A home with a heart ......

Hello folks! It's been a really long time since I last posted something here. This favourite place of mine is so neglected at times but today I am going to make it up. So gear up to visit one of the coziest and warmest homes I have come across. We shall knock on the doors of Momi Mazumdar Mukherjee and her family in Mumbai. Before walking into her space here is a little into how we met up. The social media has been a place where I have made friends with some wonderful people. Momi is one such person; talented and warm-hearted. I would always get drawn to her colourful home whenever she posted snapshots of her home in the social media. My wish to see her home grew so strong that one fine day, I requested Momi to show me her home! And the lady obliged! So here it is; a beautiful home of a happy family. Here's some of her thoughts and her HOME :-D......

Style is a personal sensibility which happens; effortlessly, without a thought put in; in everything that one does... Eat, sleep, play, love, dress, travel, cook, live and all other verbs in between.
It is an extension of our beings and personalities.
The more staged it is or borrowed, the more short lived it is and less easy and comfortable it gets.
My innate style of living would fall into a lot of categories : classic, arty, bohemian, preppy, shabby chic, country, contemporary or a mix of two or more depending upon my mood.
Our each house has looked different and has reflected our experiences, our emotions, our travels, our latest hobbies and gifts from friends who travel or create or just remembered us when they went shopping.
This time round I have felt minimalistic in nature, to do away with clutter (organised  please), to do away with excesses, unwanted, and the bright hues which I generally love... Because that's how I feel.... Blame it on the aging process 😀 or maybe just attaining nirvana 😇
Space in the new home has also helped ... After 13 years of living in Hotels or 2BHKs in Bombay, we definitely take space seriously and worship the fact, that we have it now.

So nothing is new really, a mix as always from Chor Bazaar, Good Earth, Local stores of places I visited or stayed in, Fabindia, Ikea, CAC, Freedom Tree, art exhibitions, Artists' studios and  the roadside.... Just with a change of colour palette.
The durries will come in the second phase or when I feel the need for the home to change a bit, or when I like something... The whole process has to be organic.

So that's us; Mahika, me and Basav in terms of space.

P.S. : The smart people judge others by their shoes; the smartest, judge them by their home.

Well, Momi, thank you for that compliment! I am smart :-) :-).... People, wasn't that a gorgeous home? I loved everything about this home; like I said before, warm, cozy with a lived-in feel. Thank you Momi for taking us into your home :-) and showing us around.....

Gorgeous blue! Come on in to take a tour of this ' jolli appartement'......                  

part of the living area, the solid wood creating a warm feel....the interesting knick-knacks adding an element of  quirk.....

a close up of the living area.......

The entry with its 'wall of frame' :-)

Art work, photographs, pretty artifacts grouped together to create a 'look'...... 

Love those colourful tassles :-)

A closer look at the 'wall of frame'.......such an interesting display idea!

vignettes on the coffee table..... I can spot some pretty shells,too!

A well created nook......

 I heart this vignette! Is that a beetel nut cracker? Such artistic pieces !

The perfect corner to curl up with cups of chai and a good book.......

Can't take my eyes off from this gorgeous place! And what a splendid view!

Momi has created such simple yet eye catching vignettes out of common  things! 

Books and knick knacks on display in a green corner!

And do I spot some pretty charcoal paintings?

And one of my favourite spots in the Mukherjee home :-)

Garden accessories make this place a pretty spot!

Pretty colours all around making this place one of the prettiest spots in the house!

Gorgeous, pretty, beautiful, cool, green, and the list goes on and on..........

And we are into the jolly and happy kitchen where many a delightful meal is churned out by the members who  have a love for good food!

Love everything about your cheerful kitchen, Momi :-)

Look at all those colourful glass!

And we come back to the passage......warm and inviting ......the Kathakali mask steals the show!

Postcards from the Nilgiris

"Come to the book as you would come to an unexplored land. Come without a map. Explore it and draw your own map."

Stephen King

A short trip to the mountains and forests, to be one with nature, to dream, to fill in the lungs with fresh air, to listen to the sounds of nature,to wake up to the misty mornings and watch the starry nights; well, well, well, the list is endless and so are my desires every time I visit such places. I have never been a painter except for the times when I visit a beautiful place and watch nature and its wonders. The daybreak with its myriad colours seem to create a beautiful painting the canvas of nature. Any nature lover would become a painter. 

This was a post I had started composing just after our trip to The Redhills. It was our second visit to the place I baptised 'the Switzerland of India'. It is late I know but still I wanted to share the 'belle photos' with all nature lovers.  Hence, without speaking any more I shall leave the photographs to do the speaking. Enjoy the visual tour!

An ode to Bangalore

A wish that I had nursed for a long time, as each time I crossed by it, I had a very strong urge to stop and capture the bubbling, bustling life there. Well, I am no photographer. I am more of an amateur in this field; they are just baby-captures, as I like to call my efforts. While the quiet serene landscapes soothe me, the energetic feel sends out a more positive vibe. And Malleshwaram is just that! It holds that old world charm of a South Indian locality! So start your tour on a full stomach; some lip smacking dosas and a cup of frothing hot filter coffee at the CTR, an old  little joint and then you are ready to take on the walk through the streets of Malleshwaram!The quaint little temples at every nook and corner of the roads, the stotras and mantras and chants filling up the air, the heady smell of the incense wafting all over, transport one to an era when religious customs and traditions formed a major part of life. And those practices still exist amidst a cosmopolitan life in this city. There seems to be a peaceful coexistence between the swanky, high end malls and the more homely, easy paced local bazaars. The continuous flow of traffic here added more to the lively feel of the locality. The chaos on the roads and the area had a 'lovable' feel to it. You must be wondering how chaos can be lovable!! Well, that's how I felt about the place. The gigantic trees, mainly the Rain trees spread out their branches all across forming pretty canopies.They seem to be spreading out their arms, trying to embrace the boundless sky. I wonder why they are called Rain trees; they resemble huge umbrellas! And these days, these trees are in  full bloom, pale pink brush like flowers adorning them. While walking, my friends and I came across all kinds of interesting things like huge mounds in red and yellow, piles of pretty coloured garlands in tiny little stalls, boutiques tucked away in the by lanes. 

Today, we shall take a virtual tour of Malleshwaram. The photographs may not be of ultimate quality but I feel that they could capture the spirit of the place and of life. Take a trip to enjoy the old world charm. As for me, I loved this rustic aura and the distinct character about the place; a much welcome break from the glitz of our mall culture. So here you go.........

That is CTR for you!

CTR draws a huge crowd for its crispy crunchy dosas and aromatic filter coffee and I was no exception!

the hustle and bustle of a busy day...........

And in a quiet part of the locality you are bound to find some treasures, just like I did !

a couple of my picks.........

Some great ideas for my home :-)

pretty brass made for a gorgeous picture........

the essentials of an Indian pooja............

a busy part of the locality, teeming with life.......

some more colours! Haldi and kumkum.............

Colours and flowers all around me...........

And what are these? Saw them for the first time in my life!

the betel nut flowers..........

the banana barks on sale.......a much required pooja item..........

Piles of betel leaves arranged............

a roadside temple..........one comes across many of its kind .......