KidZania Delhi NCR Celebrates the 206th Anniversary of Mexico’s National Independence Day!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

KidZania Delhi NCR hosted the Mexican Ambassador H. E. Melba Pria to celebrate the 206th National Independence of Mexico.

KidZania is a concept that originated from Mexico with the launch of their first KidZania facility in the year 1999. With the success of the first KidZania in Mexico City, they now have three centers in Mexico. KidZania has since spread globally, with 24 centers in 19 countries. One of the fastest growing kids interactive edutainment brands in the world; KidZania currently has two facilities in India, ‘Mumbai’ operational since 2013 & KidZania Delhi NCR (operational since May 2016.). It is known for its unique concept where kids have fun while enjoying real-life experiences in a city scaled down to kids’ size. I have been to the place twice myself and I am dying to take my son for this thrilling experience.

KidZania offers a great concept of making children familiar with different professions especially, and these professional experiences involve real life experiences in terms of functioning, monetary transactions, payouts etc. So while children enjoy multiple activities, they also learn the nitty gritties of those professional experiences.

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Mexico’s National Independence Day is officially observed on 16th September 2016. This date is considered the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. KidZania Delhi NCR hosted a ceremony at its theatre, where ‘The Cry of Independence’, a ritual of the church bells ringing was performed & all the honorary Mexicans for the evening and regular visitors cheered along, saying “Viva Mexico” before and after the Mexican national anthem.

KidZania Delhi NCR in collaboration with the Mexican Embassy has also announced exciting offers on entry tickets to Delegates of all Embassies in Delhi NCR from 12th – 30th Sep 2016.

Her Excellency along with the children from Shikhar Foundation participated in the Fire Fighting Activity at KidZania.

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Speaking on the occasion, H. E. Melba Pria said, “At the ceremony of the Independence of Mexico held at KidZania Delhi NCR today, we were able to share some of our beloved traditions with the children and their parents. It is especially important for children in this day and age to get as much exposure to other cultures as possible. Mexico is proud to be the origin of companies like KidZania, which take our creativity and innovative spirit worldwide.”

Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, KidZania said, “We are delighted to have hosted the Mexican Ambassador H. E. Melba Pria at KidZania Delhi NCR, It was a great opportunity for us and the children & families of Delhi NCR to connect with Mexican culture and interact with Her Excellency. We strongly believe in empowering children through hands on experiences, where they can learn about culture and values from around the globe, while having a great time.”

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About KidZania Delhi NCR:

KidZania Delhi NCR is built like a city across 96,000 sq. ft. where children can independently explore and choose to role-play from 90+ exciting careers like pilot, surgeon, RJ, chef, fire-fighter among many more. KidZania emulates the workings of a city, complete with a functioning economy and its own currency. Each experience is designed to empower kids, giving them the confidence to be their best selves, and inspiration to be great global citizens.

The franchise for KidZania in India, is owned by Imagination Edutainment India Pvt. Ltd., whose shareholders are Singapore-based KidZ Inc, with 74 per cent of the equity, while actor Mr. Shah Rukh Khan owns the remaining 26 per cent in his personal capacity.

Address: KidZania Delhi NCR, Entertainment City, Gate No. 11, Near TGIP Mall, Sec 38A, Noida – 201 301. Uttar Pradesh.

More info: website www.kidzania.in

Some key achievements at the NCR Kidzania

  • Opened: May 26, 2016
  • Total establishments: 50+
  • Role-playing activities: 90+
  • Visitors: Achieved milestone of 1.25lac+ in first 90 days
  • Schools visited: 50+ schools in first 90 days
  • Brand Partners: 22 brands in 26 establishments

Lebanese Delights at Zerruco Kitchen & Bar

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Zerruco at The Ashok Hotel,Chanajyapuri held a Lebanese food festival from the 7th sep to 14th sep and I have to say that by far it was the best Lebanese food I have eaten ever.

The impression that I carried about Lebanese food, and assumed the regular dishes to be served were all met with a surprise. There was nothing regular about the place. The dishes were 100% authentic and the menu featured the typical Lebanese dishes and not the regulars like Shwarmas and Harissa Chicken that we normally relate Lebanese food to. In fact their menu doesn’t comprise of these things at all. So don’t be shocked that walking in at this Lebanese joint and not getting a Shwarma.

The ambience of the place is another highlight, it has a very spacious sitting place with a well stocked bar. The decor is simple and attractive. They have an equally spacious sitting in the open also and it makes a perfect place for a relaxed chilled out time with family and friends.

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The head chef is a young man by the name of Harsh Pathania and is very knowledgeable and competent.

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We left ourselves in the hands of expert and he starter us with two salads, Syrian Salad with Lemon, Mint and Garlic and Tabbouleh Salad. Both the salads were amazing, but I personally found the Tabbouleh Salad better, not because the other was any less in taste, but because this one was little unusual. Both the salads were very satisfying overall.

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For drinks, my dad who was accompanying me settled for a cocktail called Gentleman, which was a whisky based cocktail with Lemon Grass, Angostura and Maple Syrup, and I had Ronella, a mocktail with Apple, Orange, Cranberry and Fresh Fruit. Both the drinks were great.

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The chef recommended the Signature Mezze Platter next, a chef’s special.

And was it special? You bet it was really really special.

The platter consisted of six different dips and an assortment of delicious kebabs which had chicken seekhs,mutton seekh,chicken tikka,fish tikka and prawns all beautifully done in a tandoor.

The high point of the platter was that each of the above kebabs was distinct in their flavours.

Each of the marinade was specially done for each item.

This was really one mouthwatering stuff, Kudos to the chef.

And to be honest if you have one platter between two you don’t really need anything else.

A very very satisfying platter.All the kebabs were juicy and succulent and each held its own intrinsic flavour.

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Then we were treated to their Halloumi Pizza which was quite interesting in presentation but didn’t quite sit well with me. The design of the pizza didn’t let the filling to be spread across equally and it was only in the center of the pizza, so with most bites I could only taste the bread and not the filling. And also may be the lingering taste of kebabs was still there.

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Hummus Bill Dajaj was served next, which was basically homemade hummus topped with sautéed chicken and pine nuts. I loved the presentation of this dish as much as the taste. The hummus was perfect and tasted quite well with the chicken, pine nuts added the extra crunch to the whole dish.

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Thereafter we were served the main course consisting of Chicken Ablama a Lebanese curry chicken, which was again really very good. You rarely find gravies in the Lebanese cuisine but this was an exception and a really good one at that.

The other dish served was Dajajb Falora, a vegetarian curry which again was amazingly good. These both dishes were served with Vermicelli Rice and I have to say that this was one hell of a meal. So filling and so tasteful.

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Last but in no way the least their desserts, they were simply awesome.

Baklava a sweet patty filled with nuts was out of this world as we’re the Malabia and Ummali.

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Malabia is a dessert in which boiled milk is flavored with rose water and cardamom, thickened and then baked in a water bath. It was delicious. Ummali is also a milk based dessert where in a puff pastry is dipped in thick milk.

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All in all a tremendous gastronomic experience.

Visit once and I am quite sure you will go back for more and specially when they are now coming up with Mashrabiya Nights where in you can relish the Lebanese Delicacies with Sizzling Belly, Tanura & Durbuka Dance under one roof.

Do not forget they have a well stocked bar and some interesting cocktails. I am thankful to Sourabh Chandna, the owner of the place for inviting me for this scrumptious meal.

Now its time for you to explore, so get up and going to Zerruco.

Zerruco - The Ashok Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Jashn-E-Fateh, a culinary delight at Singh Sahib, Eros Hotel

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Food Festivals allow us to experience Culinary Delights of different regions and most of the times they leave me elated and asking for more. I was recently invited to Singh Sahib by their most loving PR and F&B team, for Jashn-E-Fateh Food Festival. Singh Sahib commemorated the incessant victories and the legendry journey of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, who was the commander in chief of the Sikh empire and was famous for his valour, which led to the glory of the Sikh empire. Equally famed were the celebratory feasts that followed every successful conquest. Jashn-E-Fateh was a culinary tribute through an extravagant buffet, which celebrated the flavours from Punjab to Peshaawar. Otherwise also Singh Sahib is known for its Punjabi food from the undivided India and hence flavours from Pakistan have always been a highlight, but in this ode to Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, the culinary delights were specially curated keeping those times in mind. img_6449

There were 3 major live cooking stations that highlighted the era and the dishes that formed the most famous part of that era. Then there was the buffet that had dishes from across the regions of Punjab and Peshawar.

Badam Milk served in a traditional way made for the welcome drink, and it was simply awesome, very flavour and refreshing.

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Our culinary journey began with the region of Peshawar and Namak Mandi in Peshawar to be precise. In earlier days it used to be a trading ground for salt and hence the name. Namak Mandi, today is a famous food street in Peshawar that serves authentic food and barbecued meats are a speciality. Here at Jashn-E-Fateh, Namak Mandi Sigri served selection of meats and vegetables cooked on Sigri just the way Pashtus do.

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There was Gosht Ki Chaap, Murgh Saaji, Namak Mandi Paneer Tikka and Surkh Mushroom.

Each and everything on this menu was just delicious. The muttonchops were amazing; they were so tender and tasteful. The roasted chicken also had a very unique flavour; it wasn’t anything like the regular tandoori chicken. It had very authentic taste. My son polished off the paneer tikka in no time, and he liked it so much that I had to call for a second helping. Mushrooms too were delectable and I controlled myself from not going for a second helping on this one, else I wont have been able to try the other dishes, they were so delicious.

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The next dish was from Haripur, it was the Katwa Gosht. I loved the way; this live cooking station showcased the various stages of cooking this mutton dish. It is basically a mutton cry cooked in an earthen pot over slow fire and takes about 4-5 hours. It also has a particular eating tradition; the chunks of khameeri roti are dipped in the curry and served in an earthern pot to relish. I loved this dish from every aspect, the way it is cooked, the aroma, the presentation, the tradition of eating and of course the taste. 10/10 for this one.

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The third live station was from Kashmir; the one in Pakistan and it showcased Kashmiri Kalaahri Kulcha. Pan grilled leavened bread and ripened cow’s milk cheese of the Dogra community; this specialty was served with spiced chickpeas. The Kulchas with their filling had a very authentic and different taste, it was mild but wonderful. The chickpeas added spice to the whole experience.

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I gave the dishes in buffet a skip, as I was feeling too full with these live station delicacies. My son though tried the Handi chicken and as per the expert, it was delicious too.

The live station cooking and their delicacies were enjoyed multifolds with the live music and some ghazal singing in the background, and that makes the experience at Singh Sahib even greater.

The only thing I felt was absent, was the ambience decor, it would have added a lot of value if decor was also done keeping in mind the food festival.

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I am grateful to the team at Eros for inviting me for this amazing foodie experience and I look forward to more culinary delights from the house of Eros Hotel.

Singh Sahib - Eros Hotel Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Jon’s Head Grill- Restaurant Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

I recently visited this vibrant yet quaint place in GK-1 M block market called Jon’s Head Grill. It was a bloggers table organized by my foodie friend Vaishali. Do check out her food journey on Facebook.

It’s a perfect hangout place, if you are looking at spending a chilled out time with your family or friends.

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Now coming to the food, it offers a wide range of multi-cuisine food from Italian, Mexican to American. Here are some of the things that I tried:

Chicken Nachos: Amazing and fully loaded nachos with oodles of cheese, chunks of chicken, beans, queso & jalapeno served with pico, sour cream and guacamole. This one surely makes for a perfect evening snack. It really was very satisfying.

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Triple Way Non-Veg: A combination of chicken rolls, chicken wings and chicken sausages, this platter can be any non-vegetarians delight. I dint like the sausages much, but the rolls and wings were really worth trying.

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Cajun Spiced Fish: Seasoned white fish fillet, grilled to perfection, is served on a bed of rice with some seasonable vegetables. This dish is a complete meal in itself and definitely a must try on the list. The flavours are mild; the dish is simple, yet wonderful.

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Grilled Chicken Platter: This is basically the chicken version of the above-mentioned dish, where marinated grilled chicken breast is served on a bed of rice with seasonal veggies. This was equally good, and those who don’t prefer fish can settle for chicken without compromising on the taste. By the way they also have a cottage cheese version for my vegetarian friends, and trust me as a dish it was heavier than the non-veg one, as two big pieces of cottage cheese on bed of rice, make it too filling. My suggestion, share it with your friends 🙂

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Chicken Supreme Pizza: A thin crust pizza loaded with barbecued chicken, mushrooms, peppers and jalapeños. I really liked this one. It tasted great and all pizza lovers must try.

Chilli Barbecue Chicken Pizza: This pizza was loaded with spicy chili barbecued chicken with some green bell peppers and onions. This one had a slight Chinese taste twist to it, but Chinese being my favorite, I loved this pizza as much.

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Chicken Pasta: They serve pasta as per the choice of sauce, alfredo, pesto or marinara. We opted for the creamy alfredo sauce and it was yumm. Served with two toasted garlic breads, the pasta was creamy, saucy, and cheesy with loads of chicken. Sounds orgasmic isn’t it, tasted good too. Go for it.

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Burgers: They have some amazing variety in burgers and I am sure any kind of burger you are fond of, go to this place. You name it and they have it. We tried the Bacon Burger, a seasoned lamb patty, grilled perfectly with smoked bacon, cheese, mayo, tomato wedges, lettuce and pickle, this burger was heavenly. My mouth waters as I write about it. This is definitely a must try. The next was the Ranch Burger. One can select the option of patty from chicken, lamb and vegetarian. This one comes with barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, mayo, onion rings and shredded lettuce. This was as amazing as the bacon burger. And after tasting these two burgers I can easily say that it makes a good burger joint for sure.

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Chicken Dimsums: Well nothing too great here, this was the only disappointment. The dough of the dimsums was very sticky; in fact it was breaking down and sticking to the bottom of the sheet upon lifting it up. The filling too was just about OK. All in all a very regular sort of a dish, I won’t really recommend it unless you just cant do without dimsums for a day.

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Desserts: Chocolate Pastry and Brownie was served for desserts, the pastry was simply amazing, dense, chocolaty, super moist and delectable. It’s a must have for all chocolate lovers, and those who don’t like chocolate, try this one and you may start liking it for good. The brownie was good too, though could have been a little more fudgy and gooey, but still can give it a try.

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Drinks: I tried the Jon’s Head Raspberry Classic Margarita and it was nice and refreshing.
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Overall I loved my foodie experience at Jon’s Head and I recommend giving it a try for sure. It is definitely a food joint worth visiting, you wont be disappointed.

 

Jon's head Grill Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Take a Healthier Path by Choosing Right Water Purifier

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

It is a common notion for people to put a great deal of thought on consuming clean and healthy drinking water mainly because most of the deadly diseases are water borne. Needless to say that the water supplied to city and town homes through the water distribution system is not pure enough for drinking.

The tap water which people receive may look clean and dirt free but it has a lot of dissolved impurities capable of causing serious harm to the human body. That is where the concept of water purification comes in. Boiling the water is one of the oldest and most commonly used water purification method but is quiet costly if one takes into account the cost of the fuel and labor gone behind this process. That is where modern purification processes comes in.

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A few modern, effective and affordable water purification techniques are-

  • RO or Reverse Osmosis
  • UV or Ultraviolet
  • UF or Ultra Filtration

RO or the Reverse Osmosis filtration system is one of the most popular modern methods probably coz of its effective results and affordable prices. This method makes the water pass through an RO filtration membrane that filters out all the dissolved impurities from the water while making it germ and bacteria free. Hence purifiers with the RO mechanism like Aquafresh water purifier should be the go to option for all those looking to up their health quotient.

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Here are a few special features of Aquafresh RO which will make any person, aware enough about the water borne health hazards, opt for it.

  • This purifier delivers water in its purest form and is hence good at dealing with brackish water or water with a higher saline content which depends on the local water resource.
  • Nowadays when chemical contamination in water is a rising concern, RO serves with the best solution as this technology is excellent at dealing with chemical contamination.
  • Getting rid of TDS or total dissolved solids is another forte of the RO purifier.
  • All these points along with Aquafresh’s free, quick and easy installation process makes this the best defender of water borne diseases.

RO water purification system has a reputation of being the best in its field. Be it for military purposes or for residential ones, it has proved time and again about its capabilities. All those who are yet to avail the best services associated with an RO purification system should contact Aquafresh.

 

Mystical Mondays- The Joy is in Details, By Manoj Lekhi

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Knowledge and Awareness:

Why is it so that knowledge is given so much of importance all over the world? Why is it that Goddess Saraswati is given so much of respect and importance?

Increase in Knowledge may not necessarily mean Increase in Awareness

BUT

Increase in Awareness definitely means Increase in Knowledge.

Further, Awareness can be divided into two types:

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Outside Awareness :

An expert mountaineer is aware of each and every minute change of climate from heat to rains to snow. Likewise an expert Musician is aware of every sound he uses in singing and making of a song.

An expert artist is aware of the different shades of color that can describe his idea best through his painting, similarly a successful businessman knows all in and outs of his business and that is one of the major reasons he is a great Micro-Manager (also known as Micro-Management).

Be it any field you are part of, mastering whatever you do is one of the key aspect that makes you an expert or experienced person in your field.

An expert cricketer is aware of the field placements and his players, this allows him to play shots in between the gaps. A practiced dancer is extremely aware of small minute steps and hand movements which makes a beautiful performance in front of an audience. The same goes for a skillful actor and director, the actor is aware of each and every angle and pose he needs to shoot in front of the camera while the director is fully aware of his cinematography.

This way we have thousands of fields where people will give great importance to details and end up being highly successful in terms of money, fame or expertise. Some may end being famous like Amitabh Bachan or maybe one like Sachin Tendulkar or a famous actor or cricketer or Musician. When you do, whatever you do, do in depth, it makes you happy, confident and creates an eagerness to achieve more and more. They enjoy the small joys of detailing. There is a different blissfulness that you receive when you master your respective field. Any person who goes into learning every minute detail, he enjoys his life to the fullest. Success may or may not happen, but they enjoy and are passionate about their work/professional life because joy lies in the details.

Inside Awareness:

However the above set of people who are into detailing may enjoy their professional place but might end up disturbed, unhappy and dissatisfied, if their planned goals aren’t achieved. Let’s say it as their inner awareness. Where a person who is aware of his inner-self and he is fully contained, satisfied and successful. For him, what matters is knowing everything inside- outside rather than just the outer world. Aware of his body movements, more aware about his breath, even more aware of his thoughts, even more subtly aware of his feelings and emotions and more aware of his intentions before he takes any action. This person enjoys the detailing of his inward self. He does not need any goal, nor does he target any destination, detailing itself is the destination. His or her joy is in the process of discovering the inner-self, inner-intentions, feelings, thoughts, words, which designs his actions for any responses. His behavior is an outcome of his words which is an outcome of his thoughts, feelings, intentions, understanding details. For example, the person who is aware of inner-self is aware of every single thing he does, for instance drinking water and feeling fully satiated.

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The one who can comprehend the inner-self is automatically the one who can solve the outside world’s puzzle. The one who rises in inner consciousness rises in the level of outer consciousness too. He is master of his own universe. But the reverse need not be true.

A person who is very alert in his inward journey puts his complete attention also in his outward journey. His inside vibrations transmit to outside.

Both ways are wonderful, when you go from inside to outside, it becomes much easier, because it is not dependent on outside factors, while in outside awareness the person is dependent on various other factors. He does not need an outward goal or outward validation, target, destination. His/her Joy is in the inner self- understanding. Go the inward to outward journey which is simpler, easier, joyful and guaranteed success. Outward to in is long, tedious, hardworking and cannot be guaranteed to be joyful. Go for subtle inwards and express it outwards.

Little Things = Great Joy

It is self fulfilling to know each and every pulse and breath of work or things you are into. The joy lies in the details. When you know inside- outside, you enjoy everything you do. This understanding is a medicine that can solve various issues in your life. From simple tasks like cooking to holding a big time business, when one is involved in every minute aspect of the task one’s joy multiplies manifold

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Know this. Practice this. Experience this.

The joy is in the details.

 

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About the Author

Manoj Lekhi is a truth seeker at heart and a guide to thousands Indians all over the world. At the age of 25, he met Guruji Shree Rishi Prabhakarji, creator of the Siddha Samadhi Yoga (SSY) program. Under Guruji’s guidance and as his key disciple, Manoj Lekhi himself has blossomed into a Business and Life coach.

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He is a passionate trainer in areas like management and leadership development. He has been teaching management mantras to many corporate honchos for business expansion for over a decade. In the last two years he has conducted 250 programs across 11 cities and touched the lives of 15000 fellow Indians in India and abroad. His passion for meditation and SSY has inspired him to adopt an entire village near the foothills of Pune. He has also started a school there inspired by the Gurukul structure. The Gurukul encourages community living and inspires everyone to become a contributing member of the society. The entire community stays, works, meditates, serves and plays together amongst the rustic dwellings and wide expanse of sprawling greens. Apart from this he is also the author of the books; ‘Your Child is your Parent’ and ‘ Money Wealth and Abundance’. Manoj Lekhi’s love for Silence and Solitude makes him an obvious nature-lover. He loves trekking and loves taking a walk in the mountains and forests. Apart from this he also enjoys listening to the modern day Western spiritual and professional Gurus like Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer on one hand to ZigZiglar and Brian Tracy on the other.

To Know More Log On To: http://www.manojjlekhi.in/

 

Oxford Bookstore Connaught Place Celebrates The Twenty Second New Urdu Writings Series

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Oxford Bookstore Connaught Place in collaboration with Hindustani Awaaz,hosts The Twenty Second New Urdu Writings Series,two recent books by Kishwar Naheed, Mutthi Bhar Yaadein (memoir) and Iss Aabaad Kharabe Mein (poetry collection). The session is being moderated by Dr Rakhshanda Jalil, founder Hindustani Awaaz with Kishwar Naheed, Prof Shamim Hanafi, eminent Urdu critic, and Kunwar Ranjeet Chauhan, Jashn-e Adab.The event comprised of book recital by Kishwar Naheed & discussion on modern urdu writings in comparison with earlier urdu poetry & writings. Richa Agarwal, an eminent classical singer gave a performance on one of the poetry’s by Kishwar Naheed, which was much appreciated by audience & the writer herself

Through its series of events for Urdu readers and book lovers, Oxford Bookstore aims to spread awareness about the literary and cultural relevance of the Urdu language, its literature and culture in India.

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About Dr. Rakhshanda Jalil

Dr. Rakhshanda Jalil a writer, literary critic, translator, independent researcher, and much-admired blogger, is an eminent commentator on Hindi-Urdu culture, society, and literature. She has over 15 books to her credit, including the recent anthology, New Urdu Writings from India and Pakistan (2013). At present, she is engaged in a study of Indian secularism. She also runs an organization called Hindustani Awaaz, devoted to the popularization of Hindi-Urdu literature and culture, and blogs at www.hindustaniawaaz-rakhshanda.blogspot.com and another at IBN Live.

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About Kishwar Naheed

Kishwar Naheed is a feminist Urdu poet from Pakistan. She has written several poetry books. She has also received awards including Sitara-e-Imtiaz for her literary contribution towards Urdu literature.

Naheed has served major positions in various national institutions, as director general of Pakistan National Council of the Arts. She also worked and edited a literary magazineMahe naw. She established Hawwaorganisation (Eve). The purpose of the organisation is to support those women who have not independent income, providing financially opportunities through cottage industries and selling handicrafts..

Kishwar has written six collections of poems between 1969 and 1990. Her first poetry collection Lab-i goya was published in 1968, that won the Adamjee Prize of Literature. She also writes for children and for the Daily Jang. Her several poems have been translated into English and Spanish.

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About Oxford Book Store:

Oxford Bookstore Connaught Place offers a carefully curated list of titles for booklovers to browse through and buy and perhaps the world’s largest assortment of teas in the hip Cha Bar, to create a holistic experience for book lovers. The entrance leading to the bookstore houses a big Neon Wall, a cloud of words in English-Hindi-Latin that envelopes book lovers in a universe of emotions linked to reading. Inside, in the tranquil space, hands-on staff, knowledgeable and highly trained book specialists, offer suggestions of handpicked titles from major, independent and indie publishers: a great selection of books, some exclusive to Oxford Bookstore. The selection features both emerging and established authors from India and the world. Shelves stocked with the best in Indian Writing, International Fiction and Translations take one into a spacious, elongated Reading Room which opens onto a dedicated Events Space. Well-researched sections on Languages and New Age books address issues of addiction, relationships, unexplained phenomena, and showcase the best of thinkers and Indian gurus. A wide range of titles in Travel Writing, books that showcase the very essence of New Delhi and a specially curated section of books on tea are other highlights. Children have an exclusive space for browsing, activities and reading and parents can look forward to the Top 10 Gift Books in each age group for a quick and easy pick. Amongst the best in books for different age groups are ones that help the young ones deal with experiences relevant to their age.

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Radhika J Showcased Her Premier Shoe Collection For The First Time In The Capital Recently

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Radhika Jain recently unveiled her premier luxurious collection of women’s footwear under her label name Radika J. in the capital. The eponymous designer, who has experimented with different styles,cuts,textures,embellishments and colour themes, also retails through her online retail store Radikaj.com.

Priya Grover and Radhika Jain
Priya Grover and Radhika Jain

Her range of designs included a blend of various styles such as brogue, sandal and mojari styles, smoking slipper with mule or even d’orsay pump, brogue and peeptoe style together.The most overwhelming styles, be that as it may, incorporated pointy-toe pumps, strappy-shoes, mules and clogs, mary janes, wedges and detailed flats.

There were numerous more appealing assortments like Folklore collection impacted from the customary footwear of different nations, for example, Netherlands, Japan , Mexico, her signature style double-platform high heels, and tango shoes style as she has devoted a whole line of her brand to the Latin dance community such as Tango, Salsa, Kizomba, and Bachata.

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The corridor at The Kila was loaded with the visitors evaluating this new line of collection. Propelling the footwear under her own brand had evidently been on Radhika’s mind from the day she began shoning her knowledge on the peculiarities of footwear designing, and remained in India to complete her masters in Footwear Technology in 2014.

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ratan-kaul-and-aditi-mukherjee
sanya-sachdeva-dharna-varma-and-shirley-demorias
sanya-sachdeva-dharna-varma-and-shirley-demorias
sonia-jetley-and-parul-puri
sonia-jetley-and-parul-puri

On the lavish launch of her collection Radhika said, “I am glad that my hard work is appreciated by the people. I get inspiration from wherever I go – from street styles, fashion shows, to different cultures, places, books, objects, fabrics, floors, walls etc. I feel motivated to start my brand and I hope it will meet the needs of women worldwide.”

radhika-jain

About Radhika Jain

Radhika Jain fulfilled her yearning to gain an international perspective on footwear design through a course in Fashion Design from London College of Fashion(Cordwainers),UK in 2012. She continued to hone her knowledge on the peculiarities of footwear designing, and remained in India to complete her masters in Footwear Technology in 2014. This time was a building ground for her own future brand, based on the sensibilities of Indian women. She additionally learnt Online Retail for Fashion Business from LCF, UK. All of this education coupled with a rich practical work experience in India and Italy lent her the spirit to start on her own. Her objective to become an internationally renowned luxury designer gave way to the inception of Radhika J, a label that brings together the expertise of designers from all over the country, all under one roof. She additionally also keeps herself associated with Parsons School of Design. Radhika’s thoughts on her trade are modernistic and simple. According to her, ‘The most admirable designs are made with a free mind. Design can be an idea, a thought, a minute detail, a feeling, a concept or a form, independent or integrated in an aesthetically appealing manner.’

Stay Fit Fridays-7 Dieting Mistakes You Should Avoid, By Dr. Anjali Hooda

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Ever wondered why you don’t seem to meet up your weekly weight loss goals…. after having followed a not so tasty diet plan and almost draining yourself in those cardio/strength sessions. Every Monday morning you still fall short of few hundred grams of the expected weight loss…!!

Here’s how you could identify common glitches… correct them and find yourself more inspired and encouraged towards losing the remaining extra kilos…!!

The symbols of a healthy lifestyle - gymnastics, weight control, and fruits

Keep Eating a “Singular Activity”

Eating in peace with all the focus on your plate helps you sense the feeling of fullness…. or what we call satiety. Watching television, talking over phone and working on laptop while eating…, can lead to improper chewing and eating more than required. Mindful consumption of meals favours sensitization of ‘satiety clues’ and you know exactly where to stop eating.

Don’t Purchase your diet… Prepare it…!!

Often in morning rush hours…, we choose processed/ready to eat foods like corn flakes, oats, whole grain bread, and sometimes even tea and crackers as breakfast options. Although these constitute a handy option and the nutrient content seems to be similar to home cooked foods but eventually they have a higher glycemic index and lower fibre and protein content. Try limiting these to 2-3 times per week and opting for simple home-made recipies that suffice your nutrient requirement.

Distribute your food evenly

The key to weight loss without loss of health lies in creating a balance of nutrients or types of food. The more balanced a meal, the better and steady is release of nutrients into the blood stream. One must include at least one combination of cereal and legume, cereal and pulse or cereal and milk for your main meals while keeping the raw fruit/vegetable portions for in between snacking.

Avoid eating and drinking at the same time

Glugging water and other beverages while eating or immediately after meals reduces the efficacy of digestion and absorption process due to dilution of the digestive juices released in stomach. Digestion becomes prolonged and the absorption is also not that great. Take plenty of fluids all the day round but remember to exempt from them during meals.

Drinking calories v/s eating them

Substituting your meals with a glass of milk or taking fruit juices in place of fruits don’t add much of a benefit to your health. Doing so, you might end up adding almost equal or even extra calories to your diet while going deficient in terms of other nutrients. A glass of 200ml 3% milk gives you almost equal calories as a well balanced meal and no where matches the satiety level of a meal. A glass of orange juice surely gives you higher amount of vitamins and minerals than a whole orange… but it also has sugars (fructose) from 3-4 oranges and absolutely no fibre…!!

Go individual

A universal diet or a diet that works for all is yet to be discovered. The fact that every individual is different and so is its response to any particular practice holds a lot of evidence. Identify your body’s responses and analyse them to understand what suits you the best. Diet and exercise regimes should be tailor-made…, not copied and followed simply because it did benefit your friend or relative.

Set realistic, “health-happy” goals

After having made one or all of the aforementioned corrections…, most importantly remember that there is a certain amount of weight that one should aim at losing over a period of time. Achieving jaw-dropping weight loss in a short span of time (10-12 weeks) might create a story line for you but the health risks it poses are too many…, plus the ‘yo-yo effect’ that makes you gain weight as quickly and more than you actually lost.

-Do it the right way.., as being slim has become a little outdated. Staying healthy is the new cool…!!

 

31st October Trailer Grips Social Media

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
The newly launched “31st October” Trailer has generated quite a buzz on Social Media. Already anticipating a lot of polarizing opinions, the trailer has generated mostly praise and tweeples have identified its theme as surprisingly different and refreshing. Though based on the backdrop of PM Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the horrific Anti Sikh pogrom that followed , the trailer gives out a unique insight into the Film’s human story.
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Based on the fateful day of 31 st October 1984, The trailer zips through events of the day & leaves on a cliff hanger on the question of whether the family will survive the ordeal what will happen to them eventually. Already the trailer has received 2 Million hits on Youtube and Facebook with a high percentage of Likes and shares. Both Sikh and Non Sikh community has seemed to give its thumbs up to the Trailer direction & the dialogues which are being constantly termed as Powerful and Gritty. The cinematography has been praised and also the Musical score. All in all it looks like 31st October will give stiff competition at the Box Office on 7th October.
The film Stars Soha Ali Khan and Vir Das in pivotal roles & is being directed by National Award Winning Director Shivaji Lotan Patil. Distributed by Panorama Studios and Written & Produced by Harry Sachdeva, 31st october hits screens worldwide on 7th October 2016. I am so looking forward to it..!!