Perhaps, the one thing that is going to take you by surprise and also deeply touch you on your India tour is the warm hospitality of Indians. A ready smile on the face, always willing to go out of the way to help somebody, exuding genuine happiness upon meeting a person – these are some of the common traits you will find in maximum Indians. The Sanskrit adage, “Atithi Devo Bhava,” meaning the guest is truly your god dictates the respect granted to guests in India. So it’s understandable why the tourists visiting India want to come back again & again.

The hospitality industry in India is, thus, very strong. Even if you choose to stay in a hotel, all care will be taken by the management to make you feel at home. However, if you wish to know what real Indian hospitality is, then it will be better if you stay at the house of a native. If you already have a friend or an acquaintance in India, it’s all the more better. Indians like to serve various types of tasty mouth-watering local cuisines to their guests. So it shouldn’t be surprising if right upon entering a house you get aroma of sizzling vegetables.

Most Indians live in a joint family so often you will find the in-laws, uncles, cousins and others staying together. Saying Namaste to a guest is integral to guest hospitality in India and you can expect every member to greet you this way only. The womenfolk form the backbone of traditional hospitality. Apart from taking full care of all their family members, they never ever let a guest go away unfed or unhappy from their home. Indian women are great cooks and can scurry up delectable dishes in no time.

As soon as the guest arrives, the women of the house serve him water and then ask any preferences for food or drink. Infact, you will be surprised to find that even strangers on the road are so friendly and hospitable. If you ask them where a certain shop or place is located, chances are people will not only give you the direction, but also accompany you your destination, especially when the place is nearby. Indian people feel that their guests must be given proper warm hospitality, which certainly requires extreme care and attention.

If you’re planning your own New Year’s Eve bash, we’ve drawn up a list of cocktails that you must try. We spoke with mixologists from some of India’s best bars and lounges and this is what they think will make a perfect New Year’s drink

Shagadelic.

30 ml white rum
15 ml Malibu
15 ml Cointreau
60 ml passionfruit juice
10 ml lime juice
10 ml sugar syrup
01 orange wheel
Method: Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain into glass
Glass: Martini
Garnish: Orange wheel
Recipe by Cletus Mendonca, Bar manager at Dome, InterContinental, Mumbai

60 ml Malibu
60 ml cranberry juice
60 ml pineapple juice
Dash  grenadine
30 ml fresh cream
2 slices pineapple
01 cherry
Method: Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice and pour in a Collins glass & garnish.
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Pineapple rabbit
Recipe by Cletus Mendonca, Bar manager at Dome, InterContinental, Mumbai

30 ml vodka
15 ml cherry puree
15 ml peach liqueur
15 ml cherry brandy
10 ml lemon juice
Sparkling wine
Method: Shake all ingredients except sparkling wine and strain in a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with cherry
Glass: Champagne Flute
Garnish: A Cherry
Recipe by Cletus Mendonca, Bar manager at Dome, InterContinental, Mumbai

Sparkling Amour

120 ml Champagne
30 ml Parfait Amour
10 ml Green Apple Monin
Method: Mix all the above ingredients together
Glass: Martini
Garnish: A green apple wedge
Recipe by Rohan Ogale, Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage, The Oberoi, Mumbai

Sparkling Mojito

120 ml Champagne
12 sprigs Mint
06 Lime Wedges
01 cube Demerara Sugar
Method: Muddle together mint, lime and Demarara sugar. Add crushed ice and top with champagne and stir
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Serve with lime wedges and mint sprigs
Recipe by Rohan Ogale, Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage, The Oberoi, Mumbai

Thyme Bellini.

120 ml Champagne
60 ml Peach puree
01 sprig Thyme
Method: Mix the three ingredients together, strain and pour into glass
Glass: Champagne flute
Garnish: Thyme leaves and peach cubes
Recipe by Rohan Ogale, Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage, The Oberoi, Mumbai

Melon Mimosa
120 ml Champagne
20 grams Mash Melon
10 ml Creme de menthe
30 ml Rum
15 ml Lime Juice
01 cube Castor Sugar
Method: Mash the melon and muddle the same. Add crème de menthe and mix with the above ingredients. Top with champagne.
Glass: Champagne tulip
Garnish: Place mash melon on a toothpick on the rim
Recipe by Rohan Ogale, Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage, The Oberoi, Mumbai

Afterglow

60 ml Hendricks gin
04 California grapes
Half a cucumber
01 sprig coriander
30 ml lime juice
30 ml honey
Method: Mix all the ingredients, and then strain.
Glass: Martini
Garnish: 1 grape and a coriander leaf
Recipe by Deepak Shettigar, Bar Supervisor, Aer Bar & Lounge, Mumbai

Divinity

60 ml Talisker 18 YO single malt whisky
01 sprig Sage leaves
75 ml Fresh pressed pineapple juice
01 pinch Yuzu pepper
Method: In a shaker, combine all the ingredienst with ice. Shake and strain into glass.
Glass: Martini
Garnish: Sage leaf
Recipe by Deepak Shettigar, Bar Supervisor, Aer Bar & Lounge, Mumbai

La Rosita

30 ml Rose petal infused Vodka
41 ml Grand Marnier
35 ml Lavender Honey
Top up with Louis Roderer Cristal
Method: Fill two-thirds of a pint glass with ice. Add all of the ingredients and stir until completely chilled, then strain into glass.
Glass: Champagne Flute
Garnish: White rose petals
Recipe by Deepak Shettigar, Bar Supervisor, Aer Bar & Lounge, Mumbai

Punjabi, Marathi, Bihari, Bengali, Assamese, Nepali, Gujrati, Kashmiri…. Though India consists of diverse ethnic races and groups and each of them strictly adhere to their own set of customs and tradition, yet there is a common lifestyle pattern followed by almost all the Indians. This, despite the fact that there is so much variation in their language, dressing style and custom! Read on to know about the life of people in the country and what traits put them together under the brand ‘India’:

Joint Family System
A majority of the people in India prefer to live in a joint family, which could comprise anywhere between a group of two or more members to even over 20 members sometimes. As per the Indian way of living, the commanding position in a family is held by the eldest earning male member. He consults other adult members on important issues, but it is his decision that ultimately prevails. However, a lot of importance is also given to the advice of the eldest retired members of the family.

Women as Homemaker
As per the lifestyle of the Indian people, it is the duty of a woman to take care of her home. As such, from her very childhood, a girl child is taught to rustle up mouth-watering dishes by her mother and other ladies in her family. She is also taught to attend to guests and strangers politely and elegantly because it is thought to greatly reflect upon her upbringing. Hers is a 24×7 job, yet she manages to execute it smoothly and is respected for this quality.

Worshipping
Worshipping is an important part of the daily life of Indian people. You will find the holy basil tulsi planted in maximum houses, which people water as well as worship everyday religiously. Many Indians are associated to various religious sects and attend weekly gatherings to listen to the sermons. Apart from temples, mosques and gurdwaras, there will also invariably be a personal place for worship, and pictures of Gods and Goddesses, in every house in India.

Respecting Elders
One common trait you will find amongst Indians is that children show utmost respect to their elders. Now this is one habit all Indian parents deliberately inculcate in their children, since beginning. It is an unsaid rule in India that a person cannot answer back to elders and more so, when he/she is at fault. It is deemed disrespectful in India to refer to an elder by his / her name. Instead people prefer calling them uncle and aunt, especially if the person is very elderly. It is also customary in India for the youngsters to touch the feet of their elders as a way of greeting as well as on important occasions.

The diversity that characterises the Indian consumer has never failed to amaze global brands wanting to gain a share of their pockets. Selling to India’s new middle class will need to be innovative to square the difference between the rising aspirations of consumers, mindsets and their still-modest pocketbooks.

The past prevails

The modern middle class constantly finds itself caught between values and aspirations. Aptly described by Santosh Desai “ Balancing responsibility with indulgence, the need for external display and internal comfort, the family and self, desires and duties, self-respect and pragmatism…”

Paisa Vasool – Worth its price!

The Indian consumer seeks value and looks for that extra bit. He has learnt it from his mother. She would ensure that she got her dhania and mirchi (coriander & green chillies) free, from the vegetable vendor.
The definition of value will be different for different products. For instance, they will seek the lowest price for products that serve basic needs, whereas in others the determinants will range from aspiration to convenience to brand name.

Changing inside out

There will be increasing fear of being ordinary. Consumers would want to be extraordinary though still within current social norms.

Consumers will get more conscious about their health and well being.

They will begin getting concerned with the surrounding environment?including nature, society, politics and public policy.

Think India – go back to the drawing board

Success now requires the ability not only to understand regional and local tastes and preferences but also to design products to suit local culture and lifestyles
South Korea’s LG Electronics struggled when it came to India in the 1990s until a change in foreign-investment rules enabled the company to invest in local design and manufacturing facilities. Noting, for example, that many Indians use their TVs to listen to music, LG introduced new models with better speakers and, to keep prices competitive, less costly displays. The company marketed many other original products, including appliances with programming menus in local languages, refrigerators with brighter colours and smaller freezers, large washing machines for India’s big families, and microwaves with one-touch “Indian menu” functions. Those innovations were possible because LG invested heavily in local R&D and staffed its operations with thousands of top-notch Indian designers and engineers. LG’s product innovation center in Bangalore is the company’s largest outside South Korea.

Give them the means / Financing their way to happiness

Financing can play a role too. Levi Strauss recently announced that it would let customers in India pay in three monthly instalments for jeans costing more than $33. A pilot version of the program, in Bangalore, showed the company that consumers who took advantage of this option spent an average of 50 percent more. Introducing it enabled Levi Strauss to preserve the status of its jeans as an upmarket, aspirational product, while bringing them within reach of millions of less affluent young consumers.

The Indian middle-class will be an essential ingredient in the 21st century brand’s growth story.

The chewing gum helps to control the cortisol, the hormone produced by the adrenal glands in situations of stress. To support it, is a research conducted in England at Northumbria University in Newcastle.

According to the team of scholars, in fact, chewing Chewing gum would play a stress Thanks to a series of interactions between hormones and neurotransmitters, which would activate the initial phase of digestion, increasing the flow of blood to brain, which translates into a state of serenity.

The researchers, involved 40 volunteers to a series of tests, designed just to induce a stress Mild to moderate, and have been monitoring parameters such as the level of cortisol in saliva. Those who chewed Chewing gum, Showed a reduction of the state of anxiety 17% and a level of cortisol 12% lower. Than those who did not.

Clearly, the chewing gum, as like the Italians, who consume annually about 23 thousand tons, it is unthinkable that alone is enough to reduce chronic stress and related damage, primarily those of ‘cardiovascular system. However, the habit of chewing gum can help you feel better, when combined with a lifestyle healthy, including supply balanced, exercise, Regular rhythm of sleep, No smoke and little alcohol.

Also, do not exaggerate in quantity. Per day, are allowed no more than 3 or 4 Chewing gum. Chewing too much, in fact, involves the ingestion of air and can cause a lot less functionality cardia the valve located between the esophagus and stomach. All this can lead to problems such as swelling to belly or Gastro esophageal reflux. Regardless, the tires contain sweeteners. When it comes to sugar the risk of caries is quite high, but even if they are artificial sweeteners should be limited consumption. While Chewing gum to Xylitol is able to reduce the concentration of Streptococcus mutans in saliva, the bacterial species most responsible for tooth decay.

Jewelry forms an intricate part of our Indian culture and has been in vogue from the time our country has come into existence. In fact, early Indians used to adorn themselves with ornaments from head to toe irrespective of gender, religion and community. Today, traditions and lifestyle may have changed but, the charm of ornaments remains the same.

While earlier forms of jewelry were made with flowers, beads, horns and claws of animals, today, all kinds of metals including gold and silver are being used. Some of the earliest forms of jewelry were amulets usually worn for protection by the males. Red coral beads, amber beads and fossils from cone trees were not just used as jewelry items; they were also worn for good health, vitality and as protection from evil.

Over the years, the medicinal and scientific significance of ornaments diminished instead, style and fashion took up more importance.

Bracelets, earrings, necklaces, pendants, amulets, rings and many other different kinds of jewelry are still being worn by both men and women. Although men do not adorn as many ornaments as women still, jewelry is getting back in fashion for the male species too. This can be seen especially in the modern generation who consider it cool and classy to sport earrings, bracelets, chains and rings with their outfits.

But do we really know the significance behind the origin of the use of some of the ornaments? Why are they worn on specific parts of the body? Do they have a medicinal effect?

The most common of the ornaments is the finger ring which is worn by men and women alike. In foreign countries it is mainly used to reveal the marital status of a person. In India, it is more ornamental in nature although many people wear rings because their astrologers recommend them according to the movement of the planets. It is believed that the ring finger has a certain nerve that travels all the way to the neuron cells in the brain. Any metallic friction in this nerve is said to be good for one’s health.

The ear stud, made of beautiful designs and even embedded with gems is another commonly worn piece of jewelry. It is generally believed that a nerve connecting the brain, kidney and cervical passes through the ear lobe and any pressure here controls the proper functioning of the kidney.

The bangle is usually seen as a prominent display of wealth on a woman’s hands. The more the better and yes, in gold! The logical theory behind the wearing of circular rings on the wrist is that as the pulse beat is often used to check various ailments, the round piece of metal increases blood circulation.

The electricity passing out through the skin goes back into the body since circle shaped bangles have no ends to let it pass outside! The nose stud commonly known as ‘nath’ in Hindi and ‘mookuthi’ in Tamil is worn by most Indian women as it adds to their beauty. There is no denying it. But, the primary reason for wearing it is that it regularizes breath!

In the same way, the ‘metti’ or ‘bichchiya’ worn by women on the second finger from the toe, apart from indicating a woman’s marital status also regularizes her menstrual cycle and helps in the conceiving process. Quite similarly, silver anklets known as ‘golusu’ in Tamil and ‘paayal’ in Hindi are good conductors of energy and absorb energy from the earth and pass it back into the body.

After mentioning all these ornaments, can the ‘mangalsutra’ or ‘thaali’ be left behind? This symbol of a married woman is said to regularize her blood circulation.

Today, ornaments are worn to look good but it all seems to have begun ages ago for specific reasons mainly pertaining to the health of men and women. Isn’t it wonderful how the origin of these pieces of jewelry came up? What we thought as just pieces of beautiful metal traces its origin to the world of science and medicine!

Varanasi, or Benares, the holy city of life and death is ever alive with human activity. Death, too, is omnipresent here. Beside the swollen Ganges, life and death enact their cycle daily, with every passing minute.The great river is a lifeline and among its many roles is that of wash tub. A Panda is a Brahmin priest who acts as a religious guide, especially for funerals or death rituals that take place by the thousands every day in Varanasi’s burning ghats.
The early morning boat ride is one of the best experiences of Varanasi, One arrives at the ghats early in the morning say 5 to bargain your boat ride. The ride lasts for an hour or more until you see the sun rise and people thronging the banks for a early morning holy dip. Once the early light creeps in you realize that the whole tourist population are on the river too.

Varanasi for many Hindus the ultimate pilgrimage site. Although nobody really knows when Varanasi was founded, the city has been documented as one of the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Variations to the spelling of Varanasi includes Banaras, Benares and Benaras. These were frequently used during the British administration, and indeed older books continue to show it as Benares. Today, however, only Varanasi and sometimes Banaras is commonly used.

Varanasi derives its name from two streams, the Varuna on the north of the city, and the Assi, a small trickle on the South. According to legend, the Varuna and Assi rivers originated from the body of the primordial person at the beginning of time. Varanasi is also known to the Hindus as Kashi, which means City of Light, and it is regarded as one of the seven Sacred Cities of Hinduism. The word Kashi originated from the word “kas”, which means to shine. Varanasi is said to combine all the virtues of other pilgrimage sites, and anyone dying within the area marked by the Panch Kosi Road is believed to be transported straight to heaven.

History of Varanasi.

The history of Varanasi is shrouded in the fog of time. According to myth, Varanasi was founded by the Hindu deity Shiva. For that reason, it is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Hinduism. With many ancient text mentioning the city, suggesting that it has already been inhabited over 5000 years ago, Varanasi lays claim as being the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.

Varanasi was occupied by the Muslims from the 11th century, when it was conquered by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1033. This resulted in the destruction of all its Hindu temples. The stones were taken from the temples to build mosques. Only in the 16th century, under the Mughal emperor Akbar was the freedom to worship relaxed. But this was shortlived, for under the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb, Hindus once again faced persecution. A Muslim zealot, Aurangzeb renamed Varanasi Mohammadabad. Varanasi was only unshackled of its Mughal overlords by the Marathas, a group of warrior-class Hindus, in the 18th century. It became an independent kingdom in the 18th century, only to fall under British rule in the subsequent century, and was absorbed as one of the cities of the state of Uttar Pradesh in the independent Republic of India.

22 year old Kanishtha Dhankar was crowned Pantaloon Miss India 2011 contest held in MumbaiStudent of H.R. College in Mumbai, Kanishtha Dhankhar is a model by profession. Her height is 5’ 9.5”, weighing 55 kgs with Vital statistics of 32- 25- 36. Kanishtha had earlier won the Pantaloon Femina Miss Body Beautiful award.
Kanishtha-Dhankhar.jpg

Kanishtha has walked the ramp for Lakme Fashion Week, Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, Couture Week for many designers including Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Arora, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, and among others.

Simple exercise to avoid stress and fatigue at workplaceWorkplace sometimes becomes a place of stress and fatigue. People spend hours on the computer with high levels of concentration. This leads to fatigue and tiredness. To keep yourself fresh and energetic during work hours, a few methods can be followed which will give you complete relaxation to the entire body and you can work more efficiently.

Healthy and easy methods to reduce tiredness while at work

Keep a good posture by holding your back straight. This might not be possible always, but keep trying and you can do it.

Keep moving your body frequently.During the breaks, stretch your body and relax

Here are a few simple exercises that can be followed during work hours

Have a deep seating and Straight up your back. Also Straighten your arms and push down your chair and lift yourself. Now, take deep breaths and Straighten your upper half of the body. Breath for about 5 times. Do this every 40 minutes.

Put your right hand on the back of chair and put your left hand on the right thy, and twist your upper half of the body by applying a little pressure. Move your lower part of the body the other way by breathing out. Do this on both the sides. Breath in while in normal position and breath out while your stretch.

Move to the edge of your seat. Straighten your legs and keep your heels down and toes straight. Bend and move your upper half of the body down as like your navel touch your thigh. You can stop moving down your body as and when you feel. Keep natural breathing while you are bending. Move up slowly. Repeat this 3 times slowly.

Stand up next to a table which is as high as your waist. Stand 1 and half feet away from the table. Put both your hands on the table and open your legs to the breadth of your shoulder. Now slowly straighten your body and legs

Now slowly bend without folding your hands or legs by moving your hip backwards and bringing down your head. You might have to hold your grip properly on the table and rest on your heals. While doing this take deep breaths.

Now after bending, put one of your legs a step forward and stretch further. Do the same for the other leg also.

Washington, Nov 19: The number of consumers who are reducing their consumption of animal-based products is on the rise in the US, a new study has found.

Professionals from the Institute of Food Technologists have also found that the number of consumers who follow strict vegetarian or vegan diets in the U.S. is relatively small, Newswise reported.

These “occasional” vegetarians, who are also called flexitarians, can be categorized into two groups, semi-vegetarians and meat reducers.

While semi-vegetarians follow a vegetarian diet part of the time, but still eat some meat and dairy products, meat reducers are not trying to follow a vegetarian diet, but are just trying to reduce the amount of meat they eat.

As a result of the increasingly popular flexitarian lifestyle, large food manufacturers like Kraft Foods, ConAgra Foods, General Mills, and others have acquired smaller vegetarian food producers or launched their own lines of vegetarian food products.

In the past, processed vegetarian burgers were bland and tough, and usually only die-hard vegetarians were the targeted consumers, but there are an increasing number of people who are interested in eating healthier or want to reduce their meat intake without sacrificing taste.

Whereas today, updates in processing technologies, food flavours and sauces are making it possible for vegetarian food manufacturers to create foods with more meat-like textures, better flavour and convenience that are more appealing to flexitarian consumers.

Up until recently, soy and wheat protein were the main proteins used in vegetarian meal options, but today with so many people having soy and wheat protein allergies, vegetable protein, from sources such as peas, are being used.

The study has been recently published in Food Technology magazine.