There is some kind of spirituality associated with traveling, as it offers some incredible amount of serendipity and serenity to us. We all have our hectic schedules and professional commitments which often make us forget the happiness behind real enjoyment and beauty of life. That is the reason, at least once or twice a year, we should pack our bags and leave for some unexplored destinations, where we can spend some quality time with our family, friends and most importantly with ourselves. Such trips would surely rejuvenate you and in addition to that, will give some handful of memorable moments and experiences too cherish for a lifetime.

If you are planning an amalgamation of culture, heritage, folk dances, long and parallel coastlines along with splendid wildlife, then Gujarat is one such destination you can long for. It has everything you can ask for within a budget of INR 5000 per person.

Beneath, I’m listing the places in each category, to help you to pick up the best destination as per your interest.

RANI KI VAV, PATAN

Rani Ki Vav is a major tourist attraction in Patan, Gujarat, visited by lakhs of tourists every month. It is a step well that was built by Queen of Bhimdeva, Udaymati in the 11th century, on the banks of River Sabaramati, known as Queen’s Stepwell. The main aim was to preserve the groundwater, which can be used throughout the year, in case of contingency situation. The Maru-Gurjara architectural style of the step well is incredibly beautiful as it is entirely hand carved by the artisans, spreading a message in the form of a story. The walls are ornamented with different motifs and images of varies gods and goddesses, which also makes it a holy place for local people. Recently in 2014, it was declared in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, as one of the oldest architecture destination.

Recommendation:  Try to visit it during winter season as there would be a lot of cultural events, dance shows and exhibitions taking place inside the step well during Rani Ki Vav Festival, which can give you a real feel of the local culture.

GIR NATIONAL PARK JUNAGADH

Do you love wildlife? Do you love to spend days and nights in deep forests with sheer company of Asiatic lions? If yes, the Gir National Park is the perfect place for you to visit. It is situated in Talala Gir, a place in Junagadh district of Gujarat. In early days, it was a private hunting space of Nawab of Junagadh, used by him for hunting lions and other wildlife’. Later, it was converted into a wildlife sanctuary for preservation of lions, as there were just 11 left in Asia. It is the only place in Asia where you would find Asiatic lion, making it a very special place for Gujarat. It is the home of more than 3000 avian species including 37 species of Reptiles like Crocodiles, Tortoise, Cobra etc., 38 species of mammals and 2000 species of invertebrates, living happily in the same forest. It serves as the best place for the entire wildlife as it is surrounded by seven rivers near the same Gir region, which allows the wildlife to survive even in drought situations. (Rivers: Hiran, Shetrunji, Datardi, Shingoda, Machhundri, Godavari, Raval)

Recommendation: If you want to visit this jeep Safari, the best months are March and May, as during summer time, most of the animals would be outside their den due to heat and can be tracked easily.

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DWARKADHISH TEMPLE 

Dwarka is one of the most visited spiritual places of Gujarat and is quite famous as one of the temples of Char Dham (Abodes) and the seven Sapata Turis (Seven Sacred cities). Dwarka was the capital of the Lord Krishna’s kingdom and the name Dwarka was the namesake of Dwar (door) and ka (eternal importance), situated on the bank of River Gomati. Lord Krishna had spent quite a long time of his life here which makes it a special place for the devotees. The temple is made in Chaulukya architecture style supported by 72 pillars in each direction and has great archeo-astronomy significance. The flag on the top of the temple denotes the life span of Lord Krishna which says, the God would be alive till there is sun and moon in the world i.e. till the end of the world. The temple has two doors, Moksha Dwara which indicates the ‘Door to salvation’ and Swarga Dwara which indicates ‘Door to heaven’ that directly leads to the holy River Gomati. There are other temples like Bat Dwarka, Okha and different shrines of Rukmini, Mirabai, Narsinh Mehta and Shank Narayan around Dhawkadhish.

Recommendation: The best time to visit is August during ‘Shravan’ month of Indian calendar and especially on the day of Janmashtmi. You can experience the real history and significance of Lord Krishna depicted through ‘Shringaar’ (Decoration) and event of ‘Daahi Handi’ (breaking of curd pot)

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WHITE DESERT OF KUTCH

The white desert of Kutch is the largest salt desert in the world, covering 2900 square miles in Gujarat. It is widespread in the region between Banni grasslands and Little Rann of Kutch, along with southern part of Pakistan, touching the Indus River on one hand and Surendranagar district of Gujarat, known as Rann of Kutch on other hands. Kutch area of Gujarat where one would find an amalgamation of four diverse cultures- Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Islam. It is a home of Islam culture due to Indo-Pakistan International Border in the northern edge of Rann of Kutch. It is hot throughout the year, but in winter the temperature goes down to 0 °C due to influence of Indus River on the side. Some nearby tourist attractions are Narayan Sarovar, Koteshwar temple and Bahuchara goddess temple, where one can connect and experience the holy atmosphere.

Recommendation: The best time to visit the place is between November and March as during that time there is a three-month-long festival organized in the desert known as Rann Utsav, where one can enjoy the local culture and cool breeze of the white desert.

SOMNATH TEMPLE

A holy shrine of Lord Shiva, it is one of the most visited places in Gujarat due to its historical and spiritual significance. Somnath is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and it is located along the coastline of South West Gujarat. The main Shivling of this temple is considered as Swayambhu (self-born). The place is considered holy due to Triveni Sangam (the amalgamation of three rivers in a single junction: River Saraswati, River Hiran and River Kapila).

A Mughal invader Mehmud Gazni attacked and robbed this holy temple for more than 6 times during the 7th and 15^th century. After every robbery attack, this city was rebuilt by kings and local vendors in the same way, with the same enthusiasm. The last renovation was made in 1947 after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister of India ordered reconstruction and renovation of this holy temple. It was built by famous Sompura masons of Gujarat, following the same Chaulukya Architecture style along with ‘Kailash Mahameru Prasad’ architecture style.

Recommendation: The best time to visit the temple is in February and March during the time of Maha Shivratri festival.

AHMEDABAD

If you wish to explore the actual lifestyle of Gujarati people and its culture, you should visit the economical hub of Gujarat, Ahmedabad or Amdavad. It is a home to some astonishing historical monuments, temples and museums. During your visit to Ahmedabad, you can explore and gain knowledge about the development model of Gujarat, affectionately marketed by current Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The city has rapidly grown in past two decades and is now, a hub for Information technology, textile and other industries like Gujarati Film industry. It is located at the bank of River Sabarmati and was the former capital of Gujarat. There are many places to explore in Ahmedabad such as Jama Mosque (a famous mosque built during the Delhi Sultanate), Sabarmati Aashram (A place where Mahatma Gandhi lived during the Indian independence struggle), ISKON temple, Bhadra Fort, Adalaj ni Vav and other historical monuments.  Recently in 2017, the old city Ahmedabad is declared as India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City due to its pol culture still prevalent in the heart of the city. It is also selected among 100 Indian Cities to be developed as ‘Smart City’ in upcoming time.

Recommendation: The best time to visit this place is between September and November i.e during Navratri festival, where you can experience the best nine colourful nights of your life.

JUNAGADH

If you are a fan of historical places, where you can get some real glimpses of history and those times, then you must definitely add Junagadh in your checklist during the Gujarat tour. After Independence, the Nawab of Junagadh, Mahabbat khan signed the instrument of accession with Mohammad Ali Jinnah and declared to join Pakistan. However, with the intervention of home minister Shri Sardar Patel, the premise of Junagadh was merged with India after a strong fight between Aarzi hukumat and Junagadh royal army. There are some excellent historical places to visit at Junagadh district like Girnar hills, Sakkarbaug Zoo, Wildlife museum, the edicts of Ashoka, Mohabbat Maqbara, Adi Kadi Vav etc. The famous Asiatic lion wildlife sanctuary is also located in the Gir region of Junagadh district. 

Recommendation: The best time to visit Junagadh is during winter season i.e in months of October to January.

POLO MONUMENT 

Polo monument, also known as Polo forest, is one of the most-unexplored tourist places in Gujarat. It is a home of 300 to 400 species and is surrounded by four hills on each side. The four temples (Sharaneshwar Shiva temple, Lakhena na Dera Jain Temples, Trayatan Shiva temple and Shiva-Shakti temple) near Vijay Nagar were built by Gurjara- Pratiharas and Rathores to hide from enemies during wartime. These temples have a mix of Hindu and Muslim architecture designs and patterns all over the walls. You can hire a taxi or a bus from Ahmedabad as it is within 160 km of distance from Ahmedabad, situated on the top of Aravalli Range near Vijaynagar Taluka of Sabarkantha district, also known as Idar region. It also has some adventure sports like rock climbing, rapling, trekking, river crossing etc.

Recommendation: The best time to visit this place is after monsoon season i.e from September to December as Gujarat Tourism Community organises Polo Festival during that time of the year.

VELAVADAR BLACKBUCK NATIONAL PARK

Velavadar Blackbuck National Park is the only tropical grassland in India that has earned the title of the National park. Here, you will see the Blackbuck, spiral-horned Indian antelope along with many grassland birds and other wild animals like Jackals, foxes, Jungle cats, Hyenas, Hares, Wild pigs, rodents etc. The famous Blackbuck Lodge is one of the best Jungle lodges in India, situated in Bhal region of Bhavnagar District in Gujarat.  It is 150 km from Ahmedabad and would take 4 to 5 hours max during peak season. 

Recommendation: The best time to visit the National Park is during Monsoon till end of winter i.e from June to March

PALITANA

Palitana is a pilgrimage centre for Jains, located in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat. It has more than 3000 steps and 900 temples in the same premise.  The main temple is constructed on the Shatrunjaya hills and it is said that before several years from now, the first Jain tirthankar, God Adinath meditated on the hill top, making it a holy land. It also has a dam known as Palitana Dam on the banks of river Shetrunji, helping the nearby residents during droughts and off monsoon season.  

Recommendation: The best time to visit the place is during winter season as technically it becomes a little easy to climb the stairs during that time.

I’m sure after reading this, you would be more curious about visiting to Gujarat and experiencing its local culture. I’m sure you cannot leave Gujarat, once you are here. It has a different vibe of its own, which would be struck in your heart forever. In case, you are stuck somewhere in Gujarat, you can definitely contact me and I’d be your tourist guide for the day.

AAIYE, KUCH DIN TO BITAYIYE HUMARE GUJARAT ME!

In case, if you have some crazy stories of your Gujarat Visit then do share me at Readywithriya@gmail.com

In the tormenting extremum of summer, visiting a hill station is believed to be one of the most soothing ideas. A hill station is a kind of shrine of sheer beauty. It’s a gift of God and nature that plays a phenomenal role in providing some relief to those well – racked with the mundaneness of life.

In the ancient times, hill stations were believed to be God’s abode. That’s why there exist numerous temples and other religious places in every hill station. To rejuvenate a soul, there can’t be anything better than spiritual healing; as hill stations are full of numerous temples, so they are full of spiritual spell. So, this proves that visiting a hill station is a kind of spiritual healing session. But as there exist numerous hill stations, so one often confuses that which hill station one should visit. Well, to make your task to choose a perfect hill station for your holidays a bit easier, let me tell you about a pluperfect hill station. In this article, I’m going to talk about the queen of hill stations, i.e., Shimla.

About Shimla

Shimla, believe me, is a wondrous destination for all those seeking some comfort and peace of mind. Not only Shimla is aesthetically pleasing, but it is full of the divine aura that sucks out all the blueness and blackness of souls. Shimla is the heart and soul of Himachal Pradesh, which is well – known as Shiv Bhoomi (Lord Shiva’s abode) and Dev Bhoomi (the dwelling of God). Being the capital of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla grabs the attention of all those interested in visiting the pious Dev Bhoomi. People often believe that hill stations are all about hills and beauty; but this is not the case with Shimla. Shimla is a well – developed cum the largest city of Himachal Pradesh. Apart from the scintillating scenery of nature, it has myriad attention – worthy spots. So, let’s shed some light on some of the must visit places of Shimla.

Must Visit Places in Shimla

Given below is a description of some top popular places of Shimla that are considered to be in the category of “must visit” places in Shimla:

The Mall:

The Mall Road of Shimla, also known as The Mall, is the heart of Shimla. One’s soulful journey to Shimla is never complete until and unless one visits The Mall. The Mall connects with numerous important places of Shimla, including The Ridge, Town Hall, Gaiety Theater, and Kali Bari Temple, among others. Furthermore, it enwraps a plethora of delightful restaurants, cafes, clubs and bars. Apart from this, one can find several departmental stores, showrooms, Himachal emporium, post offices, hotels, banks and tourist offices on The Mall. So, The Mall is indeed a perfect hangout spot of Shimla.

The Ridge:

If you love natural scenery, then The Ridge in Shimla is certainly a “must visit” for you. It is counted among the most spectacular hill – top locations that amass the attention of all their visitors. The Christ Church and the gothic buildings of the Ridge beguile all those visiting it. The Ridge is very close to The Mall. It links with the famous Wood Market (Lakkar Bazaar), the heavenly Jakhoo Hill, and the Kali Bari Temple, among others.

A tip for y’all from my side: If you are going to visit The Ridge, then do wait for the sunset. Gosh! It’s gonna be one of the most sublime experiences of yours. The sunset at The Ridge is a sheer eye – soother. Just have a glimpse of it; I’m sure you won’t be able to forget its beauty for the rest of your life.

Wood Market:

Wood Market, commonly well – known as Lakkar Bazaar, is a highly crowd – pleasing place of Shimla. The ones visiting Shimla usually visit Wood Market for sure, as it’s full of uncommon wood things that are rarely available anywhere else. One can find a myriad of such wooden items in Shimla’s wood market that have the words, “Gift of Shimla” imprinted on them. This is what makes the items more valuable and memorable.

Jakhoo Temple:

The famous Jakhoo Temple of Shimla is located at the top of the beautiful Jakhoo Hill. It is an ancient temple of Lord Hanuman. There exist some mythological beliefs attached to the temple. It is believed that Lord Hanuman rested on the top of the Jakhoo Hill when he was flying to the Sanjeevani hills to get the Sanjeevani Booti to save Lord Lakshmana’s life. That’s why it is believed to be a highly significant Lord Hanuman’s temple. Apart from this, Jakhoo Temple is considered to be world’s highest Hanuman temple as it is having a 108 ft. tall statue of Lord Hanuman. This is what makes people from all over the world visit the giant statue to seek the deity’s blessings.

Kali Bari Temple:

The Kali Bari Temple is located in the Jakhoo Hill of Shimla. It is a famous temple of Goddess Kali, also known as Goddess Shyamala. The name of the city ‘Shimla’ is derived from the name of Goddess Shyamala. This fact elevates the significance of the temple to a great extent. Many people visiting the temple prefer meditating and chanting within the temple’s premises as they believe that the Goddess bestows divine powers on doing so, which eventually helps people in fighting with the evils. Every year at the time of Navratri, a huge number of devotees visit the Kali Bari Temple to offer their prayers to impress the Goddess.

Well, I hope this much discussion on Shimla is enough to attract you towards this gorgeous hill station. So, what are you waiting for?! Go and start planning your vacation to Shimla! Good luck 🙂  

First, it’s important for us to know what is loneliness. Loneliness has been defined differently by many. Oxford English Dictionary defines loneliness as “

Sadness because one has no friends or company.‘feelings of depression and loneliness’

The fact of being without companions; solitariness.

while Wikipedia defines Loneliness as,

Loneliness is often defined in terms of one’s connectedness to others, or more specifically as “the unpleasant experience that occurs when a person’s network of social relations is deficient in some important way”

Psychologists have defined loneliness in a different sense pertaining to the mind, “as the distressing experience that occurs when one’s social relationships are perceived to be less in quantity, and especially in quality, than desired“.

Loneliness is a symptom of depression. Loneliness in its general sense means feeling low about being socially isolated from the people around us and from society at large.

Loneliness is a serious issue which can effect you at any age. These days generally people in their 30s are more likely to feel lonely. Feeling lonely is okay but if it is taking all the good opportunities from you to grow as a person then it is an issue to worry for. Even students are prone to loneliness as students really go through a high time in every field.

Ask yourself have I felt lonely, I am sure we all do feel lonely sometimes or the other. It’s quite natural for us to feel lonely in this fast-changing world where everything around us is changing rapidly from technology to our relationship with people around us.  Loneliness is different for each individual as some people feel lonely sometimes or rarely or never or always. Loneliness is not a disease which cannot be cured one can easily get rid of it without doing much.

Here we bring you some tips which will help you to get rid away of loneliness

Don’t worry you are at right place as today we are going to give you some tips to get rid of loneliness.

1. Have A Good Talk

The first thing which one can do to get rid of loneliness is talking to someone. It can be anyone the people around you, your family members or your close friends or even strangers in short people who are ready to listen to you without judging you or blaming you always. Having a good talk with your teachers too with whom you feel connected will also help.  If you are fortunate enough to live with your grandparents believe me spending time with them, mere listening to their meaningful stories and experiences you will feel much better. Spend time, have a talk with your grandparents and parents to help you.

You need not to always share your problems or things which are bothering you just having a good talk with them will make you realize how much blessed you are. If not grandparents or parents you can always have a  heart to heart talk with your siblings or cousins who will understand you and will never make you feel lonely.

2. Listening to Music

The next thing which you can do is listening to some really good music. Listening to some really good music lifts your mood, cheers you up, lights up your mood. It refreshes your soul for centuries music has been in vogue when it comes to making one’s mood better. Today music has evolved giving us a large variety of genres to choose from. In this age of digitalization, we have many mobile apps where we can listen to all the songs on the go. For your convenience one can make a playlist in which you can add your favorite songs depending upon the occasion like if you are traveling you can make a playlist in which there are the best travel songs, songs which relate to traveling and all.

You can make different kinds of playlist like Feel Good, Traveling, Workout, Best Songs Unplugged, and much such play list. For this mobile application such as Amazon Prime Music, Gaana, Hungama music can make your life easier when it comes to listening to songs . If you have a flair for singing then some apps like Starmaker can help you. You have devotional songs, inspirational songs, entertaining songs, magical songs to listen to. Sufi songs or Bhakti songs or regional songs will also help you to be at peace. Plugin your earphones/headphones forget the world and dive into a soulful world where lyrics become your words, tunes become your feelings. It will help you trust the music at least for once.

3. Traveling

The next thing one can do to kill loneliness is traveling because exploring places will help you to get rid of loneliness as you meet different kinds of people who will surely leave an unforgettable impact on you for the rest of your life. Traveling refreshes our mood. It will make you realize that how much blessed you are as in your journey you will encounter many people who don’t have less than you or are suffering from many many problems which you cannot even think of.

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The world is suffering and here we are in our shell thinking that we are lonely but the fact is that we are not lonely. To understand this it’s important that one should do solo traveling or travel with some of the friends too will help you to change your perspective towards life. The things which can’t be learned from the books are the things which we learn by our own experiences for that traveling is best as it soothes your mind by opening the hidden potential which was always within you lying somewhere deep down in your heart. Travel even if it is just a two days trip. Exploring the world you will realize the bountiful gifts of nature yourself and also the power in you to change your mind by looking deeper into yourself observe the world around you and then ask the question Am I really lonely? Believe me, you will get your answer yourself.

4. Yoga and Meditation

The next thing one can do is yoga and meditation which is also quite traditional for our country and it’s people for centuries it has been a constant support to meet the spiritual us as yoga and meditation will not help you to get rid of your loneliness but it will also bridge the gap which is prevalent in you as your spirituality differs from your reality to a large extent.

Yoga and meditation will awaken YOU as when you connect with the natural force behind everything you don’t need anything except a room with no disturbance. In the ancient times when yoga and meditation was prevalent, it was a cureness to loneliness. It will surely help you to transform you into a new you where you will not have a need to feel lonely.

5. Dancing

The next thing which one can do to not to feel lonely is dancing to the beats of your favorite song. Dancing is also like therapy to forget all that is happening around or in your life. I have seen people who were really lonely but they never let the world know about their loneliness because when they danced it was their best performance which was quite showing on their face. Dancing is the best thing to do whenever you feel lonely. You don’t need to be best at it just close your room switch on the television or laptop search the best song raise the volume and start dancing you don’t need to think of the embarrassment as none is watching you.You have a room to yourself to dance madly, dance till you are happy again to face the world. There are many dancing forms for you to dance from Classical to Contemporary the list is long.

You can also form a group for you where members are also facing the same struggles as you are all together you can take part in many dancing competitions which keep happening around your area. There are also many folk dances to dance on as in our country even Dance keeps us united as every state has its own dance form which can be mixed with other dance forms easily. Dancing will really help you to come out of your loneliness. You need not dance like Michael Jackson every time but you need to dance with full devotion in it.

6. Reading and Writing

The next thing which you can always do to cure loneliness irrespective of any age is nothing but reading and writing always. It is like meditation where you feel the solace in a different way which was unknown to you. Believe me once you start reading and writing there is no point in turning back to the lonely world out there. Reading and writing has been a friend to us when none is there for us for centuries. Read, read and read because doing so will help you in realizing that you are not alone. Characters from a fictional world become our friends in reality too as we keep relating to our favourite characters. Writing is the best thing to do when feeling lonely. Have a diary with you every time when loneliness kicks in start expressing yourself in words which will surely make you happy. You can make a collection of good quotations & lines which will help you in feeling good every time you feel lonely. Grab a book, a pen , a huge cup of coffee/tea and there is no way for loneliness to kick in. It will help you in the long run. People who disturb you in your reading or writing time throw them out of the room or just avoid them or give them a book to read.

7. Watching Good Movies

The next thing to do in order to not to feel lonely is watching movies, not just watching any random movies but some really nice & good movies which develop inspiration in you to feel good again. Go for some nice inspirational movies which inspire you to be better and give you a positive perspective towards life, and also show you the way to deal with your problems with a new zeal. Language should not be an obstacle for you to watch some really good movies. If you are watching any new language movie then don’t worry you have a subtitle for you, the majority of movies have English in their subtitle list. You should not watch any movie just for the sake of watching try to find something in that movie which helps you to feel good when these lonely thoughts come to your mind.

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One tip is to make a diary in which you can write the best dialogues of a movie which you watch. Write only the dialogues which touch your heart and the dialogues which you can remember. Every movie has some inspiration in it you just need to search that inspiration which will become a driving force for you to heal from the lonely thoughts. GO out and watch a movie with your family and friends or if none is free to go out with you go solo because the mind remembers the best experiences in which there is some emotional connection attached to it. Trust us you will never regret watching any good movie. Some of the best movies which you can watch are Dear Zindagi, 3 Idiots among many others. When everyone is out ‘enjoying’ on weekends you can enjoy at your own home in your comfort zone. Switch on the laptop and watch any good movie.

8. Keeping Yourself Busy

The next thing which everyone can do is keeping yourself so busy that there is no time for our thoughts to wander. Invest this time in doing something productive. For students studies and their career can help them better to avoid lonely thoughts. For professionals working and meeting all the deadlines can be a great help for them to keep away from such thoughts. Yes, we do understand that it may be tough but believe us try to do this for good seven days and you will yourself start experiencing the change in you and with the time you will become pro at it. For this you can join a hobby class for students it will be easy as these days many schools & colleges provide hobby classes for their students & in these classes they give many things to choose from like beauty makeup, cooking, painting, singing and many other classes. These classes are like crash course type where they learn without any disturbance in their study hours as these classes are held in the campus only, generally, they are held on weekends. Many offices too have their own clubs where groups are made according to their employee’s interests which also keeps them lively at their office place. Many MNCs like Microsoft and all regularly have office events where employees get a platform to add more to their professional world. Give it some days to get the best results. You can also go for gardening for nature will never make you feel lonely for it nurtures you into a new YOU.

9. Adopting A Pet

The next thing which one can do to not to feel lonely is adopting a pet. By doing so we will make this world a better place for all. Instead of buying a pet from a pet shop it will be better if you will adopt a pet. Look around your surroundings you will see many dogs and cats looking innocently wanting you to give them a home. If you have a home do give them a small place in your home but be careful as they give you their heart the moment you pat on them. Believe us they understand your intentions very well. Trust us adopting a pet is the best thing which you can do , you will never regret it but you will grieve for years as like good things they too have some years but in these years they will never let you feel lonely as around them you will have a reason to feel happy always for they may not speak but they speak the language which doesn’t need any words yes they speak and understand the language of Love and care better than us.

So here are some tips for you to not to feel lonely. Hope it helps you. We wish you Good Luck. Smile often to feel good

Above all take out time to know about your family and friends. If you see something unusual in their behavior it’s better to talk to the person instead of propagating their act of behavior to the whole world. Build trust in them where people can share anything without the fear of getting judged.

Blueberry! Strawberry! Chocolate! Coffee! These are the few among the many flavours of desserts that we hop on these days. One particularly popular form of dessert is the ‘Cheesecake’. Yes, the name itself gets us salivating, I’m sure. Cheesecakes are very popular and top the list of ‘Must taste desserts‘ of almost every individual, in every part of the country. And, if it’s Japanese Cheesecake, you won’t ask for anything else.

HISTORY OF CHEESECAKES

To understand the history of these yummy circular bars, we will have to travel back to 5^th century B.C. The first mention of the cheesecake was made by the Greek physician, Aegis. In the initial stage, he discovered this for the religious purpose but later these were introduced as a part of the restaurant menu in the sub-form of desserts. There were three kinds of cheesecakes introduced for post prayer food in the church. They were libium cake, savillum cake, and placenta cake. Among these, the modern cheesecakes have adopted the recipe of the placenta cake, which has a separate baked crust.

The cheesecake acquired an English origin in 1300s as it was first found in an English chef’s cookbook. The dish didn’t, however, transformed into its modern form until 18^th century. The modern cheese cream was discovered and added to the recipes only after 19^th century.

Currently, there are two different types of cheesecakes prevalent in different parts of the world:

1. A baked base cheesecake
2. An unbaked cream cheese filled with a crumbled biscuit base.

CONTINENTAL VARIETIES OF CHEESECAKES:

The varieties of cheesecakes are spread evenly across all seven continents of the world. Beneath are some varieties you would find in different parts of each continent:

• Africa
  • South Africa
• Asia
  • India
  • Philippines
  • Japan
• Australia
• Europe
  • Bulgaria
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Netherlands and Belgium
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom and Ireland
• North America
  • United States

Let us now delve deeper into one particular type of cheesecake – Japanese cheesecake.

JAPANESE CHEESECAKE:

The Japanese cheesecake originated in Hakata, a city in Kyushu, Japan. It is also popularly known as ‘Cotton cheesecake’ and ‘Light cheesecake’ in these regions. These cakes are made of less sugar and cheese, making it low fat dessert. This is the reason; Japanese cheesecakes are not too sweet in nature, compared to the other cheesecakes around the world. The cake was popularized in Uncle Tetsu’s Cheesecake bakery around 1990’s.

The nicknames of the cheesecake make it obvious that the cake would be very soft in nature and would have a sponge attribute. It is mainly differentiated into three types and tastes, however, in the bakeries of Japan, they do not mention ‘Cheesecakes’ plainly anywhere, instead, they would mention:

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• Baked cheesecake,
• Rare cheesecake, and
• Soufflé cheesecake

Baked Cheesecakes

These are the usual cheesecakes, made with eggs, cream cheese, heavy cream, and flour. These kinds of cheesecakes are baked in an oven. There are two alternate baking methods, one with a biscuit crust and one without a crust.

Rare Cheesecakes

These are the no-bake cheesecakes, made with cream cheese, sugar and a gelatine mix. It also has a biscuit base crust and no not involve eggs for softening process. Once the mixture is ready, it is kept in the refrigerator at minimum temperature for 50 minutes. For better taste, you can add berries on the top while serving it.

Soufflé Cheesecakes

These are the original Japanese cheesecakes and are known all over the world by the name Souffle Cheesecakes or Cotton Cheese cakes.

If you have a sweet tooth but prefer low calorie desserts, you can definitely divert to Japanese Cheese Cake. Here, is the recipe to make the world best cheese cake at your own convince at your home.

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INGREDIENTS OF THE JAPANESE CHEESECAKE:

• Butter
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Corn starch
• Cake flour ( all-purpose flour)
• Cream of tartar
• Cream cheese
• Toppings of choice – chocolate syrup, maple syrup, berries, jam, etc.

RECIPE OF THE JAPANESE CAKE:

Step 1

The oven should be preheated at 390 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2

A cake pan should to be greased all over with butter of your choice. A parchment paper should be placed at the bottom of the pan. It will help you ensure that the cake base is not cracked from sides and once baked, can be removed smoothly.

Step 3

Take a large bowl of boiling water.

Step 4

Take cream cheese in a shallow dish and keep it above the bowl of boiling water. This process would soften the cream cheese.

Step 5

While the cream cheese is softening, take the eggs and separate the egg whites and egg yolks.

Step 6

The softened cream cheese should be whisked until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Step 7

Add required amount of milk and butter in the mixture of cream cheese as per your measured cheesecake quantity.  

Step 8

Take the separated yolks and whisk them nicely. Keep adding sugar while the eggs are whisked in order to mix it evenly in the cream cheese.

Step 9

Remove the cream cheese dish from the hot water bowl.

Step 10

Pour in corn starch and cake mix into the mixture of cream cheese, butter, and milk.

Step 11

Take the separated egg whites and whisk them properly.

Step 12

Cream of tartar and sugar should be added to the egg whites at the time it of whisking. Make sure the sugar is added in small quantities at regular intervals to ensure a smooth creamy mixture at the end of the whisking process. The egg whites should be whisked until they reach the consistency of meringue. However, do not over whisk the mixture. It would spoil the texture of the cheesecake or sometimes the cheesecake.

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Step 13

The whisked egg whites should now be mixed to the yolks. Make sure you do not add the entire mixture at one time. It would create bumps in the mixture, making it a failure.

Step 14

One-third of the egg whites have to be taken and mixed slowly with the egg yolks until the mixture is properly absorbed (Tip- The mixing should be done only using a spatula and not a whisk).

Step 15

After the first 1/3^rd of the mixture has been absorbed into the yolk mixture, another half of the remaining egg whites mixture has to be added to the same. Special care has to be taken to not deflate the batter.

Step 16

Once the egg white and yolk mixture has to be added to the remaining half of the egg white mixture, the whole mixture has to be stirred slowly and softly using a spatula until they form a thick paste.

Step 17

Now, the mixture has to be poured into the greased cake pan. The mixture should not be filled to the brim as the cake’s layer would bulge inside the oven, vacuuming the hot air particles.  

Step 18

Place a cloth towel on the baking tray. Now, place thecake pan on the baking tray. The cloth towel would ensure that the cake can do not directly come in contact with the hot surface of the tray.

Step 19

Keep this set up into the preheated oven and pour about one inch water into the tray.

Step 20

Bake the cake in the oven for around 18 minutes at the preheated temperature of 390 degrees Fahrenheit. After that, reduce the temperature of the oven to 285 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the cake should be cooked for around 30 minutes. After the thirty minutes, please turn off oven. However, do not remove the cake from the oven for another 30 minutes.

Step 21

After the 30 minutes, slowly remove the tray from the oven and check.

Step 22

Again place the cake pan back into the oven without pouring water in the tray. This time, keep the door of the oven open. This will allow it to cool down gently for another 30 minutes. When the cake is cooled in this manner, please ensure the surface of the cheesecake does not crack.

Step 23

After the 30 minutes, slowly take the cake pan out of the oven. The cake would have shrunk a bit from the pan edges.

Step 24

Now, you can touch the cake softly and check if it has cracked base and hard texture on the top. If not, you turned out to be an amazing baker in the first go.

Step 25

Now, gently flip the cake onto a small plate and reflip it back on to the serving plate to place the soft surface on the top.

Step 26

You can serve it with berries, maple syrup or any other topping of choice.

The cake tastes best when served warm. Ideally, it should have a jiggly movement– it is the trademark of the Japanese cheesecake. In fact, in many places, it is called the ‘Jiggly cheesecake’ because of these characteristics.

Okay, now as we you know how to make a yummy Japanese cheesecake, you are all good to go for winning hearts!

Plants are a symbol of patience, positivity, and selflessness. Selflessness – because they are the unconditional givers of nature. We, as human beings, share a special connection with plants. And the way we breathe is the root of this connection. Plants release air that contains Oxygen, which helps to sustain life in us, whereas, in return, we exhale air containing Carbon dioxide that helps them to breathe.

Plants are also known as producers, as they prepare their own food. This gives them the lowermost position in the food chain, in terms of the transmission of energy through various life forms. Plants vibrate at a frequency subtler than other life forms, which naturally emits positive energy in the atmosphere wherever they grow. A forest or a garden near your home radiates a positive aura in your whole surroundings. There are also some plants that carry positive energy into your home. These positive energy indoor plants are known to be great air purifiers.

You can grow these 10 indoor plants at home or office for happiness, health, and longevity.

1. Lucky bamboo

According to Feng-shui, the vertical shape of lucky bamboo represents wood and is known to bring happiness, peace, and prosperity to the space you live in. It is one of the most easy-to-grow plants as you can grow it in soil as well as water. It requires very low maintenance and you can place it on your office desk or a kitchen counter-top. But it is better to place your lucky bamboo plant in the corner of a room with very low lighting. Keep it away from direct sunlight.

2. Money plant

Pothos or money plant is undoubtedly the best-to-maintain indoor plant and is very hard to kill. They can also survive in the dark spots of your home. According to Feng shui, money plants radiate a positive aura that attracts good luck, health, and prosperity into your home. These plants boost up the Oxygen levels and absorb the synthetic chemicals released from the indoor furnishings. They alleviate anxiety and stress when kept in the various corners of a room.

3. Peace lily

The scientific name of peace lily is Spathiphyllum. This indoor plant keeps the air in your house purified by neutralizing all the harmful indoor gases. It reduces the formaldehyde levels that are known to cause cancer in humans. Peace lily promotes spiritual, mental and physical growth, and keeps the atmosphere peaceful. You can place it in one of the corners of your room, most preferably in shaded locations.

4. Aloe Vera

This species of succulents is a harmony-bringer to homes and is widely used for its healing purposes. It eliminates a large amount of Carbon dioxide and keeps a positive flow of energy in your home. You can grow this indoor plant in indirect sunlight or artificial sunlight, but do not grow it in dark spots. The stalk’s gel soothes one’s skin and helps in the regeneration of cells. Aloe Vera also brings happiness and luck along with its cosmetic and medicinal qualities.

5. Holy Basil

Holy basil, or Tulsi, inhabits a sacred space in many Indian homes. In Hindu culture, this plant is considered auspicious and many Hindus pray them as a part of their daily prayer. This indoor-cum-outdoor plant has powerful antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also a good anti-septic and anti-depressant. Holy Basil promotes spiritual healing when placed in the North-east direction of the house. It is better to grow this plant in an open space inside or outside your home, in the presence of direct sunlight.

6. Sage

Sage is considered holy in spirituality because of its high cleansing qualities and clears all kinds of negative energy like anger, fear anxiety, etc… from the house. It removes the indoor bacteria and is a wonderful remedy for gastroenteritis, diarrhea, bloating and heartburn. For growing this plant indoors, you need to place it on a window where it must receive proper sunlight and water.

7. Orchids

This flowering plant is good for ornamentation and serves as a mood-lifter for the pleasant smell it spreads. They are perfect for newly-wed couples and new parents. Orchids raise your energy levels and are said to bestow a sense of fertility and longevity. You can keep it in your bed-room as it absorbs Carbon dioxide during night-time.

8. Cactus

Cactus makes the perfect home plant due to its small size and easy maintenance. Cacti absorb all the electromagnetic radiations from electronic devices and remove anxiety, gloominess and other kinds of negativity from the house. You should keep it in a bright and warm spot and feed it with minimal water. They usually tend to rot if they stay moist for too long.

9. Rosemary

This woody perennial herb belongs to the mint family Lamiaceae. It has antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal properties. Its soothing fragrance reduces fatigue, uplifts mood and improves your memory. This indoor plant also helps to treat insomnia by offering you a restful sleep. It removes the harmful toxins and purifies the air indoors. Always grow Rosemary in a sunny spot, and do not overwater it.

10. Snake plant

Sansevieria trifasciata or Snake plant is one of the healthiest and ideal indoor plants ever known. It cleanses the air better than many other indoor plants by filtering harmful toxins like benzene, xylene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde from it. It requires very low maintenance and can be kept indoors in a dark spot. You need to water them every day and soak them in sunlight in every 10-15 days. The vibrant leaf colors and uplifting vibrations it emits makes it an excellent positive energy plant.

Some studies say that plants are ‘conscious beings’ as they respond to all kinds of stimuli. The kind of environment you live in, the kind of music, and vibrations you carry affect them in a very subtle way. Hence they need to be loved, cared and nurtured the way you want to be. Grow them, talk to them and nurture them, and you will feel a part of you evolving.