Finding Halal Food

          Being a practicing muslim one of the challenges I used to face was finding halal food. Many a times it happened that some mouth watering dishes of chicken/mutton were placed before me and I had to content myself with Paneer (one of the reasons why I hate paneer). I believe many of my muslim brethren might related to the feeling.

          Well, for long I had been searching for some service which might ease me of this problem, until I stumbled upon this piece of wonder, a savior, awesome piece of creativity and a tomb of service.

           http://www.halaljointsindia.blogspot.com/

Captured from their website

"

HalalJointsIndia is your one stop solution for finding restaurants and places keeping halal food, where you can enjoy mouth watering dishes.

We strive to provide you everything that you might want to know about restaurants & joints that serve Halal food. From the smallest joint to the most lavish of restaurant in your city, we provide you all the information you might need to locate a good Halal Food Restaurant: menus, reviews, ratings, contacts, services etc.

"

I simply loved this website, though they do need to improve on their listings, but something is better than nothing ....

Bon Apetite !!

Tunda Now In Bangalore

I feel very glad to give this mouth watering news that Tunda didn't spared even bangalore :), Its near laziz koramangla. India by nature is very assimilating, It wont be a surprise to me if tomorrow i found dishes like Kabab Dosa or Masala Paratha in Tunde's menu :)

Live Urdu Sha'eri and discussions on Twitter

Have a look at this incredible post, follow the feeds and enjoy !!!

http://urdu-ke-naam.blogspot.com/2009/02/live-urdu-shaeri-and-discussions-on.html

Tunde in Delhi

So how many times have you savoured the mouth watering delicacies of Tunde-kababs, ofcourse only when in lucknow. As I am most of the time in Delhi (earning a livelihood), I always missed a visit to Tunde Kababs while I visited Lucknow mostly due to shortage of time and length of itenaries.
I was very much pleased when I saw that they have opened a branch of theirs at Delhi's New Friends Colony Community Center (also lovingly known as CC).
With great enthusiasm and curiosity (if the taste would be same), I went down to CC for treating my taste-buds.
I ordered for a plate of paratha-kabab, the taste was great and made me nostalgic of the bylnes of Nazirabad slope in Lucknow where they have their shop. The food here is reasonably priced and tasty of course.

Tundes is now at Facebook with some 2936 fans..go make it a million.

About Lucknow

"No city-except Bombay, the queen of all-was more beautiful in her garish style than Lucknow," wrote Rudyard Kipling in Kim. Located on the banks of the Gomti River, Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. From ancient times, the city is known for its silks, perfumes, jewellery, mouth-watering cuisines, and nawabi etiquettes. In fact, Lucknow could be termed the cultural centre of northern India where people are so polite that anyone would feel at home. The classic example of 'pehle aap' (after you) shows how etiquette or tehjib runs in the blood of the people of Lucknow. But the city is very much able in accommodating the modernity, keeping the tradition and culture alive altogether.


In 1732, Muhammad Shah, one of the later kings of the once powerful Mughal dynasty, appointed Mohammad Amir Saadat Khan, a Persian adventurer of noble lineage, to the viceroyalty of the area known as Avadh, of which Lucknow was a part. Saadat Khan was the founder of the famous dynasty known as the Nawab Wazirs-a dynasty that changed the face of this hitherto little-known place. Under his successors, Lucknow flowered as never before and all but became the cultural nerve centre of northern India. The rapid growth of Lucknow dates from 1755 when the fourth Nawab, Asaf-ud-Daula transferred the capital of Avadh from Faizabad to Lucknow and set about gifting to the city some of its most splendid architectural marvels, a tradition that was sustained by this successors. During this period, Lucknow also established its pre-eminent place in the field of poetry, music, and dance. A colourful local culture, incorporating fairs and festivals also flourished alongside. By what Lucknow really became synonymous with was a certain elegance and grace of lifestyle. A romantic and courtly ambience became a part of the city. In fact, even today, the city breathes history, and the sound of laughter and music, the tinkling of ankle bells and the mellifluous rendering of Urdu poetry (shairi) still echo and reverberate through the long corridors of time. Even today, when one wanders through the city, one encounters the kind of refined courtesy and polish that seems to belong to another age.

Lucknow is situated in the upper Gangetic plains of the country. Therefore, the climate of this region is characterized by hot and humid summers but cold and chilly winters. Summers generally start by the end of March and remains till June. Immediately monsoon takes over and gives the people of Lucknow a much-needed relief from the heat. October is the time when winter starts and it remains for almost five months, i.e., till February end. The best time to visit Lucknow would be winter, i.e., between October and February, when the climate is pleasant and comfortable, making it easy to travel.

The Glorious Past

A quitessential town with imbedded history of culture, language and etiquette, does something magical to its visitors. Even if you haven't imbibed the glories of Bahadru Shah Zafar's life, you would not miss out much in getting attracted to the cornices and pillars of ancient Lucknow. Despite a century of tramplings, Lucknow continues to stay majestic with its customs and air of haute culture.

The journey to Lucknow begins with its famous railway station, the Charbagh, from where the main arteries of the city emanate.

Prehistoric time of Ram and Sita: Lakhshman the archer establishes a settlement near the Gomti River.

Tenth Century AD: Mahmud of Ghazni penetrates. Sheikhzadas settle around the muddy Lakhshmanpur. "Qila Likhna" built and named after its architect and thus the name Lucknow emerges.

1720: Great Moghul Emperors began appointing Nawab-Wazirs from Delhi in lieu of a local subedar.

1720-1739: Nawab Sadat Khan who committed suicide in Delhi.

1739-1756. Nawab Safdar Jang founded Faizabad, purchased Qila Likhna and established the fish emblem for rules of Oudh (the area ranging from Ganges to Gorakhpur).

1756-1775. Nawab Shuja-ud-daula, son of Safdar Jang, lost his influence to the British at the Battle of Buxor. He is buried in Faizabad in a mausoleum that he built for himself.

1775-1797. Nawab Asaf-ud-daula, son of Shuja-ud-daula, quarreled with his mother and moved his quarters from Faizabad to Lucknow, which was a mere village which he turned into a rather grand place. The fame and luxury of Oudh rivalled that of the Nizam's Hyderabad and adventurers flocked to his court from all over. One of his famous portraits by John Zoffany hangs in the famous La Martiniere College. Nawab was quite playful; once he got upset with one of his fifty barbers and hung him to a large baloon and flew he went. The Nwab had four thousand gardners, several hundred cooks, a thousand dogs and 300,000 fighting cocks and pigeons. He loved the racing of old women in sakcs. His benevolence is recited with," You may return from the Gates of Heaven empty handed, but not from the darbar of Asaf-ud-daula." Began building the Great Imambara with a true labyrinth where people have been said to have disappeard into some of the passages and never come out. From the roof, the view of Lucknow is breathtaking. He also build the British Residency, the Asifi Mosque, Turkish Gate and Chowk Bazar.



1798-1814. Nawab Saadat Ali Khan, the half-brother of Asif-ud-daula took over after the British removed the son of Asif-ud-daula, Wazir Ali, who was pronounced basard by the court. Gave up the self-indulgence of the dynasty. He built Dilkusha Palace, Bailey Guard Gate to Residency, Lal Baradari, Begum Kothi and Khursheed Manzil (for his queen and sweetheart). (There is a small crumbling pavilion away from the main buildings where one can imagine the ladies of the court in their cool chkkan-work saris (for which Lucknow is still famous), sipping rose flavoured sherbets passing the summer days.) Nawab Saadat died of poisoning and is bured in the larger of the two-domed mausoleum at the edge of Kaiser Bagh. Besides him in the lesser tomb was bured his chief wife, Khurshid Zaidi.

Friendly Neighbourhood - Barabanki

Barabanki occupies an area of 3825 sq km. The district forms a part of eastern Uttar Pradesh and lies between 26°32’ and 27°21’ N and between longitudes 80°05’ and 81°51’. The district is bounded by the river Ghaghra in the north, Faizabad district in the east, Sultanpur and Rae Bareli districts in the south and Lucknow district (only 28 km to the west).

The district under British rule had an area of 1758 sq. m. It stretches out in a level plain interspersed with numerous jhils or marshes. In the upper part of the district the soil is sandy, while in the lower part it is clayey and produces finer crops. The principal rivers are the Ghagra, forming the northern boundary, and the Gomti, flowing through the middle of the district. In 1856 it came, with the rest of Oudh, under British rule.

The land of Barabanki district possesses a rich heritage in keeping with its glorious past. This district since its inception has been the meditorium for numerous saints and ascetics, sanctum sanctorum of 'Sadhna' for the literary intellectuals and battlefield for the freedom fighters. For bringing the whole world under one umbrella, Sufi Saint Haji Waris Ali Shah of international fame, motivated people through the message of JO RAB WAHI RAM i.e. the supreme power, God is One, is the flower of this fertile land. Satnami Saint Shri Jagjiwan Das and Saint Malamat Shah lit the torch of communal harmony for the countrymen at large.