My 2015 dedicated to - Health,Travel and Writing

The only time I got to retrospect about 2015 was on 31st December 2015 midnight when we were at our friend's place celebrating new year. We all sat there on the terrace with a bonfire and looked at the fireworks in the sky. On of my friends then posed this question to us. We had to tell at least three good things that happened in 2015 in each of our lives and at least three things which we would like to carry forward in the new year 2016 and also the three things that we would not want to repeat. It was a simple question but it took time for us to think. Since we were all close friends there was no doubt about the truthfulness of the answers. Everything came straight out of our hearts. That's when I got the time to retrospect and this post is an extension of the same conversation. “I’m sharing my #TalesOf2015 with BlogAdda.” 

For me, 2015 was year of health and travel and writing. I have also been concerned about my health and I have taken care but I felt myself neglecting important aspects of my health which could affect in my well being. In the year end of 2014 I had severe Vitamin B 12 and Vitamin D deficiency. It led to many associated health problems for me apart from just affecting my bones and joints. I had detected it earlier so the medications started working. I had also taken to practicing Yoga just about the same time. When 2015 begun I was already getting my strength back, thanks to the timely administration of Vitamin supplements. My heel pain slowly reduced and I was very regular with Yoga practice. I had started it as a one month course at my work place and slowly had become an expert at all the basic asana, so much that I remember their Sanskrit names too. I became regular at this and went on to perform a Yoga based dance at my institute during the International Yoga Day celebration. I also was a part of the mass yoga session conducted during this celebration. I had merely started practicing Yoga and here I was performing at a function after a month of rehearsal of the various Yogasanas. I also got an award for performing all the asanas correctly. Things couldn't get better than this. I wasn't very regular towards the end of 2015 because of busy work schedules and also because I was spending more time at the gym. So, in 2016 I would like to continue practicing Yoga daily, at least for half an hour. 

After taking vitamin supplements and making some changes in my dietary intake I did away with my supplements. My Vitamin B12 levels and Vitamin D levels came to normal. I got my blood tests done once in four months and thankfully my levels were normal. I decided then to make others aware of this and wrote a blog about my experience and shared it with others. I was shocked to see such a positive response. That was when many told me about a situation similar like mine which they had been through or had seen their close ones suffer with.

I was also trying my hand at different fitness methods. I tried taking up swimming and was regular at it along with Yoga but the Bangalore weather did not permit me to continue with swimming for long. But I was happy that I could at least take three months of swimming classes in the summers of 2015. Towards the end of 2015 I started going to the gym regularly and I am happy to have got a good trainer who has been recommending exercises that are suitable for my body type. I am still continuing with my training at the gym in 2016 and would love to add Zumba too along with my gym sessions. I can feel some changes within me from the time I have started going to the gym regularly. I tried my hand at different fitness activities in 2015 but nothing was working consistently. My hormone levels went haywire for a short span but I managed to put them back to normalcy by taking up a fixed exercise. It helps me chalk out my time for other activities and made me feel normal. I feel, 2016 and years to follow should be completely dedicated to health and lifestyle because they play a major role in our well being. With the kind of stressful life we all are subjected to, it is advisable to include exercise in some form into our regular routine. 

The best thing that happened in 2015 about fitness was the series of Marathon runs I participated in. Before this I had never done a run except on a Treadmill. I got the first taste of a 5k run when I had registered for Pinkathon in February 2015. The training runs helped me cope up with my fear of running 5 kilometers at a stretch. The icing on the cake my  Pinkathon training where Milind Soman, (the brand ambassador of Pinkathon ) gave me personal running tips. The day of the Pinkathon run, 5k seemed easy. Of course I had cramps and pain but nothing could surpass the happiness I achieved by the mere accomplishment of the run. This followed by TCS 10k which my husband and I did together. It was a little tough as I had not practiced enough but I completed it within a stipulated time. The last one for the year was Bengaluru Marathon- 5k Hope Run. I managed to complete that too easily with two weeks of practice. This made me confident and I got over my fear. This definitely will be continuing in 2016 and hoping in the years to come. To begin my 2016 happily I registered for the Pinkathon 10k run which is in January. The training has already started and I just hope I perform better than 2015. 

Travel was the second best thing that happened in 2015. Not that I did not travel in 2013 and 2014. 2015's best trip was an adventure trip with my husband and 4 more friends to Ladakh- Every Traveller's Paradise. It was a short trip but we managed to cover all the places we had decided t visit.

We made the best use of the time we had. It was a memorable trip and the experiences we had will remain in our memories for a lifetime. The year 2015 began with a travel with friends to Hampi, which is one of the best places in Karnataka. It was followed by a visit to Varanasi, Lucknow and Allahabad for a friend's wedding in the chilling winters of January 2015. My husband and I travelled more for wedding shoots as a result of which we could visit different places. If I think about 2016, travel plans have not been made but if situations permit my husband and I would definitely try to visit a new place/ an unexplored country. 

The most exciting part of 2015 was that I started blogging frequently again. I started writing stories again. I wrote for contests, sponsored posts, wrote my first detailed travelogue describing about Ladakh, wrote my first book review, attended writing workshops, met mentors and renowned authors, attended blogger meets and made new like minded friends from the writing world. I also wrote 10,000 words of my own book and hoping that early 2016 is going to be the time I would complete my first manuscript. I won a lot of contests and also many vouchers. The best part of writing and winning vouchers, even small amounts was that my writing could help me make others happy. I gifted things to my maid and her children who made me win a contest, bought something special for mom because of whom I had won a contest, contributed to gifting relatives and friends who felt my gesture was extremely special, gifted something for my office attendant's kids on their birthday. The last and the important gift was my contribution to my husband's camera gear. This could happen only because of the constant support from my husband and I was happy that the constant push that he gave me in writing helped me in buying something special for him.But, writing is not about money but it is about happiness and self satisfaction. Winning contests and losing them is all a part of the game but the fact that I was able to keep my writing alive made me more confident. 

I will contribute more time to reading more books ( academic and literary fiction) and writing in 2016. I think, it has already begun as I am writing this blog post. 

Safely Arranged

Picture courtesy : Creative Writing

‘Ah! How terrible can things get Sowmya! I hate getting hitched in a typical Tam-Brahm setting. In the era of dating apps we are still relying on matrimonial websites,’ Sharan said pulling his hair in exasperation.

‘I understand Sharan but the truth is that we ended up finding each other through this whole arranged marriage set up,’ Sowmya consoled him holding his hand.

‘Whatever, I am glad to have found you,’ saying this he pulled Sowmya close and wrapped his arms around her waist.

‘We have at least escaped the normal by choosing to date under cover. I can’t believe it is almost a year since I have known you.’

[Pause]

‘But at times I also feel I don’t know you enough,’ Sowmya said innocently. Hearing this, Sharan tightened his grip around her waist.

‘Will you join me and my friends for a trip to Pondicherry?’ Sharan asked Sowmya in a whisper. His warm breath was sending tickles down her neckline. She was quiet for a long time.

‘What are you thinking Sowmya? It is a great opportunity to know each other better. A trip could get us closer. I can also introduce you to my friend. They will be accompanied by their wives. ’

‘Relax; I was just cooking up a reason for travelling to Pondicherry,’ Sowmya said releasing his grip.

‘I hope you haven’t told anyone that we have met before Sharan.’ They stood facing each other with their eyes glistening with excitement.

‘You can mask your true nature so well. I never thought you will be so liberal considering the kind of traditional family you are surrounded with, that too in a place like Chennai. Even the calling bell sound is so typically Tam-Brahm,’ Sharan said laughing out loud. She laughed along.

That night Sowmya was in a completely different mood. She was nervous as well as excited. Their marriage date had been fixed for two months from now because of Sharan’s official tour to Germany.

A fortnight later, they met again in Pondicherry. They were a group of six. It hardly took time for Sowmya to mingle with the others. Sharan made sure she was comfortable around his friends. They explored around together and strolled for hours along the beach. It was definitely assuring for Sowmya to see Sharan being his normal self while he was with friends. For the amiable and friendly nature of Sowmya, becoming everyone’s favourite was not a difficult task. Sharan was also feeling assured after introducing her to his friends. He could see his love marriage dream coming true in an arranged marriage set up. After watching the sunset at the beach they came back to the resort. While entering names at the registration desk Sharan hesitated a bit but managed to loop in Sowmya with another girl.

Everything was going smoothly but when the time came to retire to their respective rooms Sowmya felt a little awkward. Sharan took her cold and nervous hand into his warm grip. The other couples escaped with their respective partners quickly leaving them behind to be with each other. Although Sowmya was too excited to be able to spend time with Sharan, she was also worried about trusting him completely. Her doubts were interrupted by Sharan’s voice, ‘What are you thinking about Sowmya? We are going to be married in just a month’s time. Don’t worry when I am there.’ Sowmya felt assured with the confident and composed tone in his voice. She admired this quality in him.

The moment Sowmya put her bag down in the room and turned to close the door behind her, she was mid-air. Sharan held her tightly in his arms. After a lot of struggle she was brought down. He embraced her tightly and placed a light peck on her cheek. Sowmya was feeling extremely shy despite the adrenaline rush. They sat for almost an hour sharing stories about their childhood, expressing their thoughts about each other and discussing about the wedding preparations. With the beautiful romantic ambience in the room and the lovable company of each other, Sharan and Sowmya got completely carried away and surrendered themselves to each other. Sowmya slept a dreamy slumber that night after Sharan planted a soft kiss on her forehead taking a vow to keep her happy forever.

The morning after was a quick wrap up. Sowmya left for the bus station after giving a see-you-soon hug to Sharan. From then on, her thoughts were clouded only by Sharan and the memories of the time they had spent the previous day. Sharan reached Hyderabad the same night. Both got busy in their work life amidst the wedding preparations. They managed to catch up on their day to day updates through messages and calls. Each day was getting better and better as they started getting to know each other. A week had flown by.

One fine evening Sowmya was sitting gloomily in the bedroom surrounded by her mother and her aunts. Their discussion was revolving around Sowmya’s delayed menstrual cycle and whether she should be taking the pill to postpone her cycle. Their concern was not about her but about the wedding rituals which could get messed up; thanks to all those baseless menstrual taboos. Sowmya’s mind was rejecting everything that they said. She was only worried if the reason for the delay could be their adventurous stunt in Pondicherry. Her thoughts froze. She kept nodding to everything her relatives said. She was hardly in a mood to debate. An appointment was fixed for the weekend with their family gynaecologist. Sowmya got petrified. She couldn’t tell her mom to postpone the doctor’s visit. It would raise doubts. She was in a dilemma. The only person whom she could call was Sharan. He did not take her calls. She left a message on WhatsApp.

‘Call me please.’

‘URGENT’

‘I missed my P this month. You did use protection that night, right? ’

‘There is a lot of confusion at home. I am too nervous.’

‘Please call me.’

‘I hope nothing could have gone wrong.’

‘I hope your protection was intact.’ (10:50 PM)

There wasn’t any reply or call from Sharan. Sowmya had a sleepless night. She kept checking her phone every ten minutes. Her mind was full of negative thoughts. She did a lot of research on the internet and found out multiple reasons for the delay but one reason pointing out directly at her cause seemed to be a by-chance-failed-protection. She decided to get herself tested for pregnancy. She was feeling ashamed. Suddenly the world seemed to be a dangerous place to live in. Going to the pharmacy and buying a self-testing home pregnancy kit was too risky plus she did not have the courage to approach a pharmacy. Finally! Google maps helped her in finding a small diagnostic laboratory in two kilometer vicinity from her house. It was a small and a dingy center but seemed to have a regular in-flow of patients. With a lot of hesitation she got the test billed. She checked her phone; there was still no reply from Sharan.

‘I am getting a pregnancy test done. ’ (10:02 AM)

Sowmya gave the sample and waited for the result. Her hands trembled as she held the urine container and left it on the tray for testing. There were many other women seated around her. Many among them had come to get the same test done. The atmosphere was nauseating. Sowmya started linking her symptoms with all the junk she had read up online. She started imagining her future and the situation at home. She was worried if this was going to show up during the gynaecology consultation. She doubted if Sharan was purposely ignoring her messages. Fortunately, technology helped in clearing her doubts. He hadn’t seen his messages from the previous night. She was thinking if he could have done all this on purpose, just to make her feel low. Her doubts multiplied. ‘Could he have done it just like a one night fling and later he could cancel the wedding?’ she thought.

After a while, a nurse came and handed over a pink slip. Sowmya read and re-read the report in shock. She reconfirmed the report with the nurse. It was ‘POSITIVE’.

She felt as if she had been handed over a pink slip in school or college. Negative thoughts clouded her mind. She went to the extent of thinking about an abortion.

‘It is POSITIVE. :-( What do I do now?’ (10:40 AM)

The five minute walk from the center to her office seemed the longest. She gulped her tears and went to work gloomily. With no response from Sharan after two days she feared all her doubts would come true. She was not her normal self. She walked back home looking at her phone continuously. Seeing Sowmya’s gloomy face her parents suspected something was not alright. Sowmya made up reasons and warded off all doubts but she couldn’t convince herself. She cursed herself that night for trusting him so quickly and crossing the line before marriage. All those rubbish stories she had seen, read and heard of seemed to be coming true. She started considering herself as a victim of betrayal.

Her thumbs were aching after swiping continuously over the cell phone. She willed herself to not check her phone to see if he had replied. It had been about three days now. She hated that she was constantly checking his ‘last seen at’ status and yes, he had logged in just five minutes ago. Yet she couldn’t stop herself. This sinking feeling to find absolutely no communication from him was becoming unbearable, almost torturous.

And then, just as she sat down in her chair, her phone vibrated. With her heart thudding in her ear, she unlocked her phone and stared at the screen. Finally! It was his message. But when she opened it and read it, she nearly stopped breathing. She didn’t know if he was joking or not. What was this?

‘Babe……’ (12:00 AM)

‘Chill…….’

‘Nothing could have gone wrong from my side.’

‘I am sure about the protection being intact but are you sure about yourself?’

Sowmya:

‘What do you mean? ’ (12:25 AM)

‘So, you are doubting me?’

Sharan:

‘Just the way you did. :-)’

‘Before you start blaming me further, let me clarify, my mobile was inside the gym locker whose key I had lost. I got the key only today.’ (12:30 AM)

Sharan called her immediately. He was not in a mood to argue with her and he did not want to give room for misunderstandings. Sowmya spoke to him in a shaky tone while he remained calm. Their voices went up and down in pitch most of them being Sowmya’s sobs. This minor incident was a testing stage in their relationship. They blamed each other. Sowmya, being the more vulnerable one was the most affected. She slammed the phone down and went to sleep vowing to handle the situation all by herself. Sharan was worried. He sent her multiple messages but she did not reply. He apologized for doubting her instead. Sowmya saw all his messages but refused to reply. Two days went by. Sowmya had only one more day before the gynaecologist consultation. Basically, she had one day left to cover up the sin and find a solution.

Sharan was on the verge of losing his calm without being able to talk to Sowmya. He assured Sowmya that he would be by her side and they could manage the situation very well even if the report was confirmed positive. He suggested her to strike a deal with the gynaecologist and tell her the truth but Sowmya was not convinced.

Amidst all this confusion Sowmya decided to talk to her close friend who was working in a hospital. She was too embarrassed to discuss intimate facts with her. After listening to the entire story Sowmya’s friend suggested her to come to her hospital where she would get the test repeated.

To Sowmya’s happiness and shock the result was ‘NEGATIVE’. ‘How is it possible?’ Sowmya said holding her head in her hand. She was hysterical and was almost on the verge of crying when her friend calmed her down. She analysed the situation in detail and assured that the test results in their laboratory were fool proof. There could have been something wrong with the other laboratory’s report. Sowmya had never thought about that. Only because of her friend was she able to get a second opinion on the test. Feeling relieved and confused she left for home. On the way back she went to the same laboratory where she had got her test done the first time. She took both the reports and showed them to the Pathologist. The doctor had a look at the reports and discussed with her staff in detail. After a lot of interrogation it was concluded that there had been a gross mistake from the laboratory’s end. Sowmya’s urine sample’s label had been exchanged with some other patient’s label who could be pregnant. Sowmya raised a hue and cry there but the emotional damage had been done. She left for home after threatening to sue their lab. She was waiting to talk to Sharan and share the happy news with him.

She rang the bell hurriedly. She was waiting to barge into the house and rush to her room. To her surprise it was Sharan who opened the door for her and welcomed her with a bouquet of flowers. She pinched herself hard to believe that it was him. They greeted each other with a smile. Sowmya’s parents were extremely happy to see Sharan pay a surprise visit just to see Sowmya. He took Sowmya out on a date that evening. Over dinner Sowmya cleared the air by describing to him about the incident. He seemed to be relieved. He kept holding her hand throughout and gave it a gentle squeeze. ‘I am really sorry if I hurt you in any way with my terse words. I am not the type to leave you and run away. Please trust me. Come what may, I will always stick by your side. Even if the report had turned out to be positive I would have helped you in finding a solution. It is not about your life alone now; it is linked to mine too.’

Tears rolled down Sowmya’s eyes. They were tears of joy and relief. All the confusion and emotional drama of the past week had finally come to an end. She was ready to go to any doctor now.

‘I should also be sorry for not being able to trust you completely. I think we shouldn’t have crossed the line,’ saying this Sowmya got up from the chair and turned away from him.

Let it go Sowmya, just relax. Twenty more days to go before you are mine forever,’ saying this Sharan wrapped her in his arms tightly.

Freedom and safety #KnowYourRights

We have been glued to news channels and newspapers and have been supporting online organizations to protest against the release of the juvenile accused in the Nirbhaya case. We have somehow lost trust in the judicial system. From the day such incidents started coming into limelight not a single woman feels safe. I live in a free independent country, as a free independent married woman but I am still not free. I think 10 times before venturing out of my house if it is beyond 10 PM, considering that I stay in one of the most busy areas in Bangalore.  Despite all this, I am still not free to move around all by myself, even if I want to just grab an ice cream at midnight. I read the newspapers and feel more insecure. There is a question that lingers in my mind always... 'What If....?' I feel scared thinking beyond that. 

So, if at all I become a victim, what should I do or what should any woman do? 

Reports say that : 

Only 1% of women who face sexual violence and want to seek help end up reporting it to the police according to the National Family Health Survey, 2005-06. 

Nearly two-thirds of women who have ever faced violence (physical and sexual) never seek help. 

In cases of only sexual violence, only 15% have ever told anyone about their experience and only 8% of women ever seek help!

In all, 35% of women aged 15-49 in India have experienced physical or sexual violence.

       

This could happen only because of two reasons: Either women are too scared to report incidents of sexual violence or they do not know how to go about filing an FIR? 

The#KnowYourRights initiative taken by Amnesty International is a much needed step to make women aware about their rights.

Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize winning global movement of 7 million people committed to defending people’s rights. In India, Amnesty International India started work 3 years ago and already has 3 million supporters.

What is the need to report cases of Sexual violence? For those, who are not aware, Sexual violence does not only include rape or physical harm. It also includes incidents of sexual harassment, voyeurism and stalking. If women feel scared and do not report such cases, the police will not know. The moment we are quiet about it and scared to voice out our opinions, the culprits will feel triumphant. They will never get punished. There has to be someone, who has to teach them a lesson so that they do not repeat such offenses again. If stringent action is taken against one offender the rest will never dare to harm a woman again. 

Reporting such cases and getting to know the proper procedure to file an FIR is important. Thankfully, the police has also started helping out women to make it easy in reporting such cases. There are glitches in the report filing system too but how will we even get to know the flaws if we do not know the proper procedure?

Amnesty International has helped us by clearly putting down procedures to be followed while filing a complaint for sexual violence. 

An FIR ( First Information report) against sexual violence can be filed  in any police station, not necessarily the one nearest to the incident. 

One can register a complaint either over phone or e-mail. But to complete the FIR registration one must visit a police station .

An FIR can be filed by a friend, witness or a family member too. But they must have the full consent of the survivor and the survivor must be willing to be part of the investigations later. 

If a survivor of sexual violence is physically or mentally disabled, a police officer must visit the survivor to register the FIR 

Police cannot refuse to file an FIR. If refused the police officer can be punished under law and you can register a complaint with higher authorities. 

A woman police officer must be present when you file an FIR against sexual violence.

After registering an FIR, one is entitled to a court-appointed lawyer. But it is good to consult your own lawyer. 

Many times, victims or their relatives do not report cases of sexual violence as they do not trust the system. Their is a huge gap between the police and the local crowd. Women feel the atmosphere at the police station might not be friendly for them when they approach with their issue. That is because incidents have happened where no one came forward to support the victim. 

Amnesty International decided to bridge this gap by  attempting to bring the police and the local communities closer . They started making women aware through #KnowYourRights campaign so that women know about their rights and also the correct reporting procedures. I am really proud to say that the initiative was started in July 2015 as a pilot with Bengaluru police in which the police encouraged the community to approach them without fear. 

This encouragement is much needed in order to drive away the fear and hesitation in the minds of women. This is the only way in which we can regain our trust in the judicial system and report incidents of sexual violence with ease. Sensitive issues like these have not been handled well but once the police and the community try to understand the approach which is required in such cases, the work becomes easier. 

Reporting about instances like these will go a great way in helping the police to identify offenders and catch them soon. Otherwise the level of sexual violence will keep increasing and no one will be aware of it. We are in a free country, why live in fear? Why should a woman be bothered about her safety? If women want to feel free and safe it is best to report cases of sexual violence.

For details, do visit their website: https://www.amnesty.org.in/. Courtesy Amnesty International  for information and facts stated here.

“I’m writing this blog post to support Amnesty International’s #KnowYourRights campaign at BlogAdda. You can also contribute to the cause by donating or spreading the word.”

'The Bestseller She Wrote' by Ravi Subramanian- Book Review

Thanks BlogAdda  for sending me an author signed copy of the book with a personalized note. 

I was too excited to read this book from the day it was launched. I was about to buy it but there was a special feeling when I got an author signed copy of it. To be honest I haven't read any book written by Ravi Subramanian before; but I wanted to read this one, mainly because of the romance and drama in it and I am sucker for romance fiction. 

This book held on to me right from the first chapter. The introductory chapter has got the main plot in it from where the actual conflict and drama in the story begins. It is captivating and forces the readers to continue further to know what's going to happen next. As a curious reader one could form various stories after reading the first chapter but what happens in the events that follow are not predictable. The story takes twists and turns with equal dose of romance, suspense and drama. The plot is strong and one can find sub plots within a plot too. The choice of words has been simple which makes the readers flow with the story very well. Although, after the first few chapters I felt it had become a bit dragging but the scenario changed completely once few scenes got done with. Once the story catches pace, there is nothing to stop the readers from reading it till completion at once. I couldn't put the book down until I got to know the outcome of the story. I liked the sudden shift when the story suddenly flips from being a romantic one to a suspense fiction. The story is  realistic and talks about the current day scenario. We get a glimpse of the corporate and publishing world and the struggle faced by upcoming authors. Being someone who has attended workshops held by authors and publishing companies, I could relate to many aspects which have been portrayed. Any reader is bound to get hooked to this book.

The story talks about Aditya, who is a Banker by profession, writer by choice and a bestselling author. Being an IIMB Alumni he is invited for a lecture at IIMB where he first encounters Shreya, an IIM to-be-graduate, who is beautiful, young, sexy, witty and extremely smart. Later, we go on to find out that she is also good at scheming plots in fiction as well as reality, which makes her a good writer and also a relationship spoiler. That one meeting with Shreya is enough to cause havoc in Aditya's happy married life with Maya. Aditya is a bestselling author and much in demand, but falls for Shreya's writing skills, who aspires to become a bestselling author. She eventually persuades Aditya into making her a bestselling author by manipulating him emotionally which results in adultery by choice. Then follows a series of events in which Aditya faces an emotional turmoil when Maya finds out about him and Shreya. Then there is Sanjay, who is Aditya's best friend and has a major role to play in the entire story. The story unfolds its suspense only when Aditya's life is in a little more mess. The arrogant, heavy-headed and ambitious Aditya who gets persuaded by Shreya finally gets a grip on himself and manages to triumph over his emotionally wrecked state. The story ends on a positive note. I liked the play of emotions between the characters. Each character has been etched well and has a significant role in the story. All I can say is that I am just waiting to watch the movie. Now, that I have read about the characters I am imagining as to which actor/actress is going to suit the roles of Aditya, Maya and Shreya. 

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Pumpkin Kheer( Parangikai Payasam)

I loved trying out Pumpkin Kheer( Parangikai Payasam) as a part of this Dessert Challenge using SugarFree - http://sugarfree-india.com/. There are many variations of this recipe but the one I am going to write about has been passed on to me from my maternal aunt and my mother. 

Pumpkin ( Parangikai in Tamil ) Kheer ( Payasam in Tamil ) is the easiest and the most healthiest kheer one can think of. Pumpkin is used very commonly in a variety of dishes in a South Indian cuisine, mainly side dishes like curry and gravy but it is fun to use the same vegetable for making a sweet dish. This dessert is as tasty and delicious as a Badam( Almond) kheer, Basundi or Rabadi. 

Since this challenge was about recreating one of my favourite dessert recipes by substituting it with SugarFree I thought of giving the dessert a healthy touch. I have used skimmed milk instead of double toned milk which is generally used for making thick payasam/kheer.  The main reason for me to use pumpkin was that it adds an extra nutrition value to the dish. I thought, since we are cutting down on the fat and sugar content by using the right ingredients why not go for a dash of another healthy ingredient?

Pumpkin is widely grown vegetable and is rich in antioxidants, dietary fibers and vitamins. It is a low calorie, easy to cook vegetable and can be easily digested too. The flavonoids, xanthin and  carotenes present  in it add to the beautiful colour of the dishes made from Pumpkin. Pumpkin seeds are also considered to be a rich source of essential fatty acids  and dietary fibers. I have also used almonds and cashew in this which are a rich source of essential fatty acids.

Pumpkin Kheer( Parangikai Payasam)

Recipe type : Dessert 

Cuisine : South Indian

Serves : 3-4 

Preparation time : 15 minutes 

Cooking time : 20 minutes 

INGREDIENTS 

L-R ( Measuring cup, Measuring bowl)

Capacity of measuring bowl and measuring cup used = 150 ml

• 1 cup grated pumpkin ( Half of a small pumpkin)
• 2 and half cups of skimmed milk ( Brand used : Nandini Good Life Slim milk) 
• 10-12 Almonds ( For grinding and garnishing)
• 5-6 Cashews
• 3-4 pods of Cardamom
• 8-10 Raisins
• 5-6 tbsp SugarFree Natura sugar (The quantity can vary according to the sweetness required)
• Half a tea spoon of ghee

Keep all the ingredients ready before starting the process

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Heat one and half cups of skimmed milk in a heavy bottomed pan and add the grated pumpkin to it. 
• Allow the pumpkin to cook in the milk for 2-3 minutes. 

Cook grated pumpkin and milk in a pan

Allow the mixture to boil

• Add the almonds, peeled cardamom, cashews and allow them to cook along with the pumpkin.

Almonds, cashew and peeled cardamom pods have been added

• I have grated the pumpkin in order to fasten the cooking process. Almonds can be soaked overnight and then added to this mixture if you want a fine paste. I wanted some of the crunchy almonds to be in the kheer/payasam so I did not soak them overnight. It enhances the taste. 
• Cook the pumpkin and milk mixture for another 10-15 minutes. Keep stirring in between and remove the condensing milk from the sides. 

Cook for 10-15 minutes

• Once the pumpkin becomes soft and is cooked , allow it to cool. 

Allow the mixture to cool 

• After this mixture cools down grind it in a mixer. A fine paste will be made within minutes. 

• You can choose to grind the almonds till they become a fine paste along with the pumpkin or you can leave them half ground. 

• Take one cup skimmed milk in the same pan and add this paste to it. Mix well and allow it to cook for sometime. You can also add water if you want it to be watery in consistency. 

The remaining milk and pumpkin paste is added

• Once the milk and the pumpkin paste comes to a boil add 5-6 tbsp of Sugar Free Natura and mix well. 
• Switch off the flame and stir until the sugar dissolves. Since it is powdered sugar it can dissolve very fast. The heat from the milk and pumpkin is enough to melt the sugar. Stir it and then add raisins. You can add half a tea spoon of ghee for the aroma and flavour. 
• Variation : You can also add the sugar to the milk and mix well before before adding the pumpkin paste.

Pumpkin Kheer is ready

• Pumpkin Kheer/ Parangikai Payasam is ready. You can serve it hot or transfer to cups and cool it. 
• It is going to be a perfect dessert after a sumptuous lunch or dinner. 
• I have served them in earthen pot like cups and garnished with grated almonds.

Parangikai Payasam is served

This is a short video of the step by step procedure to make this kheer/payasam

             

Vitamins and their role in relationships

This post is a much delayed one because I did not have the time to think about this. Only when my better half made me realize how important a role Vitamins could play in relationships did I feel the importance of sharing this on a public forum.

Before I start discussing about this in details I would like to bring to the notice of my readers that I am a Biochemist and it makes me well aware of the metabolism and role of vitamins in our body. I would avoid using too many technical terms here.

So, let me share few instances which have made me believe in the fact that vitamins as the name says – Vital amines, play a very important role in not only maintaining the normal metabolism of our body but are also essential in leading a peaceful life.

We all have read about different types of vitamins and the deficiency conditions associated with these in our school days but apart from remembering the names of the diseases and the daily dietary supplements which are rich in specific vitamins we wouldn’t have been conscious about the absence of essential vitamins  from our diet. With changing lifestyle our dietary habits have been modified to suit our busy schedule. We do not always eat healthy despite having a clear picture of what is good and what is not good for us.

Among these vitamins, the most rampant yet ignored deficiencies seen in individuals are related to Vitamin B 12 (Cyanocobalamin) and Vitamin D. Research says that low levels of these two vitamins can affect the mental as well as physical health of an individual. These two vitamins go hand in hand in maintaining the function of the central nervous system and also reflect on the bone health. Extensive research has proved that severe deficiencies of these vitamins are linked to psychiatric problems too. Although, Vitamin D is still under the scrutiny of research when it comes to mental health conditions, there have also been studies to prove the same. They are also essential for maintain the normal metabolism of the body.

Symptoms can be varied, among them, the commonly seen features can be fatigue, tiredness, irritability, headache, body pain, muscle spasms, bone weakness, the person is always low on energy, finds difficulty in concentrating and it can also lead one to depression. These symptoms can mimic a severe psychiatric problem which can be easily cured by just a vitamin supplementation in adequate doses. They can be sneaky and harmful if not detected early. It is like a silent epidemic leading to severe consequences.

I have been aware of all this in theory as well as in practice. The irony of the fact is that when I had a mixture of such symptoms I couldn’t identify them myself neither did the clinician whom I had consulted. It happened exactly a year back. I started feeling pain one day suddenly in my left heel.  I ignored the symptom thinking it was because of wearing moderate heel slippers for a long time. After 3-4 days, the pain reduced and I felt normal. One day I walked barefoot in a marriage function hall. That night I had terrible pain. I had to keep my feet in hot water to reduce the pain. I thought that I might have stepped on something sharp unknowingly and also the after effects of wearing the heel slippers could have increased the pain. Days passed this way and my pain kept shooting up and then went down. I felt normal when I walked at home wearing soft spongy slippers and also when I wore good sport shoes. The pain used to increase extremely when I stepped on the floor after waking up. The pain was terrible. I couldn’t put my bare feet down. I immediately had to put my slippers on in order to walk normally. I thought it was just that injury which was causing the pain. I did not take any pain killers till then. I just kept my feet in hot water and made sure I did not walk barefoot. The pain radiated to my head. It was terrible to feel that pain when I put my feet down after waking up. Three months passed by this way and my pain did not vanish completely. At times it was not there but sometimes it came back with full force. I consulted an orthopedic doctor in a very good multi-speciality hospital. He gave it a technical name and suggested some medications along with some foot exercises. The major part of my medication was the pain killer. I did not take the pain killer and instead took the collagen and elastin fiber strengthening supplement. I followed simple foot exercises he suggested me. The pain did come down within two months but did not vanish either. It used to appear suddenly in the morning making my day start with pain. Once I was on the move, I felt absolutely normal. I did not want to go to the doctor again until I completed the course of my supplements. I used to feel very low when I had that pain. I was so comfortable walking barefoot just months ago and now I wasn’t even able to stand barefoot for more than five minutes.

I was also getting very irritated those days quite easily. It was mainly because of the pain with reasons not clearly known. I was expecting the pain to leave me soon but it did not. It kept coming back and radiated to my brain. I felt extremely exhausted and fatigued by the end of the day. I started feeling tired always and slept a lot. Waking up in the morning early was getting difficult for me. I even felt tired climbing up just 40 steps at an age when I should be running marathons. I always felt low on morale and kept telling myself that I was tired. I used to get angry at my own self for reasons unknown. My brain was working normally and I was doing everything that a normal human being would do but I did not have that happiness. There was nothing wrong at home or at my work place. I was normal on the outside but internally something was not keeping me happy. It was exactly one year post marriage and I must say that I am very lucky to have the best person by my side as my life partner. We did have disagreements but those days I was not normal. I was not being happy for what was there around. I was completely disheartened and sad with my own self. It reflected often on my husband also. He was absolutely clueless seeing me unhappy. It so happened that at the same time my parents were also at home and had come to stay over for a couple of months. For any girl it should be a happy and a proud moment when her parents spend more time with her at her house after marriage. They are able to be a part of her day to day life post marriage and are able to see her happily married. Unfortunately my face reflected happiness but not my behaviour. I was becoming extremely irritable not only with myself but also with my parents. I was normal for the external world but for my close ones I was not my original self. I love writing and I have always written in my diary if not as blog posts. My blog had become dormant. I stopped writing my diary and I justified myself by saying that I was too busy juggling with personal and professional life after marriage. I used to write even when I was sad but those days I did not even feel like taking out my diary. I cried a lot without any reason. Initially my parents suspected that I was not happy in my married life but when they had a heartfelt conversation with me they understood I was extremely happy. They also were more than satisfied seeing me with my better half. Soon, they started having doubts with just my changed behaviour. Multiple counselling sessions were there at home but nothing worked. I still cried for no reason at times. It was not just crying, I wailed as if something intricate has been taken away from me. I had everything that any normal human being should have. I was thankful to god for everything but I was still unhappy with god knows what!!  I had terrible dreams at times; I woke up crying very frequently and refused to wake up early. My parents urged me to start going for a morning walk. I did that too but it did not help me much.

Then one fine day my husband and I sat and discussed in depth about all the problems that I was going through. He actually sat and wrote everything that I was feeling, irrespective of it being good or bad. It made me feel a little better. There wasn’t any problem anyway that we needed to solve my troubles. It was mainly my fatigue and my heel pain that was making me feel more irritated.

My husband told me to consult the doctor again and also get my Vitamin D levels checked because he had faced a similar problem two years back . He fell down while playing Table Tennis, because of which he ended up with a tail bone (Coccyx) injury. It was not cured completely despite him leaving biking for 1 year, taking pain killers and Vitamin D supplements and also following strict instructions from doctors to use the ring cushion. MRI, X-ray, everything seemed normal. Finally, an orthopaedic doctor suggested him to get his Vitamin B12 levels checked. They obviously were low. Three months of those supplements with adequate precautions for one year did away with his pain completely. That person who couldn’t sit for 5 minutes without the ring cushion was able to sit through our entire wedding proceedings comfortably. Considering that in a Tam-Brahm wedding the rituals require you to sit for a long time on the floor.

That night I slept a little peacefully but tears did not stop rolling. I am generally a very sensitive person and I get too emotional but these emotions were not seen coming from my original self. My parents told me that I had changed but I was not aware in what way. One fine morning my dad had to get a routine blood check-up done – Blood sugar and Lipid Profile. We had called a technician from a lab for home collection. While he was giving his sample something struck me. I thought I could also get my Vitamin D level checked apart from getting my blood counts, blood sugar and lipid profile done. While that technician was drawing my blood I thought, I should get my Vitamin B12 also checked thinking that it could also be one of the reasons of my pain. I linked it with my husband’s symptoms back then and asked him to add this test too. After all, with the development of science I knew one vial of blood would be enough for at least three of these tests. I went to office and got so busy with work that I almost forgot that I could expect my blood reports by evening. I was checking my mail casually when my reports popped up. Dad’s reports were yet to come. I was too shocked after checking my mail. I was severely deficient in Vitamin D and Vitamin B12. Rest all reports were normal. They were even lower that I had expected. Even my husband did not have such low levels despite his prolonged pain. I called my parents immediately, still in a state of shock. Since I understand the biochemical levels and numbers I knew it was not normal. Dad took me to our family physician immediately. Seeing my reports she questioned me about all those symptoms that I had been feeling and also asked me the reason for getting these tests done. When I explained to her about my symptoms she prescribed medicines for me immediately. My Vitamin B12 levels were so low that I had to take injections every week along with tablets. My medicine course lasted for almost 3-4 months.

When I came back home my parents and my husband were almost in the state to pity my condition. They stood by me giving me the confidence that the medications would relieve me of all pain. They were more relieved now because we all got to know the exact reason for my changed behaviour and problems. Clinically my condition could have worsened and could have led to depression had I not taken that step to do this self-checking. That is when I started reading up a lot on this and referred all possible scientific journals related to this. The results and conclusion of the research studies were shocking. I had suffered only a part of those deficiency symptoms. Vitamin B12 deficiencies could be leading to multiple problems which we will not be aware of. I realized that I did get pricked in my heel and the pain heightened because my bones were weak and bones always have nerves running along with the muscles and blood vessels. That is where Vitamin D and B12 come in. Vitamin B12 deficiency was making my nerves easily susceptible to pain, in any form. 

The medicines started showing their effects within a week. My parents went back home by then. I was feeling so much normal. At times I used to even feel like running away to the Himalayas away from everyone. I am not such a person who is known to run away from people. I love being with people and enjoy life as it is. At the same time I also started practicing Yoga. I could see drastic changes with medications. Yoga also helped me be in control. I was basically boosting my immune system as well my general physical health. I am so glad to say that the symptoms were nowhere to be seen after 2 weeks of medications. My heel pain also reduced a lot. It was practically not there. I still had that pain but I managed to overcome it. I started being active on my blog again. I started writing frequently and was feeling too excited about it. I went to my orthopedic doctor telling him about my progress and showed him my reports. He concluded only then saying that the pain could have been mainly because of these deficiencies.

I still wanted to test my physical strength. After 4 months of medication, I registered for my first 5k (Pinkathon) in February 2015.  I have never managed to complete a 2 km run continuously in so many years and here I was confident enough to go for a 5k run . I went for my first training run when my day was made after merely seeing Milind Soman. That 5k run experience was normal. It was more of a walk than run. I pulled it through but the after effects were only seen when I came back. I had to again put my feet in hot water and also take pain killer. I slept for almost 3 hours. The week after that, I had another training run and the surprise was that Milind Soman himself was going to run with us.  It was sheer happiness for me. My day was made. Problem started after the first kilometer. I couldn’t run. I just walked. I jogged a bit but walked more. Those who were with me had gone ahead and I was just left with a few women behind. I managed to complete the run and came back home. One more pain killer and I slept for almost half a day. Three days later was the actual 5k. My first ever run in a marathon. I was too skeptical and I kept myself ready with pain killers. Luckily I felt more comfortable on the day of the run. 5k seemed easy. I took a little extra time that a regular runner would take but keeping my pace slow and steady I managed to pull through without any problems. Three months back I was not able to stand barefoot and climb 40 steps easily; here I was holding the medal proudly in my hand after successful completion my first 5k. I had triumphed over my pain that day. Slowly I started gaining my strength and stamina back. I did another TCS 10k with my husband and later ended up doing another 5k at the Bengaluru Marathon. 

Thanks to the timely intervention of my vitamin supplements and the constant support of my husband. Without him by my side nothing could have been possible.

This is just my part of the story. There are many friends and relatives around me in whom I identified such symptoms and got them checked. Symptoms can be different for different people. Awareness is what is important. Only now has the awareness increased among clinicians too. Only a handful of good clinicians are there who suggest their patients to get these vitamin levels tested. The best part is that the tests are easily available and done, although a bit on the expensive side but the treatment is simple. One has to just consult a physician and follows simple dietary changes along with external medication. Vegetarians are seen to have more of Vitamin B12 deficiency but these days that notion has also changed.

In case you are facing any such symptoms without any other physical ailments it is better to consult a clinician and get yourself thoroughly checked. The earlier the better as it reflects on the physical and mental health. When these two go bad, relationships also tend to get affected. They tend to weaken you even emotionally.