And as we wind down to the last day of the challenge, it is fitting to focus once more on the beauty of the vibrant nation that is India.

Today, the focus is on manufactured beauty, more particularly, zari – the gold and silver threads that highlight the richness of Indian fabrics. Some information about the production of zari thread can be found here.

You’ll find examples of zari thread most often in brocades worn by men and women on special occasions. But it is also used as a highlight to lift a garment from ordinary to  something more significant. It’s amazing what a little bit of bling can do for an outfit and for the wearer’s outlook.

Perhaps this is the essence of India. Whatever is going on, no matter how mundane the task, there is always a glimmer somewhere: a piece of gold, a hidden gem or a single thread of silver that catches the light and lifts the spirit.  This is what makes India such a wonderful country.

Haiku:
Metal wrapped cotton –
Golden threads that draw the eye
Zari enhances.

Thanks to the brains trust for coming up with this one. It fits perfectly with our experiences of eating in India.

The flavours we experienced there seemed far more vibrant than similar dishes in restaurants at home. That could have been an artefact of the anticipation of eating Indian food in India or it might have been because the spices were fresher and thus more fulsome in their aromas.

Even on a mass-production scale, as at the Sikh Temple (see post S), the fragrances were enough to make our mouths water.

Flavours are important here. There is little that is bland unless that is done deliberately to highlight the particular characteristics of an accompanying dish.  Yet the variety of tastes does not overwhelm.

I can’t say I’m much of a food photographer, so images are sadly lacking for this post, except for the box of spices that we were gifted by the chef at the Oberoi in Agra. It contains the ingredients for Garam Masala, and the fragrance when the box is opened sends the senses into transports of delight.  I handed it over to the customs people on our return to Australia, fully expecting never to see it again, (that’s why I had taken the photo ahead of time), but the contents were inspected and the box was returned to me. I’m so looking forward to the opportunity to try out the spices. It will be hit and miss for me unless I can find a clear recipe, but the experimentation will be fun.

Haiku:
India’s flavours –
Delicate, sharp or fulsome
Delight the palate.

Uh huh … a little more poetic licence, but I don’t think the rules say that the topic must actually begin with the letter of the day.

So oxen, or more correctly the variety of bovine beasts that we met along the way … In urban areas, we saw a lot of cattle including some smaller, scrawny animals that seemed to be learning, the hard way, about survival of the fittest.

We saw massive brahman-type bulls lazing near the highway. You’ll note in one of the pictures below, the bull has lost a horn and the egret (? – ornithology is not my strong suit) is cleaning the wound.

There were water buffalo too, with their curved horns and agressive reputations, that we saw in the area around Fatephur Sikri. They’re used for work in the fields or for drawing carts. Apparently water buffalo aren’t seen in the same light as cows and thus can be eaten.

The cow is recognised as sacred by Hindu culture and is protected from slaughter. There are concerns about the growing number of stray beasts making their way into cities – both for hygiene reasons and for traffic safety.

Haiku:
Bovines not equal:
some must work, others may rest.
Lifetime diff’rences.