Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Paper Boat ~ For Tea Lovers


While shopping for groceries in super markets, you see the attractive colorful packs of carbonated drinks or fruit juices and get into a dilemma of whether or not to buy. Thanks to your calorie intake and unhealthy lifestyle. Trust me, to control and restrict your calorie intake is not only difficult, but at times next to impossible. The cliche "I will work out tomorrow" urges you to load your shopping trolley with colorful packs of drinks. So how does a person cut down on this unhealthy intake? Paper Boat comes to your rescue. Especially for the tea lovers, who cannot say no to tea and slurp on the sugary liquid.

Paper Boat gives a refreshing twist to the old concept of tea in India with the rejuvenating flavors of ice tea! Take a look at the little tagged notes which say it all



Paper Coaster
Having tried the aam panna drink from this brand, my expectations were high from the ice tea packs as well. The expectations were met! Lemon and ginger tea and tusli flavours come our as the most rejuvenating ice tea flavors. For tea lovers this is a blessing, as you do not often get flavored ice tea! The most common ones we have heard is lemon ice tea, right? Lemon & ginger ice tea gives a little spicy taste due to the blend of ginger. Tusli ice tea is the better of the two with a healthy and cool brew of tulsi or basil. The best part is low sugar content, which means low calories and low fat! Refrigerate the tetra packs and have a cool refreshing drink quenching your craving for low-sugar yet energizing drink.

The attractive use-and-throw packaging is very pleasant to look at and user friendly. Tightly sealed cap and plastic doypack promises zero spillage and tear. Each pack is priced at INR 30 which I think is slightly higher. I guess INR 25 would have been a fair deal for these. The tagline on the packs says drinks and memories. How can the brand create memories? Well, the cute packaging with the water bubbles and paperboat as the name as well as a doodle, just gets the nostalgia out! A product of Hector Beverages, clever marketing of Paperboat is grabbing eyeballs.

Being a health conscious person, I am glad to have found a drink that suits my needs and taste. I would rate it 3.5 on a scale of 5.

Watch the paperboat youtube video here. Nostalgia will leave you in tears.


Sunday, October 19, 2014

Dabur immunity

We work hard and earn for our family. Our children complete the family and we live for  them. They bring us joy and we draw inspiration from them. They are our emotional anchors and we go to any extent for our kids. With hectic lifestyle topped with a lot of stress, we are barely left with time for ourselves. In a jiffy, we tend to overlook the needs of our kids too (Not intentionally though). I remember how my mother used to get worried over the smallest incident of coughing or sneezing. She continues to do so even today when I am grown up and stay all by myself in a different city. Childhood was a phase when mothers take the pain of nursing us, even if that meant to be awake whole night. Staying away from family keeps me away from that luxury, or lets say mother's love.
Our lifestyle has made us weak, precisely hollow from within that fails to fights diseases. "Who has the time to buy and eat aamla mom?" I often question her, post her lectures over the phone. That's when my mother suggests me to have Dabur chyawanprash, to build immunity. And yes, she is right. Unless I am a millionaire who can spend on hospital bills and medicines, I can afford to fall sick. Because I am a girl next door with simple lifestyle, who works for a living and has dreams in eyes, I cannot afford to fall sick. I'd rather build immunity thrice and adopt preventive methods instead of curative ones.

I think of the same when I would enter motherhood, I would need to be strong enough to bring up my child. How am I supposed to do it without looking after my own self? As it is popularly said, that a person may not be able to look after others if he/she is not able to look after his/her own self, I make conscious efforts to stay healthy. Besides exercising, yoga and healthy eating, I do take chyawanprash every day, to fight diseases and those scary hospital bills too!

Durba playing Tennis @6
2 months old Durba
My mother used to thrust a spoon of chyawanprash into my mouth, when I was a kid. I miss that act. I miss that caring touch and closeness of hers when I lick off the chyawanprash off the spoon. Dabur being one of the oldest brand that I have seen since my younger days, it feels like a family brand now. My best friend' lil daughter is growing up and as I see her turning into a smart sharp girl, I also get worried for her health. Her mother was on bed rest post delivery. Dabur chyawanprash struck my mind in the first go. Her daughter Durba is an active child, indulged into lot of activities. Touch wood, her immunity is strong. It still feels she was born yesterday. She calls me "Bua" and pulls me to watch her play tennis.

As I pledge to have a healthy living, and promise my unborn child a healthy future, I remain loyal to Dabur Chyawanprash which is a store house of amazing benefits that none or few have. A blend of 40 natural ingredients and Ayurvedic herbs is the need of today! The magnificent brew contains Ashwagandha which has anti-stress, anti oxidant and immunomodulatory properties, Satavari that helps to promotes general health, improves memory & eyes, Bala, the strength promoter,Vidarikand, the rejuvenator and Guduchi with antioxidant, immunomodulatory and rejuvenating properties.

Yeah I know the names are heavy, but little do people know that modern science is merging with Ayurveda for better medicines and cure. Ayurveda science is time tested and age old method of healing naturally, minus any side effects. I made sure that my baby sister consumes chyawanprash without fail daily and today I proudly say that her immunity is strong enough. A daily dose of chyawanprash and works out has shaped her into an adorable and strong girl. Look at her picture on left. That's my girl :-) Looks like I am playing mother to so many kids around.
The powerhouse Dabur Chyawanprash is recommended not only for kids but for all age groups, because we all need the power to fight diseases, don't we?
Look for more Dabur wonders at https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/

This was my runner's up blog post for Dabur 


Monday, October 13, 2014

Words..


Words o words, that can calm us wen we pray,
that can turn sour and also slay....

Words o words. you hurt & don't let me sleep,
why did u pierce into my heart so deep?

Words o words, you untamed shameless things,
I'd fly far away from you if I had wings...

Words o cruel words, its better when not spoken,
and save fragile hearts from being broken.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Enter and exit



                               Clicked at the tunnel leading to Chamera Dam, Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh.

Friday, September 19, 2014

The hatti lunch

Weekends should be fun and vibrant that leave you with good memories and rejuvenated. Eating out is an activity that brings a smile to many faces. However choose right and eat right. Hogging can be risky and land you in bad state of health, needless to mention gastric problems, food poisoning, stomach infection and so on. Okay, I don't intend to scare you. This post is about a famous eating joint in Old Delhi.

Popular for well prepared royal cuisines, Old Delhi holds a record of many titles, unmatched and unbeatable till date. Be it the oldest shop in India since British rule, the most visited place, busiest market or yummiest food. Kaake di Hatti, an eating joint of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi holds the record of being more than 60 years old shop which serves the most authentic North Indian food. As they say, curiosity kills the cat, I got killed too and ventured out on one weekend to grab a bite at the Kaake Di Hatti.

Located in the interiors of Chandni Chowk, this shop is indeed old and almost easily missed. The restaurant serves pure vegetarian North Indian food, with a huge variety in breads (roti/naan). The first floor is air conditioned with basic seating arrangements of tables and stools. DO NOT expect a neat, calm or hygienic ambiance, though the food is neat and served on clean plates/utensils. The first thing one might notice are the dark decaying walls which they have tried hard to maintain. The newly fitted AC in the walls come as a big relief. The waiters are courteous and services are quick. With the limited walking spaces in the narrow floor area restricts your movements. Yet, all you would care about is the yummy food, which is worth the pains you take to reach here.
Aloo pyaaz naan
Daal makhni

 Another thing that immediately gets your attention is a newspaper clipping framed on the wall which
challenges you to eat a naan (bread) all by yourself. I thought it was a publicity stunt. However my
inhibitions proved to be wrong when I ordered one naan stuffed with potato and onion. One buttered naan has four big pieces which is a full course meal for two! The daal makhni was fairly good and malaai kofta was out of the world! Obviously I failed the naan challenge. Pickle and chutney are complimentary. The menu has a wide variety of naan, vegetable curries, dry vegetable mixes, raita and lassi. Against all expectations, in the menu you
Malaai Kofta
would find half plate vegetables too, which is a rare practice in many restaurants.

Try the food once and you'd love it forever. It is a must visit place in Old Delhi. You would never  forget the pocket friendly delicious meal, which would barely cost Rs 200-300 for 2 people. Post lunch I had rabri faluda from Gianis (which is the original shop) next to Kake di hatti, and it was beyond words. I had never tasted such amazing rabri faluda ever in my life. 70 rupees a glass is worth!!

Monday, September 15, 2014

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

The taste of Gujarat

My search for authentic food continued and landed me to Gujarat Bhawan restaurant which is in the official resident complex of Gujarat commissioner. I savour Gujarati cuisine for the tinge of sweetness and less of spices. I loved the food here. Unlike Andhra Bhawan, this is comparatively a small restaurant with limited seating capacity. The ambiance is neat and quiet.  Located at 11 Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri, the pure vegetarian restaurant serves unlimited food worth 90 rupees on weekdays and 120 rupees on weekends.
TASTE ALERT- If you love spicy food, this place is not for you.

The superb thaali in Gujarat Bhawan
Gujarat Bhawan Restaurant's timings are 12 noon to 2 pm for lunch. The food is not authentic Gujarati but its the preparation which is different. Be it the daal makhni or choley, which are not typical Gujju dishes, they still have an aroma and taste of Gujarati food. The menu on weekdays consists dhokla, salad, papad as starters, along with one dry vegetable, yellow daal (which is sweet), 2 curry preparations, tawa roti and steamed rice accompanied with chhaach. Weekend menu is the same with additional items like paalak pakora, poori, dessert and paan.
I loved the thaali because of its simplicity and sweet tinge. Excess of spices in any cuisine not only spoils the taste but attacks your digestion too! I stay away from too spicy or chilly food. Choley served here has been the best that I have ever tasted at any restaurant. The neat and clean place with great food keeps seeing me come back each week :-) (I have been here several times now)

An ice cream lover can also buy ice creams from the Amul counter. Packed khakhra, thepla and Gujarati namkeens are also available for sale over the counter.
Ambience- 5 on 5
Food- 5 on 5
Overall quality- 4.5 on 5
Recommended for all age groups, this place is MUST VISIT for all.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Jaigarh Jaivana

There is something about Jaipur that keeps attracting me towards itself. The fact that I have visited the Pink City several times does not deter me to make frequent trips whenever I get the opportunity. The palaces, forts, the artillery on display, the art &craft and the enormous expanse of the majestic buildings dawdle to my sanities. Oh, maybe I have a royal connection from the past!


While Jaipur has a deep rooted Rajput history, the city also boasts of structures inspired by Mughal & European architecture. Nahargarh Fort is a fine example of the same. The kings in that era also built monuments and forts to combat enemy attacks. The fort of Jaigarh hence comes into picture which is a major tourist attraction till date.

Jaivana- World's largest canon on wheels

Canon's view from side

Why The Magnetism- The most extraordinary thing in the fort is “Jaivana” which is the world’s largest canon on wheels. The canon was fired only once in its lifetime. The canon has a 20 feet long barrel weighing 50 tons with a diameter of 11 inches. It has a range of 22 miles and about 100kg gun powder was used for a single fire. As per the popular belief, the single round that was fired formed a deep fissure that became a lake. The destructive and unusually large weapon kept the enemies away from the fort. The majestic canon stands tall in a protected area in the fort open for public display.




The History- The founder Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II cast the canon in 1720 at Jaigarh. The huge barrel was constructed to discourage enemies and ofcourse display the power of the reigning leader. The work to place the barrel on the carriage was later done during the reign of Maharja Ram Singh II who also got the covered area prepared to keep the canon safe. The Jaigarh fort was constructed to keep a watch and protect the Amber Fort. Also, the fort was a center of artillery production for the Rajputs because of presence of iron ore in abundance. Apart from the giant Jaivana, many other canons were manufactured during that era.

Jaigarh ovverlooking Amber Fort
Other small canons in backyard
Location- Jaigarh Fort is located on the outskirts about 10 km from the city. The fort overlooks the Amer Fort from 400 m above the former and offers a beautiful sight of the Aravali Hills.

How to get there- Private vehicles or commercial taxis/autos are allowed to ply on those roads. Take a left on the road marked “Jaigarh Road” and drive uphill till you reach a diversion. The road straight leads to Nahargarh Fort and the other turn is the way towards Jaigarh Fort. 


View of Amer fort from Jaigarh
What to see in Jaigarh Fort- Apart from the Jaivana, you can visit the large vicinity of the fort spread over 3km length north south and width of 1 km. The sturdy walls are made of red sandstones. The fort houses many other small canons, a tall watch tower, courtyards, a large storage tank, ancient temples that symbolized strength and protection from evil and garden areas. You can get a nice view of Jal Mahal and the entire Jaipur from Jaigarh fort which makes it an exceptional platform for photography.



Watch Tower
Did you know? During the tenure of Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi, a search was conducted by the income Tax authorities for a hidden treasure supposedly inside the large underground water tanks. The three water tanks under the central courtyard got its water supply from a canal on the west side of the fort. One tank water was used by prisoners for bathing, the 2nd tank to store gold and jewellery and the 3rd tank was empty. The 3 months search proved to be futile with no treasure excavated from the site.












Caution-
  •  Do NOT litter. One it’s a disrespect if you do, two it’s a responsibility not to, three it attracts wild animals around. No silly, not tigers, but monkeys and colobinae (languor).

  • Do NOT feed languor/monkeys. They can attack humans, snatch your items and make it a horrifying experience for all.
  • Hire a taxi or auto which would wait for you at parking. You would not find any commercial vehicle to hire while returning. Fix the deal in advance hence. No buses ply on that route. Always hire a vehicle for Jaigarh and Nahargarh together as a clubbed package.
  • Try NOT to alight your vehicle on the way from or to the fort for two reasons. The narrow roads get jam packed. You do not want to get stuck in traffic, do you? So don't create traffic. Secondly, because its risky. The risk of getting hit by an over speeding vehicle, monkey menace or other wild animals. I encountered a huge monitor lizard on the way back from the fort..The big reptile was beautiful but scary!
The historic fort is majestic and holds an important place. It’s a must visit in Jaipur to make you feel the magnificence and the royal aura of the Rajput era.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Baba Silver Coated Elaichi- Review

Baba Silver Coated Elaichi
Baba Elaichi, one of the oldest brands in mouth freshner industry, has pioneered the concept of “freshness”. It has brought a revolution in the industry with innovative products, and Baba Silver Coated Elaichi is one of them.
The round shaped red colored box was sent to me to experience the product and review it. The little elaichi seeds dipped in silver have a strong distant aroma. The moment I opened the little box, the air bloomed with lovely aroma which attracted few colleagues of mine from quite a distance. The greedy lot came to me sniffing the air and asked “Who’s got elaichi?” (Yes you are greedy and I am not sorry to call you so).
I shared the little cardamom seeds with few colleagues. “How is it?” was my question, to all those who tasted it. “Nice and refreshing” was the common feedback from all, and I totally agree!

The silver coating makes the product look premier and also imparts sweetness. Once the sweet dissolves in mouth, the elaichi grains do the rest of the magic. The tiny seeds are mixed with saffron that tend to give you a royal feeling. (After all saffron is an expensive ingredient). Saffron holds a very important place in the Indian spices market for mouth freshening, besides cardamom. Together they are used in oral heath to cure ulcers and infections of mouth & throat! I give an extra point to this non toxic product with a medicinal value.

The aroma is wonderful and it rejuvenates your breath, especially after meals. Now I don’t have to look around for chewing gum or mints. Popping in few elaichi seeds refreshes your mouth instantly. Unlike chewing gums which have to be fished out of wrappers or supari from small packets, Baba Elaichi is packaged in a box. No wrappers/packets messing around! Once you finish the product, you can use the box to refill it or store something else. (Okay, this is my idea to keep the environment clean. Lesser plastic/wrappers, cleaner is environment)
And love birds don’t have to worry about bad breath anymore. The flavor lingers in mouth for quite some time. Baba Elaichi makes them kiss ready ;-)

The packaging is unique, almost weightless and compact. You can easily carry it in your hand bag daily. (I have hidden it in my office drawer though) The red box has an advanced “click-clack” technology wherein you push the lid from top to open the box, and press the sides to close it. The air tight box keeps the elaichi seeds fresh. The number of times I open it, fresh aroma greets my senses.
The only turn off for me was to close the lid. One has to make several efforts to push the sides of the lids in order to close it.

Due to its distinctive blend, taste, and the power to exhilarate your senses, it is making waves in the market. I found my perfect mouth freshener in form of Baba Elaichi. Kudos!
Look and feel- 4/5
Pacakage use-3/5
Taste- 5/5
A repeat use? Definitely yes!