PhadkePhadke was born on November 04, 1845 in Shirdhon vil-lage in Panvel taluka. As a child, he preferred learning skills like wrestling and riding over school education and soon dropped out. He eventually moved to Pune and took up a job as a clerk in the military accounts department. He trained as a wrestler under Krantiveer Lahuji Vastad Salve.

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� Vedvrat Shikarpur

Pune became an important centre for the war against the British Raj, with its various mass movements and social reforms that paved the way for the fight for freedom. The city gave birth to many prominent freedom fighters. In honour of Independence Day, we looked back at the lives of a few

Punekars who were a part of India’s freedom struggle.

Salve also encouraged Phadke to fight for freedom against the British Raj and preached the importance of getting backward castes into the freedom movement. He attended lectures by Mahadeo Ranade and in 1870, Phadke joined a public agitation in the city. However, the incident that propelled Phadke to start an armed rebellion was the inability to visit his ailing mother due to a delay in getting approval for a leave. His mother soon died of her ailments and Phadke launched protest speeches against the government. He gathered people from the Ramoshi caste along with Kolis, Bhils and Dhan-gars, intending to build an army of his own. Lacking the funds, he and his band raided Dhamari village in Shirir taluka, in the Pune district. He went on to lead raids in the Shirur and Khed talukas of Pune.

Despite setbacks, Phadke kept raiding and organising attacks on the British in various areas. He recruited 500 people of the Rohila tribe and soon a bounty was offered for Phadke. He was captured on 20 July, 1879 while on his way to Pandharpur and taken to Pune to undergo a trial

Phadke and his comrades were housed in a district

session court jail building near Sangam bridge, which today happens to be the state CID building. In jail, Phadke began a hunger strike and breathed his last on February 17, 1883. Phadke’s life was a source of inspiration to many revolutionaries, and freedom fighter Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel ‘Anand Math’ incorporated several of his acts. Phadke is the founder of the Bhave School in Pune and a founding member of Poona Native Institution, later known as the Maharashtra Education Society, which today has over 51 educational institutes in six districts.

Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar TilakTilak was born on July 23, 1856 in Ratnagiri but later shifted to Pune for education. Pune would become a huge part of Tilak’s freedom activism and life. He studied in the Deccan College of Pune and acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree with first class in Mathe-

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Photo: Shankar S. Used under Creative Commons License

matics. Along with colleagues Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, Mahadev Namjoshi and Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, Tilak founded the Deccan Educa-tion Society, which established the New English School and Fergusson College in 1885. Tilak would later teach mathematics at Fergusson and begin mass movements towards indepen-dence.

He started a Marathi weekly, Kesari, of which Agarkar acted as editor. To bring all sections of the society together and defy British laws of the time, which banned people from organis-ing large events, Tilak started the celebration of Shiv Jayanti on the birth anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj and organised the first public Ganesh Festival in Pune in 1894.

Tilak joined the Indian National Congress in 1890 and was known for his radical views. He was the first to emphasise ‘Swaraj’ or self-rule as a birthright. He even encouraged the Swadeshi movement and emphasised on boycotting for-eign goods. He found support in fellow nation-alists like Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai. The trio was referred to as ‘Lal-Bal-Pal’ and led the Jahal matavadi or radical faction of the Con-gress when the party split. Tilak would soon be imprisoned in Mandalay from 1908 to 1914. After his release, Tilak had to mellow down due to his health condition, but he continued with

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Photo: Wikipedia

Photo: Shankar S. Used under Creative Commons License

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his activism against the British Raj and social reforms to bring various sections of the society together.

Chapekar BrothersIn 1896, the city of Pune suffered from the epidemic of bubonic plague, leading to numerous deaths. To stop the spread of the disease, a special Plague Committee was instituted under WC Rand. According to Gokhale, the British officers who were in charge were ignorant of India’s language, customs and sentiment. Harsh mea-sures were taken to stop the spread of the disease and houses were raided without the presence of a warrant. Reports of women being raped surfaced and Tilak wrote to the Queen about the same.

Enraged due to the incidents, the Chapekar brothers decided to take action. During the Diamond Jubilee cel-ebrations of the coronation of Queen Victoria in Pune in 1897, they selected a spot near Ganeshkhind (today Senapati Bapat Road) and waited for Rand’s carriage to arrive. Damoder Hari shot Rand and was arrested for the murder he committed. He stated the atrocities com-mitted by the officers, which included breaking of sacred idols during searches, demeaning behaviour towards women and more. Later, his brothers Balkrishna Hari and Vasudeo Hari, co-conspirators in the murder, were also found and arrested and all three of them were sen-tenced to death by hanging. Their story inspired many revolutionaries to take up armed rebellion against the British.

Photo: Shankar S. Used under Creative Commons License

Did you know?Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Bal Gangadhar Tilak have a lot in common. Both were born in Ratnagiri District, were Chitpavan Brahmins, attended Elphin-stone College, became professors of mathematics and were important mem-bers of the Deccan Education Society as well as active in the Congress.

Mahatma Jyotirao Phule had a favourable opinion about the British Rule in India and lauded them for introducing the country to modern technology and policies, bringing education to all sections of the soci-ety and for taking action against prevalent customs (sati, dowry, child marriage, etc.).

Savarkar was the first Indian leader to perform a bonfire of foreign clothes. The bonfire was organised in Pune in the year 1905.

Mohandas [Mahatma] Gandhi was impris-oned in Yerwada Jail and later placed under house arrest at the Aga Khan Palace from 1942 to 1944. His wife Kasturba Gandhi as well as aide Mahadev Desai took their last breaths in the palace.

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Photo: Wikipedia

Photo: Shankar S. Used under Creative Commons License

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Independence Day long weekend is round the corner. Are you scrambling to put together your travel plans? We present you four quick alternatives to replace your travel agents and expensive hotels! To make the most of your vacation, explore these different options according to your budget, time frame and other parameters.

@apoorvpadhye

@vijayabhaskar_@kedark89

@painting_the_rainbow

@klicks_of_kai

@darkredmario

@thepunekarWe love everything about Pune and scout for Instagram images that showcase its spirit. If you have an interesting image of the city, tag @thepunekar on Instagram and it could get featured here!

@newdelhiboy @tejaamladi

@metatransitions

INSTAPUNE

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SCOR’D

Independence Day long weekend is round the corner. Are you scrambling to put together your travel plans? We present you four quick alternatives to replace your travel agents and expensive hotels! To make the most of your vacation, explore these different options according to your budget, time frame and other parameters.

Film Guardians of the Galaxy (3D)

Whatte “Marvel”!

Food Chutney Sauce Murabba, Baner

Pretty cool college hangout with something for everyone!

Not “explosive” enough!

Film Singham Returns

Food LSD - Love Sugar & Dough, Ganeshkhind Rd

Book Beyond Forever… in Love by Kiran Joshi

A touching novel with relatable characters

One of its kind! The Blueberry Cheesecake is a must-try.

Book When Only Love Remains by Durjoy Dutta

A sweet, relaxing read for young romance lovers

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PHOTO FEATURE

Photo: Harshad SharmaUsed under Creative Commons License

ÛShadows of clouds on one another.

ÛRing the right bell.

ÜShapes.

PHOTO FEATURE

Photo: slalitUsed under Creative Commons License

Photo: bhautikjoshi Used under Creative Commons License

ÛThrough the streets of Pune.

PHOTO FEATURE

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Photo: Aman DeshmukhUsed under Creative Commons License

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Khirapat PanchakhadyaAccording to Ayurveda, Panchakhadya comprises only five ingredients which include kharik (Dry dates), dry coconut, poppy seeds, sugar and almonds. The panchakhadya is offered as a Naivedya to Lord Ganesha which means, only 1 teaspoon of the same is offered to people who come for Ganpati aarti.

Our beloved God Lord Ganesha arrives very soon and so, here’s the recipe of Khirapat Panchakhadya:

Treats for

Ganpati BappaLord Ganesha loves sweets. We love sweets too. And, with Ganesh Chaturthi nearing us, there’s no bet-ter reason to rush to your kitchen and create some delicious treats for your Lord. Isn’t it true? But, many sweet lovers fear the extreme intake of calories and so, compromise. We say, don’t! You have 4 recipes

here – healthy alternatives to your favourite Ganpati treats. Go on, try them!

� Soni Khadilkar

Ingredients

Î 1 cup dry coconut Î 6 tbsp poppy seeds Î 5 tbsp almond powder Î 5 tbsp dry date powder (kharik powder) Î Sugar

Method• Dry roast coconut until it leaves a sweet

aroma. Keep aside to cool.

• Dry roast poppy seeds and after it reaches the room temperature, grate it in the mixer until made into powder.

• Mix almond powder, dry date powder and sugar (as required) to the dry coconut and poppy seed powder. Store in an air-tight con-tainer.

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FOODFor the covering

Î 1½ cup rice flour Î 1 cup water Î 2 tsp ghee (clarified butter) Î A pinch of Salt

For the filling

Î 1½ cup grated Coconut Î 1 cup jaggery Î 1 tsp poppy Seeds, roasted Î 1 tsp cardamom Powder

MethodFilling:

• Mix grated coconut and jaggery in a bowl and keep aside for 10 mins.

• Add this mixture to a pan and cook on a low flame until the jaggery melts.

• Add cardamom powder and roasted poppy seeds.

• Keep aside to cool.

•

Covering:

• Boil 1 cup water and add ghee to it.

• Add rice flour to boiling water and mix well by stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed.

• Add salt and cook covered for 2-3 mins.

• Turn the heat off and knead well for 5-10 minutes into a soft.

• This dough is called Ukad and hence the name!.

Method for making modaks:

• Make small balls from the dough

• Roll each ball to the size of puris

• Place this on your palm and add some fill-ing to it

• Bring together the ends in form of plates and form a tip and seal. A perfect looking modak should form 7 plates.

• Repeat the procedure for the rest of the modaks

• Put these modaks in a thin muslin and place in a steamer/cooker without a whistle and steam for 15-20 mins.

• Serve hot with ghee.

Ukadiche ModakUkadiche Modak is the favourite food of Ganpati and, therefore, it is mandatory to make modaks for Ganesh Chaturthi. Modaks are rice dumplings made with coconut and jaggery filling, and then steamed and served with ghee (clarified butter). Ukadiche Modak is a traditional Maharashtrian rec-ipe made on the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi to welcome home our beloved God. We recommend you use homemade ghee for this as it’s healthier than its processed counterpart.

Photo: Sudhamshu Hebbar Used under Creative Commons License

Vatli DalTraditionally, vatli dal is served as a condiment on the day of visarjan, when Lord Ganesha is immersed in water. The main ingredient of vatli dal is chana dal which has dietary fiber which helps in digestion and is the richest vegan source of dietary proteins. Just before the visarjan, vatli dal is offered to Lord Ganesha as prasad.

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Ingredients

Î 1 cup chana dal (gram lentils) Î 1 tsp mustard seeds Î ½ tsp turmeric powder Î ½ tsp asafoetida (heeng) Î 1 green chilli Î 5 curry leaves Î Salt to taste Î 1 tsp sugar Î 2 tbsp oil Î 3 tsp chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Î 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Method• Soak  chana dal  overnight in boiling

water.

• The next day, drain all water in a strainer. Add the  chana dal to a blender and grind it into a coarse mix-ture.

• Heat oil in a pan. Add finely chopped chilli, mustard seeds, asafoetida, tur-meric powder and curry leaves. Stir for a minute and add dal mixture, salt, lemon juice and sugar.

• Sauté well on a very low flame as the dal might stick to the bottom of the pan. Make sure the dal becomes dry. Cook for another 5 minutes by covering the pan with a lid. Add freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Dry Fruit ModaksDry fruit modaks are definitely a healthier option of making prasad or naivedya for Ganpati Bappa. This recipe derives sweetness from dates and figs in the natural form and so, there’s no need to add sugar.

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FOOD

Ingredients

Î Ingredients Î ¾  cup dates (seeds removed) Î 6 figs very finely chopped Î ¼ cup almonds Î ¼ cup pistachio Î 2 tsp cashew nuts Î a pinch of cardamom powder Î 1 tsp poppy seeds Î 4 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)

ÎMethod• In a pan, dry roast the almonds, pis-

tachios and cashew nuts. Make them into a fine powder after they are cool.

• Roughly chop the dates and add them along with the finely chopped figs into a pan with ghee. On a low flame, fry them continuously for about 8-10 minutes until the mixture turns thick. Switch off the flame and let the date-fig mixture cool down. Grind the mixture into a smooth paste. Add the dry fruit powder, poppy seeds and cardamom powder to the date-figs-ghee mixture.

• Add this into the pan and heat it for 3-4 minutes until all the dry fruits incorpo-rate into a thick ball.

• You will have to work on making the  modaks  when the dry fruit mix-ture is warm. Add enough mixture into the modak mould. With the afore-men-tioned quantity, you can easily make 8 modaks of 2-inch size each.

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� Sharan Garcha

PETHS

MANGALWAR PETH Small businesses, temples and shopping

EEvery city is woven together with a blend of both, the suburbs and the countryside and, our Pune is especially known for this quality. While the happening spots are well known by one and all, it’s the Peths of Pune that encompass the old world charm. About fifty years ago, this favourite metropolis was poles apart visually as well as demographically. Unlike today, where the city stretches across 15642 sq. km, it was formerly limited to only 17 Peth areas.

The formation of a Peth in ancient times was the duty of a ‘Mahajan’. They formed the representatives of residents and were assigned the duty to collect taxes. Today, the Peths form the heart of Pune city, and are

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SPECIAL FEATURE

referred to as old Pune.

Mangalwar Peth was formed in 1662. At that time, this peth was known as Astapura. This was the area where Shaiste Khan stayed when he came with an intention to defeat Shi-vaji Maharaj and conquer the city. During his stay he named the place ‘Shai-stepura’, which was later re-named as Mangalwar Peth. This area was famous for different businesses and was destroyed during the Panshet dam floods in. Today, it is known for transportation businesses.

How to get thereMangalwar Peth is bordered by Kasba Peth and Som-war Peth. When one has to get to Mangalwar Peth, you need to reach Kamla Nehru Hospital.

The day I chose to visit the Peth was a bright and sunny one, which felt like a sudden change with so much rain over the past few weeks. I began exploring the area lane by lane. While walking down these lanes there were

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glimpses of small businesses and various kinds of peo-ple. The occupants are mainly migrant labourers and small traders engaged in selling and purchasing of used goods. Also, each corner of the peth had small temples of various Gods. One can see a lot of small hawkers

with their colourful handcarts selling a mix of items. The area being famous for businesses, you don’t get to see a lot of restaurants or eateries. There are chai

around where one can see a lot of people chilling, taking a break and indulg-ing in long conversations. The houses in the Peth have an old construction quality, which gives you the feeling of being in old Pune with a modern touch thanks to some modern buildings around the area.

Trishund Ganesh TempleAs the name suggests, ‘Trishund’ actually means three trunks. Amidst the narrow lanes of Mangalwar Peth lies a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh. It was con-structed by Bhimjigiri Gosavi. This is also

supposed to be the only temple in Pune that is built in stone masonry. This exquisitely carved temple is believed to be built in 1754 and is considered a Samadhi for the Gosavi sect. This ancient temple is not only famous for

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its special architecture but also for the rare idol of Gana-pati having three heads, six hands and astride a peacock. There are two sculptured dwarpalakas (doorkeepers) at the entrance along with other elaborately carved pea-cock, parrots, elephants in combat, chained rhinos with soldiers and mythological figures from an ancient era. A spacious sabhamandap leads to the sanctum where the Lord Ganesh idol, which gives the temple its name, is installed. The temple is designed on two levels with a Samadhi of the founder of the temple placed exactly below the idol in the cellar. The temple is privately owned and is sound structurally; its exquisite stone sculptures, arches and domes are still intact, despite being exposed to elements for close to 375 years.

While today the temple attracts the devout as a place of worship, it is believed that the Trishund Ganpati temple was also built as a practicing school for mystics; Hatha-yogis and disciples of Mantrashakti. It is rare temple because no other Ganesh temples have sculptures as this one.

Omkareshwar Temple The Omkareshwar temple of Pune is a 17th century Par-vati temple, known for its endurance during the floods of Panshet in 1962 as well as its extraordinary construc-tion and extravagant style.

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It was constructed on the banks of the Mutha River during the tenure of Sadashiv Bhau. The temple dates back 250 years and provides an exotic view with its columns and architectural design. It has an old world charm of ancient India.

Its white dome is built of soft soap stone displaying intri-cate carvings on the upper portions, as well as on the stone roof of the temple. The shrine is surrounded by verandas with columns. These columns are carved in circles, polygons and squares. The tower or shikhar of the Omkareshwar temple is built in a Nagara style and consists of 5 distinct layers, each representing the image of a different Hindu God.

Juna Bazaar is located in Mangalwar Peth. As the name suggests, the market stocks everything ‘old’ which means ‘juna’ in Marathi. The place is heaven for an antique collector. From spectacles to magnifying glasses, coins dating back to the Peshwa era to gramophones and old cassettes to vinyl records, one can browse through a plethora of artifacts. The market is a narrow lane, cre-ated by hawkers setting up their stalls on the side of the road itself. The busy traffic on the road is matched with the crowd of visitors hustling each other to get by in the

flea market, which is open on Wednesdays and Sundays.

A section of the market, towards the RTO gate, is ded-icated to footwear, new and old. One can find a shiny pair of Nike, Adidas or any other branded sneakers, so close to the original that only an expert can tell the dif-ference. Past this, there is the hardware section where you can find different types of iron tools. From hammers to wrenches, everything is covered with rust, but the hawkers promise to clean it up if you wish to purchase it. One can sight young visitors flocking around a spread on the floor that features gym tools such as dumbbells, weight stacks and bars among others. One can also find baggage, toys, sunglasses, and second-hand mobile phones, old electronic items like television sets, radios, boom boxes and video game sets. Interestingly, clothes like T-shirts and track pants are also sold here. Several ‘10-rupee-stalls’ are spread throughout the market, which sell items like toothbrushes, loofahs, soap dishes, bowls, cups, toys, pens, key chains, batteries, plastic bottles, mobile cases, cello-tape rolls, notebooks, pencil boxes, change purses and other items.

All Photo Credits: Shantanu Prasade

Timeboy: Children’s Play(Suitable for 4 Years & above) The protagonist of this children’s play is Murli, a seven year old restless penguin and at present he can not wait to know who he will turn out to be when he grows up. The only obstacle that he is facing is time, which is moving too slowly for him. Sammy, a duckling and Rohan, a zebra are his best friends and together three of them try to beat time. So one day, Murli succeeds in making a time machine to peek into the future and he becomes Timeboy.

When: : August 24

Where: Nehru Memorial Hall

Time: 12:00 noon to 05:00 pm

24

The Freedom TrailPune Darshan Special TourGaneshotsav, the most widely celebrated festival in Pune, is back. This 10-day festival marks the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha, Ganpati idols are set up in over 3,000 mandals (public stalls) across the city. While most mandals are lavishly deco-rated, others feature tableaux of current affairs. The Cultural Center will undertake a tour on the 1st day and the last day of the festival.

When: August 16

Where: Pune University, main building

Time 7.30 am

Contacvt 020 2570 9013 (11am-5pm) / virasatpune@janwani.org

Price: Rs 400 per person

16August

Advanced Course inPhotography with Sameer Belvarkar Learn to handle equipment like a pro and polish your photography skills. You can now choose to make your passion, your profes-sion. The advanced course in photography is aimed to help you understand and learn what it takes to become a professional photogra-pher.

When: August 30

Duration: 3 Weekends (6 Sessions)

Time 8:30 am -12 noon

Contact: 9823033270, images@sameerbel-varkar.com

30August

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EVENTS

August

Come, Listen to the Storytellers A group of storytellers who have been telling stories in different parts of Pune are back at Pagdandi.

Their repertoire includes mythology, traditional folktales, ancient & modern fables, tales with a twist, dragons & goblins, witches & wizards, fools & jesters, stories in sign language, stories from India and around the world, in English & Hindi, translations from Indian & foreign languages and stories with songs & rhymes.

When: August 17 - August 18

Where: Pagdandi - Book Chai Cafe, Shop No. 6, Regent Plaza, Baner Pashan Link Road, Behind Symantec, Baner, Pune.

Time: Aug 17, 4:30 pm and Aug 18, 5:30 pm

Ganesh Utsav Tour Ganeshotsav, the most widely celebrated festi-val in Pune, is back. Celebrated in August-Sep-tember, this 10-day festival marks the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha (lovingly known as Ganpati), one of Hinduism’s most revered Gods. Ganpati idols are set up in over 3,000 mandals (public stalls) across the city. While most mandals are lavishly decorated, others feature tableaux of current affairs. The Cul-tural Center will undertake a tour on the 1st day and the last day of the festival.

When: August 29

Where: Shaniwarwada, Pune

Time 8:30 am -12 noon

Contacvt tcc@prelocate.com

29August

Exotic Wine DinnerExperience a unique global wine dinner of exquisite wines such as Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough, Brancaia TRE - Tuscany and Rolf Binder Halliwell - Barossa Valley, complemented with a four course set menu dinner.  When: August 22

Where: Hyatt Regency Pune, Weikfield IT Park, Pune-Nagar Road, Pune

Time 8 pm

Contact: +91 20 6645 1618

22August

La Tomatina Festival 2014The countdown has begun to the most awaited La Tomatina Jelly Ball festival. The highlights of the event include a fashion show, monsoon carnival, food and music! Also tomatoes have been replaced with jelly beans.

When: August 24

Where: Raga Lawns Pune, off Pingle road, Annex North Koregaon park, Mundhwa, Pune

Time: 10 am

Entry Fee: 750/-

24August

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17-18August

EVENTS