Author: lokesh naidu

Top 10 Temples in India

Top Indian Temples

Temples are the sacred places where gods receive human offerings.Many temples have great architecture that resembles a palace for god.Generally, temples are dedicated to one primary god, but few temples are dedicated to more than one god.Temple walls are decorated with stone carvings that depicts the story or history regarding the god being worshipped.People entering the temple must remove their shoes to pay respect to the god within the temple.The innermost area contains the idol of god and the priests offer prayers to god.India is a land of temples and the list of top ten temples are mentioned below.

1) Khajuraho Temple in Madhya Pradesh

Khajuraho Temple in Madhya Pradesh:

The Khajuraho group of monuments are one the UNESCO world heritage sites in India.Because of the famous sculptures and large number of Hindu and Jain temples, tourists from various parts of the country visit this place.These temples were built by Chandela kings during the period of 950 to 1050 A.D.The Hindu temples in Khajuraho are dedicated to Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and also different goddesses.These temples are mainly famous for their wonderful carvings.The carvings on the external walls are bold artistic type, but the carvings inside the temples are decent and represent simple facts of life.Most of the carvings on the walls show the everyday life of a common man at that time when they were made.

2) Somnath Temple in Gujarat

Somnath Temple in Gujarat

The Somnath temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva with a moon on his head.This temple is situated in Saurashtra.There is a saying that the Moon God Somraj has built this temple himself by using gold.This is a Hindu temple, but has Jain influences in the architecture.This temple has one of the 12 jyothirlingas and faces the east direction.This temple has the biggest dome that is ever made in this century.The temple has a large central hall with entrances on three sides.The sculptures and carvings speak about the artistic taste of the craftsmen of that century.It is believed that till now 200 priests have served this temple.The first temple of Somnath existed before the Christian era, the second was built by Maitraka kings, the third Somnath temple was built by Pratihara king.This temple was destroyed six times and re-constructed.The present temple was built and taken care by Shree Somnath trust.

3) Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi

Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi

It is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.There is a belief that every Hindu, at least once in his lifetime, must visit the holy place.Hindus believe that mixing ashes of the deceased in the Ganges will make the soul rest in peace.This temple is situated on the western bank of the Ganges and is one among the 12 jyothirlingas. During religious occasions like Shivratri, no person is allowed to enter the temple till the priest offers prayers to god.

4) Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri

Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri

Puri Jagannath temple is one of the biggest temples in Orissa.This temple is established in the 12th century and is dedicated to Lord Jagannath.The temple foundation was laid by Raja Ananta Varman Chodaganga Dev.From Bhubaneswar, the temple is located at a distance of 60 kilometers.The king Indradyunna saw Lord Jagannath in his dreams and constructed this temple to fulfill the Lord’s wishes.The pillars of the temple are decorated with pictures that depict the life of Lord Krishna.Ratha Yatra that is organized once a year is one of the major attractions of the temple.

5) Venkateshwara Tirupati Balaji, Andhra Pradesh

Venkateshwara Tirupati Balaji, Andhra Pradesh

Tirupati is one of the most visited temples in India and second most visited temple in the world.This temple is situated on the seventh hill in Chittoor district and is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara.It is one of the richest temple in the world.Many facilities are available to visit this temple either by plane, train or by bus from almost all parts of the the country.It is one of the most visited pilgrimage by Hindus.

6) Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Meenakshi temple is one of the holy Hindu temples and is located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.The temple has 14 magnificent Gopurams, including two golden Gopurams.The temple is one among the 51 shakti peethams.The golden lotus tank in the center is surrounded by corridors and the walls of them are covered with paintings that depicts the miracles of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati.

7) Siddhivinayak Temple, Maharashtra

Siddhivinayak Temple, Maharashtra

Lord Ganesh is worshipped in this temple.It is built in 18th century and is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra.The present temple was re-constructed five years ago.The idol of Ganapathi is also known as Chaturbhuj as the idol has four arms.The idol of Lord has lotus in the upper right hand and a small axe in the upper left hand.The lower right hand has a jampala and the lower left hand has modaks.On some special Tuesdays, the queue for Darshan will be about 2 kilometers long.

8) Akshardham Temple, Delhi

Akshardham Temple, Delhi

Akshardham is a massive temple with more than 20,000 statues, arches and carved pillars.This temple was constructed in the year 2005 and was dedicated to Swaminarayan.The temple has a unique architecture and represents Indian culture.The temple has more than 100 acres decorated with water fountains and beautiful constructions.The amount spent on this massive structure was 2 billions and it took nearly two years to complete.The fountain dance is one of the major attraction of this temple.

9) Golden Temple, Amritsar

Golden Temple, Amritsar

The Golden Temple in Amritsar is one of the major pilgrimage place for Sikhs and one of the well known tourist destination.Until 2005, it is called as Golden Temple and later it was officially renamed as Harmandir Sahib.The temple has a great historical and architectural interest.Every year, many visitors from different places around the world visit this place.

10) Brihadeshwara Temple, Thanjavur

Brihadeshwara Temple, Thanjavur

Brihadeshwara temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.This temple was built by the Chola king Raja Raja 1.This temple is declared as one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO.The temple has a Mahalingam of 4 meters height and another major architectural attraction of this temple is the Nandhi chiseled out from a single rock.This temple depicts the Chola architecture because of the style of construction and the carvings on the pillars.

January 1, 2015
Best Recipes of Kerala

Kerala cuisine

Kerala’s food culture is mostly dominated by coconut.Kerala’s cuisine is one of the salient features of its culture.The cuisine of Kerala is hot and spicy and the people of Kerala love to experiment with variety of foods.In most of the dishes, people use coconut which adds additional flavor to those dishes.People also use chilies, curry leaves, tamarind in most of their dishes.Generally rice , curry leaves, vegetables for vegetarians and fish for non-vegetarians are the staple food items for the people of Kerala.A variety of desserts also form an internal part of their cuisine.Appam and Puttu are the tasty cakes that are prepared in Kerala.The Nendranga Chips of Kerala, that are made from Banana are famous across the world.The important spices that are used in Kerala cuisine are chili, cumin, dill seed, fennel, fenugreek and garlic.

Traditional Kerala cuisine

From ancient times, people from different cultures and traditions arrive landed in Kerala and due to their distinct cultures and cuisines,their influence also was greatly seen in the cuisine of Kerala.The state cuisine is broadly divided into that of the Syrian Christians, Malbari Muslims, Moplah Muslims and various Hindu communities.Depending on the type of these communities, the cooking style and taste changes.Many varieties of dishes are prepared using rice , vegetables, meat, sea food and few items are prepared using rice flour.Spices are generally used to add flavor to the food items.Meals with multiple items are served on banana leaves that add memorable dining experience.

Food items of Kerala

Kerala food items is not only about recipes, but it also reflects the cultures of different people in Kerala.Hindus in Kerala have a large vegetarian menu and use coconuts in most of their food items.Syrian Christians eat more fish and meat while Muslims prepare delicious bread and biryani.Keralites use coconut oil for cooking which keeps the cuisine distinct from other states.Kerala is famously known as the ‘Land of Spices’ which has attracted many traders and travelers from centuries. Because of the abundant availability of coconuts in Kerala, it is widely used in almost everything- from hot curries to delicious desserts.Unripe mango is also used in some fish and vegetable recipes.Here are some of the top recipes that you must taste when you visit Kerala.

Chemmeem Pollichathu:

Chemmeem Pollichathu

Chemmeem Polichathu is a prawn recipe made from mostly all types of required spices that adds its taste.The prawns are first marinated and washed with turmeric, chilly powder and salt.The pollicha masala is made and once the vegetables are cooked, turmeric, coriander are added and mixed with coconut milk.The marinated prawns are wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled on a hot plate by sauted masala to it and are served.

Fish Mappas:

Fish Mappas

Fish Mappas is the favorite food recipe of Kerala.This is a fish curry cooked with coconut milk and is a perfect combination with appams.As Kerala is full of lakes,fishes are abundant in marine life.Coconut milk adds additional flavor to these Mappas.Fish is marinated for 15 minutes and the fish pieces are heated on a pan until they are half cooked.Then,prepare gravy with the required ingredients and add fish pieces to the gravy.Thick coconut milk is added to the curry by rotating the pan.Put off the flame when the curry starts to boil and the recipe is ready to serve.

Meen Murringakka Curry:

Meen Murringakka curry

Meen Murringakka is a fish curry that comes from the House of Taj in Kerala.This delicious fish curry is made out of tamarind, coconut and drumsticks( famously known as murringakka in Kerala ).The recipe is heated along with onions and red chilies.This recipe is absolutely delicious and is usually served with steamed rice.

Cheera Thoran:

Cheera Thoran

Cheera Thoran with coconut is an everyday side dish with rice for Keralites.In Kerala, cheera is a variety of Spinach that grows in the backyards of their houses.Most popular among them are the red cheera and green cheera.Cheera Thoran tastes very good with hot white rice.Cheera is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.This is also a perfect combination with chapathi.Most of the people use this as a side dish along with meat curries, rice, appams, dosa and malabar paratha.

Kozikode Biryani:

Kozikode Biryani

This is a famous Kerala chicken biryani.Usually,the name biryani itself makes one’s mouth to water.The name biryani is derived from the Iranian word “birian”, which mean fried before cooking.There are many varieties of chicken biryani and is named differently depending on various places.Traditionally Kozikode biryani is made with rice and leg pieces of goat, but now-a-days people are making it with chicken, beef, egg, fish etc.In most of the special occasions, biryani is made in many houses as a special dish.This Kozikode biryani is made around Malabar Area in Kerala.This recipe is made out of rice, huge amount of spices, small amount of chili and one perfectly boiled egg.

Kerala fish curry:

Kerala fish curry

As Kerala is having many lakes, fishes are mostly seen in the Kerala cuisine.Fish curries in Kerala gets extra flavor because of the use of cocoum and coconut milk in their preparation.For preparing this recipe, we need a fleshy white fish and fry it by using onion, tomatoes, garlic, green chilis and coconut paste.This fish tastes great with appam, kappa, puttu, chapathi and rice.

Chicken Stew with Appams:

Chicken Stew with Appams

Chicken Stew is a traditional Kerala recipe usually prepared on sundays.Lightly spiced chicken stew is cooked in coconut milk with vegetables like potatoes and carrots.This chicken stew is mostly served as a breakfast with bread and appams.Appams are thick at the center and like soft paper at the edges.These appams form a tasty combination with any type of recipe.Appams with chicken stew will be a great combination for even breakfast.

Karimeen Pollichattu:

Karimeen Pollichattu

Karimeen is a type of pearl spot fish found in Kerala.This Karimeen Pollichattu is a typical and unique fish curry prepared in Allepey.The fish is marinated with rich spices and then baked in a banana leaf.This is one of the delicious fish recipe of Kerala.Once you eat it, you will always wish to eat it.

December 13, 2014
Various New Year Day Celebrations in Different Regions of India

New Year Celebrations

Christians celebrate January 1st as New Year.India celebrates New Year by both solar and lunar calendar system.Most of these New Year festivals are celebrated based on Hindu calendar that follow by the movement of the moon.In India, different places celebrate New Year in different times of the year.As India is having multiple cultures, celebration of New Year may also vary distinctly.Most of the states in India celebrate this festival at the time of harvesting of crops.These days are celebrated with different names as Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Baisakhi, Puthandu, Bohag Bihu, Pohela Boishakh, Bestu Varas, Vishu, Losoong, Navreh, Hijri and Cheti Chand.

Ugadi:

UGADI-Festival-celebrations

In Andhra Pradesh, this day is dedicated to Lord Brahma,the creator of this world, as he has started creating the world on this day itself gaining significance for this day.It is also a belief in Hindus that Lord Vishnu has appeared in Matsya avatar on this day.This celebration includes cleaning of the houses and surroundings, decorating entrances with green mango leaves and wearing new clothes.On this day, people wake up early in the morning and have some oil massage to the body followed by head bath and visit temples to offer prayers.

Ugadi festival celebration in Karnataka

In Karnataka, this festival is considered as New Year to the people and believe that this day bring new hopes and happiness in life.On this day, people wake up early in the morning, have bath and visit temple to offer prayers to god with sincerity while the priests chant mantras.On this occasion, people wash their houses, paint them and decorate the entrances with mango leaves. Ugadi pachadi, lemon rice and many varieties of dishes are prepared on this special day.

Gudi Padwa:

Gudi Padwa celebrations

Gudi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar.This is celebrated as New Year by Maharashtrians and Hindu Konkanis’.According to Brahma purana, Gudi Padwa is the time when Lord Brahma has started creating the world.On this day, people hang Gudi on the right side of the main entrance of the houses.Gudi is a cloth tied to the end of the bamboo and a copper pot is placed inverted on the stick along with a garland.Festive cards and wallpapers are shared among friends and dear ones on this occasion.People offer prayers to god and prepare delicious mouth watering dishes on this occasion.

Baisakhi:

Baisakhi-celebration

Baisakhi is a New Year day celebrated in Punjab and Haryana. This festival is generally celebrated on 13 April.Baisakhi is the major festival of Sikhs and is celebrated to denote the arrival of the harvest season.On this occasion, people wear new clothes, prepare halwa and other delicious dishes at home.

Puthandu:

Puthandu-Tamil Nadu

Puthandu is the New Year day of Tamil Nadu celebrated on the first day of Chithirai, the first month in Tamil calendar.Puthnadu is also known as Varusha Pirappu and usually falls on 13th or 14th of April.On this occasion, women decorate the house with colorful kolam patterns and the center of the kolam is decorated with lamp.On this occasion, people wear new clothes and eat maanga pachadi which is a symbol of this festival.

Bohag Bihu:

BIHU_Assam

Bohag Bihu is a major agricultural festival celebrated in Assam.Songs and dances play a vital role in Bihu celebrations.The festival revolves around agriculture and the changes in the seasons.Bihu is celebrated three times in an year namely, Bohag Bihu( also called as Rongali Bihu ),Kati Bihu ( also called as Kangali Bihu ) and the Magh Bihu ( also called as Bhogali Bihu ).The first one Bohag Bihu is the most important one among the three.This is a spring festival that usually falls in the mid of April.

Pohela Boishakh:

Pohela Boishakh festival

Pohela Boisharkh is the festival celebrated on the first day of Bengali calendar.This festival is celebrated in both West Bengal and Bangladesh.On this occasion, people clean their houses,wear new clothes and offer prayers to god with sincerity.People spend with friends and relatives on this day and prepare various kinds of food items.This festival generally falls on the mid of April.

Bestu Varas:

Bestu Varas festival

Bestu Varas is the festival celebrated on the first day of Gujarati calendar.This festival usually falls after Diwali.People greet each other on this day saying “Nutan Varsha Abhinandan” or “Saal Mubarak”.This festive day starts early in the morning by firing plenty of crackers.On this day, people decorate their houses with marigold torans and draw colorful rangolis at their doorstep.People wear new clothes,visit temples and greet their friends and relatives a happy and a prosperous new year.

Vishu:

Vishu Festival

Vishu is a festival celebrated on the first day of Malayalam month of Medam.This festival is usually celebrated on 14 April of Gregorian calendar.The festival is defined by the offerings to the god called Vishukanni. This consists of the auspicious articles like rice, linen,cucumber, betel leaves, matal mirror and uruli.All these arrangements are completed by the women the night before Vishu celebrations.On the day of Vishu, people must wake up with eyes closed and go to the pooja room, so that the first thing a person can see is the Vishukanni.

Losoong:

Losoong festival

Loosong is one of the most famous and old festival of Sikkim celebrated in the month of December.This festival is usually celebrated at the end of harvesting season.This is also considered as the farmers’ New Year festival.On this occasion, Chham dance is one of the major attraction.

Navreh:

Navreh festivals

Navreh festival is celebrated in Kashmir as New Year.This festival usually falls on the first day of Chaitra Navratri and is generally referred as Shivratri.

Hijri and Cheti Chand:

Hijri festival

Hijri is the Islamic New Year celebrated on the first day of Muharram.The Islamic calendar does not depend on the Gregorian calendar so it may vary depending on the Lunar calender.This festival is celebrated with unique customs and traditions.

Cheti Chand festival

Cheti Chand is the festival celebrated on the second day of Chaitra masa by Sindhi community.The people of Sindhi community celebrate this festival as a honor to the birth of Jhulelal.

December 13, 2014
Culture of Shimla- writing

Shimla Culture

Shimla,located on the lofty ranges of the Himalayas with about 7,500 ft above the sea level,is one of the most popular tourist destination throughout the world.It is a place free of commercialization and globalization and is famous for its lifestyle,arts,crafts,food,fairs,dance and music. Shimla is quite different from other states with its own charm and portrays a harmony between traditional values and modern thoughts.

Shimla is considered as one of the best tourist and holiday spot in India.In the year of 1864,it was declared as the Summer Capital of India during the reign of British and after the independence,it became the capital of Punjab.Now,it is a proud capital of Himachal Pradesh.

History:

Pic showing the history of Shimla

The history of Shimla begun with the discovery of British with a little village in 1819 and was made as the Summer Capital of India.Shimla was truly earned by the government of India at the time of Lord William Bentinck.After the Gurkha war,British soldiers founded a dense forest near Golden Shyamala temple and gave the name as Shimla after the name of the goddess.Also,many fine fabrics,French sauces,English sweets and fine horses were available in Shimla making it popular.

In 1819,Lt.Ross,the Assistant Political Agent of hill states set up the first residence of British here and his successor built the first concrete house in 1822.In the mid 18th century,the Hindustan Tibet road was constructed from Kalka to Shimla.Shimla was connected by the railways in 1903.It eventually became the capital of Himachal Pradesh,after the independence,in 1966.

Geography:

Pic-Showing-Shimla-Tourism-Geography

Shimla’s geographical location is dependent on its pleasant climatic conditions that suits a perfect vacation.It has an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level,lying between 31.060 North to 77.130 East.The altitude is having a vegetation of pine trees.The city is spread over an area of 25 square kilometers with a look of majestic hill station.The Himalayas fall to the north east of Shimla. Shimla consists of sub-tropical forests,maize fields,cedar and orchards.

Climate:

The view of climate in Shimla

Shimla’s climatic conditions are pleasant in any season favoring the tourists’ visit.It may have sudden changes due to the high altitude and may result in sudden drop and rise in temperature.Summers are warm with packed tourists and the temperature never goes beyond 270 Celsius.Even though there are occasional rainfalls,they are just bearable.Monsoons last from July to September that may be not suitable to visit as they are pretty heavy.Landslides are too frequent with a range of 150 -250 Celsius.Winters last from November to February with cold and chilly winds from the Himalayas.The temperature may drop down to zero levels.Snowfall is the main attraction in this season.Even though transport and residence is a slight problem,people love to visit Shimla in this season.

Economy:

Tourism a major economy of Shimla

Most of the city’s economy is driven from the tourism.Shimla is a famous healthcare centre having one medical college and four major hospitals named as the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital,Kamla Nehru Hospital and Indus Hospital.Hotels in the city are one of the major sources of income.Shimla is one of the lead cities in India for having large number of hotels.Shimla is also famous for its quality of education and for the leading schools it is having.The higher education institutes are also present in Shimla namely Himachal Pradesh University and Indian Institute of Advance Studies.People from different parts of the country prefer to study in Shimla because of its climatic conditions and hill station status.These has been adding to the economy of the district as well as the state.At present, government is trying to promote technology and IT sector in Shimla for its growth and promotion.

Culture:

Festival celebrations in Shimla

People of Shimla are informally called as Shimlaites.A variety of festivals are celebrated in Shimla.During the peak tourist season, Shimla summer festival is celebrated and it lasts for 3 to 4 days.The highlights of this festival include events performed by popular singers from all over the country.Shimla has many places to visit and the local hangouts are the Mall, the Ridge that are in the heart of the city.Some of the oldest and famous buildings are the Indian Institute of Advanced Study and Wildflower Hall which is now a luxury hotel.The State Museum is one of the oldest Museums in India and it holds a huge collection of paintings, jewelry and textiles of that region.Naldehra nine-hole golf court is one of the oldest of its kind in India that is located farther out from the city.Kufri is a ski resort and is one of the best tourist attractions of Shimla located 19 kilometers away from the main city.Lakkar Bazaar in Shimla is famous for its hand crafts and wood items.Shimla has a natural ice skating rink and state and national level competitions are more often held at this venue.Shimla Ice Skating Club manages many events every year in the month of January.Due to the Global warming and increasing population in and around Shimla, the amount of ice has been decreasing in the past few years.

Temples:

Bhimakali-Temple-Shimla

Shimla has many temples and is frequently visited by many devotes from nearby towns and cities.Jakhoo temple, one of the famous Hanuman temple is located at the highest point in Shimla.Kali Bari temple of goddess Kali is situated near the Mall.Another Hanuman temple, Sankat Mochan is famous for the numerous monkeys located on the Shimla-Kalka road about 10 kilometers away from the city.We can also find other places of worship like Gurudwara near the bus edge and a famous Church on the Ridge.We can find excellent stone works and architecture on the walls of temples in Shimla.The sculptors that are carved on the temple walls show the art of Shimla.

Jakko temple in Shimla located at the highest point

The snow-capped Himalayan peaks and green pastures surrounding Shimla gives a wonderful view of the nature and just a simple walk through Shimla’s Victorian-era architecture, labyrinthine bazaars and lengthy pedestrian shopping mall brings excitement and enjoyment.It is a simple yet elegant place created by mother nature’s wonderful creation.

December 13, 2014
Christmas Celebrations in Different Parts of India

Christmas is a festival that falls in the month of December.The whole world will be eagerly waiting for this festival till the end of the year.In India, people from different parts celebrate this festival in different manners.Christmas celebrations in India is similar to western countries, but it has its own flavor.Here are the few places in India and the way the Christmas festival is celebrated.

Christmas celebrations in Goa:

Christmas celebrations in Goa

Goa,situated on the western coast of India is also called as Beach Paradise of India.It is one of the best place in India for Christmas celebrations.During Christmas time the whole city,homes,cathedrals and churches are fully decorated with lights and flowers.On these special days,beach shacks and restaurants serve special western dishes and also play live festive music which is an additional attraction for many tourists.Beaches like Anjuna,Mapusa and Candolim are known for long night parties.Goa also hosts internationally acclaimed sunburn festival during this festive season and New Year.For this sunburn festival,many music lovers around the country come here to watch DJ’s live performances.By providing all these exciting features,Goa is an excellent place to visit during Christmas.

Christmas celebrations in Mumbai:

Christmas celebrations in Mumbai

Mumbai, also known as Financial Capital of India is one of the biggest party hubs during Christmas.During Christmas season,the hill road is fully decorated with lights and Christmas trees are spotted on the sidewalks.In Mumbai,there are many popular churches which host midnight masses.Bakeries in the city are filled with goodies and all the city malls are decorated well to give a festive feel to the customers.After Christmas,there are firework celebrations at Marine lines on the night of New year.It is one of the best place to visit during Christmas.

Christmas celebrations in Pondicherry:

Christmas-in-Pondicherry

Pondicherry ,also known as India’s Little France.The spectacular beaches,beautiful buildings and pleasing French Cuisine makes it one of the best tourist destinations.There are many old churches in Pondicherry which include the magnificent churches like ‘The Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception’ and ‘The Sacred Heart of Jesus Church’.These are the most interesting places to visit during festive time.The city is filled with French style monuments and buildings.During the festive season, the city looks bright and excitement and joy are found everywhere in the city.

Christmas celebrations in Kerala:

Churches in Kerala during Christmas

Kerala is a perfect place to visit during Christmas season.In Kerala, there are vast number of churches that celebrate this festival with lot of dedication and interest.Streets are fully decorated and Churches remain open almost all night.On these festive days,restaurants provide discounts on food and drink for customers.The beautiful beaches,beach resorts,boat houses are fully decorated on these festive days.It is a beautiful place to enjoy Christmas along with the family.

Christmas celebrations in Manali:

christmas-places-in-manali

Manali is one of the beautiful hill stations in India.During Christmas season,the snow fall takes place and when the snowfall is moderate people enjoy playing snow fights and build castles with their friends and family.During this season,there are many tourist packages available offered by various travel companies.Places like Rothang pass and Solang valley are additional attractions too.

Christmas celebrations in Shillong:

shillong-church

This state has a large number of Christian population and they celebrate this festival with more joy and glory.On this festive season all the streets,houses and churches are fully decorated with colorful lights.There are many local troops that perform dances to the traditional music.Most of the churches have their own local music band.Food offered at this place is a bit unique and is not liked by many of the people.There are not many travelers that frequently visit this places.So, one can enjoy this festival without worrying about the crowds.

Christmas celebration in Daman and Diu:

Oldest Churches of Daman and Diu

These Islands are located at the coast of Gujarat.These Islands have many old and beautiful churches like St.Paul’s church,Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and many more.The beautiful sand beaches,palm grooves makes this place a best holiday spot.Here Christmas is celebrated with great joy and people perform many cultural programs like Portuguese dance and many more fascinating events.The festival is celebrated by playing wonderful melody tunes and accompany with music.Houses are fully decorated with bright and colorful lamps all over the Island.Many night parties and events are performed in Daman during this festive season.

Christmas celebration in Dadra and Nagar Haveli:

dadra_nagar_haveli_festival

This place has beautiful hills,waterfalls and lush of green forests to walk through.This place has beautiful old churches with magnificent architecture and people celebrate Christmas with full of spirit.The festivals celebrated will have their local impact.This place is great for shoppers with a lot of hand made products available.This is a peaceful place to visit and enjoy the Christmas celebrations.

Christmas celebrations in Bangalore:

Christmas in Bangalore

Bangalore is one of the biggest cosmopolitan cities in India celebrating Christmas with great joy and spirit.On this festive season, various events are celebrated throughout the city.Many of the restaurants,malls,houses,streets are fully decorated with colorful lights and flowers that brings a festive look to the entire city.In Bangalore, there are around 40 churches and in few areas there is a domination of Christians.During nights of Christmas season,masses are held at churches that draw huge crowd to attend the ceremony.During this festive season many restaurants and malls offer discounts to the customers.

Christmas celebrations in Kolkata:

Christmas celebrations in Kolkata

In Kolkata ,Christmas is celebrated in a different manner.For the people of Kolkata, Christmas is a festival with full of yummy cakes and pastries.Not only Christians, but also people from many other communities attend midnight masses at various churches,sing hymns and offer prayers thanking god.On these festive days, malls and restaurants offer large amount of discounts.Many attractions can be seen like street lights full of colors,rock music,sound exhibition,shimmering lights,delicious food and many more.

December 3, 2014
Unique cultures that exist around the world

A culture is said to be unique if it is said to have different types of food habits, traditions, clothing and culture when compared to other cultures.If we travel around the world, we can explore unique cultures and traditions.As culture represents geography, identification, lifestyles and much more,if we study about various cultures around the world we can encounter unusual things too.

1.Mourning of Muharram:

Mourning of Muharram

Mourning of Muharram is one of the odd and unusual cultures seen in Muslim communities.This takes place on the death anniversary of Husayn Ibn Ali.On this day, a number of Shia Muslims go out with whips having knives and blades attached to them and they start beating themselves continuously with them.Few people cut their own heads using these knives.This tradition may look awkward but it has been blindly passed over to their descendants from generations.One of the interesting thing about this culture is people participate in this weird culture voluntarily.

2.Carrying Pregnant Women Over Coal:

carrying-pregnant-woman-over-coal

This is one of the weird Chinese culture.According to this culture, husband should carry his wife over burning coal before he enters into their home for the first time.They feel that following this custom will ensure that the bride will have an easy and successful delivery.They also feel that reading a good literature during pregnancy has positive effect on the unborn child and on the other side, it is very bad for the pregnant woman to gossip or laugh loudly.

3.Tossing the Babies:

Tossing the Baby

The phrase Baby tossing itself says that it is a wired culture.This unusual culture is visible in Solapur village situated in Maharashtra state.According to this culture ,the new born babies are tossed from a height of 50 feet terrace.People stay at the foot of the terrace holding sheets to catch the baby safely.It is believed that following this culture gives their children good luck, long and healthy life and they also believe that they will grow smart.

4.Hanging Coffins in China:

Hanging Coffins in China

In China, we can see lots of hanging coffins on the chillingly steep cliffs along Yangtze River, China.Few people in China known as Toraja follow this ususual culture.According to this culture, people bury their family members in coffins after death and hang them over some cliffs.These coffins are usually hung at a height of 33 to 164 feet and few coffins are hung as high as 328 feet above the ground.It is still a mystery how these coffins were placed at such great heights.This type of weird culture is not only seen in China but also seen in some parts of Indonesia and Philippines.

5.Kanamara Matsuri of Japan:

Kanamara Matsuri Festival of Japan

Kanamara Matsuri is one of the weird festival celebrated in Japan.This is a festival of steel penis that is celebrated on the first Sunday of April every year.People celebrate this festival by holding a giant wooden phallus.Holding this phallus people march around the town.People believe that celebrating this festival will bring regenerative abilities on the local crops and also ensures the fertility for everyone.But most of the people wonder about this culture that an entire festival in Japan is dedicated to Penis.

6.Kidnapping the Bride:

Kidnapping the Bride

This is a unique culture followed by Romanian people.This criminal tradition has been carried out since centuries.According to this culture ,some of the friends of the groom decide to kidnap the bride.In exchange they demand for bottles of whisky or something more romantic.The guys who kidnapped the bride mange through phone call.This is a harmless tradition and is celebrated on marriage occasions.

7.Living with the Dead:

Living with the Dead

This type of odd culture is followed by few ethic groups in Indonesia.According to this culture people wrap the dead in special grabs and keep it safe in the house they live.People believe that their loved ones soul will be preserved until they are buried.

8.El Colacho Baby Jumping:

El Colacho Baby Jumping

This is one of the odd traditions that is existing in the world.This old culture is followed by the residents of Spain since 1620.This culture was mainly organized to keep the devils away.According to this culture, children are laid on the mattresses in the street and heavy crowd gather to watch.Usually the jumpers wear traditional costumes to look like devils. During the jumping some injuries takes place but this culture is still popular in Spain.

9.Walking Dead:

Walking Dead

According to this culture, as funerals are sometimes costly and some of the families can’t afford an initial proper burial.So, such people place bury the dead body in a temporary coffin and when they are having enough money to do the burial, the corpse is raised from the dead and walks to its new resting place.

10.Monkey Buffet Festival:

Monkey Buffet Festival

This unique festival is celebrated in Thailand.This is fun and strangest festival that still exists in the world.In this festival people set up fruits, flowers, cakes and candy on the tables in the downtown area and all the monkeys are attracted by this food and hop all over the tables entertaining the viewers.This monkey buffet festival was started in the year 1989.Thousands of tourists visit Thailand to attend this festival every year.This festival is usually celebrated on 25th November every year.

September 14, 2014
Ganesh chaturthi celebrations in India

Ganesh Chaturdhi Festival

Ganesha Chaturthi which is also known as Vinayaka Chavithi is celebrated by Hindu’s around the world.It is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha.This festival is generally celebrated in bhadra pada masa i.e., between mid August to mid September.It is celebrated with great devotion and with peace of mind.It is one of the grand festival celebrated in almost every part of the country.On this occasion, each and everyone place a clay model of Lord Ganesha in their homes and worship for seven to ten days with great devotion.The preparation of these Idols get started from 2 to 3 months prior to the day of Ganesh Chaturthi.The size of these idols may vary from 3/4th of an inch to 25 feet and even more.

History:

History

According to Hindu stories ,Lord Ganesha is the son of Lord Siva and Parvati.There is a saying that Goddess parvathi has created Lord Ganesha with the sandal paste that she used for bath and created a figure and breathed life into it.Then she said to that little boy to stand guarding at the door till she completes her bath.At that time, Lord Shiva who had gone out earlier returns back and as the little boy doesn’t know Lord Siva, he did not allowed him.Then Lord Siva got extreme anger and told his followers to teach a lesson to the little boy.But being born to Parvati, he is very powerful, thus defeated Shiva’s followers and declared that nobody was allowed to enter while his mother was bathing.Thus Lord Siva got even more anger and cut the head of the child.Parvati after seeing this was furious towards Siva.Then Lord Siva promised that her son will be alive again.In search of that ,devas could not find the head of a dead person facing north,But they founded the head of a dead elephant facing north.They brought the head of the elephant and Lord Siva fixed it on the child’s body and brought him back to life.Then Lord Siva declared that from this day this boy would be called as Ganesha.

Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations in Maharashtra:

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in maharastra

In Maharashtra almost every Hindu family will establish their own clay statue in their homes and worship with great devotion.According to the people of Maharashtra ,their domestic celebrations come to an end after the completion of 1 day or 3 days or 5 days or 7 days or even 11 days.At the end of any of these days, people take the idol and immerse in large water bodies like rivers or sea.But due to some environmental concerns ,large number of families are immersing their statue or idol in a bucket of water at home itself.Later the clay from these statues are used for gardening.

Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations in Andhra Pradesh:

Ganesh-Chathurthi-celebrations-in-andhrapradesh

In Andhra Pradesh, clay Ganesha or Matti Vinayaka is mainly worshiped in each and every Hindu house.Few people worship Ganesha that is made out of Turmeric and few worship Plaster of Paris Ganesha.The festival celebrations will continue for five to ten days depending upon the family traditions.People believe that praying Lord Ganesha will fulfill their desires and wishes.He also blesses us by removing all the obstacles in our life.

Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations in Tamil Nadu:

Ganesh-Chathurthi-celebrations-in-tamil nadu

Tamil Nadu celebrates Ganesha Chaturthi very grandly.This is also known as Vinayaka Chavathi in Tamil Nadu.This festival falls after the new moon day in the month of aavani.In Tamil Nadu, the festival is celebrated in all homes by worshiping the idol of Lord Ganesha that is made out of clay.The idol of Lord Ganesha is decorated with flowers and garland.Few dishes like Modak, ladoo and other dishes are offered to Lord Ganesha.In Tamil Nadu we can find Lord Ganesha idols placed in public places during the period of festive days.The height of these idols will not exceed 13 feet and they are made out of paper and clay as Plaster of Paris is banned by the State Government.Some of the idols are made out of coconuts, fruits, rudraksha and other organic materials.After worshiping for five to ten days they are immersed in Bay of Bengal.The police department make special arrangements for celebrating the festival peacefully with great joy.

Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations in Kerala:

Ganesh-Chathurthi-celebrations-in-kerala

In Kerala Ganesh Chaturthi is known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Lamboodhara Piranalu.This festival generally falls in the month of chingam.During the festive days, the temples have huge crowd and people worship idols of Ganesha by offering nivedyam.Cultural programs are held at different localities and elephants are worshiped throughout Kerala.In Kerala ,on the day of visarjanam the large possessions the tall statues of Lord Ganesha are taken to the nearby water bodies and are immersed in them.The streets are fully decorated with flowers, lighting and rangolis.

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Goa:

Ganesh-Chathurthi-celebrations-in-goa

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the very important festival that is being celebrated by the Hindus in Goa.The festival preparations begin a month before and the actual festival is on the month of Bhadrapada masa.On this day ,women worship goddess Gouri with lord Siva.Festive celebrations include Pujas, Arati, feasts and many more.According to the tradition of Goa, many classical music instruments are played on the festive day.In most of the places festival is celebrated for two days and on the second day the idols are immersed either in the sea,rivers or tanks and wells.

September 13, 2014
Culture of Delhi

Culture of Delhi

Delhi, the capital city of India has a unique culture.People from different parts of the country have settled in Delhi.So, Delhi has a mixed culture of all the states.It’s culture is considered as the culture of India as a whole.As it is the capital city of India, all the political discussions and decisions are taken here itself.Delhi is a mixture of modern lifestyle as well as old traditions and values.Different types of festivals are celebrated in Delhi.The Chhat puja of Bihar is celebrated grandly as the festival of Durga puja.The Muslim festival Eid ul Fitr and Punjabi festival Lohri are celebrated without any difference.In Delhi ,we can also see the cultures of Haryana, Uttarpradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab as these are the bordering states of Delhi.Different monuments, sculptures, places add additional beauty to the city.

History:

A pic showing history of Delhi

Delhi was treated as the capital of the Pandavas during Mahabharata.Delhi was considered as the cultural, political, and commercial capital of North-West India and the Gangetic Plains during the Delhi Sultanate era.During the period of Mughal empire,Shah Jahan built a new capital city named Shahjahanbad which is now called as old Delhi.During his rule he had built several gates like The Kashmiri Gate, Delhi Gate and Ajmeri Gate.In the year 1911,the Britishers have decided to shift the capital from Kolkata to Delhi.Then they slowly moved their capital to the partially built New Delhi in 1912.When the Britishers left India in 1947, New Delhi became the capital of India.

Architecture:

Sites-monuments-touristspots-architecture-of-Delhi

The city has the oldest buildings that belong to the early muslims.During the period of Khaljis, the Pashtun style has been indulged in the Islamic architecture.The typical features of their style are red stand stone surfaces with white marbles inlays and the windows are fitted with perforated screens.The best examples for this Pashtun architecture includes the Quwat-ul-Islam mosque, the Qutb Minar, the tomb of Iltumish and the Ala’i Gate.In Delhi ,the first Mughal architecture was the Humayun’s tomb.Later the Mughal architecture can be further seen within the red fort.It has massive red stone walls, entertainment halls, balconies, baths, indoor canals, gardens and also one highly decorated mosque.Jama Masjid is also one of the finest architecture bulit by the Mughal empires.Humayun’s tomb and Red fort are UNESCO world heritage sites.During the British colonial rule, they have built the President House (Rashtrapati Bhavan), Parliament and Secretariat buildings.After the Independence, India has aimed to develop its own architectural language in a synthesis between Western and local styles.We can see such type of architectural styles in the Supreme Court building, the Vigyan Bhavan (a conference centre), the Crafts Museum and offices of the various ministries.

Climate:

Climatic conditions of Delhi

Delhi has a unique type of climate.In Delhi the warm season lasts from the month of April to July with the temperature ranging from 25 degrees to 36 degrees.The cold season lasts from the month of December to February with the temperature ranging from 2 degrees to 18 degrees.Monsoon arrives at the end of June with an increase in humidity and the mild winter starts in late November, reaches peaks in January with heavy fog.The average annual rainfall is approximately 714 millimeters.Most of the rainfall occurs during the months of July and August.

Economy:

Economy of Delhi

Delhi is considered as the largest commercial center in Northern India.According to 2013 the per capital income of Delhi was Rs.210000, which is recorded as the highest in India.According to the economic survey, the tertiary sector contributes 70.95 percent of Delhi’s State Domestic Product, followed by the secondary and primary sectors with contributions of 25.20% and 3.85% respectively.The workforce in Delhi has increased by 52.52% from the year 1991 to 2001.In accordance with it the unemployment rate has decreased from 12.57% in 2000 to 4.63% in 2003.The key services that are being provided in Delhi are information technology, telecommunications, hotels, banking, media and tourism.Apart from them, construction, power, health, community services and real estate are also important to the city’s economy. Delhi is one of India’s largest and fastest growing retail industries.Manufacturing of goods has also increased considerably with the establishment of manufacturing units and headquarters in the city.

Cuisine:

Spicy street food in Delhi

Being the Capital city of India and centuries old Mughal capital, different food habits have been indulged in it and it is also a place where the Mughlai cuisine had originated.The dishes of Delhi like Kebab, Biryani, Tandoori has world wide popularity.The classic dishes like Butter chicken, Aloo chat, Chaat, Dahi vada, Kachori, Chole bhature, Jalebi and lassi are also famous dishes available in Delhi.Street food is commonly habituated food for the citizens of Delhi.Highway Dhabas offer spicy food at low cost which is popular among the residents of Delhi.Apart from them, we can see the popular restaurants like Karim Hotel, the Punjab Grill and Bukhara.A street in Chandini Chowk is particularly famous for food eateries since the 1870s.Almost the entire street is occupied by fast food stalls or street vendors.It has became so popular such that almost every prime minister of India has visited the street to eat Paratha at least once.However, other Indian cuisines are also available in this area.

September 13, 2014
Culture of Nepal

Nepal has a unique culture which has evolved since many years.It’s culture is greatly influenced by religion, architecture, music and literature.In Nepal, we can find various temples, churches, monasteries and many other religious buildings.There are many ethic groups, tribal and social groups in Nepal.Different type of festivals and practices are seen in Nepal.Nepal got its name from the Kathmandu valley as the founder of the nation established a capital there in eighteenth century itself.

Culture of Nepal

Geography:

The country is spread over an area of 381,200 square kilometers.It is surrounded by three Indian states on south, west and east whereas the north border is shared by Tibet.Most of the Himalayan mountain ranges are in Nepal, including the Mt.Everest.The country is divided into three horizontal zones which are: the high mountains, the lush central hills, and the flat region with low water levels in the south.The trade factor has influenced the ethnic groups.There are more than thirty six ethnic groups and over fifty languages in Nepal.According to 1977 ,the population of Nepal is nearly 22.6 million.As the birth rate is gradually increasing in rural areas, people are migrated to cities.This lead to over population in Kathmandu, at present it is holding more than seven Lakh people.

Geography of Nepal

Ethnic relations:

Nepal consists of many cultural, racial, linguistic groups, that are mainly divided into three categories.Indo Napelese, Tibeto Nepalese and Indigenous Nepalese.Since centuries, they were practicing Hinduism and people speak Indo-Aryan languages.Most of these people settle in lower hills and river valleys.The second type is Tibeto Nepalese who have generally Mongolian features and they speak Tibeto Burmese languages.These people reside in hills and mountain areas.Different groups under Tibeto Nepalese practice Buddhism, Hinduism.Later these ethnic groups fell into single caste hierarchy.The first and the top most caste is Hindus, second is Matwalis who are generally alcohol drinking people.Bottom are the untouchable Hindu castes.Higher caste people buy lands and enjoy political and economic privileges whereas lower caste people are far from these opportunities.Untouchable castes were not permitted to own land.We know that the caste system is illegal, but it has not disappeared in many places.Most of the posts like civil services, army and police were selected by the higher caste people only.

Different Ethnic relations of Nepal

Food:

Nepalese enjoy different food items that are generally hot, spicy and nutritious.Newari and Thakali cuisines are the original taste of Nepal.Generally Nepalese cooking style is influenced by both Indian cuisine and Tibetan cuisine.Nepalese staple food is daal bhat tarkari.Most of the tourists who visit Nepal like to have hot and spicy meat curries that are cooked in their style.The meal includes different varieties of food items and also pickle that is made out of fruits or vegetables are served.Most families eat from individual plates while seated on the floor.It is more common to eat food with hands rather than utensils.In Nepal, high caste people only eat vegetarian and do not take alcohol whereas other caste people may drink alcohol, eat pork and even beef.People of higher caste do not show interest to eat food that is prepared by strangers.

Food of Nepal

Industries:

In Nepal there was no industrial development till the middle of the twentieth century.The industrial development is accomplished with the help of countries like India, China and Soviet Union.With the abundant availability of minerals, industrial development is made possible in Nepal.The major industries focused on was of jute, tea and sugar.Manufacturing of brick, tiles, construction materials, paper making, vegetable oil extraction, sugar refining and many more industries are established in Nepal.

Industrial textile factory

Trade:

The trade of Nepal mostly depends on the neighboring countries -India and China.Major of the goods are imported from India.Goods transportation is limited by the terrain.Nepal import gold, machinery and other equipment.In Nepal although roads and modern transport are available, much of the country goods are transported by porters and pack animals.Generally this type of transport is used where landslides and flooding is more.Not only imports ,but Nepal is also famous for exports of goods like carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute, and grain.Apart from these, Nepal is famous for tourism which is another primary export.

Nepal trade with the neighboring countries

Medicine and health care:

Nepal suffers from malnutrition, infant mortality,respiratory and intestinal diseases.In Nepal, average expectation of life span is fifty seven years.Being very poor , unhygienic and lack of health care, the hospitals are available only in urban areas.But these hospitals are also poorly equipped and unhygienic.Few medicines are also not available in rural areas.There are few western hospitals, but the poor cannot afford them because of high costs.People still believe in religious practitioners and they approach them if they have any health problems.Hence, few people look at Ayurvedic medicines.As they think that illness is caused due to the imbalance of body hormones, they try to balance them using proper diet.Recently malaria is eradicated in Nepal.So at present, health development is concentrated on immunization, birth control, and basic medical care.

Health care services in Nepal

September 9, 2014
Benefits of Pomegranate juice for health

Pomegranate is a thick skinned seedy fruit.The name pomegranate is derived from the french word “pomegranate” which means seeded apple.Pomegranates are originated in Iran and are brought to Egypt in 1600 B.C.This is not only used as a food source but it is also used as a medical source.Inside the fruits we can find jewel shaped seeds covered by a natural red rind.Drinking pomegranate juice helps our skin and hair in many ways.Of all the fruit juices, pomegranate juice is having special importance.This is because the peel contains the maximum amount of antioxidants which are released in abundance when the fruit is squeezed while juicing.Few people feel uncomfortable while eating the fruit with the little seeds.To such people pomegranate juice is the best way to enjoy the benefits of the fruit.In comparison to other fruits, pomegranates contain the maximum amount of anti-oxidants.The number of anti oxidants in pomegranate are nearly three times more than that in green tea and oranges.One glass of pomegranate juice will provide 40 percent of the body requirements.The juice must be taken without adding extra sweeteners to it, as it may counteract with some of the health benefits present in it.

Pomegranate juice is having many health benefits

Health benefits of pomegranate juice:

Over thousands of years in the middle and east regions pomegranate is used for medical purposes.Pomegranate juice is used as tonic for healing the frequently occurring body disorders like ulcers and diarrhea.The anti oxidants that are present in pomegranate juice offers protection against diabetes, heart diseases, osteoarthritis and several kinds of cancer.

Fruit with strong outer layer and red rind inside

Benefits for heart:

Pomegranate juice helps in keeping the arteries flexible and maintain perfect functioning of heart.Atherosclerosis, which is one of the main reason for causing heart disease, can be reduced by taking pomegranate juice.It lowers the amount of bad cholesterol that is retained in the body and increases the amount of good cholesterol.

Health-Benefits-of-Pomegranate-for-better-functioning-of-heart

Maintains blood sugar levels:

Pomegranate juice contains fructose, but it does not increase the blood sugar levels which the other fruit juices do.According to few studies it is observed that people who took this juice daily for a period of two weeks, had no effect on their blood sugar levels.

health benefits of pomegranate juice for maintaining blood sugar levels

Maintains blood pressure:

Pomegranate juice is helpful in reducing high blood pressure.The problems that are present in the blood vessels of heart patients can be reduced.This helps in coagulating blood and forming blood clots.It even acts as a blood diluting agent, and does not allow for an unrestricted flow of blood through the body.

Pomegranate-juice-control-high-blood-pressure

Protects from Cancer:

Pomegranate juice eliminates free bonding of atoms and it also reduces the growth and development of cancer tissues.The anti oxidants present in the fruit are helpful in promoting strong immunity system.Daily intake of a glass of pomegranate juice can slow down the growth of cancerous cells in prostate cancer.Pomegranate juice blocks aromatase and reduces the chances of getting breast cancer.

Pomegranate juice protects from cancer

Soothes the stomach:

Pomegranate juice is used in the treatment of diarrhoea.Digestion problems can overcome by taking pomegranate juice.This can be more effective by adding one teaspoon of honey in a glass of pomegranate juice.

Pomegranate-juice-resolves-digestion-problems

Boosts immunity:

Taking pomegranate juice boosts our immunity system, as it contains strong anti bacterial and anti microbial properties.The microbes that are responsible for forming cavities in the mouth can be reduced by taking pomegranate juice daily.Of all the fruits pomegranate is having the capacity to oppose the transmission of HIV.

pomegranate juice improves body immunity

Prevents anemia:

Anemia is caused due to the deficiency of red blood cells in the body.As pomegranate juice is rich in iron,it helps in developing the red blood cells in the body.By adding few sugars to the pomegranate juice and taking few drops of it in the nostrils, can reduce nose bleeds.It is used as a remedy for red eyes.

Chances of getting anemia can be reduced

Improves digestion:

Pomegranate juice aids in the smooth functioning of the stomach, heart and liver. This juice induces hunger and can even control thirst. Therefore it is a great choice of drink during summers. It also soothes urinary tract infection and eases the flow of urine. The high amount of dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble in pomegranate juice helps to improve digestion and regulate bowel movement. Since it has no saturated fats or cholesterol, it is highly recommended for those aiming to lose weight.

Pomegranate is good for digestion

Helps in cartilage regeneration:

Pomegranate juice helps in regulating the enzymes that damage the cartilage.So people who are suffering from bone disorders, joint pains and cartilage problems can overcome them by taking a glass of pomegranate juice.This is also observed by few studies.Bone inflammation can be relieved by taking unsweetened pomegranate juice.Taking pomegranate juice regularly dissolves the stones in kidneys and also cures the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual activity.

August 4, 2014