Rava/Semolina Dhokla – A Steamed Snack with the Aroma of Gujarat

Ingredients:

For Batter

• 2 Cups Rava/Semolina/Sooji
• 1 1/2 Cups Curd/Yoghurt (Preferably Sour)
• 1 Cup Butter Milk
• 2 Tbsp Besan/Chick Pea Powder
• 2 Tbsp Grated Carrot
• 1/2” Ginger Piece
• 2-3 Green Chilies
• 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Tsp Red Chili Powder
• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 1 Tsp ENO Salt (To Make the Batter Frothy)
• Salt to Taste
• Water up to Requirement

For Tempering/Seasoning/Tadka

• 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
• 1 Tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
• 1/2 Tbsp Oil

For Garnish

• Fresh Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
• 2-3 Tbsp Finely Grated Coconut (Optional)

Procedure:

• Now take a medium size bowl and add the Rava/Semolina & Curd/Yoghurt to it and mix them well. Please be ensure that there should be no lumps. Now after mixing them well, cover it with a lid and keep it aside for 2-3 hours. It will be better if you’ll keep the batter inside the Refrigerator for Overnight.
• Now in the mean time make fine paste of Ginger & Green Chilies.
• Now before preparing Dhokla, add Ginger-Green Chilies Paste, Lemon Juice, Besan, Grated Carrot, Sugar, Oil & Salt to taste to the Rava-Yoghurt Batter. Mix them well. Add Butter Milk to it to maintain Dhokla Batter Consistency. If required add some water to it but maintain the batter consistency, so that it should be like a thick Dhokla Batter.
• Now take either a Stainless Steel Vessel or An Aluminum Round Cake Pan, so that will fit into your Pressure Cooker or Streamer(Steaming Vessel) properly. Grease the Stainless Steel Vessel or An Aluminum Round Cake Pan properly with oil.
• Now add water to the Pressure Cooker or Steaming Vessel and allow to Steam by placing it on Gas at a Low Medium Flame. If using a Pressure Cooker, do it without putting the lid.
• Now add the ENO Salt to the Batter & Mix it well. ENO Salt here is added to make the Batter more Frothy. Now the Batter is ready for Dhokla.
• Pour the Batter into the Greased Statinless Steel Vessel/Aluminum Round Cake Pan, sprinkle Red Chili Powder and Place the Lid.
• Then place the vessel in the Pressure Cooker/Steamer and steam it on high for around 15-20 mins. Then turn off the flame and allow to cool for 10 mins.
• In the meantime while the Dhokla is cooling, get ready to prepare the Seasoning/Tempering.
• Take a Small Pan. Heat Oil in it, add the mustard seeds to the oil and allow to splutter. After Spluttering add Cumin seeds, Sseeds, Curry Leaves and Sauté for a few secs. Turn off flame and keep it aside.
• Now bring out the vessel from the Pressure Cooker/Steamer and use a Knife or Frying Spatula to run along the edge of the Dhokla to make it loose. Overturn the vessel on to a plate carefully and again turn it back to its original position with red chili powder on top.
• Now pour the tempering on the top of Dhokla. Garnish it with Fresh Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves and Grated Coconut.
• Now your Rava Dhokla is Ready. Cut it to either Square or Diagonal Shape. Serve it warm with Tomato Chutney or Tomato Ketch-up or Green Chutney made of Tamarind,Coriander leaves, Mint leaves, Sugar, Ginger and Green chilies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  
                                                                          
  

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A BLISSFUL - NOSTALGIC JOURNEY TO KANDHAMAL

My State Orissa is the home of amazing and enchanting natural beauty. Because of its undulating topography it is endowed with places of natural beauty, which are in abundance especially in the Western part of Orissa. The natural stream, waterfalls and forest resources at here are so attractive and lovable that these move the heart of the tourists.
 
In this article here today I’m narrating my unforgettable and most enjoyed trip to the place Kandhamal, located at the western side of Orissa.
 

VIEW OF KANDHAMAL

The district of Kandhamal is blessed with the beauty of nature. It is the land filled with various and beautiful waterfalls and streams. It has wild life, scenic beauty, healthy climate, and serpentine ghat roads for the tourists, who need to relax and enjoy. It has attractions, like panoramic coffee gardens, pine jungles, Ghat roads, hills and water falls, virgin forest and typical tribal village life.
 

COFFEE GARDEN AT KANDHAMAL

Here around 66% of the land area of the district is covered with dense forest and high-reaching mountains which provide shelter to its local tribal or inhabitants like Kondhas, rich in lush green grasslands at the attitude of 2000 ft. to 3000 ft., the terraced valleys multituted with these colorful tribal in their natural heritage, dancing and sporting has its own appeal.  This place is also famous for its beautiful handicrafts such as Dokra, Terra-Cotta works, and also Cane and Bamboo works.
 
ABOUT THE TRIP:
It was the period of winter, when people normally prefer to explore new places, we decided to visit Kandhamal. I along with my two friends Partha & Sumant started the trip from Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa. Before that we have collected all the information regarding the places to visit, to explore. I’m passionate about natural photography, so for trip I’d purchased a Nikon DSLR camera to have some momentous and beautiful clicks.
 
Day-I
We started the journey with full of excitement at around 10:00 PM by a Bus. The distance from Bhubaneswar to Kandhamal is around 266 K.M. So we reached Kandhamal around 4:30 PM in the next day morning.
 

ROAD MAP FOR BHUBANESWAR TO KANDHAMAL

At the time we reached Kandhamal, the atmosphere was so chilled. The temperature there on that day was 4 degree Celsius. Normally here you’ll find snow falling during the winter. We found some people were making fire to get rid of the cold winter, some are taking hot tea at the tea-stall near the Bus-stop and some were in deep sleep with wearing the blanket.
 
We then moved directly to the hotel, which we had booked before for some refreshment and then at around 5:45 AM we started to explore the place with a Tourist Guide. We took a Toyota Innova vehicle for this. We started early as we had plan to view the Sunrise view at the hill-top, which was so amazing and most watchable. The soft red hue of the rising sun was visible on the horizon far and above and the fresh morning aroma of the winter just added to the magic of the place. 
 
The route to Kandhamal passes through Daringibadi, which is nearer to this place. This place is so famous for its climate & snowfall, so it is called as “the Kashmir of Orissa”.So after having the Sunrise view we moved to enjoy the snowfall at Daringibadi Hill station and the natural beauty of that place.
 

ROAD MAP FOR KANDHAMAL TO DARINGIBADI

 

WAY TO DARINGIBADI

We three had never before such experience of snow falling so we enjoyed a lot as if we don’t want to miss a single moment.

VIEW OF DARINGIBADI

Because of this, whenever I think about nature’s beauty, the place Kandhamal and its natural views instantly come to mind and it’s hard curb your urge to visit that place again. The story of this place with its lush green natural beauty filled with mountains, it’s so simple innocent tribal people and inhabitants, which is inexpressible in words. Also its water falling sounds from the streams created by the nature, which is incomparable.
 
After having some breakfast at a restaurant nearby the road, at around 10:30 AM we then move to the place Katramal, which is just 3.5 K.M from Kandhamal. It’s famous for the Katramal Waterfall. It’s located in the Phiringia Forest Range. Initially to attract the trippers, the administration department had built one watch tower and an approaching bridge, which is now in damaged state.

KATRAMAL WATERFALL

So the inhabitants have developed a wooden bridge here, and we had to pass through it. Though, initially we were getting fear to cross, but later found that it was not dangerous. Then you can move to the watch tower to view the natural scenery. There the view was so beautiful, you can have the view of whole Katramal area from there.

KATRAMAL WATERFALL FROM THE TOP

After enjoying the natural scenery, we then came down from the watch tower to enjoy the Katramal Waterfall. The water was so chilled but was very much enjoyable. The most interesting thing was there that, the place at where the water from the fall is falling we found small fishes are playing there, which was so funny, as if the nature has created an aquarium there.

FISHES IN KATRAMAL WATERFAL

One thing if you’re coming to this place ever, please have some biscuits or bread pieces with yourself. It’s not only for you, but for the fishes with whom you can make friendship, you can call them towards yourself and enjoy the moment. We had biscuits with us, so we did the same what others were also doing and enjoyed the moment a lot.

FISHES IN KATRAMAL WATERFALL

Then we enjoyed the waterfall for around half an hour, took bath there and then went for lunch. After lunch we then moved to Urmagarh Waterfall which is around 5-6 KM from Katramal waterfall. 
 

URMAGARH WATERFALL FROM THE TOP

The road for this is a Mud Road, with lots of pebbles, uncovered stones and gravels. The road takes one to the heart of Kandhamal forests and the aerial yet magnificent trees of all kind stood tall in this amazing hinterland. Finally we reached Urmagarh waterfall. There was very less water in the fall since the rains had been pretty less in this part of the area but nonetheless the view was breathtaking indeed. We especially enjoyed the natural beauty there with some awesome and unforgettable clicks. 
 

URMAGARH WATERFALL

After spending some few but priceless moments in the lap of nature along with its immense natural and scenic beauty, which was a joy to behold and we three were completely mesmerized by this whole experience. Finally it was time for we all three to parting and to bid adieu to these waterfalls. We then directly moved to the hotel after a whole day of exciting, interesting, enjoyable and adventurous trip. Finally we reached the hotel around 5:30 PM in the evening. After our dinner we enjoyed the clicks that we had taken that day and then went for sleep. Some moments of that day was so nostalgic and special that those are hard to forget. Especially enjoying the snowfall, the sunrise, and the Katramal waterfall.
 
Day-II
Next day we started the journey a bit earlier at around 5:00 AM in the morning. Because that day we had to return back to Bhubaneswar late night after visiting the remaining places of the journey and Kandhamal. That day we had planned to visit some temples located there along with some other waterfall and places. 

So we again directly moved to the Urmagarh Village, where the Urmagarh Waterfall is located, that we had visited on Day-I. Here we came again to visit the famous temple of Goddess Urma Devi. According to our guide, here the inhabitants have the belief that nobody tells lie in front Goddess Urma Devi and if anyone tells he/she gets caught. So people of this place have strong belief on the Goddess. 
 
The scenic view of the temple area located in between the Kandhamal forest and hilly areas was so mesmerizing and pleasant. Also from the administration department one message has been given to people that, those who cuts trees from the jungle, Urma Devi gets anger on him/her. So people at this place don’t cut the trees and destroy the nature’s beautiful scenic gift. Finally we pay our adoration for the deity and move forward to the place Putudi after doing a small worship and taking the Goddess Blessings.
 

ROAD MAP FOR KANDHAMAL TO PUTUDI

The place Putudi is also located to Urmagarh and only 15 K.M. far from the place Kandhamal. It’s also famous for its waterfall. Now must be guessing why at the beginning I described this place as land of Streams or Waterfalls. While visiting Putudi, we passed through lots of Ghats. Though it was so adventurous and full of fear, but still so exciting. While passing through the Ghats you’ll see high-reaching mountains and dense forests along both the sides of the roads. We took some clicks of these beautiful views.
 

PUTUDI WATERFALL

Then finally around 11:00 AM we reached at Putudi Waterfall. This place is most enjoyable during the summer because of its beauty and calmness. Here also you’ll find a watch tower made by the Government to have to beautiful natural view from the top of the tower. But the most enjoyable thing is to enjoy falling water of this fall, which we enjoyed a lot and took some very good photos to engraved the moments permanently and to remember.
The whole Kandhamal District is surrounded by the river Saalunki, which is originated from this waterfall. So along with Putudi, as per the Guide’s suggestions we enjoyed the river view of River Saalunki. Really the place was so pleasant and so beautiful.
 

SAALUNKI RIVER

Then after lunch we moved to our final destination of the trip, namely Balas Kumpa Temple. It’s the place which is so beautiful, so enchanting and associated with the arts and culture of Kandhamal District.
 
Here the Goddess Balas Kumpa is being worshipped. This temple was created by the Boudha King. Here people had the belief that, whoever wishes something here, it gets fulfilled. Here also we did a small puja and taking the blessings we came to the end of our journey.
 
Finally bidding a happy adieu to the Kandhamal District and it’s full of natural beauty we moved directly to the hotel to pick the Bus for Bhubaneswar.
 

ROAD MAP FOR KANDHAMAL TO BHUBANESWAR

Got Emotional….???
It’s obvious and same was also for me, when I left that day from Kandhamal. Actually it’s the effect, fragrance and mesmerizing natural beauty of Kandhamal which make you emotional and this journey to Kandhamal in our life was so touching and will remain ever as an Unforgettable part.
 

SUNSET VIEW OF KANDHAMAL

So have a visit to Kandhamal to add a new chapter to your life also…!!!

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Amazon Kindle Fire HDX–The First Real Amazon Tablet

The world's largest online retailer Amazon has refreshed its line-up of tablet computers with a new device Kindle Fire HDX, the range of Android-powered tablets ahead of the holiday season in a hope that it can cash in on the irresistible pull that tablets currently have on consumers.

On Wednesday September 25th, 2013, Amazon unveiled it’s new series Kindle Reader namely Kindle Fire HDX - blow past Apple and the Android rivals with flatter, faster tablets that are nonetheless priced insanely low. With this Amazon's ready to compete on specs, on content, and on price and it makes a compelling case in every respect.

What is Kindle Fire HDX:
The new HDX is actually two tablets: a 7-inch model and an 8.9-inch version. Both are still relatively inconspicuously designed, with virtually no flair — they're just black. Both models feel solid and well made when you’re holding them. Both offer access to Amazon's world of books, music and movies. The Kindle Fire HDX tablets come with 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors and 2GB of RAM. Their Adreno 330 graphics will, Amazon says, offer four times the graphical performance of the existing Kindle Fire HD. Amazon also claims up to 11 hours of battery life when using the Kindle Fire HDX tablets.

The new Kindle Fire HDX is lighter by 23 per cent for the smaller model and 34 per cent for the full-sized one. The slimmer profile is made possible by a new, lighter magnesium alloy body, a touch screen with fewer layers than before and a frame that is about one-quarter narrower all around the edge of the screen.

The new HDX with a 7-inch screen, measured diagonally, is now lighter than the iPad Mini, at 10.7 ounces compared with 10.9 ounces. Google's new Nexus 7 is lighter than both, though, at 10.2 ounces. The HDX has a starting price of $229, a $100 less than the Mini.

Where The 8.9-inch HDX is also significantly lighter, at 13.2 ounces, than a full-size iPad, at 23 ounces. Of course, the smaller screen - 0.8 inches shorter on the diagonal - contributes to Amazon's under-sized achievement here. The larger HDX starts at $379, or $120 less than the iPad.

Both the models now come with a new featured button named as “Mayday”. Suppose you’re in some problem related to both either technical or non-technical, with that feature, if you just tap the Mayday button in your settings, and within 15 seconds an actual human will appear on your screen, with full control of your device. They can walk you through how to do something, or figure out what’s broken. And they don’t have to explain to you what the button looks like, they can just draw you diagrams or show you themselves. Right on your screen.

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Mayday Customer Experience

Technical Specification:

• Kindle Fire HDX 7.0 inch
  • Display: 7” Screen Size
  • Dimension: 7.3 x 5 x 0.35 in (186 x 128 x 9 mm)
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1200 resolution display at 323 ppi
  • CPU: 2.2 GHz Snapdragon 800 Quad Core Processor
  • Memory: 2GB RAM
  • Storage: 16/32/64 GB
  • Graphics: Adreno 330 GPU
  • Network: Integrated dual-band, Dual antenna (MIMO and HT40)
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11n, 4G LTE connectivity (via AT&T or Verizon)
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth with A2DP Support
  • USB: micro USB 2.0
  • Audio:  Supports stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus audio for virtual 5.1 surround sound, Loudspeaker, 3.5mm Jack
  • Operating System: Amazon Fire OS 3.0 called Mojito
  • Camera: Front HD Webcam
  • Battery: Charging 6 hrs, Backup of 11hrs in all day usage
  • Features: An Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyro Sensor, Assisted GPS (available on 4G models only), Support for software encryption, Kerberos Intranet, Secure Wi-Fi connections, Native SCEP and VPN client integration, Wireless printing
  • Weight: 10.7 oz (303 g) for the Wi-Fi only version, 11 oz (311 g) for the 4G Flavor

• Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 inch
  • Display: 8.9” Screen Size
  • Dimension: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.31 in (231 x 158 x 7.8 mm)
  • Resolution: 2560 x 1600 resolution at 339 ppi.
  • CPU: 2.2 GHz Snapdragon 800 Quad-Core Processor
  • Memory: 2GB RAM
  • Storage: 16/32/64 GB
  • Graphics: Adreno 330 GPU
  • Network: Integrated dual-band, Dual antenna (MIMO and HT40)
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11n, 4G LTE connectivity (via AT&T or Verizon)
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth with A2DP Support
  • USB: micro USB 2.0
  • Audio:  Supports stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus audio for virtual 5.1 surround sound, Loudspeaker, 3.5mm Jack
  • Operating System: Amazon Fire OS 3.0 called Mojito
  • Camera:  8 MP camera at the back with LED flash, and wide aperture f/2.2 lens and electronic image stabilization, Front 720p HD Webcam
  • Battery: Charging 6 hrs, Backup of 11hrs in all day usage
  • Features: An Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyro Sensor, Assisted GPS (available on 4G models only), Support for software encryption, Kerberos Intranet, Secure Wi-Fi connections, Native SCEP and VPN client integration, Wireless printing
  • Weight: 13.2 oz (374 g) for the Wi-Fi only version, 13.5 oz (384 g) for the 4G Flavor

Advantages:

• Low Price: The price ranging from $139 for the Kindle Fire HD to $229 for the 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX ($329 for the 4G version), to the top end of $379 for the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HDX ($479 if you want 4G).
• High Resolution Display: good high resolution screen for both the models.
• Lightweight design: The 8.9-inch weighs in at 375 grams, which is only 70 grams heavier than the iPad mini, and a good 300 grams lighter than the full-sized iPad.
• Superb sound: All the new tablets come with Dolby Digital Plus audio and virtual 5.1 multi-channel surround sound.
• Superb battery life: 11hrs around battery life for all day usage from a single charge.
• The Mayday button: An innovative new feature that gives users access to free tech support for any Kindle feature 24x7, 365 days a year.
• Enterprise support: The Kindle Fire HDX comes kitted with a raft of enterprise features, including data encryption, Kerberos authentication support, VPN support and more. This is a huge win for Amazon and rings the Kindle into the BYOD market.
• Android, but not Android: Amazon's decision to not go with a stock Android version, and instead develop a highly customized operating system based on Android. People like the Fire OS and find it a lot easier to use than a stock Android.
• Flexible and Huge Storage options: the storage space ranging from 8GB to 64GB depending on device selection.

Conclusion:

Maybe the competition in the market for an 8.9-inch or 7-inch tablet is on the peak and intensified, but the Kindle Fire HDX is a hard device to beat. It not only just because for the screen resolution or the high-end processor, available either: at $229 for the smaller model or $379 for the larger, but also the HDX is among the cheapest tablets on the market that we’d even consider recommending at those screen sizes. Even the LTE models, are also available at  just $329 and $479 respectively and available for Verizon and AT&T. 

If as per its standards and promises Amazon able to delivers  with its core apps, from email to the updated Silk browser, and can make the HDX into both the best vessel for Amazon content and something more besides, these two tablets are going to be hard to beat. And Mayday’s going to have a lot of customers this fall.

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Fasting - Makes You Feel Better

Fasting refers to completely away from food for a short or long period for a specific purpose. A Proper fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day(24 hours), or several days. Fasting is nature’s oldest, most effective and yet least expensive method of treating disease. The word "Fasting" is derived from the old English, "feastan" which means to fast, observe and be strict. The practice of fasting is one of the most ancient customs. Fasting is nature’s only fundamental law of all healing and curing.

Fasting is followed in almost every religion. All the religions have their own rule or time for fasting. Fasting has been regarded as one of the most dependable curative methods. Hippocrates, Galen, Paracelsus and many other great authorities on medicine prescribed it. Many noted modern physicians have successfully employed this system of healing in the treatment of numerous diseases.

The onset of disease is merely the process of ridding the system of these impurities. Every disease can be healed by only one remedy - by doing just the opposite of what causes it, that is, by reducing the food intake or fasting. By depriving the body from food for a time, the organs of elimination such as the bowels, kidneys, skin and lungs are given opportunity to expel, unhampered, the overload of accumulated waste from the system. Thus, fasting is merely the process of purification and an effective and quick method of cure. It assists nature in her continuous effort to expel foreign matter and disease producing waste from the body, thereby correcting the faults of improper diet and wrong living. It also leads to regeneration of the blood as well as the repair and regeneration of the various tissues of the body.

Time Duration:
The duration of the fast depends upon the age of the patient, the nature of the disease and the amount and type of drugs previously used. The duration is important, because long periods of fasting can be dangerous if undertaken without competent professional guidance. Therefore one should undertake a series of short fasts of two to three days and then gradually increase the duration. The period of fasting should not exceed more than a week of total fasting at a time.

Methods/Type Of Fasting:
Juice Fasting is the the best, safest and most effective method of fasting is. Although the old classic form of fasting was a pure water fast, most of the leading authorities on fasting today agree that juice fasting is far superior to a water fast. Another popular form of fasting is Fruit Fasting, ingesting only fresh, raw fruits. This is a good fast for beginners, especially the one-day fruit fast. Like all fasts, you can create your own specific routine.

During fasting the body burns up and excretes huge amounts of accumulated wastes.
We can help this cleansing process by drinking alkaline juice instead of water while fasting. Elimination of uric acid and other inorganic acids will be accelerated. Also sugar in juices strengthens the heart. Juice Fasting is, therefore, the best form of fasting. All juices should be prepared from fresh fruit immediately before drinking. Canned or frozen juices should not be used.                                                          

                                                                           

         

Fasting Can Be Helpful As Below:

• During fasting, the building of new and healthy cells are speeded up by the amino acids released from the diseased cells.
• Helps in relaxing the digestive system.
• Enables the chronically sick body to gradually and slowly eliminate toxic waste matter without seriously affecting the natural functioning of the body.
• Highly beneficial in practically all kinds of stomach and intestinal disorders and in
  serious conditions of the kidneys and liver.
• It is a miracle cure for various skin diseases.
• The various nervous disorders also respond favourably to this mode of treatment.
• Allows for cleansing and detoxification of the body.
• Creates a break in eating patterns, while shining a spotlight on them.
• Gives a feeling of physical lightness, increasing energy level.
• Fasting May Help to Overcome Addictions.

Right Way To Break The Fasting:
The success of the fast depends largely on the time of breaking. This is the most significant phase. 

The main rules for breaking the fast are :

•  Do not overeat
•  Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly

Generally it takes several days for the gradual change to the normal diet. If the transition to eating solid foods is carefully planned, there will be no discomfort or damage.

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Mehndi - A Beautifying And Grooming Gift Of Nature

 

Mehndi or Henna is used for temporary skin decoration. Traditional Indian Mehndi designs are the representations of the sun on the palm. In the late 1990s Mehndi decorations became fashionable in the West, which are also called henna tattoos. On special   occasions such as Hindu weddings and Hindu festivals like Karva Chauth, Diwali, Bhai Dooj, Teej and many more festival, Mehndi is typically applied. It is usually drawn on the palms and feet, where the design will be clearest due to contrast with the lighter skin on these surfaces, which naturally contains less of the pigment melanin. Henna was originally used as a form of decoration mainly for brides.

These Days usually people buy ready-made Henna cones, which are ready to use and make painting easy. However, in rural areas in India, women grind fresh Henna Leaves on grinding stones with added oil, which though not as refined as professionally prepared henna cones, achieves much darker colors. Mehndi can be used in 2 ways either for decoration in palm and feet or for application in hair.

How To Use Mehndi In Your Palm and Feet:

Henna paste is usually applied on the skin using a plastic cone.  The Henna Paste gets dry after about 15–20 minutes and begins to crack. At this point, a mixture of lemon juice and white sugar can be applied over the henna so that the henna will stain darker. The painted area on the skin is then wrapped with tissue or plastic for creating more intense colour. The wrap can be kept for 3 to 4 hours or overnight and then removed. When removed, the henna design is pale to dark orange in colour and gradually darkens through oxidation, within 24 to 72 hours. Finally the colour becomes reddish brown. It can last from one to three weeks depending on the quality and type of henna paste applied, as well as where it was applied on the body Generally thicker skin stains darker and longer than thin skin. Moisturizing with natural oils, such as mustard, olive, or coconut oil helps in extending the lifetime of the stain.

Mehndi/Henna For Hair:
Mehndi is a really wonderful natural hair dye which has been used in India since ages as it has great qualities in it. 

How To Use Henna On Your Hair:
In a bowl take enough quantity of henna according to the length of your hair. Add little warm water into it and mix properly to make a thick paste. Now squeeze one lemon juice on it.  Add a few drops of mustard oil to it if hair is dry,  but if hair texture is oily then lemon juice is good for it. Add two teaspoons of yogurt to it for a dry and itchy scalp (with dandruff). Apply it on your hair properly and leave it for 2-3 hours and let it dry completely. Make sure your hair is clean before you apply henna. Finally, wash your hair with running tap water and then dry your hair naturally.

Benefits of Mehndi application on Hair:

• Strengthen hair
• Increases the volume of hair
• Helps in maintaining Dandruff free hair
• Gives a natural shine to hair
• Gives a natural conditioning of hair

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Srikhand – A Sweetish Flavorful Dish Made From Yogurt

Shrikhand is an Indian sweet dish made of strained yogurt. It is one of the main desserts in Maharashtrian cuisine and Gujarati cuisine. In it the plain yogurt is transformed into a melt-in-the-mouth delicacy. Essentially a combination of yogurt with fruits and sugar, this dish has a very sweet taste.Preparation of this dish is very simple but it takes some time to process yogurt properly.

Gujarati and Maharashtrian people love Shrikhand as a part of their regular as well as festive meal along with Roti / Puri. Rest of the Indians prefer Shrikhand for the change of taste purpose or as sweet dessert.

Ingredients to Make Shrikhand:

• 1 Kg Fresh Yoghurt or Fresh Thick Curd
• 10-15 Threads of Saffron
• 2 tbsp Milk
• 1 1/4 tsp Green Cardamom Powder
• Sugar to Taste

Ingredients for Garnishing:

• 1 tsp Cardamom Powder
• Few Threads of Saffron
• 1/4th Cup of Sliced Pistachios
• 1/4th Cup of Sliced Almonds

Procedure:

• Take a Muslin Cloth (Malmal Kapda) and hang the Yoghurt or Curd inside the Refrigerator until all the liquid from the Youghurt/Curd has drained off.
• Remain it hung for Overnight or for 12 hrs. The remaining dry yogurt is called hung yogurt.
• Now Grind or Granulate the required Sugar and keep aside the powdered Sugar.
• Dissolve the saffron strands in the warm milk and leave for few minutes. The milk will absorb the flavor and color of the saffron.
• Now take the hung Yoghurt inside a bowl & add the powdered Sugar to it. Mix it well.
• Add the saffron, cardamom powder to get a nice saffron color. Mix very well after adding saffron to get a good color.
• Keep the mix aside for 10-15 minutes and again stir it well.
• Now your Shrikhand is ready. Garnish it well with the Sliced Almond, Pistachios, Cardamom Powder & Saffron.
• Now refrigerate it till gets cold for more fun.
• Chilled Shrikhand is ready. Serve it with Puri or Roti or you can have it as dessert.

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Healthy Habits To Keep You Away From Disease

Taking care of yourself is the best way to maintain your health. If you want to live a healthy life and enjoy your old age without being suffered by several kinds of illness, then change your daily lifestyle because even the simplest little healthy modification can cause great benefits. 

Followings are the steps to stay away from the  germ attack and different diseases.


##Drink lots of Water everyday
Drink a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water every day, depending on your physical activity. Sufficient intake of water is very essential to flush out toxins from your body and to rejuvenate your cells. If you do not drink enough water, you will end dehydrated yourself and thus, exhausted.

##Wash your Hands often 
Not washing hands before a meal is one of the fastest way you can fall ill. During our daily routine task , we tend to touch several things knowingly or unknowingly. Due to this habit, germs can get easily transported from our hands to our mouth. Hence, always keep a habit of washing hands regularly to keep health problems at a hands away.  
##Breathe in the Right way
The best way to improve your health is by improving your breathing technique. We should breathe from our diaphragm instead of breathing from our chest. This change in the breathing pattern will help to maximize the oxygen intake and will also ensure that you stay calm. Change your breathing style to improve the way your body functions and blood circulation.

##Eat a healthy Breakfast everyday
Always make sure that you eat a healthy breakfast every morning. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and a eating a healthy breakfast in the morning will help you to avoid snacking during the rest of the day. It results in preventing stomach upset which is caused due to digestion problem and weight gain.

##Have lots of Vegetables 
Consume all types of vegetables in your diet. The health benefits of eating vegetables are numerous. Vegetables are loaded with fiber, essential vitamins and various nutrients which promote good health in every way.

##Sweat out by Exercise
Give a break to your inactive life by adding a little exercise to it. Exercising regularly for 30 minutes have endless benefits as it helps to maintain healthy weight, decreases tension and boosts your energy levels and mood. Start exercising to stay healthy and avoid various cardiovascular diseases.
  
##Bath Properly 
Make sure you cleanse yourself thoroughly with a good refreshing shower gel or soap. A good shower is necessary to remove dirt and odour from your body and bathing also helps you to revitalize. Take bath daily by cleaning each part of your body thoroughly to prevent infection and foul odour.

##Cut your Nails Regularly
Long nails will not only make performing your daily tasks difficult but it can also act as a host for infections and germs. When you touch several things, there is a huge chances of the germs getting stuck into your nails. These germs can pass to your mouth, when you nibble your food.
  
##Always Apply Sunscreen
Make a habit of applying a good sunscreen on your skin, whenever you go out. This habit will keep various skin problems like skin cancer. Besides, it will also decrease skin damage and give you a younger looking skin for a long time.

##Say no to Sugary Items
Sugary items are as toxic as alcohol and cigarettes. Excess presence of sugar in your body, can have severe negative effects on your weight and skin. Avoid sugary items and sweet sodas to keep diabetes and other chronic diseases away.

##Quit Smoking 
Smoking even a single cigarette a day, can cause blood clots, which may prevent swift flow of the blood and hence can cause plaque to develop in your arteries and blood vessels. Besides, you may also damage the life of the nonsmoker who is living with you.

##Sleep Well
Never compromise on your sleeping hours. A good night's sleep for 8 hours is very important to prevent various sleeping disorders. Thus, always maintain a proper schedule and proper sleeping pattern. Choose a comfortable bed and never eat a heavy meal at late night.

##Stop Worrying
The best thing you can do to yourself is by avoiding stress like plague. Stress is the cause of various health problems like depression,insomnia and heart ailment. Whenever stressed, practice breathing exercise and relax yourself.

## Don't consume Junk Foods
Fast food is rich in trans fat, sugar, spices and artificial preservatives. Constantly consuming junk food will expand your waistline and cause serious health problems in the long run such as high cholesterol, diabetes and heart problems. Since fast food is rich in bad fat, it raises the bad cholesterol in the body and leads to the hardening of the arteries, which can further cause plaque deposits. Hence, switch to a healthier diet and protect yourself from weight gain and other serious problems.

##Don't share Personal Items
Sharing personal items like razors, toothbrush and nail clips etc. can lead to germ transfer. Keep your personal items just for you. Never share any item even with your family members.

##Don't look at the Monitor Continuously for a Longer Time
Reduce your monitor time to avoid negative impact on your eyes and mental health. If your work depends on the usage of monitors then protect yourself by using a good pair of eye protection glass and adjust the way you sit. Besides, make sure you avoid looking at any kind of a monitor before bed time to get a good night sleep.

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iSketchNote – Digitizes The Paper Scribbling to an iPad

Introduction:

Now there’s no doubt about the popularity of iPad & all its similar folks. These are getting popular not only among the adults but also among the kids. Now, for all those parents who wish their kids would play with something else once in a while, simple drawing paper and pens. But what if you lose the notes or sketches, you’ll miss all the important data, information you have.

Also suppose you’re at school or college, taking notes on your teacher or professor’s lecture. Let’s say you need these notes digitized, both for better retention and for safe storage. Now no need to bother about that, your tension is over…

Now ISKN, LLC, a company whose mission is to combine the natural experience of familiar tools with the power of technology has developed a new digital Sketchnote Handbook, namely iSketchnote, which will solve all your above said issues. It's a really cool new iPad cover that allows you to, of all things, doodle and sketch to your heart's content right on your lovely new iPad.

It could be the perfect crossover product for those individuals who prefer to use pen and paper to draft ideas, but who would love a digital copy of the end result. The iSketchnote can also be hooked up to a PC or Mac via USB, so those who don't own an iPad will still be able to use the product.

What is iSketchnote:

The digital device iSketchnote includes the iSketch cover, iSketch pens and the iSketch app. It gives your iPad the feel of doodling on real paper and in real time. Interestingly, the pens don't require any batteries.

The device uses a sensor matrix built into an adjacent iPad cover. Regular sheets of paper overlay the sensor, somewhat like a pad of paper in an executive writing portfolio. The user makes doodles, notes or sketches on the paper normally, with an almost-normal pen. The sensor reads the classically drawn image created and re-creates it on the iPad in real time.

The iSketchnote case has sensors that work with almost any A5 notebook. These sensors allow your iPad to track your pen’s movements with a latency of only 50 ms. Via the USB connection, you will be able to connect your iSketchnote iPad/iPad Mini cover to your PC/Mac with all the functionality of iSketchnote. It also contains a built-in SD card slot, by which you'll also be able to take the cover on the road without the iPad (4GB will hold about 100 pages).


An array of sensors hidden at its core enables the iSketchnote to capture every pen stroke made on a piece of paper or notepad placed on the cover. Any paper can be used, and the pens are simple ballpoints which work in unison with the cover thanks to a ring-shaped magnet being embedded in them. The iSketchnote can even detect the color and tip of the pen being used.
Once you have finished doodling, you can save the digital copy of your work, watch an instant replay of your scribbling being committed to paper, or share it via social media sites.

Technical Details:

The iSketchnote comes with specialized pens, but not fake electronic pens. No, these are real pens with a special magnetic ring that allows the iSketchnote to recognize its unique signature.
The digitizer uses its own chip, a STM32 microcontroller F4 series running at a 168MHz clock frequency.

For connectivity support, currently it supports USB connection. A 4GB SD card can hold 100 pages, so the matrix can be used separately from the iPad. Latency is 50 ms. An API is available.

Price Details:
A pledge of $29 gets you the pen, while $149 gets you a complete iSketchnote pack with three pens. Pledges of $499 allow you to become part of the development process including testing betas and co-designing apps.
 

Advantages:

• Your IPAD Your Notebook: now there’ll be no requirement of paper or notebook. The iSketchnote will give you authentic feel of paper directly digitized on your iPad in real time.
• Your Pen Your Style: the iSketchnote comes with specialized pens, which not only requires any batteries or ink but also gives the unique feeling of your drawing pencil traveling on a sheet of paper.
• A great feature of this case enables users to use the draw feature even without the iPad. Users can simply create their sketches on the iSketchnotes cover, which will be stored in the built-in SD card. Whenever user connects the case to the iPad the sketches are automatically transferred to the device.
• Allows you to take notes, sketchnotes, draws from anywhere at anytime.
• Allows you to capture your thinking visually and can share with the world around you.
• Contains lots of Apps, that will makes your life more interesting.
• Acts as a permanent storage for all your notes, so now there’ll be no fear of losing important data or lectures.

Universal 8.9-10.2 Netbook Notebook Sling Bag iPad (netbook) sleeve and little pouch come with the bag. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the iSketchnote is something that we've always wanted, the ability to draw freehand and have it automatically downloaded to the computer and that will allow to share our stuffs, feelings with our friends, the world around us. So what’re you waiting for, go and check'em out.

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