Category Archives: Life

Our Coconut Man

Health, Life, ,

Here is our Coconut Man :

At mid morning he will do the rounds of our quaint village as he calls out

‘Nari….i…..Yaaal .( Nariyal which means coconut in Hindi)

If he misses out on his regular customers , another hawker also selling coconuts will take a round . Obviously there is competition between the two of them to get more business.

Our man is very pleasant . He actually posed for these pictures .

He offers you a choice of coconuts; either the ‘malai’ one i.e with more coconut flesh and less water or the ‘pani’ one i.e more of coconut water.

He carries a sharp knife which can even slice off someone’s neck. Ha, ha …

With a swipe or two, he proceeds to cut a small piece at the top of the coconut and with that piece he uses it to scrape off the ‘malai’ (from inside), which is delicious to eat and pours out the coconut water into your vessel . He can pour it out even into a plastic sachet he carries.

This is my favourite mid morning drink

I was away for a long time and wondered whether he would still be on his coconut rounds when I returned .

Yes he was …..and he gave me a huge smile. Instead of giving me a welcome drink , he had increased his price to Rs 70/- ………After reminding him that I was his old and faithful customer, he did reduce his price to Rs 60/-

I will always look forward to our ‘coconut man’ .

Coconut water is a good alternative for those who are lactose intolerant. It is hydrating, low in calories and rich in potassium which is an essential electrolyte .

The flesh of coconut is rich in antioxidants, has powerful antibacterial properties, and may support better blood sugar control.

It is a source of many minerals . Its fibre content helps in gut health .

So coconut is good for heart health , weight loss and digestion . However because it is high in calories and saturated fats , it needs to be eaten in moderation.

So , cheers to you when in India, for the sweet coconut water, and the rich ‘malai’.

Goa’s Paowala (Poder)

Profiles, ,

Have you heard of Goa’s Paowala also called Poder ?

I’m sure you will come to know him when you visit Goa or are a Goan resident.

He is the man who delivers bread every morning at your doorstep .

Pao is the konkani word which means ‘bread’ in engish . It’s the local language in Goa. Portuguese, English, Marathi and even Hindi is spoken

There is a typical characteristic of this man. He makes his presence felt with a horn on his cycle

The baker’s horn

. At the rear of his cycle he has a huge basket with a variety of breads .

I love the Poiee the best .

The others are

Katriche Pao : with a scissor cut shape

Paozine: mini stuffed round roll ( with a

sausage filling ) also called Choris Pao.

Unde : hard crusted bread and soft inside

Pao: a soft square of bread

Kankon : bangle shaped bread

The Poiee is a whole wheat bread with a large round shape and hollow inside . It has a little bran at the top

Poiee

Today the Paowala even comes on a motorcycle. Generally the round basket has a blue cover .

I’ve waited anxiously for the sound of his horn to collect the Poiee or the standard Pao if I’m late for the Poiee.

The Poiee is so famous that one can order it at some restaurants .

However all POIES are not authentic. Some don’t have the typical round and hollow shape.

Besides seeing the real Paowala , I happened to see a huge model of one at Chimbel . It was made for an event, and literally out-standing . Since it was being de-constructed the model was headless.

A model of the Paowala

If you have lived in Mumbai ( formerly known as Bombay) then you may have heard of the ‘Maka Pao’ . Without any offence to anyone , a Goan was jokingly called a Maka Pao which simply means Maka Pao Zai translated in English as ‘I want bread’. I’m one , for your information. …and a proud Goan😉

The Mayor : my most famous person I have ever met

Profiles, , , , ,

Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?

The most famous person I’ve ever met is my granduncle Dr M U Mascarenhas. He was more like my grandfather, as my father lost both his parents at the age of 8years old and was cared for by him.

Dr M U Mascarenhas on the left
and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (1st Prime Minister of India)on the right

I say famous about my granduncle because he had become mayor of Bombay (now Mumbai).

He was part of the freedom movement when India got its independence from Great Britain. He took an active part in the political life of India . He was elected as an Independent and later as a Congress candidate.

My memories went back to my childhood when I was about 8-9 years of age. He stayed in ‘Marian Villa’ , while we had our home opposite him. We would visit him every evening . At that time he was quite old , in his 70’s .

I cherish those interactions with him. He knew my brothers and I liked lozenges. The moment we said “Good evening Granduncle’ , he would respond lovingly and point to a jar of lozenges he kept on top of a cupboard. He would then give us some .

He also kept Dell Comics featuring Superman, Batman Sadsack and even Archie, which we loved reading. Sadly you don’t get Dell comics anymore.

Once a year from end August to end September there would be a kite flying season . We thought we were quite smart. When we met him , we would hint “ Granduncle there are many kites in the skies nowadays “ wondering what his reaction would be . Surely he guessed about our hint . Then he would call the housekeeper “ Marie , please get them some kites .” We were overjoyed to receive our kites .

I remember accompanying him at this late age to cast his vote during the electoral process. It amazed me that people still remembered him , as they welcomed him ‘Please make way for our former mayor’

I was greatly saddened when his end was near . My brothers and I were at a scout and cub camp out of Bombay ( in Khandala)

We were called urgently home. We then visited the hospital to see him, by which time he was semiconscious. As I wished him, he turned to see us and that was the last .

Condolences followed , to acknowledge him even at public meetings and in the newspapers.

This one thing I learned ….one has to move on in in life , no matter how famous a person is, loving memories stay with us .Acceptance of our state of life at the changing seasons help one to go a long way .

What is your plan ?

Life, , , ,

My #1 priority is waking up early and spending a quiet time in prayer.

I then go for a fast walk or a slow jog to the nearby station and pick up 17 copies of the daily newspapers for elders of a retirement home as a gesture for those who are feeble.

Still my #1 priority is to pray in the morning and then after breakfast to attend the church service.

During the day I go to the gym to keep fit or go for long walks or reading books and writing reflections or blogging .

There are some days I play tennis which I really enjoy .

There are coffee mornings and quiz nights .

You will be surprised how the retired people keep doing things independently, Often they are visited by their families .

I stay at this home and enjoy my independence even though I have my daughter and her family staying nearby .

There are times when we do babysitting. It’s a joy to have the grandchildren visit us. The youngest one is very fond of my wife. He plays innovative games with her . He likes one of our sofas and enjoys jumping on it like a trampoline . If there is any newspaper or bag on it he throws it aside and claims it at that time as his own .

The week goes by with other activities like meeting others for a chat over coffee and shopping .

I thought retired life is like a long coffee break . But it has many activities interspersed and I wonder what they are at times when anyone asks me :

What is your plan today or tomorrow or during the week.

Why I write

Life, , , ,

Art, for the sake of art itself, is an idle sentence. Art, for the sake of truth, for the sake of what is beautiful and good, that is the creed I seek.
— George Sand

Writing truthfully on my innermost feelings can often be hidden. It could be a release of my emotions but it’s not easy.

However I find that reflecting on words of scripture can reveal more about myself . The word itself can convict me . It’s only then that I begin to know the truth .

‘What is truth ? ‘ (John 18:38) Pilate questioned Jesus in jest as Jesus claimed to be ‘witness to the truth’ (John 18:37) .

Soon after this, Pilate had serious misgivings. After all here was someone who was beyond his understanding. Truly the ‘Son of God’ .

We may hide from the truth, but the innermost self then convicts us.

There are many instances of my life of which I struggle to reveal. Writing brings this out and becomes a release of emotions .

I’ve been told that the best way to deal with the challenges in life is to begin writing .

I may or may not publish all these writings, as I then become vulnerable. ‘Boldness’ is required .

I wonder ‘why’ I cannot be bold enough to reveal my feelings . Often I read other writers who have the boldness and truthfulness to publish their works , and it makes good readings.

‘Why?’ The best reason I think is that it is honest , original and an art in itself.

I hope that when I’m asked the question ‘What is truth ?’ I can be bold enough to write about myself , with the hope that I can help my readers to benefit from how I face the joys of my victories or the sadness of defeats.

Optimism and happiness

Life, To be excellent, ,

One of the great characteristics of optimism is that it keeps one in a positive mindset .

William was a young man who did well in his job . He was always happy .

Bob his co-worker was curious to know why. “Why are you so happy . This work is so mundane , that I just want to quit .”

William responded “Why worry ; enjoy what you do .” There is no point in complaining ; what benefit can you get .”

Bob still went on ,” The boss is a real task master . He has no good thing to say . Besides some of my colleagues tend to be his favourites.”

“ Do you really think life would be better if the boss changes, or you have new colleagues in another workplace?”queried William .

What is work , if not a form of service . Whether it is private or corporate, whether one’s own entrepreneurship or otherwise.”

Bob replied ,” What happens when you are still with the same job all your life and the boss does not change ?”

“Well then, grin and bear it , but still be happy .” smiled William .

Try saying “I am happy” every half hour .

“Do you know my secret is that the Lord is my boss . I give my best efforts to him . What does it matter who my boss is . I may have changes in bosses , but God is still changeless . When you are happy , you make others happy and then you will begin to see the people you dislike in a new light .”

This verse from scripture will be more enlightening.

‘Slaves, be obedient to the men who are called your masters in this world; not only when you are under their eye, as if you had only to please men, but wholeheartedly , out of respect for the Master. Whatever your work is, put your heart into it as if it were for the Lord and not for men, knowing that the Lord will repay you by making you his heirs. It is Christ that you are serving.’ (Colossians3:22-24)

For those who are masters,

‘Masters, make sure that your slaves are given what is just and fair, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.’ (Colossians 4:1)

An encourager: For sports and music

Life, Profiles
MY DAD : Dr MICHAEL(MICKY) MASCARENHAS

Dad was a very kind person . He encouraged us in sports and music .

However this did not mean neglecting studies.

The Stradivarius violin (copy) is one which I treasure . It was presented to me when I was in my early teens. I still practice whenever time permits . The first introduction to the violin was when he gave me a baby violin . Then followed the guitar. In early days the electric guitar was the rage. So he ordered one with a person who makes electric guitars. Just imagine how happy we were . My brothers got to learn the piano and then the accordion .

The icing on the cake were the drums . My mother was much against it; Dad however got the drums for us . We literally had a whole set of musical instruments , enough to have a band .

I remember he sent us to learn tennis and swimming . Even today , I play tennis and am grateful to my Dad for an introduction to this game.

For tennis I was given a Slazenger racket . I treasured it even though it had a wooden frame . To keep it from getting warped , I put it in a press .

Hockey was a popular game. We had many hockey sticks . Besides playing the game, we used some for getting rid of rats .

We played table tennis on the dining table. There again TT racquets were provided .

Later we took to playing badminton . We began playing with toy racquets and then shifted to the ‘Silver’ brand and finally the famous Yonex .

Dad himself was a gold medalist for badminton in his college days.

In cricket we were given bats and wickets/stumps. He spinbowled to us a few balls before he would leave to his clinic

.A lasting memory of him was when the World Cup Football tournament would be happening . While watching the live telecasts at the ground floor of our cottage , we would hear his slow shuffle as he came down the stairs from the upper floor. He hardly spoke latterly as he was a recoveree from several paralytic strokes due to high blood pressure .

His interests in sport and music was an eye opener

It’s no wonder that he encouraged us, in these spheres .However he never failed to instill in us the importance of a good education.

Walking in the Light of Life

Life, , ,
An Encounter

Have you met the Risen Lord ,
And walked with him ,
Did he speak to you
Did you try to listen

He is our encouragement,
Our strength in troubled times
our source of love and joy
Have you met with him

When I walk with him
And talk and listen
I can share with him
My joys and sorrows

Let us walk with him
Thru the vales and hills
He is the Holy One
Who takes us home

Inspired by :

When you search for Me you will find Me, if you seek Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

Psalm 98a : Sing Yahweh a New Song

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Life changing decision

Life, To be excellent, , ,

Why am I saying this ?

Work can be very fulfilling when one is motivated and a person can enjoy what work one does .

I disliked the work I did at the early stage of my career . As a result I was not happy.

I absented myself often, taking full advantage of all the leave I had whether it was casual, sick or privilege leave.

This went on for many years . I got transferred to another unit of my organisation and was also given a temporary posting at another. Finally I was given a third transfer where the work was tough and stressful .

At this time, I realised something very important : Who am I serving ? Is it only the boss ? At every unit where I was transferred, the boss had changed .

How do I cope with the different bosses ? Then one day it struck me that there is only one boss for not only my career at work, but for my entire life. This boss is my God who has created the entire universe .

From that day onwards I worked with renewed vigour. I began to enjoy what I was doing and work became fruitful.

Soon the time came to move on, as my company was not doing well and there were serious efforts to downsize by offering ‘VRS’ which is a voluntary retirement scheme. I applied along with many others, but was not released.

At this time, the Lord gave me courage and wisdom to leave . Teaching always appealed to me. Soon I got a job as a lecturer in a college. My work was noticed by my seniors and subsequently I was offered the position of ‘Principal’. With this position and my experience in senior management in the previous job I was offered a job as Senior Manager of a 4 star hotel.

That proved the most successful part of my career. It was a Christian organisation.

With the cooperation of the person I reported to, we recruited many young people, and introduced many changes like the entire computerisation of the booking system, a fire safety project and a licence for the restaurant, besides upgrading the menus.

So in the end it was the realisation of my service to the Lord Jesus that I saw this successful progress. Eventually when I finished my work career, I was called to lead my church community, which was truly the culmination of my service to the Lord !

Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord. (Ephesians 6:7,8a )

Less is More

Life, Short Story, ,

This is the story of the greed for more .

There seems to be a paradox ‘that less is more’; It counters the thought that more is better.

There was a man ,who was doing very well in his business. His name was Adwell .

He started with a small store .

When anyone met him , he greeted them

“Hello Sir , how are you and how can I help you ?”

I was surprised at his courtesy and willingness to show me around.

“Oh , I’m ok , and thanks for your kindness;

I’ll look around and see your range of products on display.”,

Adwell was a ‘jack of all’ trades. He kept a wide range of products.

I asked him , “‘Do you have liqueur chocolates ? “

“ I’m sorry sir , but I do have various other chocolates . The ones filled with almond , caramel , raisin and rum , marzipan and milk chocolate.”

“I’ll try the ones with marzipan.”

“Will you be able to get liqueur chocolates later?”

“Oh yes, I’ll arrange for that” was his response .

So this was his way of doing all he could to increase the variety of products , thus doing his best to please his customers .

His business grew and he diversified to other forms of business .

He hired staff and had branches in other places.

I visited him at the old location and enquired, “Could I meet Adwell ?”

“No sir, he is too busy at a meeting’ .

Adwell obtained licences from the government to get involved with the railways , airports and even real estate .

Now here is what happened.

The greed for more , led to a sudden loss .

Why ? Adwell suffered a serious illness; hypertension and heart related problems.

He was unable to handle his affairs and gradually began losing all he had gained.

He was compelled to slow down. He saw his businesses slipping away as well as his health .

Eventually he was left with what he started.

I met him again and enquired ,

“ How are you, Adwell ?”

“ I’m not keeping well and unable to work like before. I was happier with my small store . I missed meeting my customers.”

Could it be that less is more ?