A traditional summer dish of Rewa that is eaten either as a snack or with hot rice and vegetables or chapati is aam panna bagja. Locals use native mangoes and spices to prepare this age - old dish. In a large kadai or frying pan, red chillies, cumin seeds and coriander seeds are dry roasted till they become... Continue Reading →
The evil machinations of Sambhaji of Kolhapur were revealed for one and all to see when Udaji Chavan sent agents to murder Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj when he was out hunting. Shahu Raje immediately set aside his friendly disposition towards his cousin and instructed Trimbakrao Dabhade to lead the army to march into Sambhaji's territory. ... Continue Reading →
Rewa, a former princely state is famous for its contribution in the 1857 First War of Independence that saw many nationalists lose their life, diverse agricultural produce and natural resources and Bagheli cuisine that derives its name from the Baghelkhand region of which Rewa is a part. Their most iconic dish that is also... Continue Reading →
The brilliance of Peshwa Bajirao on the battlefield and in the Maratha Court will go down in history as the finest chapter in military stratagem and diplomacy respectively. Even his staunch critics were forced to acknowledge his astuteness and competency. This however did not deter them from intriguing with the Nizam to subdue him and depose... Continue Reading →
The delicious kale chane ki ghugni, originally a Bihari innovation is offered as prasad on the auspicious occasion of Durga Ashtami. This protein - rich dish is best enjoyed with hot puris and halwa. As this is the traditional preparation for Navaratri, it is made without onion and garlic. Kala chana (black chickpeas) is soaked overnight, washed thoroughly and pressure cooked with... Continue Reading →
After the humiliating defeat at Palkhed and the Mughal losses in Gujarat, Malwa and Bundelkhand, the Nizam knew that he was no match for the Peshwa‘s brilliance and military stratagem. Full of prejudice and evil machinations, he chose the cowardly approach to malign his name and dissuade the ruler at Delhi to sign a peace agreement. Deep Singh's mission... Continue Reading →
Sattu, often referred to as the 'poor man's protein' is hugely popular in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and the border villages across the North - East. Sattu is fibre and protein - rich flour prepared from powdered chana (Bengal gram) or other pulses or barley or jowar or wheat. It has been traditionally... Continue Reading →
The agents sent by the ruler of Delhi came back with glowing reports of the Marathas and categorically declared that if the Mughals were to agree to 11 and 15 lacs for annual chauth of Gujarat and Malwa respectively, then the Marathas would not interfere with the Mughals again. Nizam-ul-Mulk, after being defeated by Peshwa... Continue Reading →
Tamatar bonda, a rainy season snack is sold mainly by small shops near the Banaras Hindu University. Best enjoyed with a piping hot cup of adrak chai, this delicious snack is hugely popular among locals. A couple of medium - sized potatoes are boiled, peeled, mashed and allowed to cool. Paneer is also added... Continue Reading →
The decisive victories over the Mughals in Malwa, Bundelkhand and Gujarat in 1729 created quite a consternation in the heart of the ruler of Delhi. Though Nizam-ul-Mulk was checked to some extent in Palkhed, he continued to cause trouble for the Marathas in the Deccan. The death of Giridhar Bahadur and the defeat of Muhammad... Continue Reading →
One of the most fascinating winter sweets of Kashi is the centuries - old palangtod that literally translates to bed breaker! Though the name makes one laugh out loud, its taste will definitely leave you speechless. Known to be an expensive sweet because of the time, effort and labour involved, this sweet has been given the... Continue Reading →
The invasion of Malwa by Peshwa Bajirao and Chimaji Appa on the advice of Sawai Jai Singh opened up new avenues for the Marathas and the Rajputs who were dissatisfied with the Mughals. The Bundelas in particular had been friendly with the Marathas for a long time and adopted their approach to fight for their independence.... Continue Reading →
Thekua or khajur as it is known in Uttar Pradesh is a traditional deep - fried sweet offered as prasad during Chhath Puja, Saraswati Puja and Navaratri. Though the dish originated in Bihar, it is now hugely popular in Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Thekua is made from wheat, jaggery or sugar, desi ghee, spices and nuts. It has a... Continue Reading →
The military stratagem displayed by Peshwa Bajirao under difficult conditions in Palkhed proved his ability to take on a war veteran like the Nizam with relative ease. This notable victory helped the Peshwa secure the confidence of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj and others. Peshwa had already formed his own group of faithful followers both in the... Continue Reading →
A delicious milk sweet of Kashi that has been served as prasad in most of the temples for centuries is the humble doodh peda. Made from full fat milk that is in abundance in Varanasi and Ghazipur districts and areas around the Ganga River, this simple milk innovation is hugely popular among locals and visitors and makes... Continue Reading →
With opposition building on all fronts, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj was at his wit's end. Peshwa Bajirao was still in the Karnatak and those close to him advised him to effect a compromise with the Nizam. Shahu Raje accepted their advice and instructed his Pratinidhi and Sumant to negotiate a peace treaty with the Nizam. The Pratinidhi proposed a... Continue Reading →
Kashi's most iconic milk sweet is the centuries-old Lal Peda that has been praised to the hilt by travellers, food connoisseurs and historians. This traditional dairy product of Kashi is offered as prasad in the Kaal Bhairav Temple, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple. In the olden days, the abundance of milk in the... Continue Reading →
The three years from February 1725 to February 1728 (Battle of Shakar Kheda to Palkhed) fairly established the nature of the relationship between the Marathas and the Nizam that would eventually be subjected to the paramountcy of the British. The Marathas were determined to enforce the rights granted to them in 1719. However, the... Continue Reading →
One of the most iconic and celebrated sweets of Kashi is Tirangi Barfi. Also known as Rashtriya Barfi, this unique creation is the handiwork of Shri Raghunath Das Gupta of Shree Ram Bhandar in Thatheri Bazar. The British from the late 1700s right up to the mid - 1940s had managed to successfully loot the ancient... Continue Reading →
The decisive win for Nizam-ul-Mulk over Mubariz Khan in the Battle of Sakhar Kherda established his undisputed dominance over the Deccan. The Marathas had been watching the battle on the sidelines with keen interest knowing full well that the Nizam's victory would dent their prospects of expansion in the south. Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj was... Continue Reading →
One of the best chaats of Varanasi is its very own stuffed aloo tikki served at Kashi Chat Bhandar. This delicious chaat is unbelievably flavoursome with a bit of everything - crunch, spice and wholesomeness. Potatoes are first boiled and divided into two portions. One portion is grated when hot and mixed together with... Continue Reading →
Muhammad Amin Khan, the cousin of Nizam-ul-Mulk who was appointed as the Wazir died in February 1721 creating a vacancy that the ruler of Delhi felt only the experienced Nizam-ul-Mulk could fill. However, the Nizam was not keen on getting stuck in the political intrigues of the court as that would greatly curtail his ambition to... Continue Reading →
The traditional breakfast of the ancient city of Kashi is the piping hot puri sabzi, kachori and droolworthy jalebi! Interestingly, the lightly spiced raswale aloo sabzi with greasy puris followed by kachori served with chana, meethi chutney and hari chutney and topped off with sinfully sweet jalebis (normal serving is four in a plate) really hits the spot! The batter is made by... Continue Reading →
The dramatic fall of the Sayyid brothers put the Marathas and their plans of obtaining the grants as per the treaty in doubt. It was well known that Nizam-ul-Mulk, the sitting ruler and his mother and many others in the Delhi court had particular disdain for the Marathas and Hindus. Nizam-ul-Mulk was known never... Continue Reading →
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