Living Queen Size Before I Go

Some homes take your sweat, some your blood and some your life! 

Only you know what you give to it.

My palace

Lwing Queen size before I go.

अक्षय तृतीया २०२६

On this day of अक्षय तृतीया I pray for a full life, filled with happiness and joy. Of many travels and fulfilled wishes. If my heart stops I don’t want to be revived. Anyways I live alone. So that is a moot point. श्री राम 🙏🏽🌹

Steamed Dhoma

Steamed ढोमं or Croaker. 

Since I have started eating fish. I mostly made fried fish or curried it. Today since these Dhomi plural for Dhoma were whole and ideal for steaming I tried it. 

I was not sure how they would taste? In the back of my mind I was thinking of the phrase नासकं ढोमं which in Koli is used for people who are not accepting to love. 

The croaker lent well to this treatment. The flesh was tender yet flaky. Will use this idea more often instead of frying ❣️

Here is this super simple recipe. 

Ingredients 

2 Dhomi / Croakers

1/4 teaspoon of Koli masala

2 teaspoons of mustard oil

Salt

Salt the fish. Leave to absorb for 10 mins. 

Steam on a porous plate so the excess water doesn’t make the fish soggy. 10 mins is good. 

To serve: place the steamed fish on the plate. 

Heat the mustard oil until smoky. Remove from heat. Add the Koli masala. Mix with a spoon to avoid burning and lumping. Pour quickly over the fish. Squeeze a lime over the fish to brighten up the flavours. 

Here you can do many variations with garlic, spring onions, curry leaves, cilantro and what not !

On the side add a salad. Today I just added lettuce. 

There is also a lovely sprouted masoor usal for a wholesome meal. 

Enjoy ! 

My cousin Akshay had brought these for me. They were extremely fresh. He delivers seafood so sharing his number here. Call 📱 98193 84328

The Usefulness of the Uselessness !

As a child who grew up in SOBO specifically in Colaba and Fort. I have always seeked the vastness of places. Holed up in a small home through the week meant spending weekends playing on Bombay Gymkhana lawns.

The seashore of Thal. Vastness of sea and serenity like no other place. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder truly.

I read something powerful on a post. 

The Usefulness of the Uselessness ! 

I understand now well why I did not like the Coastal road from Marine drive to Worli. When man builds in concrete while you marvel at the Engineering. It does NOT warm your heart. 

While wide expanses of land which we call wastelands are so useful. They are habitats for migratory birds and home to several species of animals. 

Everything need not be built up. I don’t even like manicured gardens. I rather soak up in the beauty of an unkempt garden. 

We can have a Balance like Odisha. Manicured gardens on the sidewalks of Bhubaneswar and wilderness of the Chilika which is protected. They have got it right 👏🏽

 Good example to emulate.

How it heals the soul !

No need of ghats or wharfs 

Shankar Mama’s 80th Birthday

आज माझ्या शंकर मामाचा ८० वा वाढदिवस साजरा पाहून मला निखळ आनंद झाला ❤️✨ मी त्याशी फोन करून बोले. 

एकेकाळी एक अतिशय यशस्वी व्यापारी होता. सर्वात श्रीमंत शेंवंडी / लॉबस्टर 🦞 पुरवठादार. त्याचा क्लायंट दुसरा तिसरा कोणी नसून ताज पॅलेस होता. माझ्या आईचा सर्वात धाकटा भाऊ पण तिच्यापेक्षा मोठा होता. माझी आई त्याच्यापेक्षा ४ वर्षांनी लहान होती, म्हणून ती जिवंत असती तर आता ती ७६ वर्षांची असती. 

तो शिक्षित होता पण त्याने सीफूडचा व्यवसाय करणे पसंत केले. शंकर मामा आणि द्वारकानाथ मामा माझ्या आईला शिक्षणासाठी प्रोत्साहित करत असत, ६ दशकांपूर्वी कोळी लोकांमध्ये ही एक दुर्मिळ गोष्ट होती. खरं तर, त्या काळात ते माझ्या आईला घरी शिकवत असत आणि तिला गृहपाठात मदत करत असत. माझी आई नेहमीच तिच्या दोन्ही भावांबद्दल कृतज्ञ असायची. ते ५ भाऊ होते तरीही हे दोघे सर्वोत्तम होते. 

आज शंकर मामाचा वाढदिवस आहे आणि तो माझ्यावर करत असलेल्या प्रेमाबद्दल मी त्याचे आभार मानते. 

मी लहान असताना त्याने मला शेंवंडी / लॉबस्टर 🦞 आणल्या की मी गुरुवारचा उपवासही सोडून ते शेंवंडी / लॉबस्टर 🦞 खात असे.

गेल्या दशकात त्याला अर्धांगवायू झाला आहे पण त्याचे दोन्ही मुलगे सर्वेश आणि शुक्लेश त्याची खूप काळजी घेतात. तो आणि कमू मामी आहे म्हणून थळला जाण्यात मला आनंद वाटतो.

******

Seeing my Shankar mama’s 80th birthday celebrations today gave me pure joy ❤️✨ I called and spoke to him. 

Once upon a time he was a very successful businessman. The richest Lobster supplier. His client was none other than Taj Palace. My mother’s youngest brother yet older than her. My Aai was 4 yrs younger than him so she would have been 76 yrs now had she been alive. 

He was educated but chose to deal in seafood. Shankar mama and Dwarkanath mama encouraged my mother to study, a rare thing 6 decades ago among Koli people. Infact as was common back then He taught my mother at home and helped her with homework. My mother always was in gratitude for it to both her brothers. They were 5 brothers yet these two were class apart. 

It is Shankar mama’s birthday today and I take this opportunity to thank him for all the love he continues to shower on me. 

When I was younger he brought me lobsters and I would quit even my Thursday fasts to eat those lobsters. 🦞 

In the last decade he has been paralysed but his two sons Sarvesh and Shuklesh take great care of him. I am blessed to have him and Kamu mami to go back to in Thal.

The Wealth I Amass.

Prakash Maharaj with shawl and My MJ Kaka with outstretched arms

Posted on FB in the past. It was the year I lost my Baba.

It is 10 December 2021, the month of Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj's punyatithi utsav. This year it the 108th year, it is on 29 Dec 2021. This year like the last the Utsav is online due to COVID protocol. The number 108 is very spiritually charged. It is the basis of life. 

In December when I am not able to be in Gondavale I miss all the people who continue to influence my thoughts even though they have left this earth. The most intelligent group of people consisting of Engineers, Doctors, high level professionals the creme la creme of our country. In Gondavale they would do whatever seva they could. As they grew older they did more and more jap. I have asked curious questions and may be been stupid and audacious in the young age. They never avoided any confrontational queries about spiritualism. They loved my father for his dedication in jap. I am lucky to have received the love and blessings of these people in various forms. Dr. Appa Athavale gave me a copy of his handwritten diary, I absolutely cherish it. Ghadi kaka who handed over his Dnyaneshwari to me with a sankalp. Dr. S. R. Phatak who guided me when I was a teen explained to me the effects of Maruti stotra on physiology. Dr. Arvind Bawdekar, Dr. Bhide, Bapusaheb Marathe, Nana Kulkarni, G. S. Gokhale and Shalini tai, and the youngest of the 7 gems Prof. S Khaparde who we loving call Balasaheb. Sir is now the only one after my father who is my lighthouse. I have known him since I was in my 20s. When he asks, "kashi aahes tu?" my eyes well up. There is so much love. Shree Maharaj took samadhi in 1913 but I feel his love thru Sir. He just retired from IIT Mumbai as and spends time focusing on jap.

I am lucky to have spent time with Prof. K. V. Belsare in the last year of his life when I would visit him often from work. Since I worked in Goregaon at the time I was able to attend his final goodbye in Malad. What a life!

I am blessed to have cooked for Prakash Maharaj in my twenties. He used to eat only roots at the time. I would make him dishes with suran and potatoes on his rare visit to Mumbai. He would not eat at any other place and would tell me to make something for him because food carries sanskar.

Ghadi kaka at his home in Suman Nagar

All of these people have been such an inspiration in my life. The proof of blessings is I am happy in life even after all the storms I weathered. 

Shree Maharaj always said for a grihasth should do his duties well and chant the name of Ram. He has made it so easy. 🙏🏽🌸

Pesarattu of the coarse kind

You have seen thin pesarattu like a regular dosa but you haven’t seen this type of a coarse ground pesarattu. Have you ? 

This is an Andhra / Telangana secret from the homes. Shared with me by Chandhana. I had Telugu neighbours so assumed I knew a bit about their cuisine. This is such a gem. Absolutely underrated. 

So this isn’t a recipe but more of a technique to achieve a wonderful texture. 

Here is what you do…

1. Soak moong dal with green skin as much as required  for about an hour.

2. Coarse grind soaked dal using pulse mode on the mixer. Along with green chili, a small piece of ginger and cumin 1/2 teaspoon for a cup of dal. It should have thick consistency. Use no water unless it’s hard to grind. 

3. Chop onions fine like for bhel. 

4. Mix the onions and salt into the ground moong dal. Ensure the consistency of batter is easy to pat on the griddle. 

5. Apply ghee to dosa tava with a half cut onion. This helps make cast iron griddle ‘non stick’. 

6. Place some of the thick batter on the dosa tava and pat into a thick pancake. Just like a thalipeeth. Roast well using ghee on both sides. 

Enjoy with the range chutneys from the Andhra / Telugu repertoire. On that day I see I enjoyed it with the wonderful peanut chutney. 

I have Allam pachadi in stock. Now I need to get the moong dal soaking to enjoy this pesarattu. 

Thank you dear Chandhana this has become a favourite way to make pesarattu!

Memories of Valentine’s

Memories is all I have. My real Valentine is Arvi. The man I married. 

Reposting from FB. When I was living life and none of this was posted on the blog.

14 Feb 2019

You always made our Valentines special. Our first Valentines when you called and led to our marriage.

The second one in our first year of marriage, you took me to dinner at Copper Chimney at Worli, on the third you were just back from the hospital and you slipped away quietly to get a bouquet of roses. It was the first time you totally showered me with love. Our fourth last year when I did not feel like going out for dinner and you insisted and took me to Khyber because that's where we had celebrated our wedding day lunch with family and you wanted to enjoy again.

Following it a walk at Chowpatty, eating and buying Kulfi to bring back home. You always tried to make me happy….

Tomato flowers filled with Feta

There were large tomatoes just delivered. Taut and fresh. A perfect promise of a juicy bite. I had some Feta that needed to be used. I wish I had some fresh fragrant Italian basil. But none. Anyways I made this lovely salad fit for a party table on a very ordinary day. 

It was a day of sabudana khichadi and toasted banana chips. On starch heavy days one needs some bites of fresh salad as palate changer. These tomato feta flowers were perfect 👌🏽 

It’s an idea not a recipe. So here is what I did. 

1. Cut the tomatoes from smooth side vertically so it will sit on the stalk side on the plate without tilting.

2. Bloomed the ‘petals’. 

3. Crumble the feta. Spooned it in the centre of the flower. 

I would have put a plucked basil leaf each to top the feta if I had the option. 

A beautiful looking salad you have. Tadah ! 

Praying To Hanuman The First Special Forces Operator

Praying to Shree Hanuman whom I lovingly call Maruti Raya. The first Special Forces Operator.

1. Identified target by finding Seeta inside enemy territory. 
2. Used Pyrotechnics, demolition after dealing with waterborne threats and destroyed Lanka.
3. Returned with valuable info.
4. Engineered the Ram Setu.
5. Airborne back to destroy Lanka.
6. Brought back Seeta.

Accomplished mission !

He goes where no one dares !!

He writes history !!!

Inspired by thoughts of SWO Prateek Mahtha 🫡

प्रिय मारूती राय हनुमान राया तुझी मदत आणि दया भाकते  

श्री राम 🙏🏽🌹 

Colorful Frittata

A Colorful frittata entered my life through the blogging world. I would see this seductive looking dish on my other buddies blogs and think I cannot make it and have it as I was vegetarian and I never liked eggs anyways. 

Then 3 yrs ago after 35 yrs of being a vegetarian I restarted eating non vegetarian. Life’s experience taught me that protein was required to fortify my body. The body doesn’t understand the religion connection with non veg. My DNA of a Koli that builds my body was better off eating my ancestral food. So Ghar vapsi happened. 

On this day I found beautiful fresh Italian basil. So I decided to make a frittata with some colorful vegetables. This dish is a perfect carrier for the “Eat your rainbow” concept. Even better for creative photography. 

Since I was making eggs this way for the first time I decided to have it with lovely toasties from a favourite bakery and some airfrier potato wedges. 

I brought out my heavy baking dish for this. Here is what I did…

Ingredients 

6 eggs

Handful of diced colored capsicum 

Yellow and Red

Handful of sliced carrots 

2 handfuls of Italian basil leaves 

Fresh ground black pepper as much as you like

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon Butter

In a pan heat butter. Add sliced carrots and cook till soft. Then add the colored peppers. Cook for a minute. Save 1/4 of the veggies for topping.

Let it cool a little. Then add eggs, basil leaves, black pepper and salt. Whisk everything together. Pour into butter lined baking dish. 

Bake at 200 degrees for 5 mins. Once the top looks set. Add the saved cooked veggies on top. Bake another 7 mins till knife inserted in the bake comes out clean. 

Serve in a pretty plate and dress up your table with some fresh fragrant basil to heighten your experience. 

 

Have a bright happy Sunday! 

Imprints वासना

Ruins of the past 

वासना Or Imprints of the past experiences. There are many kinds. Of food, sex, home, money etc. Yet the वासना of money is the worst kind.

It is so hard to let go. Therefore money carries those imprints. In Gondavale there are lot of rich people who offer donations but it is the only religious place I know of that refuses the donations from known corrupt people and criminals. They prefer the small contributions of a simple common man. Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj abused money as पैका ! He never touched anyone’s money offering. It is known the वासना is the reason for rebirth. 

I know the history in the Cooper family. In every generation some वासना of the ancestors has been unfulfilled. The walls are wailing with sorrow. Every generation has paid a price of a certain incident three generations from mine. 

The house was in shambles when I got married. It reflected the history of the family. I chose my husband inspite of the challenges I saw in my face. I was confident that I can change the energy of the house. This house has seen so much pain and suffering. It has sapped my energy. Now it will take a toll on the new. Inherit it and bear the burden of the unsatisfied souls. 

Plus there are distressed souls that have वासना as in greed on this house that are causing conflict.

There will never be peace in this house nor in the inheritance. 

Circumstances

Circumstances never remain same. I can’t see the shore yet but I am moving towards it. The journey is important.

Binoculars give a better view though limited. Since I was on the RORO I knew that I had the means to reach the shore. The co-passengers may or may not be useful. However there is a 50% chance. Take a bet. 

Doesn’t matter if you know swimming or not. What is the chance that the vessel will sink ? There are life jackets and bouys. You can use them in crisis. 

You took a risk and reached the other side. The beautiful side. What if you had never boarded that ship ? 

When you are given options and resources make a choice to use them for circumstances never remain the same. 

Styling the Wardrobe

These are the last two sets of clothes I bought in Aug 2025. 

Counting my blessings as I look back. I have always been loved by my parents especially after Aai’s passing away in 1994 Baba has not just loved me but also supported me. Whether it was being by my side when I lived in Bangalore for work or even the smallest thing. 

I have inherited a spending gene from my Dad my Baba. He was an administrator with the Maharashtra Government and dressed to rule. Until his retirement he owned 300 shirts and I am not counting his pants, sadaras and other ethnic wear. He had a lovely collection of shoes from forest shoes to camel leather ones. He would buy me 10 sets of clothes every June and different types of shoes, keds, formals, sandals, rainy shoes and a Kolhapuri pair was a must. That would set me up for college. 

While I was working I would buy clothes every month. I had so many clothes that when I got married my Dad built a wardrobe for me in my marital home so I could house my clothes well. The joke is inspite of the n number of cupboards in the sasural I had no space for my clothes. My husband was so kiddish he too demanded space in the wardrobe. Ha ha 🤣 

This is the one ! Left is my side and Right is Arvi’s but now mine.

Then Baba overhauled Arvi’s wardrobe 180 degrees. From a typical Parsi Bawa style he changed it to trendy style. 

Something I wrote in 2019…

Arvi was a very simple person except food indulgences he wasn't really into luxury. Having a father who dresses immaculately even today made me a connoisseur of men's clothing. 

When Dad worked three jobs he changed clothes thrice. T-shirts and pants/ shorts for his yoga classes and formal well tailored shirts from Shankar Master tailors a favorite of Tatas and the Birlas back in the 70s to 90s. In fact the owner Mohan Amin became one of my Dad's favorite friends in the later years. It was Yash Birla who had adviced Mohan kaka to trim down and wear what he stitches so his clients would see his skill. So Mohan Kaka had joined my Dad's class at Kaivalyadham at Chowpatty. Then on Mohan Kaka used to buy materials imported from Hong Kong for my Dad stitch his clothes and directly deliver to our home in Fort. My Dad was his model wearing the clothes to his elite student's homes and most times they ended up referring clients for each other.

So when I met Arvi my father did judge his fashion sense rather the lack of it. However he also started helping Arvi change his style as much as I did. In Sep 2017 Dad gifted Arvi a couple of shirts and jeans. Arvi had been wearing his old jeans for very long so he loved his new one but it did not fit him well so we went to change it. I coaxed him into buying more jeans and cotton trousers in various colors and loads of new shirts. I had already changed his style a bit during our wedding shopping but this birthday was special. 

I remember one day we were going out and were all dressed for a formal evening and Arvi did a bit of fashion walk in front of our neighbor that made her comment, "Aaj kale bou stylish thay gayo tu!"

This recollection makes me smile but that is not the only thing I want to share today. 

Since Aug 2025 I haven’t bought a single piece of clothing! 

Practising conscious consumerism. 

Ask These Questions To Yourself

It takes a whole lifetime to realise the evil influences in a person’s life.

Ask these questions ? 

1. Does a child deserve the separation from the mother. Whose decision was it? 

2. The child is used as tool for greed. Did the child choose the suffering that follows?

3. All the bad karma build up. Who will carry the burden? You or your influencers ? 

4. By 30 yrs you have already gone through 2 legal battles. 

5. Your child was exposed to legal battle in the womb itself. Is this the gift you wanted for the foetus ? The baby is growing listening to the legal battle. This is the Sanskar you got and now you are giving to the child. 

6. The curses 🤬 you and your husband and child get every moment. How long can you absorb them ? 

Yet you think your influencers are your well wishers ?

You are at the Gates of Hell ! 

KALNIRNAY मागचं पान

On the 15 Jan 2026 I shot for a fun episode about eating fish as per season with the young Turk Shakti Salgaokar Yezdani from the कालनिर्णय family for her new podcast @kalnirnay_magchpan Now subscribe to the YouTube channel so you don’t miss it ! 

I have decided to count every small blessing that comes my way. The year 2026 has begun on a positive note. 

This was a much required opportunity to break the chain of events since October 2025 which has brought me learnings. Early warning ⚠️ systems are always appreciated. Atleast we get info and then stay monitored. The first change in my life as the कालचक्र turns. This was the first day after Sankrant and the beginning of उत्तरायण. It is the year of the SuryaDev with the promise of brightness and shine. 

So grateful.

श्री राम 🙏🏽🌹

KaalChakra

KaalChakra कालचक्र 

The only TRUTH is CHANGE. 

When everything is destroyed. It creates a FERTILE environment for a NEW BEGINNING, A FRESH START. 

All I am doing is witnessing my LIFE. 

I don’t need to DO anything.

The stage is set for a MIRACLE. 

श्री राम 🙏🏽🌹

LIBERATED

Today is an amazing day ! After a deliberated break of Nine months. Note the coincidences ! 

I am feeling LIBERATED.

त्वमेव केवलं कर्तासि । 

त्वमेव केवलं धर्तासि । 

त्वमेव केवलं हर्तासि ॥

You alone are the creator, you alone are the sustainer, and you alone are the destroyer. 

I have made a choice not to have children. To end this journey at myself. Glad that I am not passing on Bad Karma to my next generation. The COOPER family ends with me.

I HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO CARRY BURDENS OF THE PAST. TO ENJOY THE REMAINDER LIFE. TRY NOT TO COMPLAIN. 

॥ सर्वं सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

Everything is established in truth. 

एकटा जीव सदाशिव.

श्री राम 🙏🏽🌹