Arti

A rainy sunday afternoon, not knowing what to do we went around Roundhay to do a bit of Indian shopping. As we walk past Arti, we decided to stop and have our lunch there. We have heard of this restaurant before but never got an opporturnity to drop in.

As we walked in we were welcomed by the manager, who guided us to our table and handed over the menu. We were quite suprised to see idli, vada- sambar, varities of dosa in the menu apart from the regular having veg & nov veg option in starter and main course dishes. Vijay immediately decided on the vada- sambar and i had a masala dosa. It did take a bit of time for them to serve the food, which is understandable coz the restaurant was not busy and these were one off order.

I must say that that wait was worth while. The vada was soaked in hot sambar with generous amount of chutney splashed on it. My dosa was came the potato filling along with chutney and sambar. I was done with the dosa, but vijay went ahead to try their Gurathi Thali. It was served with poories, brinjai sabji, dall, kadi, rice, amras, salad, pickle and chutney. Wow! amazing is the word, It was not "jatka cooking" for sure. Enough care was taken to prepare each and every dish and suprisingly they bill was just £17.00 !

To end with i would like to say we haven't had such a delicious Indian food at a restaurant in Leeds. It's definetly worthy many more visits.

Arti Restaurant

285/287 Roundhay Road,
Leeds
LS8 4HS

Tel : 0113 249 0999

http://artirestaurant.com/Email : arti@artirestrauant.com

A Might Heart

A story which i have been wanting to read & Watch for a while now. I finally got hold of it, thanks to Priya & love film i was able to read the book and watch the movie.

I loved Mariane Pearl, her courage to fight for justice and her love and affection to her family. Her passion to let her son know how brave his father was.

It was a victory over defeat and it simply inspires me to be stronger than what I am.

Will i make it ? A conversation with my mind & heart.

Mind :- Feels like final exam.. nervous and tensed.
Heart :- Relax.. its just an commitment for a gakkai activity.
Mind:- Well i don't know why i feel this way, it probably means a lot to me. It's my interest to make a commitment to a cause. Cause for serving people, serving members and thereby seeing happy faces and feeling happy.
Heart:- hmmm, if you are so convinced about your mission, then why worry?
Mind:- I am worried, coz its the fear of loosing.
Heart :- There is no victory when u fear. Fear just builds up your negativity and does not get u anywhere. If you are so confident, then be strong and win with a courageously remember its the heart that is important.
Mind:- oh yeah may be.. i shall challenge it , lets see what happens.
Heart :- of course u will win... Towards a victorious March 14th & 16th Hip Hip Hurray ! :)

Obstacle

One of my new year determinations was to get into the National Lilac Team of SGI UK, my interview date is 14th March and my 1st obstacle is on its way. The ticket prices are at sky rocking rates. I wonder how will i manage to get there...

but i am sure will get there somehow... lets wait and watch.

New Year

It's so true when Sensei say's "As practioners of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism we must work twice as hard as others."

New Year' eve is a day when people get drunk to welcome new begining of the 1st day of the new year, and finally land up staying hung over the entire day. This does not make sense to me. Viju and I went out for dinner, met few friends, few drinks and finally got back at 2 am, but then i woke up at 8 and started the New Year by attending the New Year meeting. The meeting was so cheerful and nice. I was exciting to see a bunch for 40 people chanting together on the New year. I guess this is what Sensei means by contributing twice as hard as others :). But the irony is that deep within me i never felt like a new year and a fresh start until i happened to read The Human Revolution Vol 3. The book came to me as a gift from the New Year's day meeting.

I was amazed by reading the 1st few pages of this book where Toda Sensei Say's "Just as last year? I would be extremely displeased if Mr... looked grumpy, just as last year..." and so on. One needs to read it to understand what i am trying to get at.Basically it was a slap in my back to say wake up girl... its a new year a fresh start and not just another year. From then on, i had this new list of determinations and started the year with a fresh vigor to win.

Thank you Sensei :)

Wake up Girl!!!

"It's never too late" is what i said to myself as began to write this blog.

Happy 2009 :) . A great year to look forward too.,, It's special for me as i think, determine and begin my fresh challenges not for me but for Vijay as well. I am exicited, nervous and scared about our dreams and challenges. The list is long and it's nearly a month over as i write this down but I guess it's worth giving it a try. Finally this is my wish list :-

To learn driving and get a car by June
To win everysingle day at my current work place and find the right job for me By June
To join the National Lilac Team
To have a great holiday with Priya in June, 2 trips to India, and 1 more to a unknow destinations. ( guess i am asking for too much here... )
Vijay and I to be completely Victorious at work
And finally to Blog more, cook more and not be messy :P


Good Luck Vidya!!!!

Terror and I

Terroism looks like the big things that's on every Indian's lips. Common man suffering for no reason, people are getting and aggitated with the government, people in power trying to save their 'chairs'. A feeling helpless and a sense of powerlessness travels in the air.

There is a Gosho* which say "If the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds pure so is their land, there are not two lands pure and impure in themselves. The diffrence lies soley in the good or evil of our minds."

Thinking about this i wonder, if the minds of the people in my country impure? probally 'yes'. I am so ashamed to type 'Yes' to this question but this is the fact. Govt officials and people in position are corrupted. People who are supposed to protect the nation are protecting themselves. I believe its a total cowardice act. Media on the other hand are trying to reach out people, with and intention of increasing their TRP rating and not finding solutions to the trivial issues in the country. People who are supposed to give support and encouragement to common man are no where to be found. On the other hand common man are stupid enough to vote for the same leaders, year after year which has led our country to what it is today. The terroist have taken advantage of this situation making our country one of the 20 most dangerous country in this world. How saddening.

Our country strongly needs a democratic change, a change that makes every individual happy, and i feel this should start soon with the elections comming up next year. it needs to be a one with total diffrence, our country needs youthful minds to govern. A strong character who will put a fullstop to this nonsence, think more for the common man and country and less about him. Will this ever happen, if yes then who is that person and which party will win is a million dollar question? but i feel its also upto us to make sure this happens.

As for me i shall start by praying for, the right goverment to get ellected in the coming elections. Each and every individual to be throughly aware of the politicians before they vote. Every individual, young and old to actually caste a vote.

2009 will be a year of youth & victory: - Let each and every individual arise with a youthful spirit and stand up with the youth.
* Gosho- The individual and collected writings of Nichiren Daishonin (1222-1282), which contains (1) treatises setting forth doctrine
(2) writings remonstrating with government authorities
(3) letters offering advice, encouragement, or consolation to believers, or written in answer to questions
(4) written records of Nichiren's oral teachings, including his lectures on the Lotus Sutra.