ragi sevai upma with coconut milk veg stew - best of the best in my list - at home in Pune

We had been on a pilgrimage, together as a family, to Sri Ramana Maharshi's ashram in Tiruvannamalai and fortunately, were able to stay within the premises in their guest house. All resident pilgrims are allowed to partake in the dining facilities. One of the most significant aspects of the menu was the regular or frequent use of vermicelli in different recipes for dinner. This struck as most appropriate for a light dinner at home, back in Pune. 

On our return, we began experimenting with vermicelli or semiya or sevai, and combined the dishes with various types of stews, curries, vegetables and chutneys. Luckily, vermicelli is also available in different types - thin, thick, small bits and long strands, and most deliciously, also in ragi variety. The ragi variety was the most amenable to all experiments, and we had a great time bringing forth and appreciating our own results.

One of the combinations was a very lightly spiced ragi sevai upma, tempered with extra strong curry leaves (from our Lonavala home compound, freshly picked) and coriander and ginger+garlic paste. If you would have been nearby, you would have got the odour from at least two houses away. The curry or stew, heavily dunked in coconut milk, but combined with some pungent leftover curd and sauteed, brought forth an exceedingly worth-it type of aroma and taste. The best action was in dunking the hot ragi sevai upma in to the steaming hot spicy coconut milk stew, at near midnight, before a Sunday morning. Nothing could get past that blessing of having a light dinner but a very heavy and happy satisfaction of a good experiment. 

All thanks to the missus and the daughter for their enthusiasm and support to each other. 
[Ragi = finger millets, sevai or semiya = vermicelli or thin traditional type of pasta, upma = sort of a thick porridge]

the inner path at the Arunachala Hill - the inner Girivalam route at Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu

The path around the sacred Arunachala hill at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu is considered to be one of the most coveted pilgrimage destinations in South India. The circumambulation around the hill is about 15-17 kms, depending on the forays one makes in to the inner path. The local forest department has stopped all pilgrim movement on the inner path, however one can approach it and gaze upon it and return. Amazingly, each time that I came upon the inner path at Arunachala, there was someone hanging about, informing me that pilgrims are not allowed. The forest guards must be more blessed than the pilgrims, if they do use their advantage and move within and complete the girivalam.

Girivalam = path around the mountain (= Giri).
Arunachala = the hill of the dawn sun (= Aruna)

One such meeting point for me with the inner path was at the medicinal plants garden after Simha Teertham and the Draupadi Temple. It looked very tempting but I fought against it. The forest department has stopped pilgrim movement in this path for a very good reason. Most pilgrims and devotees were throwing away plastic bags, waste material, edible food items and also on some occasions, accidentally setting fire to the semi-arid forests.

I sat nearby, and alternately, gazed at the inner path, that seemed to lead away towards the forests, but also seemed to be leading the hill towards me. What if this was the inner path for Arunachala to walk towards me? The entire region is magical. One can come upon several such locations, and at some, one can easily go into a trance. The silhouette of the Arunachala hill is haunting, and very affectionate, if one may so term it in this manner. But, those who have been on this path will know what I mean, when I say that to be just there, on the girivalam path, and to gaze on the sacred Arunachala, is to know that you are bound to it with the affection of Maheshwara himself.