Popti - The Harvest Festival of........ errrr....... Roha

I happen to live in a tiny town called Roha which is close to the coast of Maharashtra, India. Now every region has a special something about it that defines it and makes it famous. Considering the fact that majority of Indian population depends on agriculture (I hope I’m not sounding like my economics textbook!) it is obvious that the season of harvest is much awaited. Now just as every region has a Harvest Festival, we in Roha celebrate a party known as “Popti.” (It feels so weird while writing over here in English. I’d never imagined that the concept of Popti would be written about on the internet.” It’s just the cool stuff that we village ppl do! Yay!

Today I take pride in introducing to my global blogger friends the awesome thing that is… Popti. So here is how it goes. Basically it is the celebration of the harvest of beans that we call ‘Vaal’. I really don’t know what its botanical name is ;-)

This is what you need:

From Stuff I Learnt Today

Some rock salt

From Stuff I Learnt Today

Leaves of this plant called ‘Bhambrut’. The leaves are velvety and the juice has medicinal properties too.

From Stuff I Learnt Today

The main stuff… The Beans
Plus you’ll need onions, potatoes, eggs, chicken and chilly powder.

From Stuff I Learnt Today

First you line an earthen pot with the leaves and put a layer of the beans in it.

From Stuff I Learnt Today

Sprinkle some salt over it. You can place onions and potatoes filled with chilly powder in between

From Stuff I Learnt Today

Then go the eggs and the chicken pieces (optional)

From Stuff I Learnt Today

The pot is further stuffed with the leaves up to its neck. Then it is place in fire usually created by lighting the dry leaves and wood in and around the farm.

From Stuff I Learnt Today

This is done for about half an hour.

From Stuff I Learnt Today

The pot is then removed from the fire and then kept for few minutes (Standing Time)

From Stuff I Learnt Today

The whole contents of the pot are emptied into a bowl after removing and discarding the leaves.

From Stuff I Learnt Today

The leaves impart a great and different flavor to the whole thing and even without fancy ingredients it gets a sensational taste.
I guess I don’t need to tell you how to eat it! SO TUCK IN!


This post is dedicated to my good friend Shilpa. Poor dear does not have net access at her hostel. So she goes to a net-cafe, copies all the stuff that I write about, and then reads it when she gets back. Now ain't that sweet?

Plus as she cannot comment on the blog, she cares to sms me the thoughts on each and every post. Thank you Shilpa! I owed you this one.

PS: Shilpa loves Popti and so THIS post is dedicated to her!

PPS: Guys say Hi to Shilpa...

Daya darwaza...

Recently I’ve been getting these crazy SMSs related to CID the supposedly thrilling crime series which plays on Sony. I dunno whats with the Sony guys coz whenever I see the Program schedule on my Tata Sky (btw Tata Sky is awesome and I hope they send me some money for this), most of the slots are filled with CID! It plays right from 2 pm to 7 pm only to give way to a different program called CID Classics which goes on for an hour kinda.

I mean I know that Sony is a very popular channel and CID may have been its most successful running series in the history of the channel, but OMG more than 6 hours of daily constant interrogating would even make ACP Pradyuman weak!

I’ve never been a fan of CID much. But now I watch it just to make comments on every aspect. Its so much fun! I even have friends who would let go of a free drinking session if it came in the CID time slot! Lately I’ve been learning that the makers of CID are being inspired by Sooraj Barjatiya coz they are trying to insert every possible genre into the series. Crime, Thriller is okay… But now you got Sci-Fi, Romance, Mythology and everything else under the sun! Its even got a facebook page named “Daya Darwaza tod do”

Coming back to the post, I must confess that I’ve been watching CID recently just to get hold of some of the silly shayaris that are sent to me. I may even invent some of my own but I fear Daya will Tod my Darwaza and the ACP will grill me!

Here are some-

• Mere ghar ke peechhe se beheta ek naala hai, ABHIJEET daal mein jaroor kuch kaala hai!
• Thande Thande paani se nahana chahiye… DAYA hame us jagah par aur ek baar jaana chahiye
• 5 Rs. Ka ek samosa, 10 Rs. Ke do, ACP kehte hai DAYA Darwaza to do.
• Ye haseen vadiyaan ye khula aakaash… OH MY GOD ABHIJEET ek aur laash!
• Gaay ko angrezi mein kehte hai cow, Kuch to baat hai DAYA pata lagao
• Aasman mein chamakte Chand taaron… Daya saari Mumbai Chhaan maro!
• Mehnat ka paseena sir se na pocho… ACP kehte hai Socho DAYA socho.
• Aaj kal CID ki shayari ka keher hai, Salunkhe says "Maut ka karan zeher hai."
• Shaam ho gayi, Suraj Dhal gaya.... Daya, Quatil ka pata chal gaya!
• Kaamgaar  pathhar jor jor so phodta hai... Khooni kitna bhi chalakh ho, Surag jaroor chodta hai!
• Paisa jiska hai, item uski hai... Salunkhe pata lagao ye fingerprint kiski hai.

Okay I agree that some of these are pretty lame but you have to admit that the fan following of CID is absolutely crazy! Reader are invited to post more of these kinda shayaris in the comments (only CID related)

And if anyone knows someone who works on the CID crew, please keep me anonymous otherwise the next episode will be “Case of the missing Blogger”

My Sincere apologies to ACP and DAYA (Just in case they follow this blog secretly). I must say you guys are doing a great job!

PS: I can’t go on bashing CID just for the sake of it. There are some points which are commendable too. E.g. the story of the episode ends with the episode. Therez no ‘to be continued’ I simply hate those who keep a crime series going on just because they want the viewers to come back.

CID rocks coz the CID ppl know that no matter what, people are gonna come back for more and more and more!

Time Travel

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 8; the eighth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

He watched the lifeless form of his wife being cremated. He wanted to go back in time to repair every mistake. He hadn't thought about it then, drunk and frustrated. Now a huge lump had formed in his throat. His wife had got punished for his mistake. If only he had used protection.





With this 55-er I'd like to bring to notice that many 'loyal' women get infected with HIV by their husbands unknowingly. What is worse is the fact that their character is doubted when the tests show +ve. They end up losing their lives and honour for the sake of their men.

The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

Another 55-er Gosh I need to start numbering them #9

He stared at his shivering hands. Finally he had killed the SOB. A clean kill. He fixed himself a stiff scotch and took a gulp. In his world people are known by the number of kills achieved. He’d soon have an established business now. 





“Acme Stray Dog Exterminator Services”

Poore Bachpan - 55-er - Marathon #8

He woke up in a hospital bed. Alive. He couldn't believe it. He was not dead after all. He could remember returning from practice and a bike coming from the wrong side. Relieved that he could still run the marathon, his dream, he tried getting up but froze. He couldn't feel his legs.

PS: This one just struck me outta the blue while I was studying economics. As per instructions from @Sorcerer I just saved it in my cell, but couldn't wait to post it. So this is like my mostest fastest post from the conceptualizing -----> publishing point of view. Why am I typing this rubbish? Coz I don wanna go back to study economics!

I just realized that blogging aint gonna help me score marks in my exam which starts TOMORROW! So I better get back to study. Thanks to all the people who'll comment wishing me luck for the exams... I guess I'll be outta blogsville for a while but I'll surely be reading your stuff through Google Reader...

OMG I can't think of anything else to write... It means they'll be taking me back! My time is over! ECONOMICS........ Here I come!

*Quickly rechecks the word count just in case some of the #blog_vultures are prying!