Ice Apple , Old Temples and joys of Warangal

 We recently visited Warangal, a historic city in Telangana, famous for its ancient temples, magnificent architecture, and rich cultural heritage. The old stone structures and intricately carved temples stood proudly, narrating stories of a glorious past.

While travelling through one of the busy roads of the city under the blazing summer sun, something simple yet fascinating caught my attention. On the roadside sat an old man on the ground along with a young helper beside a huge pile of greenish-yellow ice apple fruits. A small crowd had gathered around them, patiently waiting for their turn.

Curious, I walked closer and asked, “How much?”

Without even lifting his head fully, as he remained deeply engrossed in pulling out the fruit with a sharp sickle, he replied softly, “100 for a dozen.”

His hands moved swiftly and skillfully. Though busy with customers and the tedious task before him, he made sure not to ignore anyone’s question. The process itself looked exhausting. First, the hard shell had to be peeled carefully without damaging the tender fruit hidden inside. Then came the second and even more delicate task — extracting the soft, jelly-like ice apples neatly from the sturdy shell.

The young helper selected each fruit carefully and peeled it with precision, while the elderly man meticulously pulled out the translucent pulpy treasures hidden inside. Watching them work with such coordination, patience, and expertise was truly admirable.

Unable to hide my curiosity, I asked another question, “How many pieces come from one fruit?”

This time he briefly looked at me for a second, as if ready to scold me , then immediately returned to his work and answered, “Three in one.”

I bought a dozen pieces. The moment I tasted them, I understood why people were crowding around the stall. The ice apples were incredibly juicy, soft, and naturally sweet. Each piece felt like a tiny pouch filled with cooling nectar. In the scorching heat, they were nothing less than nature’s own refreshing drink.

As I relished the fruit, a thought crossed my mind — how wonderfully nature works! It felt as though God had carefully packed so much water and nourishment into such delicate little fruits to help people survive the harsh summer.

Ice apple, also known as palm fruit or tadgola, is not only refreshing but highly nutritious too. It is rich in water content and helps prevent dehydration during summer. It contains essential minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, and iron, which help maintain the body’s electrolyte balance. It is also a good source of vitamins A, B, and C. Low in calories and naturally cooling, ice apples aid digestion, improve energy levels, and provide instant relief from heat exhaustion.

That brief roadside stop in Warangal became more than just buying a fruit. It became a small lesson in hard work, patience, and the simple blessings of nature that often go unnoticed amidst busy lives.

Mangoes from Mokila Hyderabad

 I had some work near Mokila village, close to Neopolis, Hyderabad, so we happened to visit that side of the city. The road leading towards Mokila had two lanes on each side, and interestingly, barriers appeared after almost every kilometer. I kept wondering about the reason behind them — perhaps to slow down the speeding traffic — but could not figure it out completely.

While returning, I noticed lush mango farms spread across the roadside, along with many small fruit stalls lined up under the open sky. Suddenly, one large stall caught my attention. It displayed countless varieties of mangoes — bright yellow, reddish-golden, deep orange, and some with a delicate touch of green. They were shining in the sunlight and arranged so beautifully in neat rows that we simply could not resist pulling over.

An elderly man and his son welcomed us warmly and explained every variety in great detail — its sweetness, aroma, texture, and speciality. Their roadside shop, open to the sky and surrounded by nature, felt far more special than any supermarket or air-conditioned fruit store.

We bought a few kilos of different varieties and brought them home. After soaking the mangoes in water for about eight hours, we finally tasted them — and they were absolutely divine. It felt as though God Himself had blended every possible flavour into those fruits. The sweetness, fragrance, and richness were beyond words.

By and large, we rarely find such naturally ripened and flavourful mangoes in regular markets or supermarkets these days. The entire experience was memorable, and now I am already wishing to visit Mokila again very soon — to once again relish the true fruit of the summer season.

Third prize in state level cooking competition conducted by Telangana Biodiversity Board

I am extremely delighted and honored to share that I secured Third Prize in the prestigious State-Level Cooking Competition conducted by the Telangana Biodiversity Board in collaboration with IIHM Gachibowli on 12th May 2026.

As part of the competition promoting traditional foods and healthy lifestyles, I prepared flavorful Jowar-Wheat Aloo Parantha accompanied by authentic Gongura Chutney and refreshing Mango Lassi. On 22nd May 2026, I had the proud privilege of receiving the award at the renowned G.M. Birla Science Centre from distinguished dignitaries Shri Ahmed Nadeem, IAS, Sri Kalicharan S. Khartade, IAS, and Sri R.V. Karnan, IAS, Commissioner, GHMC.

The grand celebration brought together inspiring village sarpanches from different parts of Telangana, enthusiastic university students, talented chefs from the Telangana Chefs Association, and winners of several statewide competitions including photography, painting, quiz, essay writing, and elocution. The vibrant Biodiversity Youth Conference held prior to the ceremony and the energetic Greenathon 2026 – Run for Biodiversity conducted on 16th May 2026 added immense enthusiasm and spirit to the occasion.

A sumptuous and delicious lunch was thoughtfully arranged for all participants and guests, featuring rice, comforting dal, rich paneer curry, flavorful brinjal curry, fresh cucumber-carrot-onion salad, soft crispy puris, tasty potato and cauliflower fry, crunchy papad, and delightful sweet millet kheer.

A heartfelt thanks to Dr. Shilpi Sharma from Telangana Biodiversity Board for her exceptional coordination, constant guidance, and warm support throughout the event. The entire experience was truly memorable, enriching, and unforgettable for me and my family.

Journey from Bengaluru to Hyderabad by KSRTC

A few days ago, I visited Bengaluru and returned to Hyderabad by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. I had booked my ticket a day earlier for a cozy sleeper seat. It was a comfortable journey, and the ticket cost approximately Rs. 1800, which is quite a decent amount compared to expensive airplane tickets.

There is a huge bus station at Kempegowda Bus Station, dedicated only to KSRTC buses. A large number of buses were parked at the voluminous, spacious, and gigantic bus station. Even if a person has not booked a ticket in advance, they can often buy one on the same day depending on seat availability.

The conductor and the driver were dressed in neatly ironed white shirts and pants. I think it is their uniform, as all of them were wearing the same attire. The conductor carried a printed list of passengers who had already booked tickets. He checked my ID card carefully before allowing me to board the bus, which was scheduled to start at 8:50 pm.

During the journey, the bus stopped twice — once for dinner at around 11:00 pm and again at about 3:00 am for a washroom break. We finally reached Shilparamam at 7:50 am, although the expected arrival time was 7:15 am.

Overall, it was a memorable journey. I travelled alone, and being a lady, I would say that it felt very safe and comfortable. We can always rely on government services, and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation is certainly one of them.

Bengaluru - Experience in Cab

 I visited Bengaluru, popularly known as the Silicon Valley of India and one of the country’s biggest IT hubs. The city has attracted enormous investment from foreign companies and multinational corporations over the years. As a result, it has become a dream destination for people with strong technical and management backgrounds because of the excellent career opportunities and attractive salary packages offered by leading companies.

However, along with opportunities, the city also comes with a high cost of living. The expenses, especially transportation and accommodation, can significantly affect one’s budget. The real estate sector in Bengaluru has flourished tremendously in the last decade, with new apartments, tech parks, and commercial complexes coming up rapidly across the city.

I travelled to Bengaluru by plane. My destination was almost an hour away from the airport. Unlike Hyderabad, where government taxi services are available at the airport, I did not find such a facility there. We booked an Uber, and the fare to our destination was around Rs 780.

While returning, I had booked a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus from Kempegowda Terminal 1 bus stand. The bus was scheduled to depart at 8:50 PM and reach Hyderabad the next morning at 7:15 AM. To stay on the safer side, I planned to leave at 5:30 PM, believing that three hours would be more than enough to reach the terminal.

But destiny had something else planned.

Suddenly, heavy rain started pouring across the city. I repeatedly tried booking a cab, but no driver was accepting the ride. Every passing minute increased my anxiety. It was a tense situation, and for a moment I genuinely felt that I might miss the bus. The same cycle kept repeating—I booked the ride, and drivers cancelled or ignored it.

Finally, at 6:28 PM, one driver accepted the ride request. It felt like a huge relief, almost as if I had won a lottery. I even selected the extra-priority option by paying an additional Rs 65. Due to the rain and demand surge, the taxi fare had almost doubled and came to Rs 1163, whereas normally it would have been nearly half that amount.

The journey to the bus terminal was equally stressful. The roads were packed with traffic, and at one point the jam seemed endless. I anxiously asked the driver whether I would be able to reach Terminal 1 on time. He calmly replied that everything depended on the traffic flow, which at that moment appeared almost stagnant.

But thankfully, luck was finally on my side.

After a tense and exhausting ride through Bengaluru traffic and rain, I reached the bus terminal at 8:30 PM—just in time. The KSRTC bus was waiting there, ready for departure. At that moment, I felt immense relief and gratitude. What had started as a stressful evening finally ended peacefully, leaving me with an unforgettable travel experience in the bustling IT capital of India.