Chocolate Mousse Pie

This, to me, is the ultimate in chocolate desserts – for three reasons. Firstly, it is VERY chocolatey with a creamy, silky consistency to die for – rich, smooth, velvety – perfection in other words. Secondly, it requires only four ingredients and can be put together with the most minimal…

L. Ramakrishnan

This artiste was extremely clear that music was what he wanted to pursue and would have discontinued his studies after 12th Grade, had his Guru not persuaded him to complete his degree. “I had stubbornly refused to listen to my parents,” says L. Ramakrishnan who can be seen accompanying practically…

Wheat Halwa – Hacked

In the family I was born into, sugar tolerance is very high. As a friend put it a long time ago, “your family needs sugar as a side for desserts.” I was the only exception. “I just wish it was less sweet,” was my stock comment to my mother. Of…

An uncle to remember.

My paternal uncle, my chithappa, died almost exactly 24 hours ago (not COVID-related) – he was my father’s immediate next brother and the fifth of the eight siblings. The word ‘chithappa’ in tamizh, and equivalent words in many other Indian languages, indicates a younger father – literally speaking. My chithappa…

Keep it to yourself.

The self-inflicted death of a healthy, young man is always a tragedy. Following the suicide of the young and successful Indian actor, Sushant Singh Rajput, I have seen several social media posts in the vein of (self-paraphrased) “If you need someone to talk to, I am here. You are never…

Vishakha Hari

Smt. Vishakha Hari, noted Harikatha exponent, concludes this podcast by bringing in a philosophical perspective. She talks of a ‘jvarA’ (fever) mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam, and other anecdotes from the scriptures, to make sense of the malady we are currently amidst.  She suggests programs resume in green zones, with adequate…

Life is contrasts

Death, Birth. Marriage, Widowhood. Sickness, Health. Music, Silence. Vignettes of utter contrasts back to back all within 18 hours. Life itself, in fact, encapsulated in a nutshell. Last night, I ‘attended’ a wedding online. Today, an online memorial meet for my husband’s schoolmate. Right before, I caught what I could…

Vidya Subramanian

Smt. Vidya Subramanian, rasika, entrepreneur and vocalist, gets into listeners and musicians, supply and demand, income streams and more, in this candid conversation. She says listeners and musicians fall in two broad categories and that, for the vast majority of listeners, physical concerts will take a back seat, for now,…