Maharajah's Choice Dhal Makhani

I purchased Maharajah's Choice Dhal Makhani. 

The packaging declares "Authentic Indian Cuisine", "Now with more dhal", "A rich creamy dhal from North Western India". 

My mind floated to the daal makhani I have been having in India. Being homesick, all alone, after checking the price of $2 per pack, on special, I grabbed two packs. 

Got home, opened the pack. 

a) My first surprise was the color of daal. It appeared more yellowish than brown. For a moment I thought, gosh I hope it is not daal tadka with Chane Ki Daal, but then, it was not. The yellowish color left me guessing and doubtful. 

b) I poured the contents in the bowl. The quantity was my next disappointment. "Now with more dhal" ?? What was that about ?

c) Chucked the bowl in microwave. The daal started spluttering ! Took it out and checked the packaging, it said that the the packet had to be cut little bit, and heated in the microwave, whereas, I had poured the daal out into a bowl. Well, I never had to put daal makhani in packet to microwave. Why does this daal splutter in microwave ? 

d) Then the taste ... another disappointment ... it was bland ... There is no hint of it being from North Western India, far far from it. 

Totally intrigued, I went Maharajah's Choice web site. Now everything was clear to me !

From their web site, the products are being managed by second generation Indians, born and brought up in Australia. Generally speaking, it is not reasonable to expect second generation persons of Indian origin to know what is truly the North Western Indian taste and flavor ... Only "Generally speaking" ... there would certainly be exceptions where the family has kept its tradition closely guarded and passed it on accurately. 

Maharajah's Choice is probably making products to suit the Australian palette. Be it so, however, I firmly believe that authenticity and accuracy of a cuisine should never be compromised.

When I had looked at the special price of $2 per pack, I had been tempted to pick more packets, thank God I did not ! 

And I now realize, in my excitement to have daal makhani, I had not even checked what the price was reduced from !

State Bank of India - Cards : New web site ... Impressions

SBI Cards has released the new web site, in October 2015. 


Problems with the new site are : 


A. Debit or Credit Transaction : 

Whether a transaction is a Debit or Credit transaction, is not shown. A Dr or Cr used to appear next to the transaction, it does not appear any more. 

B. Password protected statements : 

The statements downloaded after logging in to the account are password protected. The password is one's own credit card number. It is an extremely inconvenient feature to have the statements downloaded from one's own account to be password protected, bad experience. I feel like a thief in my own house.


C. Amount Due is not displayed accurately : 

In My Dashboard, Amount Due is displayed. This amount does not change even though the amount has been paid in full, and the payment related transaction appears in the account. Which means that SBI Cards has received the payment in full, but still, it is displaying the Amount Due as being non-zero. Why Why Why ??


D. Transactions Download : 

The web site provides the download of transactions feature, but, the download is always as a pdf file. 
Why is a csv download not available ? Why do you make it so much difficult for us to manage our accounts / finances ?


E. Vendor name is not displayed in Unsettled Transactions : 

In the list of unsettled transactions, the vendor name is not displayed. I called SBI Cards and asked them who the vendor of the unsettled transactions are. The agent first tried to justify that I did not need to know about it, then said that his system does not show it. I insisted on being transferred to Supervisor. Talked to Supervisor Jitender. He said someone will call you back with the vendor name by next day day 10AM as he did not have access to this information. It has been more than two days, the call is yet to come, while the unsettled transaction sits sorely there since 10th October. 


F. Outstanding amount displayed includes Unsettled transactions : 

In My Dashboard, Outstanding Unbilled amount includes the amount for Unsettled transactions as well. Outstanding amount should instead be only showing the total of unbilled settled transactions. 


G. Pay Now button for the last statement should be disabled after the payment has been received : 

In My Accounts - Card Statements - 
On selecting Statement Date as 07-Jun, the Date and Outstanding details appear correctly. 
On selecting Statement Date as 07-Jul, the Date and Outstanding details appear correctly. 
On selecting Statement Date as 07-Aug, the Date and Outstanding details appear correctly. 
On selecting Statement Date as 07-Sep, the Date and Outstanding details appear correctly, however, there is a Pay Now button provided as well. Although the payment for September statement has already been made, still, the Pay Now button has been provided. Why ??
Same behaviour for Statement Date 07-Oct as well. 

If the payment for a certain statement has already been received, then, Pay Now button for that statement should not be displayed. 

winrar has more efficient compression than gunzip

I had a .gz folder, G093_7200001_ENU.gz, size 48.9 MB (5,13,57,060 bytes).
I uncompressed it using winrar.
The extracted folder, G093_7200001_ENU, had size of 92.0 MB (9,65,23,264 bytes).
I then compressed G093_7200001_ENU folder using winrar.
The compressed folder is G093_7200001_ENU.rar, size 37.6 MB (3,94,89,700 bytes).
I uncompressed it using winrar and made sure that the extracted G093_7200001_ENU, had size of 92.0 MB (9,65,23,264 bytes) as well.
Thus, .gz file had a size of 48.9MB, whereas, .rar file had a size of 37.6MB. Hence, winrar has better compression than gunzip.

Arundhati Roy forgets the facts on Kashmir ...

The opinion of Arundhati Roy could stem from either one or more than one of the following reasons : 

1. She has been threatened by some muslim lobby, like Dawood, or some fanatic group, to come up and support their cause for Kashmir, or else ... and she is cowardly bending to the threat
2. She has forgotten the facts on Kashmir, that Kashmiri Brahmins were driven out of their homes, were threatened with loss of their lives if they did not flee from the state. 
3. She is seeking cheap popularity after a long lull since she she was in limelight, and long lulls are hard to bear for a once popular person. 

I can't think of any other reason, because, 

• she is an Indian, 
• has no interests in a separate Kashmir, 
• has never ever before demonstrated her passion to stand up and speak for any of the oppressed people. 

What could be the possible reason for her to stand up and speak for Kashmir in most unreasonable and uninformed manner ? 

Suddenly, out of the blue, she falls like a bolt from the sky, causing unpleasant surprise, unnecessary anxiety, and putting all Indians who once were proud of her, to shame. 

Arundhati, please do some research and then speak in a responsible manner. You are indeed causing sedition. A very simple search on the net reveals http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmiri_Pandit, where from origin of the word Kashmir, to presence of shrines, to Persecution by Islamic Rulers, to Exodus in 1985-95, it is clear that muslims have been following a long term strategy of occupying the holy land of Hindus. However, despite the facts, you are coming up with such statements like Kashmir was never a part of India. Madam, please be informed and demonstrate some appreciation of the history of this great country, Bharat. 

/// news article begin 

http://in.news.yahoo.com/242/20101026/1334/tnl-pity-the-nation-that-needs-to-jail-t.html

Pity the nation that needs to jail those who ask for justice: Arundhati

Tue, Oct 26 03:15 PM


Even as the Centre mulls action against Arundhati Roy for her seditious speeches on Kashmir, writer Arundhati Roy issued a statement refuting the allegations that her speeches on Kashmir were anti-India.


"I write this from Srinagar, Kashmir. I said what millions of people here say every day. I said what I, as well as other commentators have written and said for years," she said in a statement on Tuesday.


"Anybody who cares to read the transcripts of my speeches will see that they were fundamentally a call for justice. I spoke about justice for the people of Kashmir who live under one of the most brutal military occupations in the world," she said.


She further said, "Pity the nation that has to silence its writers for speaking their minds. Pity the nation that needs to jail those who ask for justice, while communal killers, mass murderers, corporate scamsters, looters, rapists, and those who prey on the poorest of the poor, roam free."


Earlier, advocating the right to self-determination for the people of Kashmir, author-activist Arundhati Roy Sunday contended that in 1947, British imperialism was replaced with Indian colonialism which 'continued to subjugate the people of India'.


Speaking at a seminar titled 'Whither Kashmir? Freedom or Enslavement,' Roy asked Kashmiris to ponder on the type of society they have in mind for themselves.
'Imperial colonialism is fast being replaced by corporate colonialism and Kashmiris would have to make a choice whether or not they wanted the Indian oppression to be replaced by a future corporate oppression of the local masses,' she said.


'Your struggle has increased the consciousness in India about the oppression you face, but you must decide what type of society you have in mind once you are allowed to decide your future,' she said.


Attacking the Indian government for the 'oppression of the Kashmiri people', she said India has been using Kashmiris recruited in the army and paramilitary forces to suppress the voices of dissent in the Northeast and vice versa. (Agencies)

/// news article end 

Link to news item 'Why daughters-in-law are hazardous for mothers-in-law's health'

///// news item begin

Why daughters-in-law are hazardous for mothers-in-law's health

ANISat, Oct 9 10:20 AM

London, Oct 9 (ANI): Always thought it's the mother-in-law who makes the life of her son's wife a living hell? Well, according to a research, the daughter-in-law is actually primed for revenge.

Research shows women who are cared for by their son's wife in later life fare less well than those looked after by their own daughter.

In fact, the set-up is so unhealthy an elderly woman would be better off living by herself.

According to Japanese researchers, the friction in the mother and daughter-in-law relationships is at the heart of their results, with years of arguments finally taking their toll.

During the four-year study, the scientists tracked almost 200 elderly Japanese men and women.

Their analysis revealed that living with a son and his wife to be highly detrimental to a woman's health.

A woman cared for by her daughter-in-law was twice as likely to have died as one who lived with her daughter.

"These findings are provocative in that they suggest a survival disadvantage for women who are cared for by their daughters-in-law, that is a daughter-in-law 'penalty,'" the Daily Mail quoted the University of Tsukuba researchers as saying.

At its heart could be the 'strained relationship' between the two women, who traditionally are fighting for the affections of the same man.

Previous research by Cambridge and Exeter university scientists suggests the rivalry between a woman and her mother-in-law may have been behind the evolution of the menopause.

They believe it is nature's way of creating a truce in families. If older women are unable to have children, the younger females are free to lavish the family's resources on their children.he study has been published in the journal BMC Geriatrics. (ANI)

///// news item end

Obstacles ...

"What I don't do is dwell on what are the obstacles. I focus on how to overcome the obstacles." 
Kenneth I Chenault, Chairman and CEO, American Express, in The Economic Times edition of New Delhi, Monday 4th October 2010. 

Parikshit Maharaj and Kali Yuga

From the book 'सुख सागर' ( Sukh Saagar )
Translation by Pdt Jwaalaa Prasaad Chaturvedi

Four legs of the Bull - Dharma are :

• दया : Dayaa : Mercy, Compassion
• तप : Tapa: Austerity, Self Control
• पवित्रता, शौच : Shauch, Pavitrataa : Cleanliness, Purity of Mind
• सत्य : Satya : Truthfulness

In some places, Dayaa has been replaced with दान Daan. Dayaa and Daan may therefore be considered synonymous. One who is merciful and compassionate will surely be charitable as well. Charity without compassion is of no use.


When Kali Yuga asked places from Parikshit Mahaaraaj where he can stay, Parikshit Mahaaraaj allotted him the following places :

• मदिरालय : Madiraalaya : place where liquor is consumed. Can be extended to place where it is sold, and also to all other forms of intoxication like cigarette smoking, drugs, tea, coffee, etc.
• द्यूतालय : Dyutaalaya : gambling house. Can be extended to all forms of betting, speculation, card games, poker machines, casinos, etc. 
• वैश्यालय : Vaishyaala : prostitution and whore house. Can be extended to any form of sexual activity engaged for the purpose carnal pleasure, may or may not involve exchange of funds.
• मांसालय : Maansaalaya : place where animals are slaughtered, butcher house, slaughter house. Includes meat, eggs of any form, and sea food.

Kali Yuga told Parikshit Mahaaraaj that these places are not enough for him. The king then extended his places to include Gold. He also added five more places :

• मिथ्या : Mithyaa : Telling lies, false behaviour, etc.
• मद : Mada : Madness caused by forgetfullness of one's real identity, by material aspects ruling the mind.
• काम : Kaama : Desires of material nature.
• रजोगुण : Rajo Gunha : Mode of mind giving rise to intense and passionate desires / activities.
• वैर : Vair : Keeping bad feelings for other(s) person, holding grudge for a long time, unforgiving, etc.

For our daily life, we should therefore follow :

• No meat eating
• No intoxication
• No illicit sex
• No gambling
• No false behaviour
• No telling lies
• No grudges / bad feelings

This will ensure that we are protected to some extent by the effects of Kali Yuga.

Arya Dharma Ki Jaya !
Sanaatana Dharma Ki Jaya !
Bhaarat Maataa Ki Jaya !