The State Gallery of Fine Arts in Hyderabad, is hosting its group artists exhibition for March 2011, titled – Expression of Colors. The inauguration of the event was a great opportunity to interact with many artists, and to put a face on some of the well-known names.

Twenty five artists, both seasoned and budding, are participating in this event showcasing their works that ranges from portraits, landscapes, abstracts, sketches, drawings, and more. The best part about this event is the medley of styles, subjects, approach, and techniques that one can see - under one roof. Many works in many media hang on the stark gallery wall; each one has a story to tell.

Artists Works Preview - Art on Walls. Art on Easels. Art Everywhere.

For this show, I have included my landscapes, A New Beginning and A Sense of Void that Fills Me. There is no rational or logic for choosing them for this show, except that these were my recent works signifying the route I had taken a while back…. knowing that the journey never stops.

A New Beginning:

A New Begining - Oil on Stretched Canvas - 36"x48"

A Sense of Void that Fills Me:

A Sense of Void That Fills Me - Oil on Canvas - 18"x48"

25 Artists at the Group Exhibition at State Gallery of Fine Arts Hyderabad

The inauguration of this event was preceded by a talk on art by Jacqueline Lima - a professor, curator and an artist herself on the subjects and paintings close to he heart. Her illustrative talk focused on her paintings, inspiration, techniques, spirituality and more. Here is Jacqueline with one of my-her favorite:

Here are two of the paintings by other artists whose works stunned and impressed everyone around.

Rukmini G Karlapalem is a Hyderabad based artist who primarily works on paintings - that are a slice-of-life. This painting is a stunner. For a moment I thought I was looking at a photograph.

Shyam Sunder's work is subtle and striking at the same time. Earthy tones, minimal details yet a deep story to tell.

I hope to update this with works by other artists soon, who had participated there. It is very hard to absorb every artwork in one visit. More to follow….

Ishrath & Rukmini - Amongst landscapes and artists

The event will be on till the end of March 2011, in parallel to other camps and art shows going on in the premises.

As I sit today with a hot cup of tea in my hand… amidst the splendor of plants and morning sunshine… I just can’t help but remark at the remarkable year that went by, wherein everyday and every morning was as beautiful as this. I do not know the day of the week … but know for sure that an eventful, fantastic and heartwarming year has almost come to an end. We are just a few hours away from ushering in the New Year.

Early morning sun, empty cup of tea, and warm memories of a year well-lived

2010 has been a bit of a path breaker for most people I know, who have made it special and memorable in their own ways. The heart-element ruled this year and made them all, including me, indulge in life. This indeed was the year of following your heart. I believe that from now on, it is only going to get better. For everyone.

For me, this has been ‘the year of many firsts’. To be able to follow the tiny voice of your heart, to take a few scary leaps of faith, and to do the things that were always within, there has been a complete turnaround in my life, learning, and within. From quitting my well cushioned job midst recession, painting like a lunatic, to treading into many unknown territories (only to find things so beautiful, simple and endearing), this year has been remarkably fulfilling in ways more than one. I have never been so much at peace – ever.

After years of exposure to media, money, meetings, and the drama that comes with it, it is true that we carry a lot of trash in our heads – on priority. It is unimaginable how simple life can be without the trappings of life… as simple as fasting, only to realise that our body actually does so much better with less. So does our existence.

As the year went by, beautifully strange people have come into my life, at the oddest of dates and times, to give me messages that were needed the most (then) to keep me going. While one told me to be careful what I wished for (for it will come true), another reminded me that ‘there is a blessing in every submission’. And someone across the planet told me never to say no (for there is reason why things happen in life) and so many more.

Everything rang a bell, somewhere. It was my need of the hour, then. It always felt like there is someone helping all along – in guise of friends, acquaintances and strangers. Perhaps, these messages kept coming to us all, all along… but so busy that we are with our grind that we fail to take notice.

Life has become as exciting as it has become simpler.

Work is love made visible.

When you work you fulfill a part of earth’s furthest dream,

Khalil Gibran

I did quit my regular job but ended up working a more – on things beautiful, creative and unique. From web design projects, farming, commissioned artwork, design prototyping, photo shoots to teaching, there have been enough things on hand all the time to keep us busy and blessed.

Yes, I love every bit of it. Mind remains well-exercised. Flexibility is a bonus. And always having time for my kid is the unbeatable killer combo.

Never-say-no attitude lands me into a realm far more interesting and complex than before. Some good books, good people, good incidents and good accidents have made my work life meaningful and gave me the focus I had always desired.

I also hope to keep my hand on the pulse of my core subject and my first love – hospitals & healthcare. This coming year, I look forward to realising my long simmering dream of creating a healthcare blog that focuses on healthcare issues in India. Yes, there are plenty on the web but that’s where my heart is. Working in healthcare industry for more than a decade (and living in it since birth) makes it logical for me to follow a bit more of my heart. Anyone out there reading this and feels interested to join hands for this – are most welcome.

The Art of Heart

This year has also been special as I participated in a group exhibition with few of my creations. This was my first foray into the organised art world. After eons of painting and drawing, I have decided to go exhibit some. Though it was a small event, it meant a lot to me. I hope to keep painting as long as I can. And hope to exhibit more from now on.

I have not been able to write very often as I am mostly busy painting these days – and hope to exhibit solo this year. To arrive at a single theme is daunting as everything and anything seems to inspire and work. So I have thrown caution to wind and am doing what I like to do.

For all you there, send me your positive vibrations to make this all happen. Like someone said, be careful what you wish for

Wandering Mist Blog

This blog is a journey, which will go on till the end. I will keep writing, experimenting, innovating, as much as I can – for it is a haven for wanderers and seekers. It is a journey most of us have taken, that makes lovely things like bouquets, brickbats, art, friends, and memories, but what makes it more interesting, is you.

By being here, by reading, by agreeing & disagreeing, by coloring it with your thoughts, you make this bonhomie a lot more endearing, beautiful and worthy of keeping it going. You make it special for me.

Mystic, Iniyaal, JAM, and many more lovely souls (I shall be writing to you more often) – Thank you for wandering with me. There a lot more unexplored paths waiting for us

New Year’s Eve – Where’s the Party Tonight?

And as far as New Year Eve’s plans go, I hope to cook a special dinner for family and friends, indulge them all with Tiramisu (will soon share this recipe that does not use alcohol), share few gifts with my loved ones, switch off the phones and dream-sleep into the new year.

New Year Resolutions

I am not into New Year resolutions but certainly believe in walking steadily towards ones dreams. And I also believe that things happen to you when you are ready to take them in. It is best to prepare ourselves for all the big things that are to happen. So why fret and fry? Be the best, do your best, and leave the rest – to whatever you believe in.

Keep visiting WanderingMist. Wish you a very happy, vibrant and happening New Year.

Ishrath Humairah

UPDATE - 16th March 2011: As shared with you in this post, I have launched the healthcare website HealthOpine today and am happy to share this with you all. Thank you for all your wishes and kind comments that keep the efforts seem effortless. Please have a look at the Beta version and let me know your feedback.

Last December, I had written a recap post called The Best of Wandering Mist in 2009 listing the top 10 blogposts of 2009. This year, December 2010, I hope to do the same and take a quick look at the many blogposts that went by.

As a blogger, this recap is not only a tradition but a great exercise that throws in some surprises and a bit of learning. Who would have thought that a random rant on a cartoon character would be the most-read post. Also, I would have never imagined that a tutorial uploaded very recently would race up to take the second most-read spot. How fast and amazing can Internet be?

As I now sit to look back at the handful of posts made during the year, I make a trip down the memory lane. Hours of writing, clicking photos, cropping, uploading and seeing the post take shape – is indeed an exercise; but the kind I love. It feels good that most of the post had been of some use to my fellow wanderers. And I hope to keep adding content that would be helpful to you.

Today is a perfect time to write a round-up-of-this-year post, as a recap to myself and my fellow wanderers. And to see how exciting this place has been.

Here are the top 10 posts of WanderingMist in 2010, that got many wanderers here. To stay.

Oggy and the Cockroaches, if you like Tom and Jerry

How to make a Sheep Costume for Children

The Charm of Poinsettias in Christmas and Holiday Season

Frugal Table Centerpiece Ideas for Holiday Decorating

Starry Night – Vincent Van Gogh’s Painting of Hope & Despair

Gift a Heartwarming Box of Pink Roses

How to Make Rice Paper Lanterns Chandelier

Top 10 Great Ideas for Making your Own Handmade Bag

Easy Homemade Moist Banana Cake Recipe

I can now see how Wandering Mist has evolved since inception, as well as during this year. It is not merely a chronicle of events and interests of my life, but also a journal of this wonderful journey. And it is also great to know that most of you love cartoons, like to recycle and make thier own things and dig into great cakes and desserts and love life the way it is.

Happy New Year to you all!

Parenting comes with its share of occupational hazards. One of them is the cartoon series – Oggy and the Cockroaches (OATC), which my little kid loves to watch. Having grown up watching Tom and Jerry, this is perhaps the next most irritatingly hilarious cartoon show on TV these days.

Given the current crop of cartoons full of violence, mythology, evil, and super-power-wars, that are so prevalent on TV and do more harm than good, I find these episodes more humorous and entertaining.

The protagonist of the show is an ultra-domesticated, rotund, blue male cat called Oggy. He loves to spend his day dusting, cleaning, mopping, watching TV, growing his vegetable patch and live a peaceful life. Dwelling in his ventilator and pestering him endlessly are the three roaches of varied colors.

Making his life a living hell are the 3 cockroaches – Marky, Joey and Dee Dee. Oggy seems to have a love-hate relationship with them. All the episodes of OATC deal with the 3 roaches troubling Oggy in different ways.

And living (mostly) with Oggy is his gregarious cousin, an alpha male cat, called Jack. He loves Oggy but has his own interests in life. He is definitely not into spring cleaning and watering the plants, but comes to Oggy’s rescues from the cockroaches. He usually ends up complicating the game as he is always building strange contraptions and concoctions to deal with the pestering cockroaches. And since he is short tempered male, the cockroaches love to take him for a wild ride. And Oggy keeps fighting back, sometimes with the help of Jack.

My favorite series is where Oggy starts to practice non-violence and goes about chanting mantras and tries to control himself while the cockroaches do their best to instigate him.

Another hilarious character, though with very less screen space, is Oggy’s sister Monica. An athletic, forever skating, master of all sports and arts, Monica visits Oggy occasionally. Jack goes head-over-heels for her and takes up over many sport forms to impress her. Oggy is extremely fond of his sister and cannot stop bragging about her talents and skills. How familish!

I would really love to see how the creative team behind OATC gets tighter to form a story board and discuss the nuances, scene by scene. I would love to see how they conjure up a story out of nothing and breathe life into these hilarious characters. There is hardly any spoken conversation and the show mostly relies on visual slapstick humor to keep going.

If you love Tom and Jerry, there are fair chances that you will like this one too. Provided you let OATC settle into your system. Having watched almost most episodes it is hard to remember when I have migrated to OATC.

Like Tom and Jerry, it is a catch-chase-beat game. It involves violence (LOL). While T&J was all about kid fun, OATC take it to the next level. Everything happens in extreme. Its all about mega-multi-phenomena where things get blown up and exaggerated to extremes.

While Tom hits the roof, Oggy hits the moon. While Tom digs his grave, Oggy digs to reach the other side of Earth. While Tom or Jerry indulge in suggestive romance once in a while, Oggy and Jack offer some visuals that do not seem like kids cartoons. While Tom & Jerry have predictable house, Oggy’s house changes as per the needs of the scene – with his staircase morphing into a roller coaster, house rising to multiple levels, patch or garden extends into acres, an open tap not only fills up the whole bathroom but drowns the planet. While Tom & Jerry drop household things on each other, Oggy goes to the extent to dropping buses, submarines, aircrafts and more. There is never a dull moment or I-know-what-will come-next in these episodes. But they also test my patience at times.

When I say hilarious, I mean this:
• When Oggy’s refrigerator is left open, it not only freezes his room but covers the continent in ice – aka the Day after Tomorrow way.
• Troubled by cockroaches, Oggy and Jack are stranded on an iceberg, only to be hit by the RMS Titanic.
• The stink from cockroach’s sock not only kills a few people around but also makes few planets in the solar system to pass out and drop down of their orbits, like apples falling down from the tree.
• The roaches fool Oggy into thinking that HE is pregnant. And Oggy becomes an emotional fool, only to realize the folly later.

And here is a sample of the most hilarious episode. Moreso because of the concept, hippie movement, background score with sitar, and more. Enjoy.

Yes, summer is back with temperature peaking like never before. It is the time of the year when every conversation with loved ones or strangers is about how hot the weather has become and that the worst is yet to come. As we sweat, fret, phew and freak, it is also the time of the year when families comes closer due to irregular power cuts.

Summer Heat Tells upon Plants - Yellowing Leaves

Summer is a season of making memories; memoirs that last a lifetime. When I look back on more than 30 summers that went by… I guess each one was special in its own way – with its share of memories, lessons, and warmth.

Everyone generation has a story to tell and memories to re-live, of how their summers were spent. Nostalgia is the flavour of the season that I now so often indulge in…. where summer was about people, mangoes, khus ki tatti, aam-panna, mogra, vividh-bharati, and more.

I miss the simplicity of the life that went by.

Now, summer is felt, not only because of the scorching heat, but also for the hype that surrounds it. Everything around is buzzing with summer camps, summer fashion, summer holiday destinations, summer jobs, summer getaways, summer workouts, summer blah, and more. There is more to summer than scorching sun; more hype than heat. Summer seems to be the happening thing around.

I look back at the summers we had as kids… where it was about fun, holidays, and of doing nothing and everything. Summer was about more of family, fun and frolic. There was no homework to complete, no extracurricular classes to attend and no summer camps to participate in. It was about charting ones own activities, time tables and living for the moment.

Life was so less complicated in those days. Devoid of cutting edge technologies and concrete jungles, there was more to life and living. Summer was not about air conditioners, gas-guzzling generators, ice skating rinks or blue colored mock tails.

Summer was more about spending the season without getting spent. The effort was on conserving oneself, loved ones health and to ride over the season with best of social activity in the most economical way. People were, by default, seeped in eco-friendly summer practices and there was never a need to look beyond the local remedies for keeping cool.

Looking back, there was more sense in simplicity.

The Magic of Jasmine and Mogra in Summer
The women of the house had the art of making summer more romantic than what it was. Or rather they invented ways of spending quality time with one another in the hot season. They would gather in the evening to weave strands of jasmine for one and all.

The Magic of Mogra - Can you smell the fragrant jasmine?

Stringing of jasmine flowers is an art by itself which my mother had mastered in her youth. The right number of flowers, the right mix of sizes interspersed with buds and blooms, the heavenly fragrant downam leaves and twigs in between. From any angle you see, the strands are perfect in size, even in shape and the longest than anyone could make.

Most of the flowers would come from the desolate jasmine climber plant from their courtyard or would be brought from the cycle phoolwala that did rounds every evening shouting motiya-bahaar-bahaare-bahaar. The kids would run in all directions to catch the flower vendor and bring him at the door step. Then there would be the daily ‘yawn’ bargaining cycle over a few paise.

The fragrant leaves that go entwined in jasmine strands

If the flower vendor was in a happy mood or pleased with us, he would throw in few twigs of downam with the flowers. That was considered an ultimate victory and we would proudly get the delicate fragrant wares inside. Summer evenings were indeed more romanchak than romantic.

Whats summmer without the mangoes…
Summer meant mangoes. No. Summer meant kids sitting around a huge cauldron which had mangoes floating and sinking in water. Rasaal, tota-pari, be-nishan, etc, were the more regular ones found in this cauldron where everyone eyed the biggest, yellowest, and the ripest mango in the lot.

Even the raw mangoes were not spared. While most of them went into making hot and spicy avakai pacchidi or aam-ka-achaar or mango pickles, few would be reserved for everyone’s favorite summer drink – the tangy aam-panna.

Anything for a cool sherbat in summer
Summer drinks were naturally organic, even before the eco-friendly hype took over. Nothing could beat the taste, simplicity and effectiveness of natural fruit juices, fruit based concoctions, and remedies for summer heat.

In those sultry days, the best guy on the planet was the ice-gola wala selling balls of crushed ice dunked with some weird flavored concentrate.  He always had only two standard flavors and sizes to choose from. Life was so much simpler then.

Next in demand was the sugarcane juice wala. Ganne-ka-sharbat in the afternoons was an exciting affair as the vendor would come to your house dragging his huge and heavy contraption on wheels, make the juice in front of you, and customize its taste with ginger or lemon. It was always a riot as none of us would have the same taste or preference. God bless him – for he always handed out to each one of us, the perfect sugarcane juice with perfect seasoning with right level of ice in it. Not to mention the falsa, nimbu paani, tarbooz and many other drinks that were a routine.

Atiti-Dev-O-Bhava – Summer Guests Galore
Summer meant guests, guests, and more guests. A trip or two to the railway station was inevitable in summer. Living in a big joint family ensured there were mamas, mamis, chachis, bhai, behen, et al, visiting every holiday season. But that also meant that the whole family had to receive them as well as send them off.

Events at the railway stations were like the reality TV shows. It was all about tearful welcomes, tearful farewells, tearful talks and teardrops in tea. Thankfully that’s not the scene anymore. But whenever I see a huge family gathered on the railway platform – I smile… for somebody is creating memories for a lot of people. Good memories for sure.

The then Khus Ki Tatti now known as Vetiver Roots Curtain
Khus – vettiver roots are a natural air conditioner. The remarkable feature of these mats is that they can cool any hot room instantly putting any air conditioner in the market to shame. The dried roots of vetiver or khus are weaved together with coir rope, like a mat or a curtain for varied uses. You can hang those curtains outside your window or door and drench them in hotter hours in water.

Khus Ki Tatti - Summer Curtain Made with Vetiver Roots

We, as kids were assigned the job of pouring water on the khus-ki-tatties every afternoon. It was a job we loved. The fragrance of the water soaked roots, and the cool wind that comes in through use to be so musky, heady and relaxing that … cannot be described. It is something one should experience in their life – spending a summer afternoon next to a wet vetiver curtain. I guess I will go out to buy some of those blinds soon.

Powercuts and summer are made for each other
Power cuts were a part of life. Regular - on time – they would give us all a chance to get away from whatever little TV we could watch. Power cut at nights would make the whole family come out in the open courtyard with Palmyra leaves fans in their hands. The favorite topic would be a vacation fantasy to faraway cool places like Kodaikanal, Kashmir,Ooty, Shimla, Mount Abu, etc. No, we did not know about Switzerland then or that one could go to such places for vacation.

Summer beauty remedies off the kitchen shelves
Beauty did not take a back seat in sweat then. There were hundreds of home remedies for sunburn, body heat, sun tan, giddiness, dryness, and more. Nanima was treasure trove of ancient remedies and she had the perfect cure for any ailment or concern. Clothes meant cotton and fashion meant Lucknow Chikan kurtas and Bengal Cotton Sarees. Look no further.

Henna-Mehendi Intricate Design

Summer beauty treatments were mostly about henna and multani mitti. Mehendi , a natural coolant, was applied on hands, scalp and married women’s feet. Multani mitti, also known as Fullers Earth, could be smeared anywhere on the body to draw the heat out. Kids had a ball watching thier mothers become mummies in 15 minutes as the clay dried on their faces and hands.

Summer refuge that grandparents give
Summers saps everyone, including grandparents. While the kids remain uncontrollable bundles of energy, grandparents ensure that they remain hale, hearty and healthy. From taking us out to the park, watch over us while we played, storytelling, to giving few coins to enjoy our fun-filled days… there are so many things in which they care and teach us in silent ways. Like giving a glass of cold water from the earthen pot to any passer-by, keeping water out for stray animals such as dogs, cats and cows, and so much more.

Terracotta Mud Pot for Cool Water in Summer - Boon for Street Dogs and Animals

I lost my grandfather to summer heat. He was out in the sun when he had a stroke. He loved the outdoors so much that heat did not deter him. The point is that he enjoyed what he did and he did it till his last breath. That’s the summer’s message for me.

Summer is here… back again to complete its thanda-garam lifecycle.

Yes, it was different then. It is a lot different now. I do long for the back yore days… but there is still so much at the moment to bask in. To learn. To feel. To enjoy. To live. And wait for the avkali baarish – the non seasonal summer showers.

There are more memories than the blog can contain… maybe some other day.
I would love to know what your summer was like when you were half your age and size?