Restricted Entry

A recent article in the paper was about how foreigners in Goa have acquired certain areas and have signboards put outside which reads as 'Dogs and Indians not allowed'. It’s really sad how the liberties vested by the constitution can be manipulated to serve ones won means. Goa is just a case in point but there are lots of places and people who like to associate themselves with only certain class, creed and caste of people. Many tourists are turned down from a place of visit because they don’t fall into the same bracket of people who have the privilege of entry.

In my last visit to Mumbai I yearned to visit a Fire Temple but to my disappointment I wasn't allowed. I wasn't even aware that there’s a rule like that...Temples back home have stricter rules such as 'Hindus only' at the entrance. The temple sevayats who otherwise believe in making hay when the sun shines during special festivities (where there is no restriction on paying respect (cash and gifts to the sevayats) to your lord, irrespective of your background), on any regular day display great pride that they hold the reins of the temple sanctity. These places of worship are under the dictate of handful of people who claim themselves to be above law and at times above Lord too.

I understand restricted entry into certain shows with only ‘Passes’, into offices, into libraries….. but for heaven sake, spare me, we are talking of public places!!! Restrictions like these remind me of Taliban rule on women, where a woman is not allowed at public places without her husband…..I see ourselves turning into Talibs! with such rules. But public places are for people to walk in without any fear and inhibition to see and enjoy their way of life, be it a park, mall or a Gurudwara.....

Till we encounter signboards which says ‘restricted entry’ to call ourselves a secular and democratic, is still a far cry.

The dark temptation

Yes I fell in love all over again....


It was a cool winter evening and driving through the wide roads that led from one street to another, I arrived at the place, where I had decided to meet my date.


Waft of cool breeze were playing with the strands of hair all over my face. The chairs were neatly arranged under the portico of a coffee house. The interiors of the house had dark wooden furniture which had old time charm to it. The lighting and music was just perfect to match the mood of the evening. All of a sudden it started to drizzle adding to the flavour of romance and I sat on a chair outside the coffee house, under one of the umbrellas that were arranged for outdoor seat out, waiting. After having waited for a while there came a huge cup of........ deliciously decorated CHOCOLATE RIVER & POPSICLE ICE CREAM. The thick dark chocolate in the cup with little white pop-ins as topping looked delightfully yummy, was the chocolate river. Popsicle ice cream was vanilla ice-cream topped with hot chocolate sauce and choco chips. And that was my long yearned date with dark temptation.


This place is the latest in the offing and has some of the classy chocolates and ice creams. My next date very soon would be with CHOCOLATE AVALANCHE & CHOCOLATE PANCAKE . Along with me, my husband and son too had great time with their respective dates of dark temptation.


P.S. If you too have a yearning for chocolate check out this place called Chocolate Room which is one place you can vouch for and is worth every moment spent with dark temptation.