Ayurveda is a healthy-lifestyle system which people in India have been using for more than 5,000 years. It focusses on good health while preventing and treating illness through lifestyle practices which include massage, meditation, yoga, and dietary changes along with the use of herbal remedies.
Ayurvedic medicine is holistic and it views the body and mind as a whole. It not only treats a person’s physical complaints, but also changes lifestyle practices to help maintain or improve health.
Five elements of Nature
According to Ayurveda, the five elements of nature are space, air, fire, water, earth while the three components (doshas) are known as Vatta, Pitta, and Kapha. A balance of these doshas is required to attain optimal health.
Vatta in Ayurveda
Vatta: Air and space represent Vatta. Vatta controls muscle and joint movement, breathing, and heartbeat. Also, Vatta controls anxiety, fear, pain, and other functions of the nervous system.
Pitta in Ayurveda
Pitta: Fire and water represent Pitta, which is thought to control such bodily functions as digestion, metabolism, intelligence, and skin colour. Pitta governs the emotions of anger, hate, and jealousy.
Kapha in Ayurveda
Kapha: Earth and water represent Kapha. The physical structure of the body and tits immune system are governed by Kapha. Emotional responses thought to be controlled by Kapha include calmness, forgiveness, love, and greed.
How these doshas build individuals’ personality
The doshas also relate to an individual’s physical makeup and personality.
A person with a Vatta tends to have a small, thin build. The Pitta body style is more of a medium, muscular build. The Kapha appearance is generally bigger and well-developed.
Remnants of Indraprastha (Now Delhi) found in Purana Quila
Wanna know the real names of Indian cities?
If yes, follow the list as given below which has been well-researched by an educationist and hotelier Ashok Kumar, who is a resident of Ghaziabad. He says India once was called as Aaryavarta.
The present Kanpur city was called as Kanhapur while the Indian capital Delhi was called as Indraprasth.
Hyderabad was called as Bhagyanagar while Allahabad was called as Prayag.
Aurangabad was called as Sambhaji Nagar and Bhopal was called as Bhojpal.
The city of Nawabs, Lucknow, was called as Lakshmanpuri while the Gujarat city Ahmedabad was known as Karnavati.
The present day Faijabad was called as Avadh, Aligarh was called as Harigarh, Miraj was known as Shiv Pradesh and Mujaffarnagar was known as Lakshmi Nagar.
Similarly, Shamli was called as Shyamli, Rohtak was called as Rohitaspur, Porbander was known as Sudamapuri, Patna was called as Patliputra, Nanded was called as Nandigram, Azamgarh was known as Aryagarh while Ajmer was called as Ajaymeru.
The ancient city Ujjain was called as Avantika, Jamshedpur was called as Kali Mati, Vishakhapatnam as Vijatrapashm, Guwahati as Gauhati, Sultanganj as Champanagri, Burhanpur as Brahmapur, Indore as Indoor, Narullaganj as Bhirunda, Sonepat as Swarnaprastha and Panipat as Parnaprastha.
Mahakaleshwar temple in Avantika (Now Ujjain)
Baghpat was called as Bagprasthaa, Osmanabad was called as Dharashiv(Maharashtra), Devaria as Devpur (U.P.), Sutanpur as Kushbhavanpur, Lakhimpur as Lakshmipur (U.P.) and Morena was called as Mayurvan.
“Count your life by smiles, not tears. Count your age by friends, not years. Happy birthday!”
“A wish for you on your birthday, whatever you ask may you receive, whatever you seek may you find, whatever you wish may it be fulfilled on your birthday and always. Happy birthday!”
“ Another adventure filled year awaits you. Welcome it by celebrating your birthday with pomp and splendour. Wishing you a very happy and fun-filled birthday!”
“Happy birthday! Your life is just about to pick up speed and blast off into the stratosphere. Wear a seat belt and be sure to enjoy the journey. Happy birthday!”
“This birthday, I wish you abundant happiness and love. May all your dreams turn into reality and may lady luck visit your home today. Happy birthday to one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known.”
“May you be gifted with life’s biggest joys and never-ending bliss. After all, you yourself are a gift to earth, so you deserve the best. Happy birthday.”
“Count not the candles…see the lights they give. Count not the years, but the life you live. Wishing you a wonderful time ahead. Happy birthday.”
“Forget the past; look forward to the future, for the best things are yet to come.”
“Your birthday is the first day of another 365-day journey. Be the shining thread in the beautiful tapestry of the world to make this year the best ever. Enjoy the ride.”
“Be happy! Today is the day you were brought into this world to be a blessing and inspiration to the people around you! You are a wonderful person! May you be given more birthdays to fulfil all of your dreams!”
The 8th Wader Watch 2020 has new records to share: 473 participants observed 166 species of waders in 52 counties spread over six continents and nine flyways of birds during two days, end November this year. They belonged to Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia-Oceania, North & Central America including the Caribbean, and South America.
All about long distance migrants
Rick and Elis Simpson organised it again as an annual global search for birds (waders only) that are confined to edges of water to consume micro organisms. Many are long distance migrants. All those who participated are named in Roll of Honour column in the Wader Quest Special 2020 document that this couple based in UK have circulated all over globe this week. The species missed in count in previous years have been mentioned so also the species never seen so far. The couple are authors of the book: Quest for Waders doing a roaring service.
What surprises? From Scotland, Stephen Bowie reported,
‘I went to a few other local lochs (lakes in Scottish language) but unfortunately with no waders present.’
Rick’s experience:
“Believe me, getting a big wader list in a Buckinghamshire garden is no easy task, in fact, for the first time ever we had to count ourselves as members of the ‘nil point’ club.”
Wader Quest is a charity. Devoted to waders only. Rick appeals: We are looking for a volunteer to work alongside the team who will be dedicated to marketing the event. If this sounds like you then email at wcww@waderquest.net for more information. Wader Quest Merchandising (Books, Pin Badges, Earrings, Artwork, Greeting Cards, Posters, etc all items available with prices and details in the Wader Quest Shop on the website. https://www.waderquest.net/shop/
Dunlin at Sambhar Lake – Photo by Naveen Singh
TWSI plays a leading role
India’s contribution at this wader race was through the Tourism and Wildlife Society of India (TWSI). Its team visited Sambhar lake and Nevta water body and logged in 18 wader species. Ruff was maximum in number, Black-winged Stilt and Red-wattled Lapwing were most common while Dunlin and Greater Painted-Snipe made surprise attendance. Govind Yadav, Minla Yadav, Rakesh Sharma, Naveen Singh, Mayank Sharma, Sumit Bari, Nishant Nath Shukla, Sameer Mirchandani and Harsh Vardhan forked out their time.
Hoping Bird-Banding shall see light of the day in India too
Aditya Roy, from India, reported having observed Great Knot (Tag no. 6Z, applied in Russia in 2019) and a Bar-tailed Godwits (J25 & J45, tagged by Bombay Natural History Society. Bird-banding is not allowed in India and we are harping on all authorities to open this knowledge-bank on avian species. It shall benefit the countries we cooperate with for business, industry and diplomacy, stated Govind Yadav to EB&W Portal.
Please see: The featured image is devoted to Wader Watch, TWSI’s Wader Quest group in India.
Do you know there exists towering hill forts standing tall in desert land which bespeak the story of royal Rajasthan’s exquisite design skills? Reflecting grace, royalty, exuberance and brilliance in architecture, these forts further speak stories of their bravery and war acumen as the forts were designed by erstwhile royals to protect the kingdoms from enemy’s preying eyes.
So let’s take a glimpse into these following 6 forts which remain popular with tourists due to their strategic structural layout, splendid buildings, colorful paintings and beautiful artifacts which speak volumes of their rich culture and brave spirit of the era gone by. They have earned their place in the UNESCO Heritage List making India proud.
Royal Chittaurgarh Fort
1) Chittorgarh Fort-the Largest Fort of India: This is the largest fort in India that sprawls on the entire hill at the height of 590 feet, and was built by King Chitrangada Maurya in 7 th century AD. It served as the capital of Sisodiya kings of Mewar till 1568 AD, and is adorned with 7 gates – Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol, Pandan Pol, Ganesh Pol. Laxman Pol, Jodla Pole and Ram Pol.
River Ghamberi flows near it making its panoramic view fabulous. Many beautiful building grace the complex –Khumbha Palace, Vijay Stambh, Kriti Stambh, Fatehprakash Palace, Padmini Palace, Gaumukh water reservoir, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, Meera Temple, Jain Temple, etc.
Rajasthan Forts stand strong and beautiful even today…
2) Kumbhalgarh Fort-The Undefeated Fort of India: Built on a steep hill (1100 meters) by Rana Khumbha in the 15th century, this towering fort was never won by enemy rulers, and is the birthplace of Maharana Pratap.
The 36-km long wall that protects the palace complex is the second largest wall in Asia after the Great Wall of China. The complex has 360 beautiful temples and Shiva Temple with 6 feet Shivlinga which is the most fascinating one. Badal Mahal with its fresco oil paintings is a beautiful building that once served as the royal residence.
3) Amer Fort-Blending Mughal and Rajput architecture: This fort palace made by red sandstone and marble is a fabulous blend of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles. Built in 1592 AD by King Maharaja Man Singh and expanded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, it overlooks the Maota Lake and is divided into 4 courtyards with Suraj Pol as its main entrance. The Sheesh Mahal(mirror palace) is awesome with its breathtaking mirror work and beautiful Petra Dura wall carvings which overlooks the wonderful Mughal Garden. Diwan-e-aam is majestic with its raised king’s platform and Sheela Mata Temple is a must visit.
4) Jaisalmer Fort: Made by yellow sandstone and having high walls, this citadel fort is popularly known as Sonar (golden fort) Qila. It was built by Bhati Rajpur ruler Rao Jaisel in 1156 AD on Trikuta Hill surrounded by the Thar Desert. It is guarded by 99 Bastions and four huge gateways- Rang Pol. Ganesh Pol, Hava Pol and Bhoota Pol. The palatial buildings are beautified by the finest stone carving work of Jaselmer and Juna Mahal is a perfect example.
Must visit places are Laxminath temple, Jain temples, Raj Mahal and carved jharokas.
5) Ranthambore Fort: This impregnable hill fort at 700 feet above the ground was designed with marvelous security measures in 994 AD by the Jat king Raja Sajraj Veer Singh Nagil. The walls are high with watch towers and run for 7 kms! Fort houses the Treenetra Ganesh temple and water reservoirs. The foothills are a tiger sanctuary having a heavy inflow of tourists.
6) Gagron Fort: At the junction of rivers Kalisindh and Ahu lies this stronghold fort sprawling on a low hill. Surrounded by water on 3 sides and adjoining forest of Mukundarrah hills, it has one of its kind location and never fails to mesmerise. The Dargah of Sufi Saint Mittheshshah is near the fort and an awesome fair is held on Moharram.
Meet Asma Khan, an Indian-born British chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author, who has an years-old relationship with Rajasthan.
She loves the culture, art and food of this land and taking the stories of her forefathers who once stayed here, she envisioned changing fortunes of women in war-torn countries like Syria and Bangladesh via food
She wants to build new opportunities for them and hence has already started her all women restaurant in London with the name of Darjeeling Express.
This restaurant has all-women team counting 24 in number. The kitchen purely accommodates Indian and Nepali women who are 9 in number, while remaining girls manage the restaurant part.
The restaurant serves the Indian Rajput and Bengali home cooking specialties which have taken it on top charts.
Its success story can be gauged from the fact that 75 per cent non-Asian people comprise her clientele.
However, after meeting a break-even point, Asma aspired to open a cafeteria in war-torn zone Syria.
Asma is a PhD in Law from UK and is married to an academician. This restaurant was financed by her husband.
This cafeteria again hired women employees who were tortured one way or the other.
This cafeteria is presently being run in a camp ‘Essyan’ in northern Iraq inside a charity called Lotus.
I started this cafeteria after one of the visitors in my London based restaurant spoke about plight of women and kids in war torn zone and “there I decided to open my cafeteria there’ she says. The cafeteria was started in July last year. Presently it has five women who know how to cook in big dishes so that their food can satiate the hunger pangs of millions there, she says.
It’s more like giving hopes to people via food in countries like Syria.
Asma says she opened her first restaurant when she was 47.
“Age is just a number to visualise your dress,” she says.
Next Asma wants to open a cafeteria in Bangladesh where she wants to help out Rohingya women who have seen too much of sexual violence. Here, she plans to serve Shingara (Samosa ) and chai in The Market which has many shops there.
Next on Asma’s target is Kolkata’s Red Light area where she wants to start a cafeteria soon.
I have aims and intentions to apply food as a balm on the wounds of these women who are hurt by constant tortures of men. This will be more like a heal on their wounds, she says adding this shall serve a sense of purpose.
“ I want to tell women that they should not stop at this age. They have seen it all at this age, the challenges, the compromises, the missed opportunities, and hence now is the time for them to take up what they have been aspiring for. Women have been cooking since centuries but there has been no reward for them. The other members of the family have been taking her for granted. Am representing these women who wee never given reward for what they did to us. Hence, I have picked food for these women.
Blessed with two sons, she has had craving for a girl child but now she says that girls across the world are my daughters and hence I want to change equations for them.
In spring 2019, Asthma became the first British chef to be profiled on the sixth season of the documentary series on Netflix Chef’s Table which is big achievement in terms of immigrants there, she informs.
Born and brought up in Kolkata, Asma shifted to London after she had an arrange marriage with an academician after which she studied law. After completing her PhD in law, she aspired to start a restaurant with an aim to change fortune of women via food.
However, her husband, an academician, wanted her to empower women via law. But Asma had all different dreams in her eyes which she continues to chase.
New Parliament Building of India: Design, Cost, Location, Photos, News Updates
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall be attending the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Parliament building on December 10. Let’s know the best known facts about this new building:
Functional Date: The new building will become functional by August 15, 2021.
2. New session of both Houses: On completion of the 75 years of India’s independence, new session of both the Houses will begin in the new Parliament building. The 75th Independence Day would fall on August 15, 2021.
3. Total sitting arrangement: There will be approx 888 seats for Lok Sabha members and more than 326 seats for Rajya Sabha members in the new building.
4. Lok Sabha Hall: The Lok Sabha hall will be able to accommodate 1224 members simultaneously.
5. Temple of Aatmanirbhar Bharat: The new building will be a “temple of Aatmanirbhar Bharat” that will reflect the diversity of the nation, said Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla.
“It will be 17,000 sq.m bigger in size than the old Parliament building and will be built over an area of 64,500 sq.m at an expense of Rs 971 crore.
Om Birla, Speaker, Lok Sabha
6. Earthquake resistant: The new Parliament building will be earthquake resistant. Also, around 2,000 people will be directly involved in the construction while 9,000 people will indirectly contribute to it.
7. New office for both houses: A new office complex for all MPs of both houses will be built at existing Shram Shakti Bhawan.
8. Its design and planning: While the mega project has been awarded to Tata Projects Ltd, its design has been prepared by HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd.
The Foundation Stone of present Parliament House was laid on February 12, 1921 while its construction took six years costing Rs 83 lakh at that time. The opening ceremony was performed on January 18, 1927 by the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin.
Top 5 Rajasthan Folk Singers Name and Songs: Rajasthan known for its culture and traditions has also made a mark in the global world with mesmerising voices of its legendary singers who have taken its folk music to new horizons.
EBNW introduces five such singers whose unique and invigorating, singer style has touched the souls of millions of hearts. They are:
1. Ila Arun
known for her stout and husky voice, Ila Arun has carved a niche as a renowned Rajasthani folk singer. Her famous Bollywood songs include “Choli Ke Peeche”, from the movie Khalnayak, “Ghup Chup” from the movie Karan Arjun, and “Ringa Ringa” from the movie Slumdog Millionaire. She also acted in a few Bollywood movies such as Jodha Akbar, Shaadi Ke Side Effects, and Begum Jaan.
2. Mame Khan
Mame Khan is yet another folk singer from Rajasthan who has been playback singer for Bollywood movies like No One Killed Jessica, Mirzya, and Sonchiriya.
Born in a small village near Jaisalmer named Satto which is situated in Rajasthan, Mame Khan was naturally introduced to the fifteenth era of a group of traditional vocalists.
Today he is known for singing a wide collection of customary Folk-and Sufi songs.
3. Sartaj Khan and Sarwar Khan
Sartaj and Sarwar are the youngest boys to have earned a famed position in Rajasthani folk singing. The duo started singing in a reality show and slowly achieved recognition. Their song ‘Bapu sehat ke liye’ Bollywood film, Aamir Khan starrer “Dangal” has earned tremendous laurels.
4. Swaroop Khan
He earned immense fame after becoming one of the top 10 contestants in a season of Indian Idol. Ever since then, he has not looked back and has sung for a number of hits in the Bollywood industry. His incredible songs include the likes of “Ghoomar” from the movie Padmaavat, “Tharki Chokro” from the movie “PK”, “Bahut Hua Samman” from the movie Mukkabaaz, and the title track of the movie Emotional Atyachar.
5. Allah Jilai Bai
The most renowned singer from 60s and 70s, Allah Jilai Bai was a famous singer who started singing when she was just 10 years old. Slowly, she gained popularity across the nation. In 1982, she was granted Padma Shri in Arts field by the government of India. Few of her popular songs include Kesariya Balam and Mumal.
Dharampal Gulati (97), the founder of spices brand MDH or Mahashian Di Hatti, passed away on Thursday morning. He was 97 years old. Gulati was an inspiring entrepreneur, a brand ambassador and one amongst the most respected civilian. Here are seven facts on this personality:
His birth: Born in Sialkot, he migrated to india in September 1947 after partition
His working as cart puller: Gulati briefly worked as a cart puller.
After doing meagre jobs, he brought MDH: With the money earned by doing meagre jobs, he established a small shop and named it after his family business, thus raising the banner of MDH of Sialkot.
His set-up in Delhi: Gulati officially established the company in Delhi’s Karol Bagh in 1959.
His biz grew by leaps and bounds: The business did not just flourish in India alone but Gulati became a distributor and exporter as well. His company exports Indian spices to various parts of the world, including the UK, Europe, UAE, Canda, etc.
Honoured by Padma Bhushan: He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in the country, in 2019.
Highest paid CEO: Gulati was perhaps the highest paid CEO in the FMCG sector in 2017.
He woke up at 4.30 am: He was always physically active and is believed to wake up at around 4:30 am every day to exercise.
