“What is it that draws one to a mystic? What is it like to know at close quarters a man whose powers are beyond the conscious mind? What does it feel like to be fulfilled spiritually, to feel understood, to stand revealed?”

‘Om Swami; As We Know Him’, is a memoir co-authored by two disciples who have described their experiences and life with Om Swami, a great monk and bestselling author of our times.

Book name – Om Swami: As We Know Him

Authors – Ismita Tandon and Swami Vidyananda Om

Genre – Memoir

Category – Spiritual

Publisher – Harper Element

Release date – 10 July 2016 (1st Edition)

Rating – 4.8/5

About Om Swami

Om Swami is a mystic yogi who resides in the foothills of Himalayas. He was already a multimillionaire at the age of 26, but that was not the supreme goal of his life. No comfort or money could buy his inner search for the ultimate truth of life. He abandoned a life of enormous wealth and luxury to pursue his only goal of self-realization. The every day Himalayan challenges and hardships failed to obstruct him from his sadhana, which ultimately led him to discover his own truth. You can read his autobiography ‘If Truth be Told: A Monk’s Memoir’, where he has beautifully shared his journey of self-realization.

About the Authors

Ismita Tandon is an award-winning poet and author who left her MBA to refuge in full-time writing. It was after a torrent of immense sufferings and losses she faced in her personal life, that she crossed paths with Om Swami. She became more spiritually inclined under the divine umbrella of Sri Badrika ashram, which urged her to write this book. She took sannyasa from Om Swami in the year 2016 and is now known as Sadhvi Vrinda Om. She currently writes beautiful poetries on her Facebook page ‘The Song of the Sufi Masroof’ portraying her emotions and her divine love for Sri Hari and her Guru.

Swami Vidyananda Om has grown up in Bangalore and had been deeply religious all his life. After spending some years in Bangalore ashram, he went to Haridwar where he lived as a priest in a Shiva temple for some years. But within the deepest core of his heart, he was in search of his guru for a very long time. And his search ultimately ended after meeting Swami Ji. He is the foremost disciple of Swami Ji and resides in Sri Badrika ashram under His blissful and divine tutelage.

About the Book

The first part of this book portrays the spiritual journey of Ismita Tandon from her ‘Purva ashram’ (life before renunciation) to being an honest and true disciple of Om Swami. She has narrated some of the crucial glimpses of her life around her selfless father, who was a colonel in the army once and her loving mother, who was once the only umbrella of her flood-laden life. After a series of events like a failed marriage, the death of her father, followed by her mother’s, she was left completely broken and forlorn in this ruthless world. Her life had crash-landed into deep waters of loss and loneliness.

And one day her life took another path after she came across Om Swami’s blog, followed by emails of hope and life. The rest of the book describes how Swami’s grace saves her from drowning into the ocean of life-long suffering and pain; and her transformation from Ismita to Sadhvi Vrinda Om, flanked by a cascade of miraculous experiences in the path.

‘After meeting Swami, everything I held to be true about life – its very meaning – was challenged, it was reduced to dust soon. Soon, I had to admit that the universe guarded many mysteries far beyond the scope of my rational mind’.

– Ismita Tandon

Swami Vidyananda Om is not just-another-disciple of a just-another-guru in this complex world where spirituality has become just another means of marketing. Vidyananda was an ardent devotee of the divine mother at heart and was in search of a guru who would guide him to have the divine mother’s vision in her entirety.

He left Bangalore and came to stay amidst the bustling crowd of saints and sadhus in Haridwar, with his only purpose of God-realisation.  His experiences and journey are contrary to the life of Ishmita, who was a complete disbeliever of God. His life took a drastic turn when he came across Om Swami in Haridwar by chance. The second part of the book covers his entire journey with Swami, mushroomed with day-to-day miracles and mysterious experiences under his divine grace.

Ismita and Swami Vidyananda have beautifully portrayed the greatness of a monk, who has devoted every minute of his life to the service of mankind. Nothing can beat the kindness and compassion of a monk armored with simplicity and truthfulness.

“Who are you Gurudev? Please tell me!” Upon being asked this question by Vidyananda, Swami pats him and says, “I am a simple sadhu in a complex world.”

My Review

I would give this book a rating of 4.8/5. In my eyes, this book is a beautiful bundle of happiness and a feeling of ‘awe’ at the same time. The life of Om Swami has touched my soul deeply, and this book has become a true source of inspiration for me. It is a book that cannot be forgotten. Those beautiful experiences of Swami’s disciples have infused hope and life into my little heart. This book is for believers, who believe in spirituality and the subtle mysteries of the universe. I could clearly relate to Ismita, and I believe we all have an Ismita in us, who are going through a great deal of outer or inner struggle in this Ferris wheel of life.

Las Vegas is a mecca for sensorial experiences. It is teeming with attractions, ranging from the simply sublime to the completely over-the-top. It is also brimming with high-octane energy that’ll have you exploring every part of the city. Now, if you do visit Vegas, we want you to make the most out of your visit. So here are some interesting sights for you to take in.

Take a stroll around LINQ Promenade

CNN Travel suggests LINQ Promenade is more than just a shopping center, as it is an attraction in its own right. It starts off on The Strip, and stretches all the way to the famous High Roller, which is, at 550 feet tall, the world’s tallest observation wheel. It is lined with high-end shops and boutiques, where you can do some shopping, as well as a range of dining options — In-N-Out Burgers, Flour & Barley, and Benihana to name just three — for plenty of tasty meals. Although, before dining out you might want to try Fly LINQ first. It is a heart-stopping zip line that’ll have you soaring over the Promenade at a staggering 1,800 feet.

Watch a classic

Las Vegas isn’t the Entertainment Capital of the World for nothing. It is the ever-gracious host to concerts, plays, and all sorts of entertaining productions. But among these shows is one true classic: Mystère. It is one of the six resident Cirque du Soleil shows, and features energetic performances that include a teeterboard act, some high-wire acrobatics, and lots of dancing. This thrilling ride starts with Brian Le Petit, Mystère’s resident clown doing some, well, clowning around. The rest of the show transitions into a breathtaking experience you won’t forget in a hurry.

Visit a casino

A visit to Vegas will invariably lead you to its world-famous casinos, where the star attractions are their range of gaming options, notably the abundance of large-scale poker rooms. Poker has become very popular in India in recent years, where it appeals to the country’s Millennials. This younger demographic enjoy the competitive aspect of poker. But its inherently social nature can’t be dismissed either, and it is something you can enjoy, too. Poker is a fun way to spend a night and socialise with others at the same time. In fact, the memes on PPPoker’s Instagram account are a testament to just how fun and hilarious poker can get. This is the other side of poker, and can be enjoyed in any one of Vegas’ many casinos. However, don’t worry if you don’t have much experience playing poker. These casinos offer other enjoyable table and slot game to keep you entertained. Not to mention, most of the casinos are integrated resorts anyway, so you can check out their amenities or dine in some of their high-class restaurants.

Check out some quirky sites

Vegas is home to some quirky attractions. Three you ought to check out are The Mob Museum in Downtown Vegas, the National Atomic Testing Museum at E. Flamingo Road, and the Neon Museum at Las Vegas Boulevard. The Mob Museum will introduce you to the notorious mob underworld, and its historic characters like the infamous Al Capone and Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel. The National Atomic Testing Museum, on the other hand, will show you everything that happens during an atmospheric blast, while The Neon Museum showcases famous neon signs that have been retired over the years.

Explore a dreamy desertscape

Last but not least, why not explore the desertscape that is the Springs Preserve? This 180-acre attraction houses a botanical garden, a museum, several art galleries, and a few nature trails. It overlaps Las Vegas Springs, the city’s original water source and is owned by the Las Vegas Valley Water District. Exploring this particular place lets you be at one with nature, and learn about sustainability and conservation at the same time.

Make sure to also tell us about your trip via our official Twitter page at our handle, @buddymantra.

When buying something, being picky is a sign of intelligent business. You’re pouring in your hard earned money. So it better be worth it. You never know who is waiting to cheat on you and get away with the bucks they make this way. So going shopping can be time consuming and test careful observation.

But in the age of online shopping, we seem to give in to tiredness. After work pressure, assignments, late nighters and struggling to make time for family, free time is almost non existent, let alone time for shopping. Automatically we fall back on online shopping, where we look at an image of the product, sometimes refer to reviews given by others, and buy them.

Despite reviews and return policies, it seems online shopping can be a great disaster at times. Here are such instances when customers were stunned by what they received.

A Face Mask for Liliputs

Thanks for the mask. My Barbie Doll loved it.

A Colour Changing Cup?

This man thought he was buying his wife a cup that changes colour. Because that’s what the image said. But guess what?

So…This is a Blanket

Apparently it is supposed to accomodate a three member family, if only you figure it out right. Or, is it?

A Decor for my Room

This man thought he is giving a gala regal look to his room when he ordered this rug. Didn’t realize it was meant more for a doll house because, obviously the seller never said it.

A Beautiful Dress for the Party

Is That a Tank Top? Is That an Extremely Tight Dress?

This guy probably wanted to show off how his hours of hard work at the gym were paying off. Can’t say his wish wasn’t fulfilled, but this wasn’t exactly on his mind when he tried to make his wish a reality.

Discreet Packaging, Did You Say?

This person just wanted to make sure her mother got a nice surprise. So she wrote instructions accordingly. But the dude responsible had one job, and he messed it up.

Here’s a Nice Pillow for Your Kid

This adorable dinosaur pillow would have been really cool as a gift for kids, except the fact that the product description didn’t clarify which one is the pillow and which one the design on the pillow.

Is That a…Dress?

This woman ordered a “Fur Wolf Tail for Halloween Dress” but things did not go like they said.

Not Another Badly Printed Cup!

Uh, yep. Another badly printed cup.

A Beautiful Ocean…Wait WHAT!

So the buyer did not take a close look at the small thumbnail provided on Wish when she ordered a wall tapestry. Well, when it arrived…you can guess what a mess it was. But the mess was not just funny but also quite adorable.

Back to School, For the Cat Maybe?

This person ordered a converse bagpack for their son since he would be starting school after vacations. But probably the bag was never meant for humans?

Flowers for Your Loved Ones

Maybe these aren’t very ideal situations when you are going on a much anticipated date, or a special party. But things online can get pretty messed.

Eternal Memory of a Loved One. No, Eternal Scare!

This boyfriend wanted to make a memorable gift for his girlfriend moving to university. Turns out, it wasn’t a great idea.

Where is the Freaking Size Chart!?

These pair of jeans weren’t really specific on the website. So the buyer was misled by the size chart.

Some Deceptions Cost Much

This person paid $750 for a failed pair of shoes. But well, it seems like the seller was clever in taking the display picture. Tallied with the real image, it doesn’t look so different.

What is That Dress Again?

This dress seems nice on the website. What could go wrong, right? WRONG. Everything went wrong.

Dress for Daughter?

This person wanted to buy their daughter a nice lace dress. But apparently it wasn’t even good enough for the pet cat.

E.L. James May Have Some Serious Competition Here

Because this version of Fifty Shades of Grey clearly outdid the original book. Eh?

Yet Another Dress Fail!

Once again the customer has been baffled by the stark contrast between the display picture and the real product.

Well, all that appears cannot be always trusted. But regardless, online shopping has multiple perks, and most often people get what they want. The trick is to check as thoroughly as possible before ordering, and read the reviews carefully. When trying out a new website, it’s better to inquire others about their experience. And if, despite all these steps, you do become a part of such online shopping fails, it’s best to keep images of the experience and get refunded. Share your story so that the world can get to know more about the hilarious yet sad cases of online shopping.

Conspiracy theory may refer to anything that can be considered to be an explanation for an event or situation that raises doubts and conspiracy in minds of people. This conspiracy is invoked by sinister people and often very powerful people all over the world. This happens in the case when some different explanations seems more fit and suitable to the situation. Conspiracy theories prove to be rather interesting and appealing because of the lack of complete evidence and truth of happenings. Besides, they may also become rather appealing due to several stereotypes and prejudices in the minds of people.

In this article we shall explore top conspiracy theories talked about all over the world. One should remember that excessive beliefs in conspiracy theories can be harmful to the psychological health of the individual. This article in no way promotes or gives validation to any such thing or theory. However, one can have a good read into the several mind-boggling conspiracy theories around the world for fun of it.

Also see: 10 Countries That Are Impossible To Invade

The Reptilian Elite

It is believed that the Reptilian Elite live among the human race. But, what are the Reptilian Elite? The Reptilian Elite refers to the creatures who are extra-terrestrial reptilian humanoids gifted with the power to shape-shift. They are cannibalistic creatures that crave human blood and flesh and their ultimate motive is the slavery of the human race. These are the beloved actors and celebrities winning awards, the politicians, the corporate executives and many more.

This theory was believed to be true David Icke published his first book, “The Biggest Secret” in 1998. He became the poster human to propagate the theory and bring it in the light of the people all over the world. These reptiles were called “the Annunaki” and have apparently controlled the human race since centuries. Icke even claimed that the Reptilian Elite were the ones who were responsible for the creation and running of the secret societies like the Illuminati and the Freemasons. Bob Hope, George W. Bush, Queen Elizabeth, Bill and Hillary Clinton are some of the public figures who are believed to belong to the Reptilian Elite class.

Area 51 and the Aliens

The conspiracy theory about the Area 51 and the Aliens recently gained a lot of impetus and popularity. It is believed that the Area 51 has the remains of crashed UFO spacecraft. This is an Air Force Base area which is about 150 miles from Las Vegas. The government scientists and reverse engineers manage the area and it is considered to be fuelled by highly advanced technology of the aliens. This theory has come up because of the supposed UFO sightings that have been seen in this area in great numbers.

One of the retired colonels have also acknowledged that he was given access to the extra-terrestrial materials that were received from the alien spacecraft that had crashed in Roswell, N.M. there is also a belief that the government is involved in excessive studies related to time travel at Area 51. This is known as the Dreamland or the Groom Lake.  The details about Area 51 are only accessible to the government officials as these are concerned with national security. This is enough to increase the belief in the conspiracy theory that the government is hiding spacecraft or aliens in the area.

Also see: Ananya Pandey: The Star Kid of B-Town

Control of the World is in the Hands of Secret Societies

This is one of the most famous and longstanding conspiracy theories that the World is controlled by secret societies. This surfaced when in 2004 talks went around that the members of the White House are part of the Skull and Bones society of the Yale University. However, it is to remember that there are bigger and more powerful secret societies running the world. One of the most famous secret society is the Illuminati. The Illuminati is said to have been formed in the 18^th century in Germany. The symbol of this society is allegedly supposed to be the pyramid-and-the-eye symbol that can be seen on the one dollar bill and notes. Their main intention is to foment and start the world wars that would strengthen the favours of a world government to be formed. This worldwide government would be completely satanic in nature.

Another very famous society is the Freemasons. This group is considered to be the “oldest and the largest worldwide fraternity.” It is believed that the Freemasons donate a lot of cash and money to charity. Besides, they are also considered to be responsible for plotting the undoing at the Masonic temples located all over the world. However, there are popular beliefs that member of these societies are not in the shadows and they are a part of the Council on Foreign Relations. They can be anyone and everyone from amongst us and we just would not if we are meeting a secret society member!

Holocaust Revisionism

The Germans had given an official evidence and an apology as well but the conspiracy about the number of people killed during the Holocaust. The revisionists have put forward a theory that about 6 million Nazis had not been killed during the time of Holocaust. The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was of the opinion that Germany along with the other European states provided the land for the accommodation of the Jews. In fact, the Iranian President believed that the Holocaust is entirely a “myth.”

However, the revisionists other than Ahmadinejad argued that the number of deaths that the Germans claimed were much more than the actual records. They did not oppose the opinion that the Jews had interned in the prison camps at the time of Second World War. Another theory was about the Gas chambers which were a point of interest for many. The ones who denied the Holocaust from taking place argued that the Gas chambers were a mere rumour. Even if they existed, they were so powerful to possess the capacity of killing so many Jews altogether. However, evidence and photographs clearly showed differently.

Also see: Loneliness, How To Get Rid Of It

True or False?

There are so many evidence and arguments that the defenders of each side of the conspiracy theories prevalent all over the world. Believing them to be true or false depends entirely on the individuals. There are several conspiracy theories about science, inventions, humans, creatures, universe and the unknown, politics and literally everything! The truth or falsity of these cannot be confirmed as there may even more intricate conspiracy theories that may spring from the already existing ones!

The Indian Institute of Technology, popularly known as the IIT are autonomous institutes in India for higher education. These institutes are governed and function on the basis of the Institutes of Technology Acts of 1961. According to this act, these institutes have also been declared as institutions of national importance. The Act also lays down the duties, frameworks, and the power for governance.

The founder of the IITs was Jawaharlal Nehru and they were founded in the year 1951. These institutes are located in 23 places in India. The IITs are public universities and are located in the following cities:

• Kharagpur
• Bombay
• Madras
• Kanpur
• Delhi
• Guwahati
• Roorkee
• Ropar
• Bhubaneswar
• Gandhinagar
• Hyderabad
• Jodhpur
• Patna
• Indore
• Mandi
• Varanasi (BHU)
• Palakkad
• Tirupati
• Dhanbad (ISM)
• Bhilai
• Goa
• Jammu
• Dharwad

Indian Institute of Technology – Hyderabad

The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad is located in the Sangareddy district of Telangana in India. It is an engineering and research institute open for the public and is known for its research, academic excellence, publications. It is also known for the proximity it has to IT and other industrial centers. IIT Hyderabad was founded and established in the year 2008. It was established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. It was established under the Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act of 2011.

The Indian Institute of Technology of Hyderabad offers 285 Undergraduate courses and 395 Masters Courses. The institute also houses a total of 474 Ph.D. students and has 197 full-time faculty. IIT Hyderabad comes under the 2^nd generation of the IITs that were started by the Government. The foundation of IIT Hyderabad has been laid on the innovative freedom of young minds and the diversity of research. Other information about the institute can be obtained from the official website. It’s link has been given here:

https://www.iith.ac.in/

IIT Hyderabad has been successful in collaborating with top academic institutions all over the world. IIT Hyderabad has been on great terms with several universities and industries in Japan. These universities and industries have a lot more than just research and innovation to offer which help the students at IIT Hyderabad in a great way. IIT Hyderabad offers the students a wholesome learning experience and a flexible academic structure. Beside this, the institute offers extraordinary research functions, amazing industrial tie-ups, and wonderful entrepreneurship programs.

Also see: 15 trending courses after graduation in 2019

Placements at Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad

The placement scenario at IIT Hyderabad has always been great. The placement records for IIT Hyderabad have been better to a certain extent as compared to the other IITs.

• The highest package offered at IIT Hyderabad has been equal to INR 1.2 crore rupees.
• The average packages that get offered to students here is INR 11.44 lakh rupees.
• The students at IIT Hyderabad also get placed in the IT industries a lot even though the department is not related to IT.
• The highest placements are given to the electrical and the CSE departments.
• The departments at IIT Hyderabad also offer several internships. These help the students gain experience and a better understanding of their future jobs.

Also read IGNOU Admission 

The Major Recruiters

There are several recruiters who registered in the previous years in order to be a part of the placement drive here. More than 252 companies had registered in the placement drive in the session 2018-19. There were even more registration by the companies in the next session. The interviews are always conducted in the month of December for Phase 1. The interviews for the 2^nd Phase are done between January to April. The major recruiters in the past and this session have been listed below:

• Aakash Institute
• Amazon
• OYO Rooms
• Microsoft
• Oracle
• Adobe Systems
• Renault Nissan
• HPCL
• ISRO
• BPCL
• Flipkart
• Future First
• FITJEE
• Reliance JIO Infocomm
• Maruti Suzuki
• Service Now
• Boston Scientific
• Tata Motors
• Tata Advanced Systems
• Yahoo Japan
• Virgan University
• Smarton
• Walmart
• Vedanta
• TCS
• Teach For India

There have been several other placement companies and recruiters. The top paying companies who took part in the placement process were the SMS Data Tech, Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development, Mercari, and the Works Application. According to records provided by the placement official of IIT Hyderabad there have been a total of 22 international offers to the students as well.

Also see: 5 ways to kick-start your CAT preparation

Summer Internships at IIT Hyderabad

As mentioned before, there have been several internship programs that are carried out by all the departments at IIT Hyderabad. Out of these several programs the summer internships are the most sought after. These internships offer first hand practical experience to the students. 70% of students here have been interested in being a part of these internships. There are several reputed universities and companies that offer internships at IIT Hyderabad. Some of these are listed below:

• ID Tech Solutions
• Swiggy
• TCS
• Cisco
• Microsoft
• DE Shaw
• Boeing
• RADISE
• General Motors
• Verdentum Tech
• Tata Research Development and Design Centre
• InvestoSure
• Philips
• Smarton India
• Schlumberger
• EA Games
• Egnify Technologies

There are several other companies and universities that have been a part of the summer internship programs. IIT Hyderabad has been amongst the top 10 when it comes to placements when compared with the other IITs. The records have shown a quick progress and success rate as compared to the other engineering and research institutes and deemed universities.

Also see: GATE 2020: Application form, Dates, Eligibility,Admit card (released)

We hope that this article was beneficial to the students confused about the placement scenario at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. The institute has a student friendly placement record and conduction each year. The placement cell has always been active here and each year the institute has moved towards an overall betterment. Other information and details related to the placements at IIT Hyderabad can be obtained from the institute’s official website under the placement section. The following is the link to the placement section of IIT Hyderabad.

Divorces are messy, and they take a heavy toll on both the mental and physical health of both spouses. Unfortunately, when you get married, then statistically, there is a considerable chance of getting divorced because divorce rates have seen an unprecedented rise in the last few decades.

Among the two spouses, it is usually women whose health is hit the most by divorce, and therefore, they must look to follow different tips and tricks to improve their health condition. In this thread, we have discussed five adverse health effects of divorce on women to familiarize and prepare them for this emotional and physical onslaught.

1. Anxiety levels shoot:

Various psychotherapists report that anxiety levels of women shoot after divorce due to fear and uncertainty around the future. Situations like moving to a new home alone, getting a new job to handle household expenses, and surviving on less money, create uncertainties that leave them feeling deeply insecure.

Moreover, if they have children, then the whole system of handling them will also add to their anxiety levels. Therefore, it will be a good idea to chalk out a hassle-free system to handle children with the help of a lawyer as competent as Galveston divorce attorney. Otherwise, this continuous anxiety can lead to depression, which can further cause serious physical health issues.

2. Weight changes drastically:

Women may start developing unhealthy eating habits because that will help them receive a momentary dose of serotonin. But, they can also lose their appetite and go on what we call a ‘grief diet.’

As a result, they either gain weight or lose weight drastically, which can both lead to numerous medical conditions like obesity and anorexia.

3. More risk of cardiovascular diseases:

Multiple studies have reported that both divorced men and women are more at risk of getting plagued by cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes as compared to married men and women.

But, among the two spouses, women are at a higher risk of bearing the brunt of cardiovascular diseases because the stress of divorce increases the inflammation in their bodies.

4. Insomnia:

According to various experts, divorce leads to sleep deprivation and insomnia in women primarily because of divorce induced depression. The sleep deprivation further stresses your body and results in other health conditions like high blood pressure and high sugar levels.

5. Other chronic health situations:

Divorce and various health conditions go hand in hand. For example, divorce leads to depression and a lack of activity in women, which means less will to exercise regularly. As a result of poor mental health, the body starts to break down from the inside and does not only cause metabolic disorders like hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes but can also result in mobility issues like climbing stairs, etc.

In a nutshell, women should take more care of themselves while handling divorces because they can develop the conditions mentioned above, which can seriously compromise the quality of their lives.