“Banaras is older than history, older than tradition, older than even tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together” - Mark Twain

I Mr. Gobarganesh eating Bati and Chokha in the morning with my dearest friend, Mr Mantoo. As you all know that I alongwith my team are in Varanasi to do a Gupshup, arre that warkshap with children like you. You know children such intelligent. And my friend such nice food he cook.He has told me the secret of his success, chupchap. Now I am wanting to share with you all the

know how of Bati Chokha .

Preparation of Battis

You need-a cup of wheat flour, salt, red chilli powder and a pinch of baking powder.

Mix the flour with the ingredients. Now knead it with water into a dough.Now cover it with a wet cloth and put it aside.

For the filling: A cup of satoo, salt to taste, finely chopped onion (about a tablespoon), finely chopped ginger and green chillies (about a teaspoon), a pod of garlic finely chopped, table spoon of any achar oil, half of a lime.

Mix all the ingredients well with the satoo. Sprinkle a little water on the mix and make it into a hard dough. This should be just right to be used as a stuffing in the bati dough.

Take a portion of the dough make it into a ball.Now roll it with the rolling pin(belan)on a flat base making it into a very small and thick round. Pick it up and place it between your thumb and the little finger. It makes a bowl shape between your fingers. Fill this with the mix of the satoo .Now seal the opening. Your batti is ready for baking. Now in the pile of arranged cowpats put them in. For the Battis to cook properly you have to turn it constantly with a stick. My buddy Mantoo was an expert in this. He refused to let me do this. He insisted "No Ganeshji you'll get hurt."

Preparation of Chokha

When the battis are being cooked place baigans, aloo, tomato to roast. Let the vegetables roast properly. Mantoo pierced each vegetable with a spoon to make sure, it was properly cooked. Peel the black skin off the vegetables. Mash them all together. Add finely chopped onions, green chillies and fresh coriander leaves. Add mustard oil or achar oil. And don't forget to add salt. Your lip smacking Chokha is ready.

Now that your Batti and Chokha is done break the Batti pour Ghee inside and start stuffing yourselves.And don't forget to invite me dears.

Didn't I tell you a special food know how?

“Varanasi is the cultural capital of India”

GT reporters talk to Dr. R C Sharma, former director of Bharat Kala bhavan, BHU and present director of JNANA PRAVHA, about Varanasi

Gobar Times: Sir, what changes do you find in the Varanasi of 1949 and 2002?
Dr. Sharma: Earlier the roads were very narrow, population was very less, only Banaras Hindu University was there for the higher education. Now these are five University in Varanasi. Meat and eggs were prohibited inside the Banaras Hindu University campus, but now its not so. Now many colonies have developed, earlier very few houses were these. At that time television, newspapers, radio were not available, only rikshaws, tangas, baghis were the made for transporation. It was a very green land. According to the economy of people, every class people can settle here. In Varanasi one could survive even with a modest amount and “Chana, chaibana, and “Ganga Jal” are enough to feed one’s stomach.

G.T.: Tell us about the history of Varanasi?
Dr. Sharma: Varanasi is the oldest living city of India. Archaelogically it has been proved to be 3000 years old. I’ve rend about the “Kashi Nagari” i.e. Varanasi in Ramayana, Mahabharata, Tatak stories, etc. Even Lord Buddha came here to preach the people. Many thological as well as historical events are associated with Varanasi.

G.T.: Sir, it has been seen that the present generation is aping the western culture. In that situation where is Varanasi?
Dr. Sharma: In Varanasi, people still recite vedas, take bath in the Ganga, go to temples and even perform the panchkashi parikrama. Varanasi is the cultural capital of country and capital of education from early times. It has got different Gharanas of classical music. After every 15 steps you will find temples.

G.T.: Which is the oldest monument in Varanasi?
Dr. Sharma: The “Ashokan column” in sarnath is the oldest monument in Varanasi. It is nearly 3rd century B.C. i.e. near about 2300 years from now.

G.T.: Many cities are situated on the bank of river Ganga, but what makes Varanasi so important?
Dr. Sharma: There are many reasons. Generally Ganga flows from North to South-East. But it’s only in Varanasi that it flows towards the North. It is believed that Ganga was originated from the “Tatas” of Lord Shiva, who lives on Kailash. As Varanasi is also called “Kashi Nagari” i.e. city of Lrd Shiva, so the river Ganga turns its way to the North i.e. Varnasi towards her originator. And so the river is also called Uttar Vahini. Varanasi is also called the city of light as it is a centre for knowledge, study research and cultural heritage.

Varanasi is called the city of light and the light of knowledge found here lights up the darkness of the mind