Category: Culture

The Taste of Chicago

The Taste of Chicago is the world’s largest outdoor food festival held annually mid-July in Grant Park , Chicago. This festival was the brainchild of Arnie Mortan.. He decided to line up Chicago restaurants to participate and persuaded the Mayor and Commissioner of Cultural Affairs to block off Michigan Avenue for the first Taste of Chicago on July 4, 1980. The organizers expected a footfall of around 100,000 , but the numbers surpassed the expectation by a broad margin and the event witnessed 250,000 visitors in its maiden year, wherein the food and soda sales grossed a total amount of $300,000. The next year, the Taste of Chicago was moved to Grant Park and grew in size and scope, becoming a 10-day event with more food vendors and musical performers, thereby gaining the title of the world’s largest and most celebrated food festival.

Grant Park is centrally located, easily accessible to public transportation and parking, and is identifiable to citizens and visitors as the center of the Grant Park Cultural community which includes the Art Institute, Adler Planetarium and Shedd Oceanarium, Field Museum, Cultural Center, Michigan Avenue and State Street Shopping. The use of Grant Park as a venue would also afford utilization of the Petrillo Music Shell, originally designed by the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. This would handily give access to a stage, dressing rooms and showers for performers, as well as seating for thousands of people.The popularity and immense success of The Taste of Chicago prompted other cities in US to spawn numerous offshoots throughout the country , such as The Taste of Denver , The Taste of Champaign . CityFest in Detroit , Taste in Dallas , Taste of Madison and many more.

The Taste of Chicago that was incepted in July 4th ,1980 is now one of the largest tourist attractions in Illinois. This free- admission festival, now in its 33rd year, is keenly awaited by people belonging to all age – groups and races and is responsible for infusing a vibrant spirit in the otherwise dull and work logged atmosphere of Chicago ! Food brings everyone together and calls for a reason to celebrate life ! Non-food related events include live jazzy music performances and some adventurous and bumpy rides for kids.Colorfully decorated food booths surround the outside kitchens of more than three dozen restaurants from all over Chicago, which now include Pop-Ups , Food trucks and Five-day Restaurants. Exotic aromas permeate the air and no visitor leaves a food booth empty handed.Last year’s “Taste” attracted more than one million visitors from all over the city, the suburbs, the Midwest and the country.

Taste underwent a major transformation in 2013 with several new areas that highlight Chicago’s vast culinary community crawling up. In addition to Pop-Ups, the event features Celebrity Chef du Jour, a specially designed air-conditioned dining experience where patrons can receive a sit-down, three-course meal prepared by noted chefs such as Graham Elliot and Stephanie Izard.The Family Village presents special activities for kids, while the Bud Light Stage offers the best in local and regional music, covering a variety of genres.For ardent food lovers , who desire more from this festival apart from munching on food, a popular attraction is the Dominick’s Cooking Corner where local chefs, guest stars and celebrity chefs demonstrate their wares and confide the secrets of their culinary success.

A star attraction in addition to Chicago’s vast culinary offerings are real stars from the music industry who perform on the main stage at the Petrillo Music Shell. Over the years the lineup has included multiple Grammy winners including stars such as Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder and Wilco. Taste of Chicago provides a phenomenal platform to capture the favorites and the future of Chicago’s restaurant and dining community.

This year , the event is gonna be held for five days from July 9, 2014 to July 13,2014 ! Touted to be the hottest party in the city with the best food vendors and the most fancy restaurants lining up to serve you some sumptuous and lip-smacking delicacies , the festival this year promises to provide us a clearer picture of the diverse culinary scene of Chicago ! It will feature the city’s most loved dishes and will leave the visitors spoilt for choices as their taste buds will go wild sampling more than 200 different menu items from a variety of cuisines like American , Indian , French , Irish , African , Chinese , Italian , Japanese and many more !

This year’s Taste of Chicago will feature performances by AWOLNATION, Janelle Monáe, Emmylou Harris, and Aloe Blacc, and more throughout the fest. The Food Truck vendors are back this year with seven new food trucks including Bridgeport Pasty , Harold’s Chicken , Chicago lunchbox and Starfruit Cafe.

The entrance into the festival is free but you do need to purchase tickets for the concerts at the Petrillo Music Shell and the Pure Leaf Celebrity Chef du Jour, where Art Smith, Andrew Zimmerman, and other notable chefs will prepare 3-4 course dinners inside the dining pavilion.Concert tickets start at $18 and that of Celebrity Chef du Jour events start at $45.

June 15, 2014
Eat Dessert First?

Any meal is incomplete without dessert. After tasting all the spices of the main course served, you need a refreshing and delightful dessert, calming down all your opened taste buds. Similarly, life of an individual is full of spices and at the end of each story we want a soft and delighting climax. Today keeping all your thoughts away spare a time to connect yourself with a calmer ‘You’!

Imagine a day, you waking up at 7 am, doing a little stretching exercises, taking a bath, dressing up for college/office, having the breakfast, driving your car to office/college or taking up a bus, attending lectures or doing at the office desk, having lunch, coming back home tired, changing clothes, having supper and finally again on bed. Doesn’t it sound monotonous?
Now again, imagine a day, with the same routine but some lively moments added to it. For example, when dressing up you see that your t-shirt/shirt isn’t matching your trousers and you then scanning your wardrobe finding some other. Or while attending lectures jokes cracked in between or the teacher himself cancelling the class. Or on the way back to home you meet an old acquaintance at the bus stop, and you getting engaged in a long conversation on how-about of that friend’s life. And so on. Life is supposed to be made a happening journey by experiencing the joy of liveliness with people sharing the Earth with you. Life cannot be lived alone, an individual needs a support at his/her low and high points.

Life offers a great variety of emotions to witness; happy, sad, content, love, anger, delightedness, fineness, rejection, care, beauty, fun etcetera. A person when truly living his life will definitely experience all such moods and emotions. The three basic amenities of this journey: Food, Shelter and vesture, is a fortune to have. One can easily relate to all these, but today let’s put the emphasis on Food and see how can we relate this voyage with it. So we have Food and Life on our minds now! If you tickle with your imagination, you will see that food and the life has a great junction. Initially, you as an infant, always under the protection of your parents, they seeing you growing up as a beautiful kid, a kid with a kind heart and carefree mind, just as a farmer taking care of his wheat crops which someday will process into a bread, satisfying the hunger of a needy.

Now entering into a new stage, stage of adulthood and extremities. A fully grown body with a mild brain. A grown up soul who believes that all he needs is freedom to stand on his feet but soon realizes that he’s still like freshly baked bread which needs a wrapping around to keep it preserved. And then comes the stage of a soldier, who is all set to face the challenges of life. Just like starters, which juice up your mouth, inclining the craving for the main course. After this, one jumps onto the main course, the stage of opening of the taste buds to undergo the spices and sweetness of every piece lacerated. And with this comes the spiciest yet sweet sequence of every individual’s life, LOVE! The purest form of divinity. In this phase, all gestures done or sensations felt are pleasantly attractive. And soon the person ties a knot with the one whom he/she loves and makes a new beginning. Facing each day along with the support of your soul mate, the life changes and continues adding spices to make you feel alive. This is definitely the most crucial part of your lifetime where you sense the feel of self-contentment, self-actualization and esteemer. Having your stomach almost full and you processing your thoughts with the idea that you’ve had the best you could but still longing for a delighting end. Here’s the dessert comes in the picture. After a face off with all bad and meet with all good, the curtain call should be calm and rejoicing. A life as a young at heart but old at look takes on its roll. That is the time when you have the chance to go down the memory lane and recalling the making of your story. A time to feel complete and satisfied for making it big.
Like a dessert, in the end of a concluded meal, puts you in a state of pleasurable feeling, life story’s end route also gives you the gratification of becoming and experiencing such time. In an attempt to collect all happiness and leaving the rest of motions of life, you will end up with a crying stomach, groaning. So, try and go with the pace, balancing all the acts and keeping eye on the targets with a heart filled with kindness and freshness, like a sweet and nourishing service of last course. With this, even a course meal teaches us the lessons of life that just have a taste of what comes in your way and wait because at the end you will be served with a slice of the cake, with a contest of whom winning the cherry. Since life is uncertain, go and win the dessert! 😉

June 15, 2014
Dutch Delicacies

We generally do not find many Dutch restaurants in India. The food from the Netherlands is not as famous as Mexican, Italian or French food but has a spectacular flavor which makes your mouth water and fall in love with it. A foodie like me would never miss a chance to hog on to Dutch food. A lot of sea food and vegetables are consumed by the Dutch, simply because they are into fishing and farming. Bread is also consumed in a large by them. They are number one consumers of bread worldwide.

Dutch cuisine includes many vegetables and little meat; since the consumption of bread is high, breakfast and lunch generally include bread with a variety of toppings whereas the dinner included some meat and potatoes with lots of seasonal vegetables. The Dutch people prefer relatively high carbohydrates and fat in food, reflecting the dietary need of the labourers. They also consume many dairy products. Many holidays and special occasions are good time to cook special foods. In the course of the twentieth century this diet changed and became much more cosmopolitan, with most international cuisines being represented in the major cities.

HISTORY

Traditionally, the Dutch cuisine consisted of simple food such as bread and herring. Their poverty played a huge role in modifying their cuisines. They consumed foods that were filling yet cheap. In the 18th century people started eating potatoes which became their staple food by 1800. In the early 1800s, while the rich afford what they desired, the working population ate bread and potatoes. In some areas, pancakes, fish and other seafood were consumed along with fruits and vegetables and a little meat.

Since potatoes were grown on a large scale; they were eaten at almost every meal. Boiled and pealed for the main course during lunch and warmed and mashed for dinner. The leftovers were served for breakfast with salt, sometimes vinegar, but without gravy or any other fat. Generally, gravy was served during lunch or dinner. Since it was the food of the poor, it wasn’t very lavish but was filling and tasty. Its simplicity was its USP.

During the nineteenth century, whatever the people drank was more or less watery, which meant that they consumed poor quality beverages with a lot of water in it. In few areas hot chocolate was consumed but beer and Jenever were the most famous drinks in the country. For most of the century beer was drunk in the southern part. This beer was top-fermented and of terrible quality; not until the 1880s did German-style bottom-fermented pilsner enter the Dutch market. Jenever consumption early in the nineteenth century was twice that of the equivalent.

FOOD

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Breakfast and lunch are similar in Dutch Cuisine. Both consist of bread with a wide variety of cold cuts, cheeses and sweet toppings; such as Hagel slag, vlokken and muisjes. The Dutch are known for their dairy products and specially cheeses. Edam, Gouda, Leerdammer, Leyden, Limburger, Maaslander, Maasdam, Mimolette, Parrano, Roomano, Vlaskaas and Prima Donna are a number of cheeses that are consumed in this nation. Dutch bread tends to be very airy, as it is made from yeast dough. Additional seeds such as sunflower or pumpkin seeds often mixed with the dough for taste. A Frisian luxury version of white bread is suikerbrood, white bread with large lumps of sugar mixed with the dough.[4] Kerststol is a traditional Dutch Christmas bread made of bread dough with sugar, dried fruits, raisins and currants and lemon and orange zest, eaten sliced, spread with butter. The Dutch produce a wide variety of breads.

TEA TIME

Dutch people invite friends over for koffietijd (coffee time), which consists of coffee and cake or a biscuit, served between 10 and 11 a. m. (before lunch) and/or between 7 and 8 p. m. (after dinner). The Dutch drink coffee and tea throughout the day, often served with a single biscuit. Dutch thrift led to the famous standard rule of only one cookie with each cup of coffee. It has been suggested that the reasons for this can be found in the Protestant mentality and upbringing in the northern Netherlands.Café au lait is also very common. It is called koffie verkeerd (literally “wrong coffee”) and consists of equal parts black coffee and hot milk. The Dutch drink tea without milk and the tea is quite a lot weaker than the typical English types of tea which are taken with milk. Other hot drinks used to include warm lemonade, called kwast (hot water with lemon juice), and anijsmelk (hot milk with aniseed).

DINNER

You will not find many vegetarians over there and thus consumption of meat is common. Dinner is generally served early that starts around or even before 6 o’clock in the evening. The Dutch dinner consists of one simple course: potatoes, meat and vegetables. Traditionally potatoes with a large portion of vegetables and a small portion of meat with gravy, or a potato and vegetable stew are served. A typical traditional Dutch dinner would include stamppot (Dutch mashed potato mixed with other mashed vegetables) and pea soup.. Vegetable stews served as side dishes are for example rodekool met appeltjes (red cabbage with apples), or rode bieten (beetroot). Regular spices used in stews of this kind may be bay leaves, juniper berries, cloves, and vinegar, although strong spices are generally used sparingly. Stews are often served with pickles, including augurken (gherkins) or cocktail onions (zilveruitjes). The Dutch food is rarely hot or spicy. They prefer eating boiled food over fried ones.

SPECIAL FOODS

Cooking special food during special occasions is not something that only the Dutch follow. A variety of food is cooked at different occasions. The birth of a child is an occasion for serving beschuit met muisjes (Dutch rusk covered with sugared aniseed).

The Dutch celebrate a festival of Sinterklaas is held on 5 December. On this occasion, the Dutch drink hot chocolate milk and eat spice cookies, like speculaas.

Christmas dinner is also a family occasion where roast pork, game or other luxury meat may be served. An alternative typical Dutch tradition for Christmas meals is ‘gourmet’, when people sit together around a gourmet-set (small table top cooking stove with miniature frying pans) and use their own small frying pans to cook different types of meats, fish prawns/shrimps and finely chopped vegetables accompanied by salads, fruits and sauces.

A famous Dutch sweet is zoute drop, (lit. “salty liquorice”) and other liquorice sweets. These sweets are small, black and look much like gums. The four types of drop are soft sweet, soft salt, hard sweet and hard salt drop. It is said that Dutch settlers introduced the cookie to North America. In fact, even the word ‘cookie’ comes from the Dutch ‘koekje’.

June 15, 2014
Wicca: The Mysterious Religion

Wicca, even though treated as a religion, can also be termed as a school of thought or philosophy. A nature-based religion Wicca was brought into the limelight by retired British civil servant Gerald Gardner around 1950s. Wicca is the infamous witchcraft practice and the female followers of the beliefs of this religion call themselves as witch, but basically they are regarded as neo-pagans.

Wicca is a religion shrouded in mystery with no central authority or figure defining it. It is diverse in nature with various traditions, each having its own structural organization and level of centralization. The religion is quite controversial as well with the unknown facts of what actually constitutes Wicca. Being typically duotheistic, Wiccans celebration follows eight seasonally based festivals known as Sabbats.

Wicca often involves ritual practice of magic which is the core of discussion in this article.

The Use of Magic in Wicca

Wicca is regarded as the mysterious religion majorly for the use of magic in it. The magic is widely regarded as black magic or a manipulative force exercised through the practice of witchcraft or sorcery. Wiccans majorly believe in the definition of magic given by magician Aleister Crowley who says that “magic is the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will”. Wiccans firmly believe magic to be a law of nature, and regrets that it is being misunderstood by the society by large and the contemporary science as something supernatural and is often being feared of. They believe that magic is the simple way to use the five senses with concentrated and pure soul in order to achieve surprising result. For example, if you are feeling depressed wiccans would suggest to light some scented candles in a dark room and resign from the outer world to look within. In this way a person would come close in contact with his/her five senses to eventually reach a state of relaxation. Or else they could also suggest on to welcome any spirit in order to get out from the depressed state.

Wiccan ritual practices are often staged in a sacred circle involving cast of various spells like dragon spell, moon spell, and nature spell, actually intending to bring changes in the physical world.

Dichotomy of White-Black Magic

Ancient Wiccans such as Alex Sanders, Sybil Leek and Doreen Valiente preferred to call their practice as white magic, might be in order to refer their work as serene and in the hope of recognition in the world; since their work was widely considered as something ominous and termed as black magic, purposed only to bring forth evil. Though in their words they say black magic is completely different from their kind of work and is related to pure evil and Satanism. Some modern Wiccans have however stopped using the white-black magic dichotomy arguing the skeptical theory that the color black should not be essentially attached with evil.

Days and Dates of Celebration

The magic used in Wicca ranges from the “low” or “folk” magic to a more complex rites and rituals influenced by ceremonial magic of Western Hermetic Tradition.

Apart from being performed rites in a sacred circle, the Wiccans celebration of Sabbats include fix days and dates for the celebration. Often these are carried out in the nights of full moon.

And in some cases during new moon known as an Esbat.

The Magical Tools in Wicca

The casting of spells involves the invocation of Guardians of the cardinal points along with the respective natural elements: earth, fire, water, and air. These rites often include a special set of magical tools such as a knife, known as athame; a wand, a pentacle, and a chalice. Other tools include the infamous and usually portrayed broomstick known as a besom, a cauldron, candles, incense sticks and a carved blade known as boline.

Sacred Attires Worn in Wicca

One of the aspects of Wicca includes working or performing the rites nude, something which is typical in Gardnerian and Alexandrian school of Wicca, known as skyclad. The practice is apparently being derived from a line in Aradia, Charles Leland’s supposed record of Italian witchcraft.

Other traditions involve attires like robes with cords tied around the waist worn while performing the rites.

Sex Magic

Another theme which makes Wicca a controversial and mysterious religion is the theme of Sex Magic. In certain traditions of Wicca ritualized Sex Magic is performed and is often termed as the Great Rite. In this a High Priest and a High Priestess invoke the God and the Goddesses to be seen before them performing the sexual intercourse. Wiccans believe that the energy that is being involved during the intercourse is completely pure and is powerful. The energy is thus believed to raise the power bar of the spell work making the spell more effective. In this rite the athame is used to symbolize the male organ while a chalice is used to symbolize the female womb.

Therefore it can be concluded that the use of magic in Wicca is like any other ritual and is nothing extraordinary. The Wiccan religion itself is as pious as any other religion. Like every religion has its own way of performance and execution Wicca too follows its own practices. Even though it is not a recognized religion yet but there are many groups such as Coven Celeste and The Aquarian Tabernacle Church in Canada has successfully campaigned against the British Columbian government which confined them to practice their religion. In India, Ipsita Roy Chakraverti is the sole Wiccan priestess who came out to call herself as a witch after the completion of her studies on Wicca without any apprehension. Even though this was opposed by the late Bengal CPM leader Jyoti Basu, Ipsita Roy Chakraverty has achieved a greater level of applause while administrating Wiccan ways of healing in the remote villages, and also in major cities like Kolkata in India.

June 15, 2014
Street Food Made Easy Part-2

Okay, for those of you who have read the previous edition to this article, I am not going to bother with an explanation regarding what street food is, how it tastes, what are its benefits and the like. However, for those who are reading about street food for the first time, this article will surely prove to be a pleasant surprise. And dare I say both for the tummy and the mind!

Street food can be of various types. It can include heavy or light food items as per your hunger pangs. Well, in this article, I would like to satisfy those among you who prefer the former category.

Often while returning from work or from school or from college, you find your stomach rumbling. Really loudly! Well, what to do? You know that having food from the street is not really the safest bet for your health. But what is the alternative then? It is really simple actually. Just make those street food items which you have been craving for God know how many days at your own home! Follow the recipes given below to get the most satisfying and sumptuous results with the utmost amount of ease on your part. I assure you that you will not be disappointed in the least. Simply read on to find out more!

(1) Dahi Papdi Chaat:

Dahi Papdi Chaat is a very popular north Indian (Maharashtrian) street food item. Chaat essentially means a Hindi word which literally means ‘to lick’. It is now used to describe a whole range of savoury snacks and fast food items across Indian and in some places abroad as well. Papdi refers to the special crisp fried dough wafers which are made in a special way by using refined white flour and oil (mustard usually) as the main ingredients.

Ingredients:

•Crisp Papdis: 24.
•Whisked Yoghurt: 1 ½ cups.
•Salt: According to taste.
•Sugar: 1 tbsp.
•Boiled and Chopped Potatoes: 2 medium sized.
•Blanched Sprouted Green Gram: ½ cup.
•Red Chilli-Garlic Chutney: ¼ cup.
•Green Chutney: ½ cup.
•Sweet Tamarind Chutney: ¼ cup.
•Roasted Cumin Powder: 1 tsp.
•Chaat Masala: ½ tsp.
•Red Chilli Powder: ½ tsp.
•Fresh Coriander Leaves: According to use.
•Sev: As required.
•Peeled Pomegranate (Anar): 2 tbsp.

Preparation:

•Add salt and sugar to the yogurt and whisk further till it has arrived at a smooth consistency. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator till use. In the meantime, arrange the Papdis on a medium-sized plate.
•Place some of the chopped potatoes over each Papdi. Over that, put some boiled sprouted moong. Drizzle a little Red Chilli-Garlic Chutney, Green Chutney and Sweet Tamarind Chutney over those.
•Sprinkle cumin powder, chaat masala, a little red chilli powder and salt. Top it all up with the chilled yogurt mixture.
•Drizzle some more of the Sweet Tamarind Chutney and the Red Chilli-Garlic Chutney. Then add the coriander leaves, Sev and the pomegranate pearls on top at the end.
•Serve immediately.

Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes.

Serves 4.

(2) Pav Bhaji:

Pav Bhaji is an exceedingly popular Maharashtrian street food item that traditionally originated in the Mumbai cuisine. While the Bhaji part of the dish is a traditional Indian name for a vegetable dish, the Pav or Pau or Pao was the Portuguese word for bread (small rolls). Pav Bhaji is native to Mumbai and has now become popular in almost all the metropolitan areas in India especially in those of central and western Indian states such as Gujarat and Karnataka.

Ingredients:

•Turmeric Powder: ¼ tsp.
•Pav Bhaji Masala Powder: 1 ½ tbsp.
•Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 ½ tbsp.
•Finely Chopped Tomatoes: 3 medium sized.
•Tomato Sauce (Optional): 4 tbsp.
•Lemon Juice (Optional): 1-2 tsp.
•Finely Chopped Onion for Garnishing (Optional): 1 small sized.
•Coriander Leaves for Garnishing: According to requirement.
•Butter/Oil for Bhaji: 1 tbsp.
•Additional Butter for Pav: According to requirement.
•Pav (Buns): 6 to 8.

Preparation:

•Add the butter or oil in a pan and heat it up. Add the chopped onions and fry till they turn translucent. Then, add the ginger garlic paste and fry till it gets fragrant.
•Add the chopped tomatoes, the turmeric powder and then sprinkle salt. Continue to fry till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
•Add the chilli powder, extra salt and Pav Bhaji Masala powder. Mix well and fry for another 2 minutes.
•Pour water so that it is just enough to cover the vegetables.
•Add the coriander leaves. Mix well and mash the curry if you desire a smooth Bhaji.
•Cook till the consistency of the gravy becomes thick.
•Slit the Pav buns horizontally leaving one edge intact.
•Heat the butter on a pan. Open the buns and toast it for a minute or two. If you like to make it spicier, sprinkle some Pav Bhaji Masala Powder on the inner side.
•Garnish with onions and serve either hot or warm.

Preparation Time: 25-30 minutes.

Serves 3-4.

So, there you are. I am sure that you must be salivating by now if you have read through the recipes and seen the pictures. Especially if you are on an empty stomach! Well, then. Why the wait up? Go to the kitchen and start cooking. Nobody is going to stop you from devouring these delicious food items once you are done!

Happy snacking folks!

June 15, 2014
Rajasthan: The land of culture and heritage.

When the native tribes of Rajasthan sing “Padharo Mhare Des”, the guests feel honoured to be welcomed to the land known for its chivalry and etiquette and more than that, for its hospitality. From the time of the Maharajas, guests were held in high respect and even the enemies were treated with humbleness. What better greeting could a visitor want to hear that the enthralling tune of ‘Padharo Mhare Des”!

They call it the “land of royal Rajputs”! But is it just that? I believe not. There is so much more about this land of astonishing colours and elements where every facet is designed so very uniquely. Echoes of the history can be heard in its exquisite forts, monuments and palaces that are designed with absolute architectural splendour. All the festivals in the state are celebrated with great vibrancy and grandeur that showcase folk dances and songs about tragedy, romance and courage of the great kings. The state boasts of it brilliant art and paintings that take your heart at once. The state is extremely popular for its rich culture and tradition. It’s the land of romantic forts and magnificent palaces, where resonate in the air, the tales of valour and sacrifice. It’s the state I have always been in love it. Whether it’s travelling during a desert safari or visiting a holy temple, Rajasthan is the perfect tourist destination for everyone.

Pushkar

The Pushkar Lake

The legends say that Lord Bhrahma dropped a Lotus flower to Earth and Pushkar floated to surface. It is a small Hindu pilgrimage town with one of the world’s only Bhrahma temples. A mystic lake lies in the centre of the town that is aligned by rows of Ghats. The sky is usually dull grey and hundreds of temples and domes sit under it. You may find a lot of hippies and backpackers in Pushkar all through the year. People come here to get in touch with their spiritual self or just to enjoy the peace and calmness that persist in the environment here. The town really comes alive during the Pushkar Mela in November during which the main attraction is the Camel Fair. It is fascinating to see a tradition as old as hundreds of years still continuing in today’s world.

Jodhpur

Umaid Palace

Walk through the galleries of the Umaid Bhavan in Jodhpur and you will know what it is to stand in one of the largest forts of the world. Jodhpur is popularly known as the “Sun City”. The skyline of the city is dominated by the view of the eccentric Mehrangarh fort. The magnificent Umaid Bhawan Palace, the graceful cenotaph of Jaswant Thada and the beautiful Madore Garden are the pride of Rajasthan.

Jaisalmer

The Jaisalmer fort

Jaisalmer is a city that seems to have come out right from an Arabian Nights fable. A city that rises magically from the sand dunes of the state. The majestic Jaisalmer fort is perched high on a pedestal that overlooks the city. When you enter the fort, it looks alive and spellbinding. Consisting of 5 temples, various temples, and some amazingly exquisite mansions, a stroll through the huge fort will charm you beyond imagination.

Udaipur

The Lake Palace

Udaipur. One of the most beautiful cities in the world. The beauty of the city will leave you awestruck. It is an enchanting place with huge havelis, intricate palaces which overlook glistening lakes and when the sun rays hit the waters which reflect it toward the forts, the beauty of the city grows manifold. The way Udaipur has been constructed is exquisite as the architecture portrays both the Rajput and the Mughal lineage. Also, the narrow lanes of the old Udaipur city are worth exploring. The city is often referred to as the “Venice of the East”. The Jag Mandir, the Palace Museum, the Sahelio ki Bari stand as witness to the hoary past of the city. Take a boat ride in the Pichola Lake, and it would become an experience of a lifetime.

Jaipur

Hawa Mahal

Let’s come to the capital now. Jaipur. The city closest to my heart! It’s huge, it’s loud, it’s crowded and it’s full of vigour. Jaipur is part of the Golden Triangle tourist circuit in India and lures tourists from all round the globe. A visit to the city will make you experience the glory of the monarchy that once ruled the city. The city has some of the most amazing heritage hotels that have been converted to 5 Star hotels from old havelis, giving the visitors a grand feel during their stay. Visit the Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal and Jaigrah fort, all of which are designed to showcase tremendous technological capabilities even the olden days. The Bapu Bazar is the main market place and one may experience the best of shopping here. The beautiful lehengas, bandhini, ethnic clothes, handicrafts, mojris will all make you come back with hands full of shopping bags.

Rajasthan therefore, is not only the “land of the Rajputs”, it is the land of sand dunes, the land of heritage, the land of culture, the land of camel safaris, the land of wildlife, the land where the Maharajas fought bravely to protect it from the Mughal rule, the land where valour and courage runs in the blood of its people. A land of colours. A land of festivities.

It is the land where even today, guests are treated as Gods. A land where ATHITHI DEVO BHAVA is not just preached, but practised too!

June 15, 2014
Going Places: A Street Food Junkie’s Survival Guide
Holiday season is here and bags are packed. Every year some travel bug feasts on my family members and we end up in some random town. So when travel bug bite my brother this year, we ended up in Kota (Have you heard about it? It is a beautiful town in Rajasthan).

Traveling to a place where you have never eaten before is a Food Junkie’s dream destination. To tell you the truth, it is every Indian’s delight. How can you NOT like trying new food items, tell me? Though there might be some exceptions like my brother who has no appreciation for food and thus always judges me on the account of unhealthy street food I eat.

Out on street, the first thing my cousin, who is a resident of Kota, told me was, ‘As long as your taste buds are not used to this city, you shouldn’t take any risk with the street food’. Well, that’s true to every word, I swear. Else there might be some bad consequences.

Coming back to the point, every Indian city has its own street delight. Let me be sure you know exactly what I am talking about when I talk about street food. When somebody mentions street food, you might think about chaat without wasting a moment. Yes, chaat is street food but it is a small portion of the bigger universe.

Street food, as one can understand by the name itself, is food which is sold (but may or may not be made) in streets. It ranges from the light chaats to hearty meals like Daal-baati choorma, Rajma-Chawal, Pulao and Curry. Just anything and everything. The only thing that stands out between a Dhaaba and Street vendors is that these street sellers are too poor to start a dhaaba. But at the same time, due to their easy availability and reasonable prices, they are always a hit among lower to middle class and college going people. Also, the quality of celebrated street food is that it might not be the mainstream found in restaurant menus but it stands as the heartbeat of the city, adored by common people.

In other words, as historic monuments are a must visit in order to study the culture of a city, same way, eating street food and exploring regional arts is also a must to indulge in the culture of a city. It gives a new flavor to life. These things are only known by Street Food Junkies who go out in the streets to rejuvenate their taste buds.

Now, if you are a Street Food Addict or aspiring to be a Street Food analyst (if there is any such thing), you can follow some of these tips in order to enjoy Street Food without mulling over consequences.
1. Give your taste bud a little time to get along with the local taste.
Especially if you are not used to local spicy food. Proceed with small amounts at first and build up tolerance to the taste.
1. Have you ever played the game ‘Follow the Leader’?
You have to do the same. Follow the crowd and have faith on the locals. They know more than you. If they are avoiding a particular street vendor, it isn’t a time to act all radical. Go with the flow.
1. Make sure food is being cooked freshly.
Fresh doesn’t mean something cooked 8 hours earlier and heated in the present time. Sneak peak in the vendor’s utensils to check if he is continuously cooking. If not, this isn’t a place for you.
1. How many flies can you count at the counter/the vendor’s utensils?
You know the rule- higher the number of flies-lower the quality-worst the consequences. However tasty the food may seem, if it is already taken by the flies, you shall not claim it.
1. Fact-Fruit is healthy. Reality-It depends on circumstances.
Don’t let the worldly pleasure of pre-sliced fruits tempt you. ALWAYS make sure fruits are freshly cut or get it sliced right in front of you. Don’t take the chance with heavenly-looking fruits if you love your stomach.
1. Last but not the least, when you are out in the street, keep clean drinking water handy. You shall be a teenage rebel or a liberal minded person. But water is water. It should be clean and hygienic.
There is a lot more to learn in the art of Street Food eating but we believe what the elders have told us, ‘Experience is our true teacher’. Being broke teaches us the art of bargaining, especially if there are no written prices. Loyalty towards a particular street vendor earns us the extra sauce. And a lot more such tricks.

Now, go out in streets and don’t be afraid to try new dishes. In this free country, we have every right to eat the food we want without being judged by those who don’t know anything about the pleasure of street food. Feel gratitude towards these people who feed us Food Junkies.

Also take adequate precautions to fully enjoy the trip and food. You will survive, just like I do every time.

As for me, I’ll go back into the street for another street photography session hiding this eating bug somewhere inside me that will guide me to the final destination- a Street Vendor’s Stall.
June 15, 2014
Madurai: Symbol of Tamil Culture
History of Meenkashi temple :
- Meenakshi Amman temple is an ancient temple which is located on the banks of river Vaigai in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu.
- Meenakshi Amman Temple is also called as Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple. This temple is more than 2500 years old. This temple is dedicated to the deities mainlyMeenakshi who is the modern avatar of goddess Parvathi and Sundareshwar as Lord Shiva.
- The temple was originally built during 7th century by the first Pandya’s .
- Malayadwaja Pandya who was one of the kings who ruled Madurai, in South India.Meenakshi was the daughter of the king Malayadwaja Pandya and queen Kanchanamala.
- Meenakshi was a miracle child gift given by god to both the king and queen after their sincere performance of yagna to have children’s , as they din’t have children’s from many days.
- Meenakshi was a brave girl who was thought the art of war and martial arts. She got married to Lord Shiva . So Meenakshi temple was built after her and Madurai city was formed around the temple.
June 15, 2014
Your Guide to a Healthy Summer

With summers on their peak,sweaty brows, wrinkly and soaked collars and sleeves,it is but obvious that all activity slows down. The most blissful thing to do is relax in a cool room sipping a cool beverage.But well yes,this is the season of gross negligence towards one’s health as well.Your selective participation in the daily work(read as lazy attitude) in the summers has to be taken care of.Undoubtedly it sounds like an ordeal but what are a few precautionary measures and lifestyle changes to keep yourself from bloating or falling ill?After all health is wealth.So here is a way out of this vicious cycle of summer laziness.All you have to do is SINCERELY follow the given 10 steps :

1)Water:with an optimum intake of at least seven to eight liters of water each day,it would do absolute wonders to flush out the impurities from your system.Improves your digestion,prevents water retention,facilitates production and flow of blood and keeps the excessive fat(the water soluble kinds) from getting stored.A glass every morning with a slice of lemon can also work up wonders in clearing your system,and whats more,the lemon helps in cutting out fat.You may add honey(about a teaspoon or even less) if required though sugar is an absolute no no in the morning water and lemon intake.P.S.I know its hard to have warm water in such blistering summers,so you may replace it with water at room temperature for the first glass of lemon and water each morning.

2)Watermelon the wonder melon:to start with IT IS NOT A FRUIT,ITS A VEGETABLE,that too from the family of squashes and gourds.It contains about 92% water content,8% roughage and 0% fat,yes absolutely no fat,at all.Everything in it is edible be it the seeds the center or the rind.It has ample amounts of Lycopene (known to prevent heart attacks)hence ideal for heart patients for prevention of heart attacks or cardiac arrests due to the blistering heat.An excellent way to keep yourself hydrated,its slices can also be used to clear dead skin .Extremely healthy,filling and good for the gut and the face,you must make full use of this summer boon.Watermelon shakes and smoothies even cocktails are a good way to beat the heat.

3)Black gram and soya bean Sprouts:source of pure protein,almost fat free with bare minimum amount of calories are an apt way to keep healthy.Just boil them or saute them,or have them right after a good wash soak, put some salt and pepper to taste ,garnish with mint leaves and onion sliced and chopped fine.You may add some chutney to soothe the taste buds .Thin ginger slices with a few drops of lemon (tomatoes,radish are and cucumbers are optional) recommended as garnish as well,since they also help cut out the excess fat.

4)Almonds:A marvelous source of natural oils required by the body,almonds are an excellent way to bust that craving.In fact since its summers,you can soak up some almonds every night in a cup full of water and peel of its skin and eat every morning.Intake of at least seven almonds(preferably soaked in water to cool of the heat increasing factor) also boosts your memory and improves skin texture.Now here we are talking of all round care!Just in case you are not really fond of having it plain,you may grind them with elaichi (green cardamom)seeds and use it as an addition to cold milk .By hook or crook,almonds are a must.

5)Mattha:the good old mattha comes to save you from a heaty summer day!So take some curd and water and churn it up with salt to taste and add some jeera(cumin seeds) powder ,and viola! here is your wonder beverage!It saves you from the effects of excessive heat,keeps you full and helps you in weight loss.You can also garnish this with crushed ginger and mint leaves.An apt beverage for all meals,mattha is the in thing to bust some fat.

6)Have small meals at short intervals.By reducing your portions and eating at intervals of two hours or so helps you keep a check on overeating.Using a smaller plate to eat from can also psychologically help you in reducing your meal size.Do so in a methodical manner by reducing the amount of food each time you eat.Eg.you may start with two servings of rice and the next day you can reduce it to around one and a half serving.This ways you will also save yourself from the so called ‘dieting’ that requires you to not eat at all.

7)Avoid fried food as much as you can.An occasional intake is allowed from time to time ,like once every week but try restraining yourself.It would be better if you replace your regular cooking oil with olive oil,which is a healthier option as it poses no cholesterol related threats and is rather fat free as compared to other oils and cooking mediums.

8)Cold drinks and aerated drinks have to be avoided as far as possible,they dehydrate you and contain huge amounts of caffeine and sugar. Not only they deteriorate your teeth enamel (the outermost layer that protects your teeth) but is also highly acidic in nature when compared to the natural acids secreted by the lining of your stomach and gut.It messes up the chemical balance of your natural systems.

9)Include as many green vegetables and seasonal fruits in your diet.Going for packed goods and ready to eat products has to be minimized.

10)Try having a dessert as a complete meal in itself instead of having it after a meal.This will drastically reduce your chances of overeating.And yes ,try at all instances not to go overboard with the sweet dish.A serving or two should be it.

P.S:try some yoga or brisk walking each day to make your efforts even more fruitful.

Follow these steps ,stick to them at all instances,each moment and each day.STAY HEALTHY, STAY WEALTHY!

June 15, 2014
New Food Trend : Organic Is The Way

Food is something without which we can’t live. As population has risen over the years, the demand for food has increased manifold too. This leads to extensive industrial farming, with the usage of chemicals and artificial ways to produce cheap and huge quantity of food. But are they nutritious? The answer is a big no. By eating this food we are poisoning our body and destroying nature, ecosystem and our environment. The only solution to this is buying organic products as much as possible. Every food has an organic counterpart, but the problem is that may not be available everywhere and is costlier than the normal, chemical-stricken food. And if you are on a budget, the matter just becomes all the more worse.

So while you love to buy 100% organic all the time, that is not always possible. So here’s a guide to help you decide as to what foods should be on your priority list for going organic.

Milk:

Dairy cows are usually fed hormones, antibiotics and pesticide-covered grains, which increase their milk production capacity. But these really harmful and carcinogenic chemicals end up in our bodies through the milk they produce. And the higher is the fat level of milk, the higher is the amount of pesticides. And this becomes a major problem because milk is fed to babies and toddlers, and it may result in retarded growth. So the absolute number one priority in your household should be organic milk for kids.

Apples:

Apples are at the top of the high pesticide level list. It is always correctly said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, provided that the apples are organic, especially if you and your family are a regular applesauce eater, because it is swimming in several different pesticides. Apples, these days are contaminated with thiabendazole, a possible carcinogen. So switch to organic varieties of apples, to get the fiber that they provide and to keep your digestive system in shape.

Nectarines:

About 97 percent of nectarines are found to contain pesticides and carcinogens like iprodiene. You should buy them organic to enjoy the nutrients that they provide to keep your eyes and skin healthy.

Grapes:

Grapes have more pesticides than any other fruits. Grapes contain 64 different pesticides. If they are bought organic, they offer a variety of vitamin and mineral health benefits as they are a great source of calcium, iron and manganese that are essential for production of healthy tissues.

Peaches:

Peaches are loaded with antioxidants and they are a great source of fiber. But these days they can contain almost 62 chemicals that are carcinogens, pesticides, neurotoxins and reproductive toxins. That is more than most fruits and veggies, so make sure your peaches are always organic.

Potato:

Potatoes are a great source of fiber and potassium and a great source of energy. But lately, they are found to be containing neurotoxin chemicals and cause mental and emotional changes, vision loss and weakness or numbness in arms and legs. Almost 80% of potatoes contain pesticides which are sometimes no removed even after peeling or washing them. So buying organic potatoes is a very good option.

Meat:

If you eat meat, it is important to be aware that conventional meat contains hormones, antibiotics and pesticides. And the use of antibiotics in foods contributes to rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Organic meats can be expensive, but they offer good nutritional benefits, for example the protein, iron and zinc packed in the red meat.

So these were the organic foods which are definitely worth paying more for. Organic food is safe, friendly, and highly nutritional, and is, in correct terms, the tastier and healthier food. Going organic is beneficial for the environment in more ways than you can imagine. It provides protection to the farm workers as there is no usage and inhalation of toxic and harmful pesticides. It promotes agricultural diversity .and is better even for wildlife and domestic animals as the foods are free of chemicals. Buying organic food balances the natural resources of environment as it is free of any genetic modification. And as they are away from all these bad things, they are obviously good to taste and are the most nutritional food stuff and surely, away from diseases. These foods protect the future generation as well, as they avoid the mutations in them due to the lack of carcinogenic and mutagenic chemicals. It is also a way of creating a better, greener and sustainable future for the generations to come. So make the powerful decision of nourishing your personal and mental health by going organic!!

June 15, 2014