KYANG (WILD ASS)
NYANG
Monday, April 6, 2009
HANGUL-Kashmir Stag
Hangul, Kashmir Stag (Cervus elaphus hangul, wagner) is critically endangered species with only 200 surviving in the wild at Dachigam National Park and none in captivity. It assumes importance as it is the only asiatic survivor of red deer.
My first encounter with Hangul was in Oct 2007, rutting season, when males with their crown were competing with other males to form a harem of theirs. This was the survival of the fittest where one who is magnificiently endowed and had the best of echoeing bellows was being favoured by females to father their fawns.
Males were seen following females through tall grasses and the same time bellowing to warn other contenders to keep distance or to come over and have a duel with much clanking of interlocked antlers.
Come december, Lucky ones with harems hid themselves contended but the few who could manage only one partner were found running around, always worried about their prized possession to be taken away by another. Females, loyally followed their paramor.
Snow followed and the countryside changed. Cover denuded due to snow and higher areas became difficult and hanguls came down and spotting them became easier, and so the threat of predation of fawns by leopards, martens and surprisingly feral dogs. Mom was worried and used to take every step cautiously, every now and then pausing and checking, with her fawn at her heels.
A lone juvenile or a switch with no velvet on antlers resting in snow in open so that it gets ample warning of any approaching threat.
But, I was denied of witnessing a harem. Always it was a pair or mother with a fawn, until this lucky sunny day in early february.
First, a male checking around and not noticing me.
Lead his harem of females and fawns out in open and the drama unfolded and we started counting heads.
The proud hero took count of its herd and at the same time checked that every head is in to avoid few amorous females who sneak out at the tail end to meet another male which usually follows to take its chance. The hero seemrd satisfied and
Come december, Lucky ones with harems hid themselves contended but the few who could manage only one partner were found running around, always worried about their prized possession to be taken away by another. Females, loyally followed their paramor. Snow followed and the countryside changed. Cover denuded due to snow and higher areas became difficult and hanguls came down and spotting them became easier, and so the threat of predation of fawns by leopards, martens and surprisingly feral dogs. Mom was worried and used to take every step cautiously, every now and then pausing and checking, with her fawn at her heels.
A lone juvenile or a switch with no velvet on antlers resting in snow in open so that it gets ample warning of any approaching threat. But, I was denied of witnessing a harem. Always it was a pair or mother with a fawn, until this lucky sunny day in early february. First, a male checking around and not noticing me. Lead his harem of females and fawns out in open and the drama unfolded and we started counting heads.The proud hero took count of its herd and at the same time checked that every head is in to avoid few amorous females who sneak out at the tail end to meet another male which usually follows to take its chance. The hero seemrd satisfied and
took them beyond in the thicket. And so did we returned with memories so deep rooted that will be cherished for a long time. We took count of 12 heads in the herd.Saturday, January 17, 2009
Heady Mixes- Easy to fix Cocktails
This blog is dedicated to the glorious couple who address each other as ‘Guddaa”, fondly. This is something different that they coin with this phrase often when either of them wants their point of view should prevail upon other. For example, “Khana garam kar lo, I am on net, Guddaaa!” Or “Aye Guddaa, Main hoon na, sham ka khana pack kara lana!” But all said and done they both come up with the best of bar-be-cues parties on their terrace at Pune overlooking Sahyadari Range. Supposedly so, I am yet to sample.
Irish Cream
Traditional- 50 ml of Baileys Irish Cream poured over three cubes of ice. Never add crushed ice as it will dilute the flavor.
Chocolatini- Drop several ice cubes into a shaker. Pour 50 ml of Irish Cream, 10 ml of Vodka and 15 ml of chocolate liqueur/ Cocoa and shake together and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with chocolate shavings.
Kahlua
Traditional- 60 ml over crushed ice.
Black Russian- 30 ml of Kahlua, 30 ml of Vodka and pour over crushed ice.
White Russian- Same as Black plus add one cup of milk and 1 and half tablespoon of Milkmaid or Vanilla/ chocolate/coffee ice cream.
Cointreau
Traditional- 60 ml over crushed ice.
Cosmopolitan- 45 ml Vodka, 50 ml Cointreau, juice of one lemon wedge, 100 ml cranberry juice and shake it all with ice. Strain into chilled Martini glass.
Midnight Hot
45 ml dark rum, 15 ml Cointreau, 60 ml orange juice and cola to top up in any tall glass. Garnish with orange slice.
Diaquery
Gin - 45ml
Cointreau - 15ml
Fresh Lime juice - 15ml
Shake the ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice cube.
Make salted rim on champagne glass.
Pour the ingredients in the glass strained.
Pina Colada
White Rum - 60ml
Coconut Cream - 30ml
Pineapple juice - 180ml
Shake well all the ingredients with ice cubes.
Strain & serve chilled.
Screw Driver
Vodka - 60ml
Orange juice - to top
Pour orange juice in the tall glass.
Pour Vodka on top.
Stir the mixture.
Tequila Sunrise
Tequila/ vodka - 60ml
Orange juice - as required
Grenadine syrup/ruhafza -15ml
Pour ruhafza in the tall glass.
Pour orange juice on top.
Pour liquor at the end.
Stir it lightly.
Frozen Diaquery
Gin - 60ml
Lime cordial - 15ml
Lime juice - 10ml
Fill the glass with crushed ice.
Pour the ingredients.
Serve with ice in whisky glass & salted rim.
Tips
As all good hosts do – taste before serving.
Irish Cream if opened should be consumed early implying within a week or so. It tends to get bad quickly. In fact once a sealed bottle opened by me turned out to have turned sour. But no denying the fact that Irish Cream reigns supreme as far as taste is concerned.
Enjoy!
This blog is dedicated to the glorious couple who address each other as ‘Guddaa”, fondly. This is something different that they coin with this phrase often when either of them wants their point of view should prevail upon other. For example, “Khana garam kar lo, I am on net, Guddaaa!” Or “Aye Guddaa, Main hoon na, sham ka khana pack kara lana!” But all said and done they both come up with the best of bar-be-cues parties on their terrace at Pune overlooking Sahyadari Range. Supposedly so, I am yet to sample.
Irish Cream
Traditional- 50 ml of Baileys Irish Cream poured over three cubes of ice. Never add crushed ice as it will dilute the flavor.
Chocolatini- Drop several ice cubes into a shaker. Pour 50 ml of Irish Cream, 10 ml of Vodka and 15 ml of chocolate liqueur/ Cocoa and shake together and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with chocolate shavings.
Kahlua
Traditional- 60 ml over crushed ice.
Black Russian- 30 ml of Kahlua, 30 ml of Vodka and pour over crushed ice.
White Russian- Same as Black plus add one cup of milk and 1 and half tablespoon of Milkmaid or Vanilla/ chocolate/coffee ice cream.
Cointreau
Traditional- 60 ml over crushed ice.
Cosmopolitan- 45 ml Vodka, 50 ml Cointreau, juice of one lemon wedge, 100 ml cranberry juice and shake it all with ice. Strain into chilled Martini glass.
Midnight Hot
45 ml dark rum, 15 ml Cointreau, 60 ml orange juice and cola to top up in any tall glass. Garnish with orange slice.
Diaquery
Gin - 45ml
Cointreau - 15ml
Fresh Lime juice - 15ml
Shake the ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice cube.
Make salted rim on champagne glass.
Pour the ingredients in the glass strained.
Pina Colada
White Rum - 60ml
Coconut Cream - 30ml
Pineapple juice - 180ml
Shake well all the ingredients with ice cubes.
Strain & serve chilled.
Screw Driver
Vodka - 60ml
Orange juice - to top
Pour orange juice in the tall glass.
Pour Vodka on top.
Stir the mixture.
Tequila Sunrise
Tequila/ vodka - 60ml
Orange juice - as required
Grenadine syrup/ruhafza -15ml
Pour ruhafza in the tall glass.
Pour orange juice on top.
Pour liquor at the end.
Stir it lightly.
Frozen Diaquery
Gin - 60ml
Lime cordial - 15ml
Lime juice - 10ml
Fill the glass with crushed ice.
Pour the ingredients.
Serve with ice in whisky glass & salted rim.
Tips
As all good hosts do – taste before serving.
Irish Cream if opened should be consumed early implying within a week or so. It tends to get bad quickly. In fact once a sealed bottle opened by me turned out to have turned sour. But no denying the fact that Irish Cream reigns supreme as far as taste is concerned.
Enjoy!
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