U&Me

Why veg food is better than non-veg?

2012-02-01T20:34:00.000+05:30

Blogging after a long time..
This time I want to share my thoughts on eating habits and its effects.

I have been attending a session named "Perfecting Youth" given by a monk named "Udayvallabh Maharaj". Lately he spoke on boycott of non-veg food. But to convince a young educated crowd like us... is bit difficult!

Following are the points covered:

We humans are born vegetarians
Some body parts like nails, eyes, intestine, teeth, and drinking manner defines if an animal/ Living Creature is carnivorous or herbivorous.
First let's look at teeth. If the mammal has long, sharp canine teeth next to the front (incisor) teeth and also has sharp cheek teeth (carnissials) it is a carnivore. The canines are for seizing and stabbing prey. The carnassials help cut up meat in the mouth. If the mammal has either blunt canines or no canines, and has big flat side and back teeth (premolars and molars) it is a herbivore. Herbivores use their molars for crushing and grinding plants.
We don't have sharp claws nor do we have front facing eyes. Our Intestines are longer too. This proves that Nature has defined as to be vegetarians. For more info read this article.
No religion propagates non-vegetarianism
Does your? Even in Islam, there is no mention of butchering a Goat on the occasion of Eid. There has been a mention to sacrifice their most beloved thing though.
Loss to Ecosystem
The ICAR states that 12Cr tonnes of agricultural produce is required for 102cr Indians. And yet 30cr tonnes is produced. Why do we still face food shortage? The reason being more agricultural produce goes to poultry industries. It is infact produced for cattle rearing. Mere 600Cr is consumed by USA for poultry.
The amount of agriculture produce required to satisfy 16 humans is alone consumed by a cattle which gives that amount of meat to satisfy 4 humans.
What a waste!
Arent the non-vegetarians responsible for global warming in a way? Just Think!
Extinction of the feeling of mercy
This a great loss to the society. More than the extinction of animals.

How often do you find a butcher well mannered, polite and thoughtful! A habit of chopping another living creature (i mean an animal with all 5 senses and not plants who have only one sense i.e. touch) and eating it with pleasure makes one cruel.

It is psychological to develop the aggression and non-compassion. This feeling grows and starts to show its effects on family, friends and society. He will never fear to act violent as it has been accustomed to do it on animals.

Why cant we see a non-violent movement outside India? As there is hardly any country who would propagate vegetarianism on religious basis (by compulsion).
Have a healthy body
How many of us are advised to reduce meat consumption by doctors? Be it Weight loss or cardiac disorders. Ayurveda is a science of medicine made from plants and herbs. Today the world is going herbal. The reason being its most effective and suitable for our body.

We all are being taught since school about transformation of energies through Food Chain. This means that less energy is available at the herbivore level than at the primary producer level, less yet at the carnivore level, and so on.
Its not easy to digest meat. It stinks in the intestines for days. If water in digested in 1-2 hrs and plants in 2-4 hrs, meat and flesh takes about 2 to 3 days.
What You Eat is What You Become
This is something my granny used to tell us..."આહાર ઍવો ઓડકાર" I dont understand what it means in depth but i definitely don't want to be another animal. I would prefer to take the "Joy of giving" culture from the plants who have been valuable to the Eco-system and also to me.

I guess the only... perhaps the most hidden reason why people pledge to non-veg is the taste it cultivates. Just like cocaine... it gets addictive!

Futile

2011-11-18T16:52:00.001+05:30

Struck by a lightening, Frozen by the light,
A light that showed her truth, in the bewildered dark night.

That night it burned, the feathers of a flying bird,
Left it alone in her world, with no choice but to wait unheard,
Her wound got reverse healing, and the pain made her numb,
She had to wait patiently sealing, a bitter truth, that broke her into crumb.

She had feared the journey, but headed bravely,
To make a fiction turn truth;
Ohh she failed badly, and couldn't fulfil sadly,
The dream she saw in her youth.

The journey of despair seems so long,
Though useless, she aims to get along;
And reach the destination to relish others celebrate,
Coz achievement is with whom, she never had a date!

An Unfortunate life of a brave bird.
She came to know a fiction which was so exciting that it thrilled her all life... She waited till the opportunity knocked her door....and then there was the time to make her dream come true...

Obstacles are something she was prepared of. She was all lonely and prepared to be the same rest of her life. Coz if she failed she would be more lonely as no one likes to be with loosers.

While on the journey... a harsh truth struck like a lightining and burnt all her hopes, making her efforts futile. Now she had to wait until her feathers regrew. She knew that she had lost, as the time had elapsed.

But still she thought to complete the journey and see those heros who could turn their dream into reality. She accepted to live with the pain and see those fortunate celebrate.

Colaba Circuit with my best friend

2011-11-02T16:53:00.000+05:30

As a child I was always excited to visit Town (the southern part of Mumbai as they say) for every other vacation. This is the place my mother's parents stayed. I was mesmerized by the Gothic style buildings and the tall ceiling rooms. There are more heritage buildings here, than any other part of the country. So I decided to take M on the "Colaba Circuit" (I like to call it that way!)

If you went on a vacation to some foreign country what would you like to see?... All the beautiful architechure, museum, restaurants, the market places and other sceneries.. right? I am sure very few of us have seen this part of their very own place, Mumbai.

Big Ben at the Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus

We caught the local train and reached Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus (the old Victoria Terminus) From there we took a double decker bus, one of the very few in the city that has a pleasant route. The bus no.138 passes through Flora fountain to Churchgate station and by the seaface to backbay. The cost seems meagre for the fantastic ride if you got the top front seat!

Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus

View of Marine Drive from the upper deck of Bus 138

After reaching Backbay depot which is the last stop of the ride, we went walking towards Afghan church. Built in the Gothic style, it was meant to be a garrison church to observe the memories of the British soldiers who lost their lives during the First Afghan War. We couldnt see it from inside as it is open only in the mornings. Just outside the church we were waiting for another bus to take us to Flora Fountain. It was little scary to see some Bats flying just above our heads. On the way we saw some old bunglows that were just adjusant to the sea.

St. John the Evangelist, The Afghan Church

Upside Down

Flora Fountain is the very heart of Mumbai, circumscribed by stately colonial buildings that stand like proud old sentinels of a bygone era. Flora is the Roman Goddess of Flowers. Next to her are a pair of torch bearing stone patriots that rise from the Martyrs Memorial nearby. Flora Fountain is now called Hutatma Chowk or Martyr's Square to honour those who died in the tumultuous birth of Maharashtra State.

Flora Fountain

Martyr's Square

We headed straight to St. Thomas Cathedral, Completed in 1718, is the first Anglican church in Mumbai to improve the "moral standards" of the growing British settlement. One of the gates in the Fort which the East India Company had built to protect their settlement was the entrance to the St. Thomas Church. It was called Churchgate. That is why the whole area towards the West of the Church is called “Churchgate” even today.

St. Thomas Cathedral

Beautiful stain glass painting

Heading towards the Asiatic Society, State Central Library. Before the town Hall, there comes the Horniman Circle, a circular garden that has some beautiful architechure building surrounding it.

The Asiatic Society, State Central Library

TOWN HALL houses one of the only two known original copies of Dante's Divine Comedy. The other copy is in Milan. In 1930, Mussolini offered one million pounds for the book, but the society refused. The book is a gift to the society by Monstuart Elphinstone, Governor of Bombay. In 2002, the Italian Minister for Culture visited the Asiatic Library, and confirmed that the book was in better shape than the one in Milan.

Bombay Stock Exchange

We were as hungry as a bear by that time and wanted to much some colaba speciality. I had worked for a design studio near the BSE and was found of the H. Parmeswar special sandwiches. so we walked to the outlet and enjoyed some of his specials. Felt fueled again!

We got late for the Prince of Wales Museum(The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalay), so we decided take a glance at the Jehangir Art Gallery just opposite Regal Cinema. The best time to visit this place is during the Kala Ghoda Art Festival.
Heading to the David Sassoon Library, a Venetian Gothic styled structure, completed in 1870, forms part of an important ensemble of buildings, that are crucial for the image of the Fort Area. A small garden area and the lobby is all a non-member can see. The sketches in the lobby are awesome!

The David Sassoon Library

An Amazingly chilled out place called Cafe Monndegar with old style tables & chairs and Mario Miranda's cartoon reflection of life on the walls was just at the corner. Find many firangs here sitting and relaxing over few pints and listening to their fav tracks from the Juke box. There was a long waiting list, so we preferred strolling by the "Causeway"! Eyes glued to the antiques and accessories sold for a good bargain.

Cafe Monndegar

Causeway Market

Antiques sold at Causeway

I got myself a made-to-order metal cut key chain as Memorandum of the date. I saw the whole process of it forming into a master piece. Within 20 mins it got bestowed in my valet for just 200 bucks.

You & ME

Just at the end of the road there is Kailash Parbat that allures passers-by with the aroma of of traditional Sindhi food. We had pani puri, Choley Bathure and butter dip Pav Bhaji. It serves delicious desserts too.

Kailash Parbat Sindhi Hotel

Pav Bhaji, Spicy gravy of vegetables with butter dip loaf

It was almost 10pm, very tired now and all we could think was to enjoy some peaceful time on the waterfront at Apollo Bunder. We took a cab to The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Luxury at its peak experienced at the roof top restaurant, SOUK. We soaked our souls slowly in an arabic ambience, sipping the aromatic Qawah and enjoying the panoramic view of the Arabian Sea.

Souk, the roof top restaurant at the Taj Palace Hotel

The view

Science & Importance of Rangoli

2011-10-28T20:06:00.000+05:30

Diwali is incomplete without the pujas, the lighting, the socializing, delicacies and the Rangoli. Rangoli, the colourful handmade carpets are so much welcoming at the entrance! The colors are all bright and the surrounding diyas make it more lively. The patterns are made up of flowers or natural colors mixed in rice flour, grains, saw dust, chalk powder, colored stones, and even fabric!

The custom of making a Rangoli during auspicious day has got some scientific purpose. Scientists say that Warm colors produce centrifugal action where energy flows outward therefore warm colors make people cheerful, extrovert and active. It denotes Joy, happiness & enthusiasm. They are made to soothe the guests and sustain a jolly mood.

The patterns made in them symbolises growth and prosperity. Each of these characters speak of numerous things, having deep meanings and significations like the swastika is actually a sign of luck and fortune. Many books have been written on the significance and meaning of ancient symbols.

There is an age old custom for the women of the house, getting up early and making rangoli after having bath. These are made in the Brahma-mahurat or before dawn. It is said that Laxmi devi (the goddess of prosperity) gets attracted to these Rangolis and enters the house to stay.

These days people are too lazy to make this beautiful art. Rangolis have been replaced by stickers having colourful designs. Yaiks!

Get a Life

2011-10-13T14:09:00.000+05:30

Hungry Mind, Thirsty Spirit

I cannot recollect the last time i did an introspection. There have been changes in my thoughts and the way i interpret... i feel a completely different person. How dumb and laid back i was! Lived a life without an aim. But there was a serious turning point in my life of which i have no track when it happened. I wish i had the vision much earlier... if it would have been in my school days, I would have been much successful than i am now!

British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli once said "You can never go higher than your thinking." So true! My thoughts are more disclosed. I am more receptive. Feel pity for myself as i lived a quater of my life in illusions.

Our mind takes 60000 thoughts each day and we only accept a 10k of those. While in this process we fill our minds with the filth that others have passed into us. Also there are inputs from unexpected people with some genius proficient ideas that we would just reject having a doubt on their capabilitites. An open mind knows which thought to accept. Unbiased.

The age old method "Meditation" helps cleanse our mind. It helps to develop patience, be clear in thoughts and later in our actions. It feels super duper to know exaclty what you are doing, where you want to be and how are you leading yourself to your aim. The journey is so beautiful that you would not like to worry about the destination. Do a reclamation of your thoughts/soul frequently and enjoy the journey called life.

Delicious Veg Kababs

2011-07-19T18:41:00.000+05:30

i love spicy and fried food like many of you. This time I am sharing one more appetizer. Its the most innovative recipe of my mom. We gujaratis eat 'muthiya' which is a steamed dumplings like stuff made up with calabash or bottle gourd (Dudhi or lauki). Dudhi is very nutritious vegetable.

Ingrdients:

1 lemon
1 teasppn sesame seeds
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
3 crushed green chillies
1/2 kg Bottle gourd
1/2 cup wheat floor(ata)
1 tabelspoon gram floor(besan)
1 tablespoon oil

For Seasoning and Garnish
some corriender leaves

Method

Combine gram flour, whole-wheat flour, sesame seeds, turmeric, green chili, sugar, oil, and salt in a bowl.
Add grated bottle-gourd to the flour mixture and mix well. Mixture should be like a very soft dough.
Divide the mixture with greased fingers into about 14 pieces and drop them on steamer slowly and steam them covered for 18 to 20 minutes. Check them if muthias are ready put a knife through and it should come out clean.
Let the muthias cool off and then slice them in medium sized pieces.
Fry them till they become reddish about 3-4mins on low flames (low flame frying makes food more crisper.
Garnish them with chopped coriander and serve with Ketchup

Most men in traditional Indian families live life of parasites

2011-07-18T14:25:00.000+05:30

One of my colleague proposed a different caste girl for marriage. Impressed by her confidence, self drive and intelligence with beauty, he feel in love. But when it comes to marriage, in India, people who live with orthodox family members are more calculative. Moreover they are afraid, afraid of change and afraid of the constant nagging from family and society. The girl he proposed, preferred not to stay with his parents. Not because she had issues with them but because she wanted to live for herself, I don't find anything wrong in that. The act to serve elders should be out of respect and less compelling or forceful. I am sure, very few traditional thinking Indians would agree to this. Others would agree but just to show off.

Have you thought of the reasons?

Elders have been doing this since ages.. It is hard to change the age old practise.
Some elderly women have been compelled to provide service and now they expect the same to be done by the next generation.
The Men are so comfortably made to enjoy the service, they are selfish enough to bring any change.
Even the elder women have taught their kids and grand kids as well as expected to give service to the men.

Why would have my colleague not got married with the girl? It may be any of the above reasons!

These men are so accustomed to the pampering and luxury that its difficult for anyone to reject. If I were at their place, may be I would have no difference. They are meant to talk about social issues, their business and politics. The Women are asked to do all the toiling. They are treated like guests in others house but the female is expected to help the other females.
If my husband would pick up his soiled plate after dinner, it may be shocking for our old guests. One of my same age relative told me that he would never help his mom in the kitchen until he got married. It was then he realised how much he took his mom for granted. I believe it was never his fault. He wasn't expected to take care of his mom, even his mom would enjoy serving him like a prince.

I have heard that in foreign countries both the partners work for living and they share household work too. This may surprise many here. The people around me here are different. Many working-women after marriage in my locality cook dinner all alone or clean plates even after their hard work day.

My assumption is, in the old age women didn't have as many opportunities as they have now. Women are softhearted and they too deserve respect and acknowledgement of their work. Now is the time when the parasites will have to adjust a little if they want to still enjoy the luxury. Many females will start opting for neutral family! After all who likes to be slave?

Apply print design principles to your user interface

2011-07-14T12:47:00.000+05:30

The design principles established through the history of Print Design are also true for Interaction. In our exploration of the differences, we’ve forgotten how much they are the same. They are both about clarity in communication and simplicity through systems. I believe we can learn from Print Design and apply to Interactive experiences:

1. Hierarchy and Structure with Grids

“Well designed grid systems can make your designs not only more beautiful and legible, but more usable.”- Mark Boulton

Much of Interaction Design is about reducing complexity. A grid system organizes information in a logical, consistent, and meaningful framework, which both designers and developers can work within. A grid provides anchors for the eyes, improving readability. Strong use of geometry in a layout creates a visual hierarchy that allows users to easily scan and discover information.

2. Confident use of Negative space

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to remove” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

A common goal of UI design has been to densely pack as much information as is possible on a given screen. However, giving content some space to breathe provides critical focal points. It allows the positive space to communicate clearly and create impact. A balanced page makes the promoted information more easily digestible.

3. Reduction of Elements

“Less is More” – Robert Browning
“Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler” – Albert Einstein

UI elements clutter the content it contains. The role of the designer is to edit, to find balance. Reducing an interface to only the most essential elements puts focus on the primary tasks of the UI. What may be lost in information density is gained in simplicity. The resulting UI will feel light, smart, easy, fast and responsive.

4. Objectivity through Imagery

Though much of Swiss graphic design is remembered for its powerful use of typography, photography was also an important part of the style. Photos were seen as a more accurate means to convey information compared to illustrations. Similarly in a UI, it’s the content that people want, not the chrome. Using imagery instead of iconography or illustration reduces the need to translate metaphors, and promotes direct interaction with content.

5. Emphasis on Typography

Emphasizing typography is not about reducing an interface to only text. Good type is about appreciating the ability of type to create impact, hierarchy, direction, and rhythm through size and weight. Diogo Terror described the power of a typographic approach to UI well in Lessons from Swiss Style Graphic Design:

“Font-size is a tool for readability, impact and rhythm. Different font-sizes not only generate visual impact, but also provide readers with a hint about the hierarchy of the presented data. Huge words are the entry points, the top-level elements in the content’s information architecture and page’s hierarchy. This is a very efficient way of guiding the reader’s eyes through the page, thus working as an interface to the content.”

6. Proportion and Pacing

In Print, the proportion of elements creates a pace for a story to unfold over time. It leads the direction of the eyes over content, and gives character to the information.

7. Universal Iconography

The International Style pursued standardization and simplification of iconography so that icons were universally understood. The use of icons today has become so rampant and gratuitous that we’ve lost a lot of common understanding. They are used too often as decorative elements and are losing a lot of communication value.

Source: Mike Kruzeniski

Veg Spring Rolls.. Yummylicious

2011-06-21T12:45:00.000+05:30

I am sharing a yummy recipe that my mom taught me.

Spring Rolls

Ingredients:
All-purpose Floor (Maida) - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Green Cabbage - 1/2 kg
Green Bell Pepper - 100 gm
black mustard seeds(rai) -1 teaspoon
Asafoetida (hing) - 1/2 teaspoon
Crushed green chilly - 2 teaspoons
Black gram -1 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
Salt - as per taste

Method

Take 1 cup all-purpose flour(Maida) and Seive it.
Add half a cup of water, 1 tablespoon of oil and salt as per taste to it. Make a dough out of it.
Now make small puris out of it with a rolling pin.
Roll each puri and place them on a dry cloth. Let them harden a little by keeping them exposed.
In the mean time Chop half kg cabbage and 2 green bell pepper in long and thin slices.
Now place a pan on high flame. Put 1 tablespoon of oil and 1teaspoon black mustard seeds(rai) .
Let it crack after which put Asafoetida (hing) and crushed green chilly (2 teaspoons) and 1teaspoon Black gram.
Immediately add the chopped vegetables and cook them for about 5mins so that the water in the vegetables get evaporated.
Put off the flame and wait till the vegetable cools.
Stuff little by little vegetable in the puri and enclose them by wrapping them. Wet your hands with little water if required.
Fry these when ready to eat and serve hot with ketchup :)

A short story

2011-05-23T17:26:00.000+05:30

It was a very busy office. The sound of typewriters and printers filled with the murmuring of a huge 100 people staff on the 5th floor. A new joinnee in the finance department was excited about his work, it was his first day and he had the chance to meet the CEO.
During his interviews he had known from his manager that the company ideology is personally prepared by the CEO himself. He had already read a lot about him. He wondered how lucky he must be! A man in his 50s, who was as rich as Croesus, was once a school dropout and owned a company of employees who are far more learned in terms of academics.

His heart pounced and the beats were faster as he reached the 11th floor.. the CEO's cabin. All he had to get is a signature on the cheque. In one corner in front of a huge desk sat the CEO's PA. A beautiful young girl dressed in a pink salwar kameez. She looked at him and smiled, "how may I help you?". He asked her if he could meet him, "I need his signature, I won't take long" he said it quickly. The girl confirmed it on the phone and asked him to proceed.

There he was seated in a chair or you may say a throne. He was talking over the phone and was interrupted by his presence so he asked "yes, young man.. show me the papers!" After a few glance the CEO signed it. But whats this.. there was some mismatch in the signature. The trainee was alarmed! How do I tell him that the sign is incorrect! It was only his first day.. what impact will he have on his seniors! He was reluctant but didn't have the courage to move out. "Whats it!" the CEO barged in. "S..s..sir! the sign! Its..." "You think it doesn't match?" "uh.. yes" "Don't worry young man! The signature has to do nothing much to get the papers pass.. Its my destiny that will do the needful."

He silently moved out. After few days he saw a confirmation on his email list that the paper work is done, he was amazed. He wondered if destiny seem to be more powerful than any other thing!

Being Critical and Comparative about my ride

2011-04-22T15:07:00.000+05:30

I don't want to sound too critical.. But am just wondering if any1 out there in city of Mumbai, face the menace of this black rushing cockroach... the auto rickshaw. (Spare me if I did!)
No doubt, its the quickest was to reach in the nick of the time to your office..your home..a function.. when there is no public transport! The problem is.. there are more issues to travelling by an auto then there are advantages!
First of all, its next to impossible to get an empty auto in the city of mumbai and if you still manage to plead a driver with your innocent looks you should think thats an angel hailed from heaven on a god-forbid road.

You don't get to reach on time whether there is traffic or not!!
Today i reached office by the same route that is usually so jam that i have to wait at the same signal for three times. But vulha! this time the signal spared me (yippee.. achievement!) and still the meter charges me the same (!@#$%)
You can not complain them of their screwed up meters as they think its the final judgement or the word of GOD. And if you found the guts to do, they will advice you instead to travel by the BEST buses.
You can not ask them to use their 4th gear on clear roads as they have almost forgotten that their darling ride has one. By chance you don't have change or If you request them to have a meter rate card, you will face Mr. mike of 'momento' or 'gajani' who thinks you are the murderer of their sweetheart.
They will enjoy at the rickshaw stand for hours chatting and mingling with their gang over a 'vada pav and chai get-together'. If you break their conversation and ask to take you to xyz place, they will give a 'no ways' look and say "ITna door tak kaun jayega vapis ane ka bhada nahi milta"(I wont get a return fare from that place which is like no-mans land)... thats acceptable.
Alright.. they are little weird but better then the ones in Pune. Really. I had been there recently and found that they charge you even beyond the expectation of their own meters, they are lazier and more pristine to take you on a tour !!! I feel I am in a better place anyways :P

There is constant change

2011-04-21T16:27:00.000+05:30

Soon it will be 10 months to my marriage and things have changed already.. a lot.. From a challenging not easy to deal with person, now there is more patience and maturity.. from planning for careers to serving family.. from splurging on holidays to saving for future.. from talking long hours on phone with friends to being awake late night with hubby.. Every moment denotes there will be a new challenge.. Its exciting at times and is monotonous as well..

Not sure where will I be after a few more years.. and yes will I be facing the famous seven-years itch.. In any case I feel to be more independent..

Factors that affect Google Page Rank

2011-03-31T12:46:00.001+05:30

When we talk about Page Ranking, We have to find out those factors google uses to give page ranking. Google uses more than 250 algorithms to give a page ranking and we do not know all of them, But some factors are that we can identify. Google gives ranking on the basis of popularity of a webpage. If a webpage is popular enough, Google will give higher page rank to that page.

In this article I am giving some factors google uses to give a ranking to a page.

1: First of all google sees domain type. If you are using .org, .net, .mil or .info domain, you will get higher priority then .com domain.

2: How many page views are performed by the viewer on your site, is the second factor google uses to give page rank. If you have higher page view per day, you will get higher priority in the SERPs.

3: How many unique visitors you get per day is the third factor. If you get higher unique visitors per day, your page ranking will go high.

4: How long your visitors stay on your site is another important factor for google to give you higher page ranking. So create unique and informative quality content so that visitor stay for long time on your site.

5: How many one way backlinks your site have, is the highest priority important factor google sees in your webpages to give your site a high priority in SERPs and High Page Rank.

6: The quality of your backlink sites is also an important factor google sees. If you are getting .org, .net, .mil or .info domain backlink, you will get higher priority than .com domain back link.

7: The rank of your back linkers web site is the highest important factor which get jump your site to higher page rank just within 1 or 2 months.(If you uses YouTube videos on your site, your site gets higher priority to get page rank.)

8: How many readers you have also affects your page rank. If you have more reader, no problem what your page rank is, you will get the first page of google's organic SERPs.

9: How many followers you have also affects your page rank. Higher follower higher page ranking.

10: How many pages you have in your site and how frequently you updates your site/blog, is also a factor google sees to give you page ranking. If you are posting too frequently, you will get higher page ranking too fastly.

11: How old your site is. If your site is old enough, you will get higher priority.

These are some common factors to get higher page ranking. Keep these factors in mind when you create your next post. Google gives only 15 importance to Off Page Optimization. So keep continues to get high page rank quality backlink to get your page higher Page Rank.

From: Google Adsense Alternative - E-marketing Strategies

Good Motivation

2011-03-25T17:50:00.000+05:30

Recently I am introduced to a guy named Mitul Thakkar. I am impressed by his zeal to follow his aim, his public relationship skills, his excitement level and his down-to-earthness. It is through him that I have understood the importance of my life, not directly but yes.. though his inspirations. Following are the two great vedios he shared with me:

Reach the next level

2011-03-18T19:23:00.000+05:30

Was going through the book '101 ways to reach the next level' and came across a very nice article. It said one should find the perfect moment daily. Of course our lives could have been better but some how we are missing the perfect moment that passes by daily. I have made a resolution to enjoy my life with the support of those very moments. I want to see less of negativity in my life and be positive about every phase, want to find perfect moments daily by being optimistic.

Aries & Cancer compatibility

2011-02-23T15:13:00.000+05:30

This pairing brings together two very different natures, and caution is strongly advised. At first the Aries may show ardent desire, and pursue the Crab in a romantic way that sends signals of true love. But if the sensitive heart of Cancer opens, there could be trouble when the Aries flame suddenly goes out. The Cancer will retreat into their shell, and the Aries will either get bored and move on, or do serious damage by trying to gain re-entry into the Crab's private world by force.
Aries doesn't understand the indirect style of the Cancer nature, and could become impatient. The emotional world of the Cancer could seem claustrophobic, dependent and limiting to the strong-willed Aries. A needy, wounded Cancer that tries to hang on to an Aries may hold on for many years before letting go. If this pair makes it through the initial shock of their encounter, it could end up being a challenging, exciting relationship. Aries inspires Cancer to let go of their fears and "just do it," and Cancer opens the Ram up to their emotional depths.

Source: about.com

Writing a Diary

2011-02-23T14:55:00.000+05:30

I have started writing an online dairy.. Probably when i grow old and will have time to do absolutely nothing :P I will glance through the pages, relive special moments and talk about my past experience with my grand kids.. haha who knows how long one lives but I really want to do this. Online diary means never lost or cant be deleted or not in wrong hands... So here i go typing my daily thoughts :)

Poor Service by Enrich Salon

2011-02-21T10:39:00.000+05:30

I got myself a membership card for the famous Enrich Salon. Looking at the cost, the equipments and the products they use I was pretty impressed.
But I was upset to know later that the services are provided by trainees (Ghatkopar branch) who think they know a lot about their work like an experienced professional and advise us like one is new to the world.

I had got my skin treatment done twice and got completely different opinion from both. They try to promote their services in the time alloted for treatment and spend less time on service. I did the skin Rejuvination Basic Facial and Matte effect clean up in a span of two months. Some professional (so called) are rude too. One of them didnt even ask me what treatment i want to go and wen i asked her about it she said I knw what is good for your skin. After the service when i pointed out that i can still see the work undone she said my skin was too sensitive so she left that part x-(
I dont recommend these people to any one... seriously!

Rejuvinating body, mind and soul

2011-01-21T15:07:00.000+05:30

Living right in the middle of a hectic polluted city with no supply of fresh or even unadulterated food I am left with zero chances of not falling ill. But since I have found a medicine that has no cost and assured results, I can now relax!

It is true, that medicines to all your ill-health is present right here, in your own body!! We all know it as 'Yoga'. Yoga has been in my thoughts of interest since a long time. Although I have started practicing it just recently. It shows it's magic from the very first day and the progress stimulates with regular practice. I would recommend this to every one. It is amazing, addictive, steadfast, no ill side effects! I use to complain about severe back pain but after experiencing yoga for just 4 days (ya.. thats right!!) i am a lot more younger with no complains at all. My body feels feather light and my skin glows. I am more active and don't get tired easily.

Easy to make Cocoa-Coconut Chocolate

2010-12-23T15:00:00.000+05:30

Here is a recipe from my Aunt. I have tried it and just luv it so much! It has the similar taste of a Bounty Chocolate. It took me around 20mins to do this excluding the 1hr refrigerating part. Sieve all the powder ingredients before preparation.

Ingredients:
100gm Dry coconut powder
100gm ~ 4oz Britannia - Marigold biscuits
100gm Powdered Sugar
100gm Drinking Chocolate powder
1/2 cup Milk
1tbsp Butter

Steps:

Crush the buscuits in a grinder to powdered form and sieve it.
Make a medium hard dough by mixing drinking chocolate, biscuit powder, sugar (50gms only) and milk. Keep it aside.
Now mix the remaining sugar with the dry coconut powder. Add Butter to it so as to make a paste. Make sure the coconut doesn't fall apart.
Take a medium size thick plastic sheet. Put the chocolate dough on it. Cover the dough with the plastic.
Make a single oval roti by pressing the dough using a Rolling Pin / Velan. Make sure it is even in thickness
Put the coconut mixture on top of the chocolate layer evenly.
Now with the help of the plastic sheet keep folding the chocolate so as to make a cylindrical roll out of it.
Refrigerate it for an hour (not in deep freeze).
Cut the roll in vertical dimensions. Your circular shape chocolate is ready!

The To-Do List

2010-12-02T14:50:00.000+05:30

A piece of little torn paper that lies like a sacred scripture in my wallet, is none other than my guide to 'happy completion of tasks'. I so much adore the process.. Noting down what are the things i want to finish. Setting priorities and assigning date of completion. Striking a nice tick beside it, after my work is complete.

I ask myself 'why a paper to note down, when there are so many new technologies to do the same?' I am not sure of the answer. What can it be? Because this paper keeps popping out of my wallet, reminding me there are things waiting! Because it has that personal touch.. my handwriting.. there is something about it...seriously! Before, I have used Google tasks & my cell phone application but it didn't do wonders. Somehow the satisfaction i feel after every strike out is inexpressible and was probably missing elsewhere.

I have now found a solution to my forgetful nature. Besides, the people who once enjoyed realizing me how forgetful i am, are upset to not find such events! I don't miss any opportunity and I am never in hurry!!

I'm Luving it !!!

2010-10-27T20:04:00.000+05:30

Cooking is an art!! It is a boring chore for some but i enjoy it a lot. :) I get the most genuine feedback from the best critic, my husband. He is a complete foody. I love every part of cooking. Getting the ingredients, knowing how to buy the best in terms of quality, understanding different techniques & popular flavor combination, keeping kitchen area clean, garnishing & saving cooking time. I keep in mind that my food is not only delicious in taste but also nutritive. Like in a laboratory, when chemicals are added in proper proportion and in a systematic sequence the output produced is desired, same goes in kitchen. The proportion, ingredients and technique all are very important.
I have been referring to manjula's kitchen lately. I am a big fan of her vegetable pasta recipe. She explains all of them so precisely and the best part is they are all veg. I am a pure Jain and with the limitations I have with the ingredients, cooking is a challenge for me. I am enjoying in taking up challenges anyway!

Kshamapna: Forgiveness

2010-10-20T19:48:00.000+05:30

The 8days Jain festival called "Paryushan" has a very thoughtful message to give. It inspires you to forgive and forget the past grievances. "Michhami Dukkadam" is what you tell everyone, not only humans but every single soul in the universe. It is a prakrit phrase meaning 'to be forgiven' or 'may all evil that has been done be forgiven'.

Why do we forgive some one?
1. Because he can be harmful
2. Because you owe him
3. Because of some religious reason like God says we must forgive and forget
4. Because that is what you call as dignity
There can be many reasons. Be it. But the calmness you feel after forgiving wholeheartedly is inexpressible. Like we bath daily... our soul should also be cleaned at-least on a yearly basis!

Female Infanticides In India

2010-08-23T14:12:00.000+05:30

It was an usual morning for a farmer in south India. While he was on his way towards his farm some villagers had gathered near a corner. "There is a child buried in here", said one of them. They dug the ground to find, one day old baby girl struggling for life and breath. He soon took the child to the hospital and informed Mrs. Sandhya.

Sandhyaji has been taking care of Arti Childrens' home. She is a well educated wise angel for these abandoned babies. In her opinion the villagers don't understand the importance of a girl child. Ever since the ultrasonography technology has been introduced it has emerged as a murderer for the female child. In 2007, a village in Andrapradesh protested for a cruel act the clinics had performed.
More than 40 female foetus were found in a well near the clinic. Some of them were 9 months mature. It is easy to identify the sex of the baby in the womb after 16-17 weeks. Hence if the family members come to know the sex of the child & the force the mother to go for abortion after the 5th month. The number of ultrasonography scans clinics have increased 400 times in the past two years. Although it is illegal in India, to know the sex of ones child; the doctors don't answer their patients directly. The nurses are bribed for this purpose. Many a times they are wrong in their findings and it is more painful to see the mothers cry in vain.
Why are these babies aborted?

The dowry system is the main culprit. An act that is out of the law but it is still performed as marriage gifts to one's daughter.
There are some customs in India that say 'only the male child performs their parents last rituals so they get a place in heaven'.
The girl child is considered burdensome because all that her parents invest in her upbringing doesn't have any return. In fact it is the other way round. Today women take care of their family like the male members. A girl is more sensitive and responsive to emotions.

According to the care taker of Arti children's home it is not just the illiterate but also the educated people in the society that think similar. When she got her second child, her relatives moaned that it is a baby girl.
Every year the sex ratio in India is increasing its imbalance, creating trouble for the men to find their life partner. It is a very pathetic situation for the society! I am lucky and thankful that my mother didn't abort me!!

Making the must have stylesheet

2010-07-30T15:15:00.000+05:30

A stylesheet is like pastel in canvas! It fills effectiveness in the html structure. When i started with front-end development i felt a need for a stylesheet that i can refer every time. A designer must believe in smart work rather than hard work.
There was a need for a stylesheet that is perfect enough to avoid starting from scratch, that serves purpose for all kind of media (be it print or cross-browser) and that meets the W3C recommendations. When the search for such a framework began, I came across a few but personally i found the listed below as worth jotting down. Each one has its pros and cons.

960 grid system
Yahoo! UI Library CSS Foundation
Blueprint

Every front-end developer must have his own stylesheet. I have two. One purely for wordpress and the other for other static html. I am also making one for Joomla too. This saves my valuable time and efforts.
Lets start making our framework

1. Styles related to reset
To me the idea of resetting all browser style came from the blueprint framework. Every time I use this, I can be assured that my site will look more or less similar on most browsers.

html, body, div, span, applet, object, iframe, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, p, blockquote, pre, a, abbr, acronym, address, big, cite, code, del, dfn, em, font, img, ins, kbd, q, s, samp, small, strike, strong, sub, sup, tt, var, b, u, i, center, dl, dt, dd, ol, ul, li, fieldset, form, label, legend, table, caption, tbody, tfoot, thead, tr, th, td
{
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
border: 0;
outline: 0;
font-size: 100%;
vertical-align: baseline;
background: transparent;
}
body {line-height: 1.5; }

Include this stylesheet on the top of other stylesheet thus it can be overridden. One can also include styles related to tables or list that are included in most designs.
Say for example

a img { border: none; }
ol, ul { list-style: none; }
blockquote, q { quotes: none; }
table { border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0; }

2. Styles related to structure
The structure style sheet must include the styles that are related to HTML tags / IDs that determine the layout. For example this layout has 5 basic structures so our stylesheet will have width height and float for them.

Also styles to be given for FORMS, LISTS, TABLE, IMAGES, LINK and other tags like pre, code, caption, address, blockquote etc. These styles should be well organized as they will be used frequently.

/* Begin of form styles
---------------------------*/

These indication also help other developers to refer to styles easily. I once made different stylesheets for each element like forms , tables for my company’s admin-side framework. Although that doesn’t increase the file size but it does increase the code accessibility.

3. Styles related to print
Printer friendly pages can be styled by removing the unnecessary padding and margin, using the display:none; option for header, navigation links that need nt be printed.
Also the font size must have value in pt and not pixel or em ( eg font-size:7pt ) As the output of the content appears different while we print. One can check the print preview through the browser option FILE > PRINT PREVIEW

4. Styles related to typography
This stylesheet must consist of heading and paragraph related styles. Their line-height, letter spacing, font-size, font-family should be preferably in em units to maintain consistancy over browsers. Also the body tag should be given font-size as 62.5% as it resets 1em to 10px.

A Terrific Twenty Minutes

2010-07-26T20:48:00.000+05:30

This happened at an island about 4651km away from Mumbai. It was already 36 hrs that we didn't call back home to inform we were safe. At 1800hrs the phone at our hotel room rang and it was one familiar yet worried voice trying to confirm who was at the receiver's end. Oh! that was our Mom, not ready to listen a single word after she confirmed that it was us, kept on saying 'Why didn't you call back... why didn't you call back'. We told her we will call her back in sometime as a local vendor told us we can buy Sim cards from there and call back for a very meagre amount. The hotel charged us around 40 times the rate so it wasn't a good option for us.
The shop was 15mins walk away from the hotel and we couldn't afford a highly expensive taxi that the hotel offered us, we decided to walk. Very little light on the streets. We were all alone. Soon the words we spoke echoed, our heartbeats ran faster, we could hardly see the road and the vehicles that moved at a lightning speed didn't even stop for a lift.
I started chanting God's name, thinking if the call i attended was the last one. From nowhere did this car appeared who halted seeing us trying to stop him for a lift. M started worrying!!! why so! in such situation we should be happy.. right? we at last got someone who is ready to drop us. But who can it be? What if he is a thief, a bad guy who can do some wrong to us!! We have ended ourselves in a tough situation now. We were paranoid to see it was the police. Gosh! We didn't even carry our passports.
He wondered why we were out walking in a lonely dark street in a totally foreign place. When we told him our concern he asked us to hop in the car. He was a friendly man, listening to the live commentary of a football match. On the way he asked us how we would return? We said him that we had no clue. To our surprise he offered to drop us back to the hotel. We readily accepted the offer.
Still having doubts in our mind that why would some one help us without any reason. Even the cops in India don't do that for the local. There is something he is hiding perhaps. After we took the Sim card he dropped us back. Giving a gentle serene smile he waved us bye. I couldn't stop myself clicking his pose. And that was end of our plight. We kept laughing uncontrollably at ourselves as we had imagined a hell in the last twenty minutes.

(Later I found that the crime rate in the country is hardly any.)

You Know it is true love when..

2010-06-24T22:00:00.000+05:30

How do you know if it is true love or not? At some point of time this thought may come to every individuals mind.
Let me share what i have experienced.

Love does not hurt. Physical and/or emotional abuse are not a part of love. Love should make you feel happy, secure and appreciated.
Love is not manipulative, it should not be used to get others to do what you want. You should never give in to demands based on the, "You would do it if you loved me!" tactic.
Love is an intense feeling of caring for another person. It can take many different forms (romantic, friendly, familial) but it is always about caring.
Sacrifice but not Compromise! Although it is true that a big part of love is putting another person's happiness ahead of your own this never includes letting go your values or being untrue to yourself.
It is very easy to confuse lust for love. The true measure of romantic love is commitment and trust, not physical attraction.
It is possible to feel romantic love for more than one person at a given time. Just think, if it is possible for you to love both of your parents at the same time why would it be impossible to feel romantic love for two people at once?
Sex is NOT love. Love is NOT sex. Sex can be a part of romantic love but it is never mandatory.

Romantic love can (and often does) fade. When it goes there is not always a reason. True love doesn't, its eternal.

Head to Toe ;)

2010-06-24T18:23:00.000+05:30

There are so many people who say that the courtship period is wonderful. I am going through this blissful time of my life. Another awesome date...! It was at the 'Cleopatra Day Spa & Unisex Salon'.
We were at the spa by the noon and the lady at the reception welcomed us with a sweet smile. We had an appointment for the Head to Toe treatment which included Full body massage, Head massage, Facial, Bleach, Manicure, Pedicure and Waxing. The ambiance with candles, flower petals, soft instrumental music and dim light was so romantic. We were upgraded to couple spa.. Don't know why we were just lucky :)
Two female masseuse came in for the massage. Their soft hands pampered our bodies and they gave us acupressure treatment as well. After half hour body massage with essential oil based in olive oil, we were left alone for a bath in jacuzzi. The jacuzzi was in circular shape and brightened the tub with various color lights. It was so sensuous but we tried to control our feelings as we had to move out quickly. Later we were given head massage. I almost fell asleep. It is so relaxing that all the tiredness was squissed out. We were given other day appointment so that we cud finish with the remaining treatment. I wasnt very happy with the manicure and facial but the waxing was done very quick and neatly. I would recommend every couple to have a couple spa treatment. It would be one of those memorable moments u will keep recalling.

I miss you M

2010-06-05T15:48:00.000+05:30

The stars lean down to kiss you,
And I lie awake I miss you,
Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere.
Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly here,
I'll miss your arms around me,
I'll miss to cuddle around thee,
I'll send a postcard to you dear,
Cause I wish you were here.

Personality Traits according to Zodiac Sign

2010-06-04T18:00:00.000+05:30

I have been a reading a lot of predictions about personality traits since long time. Finding that some of my traits are similar to the predictions, I started observing people. I don't rely much on forecasts. Although after observing for quite a long time I have understood that some personality traits of similar zodiacs do match.

I am so addicted to this now that every time I meet a new person I try and figure out which zodiac he must be belonging to or just ask them their Birth date. After knowing the correct zodiac I try and present myself. I have no intentions to hurt or deceive any one. I go through this process because I find it exciting to observe and predict.

Here is the list of the good & bad about each sign that I have been observing:

ARIES (Mar 21 - April 19): With attitude I AM
Good: Energetic
Bad: Short tempered

TAURUS (April 21st - May 21st): With attitude I HAVE
Good: Practical
Bad: Stubborn

GEMINI (May 22nd - June 21st): With attitude I THINK
Good: Multitask
Bad: Wavering mind

CANCER (22nd June to 23rd July): With attitude I FEEL
Good: Caring
Bad: Over sensitive

LEO (July 23rd - August 23rd): With attitude I WILL
Good: Confident
Bad: Egoistic

VIRGO (August 24th - Sept. 22nd): With attitude I ANALYZE
Good: Perfectionist
Bad: Critical

LIBRA (Sept. 23rd - Oct. 23rd): With attitude I BALANCE
Good: Diplomatic
Bad: Flirtatious

SCORPIO (Oct. 24th - Nov. 22nd): With attitude I DESIRE
Good: Loyal
Bad: Aggressive

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23rd - Dec. 21st): With attitude I AIM
Good: Enthusiastic
Bad: Careless

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22nd - Jan. 20th): With attitude I USE
Good: Hardworking
Bad: Selfish

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21st - Feb. 18th): With attitude I KNOW
Good: Friendly, humanitarian
Bad: Jealous

PISCES (Feb. 19th - March 20th): With attitude I BELIEVE
Good: Artistic
Bad: Very Sensitive

How I enjoyed 'Wake up Sid'

2010-05-14T11:51:00.000+05:30

Wake up Sid:

Best screenplay I have ever admired! Each scene flows so smoothly. The story goes around the life of a young aspiring writer girl who is just in Bombay & meets a spoiled, care-free young guy just out of college on day one!

This is the story of Sidharth Mehra (Ranbir Kapoor), a lazy, unmotivated slacker from Mumbai whose life undergoes a series of changes after taking his final year college exams. Sid’s world is breezy, carefree, and without any true responsibilities. The most important elements in his life are his friends, his camera, his car, and his X-box 360. Sid thrives around his two best friends, very rarely communicates with his mother and takes his father and all his hard earned wealth for granted. Despite all these traits, Sid is an honest boy; sweet, funny, and above all, a good friend.
Aisha Bannerjee (Konkona Sen Sharma), an aspiring writer from Calcutta, learns this soon enough when her path crosses with Sid’s on her first day in Mumbai. Ambitious, well-read, and driven, Aisha has come to Bombay to realize her dreams as a writer. Despite their contrasting personalities, Sid becomes Aisha’s first friend in the city. As Aisha sets up her life in Bombay, with the help of Sid and his gang, Sid allows for time to fly by over long drives, parties that stretch well into dawn, and endless hours doing absolutely nothing. But summers vary rarely dull these days and Sid’s summer is no different. A series of circumstances and events compel him to take stock of his life and take a hard look at himself. He figures out what he’s supposed to be doing with his life.
It is directed by debutant director Ayan Mukerji.. Perhaps its his own story!

Poem on Smile

2010-05-13T14:07:00.000+05:30

This is a poem I wrote when i was in college and was attracted to a cute guy who had this cutest smile I ever saw.. I nicknamed him ChocoPie.

Your smile is what
That it makes me be
That I always wanted
In my sweetest dreams
You smile for a while
And I cover a mile
The journey to your soul
The journey to my goal

Even if I am brave
I shall always grave
The glimpe of your smile
Just for a while
For battles are won
No bullet no gun
Through lips going wide
Of someone beside

Its in my destiny

2010-05-10T22:00:00.000+05:30

This is the ultimate truth that i have learned..

"One doesn't get more than or before it is destined"

Its the solution to all my problems. Its gives me strength, patience and positive attitude towards life. What a simple deep meaningful thought it has!

All time Movies.. the best ones in my opinion

2010-05-03T14:04:00.000+05:30

Wake up Sid: Best screenplay I have ever admired. Each moment flows so smoothly and describes the connection of a young aspiring writer girl who is just in mumbai and a spoiled, care-free young guy just out of college.

Slumdog Millionaire: Oscar Winner! I liked the way each situation in the life of the guy is linked with the questions asked at the Show. And it impresses me more to see the child actors with remarkably flawless expressions.

Jab We Met: A dream of every teen. :) A story of a guy who is successful in business but failure in life and seeks love in this extremely bubbly girl who lives life whole heatedly. It shows perfectly, the give and take each individual dreams of in a relationship.

Hera Pheri: A roller coaster of laughter, the best ever dialogues and funny situations. What impresses me in this story is how three strangers living in mumbai become friends/family because of common problem that is struggle for money and expectations out of life.

Ramji Londonwaley: When the unexpected becomes better then the expected is what Ramji's Life! I have a knack of cooking in me so this chef impresses me with his simple cooking too. Although the film is more on ramji's simplicity and innocence that is shown so remarkably

Aankhen: A unique story of three blinds, trained to rob a bank. It is like some of the Hollywood movies.. infact the first movie that was tried to be made in Hollywood but couldn't happen because of silly objections of bollywood directors. The story creates thrill and anxiousness with lot of humor.

Humraaz: A drama that has an innocent girl to choose between her wise husband and her blind love. The game that each character plays and really melodious songs makes the film interesting.

Sarfarosh: Most fantastic screenplay that mesmerizes with Amir's Acting as a DCP. The dialogues and maturity of Amir's character are to be must watched. Movie shows the struggle of Amir fighting to find the culprits that ruin the peace of mumbai city.

Lagaan: Even if you are not a cricket fan you will love to see this movie. The plight and emotions of villagers before the independence with the humor of playing a completely new game for a cause makes this movie unique and must watch.

Hum apke hai kaun: A very colorful Indian wedding and the feelings attached with the incoming of a new member in the family is a must watch with family and loved ones. Brilliant lyrics and melodious songs. I remember that I was just 12 years old when this film was released. I couldn't stop recollecting the movie even while returning home after the film. It had left a mark on my thoughts.

Dasvidanya: True inspiration for me! This guy in his 30s is a complete looser who couldnt propose the girl he loved, couldnt fight for dignity with his boss and could hardly do any good to his life. Almost heartbroken to know that he suffering from the last stage of cancer, his life changed after meeting a guy at the Bar who made him understand that "Break rule" is not wrong at times! Thus he is inspired to make a '10 things to do before i die'. Superb acting and brilliant direction!

Iqbal:
Band Baaja Barat:
Ratatouille:
Life is beautiful:
The Dark Knight:
Finding Nemo:
Pirates of the Caribbean:
Harishchandrachi Factory:

How to give an Ayurvedic Facial Treatment

2010-04-26T16:50:00.000+05:30

There are about 8 steps in Ayurvedic Facial... although the 9th is an optional. Ayurvedic treatment helps immensely.

1. Cleansing: The best cleanser is skimmed Milk. Apply it in the morning before having bath. The appropriate method is to keep rubbing it until it is soaked completely, leaving a dry sticky feel. Also apply this on arms and legs when they get tanned. Leave it for 10-15mins and then head to bath.

2. Oil Massage: For oily skin Aloe Vera Gel, Dry skin Caster oil and normal skin Aloe Vera Gel or Almond Oil works best. The oil used should be little worm. Massage with your finger tips in circular motion. This is for better blood circulation and formation of new cells.

3. Herbal Steam: Steam removes the dirt collected in the pores of skin. Boil water & Neem leaves together in a vessel. Put your face on the mouth of the vessel a little far and cover your face from behind with a towel. Don't give steam for a more than 5 mins. Neem steam is best although you will get a bitter smell during the process. Since you have already had an oil massage, there is no need to add essential oils to the steam.

4. Gentle Scrub: Walnut powder mixed in clay is the best scrub for oily skin. Also for a smooth refreshing feel use scrub made out of Watermelon seeds powder and clay. Rub with a light hand for about 5 mins and rinse off.

5. Nutrifying Mask: The Face mask is essential to close the open pores. Use natural fruits as mask. Banana, Papaya are the best options for reducing skin ageing. One should avoid applying mask on this area as the skin under eyes stretches faster and wrinkles appear naturally.

6. Toning: Tomatoes, Lemon and cucumber juice applied on face helps reduce blemishes. It is the BEST remedy to reduce tanned skin.

7. Moisturizing: A skin should be moisturized daily. Apply a heavy moisturizer in the night and a light one in the day as the effects. I use moisturizing creme called 'Roopam lep' and Caster oil for under eye. You can use Shea butter instead of a cream.

8. Hydrating: Keep drinking lot of water. At least 2litres per day. Use digestive capsules or drink milk after dinner to clear the body toxics. I chew boiled Fenugreek seeds early morning to remove body toxins easily.

9. Make Up: Ayurvedic make up doesn't harm skin and is free from animal testing. It also helps in improving texture and results into healthy skin. It is the most advisable make up for all age group.

I personally follow steps 1, 7, 8 daily and remaining steps once in a week. It has given me a fantastic refreshing skin.

7 advises for maintaining relationships

2010-04-21T17:37:00.000+05:30

There are times when we face tough times with our spouse. It is the time when its not worth knowing who is at fault. It is the law of nature, simply but natural! No two people can think similar and there is about to be some friction. When all that is expected is let the relationship flourish and last long then here is a list of some advises that we have from our experienced elders:

1. Trust each other
My mom says faith makes the world live ('વિશ્વાસ ઍ વિશ્વ નો સ્વાસ છે'). When trust is broken the relationship will gradually break.

2. Don't play Blame-Game
Everyone has good and bad quality. With time both partners come to know each others well and no one can hide their true self for longer time.
One should avoid blaming the other for situations resulting into bad outcome. In the first place blaming is a bad attitude but we tend to blame loved ones knowing that they need us. This will gradually result into breakups. It is better to accept each other as it is.

3. There is no perfect couple
We all dream of our soul mates but there is no such species in the real world. But yes you can find your best friend. Be a friend first, then a lover.

4. Don't expect change
We tend to hide our drawbacks and expect that our partner will leave his drawbacks. Doesn't that sound like what parents do to children? It is not easy to change. Thus, having high expectation on changing the spouse character will cause disappointment and unpleasantness.
It would be less painful to change ourselves and lower our expectations.

5. Nectar on your tongue
Don't speak of things that can hurt your spouse. Since your spouse trusted you and let you know what he/she would not prefer to tell others it is a big responsibility to keep it safe with you. Frequent harsh remarks will worn the ties between two.

6. Patience
One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life. It is not easy to mend broken relationship.

7. Talk it out
I have always experienced this with my partner. Even if i have a small issue, all i need to do is to talk to him. His understanding, mature and loving nature makes me relax. The moment i talk it out... my heart says 'my problem is solved'. It doesn't mean that if your partner is not mature then talking about your issue wont help. It helps always.The extend differs but your spouse knows at least what you are going through!!

My last advise to all you beautiful people in luv and relationship is:
Don't let a beautiful relationship end because of your ego.

The most beautiful place in Mumbai

2010-04-21T13:05:00.000+05:30

I knew Marine drive as the most beautiful place in Mumbai until I visited Amerson's Breach Candy Park. It was a special day with my fiance and was little hot too. But as soon as we entered the park, the climate seemed to have changed all of a sudden. The humid, polluted and unpleasant climate in Mumbai seems to have filtered before entering this park. If you visit here in the day time the scorching sun rays are magically altered to soothing light.

I was advised by one of my relatives in my teen days to visit this place with my boyfriend. I was waiting for the right guy to make this place memorable. And I must admit, we keep waiting to visit here again and again.

Amerson's Breach Candy

The rectangular sea facing park has two bordering jogging area. One is made up of beach sand and the other is concrete. The inner part is a well maintained garden surrounded by coconut trees. There are huge rocks between this park and the sea. In the evening when the sun sets this is best place to sit and relax.

It is a cool, tidy place with pleasant environment. There are upper class people in their late 50s, 60s working out. There is a children play park adjacent to the park. Some benches to sit and relax and you can even sit on the green grass. Also you can much on some snacks that are sold outside the park. I have had butter corn, grill sandwich and ice-cream. Also public lavatories and a place to read complimentary newspapers. There is a small fast-food joint named 'Premsons' a little away from the park that makes this delicious veg grill sandwich and sells some excellent ice-creams. My advise is, try the Chic-Choc.