A cup of Assam Tea

Generally, in the daily grind or claustrophobic life, those who want to escape instantly without going on vacation often find sanity in their neighborhood park. And my answer to that in Connecticut is the Wickham park, tucked in greenery and rolling hills, in 250 acres consisting of 10 unique gardens, whether you want to go for the whole day or want to spend a few hours with a short walk, nothing better than this. Picnic tables to playgrounds to city view, private event areas to trails to the bird sanctuary to whatnot, all in one.  The best part of this beautiful  Connecticut Park  charms you throughout the year: spring with cherry blooms, daffodils, and tulips, summer with roses, fall with leaf-peeping, and winter with sledding.  As I mentioned, there are 10 gardens. Here you go: Arboterium The Cabin Garden and Amphitheater The English Garden The Irish Garden The Italian Garden The Lotus Garden The Sensory Garden The Scottish garden The Oriental Garden The Wetland G...

COVID-19 has changed the world in many ways, including the way we live, eat, and travel. However, nature remains constant, with its routes and rhythms unchanged, and continues to bless us with its bounty. Even though I love my home state, Connecticut's spring, but staying homebound made me realize its uniqueness. Here are a few of my picks Cherry blossom in Wooster Square :  Country's prolific lawmaker's alma mater, Yale's home, New Haven, Wooster Square. When the cherry blooms, it creates the delicate, delightful nature's own canopy.  You will be intrigued by visiting this wonderful and historic park, which boasts pristine architecture and is renowned for its beauty during the cherry blossom season, when the trees were planted in 1973. In the midst of a busy life, taking a break to visit this cute little park can calm you down and rejuvenate.   "I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, o...

   A torrent of memory flared up in me when I think about the Gheela/Ghila pitha, and I behold the moment.  Gheela pitha and Bihu are synonyms, in that matter, in Assamese celebrations, an essential Assamese dessert recipe.  The clear sky, blooming flowers, and light greenery are what I am enjoying right now here in Connecticut, while in my homeland, Assam, is preparing for our most whimsical festival, Bohag  Bihu,  and the New Year.  A thousand miles  away from my home and loved ones, I  reminisce  about those yesteryears and think of making Gheela Pitha. Unlike Xutuli pitha , Gheela Pitha is easy to make with just 3 ingredients. Gheela pitha's shape is inspired by a seed that children used to use as a toy. Flat and round-shaped gheela pitha is a ubiquitous dessert that you can find in an Assamese household, especially during Bihu or any other special celebration.  Ingredients Sweet Rice - 2 cups ( ideally new rice) Regular rice...

   Most movies end when they are supposed to, but there are a few that carry on beyond their conclusion, even while characters talk, walk, and sleep. I recently watched the Assamese movie called Kaneen, directed by Monjul Baruah. I carried the ache, the pain, and the tears within me after watching it. It was released in August 2019 in Guwahati. It is now available.  Here  worldwide for an audience like me.  Kaneen has already won several awards and has been screened in several national and international film festivals. It is an adaptation of the acclaimed and award-winning Assamese novel by Dr. Rita Choudhary and Rajib Ishwar. Directed by Monjul Baruah, Kaneen's carefully constructed screenplay shines through delicately . The story unfolds in urban Assam. A bureaucrat's wife, Mandira Baruah's, tightly knit life seems perfect from the outside. A happy life with two children and a busy yet affectionate police officer husband. The tsunami comes when she discovers...

                     Hope you all are doing great. It has been a little longer than I usually post. In New England, winter is long, and you feel like sitting beside the fireplace and sipping your favorite tea or snuggling in a blanket. Although I enjoy doing things like that, doing something for a prolonged period can be boring and monotonous at times. I always love to dress up, but in the winter, I often find an excuse not to. February is a month of celebration for my family. It's my son's birthday, my birthday, and of course Valentine's Day.  The other day, I dragged myself out of the monotonous zone, dressed up, and felt better. Sometimes, a little effort and a gentle push can help us feel better, both inside and out. So, here comes the outfit with a still grey long maxi dress, and I accessorized it with Indian antique silver jewelry. The dress is loosely fitted and gives a casual vibe, yet adding accessories gives the vibe ...

  It has been a week since we celebrated Magh Bihu, yet I am still relishing Xutuli Pitha or Sutuli Pitha, and so is my family.  Last week, I posted my  Magh Bihu food memory,  and most of my readers have never heard of or known the food I shared in my blog.   Today, I will share the most quintessential dessert we make during Magh Bihu, or for that matter, any  Bihu .  Pillowy, sticky, crunchy, half-moon-shaped dessert inspired by an Assamese musical instrument.  If you closely look into Assamese cuisine, especially festive cooking,  Bora Saul  or Sticky rice is widely used. Since Bora Saul is indigenous rice in Assam, if you live outside Assam or India, you can use Japanese sweet rice or sticky rice.   Let's get to the ingredients... Ingredients 2 cups Japanese sweet rice or sticky rice 1 cup sesame seeds ( Teel ) and save 5 tablespoons for decoration (optional) 1 cup jaggery or gur Oil for frying Process  Wash and so...

  Nostalgia is a part of every immigrant's life, a treasure trove. I carry a piece of Assam in my heart and wear it on my sleeves. Special occasions and festivities often transport me back to my homeland, especially to my large family with all Our Uncles and Aunts, to our house and our extensive courtyard in Assam. During this time, my homeland, Assam, celebrates Magh Bihu with great zeal. Magh Bihu is a harvest festival, similar to Thanksgiving in the USA, where the end of the harvest season is widely celebrated. I reminisce those wonderful times, how in the guidance of my Koka (Grandfather) we used to build a makeshift house in our courtyard, my Pehis(Aunts) and Mom prepared Bihu delicacies. How the whirlpool of flavor straightly tantalized my senses with roasted sesame, ground sticky rice, and the sticky and syrupy smell of jaggery. During the day, our house help collected all the winter vegetables, whether it was olkobi, pohulkobi, or tender potatoes from our kitchen garden, a...