Vasant and Holi in quick Succession in Delhi

The prolonged winter over Delhi delayed the arrival of Vasant and the peak flowering of winter annuals, which normally happens around mid- February.It was not only a very busy wedding season in Delhi,but also the time best time of the year for garden lunches hosted by those fortunate few who live in ground floor homes with a compound. We enjoyed many such lunches in February, and also lots of wedding receptions.Not anticipating the very cold wind which continues to blow over Delhi at night even now, many of these receptions held in the open were a rather chilling experience! Conservative Hindu families also adhere to the tradition of serving only vegetarian food and no alcohol at weddings, which makes them really painful for guys like me who have very low tolerance of cold weather.Why not exempt senior citizens from attending wedding dinner receptions held in the open during the winter months? Asking to be excused is an option, but not all hosts shall forgive your absence from an important happy event in their family.
I have in my past blogs too pleaded for making weddings in North India more simple.There is need for a serious debate on this.But extravagance and vulgar display of wealth at such occasions, alas continues unabated.The "Big Fat Indian Weddings" are a boost to business and economy, I am told.But why can't we cut on the guest list to include only family and close friends and serve more tasty, less greasy and fewer items of just one cuisine, instead of the multi- cuisine extravaganza one comes across at such events?
The prolonged Delhi winter this year has led to an overlap of Vasant and Holi,which is just one week away now(March 8).Though not my favourite festival, Holi does bring back happy memories of Holis gone by.During my childhood,our home was filled for days together with the aroma of frying Gujiyas filled with both Khoya and Mewa (for the family) and Sooji and sugar (for the servants); Samosas stuffed with Mutton Keema and Aloo, Matar,Besan Sevs,Aloo and Besan Papads.We would start devouring these mouth watering delicacies made under Maa's close supervision for several days, as these were being taken out of the Kadhai.Not to forget the "Kanji Vadas" which took several days to ferment in "Matti ke Ghare".
On the day when Holi was played ( "Phagwari"), which followed "Holika Dahan" the previous evening , when it was burnt, the preparations began early inthe morning with "Tesu" flowers being boiled on open fire till the water was the correct yellow hue and several other vessels were filled with various coloured water - mainly Pink, and Purple. These water colours was the ammo for the youngsters to fill their " Pichkaris" (all made of brass and not plastic) to spray at the visitors mainly neghbours and close friends.Our white Malmal Topis were also colored in Tesu."Thalis" were prepared to greet guests with all kinds of savouries including Gujiyas, "Abeer and Gulal" mixed with "Mogra" and "Khus" "Itars".all traditionally wore white or light coloured clothes on which the colours stood out.Thandai ( both with and without Bhang) was made by grinding mixtures of Badam, Kali Mirch and, Rose Petals etc., on "Sil Batta"."Tolis" of Holi revellers,carrying Dholaks and Majheeras, coloured from head to toe, went past our house singing and dancing on the streets.
What endears me to those distance memories of Holi in our cottage in Meerut was the spirit in which the festival was observed. The largely Christian and even Anglo- Indian neighbourhood participated in the revelries at our home quite happily and whole heartedly.The sight of Pitajee and Babba ( grandfather) affectionately hugging Nathi Lal and Prem Lal, our domestic helps and the latter touching their feet in reverance thereafter, filled our young hearts with true joy and pride!
In the evenings, another charming Holi custom inour family which is quickly evaporating was the "Devars" offering " Phagai' to their "Bhabhis"- the " Phagai" was the favourite drink of the Bhabhis which the Devars were obliged to provide.I recall Pitajee fondly relating how his Bhabhi would always demand Sherry from him as "Phagai".The " Chakha Chukhi" was when the men folk sat together to enjoy their drinks and the eldest lady, in our case " Bhabbi" ( grandmother)would ask all the married ladies to take a sip out of a glass of wine.Even those who totally abstained were made to dip their finger in the wine and touch it with their tongue, as a symbol of their participation in this ceremony. A hearty meal of Pooris, Kachauris,Dahi Vadaas and " Kaliya"( mutton curry)was the grand finale to the Holi festivities at our home.
I am posting a few photos of the Holi revelry at my Niece's home in Hauz Khas last year which brings out the joy and colours of the festival.also some photos I took at a lunch at the home of a friend in New Moti Bagh, Chanakyapuri on February 25,2012.His wife is an amazing gardener. I call her a gifted garden "jeweller"!Hope you enjoy viewing them.
Happy Vasant Ritu and Holi all rolled in to my one Blog.

Bonsai Exhibition at the Delhi Gymkhana Club ( Feb 11 & 12,2012)

Hello Dear Fellow- Gardeners ,

Resuming my blog after a very long gap- almost a year.

Some time back I chanced upon an amazing Bonsai artist- Manoj Kum.I did not really chance upon Manoj,but sought him out in pursuit of my own hobby of creating Bonsais via good friend Mr Satish Mathur,a respected and well known floriculturist of Delhi. It was a rough drive in to Manoj's Nursery through many fields on the banks of the river Yamuna near Lakshmi Bai Nagar in East Delhi.When I got off the car at the rather inaccessible Nursery with no sign board,I saw a fascinating treasure of truly amazing Bonsais and Penjings ( the Chinese art of Miniature landscapes made with Rocks and decorative ceramic figurines and Bonsai trees).
Manoj has been practising,teaching, learning and living Bonsai for almost thirty years.Manoj's personality of a simple, honest, tenacious and hard working man is reflected in his works of art art.He comes to his workshop every day on his M'bike to work on his Bonsais. Many of his Bonsais have won national and international awards by various Bonsai Associations.He has also been invited as an expert delegate at Bonsai seminars held in China and Taiwan.
Manoj suffered huge losses two years back when his nursery was flooded by the inundated Yamuna.He showed me the skeletons of his Bonsais which had been ravaged by the floods and how he was trying to overcome the losses suffered by him by putting in extra efforts.

I was so struck by Manoj's sincerety that I took it upon myself to promote his art among my friends and social circle.I offered to him the holding of an exhibition of his Bonsais at the Delhi Gymkhana Club where I am fairly active and have friends in the club's management including the incumbent President.He readily agreed.I wrote to the Club as long back as early December introducing Manoj and his extraordinary talent of creating beautiful Bonsais proposing a show of his Bonsais on Saturday February 11 and Sunday 12 at the Club's Kashmir Lawns which draws large gathering of Members and their guests for lunches out in the open on the week-ends at this time of the year.The response from the club was positive.

Manoj was given almost one months lead time for this project and he really worked hard.In addition to my friends and family, I invited the active members of the Delhi Bonsai Association including Satish Mathur.Ms Shyama Balbir, the Secy. of the Association agreed to make a presentation on the art and techniques of making Bonsais at the inaugural function.

The inaugural function was well attended and went off well.During the preparations and the exhibition I was most impressed with young Vinay Rathore who calls himself a "student of Manoj" and worked with totally selfless devotion and passion for the success of the Exhibition. Vinay is a bright IIT and IIM graduate working as Manager Business Development with TCS, and yet manages to find time to pursue his hobby.

The Exhibition saw many more foot falls the next day ( Sunday).Almost 80 Bonsais and Penjings ( about 30 of yours truly) were on display.It drew very good response from the club members especially from the ladies and kids. Although the exhibits were not on sale,a small sales counter was also put up in a corner. The sale was disappointing largely because the viewers did not feel sure whether they would be able to take care of the Bonsais.But it was a hugely satisfying event for me and Manoj also felt quite elated.

I am posting a few pictures of the Bonsais which were on display at the Exhibition for your viewing pleasure - one of the 85 year old Ficus Micro Mapa which drew the maximum admiration and two Penjing forest creations of Manoj.There are two other pictures - one of the movers behind the show in a relaxed mood when the show was coming to a close and the other of a 40 year old Bougainvallea ( a proud inheritence from my father), which is still in bloom!

Vasant Ritu in Delhi

Hi Friends,

Wondering if readers of my Blog are still around. Haven't written one in quite a while. Here I am again with a little bit of this and that, egged on by my son based in Hong Kong,. Will try to be more regular from now.

The spring season is truly one of celebration in the West, after long,harsh and bleak winters.It is a season of joy in Delhi as well, but much shorter(less than two months- Feb and March), and not for the same reasons.The farmers rejoice because its harvest time,and also an end to the severe cold weather (the last one was particularly bad with cold wave conditions lasting over long spells in Delhi), which comes as a relief especially to the poor.

It is also peak wedding season with the inauspicious period of the Hindu calender beginning in March and lasting till may.We have about one doz Wedding invites from friends and relatives,which means over 30 events. Each wedding in Delhi is marked by three, or two, and some even four events. I can neither fathom nor stomach the more and more lavish scales at which weddings are being organised in north India.The fun movie " Band Bajaa Baraat" which we saw yesterday brings out the ludicrous amounts which Delhiites have started spending over their gaudy,and often vulgar weddings, in a humorous,but quite true to life vein.

The winter annuals in the capital have taken longer to bloom this year because of the long and wet winter.But are nearing their peak now,and the lawns are lush green. A drive (a walk is better) around the city's parks, gardens and even the traffic round abouts in Lutyens Delhi is an exhilarating experience.It laterally lifts ones spirits.After a couple of spells of unseasonal rains, the dust has settled and the foliage is fresh.

The month of February also sees the more fortunate Delhiites, who live in either bungalows (mostly Government) and in Farm Houses , (mostly unauthorised)having a passion for gardening,hosting Garden Lunches. I have added pictures taken at homes of two friends at two recent lunches for your viewing pleasure.Both were real treats to the eyes as also the palates.

The famous and historical " Mughal Gardens" at Rashtrapati Bhavan have been thrown open to the public and is drawing large crowds.But how many parents are taking their young ones to see it and not the Shopping Malls which have unfortunately become the ultimate family pleasure haunts for the young Delhiites ?

After a long and very cold winter, the weather in Delhi has suddenly turned balmy. The lawns at the two DGCs - the Delhi Gymkhana Club and the Delhi Golf Club are packed with Members, mostly old timers ( Uncles) in Harris Tweed jackets or crested Blazers,spending leisurely afternoons there, tucking lavish spreads of ethnic and foreign cuisine and guzzling pints of Lager with friends and families. If you are not lucky enough to be a member of the two elitist clubs, get hold of a Member and go there to get the best out of Delhi Spring, without having to spend a penny from your own pocket!

If the weather in Delhi is at its best, the topics of discussion are at their worst. There is talk of nothing but " Corruption- Corruption, and Corruption"- everywhere, prompted no doubt by our media fired up over the issue. As if corruption in our country is a new or sudden phenomenon. The question I have been asked by very knowledgeable and informed persons in recent days is " Will the Govt last- Will the PM resign ?' and so on.Has the rot set in too deep for being cured, is the question I ask?



With the Tri- country Cricket World Cup just commencing in Bangladesh, India and Srilanka, the Cricket mania is visible everywhere. What I can't understand is the media building a hype over India winning the Cup this year,though all of us know that there is many a slip between the "Cup" and the lip,especially in the case of Indian players who are heartless lovers and often flatter to deceive! Yet the news magazines and papers continue to carry banner headiness- INDIA- INDIA".It would of, course,be nice if we can win it.

Don't wish to make the Blog too long. So Adieus Amigos!

Happy Vasant. I'll be back before Holi.

Desi Maali

Winter annuals season Again in Delhi

May a thousand blooms adorn your house!
- Tips for winter annuals in your home.

Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844



This is the time to plan and plant the winter annuals in beds if you happen to live in a ground floor house with a compound, or pots in your terraces or roof tops in case you have a home in the upper reaches. Fortunately Delhi offers a very rich variety of winter annuals to choose from. There are two ways to grow them - from seedlings grown in seed pans or by directly planting seedlings in beds and pots - that need to be prepared by adding leaf mould or cow dung manure to sandy and loamy soil. The vermi compost bag available in nurseries makes a convenient manure. The seeds and seedlings are available in gardening stores and nurseries all over the city. My favourite haunts are, Argosy at Yashwant Place , Chanakyapuri and Rajdhani Nursery in Karbala Jor Bagh . You have a wide choice of imported and indigenous seeds to choose from.Goldsmith, PAN ( US), S&G (UK) and Sakata( Japanese) as also Indo- Amercan Hybrid, Namdhari( Bangalore), PlantMan ( Patiala) seeds are some of the popular and tested brands to go for. The Govt. owned ( CPWD) Sunder Nursery near Humayun Tomb in Nizamuddin is the most economical source to meet your requirement of winter annuals, both seeds and seedlings. The Club Nursery also sells seedlings to members. This is also the time to hard prune the rose plants, expose its roots to the sun for about one week, fill it up with manure and then flood them with water to get glorious blooms in December.
Most winter annuals need plenty of sun but there are a few like Cineraria and Salvia which also do well in the shade. The Chrysanthemums, called Mums in the US, also the national flower of Japan come both in the dwarf ( Korean) and giant varieties. Unfortunately, because of the prolonged monsoon over the Capital this year, the Chrysanthemum season is extremely bleak. I wonder how the organizers of the Annual Chrysanthemum Show in YWCA (where our Club got the prize for the best display last year) will put it together this year. The saplings that are normally planted early in August in the gardens and nurseries all withered away due to excessive rains. But potted Chrysanthemums brought from Calcutta and other places outside Delhi should be available in November.

My favourite winter annuals which do very well in Delhi are Pansies, Petunias Dahlias, Asters and Gerberas. You can procure their seedlings from any nursery and plant them in the pots and beds at home soon. They are heavy feeders and need frequent doses of bio manure. Other hardy varieties not requiring much pampering are Nasturtiums, Marigold, Phlox, Dianthus, Cosmos. Petunias, Nosturniums and Portulcas also look very pretty in window boxes and hanging baskets.
So don’t just admire the winter annuals in the parks and gardens but grow them at home. There is no greater joy than to gaze upon the seedling sown by you, break first into a bud and then blossom into a riot of colours, an unsurpassed beauty that only Mother Nature can bestow on mankind. Sheer aesthetics apart, if you are able to get your children to develop an interest in growing plants, you will be contributing your mite to conserve our environment and try to save the fast depleting green cover on earth. So go out and plant now. Happy gardening!
Herewith a few examples of winter annuals I had successfully grown in our home last year for your viewing pleasure.

Winter Annuals Sowing Season in full Swing in Delhi

Hi fellow Gardeners,

It's busy time for all winter annuals gardeners in Delhi.
I have spent many afternoons with the Maalis and "Choudhries" in the Delhi nurseries sipping tea on Charpoys and discussing the peculiarities of this season. They are all lamenting the lack of rains , slow onset of winter and the slower germination of seedlings requiring lower ground temperature. Even the Chrysanthemums ( Mums in the US) which ought to have started budding and flowering by now are taking their own time.I talked to an old Maali friend in one of the Govt Nurseries ( the cheapest source of winter seedlings in Delhi if you have the right contacts) to know whether he would be able to spare some seedlings for my home garden.Pl wait for a week or two, he said. Because their first plantings failed to germinate and they had to sow a second time.

Since my new home has mostly flower beds in the shade ( north facing), I am trying to collect as many Cinenarias and Salvias ( the only winter annuals which bloom in the shade)as I can from my fellow gardening enthusiasts who take the trouble of making seedlings at home, instead of buying them from the various nurseries.I too used to sow seeds in trays aand specially prepared seed beds in my previous abodes but since we have to move out of the house in four months I am deprived of this pleasure this winter. My favourtes being the Rajdhani in Jorbagh and Masjid near Khan Market. On can of course getter cheaper seedlings in nurseries in Vasant Kunj and outlying areas of the city but one can not be sure of their quality.For those who have beds which get full or partial sun there is a huge variety to choose from starting with the hybrid varieties of Petunias ( go for seedlings made from Goldsmith Seeds Co - US) which are the longest lasting, giant pansies ( Japanese Sakata or other European seeds), giant Carnations or Dianthus from the same family or Phlox and Sweet Williams ( similar blooms mostly red and pinks), Dahlias double for show to be planted in pots and single for mass effect in beds. Mysembranthemums popularly called " Baraf" by local Maalis with hteir matyiad colourful blooms which open in the mornings and close at sun set are excellent for being planted to cover rockeries. For window boxes and baskets,Petunias ( Wave variety) and Nusturtiums are recommended. Then there are Larkspurs which yield blooms on long stems in blue,pink and white, Clarkias in purple, stocks in white and pink, Gerberas and Gajanias which are perennials really. For edgings of beds nothing to beat the aromatic Sweet Alysiums ( white and blue).

Mixing the right colours in your garden using your imagination holds the key to the beauty of a winter garden. The good old Calendulas, Escholias ( Californian Poppies) and Marigolds provide abundance of orange and yellow blooms.But pepole generally end up with too much of yellow and orange in Delhi gardens. Blue and red and pink are my personal favourite themes..

Those living in apartments can plant all the above named winter annuals in pots, environment friendly clay pots are recommended over cement . But please avoid the temptaion of over watering and fertilizing. Garden compost , leaf mould and Vermi compost only are recommended. Small doses of Neem Khali, bone meal and DAP to be used very judicially.Pl don't hesitate to seek guidance from experts for tendering your plants instead of experimenting. The young man at Argosy gardening( phone No 24107722) store at Yashwant Place is quite helpful and if you need the Master's help, call my good friend Mr Satish Mathur one of the leading floriculture experts in the capital, whom I call the "Gardening Moghul" of Delhi on his cell phone No 9810076178. Mr Mathur is a true lover of plants, and flowers and a thorough gentleman.I hope Mr Mathur will not mind my intrusion on his privacy, but since my blog is read by a very few friends and family, I don't expect him to get many calls out of this blog

I am adding a few pictures of winter annuals without their names to help you take your pick. I will let you guess the names and the one who adds a comment on my blog space naming them all right gets a big surprise prize from the Desi Maali. All except one ( of the pansies in a ball) have been taken of winter annuals in my home garden at Motibagh on Shanti Path, which unfortunately I was made to vacate recently since the houses there are being demolished to construct ministerial bungalows. Long live Minister Raj! I do hope they shall leave large green areas in those bungalows and some of the Ministers who live in them are garden lovers.

So happy gardening, as winter finally seems to have descended upon Delhi.

Desi Maali From Hong Kong

My wife and I are visiting our elder son and family in Hong Kong for about ten days. This is my third visit to the former British Colony - now a show piece of China as its sovereinity passes back to them in 1997.

What strikes a Delhiite about Hong Kong instantly is its orderliness, cleanliness and efficient civic & transportation services. This Chinese fishing village was turned into a flourishing harbour by the British and the Chinese have maintained it as an important commercial and trading hub since its transfer to them in 1997.The excellent attention to horticulture and landscaping is what impresses Desi Maali immensely. All the shrubs and plants along the roads are sprayed with water almost daily to impart the sheen and shine. Compare this with the dusty trees and shrubs adorning the Delhi city roads.I am uploading a couple of photos I took to illustrate the freshness of the evergreens planted along road sides and the excellent landcaping in Condos.

Although the down town HK roads are narrow with steep gradients,the traffic on them flows very smoothly with no honking by cars , buses or Taxis which whizz around at amazing speed.Compare this witht the din and chaos on Delhi roads which are much wider. And no traffic policemen in sight anywhere. But there is the hidden "danda" and self discipline which does it all!

The population of Hong Kong is almost 90% Chinese. While they are extremely communicative among themselves in Mandadarin, their exchanges with forigners is very limited. This is largely because of their inadequate knowledge of the English language. This is rather intiguing. Why the British who ruled over Hong Kong for over a century did not teach them English, as they did to the natives of the other British colonies, including India.No one has given me a satisfactory explanation for this.

But there is a lot to be admired in the local Chinese. There is plenty of evidence that they have strong family ties.Three generations of most Hong Kong Chinese families live under the same roof. They take good care of their aged parents.Children carrying their very old parents on wheel chairs in the Malls is a common sight.Their children too are a pampered lot wit5h parents sending them to the best schools and buying them expensive toys and clothes.

At A More Personal Level

Hi All,

This Blog is written from the heart . So no hard feelings for those who feel hurt - family and friends.


Taking a cue from Julie Andrew's song "These are a few of my Favourite Things" in the "Sound of Music", may I add,a few things I hate most in contemporary India:-


Flaunting of recently acquired wealth, vulgar pomp and show. Refined display of good taste on special occasions is , however, welcome.

"Bossy/ Overbearing Wives". Never seen one in the family.But I think sorry for several meek and submissive husbands both in the family and friends. Do I sound like an MCP?

I do not at all grudge the wife occupying an equal, if not more important place in the home, than the husband. She definitely must have the final say in all matters pertaining to the home.What getas my goat is wives transgressing limits to encroach on the professional/ social lives of their husbands. Need I say more?

I also hate " the Maha Kanjoos Log" who are forever trying to sponge off others on emotional, social and official planes to save their Pennies for the " next life" perhaps.

I also hate lack of ethics,hypocracy, integrity, and psycohphancy, especially among the bureacracy for progression of individual career goals.

I hate nosy neighbours, lack of public hygiene ,mean,illeterate, ignorant noisy ( honking) and unruly road users; jumping of quues and lack of respect for the elderly.

That's enough hate for a day, I guess!

Meanwhile, Delhi has been experiencing incessant rains past two days. Like the good old monsoon when " Moosladhar Baarish" and " Jhari lag jaana" were oft heard phrases. This should surely wipe out fears of drought and rain deficit in the capital region and the north western parts of the country also improving the outlook for Kharif and Rabi crops,and generally bringing hope and cheer to the farmers.

Taking advantage of the late monsoon revival, I have removed some of my favourite plants from the beds and planted them in pots.This is also the time to plant flowering and fruit trees and shrubs and to repot your Bonsais that require repotting.The copious rains will also hopefully reduce the water scarcity in NCR, particularly in Gurgaon.
Sorry no pictures this time.