FISH FINGERS: WHY BASA? WHY NOT POMFRET or SURMAI or RAWAS?

FISH FINGERS: WHY BASA? WHY NOT POMFRET or SURMAI or RAWAS?
Ramblings of a Retired Veteran
By
VIKRAM KARVE

On Sunday afternoon, three of us navy veterans assembled for a "PLD" in RSI Pune.

The "Small Eats" Menu featured an assortment of Chicken and Veg Items, but surprisingly there was just one fish dish available - "Fish Fingers".

I was in a "fishy" mood, so I decided to order Fish Fingers.

The delicious "Fish Fingers" I relished during my Navy days were mostly made from Pomfret Fish, so I asked the waiter, "The fish is Pomfret, isn't it?"

"No, Sir," he said.

"Then which fish are you using - Surmai?" I asked.

"No, Sir,"

"Rawas?"

"No, Sir."

"I hope you are not using Bangda (Mackerel) for making fish fingers?" I said.

"No, Sir," the waiter answered.

"No Pomfret, No Surmai, No Rawas, No Bangda? Then which fish do you use?" I asked him.

"Basa," he said.

"Basa? Is it a local river fish?" I asked.

The waiter was clueless about the origins of Basa.

I had never heard of this Basa fish nor had seen it in the local fish market, so I avoided ordering Fish Fingers.

Later, I surfed the net and discovered that Basa is a River Fish mainly from Vietnam (Mekong River) and South East Asia.

I do not understand one thing.

India has so many varieties of delicious fish like Pomfret, Surmai, Rawas, Bandga, Bombil etc which are ideal for making "small eats" like Fish Finger, Fish Fry, Fish Koliwada etc

Then, what is the need for the caterer to stock only imported Basa Fish?

Why eat imported fish like Basa when we have an abundance of delicious local fish?

Are they trying to create an "acquired taste" for Basa?

Or is there some ulterior motive?

VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer: 

This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in this story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE IN PICTURESQUE WAKAD

FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE IN PICTURESQUE WAKAD

Vikram Karve

 

 

The view from my ninth floor balcony is awesome.

Early in the morning, at dawn, I look towards my left, towards the eastern horizon, in the distance, I can behold the breaking of the sun’s upper crest over thick layer of grey-white smog that envelops the city of Pune, and soon the silhouettes of the tall buildings in the concrete jungles of Aundh and Baner become visible.

The air in Pune City may be quite polluted, but here, high up on the south facing terrace of my top floor apartment in Rohan Tarang, in the southern part of Wakad, the air is pure, fresh and so refreshing that I can cleanse my lungs with it, almost like the pristine morning air in the hills of Girinagar, in the foothills of Sinhagad Fort, which lies beyond the range of hills I can see in the distance.

I stand in my open-to-the-skies spacious terrace-like balcony, at the edge, look around in front of me, have a panoramic view. 

The scene is picturesque and the mood is uplifting. 

The placid waters Mula River meandering down from the verdant hills in the distance, bisecting its lush green scenic valley, renders an air sublime stillness to the environment.

On this side of the river lies the well laid out, clean and tranquil Wakad village, and at this early morning hour, everyone is in their homes, except Pappya , the redoubtable white guard dog, who moves around like a sentinel at the entrance of the village. 

Wafts of pleasing devotional music emanating from the famous and beautiful Mhatoba Temple gently uplift my spirits and enhance the sublime ambience.

On that side of the river, across the valley, there is large tract of greenery, fields and farms, being gradually swallowed up by the expanding concrete jungle spreading out from Baner in the distance. 

Soon it will be all dust and grime, as the construction work of buildings starts, but then all this is quite far away, and will not disturb the glorious view or equanimity, which I enjoy from my balcony.

Sunset from my terrace is a special event. 

First the orange sun plays hide and seek with the peaks and troughs of the range of hills far away from where the Mula River emanates.

Then the sun suddenly goes below the horizon and the sky gets lit up like a painting, first a crimson red, then the interplay of colours starts, both in the sky and on the waters of the Mula River, yellow, gold, silver, grey and then it is dark.

In the darkness of the night, to your right you can see the fast moving lights of the vehicles on the Mumbai – Bangalore Bypass Highway, a distance away right ahead are the floodlights of the Balewadi Stadium and colourful neon signs of the numerous hotels and inns like Holiday Inn, VITS, Orchid and Sadanand Residency, and towards the left, to the east, just a few lights in the high-rise apartments at Baner and Aundh, most of which are empty as they have been bought for investment and not to live in.

Though progressive and in the midst of modernity, with clean well-lit roads and neatly laid out, the beauty of Wakad is that it is a quaint, serene, picturesque village which still retains a delightful old-world charm. 

FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE FOR MHATOBA UTSAV

On normal days, sleeps early, and the nights are quiet, but tonight is special.

As I write this, the annual Shri Mhatoba Dev Utsav is being celebrated and the entire Wakad village has been brightly illuminated. (Mhatoba is the Gram-Daivat of Wakad)

Shri Mhatoba Devasthan Temple (Mandir) has been beautifully decorated and brilliantly illuminated and looks superb. 

In fact, the illumination of the temple dome is truly exquisite. 

There is a jatra, carnival, music, and people have come from distant places to the Shri Mhatoba Devasthan Mandir in Wakad to have darshan, seek blessings and pray to the God Mhatoba, the village Deity of Wakad and Hinjewadi and participate in the utsav or festival. 

It is celebration time, the entire place, even the Mula Riverside Park and Garden, is brimming with people, of all ages, dressed at their best, the atmosphere is festive, the place is resonating with positive energy and happy vibes, and from my balcony I enjoy a grandstand view which is truly breathtaking.

Actually the huge windows of all rooms in my spacious and airy house afford a wonderful view, but I love standing in my roomy open terrace balcony, especially at night under the starlight open sky, and enjoying the magnificent view. 

And as I write this spectacular illumination and festive air fill my heart with joy.

PS:

I am lucky that I live in South Wakad, towards the river side of the Aundh – Hinjewadi Road. 

If you live in the concrete jungle in North Wakad on the other side of the main road – well, then that is a different story! 

GOOD MORNING PUNE

GOOD MORNING PUNE

 

If your morning is good then your day is good.

 

Yes, I always make sure my mornings in Wakad are good and I start my day on a happy note.

 

And what better way to start the day than to sit in my balcony in tranquil silence cleansing my lungs with cool fresh morning air enjoying the breathtaking view of the verdant soothing green Mula River Valley with the hills in the distance savouring a flavoursome cup of freshly brewed Lopchu Flowery Orange Pekoe Pure Darjeeling Tea relishing every sip as it perks me up and elevates my spirits.

 

Now I am full of cheer and ready for the day.

STAY INSIDE STAY COOL - LIVING IN PUNE

LIVING IN WAKAD

Part 1 – Stay Inside Stay Cool

By

VIKRAM KARVE

STAY INSIDE STAY COOL

Stay Inside Stay Cool. That is the best thing to do if you live in Wakad, or for that matter, if you live in anywhere in Pune.

Just stay inside your home, for if you do decide to venture out it is highly possible that you will lose your cool.

To start with there is the crazy Pune traffic, and with most of the roads dug up for the never-ending repair, the chaos is even crazier. That is why I say: The best way to travel in Pune is to go nowhere!

As far as I am concerned, the best thing about this place is my apartment – it is a “no-neighbours” apartment.

On a lighter note, yes, there are no neighbours at present since most of the owners seem to be long-term investors waiting for appreciation of their property and have kept their flats securely locked in the hope that the value of real estate in Pune will shoot up. Then, there are a few short-term investors who have bought flats to rent them out to young IT Pros and balance their EMIs and one never knows whether they will ever stay in these lovely apartments: exemplifying the adage – Fools Build Houses and Wise Men live in them. Well, I am not a real estate investor. I have bought the house to live in it, so I seem to be one of the exceptional few who is enjoying staying in my own brand new house.

Luckily, this place is not in the middle of a concrete jungle and you do not feel boxed-in by huge buildings surrounding you like in most places in Pune, and in the proliferating townships on the other side of the road in Wakad. Here you have a much better view than your neighbour’s balcony.

There is plenty of natural light, plenty of fresh air, a breathtaking view of the Mula River and its verdant surroundings, and a “feel good” vibe, which fills me with cheer and makes me happy to stay at home. I must say that the architect who designed these apartments in Rohan Tarang has done a real good job. One gets a feeling of roominess, brightness and liveliness here as this is not one of those ubiquitous cramped matchbox design flats, proliferating all over Pune, where one feels claustrophobic and uncomfortable the moment one enters.

I like my home. First impressions are good and as far as the other aspects like quality of construction, amenities, maintenance services and promises kept are concerned, well, it is early days yet and I will tell you in times to come.

Where is Wakad?

If you drive along the road from Aundh to the Rajiv Gandhi InfoTech Park at Hinjewadi in Pune, the moment you notice a large number of hoardings advertising various apartment townships in the concrete jungle, which you can see to your right, you know you are nearing Wakad. Well I am quite fortunate since Rohan Tarang is not in this overcrowded concrete jungle but is the solitary housing complex to the left side of the Aundh-Hinjewadi Road adjoining the Wakad village on the banks of the Mula River. 

One of these billboards features a sexy skimpily clad model frolicking in a cool blue swimming pool with an iced cocktail in her hand and has the catchy slogan: Stay Inside Stay Cool. (I wonder whether the gorgeous beauty is really going to spend the rest of her life staying cool sipping cocktails and having fun in the swimming pool of that luxurious township or any of the others in the vicinity most of them bearing fancy enticing names reminding one of exotic destinations). Most of the advertisements for these so-called integrated townships exhort you to stay inside and claim that with all the amenities provided inside it is best to stay inside and there is no need to go outside.

Well I am not going to spend the rest of my life inside the walls of a ghetto immersed in a swimming pool or working out in the gym or brooding inside my house – no Stay Inside Stay Cool or Stay Inside Stay Enthralled for me.  

So I am going to go out, walk all over the place, drive around, explore, and tell you all about living in Wakad. By the way, I am quite fortunate that Rohan Tarang is not located inside the overcrowded concrete jungle coming up in Wakad, but is the solitary housing complex towards the southern side of the Aundh-Hinjewadi Road adjoining the serene Wakad village on the banks of the placid Mula River which affords quite a picturesque view from my balcony, especially at sunset. But then, everything has its pros and cons.

Bye for now – Stay Inside Stay Cool and don’t forget to read my ramblings on Living in Wakad right here in this blog of mine.

VIKRAM KARVE 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. He has written a foodie book Appetite For A Stroll and a book of fiction short stories which is being published soon and is busy writing his first novel. Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

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Book Review A LOCAL HISTORY OF POONA AND ITS BATTLEFIELDS

Book Review

 

A LOCAL HISTORY OF POONA AND ITS BATTLEFIELDS

By

COLONEL L W SHAKESPEAR

 

[MACMILLAN AND CO. LONDON 1916]

 

Reviewed by Vikram Karve 

 

 

It was indeed my good fortune to chance upon this engrossing book on Pune (Poona), the city I was born and live in. 

I enjoyed reading this book. Let me tell you about it.

 

Dear Reader, before you read on, please bear in mind that this 1916 vintage book was written for “present-day residents” of Poona by Colonel L.W. Shakespear, who at that time, in 1916, was the AQMG 6^th Poona Division, and apparently an eminent military historian who also wrote “History of the 2^nd KEO Goorkhas (sic)” and “History of Upper Assam and the North-East Frontier”.

 

Things change, a lot of water has flown down the Mula and Mutha, the anglicized Poona is now known as Pune (its original Maharashtrian name) and if you want to truly enjoy this delightful book, close your eyes for a while and transport yourself ninety years back in time from the chaotic Pune of today to the Poona of 1916 in order to enable you to lucidly see in your mind’s eye its glorious heritage so vividly portrayed by the author.

 

Eschewing long-winded prologue, the author, a military man, succinctly states his objective right in the beginning on the first page: “It is not intended to go deep into dynastic matters, but only to touch on the locality’s earliest days, and then turn to more modern times; calling up items of interest which may make their sojourn here, and perhaps their outings, of greater value to present-day residents.”   

This is not a definitive work and the reader must keep in mind the author’s intent and point of view for a better understanding of this book.

 

Tracing the genesis of Poona, Shakespear concludes: “From about A.D. 230 to A.D. 500 no specific information is found concerning this locality; but there is reason to believe that … Poona was ruled by the Ratta clan, which… became sufficiently powerful as to be styled “Maharashtra”, or country of the greater Rattas, from whence the… name Maharatta. The next few pages sketch, in a perfunctory manner, the period till the advent of English troops in 1722 and building of the first Residency west of the Mutha river, at its confluence or Sangam with the Mula river, for Mr. Mostyn, the first British Resident. There is an illustration, of an old-time painting by Henry Salt, depicting the Mula-Mutha Sangam, the City, and Parbatti (Parvati) Hill in the background that gives a good idea of the extent of Pune city before the Bund was built across the river followed by a wooden bridge near the Sangam.

 

“This brings us to the period when Poona began to possess a personal interest for the English” the author writes and than takes the reader on a series of “rides” or “outings” to vividly describe important historical events against the backdrop of geographical topography. The narrative, interspersed with apt illustrations, is very interesting and even today it would be worthwhile to walk the “rides” and see the various landmarks of heritage value and historical importance like Ganeshkhind, Bhamburda Hills and Plain, Lakdi Pul Bridge, Parvati, Panchaleshwar, the Poona and Kirkee cantonments, Garpir, Ghorpuri, Wanowri, Yerawada, Katraj, Sarasbagh, Gultekdi, Hadapsar, Saswad, Chinchwad, Induri, Talegaon, Lonavla and Peths of Poona City. There is an interesting description of the underground water ducts and conduits from the springs and lakes at Kondhwa, Katraj and foothills of Sinhagarh to bring water to Rasta Peth and ensure pure water supply to the city.

 

The meticulous account, embellished with maps and sketches, of Poona and its Battlefields, and the battles that took place thereon, has been fluently narrated in easy readable storytelling style and this makes the book gripping and unputdownable once you start reading it. However, the reader must remember that this book is written by a British Army Officer in 1916 and depicts his version of events and point of view and the perspective of that period. 

 

The book describes the defining events in the evolution of the cantonment town of Poona, which was the precursor to the modern day Pune as we know it today. It is an entertaining and informative book, a unique and rare piece of writing about an important period of the history of Poona (Pune) and would be of interest to Punekars and students keen on learning about the heritage of Pune.

 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this book review.

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Appetite for a Stroll

  

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