Bongs are the lovers of food and if you step this city you are bound to find the food of your choice in your reasonable budget. Are you the lover of spicy dishes? Then Bengali spicy food is famous all over the country needs no introduction however.

1.Sharma Tea house

Opposite to the Gurudwara in Elgin Road many people all over the city gather here to have the delicious Lassi and Chaa(tea). The tasty chaa accompanied with nimki will seriously melt your heart. Even the kachauri here is famous especially because it is accompanied with mouth watering sabji. If you visit the city of joy Sharma Tea House will obviously make your breakfast fantastic.

2.Kalika Mukhorochok Telebhaja

If you are in search of authentic Telebhaja of the city, step to college street in this 50 years old Telebhaj stall. Telebhaja is a deep fried item. Starting from brinjal to mutton and fish, you can get all kinds of telbhaja here. The shop is open from 4pm to 8pm and you literally have to fight with the crowd to get your order. This is a place to fulfill the desire of ones taste bud and wonderful place to get evening snacks.

3.Mini Box

If you want to know what Desi Chinese is you should definitely visit Mini Box. Within reasonable price you will be served with toothsome food. Near Desopriyo park this small roadside stall will off course incline your heart. The luscious gravy chowmin with chilly chicken is a dish which will bound you to visit this place again. If you are left with only few bucks but you want tasty food, Mini Box is the place where your desire will get fulfilled.

4.Sreehori

The delicious pea kachauri and cholar dal in Sreehori will be most amazing breakfast. Just opposite to Asutosh College, Hazra this store is always crowded by the food lovers. This store will also offer you with famous misti of Kolkata and surely will melt your heart. One will definitely love having their breakfast here.

5.Balwant Singhs Eating House.

Are you in love with milk products? If so, then you must taste an unique offering in the city of joy, the joyous doodh cola which is, cola married to milk. This store is in SP Mukherjee road will also offer you with malai tea which is bound to satisfy your desire.

6.Bedwin

Gorihat is a place for shopping. And if you step Goriahat it will atlest take 2 to 4 hours for you to leave the place for you will get varieties of item to buy in your limited budget. Shopping is seriously incomplete without food, but off course the food should also be reasonable. Bedwin roll shop in goriahat is sure to complete it.

7.Momo in Exide crossing

If you are health conscious and want to have street food then momo is something which will satisfy both. Exide is one of the busiest place in Kolkata. In any part of the day step to exide crossing and get these delicious momo with spicy sauce and convince your desire.

8.Ghotigorom, Princep Ghayat.

If you visit Kolkata in summer the soothing air in Princep ghayat by the river Ganga in the evening will carry away all your anxiety. You will find many ghotigorom hawkers passing by you. The awesome union of chanacur , lemon and onion should not be missed by anyone who visits Kolkata. Ghotigorom will enhance the beauty of this place.

11 OBSERVABLE SIGNS YOUR RELATIONSHIP IS SERIOUS

April 9, 2016

The best relationship is not the one being shared in good times, rather the one who has staying power in rough times. When you are in a steady relationship you no longer have to pretend to impress him, to do stuffs he would appreciate he accepts you the way you are even your imperfections. Both are in a comfort zone and your relationship is high on rock solid chart.

For those couples out there who are in dilemma of whether their relationship is serious or not here are 11 reasons to see whether your relationship is serious or not:

You make each other smile :

When you are in a relationship keeping one another happy s really important. Keep each other happy and satisfied.Bring a smile on your partner’s face and you yourself would feel good after all everybody wants a happy relationship.

You deal with arguments positively :

Every relationship faces ups and downs but the main aim is to face your problems and deal with them positively. Forgiving and forgetting are the main keys. You will have arguments but do not let them spoil your elation, deal with them and move on.

You adore the little things too :

You know you are totally into your relationship when you adore every little thing your partner does. You always keep it in mind to appreciate them and let them know you liked it.

Your communication skills are good and open :

You don’t have to hide anything from each other. You ca n tell each other what you are thinking and what you want and all the things that makes you happy.

You both are tuned into each other :

You both give priority to one another.You care for your relationship ad truly you want it to work.You have an idea how you both see the relationship.

You know each other’s family well :

You do not have to play the hide and seek game with your parents regarding your relationship. You can tell your families about your feelings since both of you are secure in your relationship.

You want the same future :

You both may have different dreams and pursue different careers but when it comes to your relationship you both want the same future be it marriage or kids or financial security.

You acknowledge your problems :

You want an ideal, happy relationship but you are willing to acknowledge the problems too. If there are certain things that are causing harm, you address them rather than shoving them under the carpet and pretending to be happy.

You don’t have to make an effort but you don’t mind making it:

You are both super comfortable with each other and don’t have to put up an act. But you love dressing up and going on dates with him, you both do fun or crazy things together and love each others company.

The thought of your relationship makes you smile :

When you think of both of you together you blush, when you think spending time with your partner all the anxiety and stress goes away. It makes you happy and the thought that you both are happy brings an ear to ear smile n your face.

You know you love each other unconditionally :

You know you love your partner more than anything or anyone on earth. You know that life without them would be just impossible. You need them the most in your happy and hard times. You are afraid to lose your partner and always want them with you.

These above mentioned signs would surely help you figure out whether your relationship is serious or not.

Food To Eat When You Are In Thailand

Sammi Stark

April 8, 2016

Some of us are already quite familiar with Thai food. It is both nutritious and tasty. But if you are visiting Thailand and do not try these few heavenly cuisines then you will be missing a lot! The distinction of the taste we get when India prepares Thai food and when we eat Thai food in Thailand is huge. If you did not like Thai Food in India then don’t lose hope just yet. Wait till you try these dishes there.

Khao Pad Rice (Also known as Thai Fried Rice) : It is a variety of fried rice typical of central Thai cuisine. In Thai, khao means “rice” and phat means “of or relating to being stir-fried”. This dish differs from Chinese fried rice in that it is prepared with Thai jasmine rice instead of regular long-grain rice. It normally contains meat (chicken, shrimp, and crab are all common), egg,onions, garlic and sometimes tomatoes. The seasonings, which may include soy sauce, sugar, salt, possibly some chili sauce, and the ubiquitous Nam Pla or Fish Sauce (I won’t suggest you this one), are stir-fried together with the other ingredients. The dish is then plated and served with accompaniments like cucumber slices, tomato slices, lime and sprigs of green onion and coriander. This dish has many regional variants, as it is ubiquitous. Slightly brownish in color it does not taste anything like normal Chinese Fried Rice but only better than that.

Some of the common variants are :

Khao Phat mu, pork fried rice
Khao Phat kai, chicken fried rice
Khao Phat kung, shrimp fried rice
Khao Phat pu, crab fried rice
Khao Phat khai, egg fried rice
Khao Phat che, vegetarian fried rice

Pad Thai (Rice) Noddles : It is a stir-fried rice noodle dish commonly served as a street food and at casual local eateries in Thailand. It is made with soaked dried rice noodles, which are stir-fried with eggs and chopped firm tofu, and flavored with tamarind pulp, Nam Pla or Fish Sauce (And again, I do not suggest you to take it), dried shrimp, garlic or shallots, red chili pepper and palm sugar, and served with lime wedges and often chopped roast peanuts. It may also contain other vegetables like bean sprouts, garlic chives, coriander leaves, pickled radishes or turnips (Hua Chaipo), and raw banana flowers. It may also contain fresh shrimp, crab, squid, chicken or other proteins. Vegetarian versions may substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce and omit the shrimp.

Tom Yum : It is a Thai soup, usually cooked with shrimp. Tom yum is widely served in neighbouring countries such as Cambodia, Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore, and has been popularised around the world. Tom yum originated in Laos and Thailand. Since the time of its origin, this soup is popular in Thai cuisine.

Literally, the words “tom yam” are derived from two Thai words: “tom” and “yam”. “Tom” refers to boiling process, while “yam” refers to a Thai spicy and sour salad. Indeed, tom yum is characterised by its distinct hot and sour flavours, with fragrant spices and herbs generously used in the broth. The basic broth is made of stock and fresh ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice, Nam Pla or Fish Sauce (Tell them to prepare it without it), and crushed chili peppers.

Commercial tom yum paste is made by crushing all the herb ingredients and stir frying in oil. Seasoning and other preservative ingredients are then added. The paste is bottled or packaged and sold around the world. Tom yum flavored with the paste may have different characteristics from that made with fresh herb ingredients. The soup often includes meats such as chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp. Just like Khao Pad this also has many variants. Sometimes it is also served with Plain Rice.

Green Curry (Literally, Sweet Green Curry) : It is a Central Thai variety of curry. The name “green” curry derives from the color of the dish, which comes from green chillies. The “sweet” in the Thai name (Wan means “sweet”) refers to the particular color green itself and not to the taste of the curry. As this is a Thai curry based on coconut milk and fresh green chillies, the color comes out creamy mild green or, as this color is called in Thai, “sweet green”. Its ingredients are not exactly fixed. The curry is not necessarily sweeter than other Thai curries but, although the spiciness varies, it tends to be more pungent than the milder red curries.

Apart from a main protein, traditionally fish, meat, or fish balls, the other ingredients for the dish consist of coconut milk, green curry paste, palm sugar, Fish Sauce (Tell them to take this away from your table). Thai eggplant (aubergine), pea aubergine, or other vegetables and even fruit are often included. The consistency of its sauce varies with the amount of coconut milk used. Green curry paste is traditionally made by pounding in a mortar green chillies, shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime peel, coriander root, red turmeric, roasted cilantro (coriander) and cumin seeds, white peppercorns, shrimp paste and salt.

The paste is fried in split coconut cream until the oil is expressed to release the aromas in the paste. Once the curry paste is cooked, more coconut milk and the remaining ingredients are added along with a pinch of palm sugar and fish sauce. Finally, as garnishes, Thai basil, fresh kaffir lime leaves, sliced Phrik Chi Fa (“sky-pointing chilies”, large mild chilies) are often used. For a more robust green curry, such as with seafood, julienned krachai (fingerroot/wild ginger/Chinese keys), white turmeric, and holy basil can be used as garnishes.

Green curry is typically eaten with rice as part of a wider range of dishes in a meal, or with round rice noodles known as Khanom Chin as a single dish.

If you do not prefer spicy or strong flavored food then this will be your favorite. It tastes very different from the normal Indian Green Curry.

Coconut Ice Cream : Now this is familiar to a lot of us but an authentic Thai coconut ice cream tastes very different. You can get absorbed in its rich flavor. You’ll be enriched with the taste of fresh coconuts with every bite. Authentic Thai Coconut Ice Cream is served inside the coconut itself wrapped up in the white pulp sometimes topped with crushed peanuts. I would suggest you to have street-side coconut ice cream. Usually they give you freshest coconuts. You can get them in any other restaurants as well. There is no special difference between a street-side coconut ice cream and a 5 star one but I personally think the authenticity is lost. If you are visiting Bangkok, you can get them at the floating market for just 60 bahts! They’ll give you around 3 scoops which would be difficult for you to finish alone unless you love ice creams, of course. (Yes, I was able to finish it alone *High Five*)

Mahabharata in Practical Aspects

Aritraa Datta

April 7, 2016

Is the story of the Hindu epic Mahabharata true? Or is just a cooked up.

If it is true then the unnatural things that took place in the epic are not true or else it is a human lie. According to the epic the happenings that took place in it are in ‘martya’ or on this mighty earth. In this earth is it possible for a lady to give birth to hundred children? And that also the age difference between them is just few hours or maximum days. Is it possible for a lady to carry a child in her womb by the grace of Sun God? Is it possible for a man to turn impotent just because he is cursed? Is it a matter of dignity for five men to marry a woman? And then they are portrayed as superior. Is it possible for a man who is not capable to be a father, having five sons? If the epic is real ,then all these are not possible. Though there are certain proofs that make us accept that it is real, but then does all these can really happen on this earth?

Pandu the so-called biological father of the five Pandavas was cursed by Kindama because Pandu mistook Rishi Kindama while he was making love with his wife as deer and shoot them. The curse was that whenever he will approach his wives with the intent of making love, he would die. Can this really happen? The actual fact was Pandu was not capable of being a father since his birth. Then who were the actual fathers of the five Pandavas?

Yudhirshthir , the eldest brother of the Pandavas is regarded as Dharma Putra or the son of justice. As said, Kunti, the first wife of Pandu was blessed by Sage Durvasa that she can bear child of anyone she wishes. She wanted a son from ‘Yama’, the God of justice and then Yudhirsthir was born. Isn’t it abstract?

Vidur , the eldest brother of Pandu did not marry. He was a noble man and was not partial to anyone. Krishna respected Vidura for his devotion to people’s welfare, and his proficiency in every sphere of knowledge. In other words he was a man of justice. As Pandu could not make love to his wife then who fulfilled her physical needs? Kunti made love with Vidur and Yudhirsthir was born. According to Krishna, Vidura was considered as Dharmaraja,

Madri, the mother of Nakul and Sahadev was the second wife of Pandu. Its is also the matter of question who is the father of these twins? Nakul and Sahadev is said that they are born by the grace of Aswini, the doctor of heaven. But how can a woman hold a child in her womb of someone who is not the inhabitant of earth?

In the era of Mahabharata there was doctor who was so great that he was compared to Aswini. When Kunti became mother of five children, Madri was feeling inferior. In order to become mother and get a good social position she begged that doctor to be the father of her child. Nakul and Sahadev are the sons of this doctor and hence they are often called Aswin Kumar Doye.

Karna was born of Kunti when she was unmarried.

At that time she was asked to serve Durvasa. All day and night she indulged herself in serving him. In the course of serving him she also had to fulfill his physical desire. Sage Durvasa was known for his powers of meditation. Often his power was compared to Sun. Hence people call Karna the son of Sun God.

The most unnatural thing that happened in Mahabharata was Gandhari carrying hundred and one children in her womb.

Even though Dhritarashtra was blind he had the potential to attract women.

According to what is written in Mahabharata Veda Vyasa gets impressed with Gandhari’s devotion to her husband and gives her boon to have hundred sons. She gets pregnant but carries it for an unusually long period. Later she hears that Kunti has given birth to Pandavas and in frustration she pounds on her stomach. Small grey mass comes out of her and Veda Vyasa divides it into 101 parts and keeps them in cool earthen pots to incubate. First Duryodhana comes out followed by 99 brothers and one sister, Dushala. Is it possible for a logical human mind to believe this?

Gandhari was actually the the biological mother of only three children. Duryodhana, Durshashan,the two brothers and Dushala, their only sister. Then from where did other 98 children come?

Dhritarashtra being extremely good looking and manly, attracted many women. Many beautiful ladies of the town fell in love with him. The ladies adored to him and they desperately wanted to be the mother of his child. As Dhritarashtra was blind and he did not have any means of entertainment in his life those beautiful ladies were sent to him. Even Gandhari’s friend who came to her from her hometown fell in love with this man. In this way hundred and one children were born of Dhritarashtra. Gandhari being really very kind accepted all of them as her own children. She never discriminated amongst them. And that is why it is said that Gandhari is said to be the mother of hundred sons and one daughter.

Then who is the father of Arjuna and Bheem?

It is said that Arjuna and Bheem was son of Indra and t Vayu respectively. But who was there actual father that was not know by anyone except Kunti. There was also some gossip that Vidura was the father of all three children (Yudhirsthir, Bheem and Arjun)

Can you think of giving your property to someone who has no blood connection with you? Only few of us who are open minded can think of so. But during the time of Mahabharata the blood connection was everything. A person can have right on the property only if he is related with blood.

After reading the above context we can understand that, the five Pandavas were not related to them by blood. Then why would they give them the right over the property and the empire?

Though the Kaurav’s had thousands and more ills in them but they never ever ones spit out that Pandavs were not from their family. But they had a hidden anger within them. They took out the anger by playing dirty games with them. If one thinks from the perspective of Kaurav’s then they will understand what made them so brutal.

Is Yudhirsthir the real man of truth and is he fair in his actions?

If so.. Then why did he indulge himself in gambling? Even he involved Panchali , the wife of five Pandavas. If he had to involve, then he could have involved his own wife. But he didn’t. Was this an action of real man?

Mahabharata is still a beaming mystery and runs wild across the historians all around the world. What did happen and what could have happened is still unknown. Historians all across the world explore and criticize this epic.

Top 5 delicious Spanish dishes

Aresyn Shaw

April 7, 2016

Food offers many examples of long distance cultural exchange. Traders and travelers introduced new crops to the lands they traveled. Even ‘ready’ food stuff in distant parts of the world might share common origins ! From spaghetti and noodles to potatoes and lime grass , from spices to nuts , and from beverages to chilies have their own origins and history behind them . If you are a foody person why don’t you just look down on top 5 Spanish dishes with recipes!

Churros Con Chocolate

Donuts aren’t meant to be enjoyed before brandy and cigars, they’re not meant to be placed on a specialized plate, or eaten with a certain fork just so. Donuts are…well…they’re fried dough, and even though they’ve been having a bit of a make-over lately (crème brûlée donuts come to mind), they are the people’s food. A populist dessert/snack/breakfast thing. Well this snack is a beauty itself !

If you are getting hungry my friend you can just note its recipe :

1 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup white sugar, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons heavy cream

For dipping sauce, melt the chocolate over a double boiler and add the cream. Stir to combine. For a thinner sauce, add more cream.

Paella

Arroz a la Marinera—Valencia

This is the dramatic seafood paella that looks stunning, with crustaceans and shellfish. You can vary the quantities of seafood and also use crab, crayfish, or lobster (boil them separately). Andresito, who is collecting reminiscences of people in villages around him in Alicante, told me that on the Alicante Coast, fishermen’s families made seafood paellas without any vegetables. When they did not go out to fish, they made arroz de piedras with mollusks from the rocks (piedras means rocks). The fishermen went around local villages selling their fish on scooters, and people inland added vegetables. In Catalonia, where the tradition of mixing meat and seafood is very old, they had pieces of chicken, pork, rabbit, or duck and sausage in their seafood paellas. Today adding meat and vegetables to seafood paella has become common in other regions, where seasonal vegetables such as green beans, peas, artichokes, or peppers also go in. It is called paella mixta. Wine was not added in the past but it is sometimes today.

Here goes the recipe for you :

1 large onion, finely chopped
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste or finely chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt
1 teaspoon pimentón dulce (or sweet paprika)
A good pinch of saffron threads
4 cleaned small squid, bodies sliced into 1/4-inch-wide rings, tentacles left whole
2 cups medium-grain Spanish paella rice or risotto rice, such as Arborio or Carnaroli
3 cups fish or chicken stock, plus more if needed
1 cup dry white wine
12 jumbo shrimp in their shells
16 mussels, scrubbed and debearded

San jacobo

A “San Jacobo” is a popular “merienda” (afternoon snack) or tapa in Spain. It consists of a slice of cheese between 2 slices of cooked ham, which is breaded and then fried. It is delicious when the outside is crispy, while the cheese inside melts between the slices of ham. Could the “San Jacobo” be Spanish fast food? It’s delicious, easy to prepare and economical. Sounds like the perfect snack for beginning cooks or college students looking to prepare something different.

Again here goes the recipe for you and the ingredients needed.

8 slices (about 4″ x 4″) of cooked ham
4 thin slices cheese
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
2 Tbsp water
8 oz (1/4 liter) olive oil for frying
Cooking time 5 mins.

Croquetas de jamon

Croquetas de Jamón are a common sight on bar counters and in homes across Spain, served as a tapa, light lunch, or a dinner along with a salad. The jamon serrano in this recipe could be replaced with chopped hard-boiled eggs, shredded salt cod, minced shrimp, chopped chorizo, cheese, or just about any vegetable.

Start the preparation the previous day to allow the béchamel time to set. It will make the mixture easier to handle when shaping the croquetas. Naturally it is served 6 each plate but if you are going to prepare at home eat as many as you like !

So here is the recipe for this delicious dish:

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for deep-frying
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk, heated
3 ounces jamón serrano or other dry-cured ham, finely chopped
Salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons fine dried bread crumbs

Empanadas

These tasty and convenient Latin-American-style turnovers can be frozen for up to three months, individually wrapped in plastic and placed in resealable plastic bags. There’s no need to thaw before baking, they can go right from the freezer to the oven. This dish you definitely dont want to miss !

PREP: 1 HOUR TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS SERVINGS: 8

FOR THE FILLING

2 pounds ground pork or beef
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 jalapeno chiles, minced (ribs and seeds removed for less heat, if desired)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) tomatoes, diced
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Packing Hacks When Travelling With Family

Sammi Stark

April 7, 2016

We often find ourselves baffled when we are packing for a family trip for maybe a week or more. Of course different people have different needs and you have limited space in your luggage. Some of you might want to consider the idea of sharing any free space left in your parents or sibling’s luggage but it’s not very helpful. Travelling light is not an option when you are on a trip with your family but you can obviously save some space and your luggage won’t be over-flowing and you wouldn’t even have to jump on it to close it.

Choose the correct suitcase. Don’t choose a suitcase that is so big that it can be called a second home for your cat! A suitcase that is medium in size and also lightweight will do just fine. Also try to choose a suitcase that has 4 wheels because they are easier to roll than the ones which have 2 wheels and often get dis-balanced.

Trying to fit our outfits is the biggest problem we face. Most of us just discard some clothes from our list after we see that we can’t fit all of them in our bag thinking we won’t be needing them. A common mistake we make is to fold the clothes. Rolling them is a better idea (Of course, excluding your ironed and expensive formals). It saves a lot of space and we can take more clothes with us.

Try to keep the heavier items like your shoes towards the bottom of the bag close to the wheels so that the weight is distributed equally by maintaining the balance making it easier to roll.

While packing shoes, use a draw-string fabric bag to cover it. If you don’t have it then just use a shower cap. It will help keep the dirt and filth away from your clothes.

Slip your socks or your make up products that won’t burst in your shoes if you are low on space. You can even keep breakable objects like perfume bottles inside your socks or your shoes to save space and also to give them an extra coverage so that they don’t break.

Use a water-proof transparent grab bag for your make up products and toiletries so that you don’t have to huddle in your make up bag when you are in a hurry and even wait for your toothbrush to dry. If you don’t have a bag like the mentioned above then just use a zip lock pouch.

To travel light, use old pill case containers or lip balm containers or even a clean contact lens case to store small amounts of make-up and other cosmetics so that you can avoid carrying big bulky make-up bottles that take up a lot of space. You can even use similar containers to store your jewelry so that you don’t lose them in your make-up bag.

For clothes that get easily wrinkled you could reuse old grocery bags that are made of plastic. Just lay the item on the plastic bag and fold it normally along with the bag. The plastic bag will guide you through and help your clothes keep wrinkle free. You could also use a wrinkle release spray. Spray it on the outfit 30 minutes before wearing it so it has time to dry and de-wrinkle.

For formals that came washed and ironed, you could lay them on the top of your rolled clothes after all your packing is complete. Or you could just box it up and put it in your bag directly if you have enough space. You could even put your belts in the empty space of the collar of your shirts to save space and also to maintain the shape of the collar.

When all is done organize all your things properly. Check the weight of the bag. If there are still important things you need then you can put them on the sides of the bags which generally can still hold items. You could even put some between your rolled clothes. For breakables you could stuff them between your clothes for extra protection. Use a separate bag or pouch for gadgets like chargers and aux cords as they are prone to entangling or even an old Sunglass case to put them inside. You could stuff them inside your clothes in different locations of the bag, that will prevent them from entangling with each other. Once all is done you are good to go!

SANTINIKETAN- The Abode Of Rabi Thakur.

Aritraa Datta

April 5, 2016

The small town near Bolpur in Birbhum district of Westbengal, India Santiniketan was owned by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore , while he was on boat journey to Raipur. The red soil and meadows charmed him and he decided to build a house there. He named his home Santiniketan, meaning abode of peace. Initially Maharshi Devendranath Tagore founded an ‘Ashram’ here in 1863 which initiated ‘Brahmo Samaj.’ The second youngest son of Debendranath Tagore first stepped Santiniketon with his father when he was just four years old. When he was a child his life was subjected to lifeless, colourless, education factory where he felt suffocated within the white walls of his class room. He thought that God has given gift of taking delight in the world, but such delightful activity is fettered and imprisoned, muted by a force called discipline which kills the sensitiveness of the child mind which always seeks knowledge from mother nature. After few years when he visited Santiniketan again he found the town which is 160 km away from Kolkata much more interesting. After he returned to Kolkata the wonderful picture of the town remained in his mind. In that little age he thought of a new way of imparting the education. He said later

“Because I underwent this process when I was young, and remember the torture of it, I tried to establish a school where boys might be free in spite of the school. Knowing something of the natural school which Nature supplies to all her creatures, I established my institution in a beautiful spot, far away from town, where the children had the greatest freedom possible ”

When he was 40in 1901, he permanently with his wife Mrinalini devi and started a school at Shantiniketan named Bramhachari Ashram that was modelled on the lines of the ancient Gurukul system that later came to be known as the Patha Bhavan. The open-air education as opposed to being cloistered in the four walls of a classroom became a reality. Beside ‘Astakunj’ ( garden of mangoes) he built a small two floor house for his wife and named it ‘Dehuli.’ Presently that house is named after the name of his wife ‘ Mrinalini Ananda Patshala’. The calm town charmed him and he decided to turn the school to a university after he received the Nobel Prize and named it Viswa Bharati University. He not only restricted his ideas to education he also made a field named ‘Gourprangan’. In the natures lap he made all possible things to satisfy the needs and to project the talents of the youngsters. In the name of his son ‘ Samindra Sishu Patshala’ was built for class 2 to class 10 students. Moving in front there is general kitchen from where children used to get food. In ‘Kalabhaban’ students expertise themselves in art. In ‘Sangit Bhaban’ there is a permanent stage where students performed different programmes in different time . His thought was not only for the students. He built a black house of soil in order to make people of the village aware and prevent their house from fire. He named that house ‘chitto’.

Rabindranath Tagore was lover of life. He for himself and his family built different house within the campus of Viswa Bharati. ‘Udayan’ was the name of the house where there is many memories of him and his family. Many renowned people spent time with him in this house. His last birthday in 1941 was celebrated in the veranda of this house. ‘Konark’ was the house where he first stayed after he came with his wife. His daughter in law, Pratima Devi stayed in this house for many days. Also C.F Andrwes stayed in this house. In ‘Shamali’ he stayed there for a year. Even after the death of Rabindranath, Gandhi Ji used to visit the house. The single floor house ‘Punascha’ was made by soil wall but concrete roof. The house had open veranda all around it. He did not used to like staying at one house for long. ‘Udichi’ is another house which has rose garden in front it. Many famous personality came to visit him in Santiniketan. In the year 1940 Gandhi Ji came to Santiniketan where Rabindranath Tagore himself welcomed him from ‘Astakunj’. Subhas Chandra Bose came to Santiniketan to meet Rabi Takur to discuss about matter of importance in 1918. Jawaharlal Nehru first came here with Gandhi Ji in 1920. Then again in 1938 he came. Indira Gandhi was admitted to Viswa Bharati University in the year 1938.

Now Santiniketan is a tourist spot. Rabindranath Tagore often called as Gurudev by his lovers. They visit his abode in order to know him more. Santiniketon is the place where they find peace. The famous festival there is ‘Poush Mela’ which is characterized by the live performances of Bengali folk music, especially the ‘baul’ music. It includes folk songs, dances and tribal sports. This fair offers a perfect insight of true heritage of the state. The students of Santiniketan present their magnificent performance and make this festival more enjoyable and glamorous. Each day of this festival is filled with different activities. The last day of this fair is devoted to those who are related to Santiniketan. The Khowai mela every Saturday is a wonderful fair.

He is still believed to be alive through his songs poems dramas and work. Santiniketan is the place where one will definitely find peace and a life with nature.

Punch Depression On Its Face

Anjum Baba

April 4, 2016

The death of Pratyusha Banerjee is a shock to everyone. “Too young to die but too frail to survive.” Succumbing to depression is just not the right thing. However depression is something that cannot be taken lightly anymore, as the psychologists have confirmed that it is a condition which means it is a disease that needs treatment.

Till now my readers must have understood that I put across my message in story form, this piece is no different. I will just pick up characters from previous article, “Couples who train together stay together.” Do you remember the sunshine of the story? No it is not Cindy or Brock but the guy who got them together, Shane.

Shane, the ever smiling, always happy, funny and jolly guy was everything he didn’t look like. He was wearing a mask to conceal his pain, frustration and anger. A regular at gymnasium, friends with one of the strongest guys in the gym, always eager to try new things just vanished one day. People don’t say it for nothing, “people who smile the most are unhappiest and those who make everyone happy sacrifice the most.” Well this is what exactly happened to the happy go lucky Shane when his girlfriend ditched him for someone else. More than anything else his ego was hurt, he was drop dead handsome, smart, intelligent and successful. Honestly speaking it was the girl’s loss but how do we make the broken heart lovers realize this, they always take the blame instead of chucking the no gooders out of their life, they pine and cry.

Cindy could notice that Brock looked disturbed from past few days, every time she asked he just brushed the question away. Today too she could see that he looked offbeat, she decided to confront him about it, she straightaway went up to him and asked, “What’s eating you big boy, I want a straight answer, don’t try to escape.” He wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, “I am concerned about Shane, he is acting strange, doesn’t talk, goes out or even comes to the gym.” Brock and Shane were childhood friends and Cindy could very well understand that he was concerned about him. She told him, “Just call him up and ask him whether he is home, and if he is there let’s go there right away.”

Shane looked disheveled and haggard, there were dark circles under his eyes, and he looked broken and weak. Both the guys felt uncomfortable to talk, the silence was making all of them uneasy. Cindy got up and sat next to Shane and blurted, “Buddy this is insane, I am sure it is either a girl or career, both are shitty reasons to look like this. You are simply wasting away the golden moments of your life, I won’t listen to a single excuse, I want your depressing backside at the gym tomorrow plus you have to go out with us this weekend.” Shane wanted to reply in negative but before he could say anything, Cindy held his hands, “Let me help you the way you helped me once, you introduced me to Brock and it changed my life, it’s payback time.” She said and smiled, there was so much of conviction and aggression in that fragile looking girl’s voice he had to give in plus that killer of a smile of hers, it could melt even a beast’s heart, whereas Shane was just a softhearted boy next door.

Shane tried to reply in affirmative but broke down in tears instead. All he could say was, “Please leave me alone, I just don’t feel like going anywhere, don’t want to talk to anyone.” Saying this he went to the other room. Cindy could very well relate to his condition, she looked at Brock and said, “He needs help, he is under depression, these are clear symptoms. The symptoms of depression are:

One feels hopeless and helpless
One loses all interest in friends, activities, and other things that once he/ she enjoyed
Feeling of lethargy and tiredness
Change in sleep and appetite
Lack of concentration, being unable to complete a task, even the ones that appeared easy once
Uncontrollable negative thoughts, no matter how much one tries, such thoughts keep disturbing
Feeling irritated, angry and extremely aggressive than usual
Consumption of excessive alcohol or other such substance abuse, indulging in reckless behavior

She told Brock that they will have to pull him out of this dungeon, he has to come to the gym and exercise as it is one of the most effective ways to fight depression. Brock who has been silent all this time, got up and went to the other room, Shane had locked himself up in his bedroom. He knocked softly but there was no sound, he said “Open the door or I will knock it down and you know I can do it.” Shane knew his friend too well, he came out, hugged him and cried bitterly. Cindy came with water and made him drink it.

They told him in a calm voice, talk it out, whatever is eating you up, don’t keep it to yourself, just share and mind you, never ever blame yourself. Brock said, “I will give you a few tips that will help you fight depression, you can punch it right on its face.

Set a Routine: All depressed people need a routine as depression takes away the normal structure from one’s life. One day is mechanically followed by the next. Setting a normal daily schedule can help one return to track.

Motivate Yourself: Depression makes you feel, you can’t accomplish anything. This feeling makes a person feel worse. Get your old life back, set daily goals for yourself and motivate yourself to achieve it.

Exercise: Workout can boost feel-good chemicals called endorphins. In the long run, it completely removes depression from one’s life. Exercise daily as it will encourage the brain to rewire itself in positive ways.

Follow a Healthy Diet: Follow a healthy diet to stay fit, live long, and look good. Watch what you eat, because it so happens that depression causes overeating, therefore try to control your eating habits to feel better. Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon and tuna) and folic acid (like spinach and avocado) can also help control depression.

Maintain a Normal Sleep Habit: Most of the time depression causes sleeping disorders, little or no sleep can worsen the depression and excessive sleep can result in laziness which again increases depression. Try to stay away from, TV, mobile phone and computer when you want to sleep, and Social Network, this might improve your sleep.

It was their care and concern that made him realize that one person is not worthy enough for whom he should give it all away. He was back on the tracks the next day. Initially he just did it for them but soon he started to enjoy it. Getting back to normal routine, daily workout, proper sleep, healthy diet and yes the cheat meals never looked so good. Every weekend the three of them went on shopping frenzy, Brock’s craze for fast cars, Cindy’s never ending trips to parlors and her weird nail arts and hairdos, his comics’ addiction, the friendly brawl over DC and Marvel, all these were enough to bring the lost SMILE back to his face.

Shane is back to his normal self and to Cindy’s frustration the yucky boy’s talk regarding who can burp most, who farts loudest and other shitty bathroom manners are getting more and more irritating by the minute. But she is happy to see their sunshine back in their lives. Help your friend fight depression, bring them back to their normal routine, who knows you may save a life.

Worms in our everyday life

Aresyn Shaw

April 1, 2016

You remember the 9th grade science class where you learned about the types of diseases and about the parasitic worms those live in us ?

And it’s scientific definition that you must know is :

Helminths

Helminths (/ˈhɛlmɪnθs/), also commonly known as parasitic worms, are large multi-cellular organisms, which when mature can generally be seen with the naked eye. So here are top 5 worms that a human must have been infected with once in their life . Why don’t you have a look which parasites are most likely to be found in your body !

Pinworm

Pinworm is the most ubiquitous parasitic worm infecting people in temperate climates—places like the U.S., Europe and most of China, which are neither tropical nor polar, but have four seasons. Nearly all children catch pinworm before they reach age 12 (yes, that means you, too) by digesting tiny bits of fecal matter from other kids. Pinworm inhabits the colon and rectum, feeding on Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria in the stool. Late at night when children are asleep, the female pinworm, which measures about the length of a staple (0.5 inch or 13 millimeters), emerges from the anus and lays her eggs on the surrounding skin. The eggs are itchy, causing children to scratch and contaminate their fingers. When they suck their thumbs, or touch other children who suck their thumbs, the cycle starts all over again.

Tape worm

People accidentally ingest immature worms by eating raw or under cooked pork. Once the worms pass into the intestines, they latch onto the intestinal walls with suckers and hooks and begin to grow—and grow. The pork tapeworm shown here, Taenia solium, can grow as long as 20 feet (six meters). Often, people don’t even know they have tapeworm until they see the worms—or pieces of them in their stool. If a person ingests the tapeworm eggs (by, for example, drinking water contaminated by egg-laden human feces), the eggs hatch into larvae the stomach and travel into the small intestine. From there, they may enter the bloodstream and migrate to the muscles, eyes or brain, where they can cause seizures, headaches and potentially fatal brain swelling.

Trichinella

Beware of under cooked pork chops, tenderloin and sausages. If pork is your pleasure, make sure you cook it through to 170 degrees Fahrenheit (77 degrees Celsius); that should be enough to scorch any Trichinella larvae that may be hiding within. The larvae are encapsulated in protective coats that are digested by stomach acid. Once released, the larvae migrate to the small intestine and develop into adults measuring as long as 0.1 inch (three millimeters). Trichinella spiralis females, like the one shown in the photo, lay larvae that journey through the bloodstream and burrow into the muscle fibers, enveloping themselves in a cyst or protective covering. In the first few days of a Trichinella infection, a person may have symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain. Most cases are mild, but severe infections can lead to potentially fatal heart and breathing problems. Generally the more worms eaten, the more severe the symptoms.! Thus after reading this maybe some of you wont touch pork or else you must be aware that pork is been cooked or not !

Ascaris lumbricoides

Ascaris lumbricoides is the giant roundworm of humans, growing to a length of up to 35 cm. It is one of several species of Ascaris. An ascarid nematode of the phylum Nematoda, it is the largest and most common parasitic worm in human beings .Thus ,your symptoms will depend on where the roundworms are in your body, but there can be complications when there’s a large infestation.

Ascariasis is an infection of the small intestine caused by Ascaris lumbricoides (A. lumbricoides), which is a species of roundworm.

Roundworms

Roundworms are a type of parasitic worm. Infections caused by roundworms are relatively common. Ascariasis is the most common roundworm infection. About 10 percent of the developing world is infected with intestinal worms, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, infections with parasitic worms are not as common in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Ascariasis

Ascariasis is most common in places without modern sanitation. It’s transmitted through unsafe food and water. The infection usually causes no symptoms, but heavier infestations can lead to problems in the lungs or intestines.

Some question must have been arised in tour mind that What Causes an Ascariasis Infection?

You can become infected with ascariasis after accidentally ingesting the eggs of the A. lumbricoides roundworm. The eggs can be found in soil contaminated by human feces or uncooked food contaminated by soil that contains roundworm eggs. Children often become infected when they put their hands in their mouths after playing in contaminated soil, according to WHO. Ascariasis can also be passed directly from person-to-person.

After ingestion, the A. lumbricoides roundworm reproduces inside your intestine. The worm goes through several stages:

Swallowed eggs first hatch in the intestine.
The larvae then move through your bloodstream to your lungs.
After maturing, the roundworms leave your lungs and travel to your throat.
You’ll either cough up or swallow the roundworms in your throat.
The worms that are swallowed will travel back to your intestine.

Once they’re back in your intestine, the worms will mate and lay more eggs.

The cycle continues. Some eggs are excreted through your feces. Other eggs hatch and return to the lungs.

Lymphatic Filariae

Unlike most parasitic worms, which inhabit the intestines, lymphatic filariae live in the lymphatic vessels and nodes. For reasons not completely understood by scientists, the presence of these worms in the lymph system can lead to severe inflammation called elephantiasis, which often affects the legs, arms, genitals and breasts. Unfortunately for men, the worms have a propensity for the male genitalia. The worms get inside a person’s body when a mosquito carrying their larvae sinks its proboscis into a victim’s skin. The larvae travel through the skin and into the lymph vessels where they mature into adults measuring as long as four inches (100 millimeters). According to WHO, the infection usually begins in childhood but often takes years to cause elephantiasis.

Thus ,this is not the end you must search out these different kinds of parasitic worms that are found in human beings .And to make sure you and your family is healthy or not, you should have a regular weekly checkups with your concerned doctors !

Couples Who Train Together Stay Together

Anjum Baba

March 31, 2016

Cindy walked inside the gym feeling out of place. At five feet two, she was shorter than most of the girls, in most of the places. She changed and walked towards the treadmill and started to workout and soon her mind drifted over to the things that happened two years back.

A teacher by profession, she had the most innocent and generous heart. She never suspected the intention of others, she looked the whole world through her rose tinted glasses where everything appeared pure, sweet and beautiful. Unfortunately the world is not so beautiful and her ex-boyfriend Jason made her realize the truth. They were together for more than five years before she chose to walk out of the relationship.

Within three months of their relationship he shifted to her house and before she could realize she started to bear all of his expenses. Too naïve to realize that she was being used and exploited, the relationship continued where nothing was normal. Violence, trauma, depression, insolence, you name it, you got it all in Cindy’s relationship. She would have still continued, had she not found him in a compromising condition with another female.

The reason would have been any but the heartbreak and deception was severe. The person she trusted the most was the one who caused her biggest emotional, mental and physical damage (yes physical damage for she was in an abusive relationship). It had been more than a year and half now but she was still recuperating from the damage. She was advised by her psychiatrist and friends to indulge in physical activity to get rid of tension related recurring migraines.

“Hi!” She heard a friendly voice from a guy jogging next to her, it brought her out of her reverie, “Hello,” she replied. The guy next to her was very friendly and they exchanged a few tidbits about each other. Followed by treadmill, she did little bit of skipping and cycling, and then went to the changing room to leave. Shane, the friendly guy interjected, “You leaving so quick?” She hesitated and said “I..I…really don’t know much about workouts, I am just following a normal routine.” Shane smiled and said, “Have no worries, I will introduce you to my friend, he will train you.”

He took her to the guy working out heavily on weights, his face was contorted with pain, nerves were protruding from his muscles and he was sweating profusely. He looked angry and aggressive, Cindy automatically felt nervous in his presence. Shane said, “This is Brock, he will help you out with your exercise chart.” Saying this Shane left, “Cindy felt cowered by this six feet tall dark and handsome stranger.” She felt nervous in his presence, all she could say, “Can you help me lose extra pounds I have accumulated on my tummy.” Gruffly he replied, “You will get your chart tomorrow,” and moved away.

Teacher she was, therefore she was always on the learning mode. She learnt the benefits of exercise online and here is what she got:

Exercise Helps Control Weight: Workout can help get rid of excess weight, it also helps gain weight. By engaging in physical activity, one can burn calories. The more intensely you workout, the more calories you burn.

Slows Down the Aging process Decreases the Premature Death Risk: After crossing the age of 30, most people lose 10% of their aerobic capacity each year. Exercise regularly to be aerobically fit as you grow old. Workouts also improve skin and muscle tone, accelerates flexibility and brings down the risk of many age-related diseases, like osteoporosis, heart disease and brain stroke.

Strengthens and boosts Immune System: Many studies have confirmed that regular workout improve immune function. Daily, moderate cardio workouts, like jogging, walking or cycling, can help build the immune system.

Reduces Stress: During the time of depression, stress and trauma, workout is the best remedy. The most common mental benefits of exercise is relief from stress. Manage physical and mental stress by doing rigorous workout. Exercise also boots concentrations of norepinephrine, it is a chemical that can control the brain’s response to stress. Sweating out will help get rid of stress and boost the body’s ability to combat with existing mental tension.

Soon she started following his chart and she was happy to see the change in herself, both mental and physical. One day, while she was working out, a guy casually came and started to talk to her about the way she was exercising. He advised her a few new set of exercises, Brock looked at everything from the corner of his eyes, while he worked out. Brock’s eyes always followed her whenever she worked out, he had fallen for this timid, petite nervous girl but he didn’t have the courage to tell her.

Cindy felt uncomfortable in this leech of a guy’s presence, it was the way he looked at her, she didn’t receive good signals. She looked around for Shane, and felt more than relieved when she saw Brock coming towards them. She waved out to him, he came and joined them, Brock towered over the other guy and asked what’s wrong. Cindy said, “Brock this guy here is giving me new sets, please tell him I follow your chart.” It was enough for the guy to look at Brock’s giant like presence and he took a back seat.

The very same night, to her immense surprise, Cindy received a friend’s request from Brock. She accepted it instantly. Surprisingly, the guy who was always silent and aggressive could actually TALK!!! Soon they bonded over chat, and before either of them could realize they became very close to each other. Cindy acted like a calming lotion to the burning wounds of Brock, he too had a bad past, he was used, exploited and cheated by his ex-girlfriend and end number of fair-weather friends.

Their bonds became very strong, they were everything either of them wanted, he was possessive and she was loyal, he was aggressive and she was serene, he was violent and she was calm, he was passionate and she loving, they fitted like jigsaw puzzle, she was his missing link. He was ever so protective of her, intuitive he was, he could feel that all she needed was lots and lots of love, attention and protection, and yes he was more than willing to provide her with everything.

One day, he invited her over to dinner and took her to an oriental restaurant where they were playing soothing music. He held her hands, looked into her eyes and said, “Cindy, I have always been a loner, a painful soul, your presence has given me my smile back and I want it to stay forever. I want you to stay forever. Would you be my Cinderella, PLEASE?!!” There was so much of depth and sincerity in his words, Brock was a man of few words of course and he poured his heart out to her. Cindy’s eyes filled with tears when she heard this, she handed out a greeting card to her where she had written: Couple Who Train Together Stay Together!!

As they were leaving out of the restaurant, Cindy asked her, “How come a guy like you fell for a girl like me?” He smiled and replied, “Every beauty needs a beast and I am gonna be your beast for LIFE!!”

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You make each other smile :

You deal with arguments positively :

You adore the little things too :

Your communication skills are good and open :

You both are tuned into each other :

You know each other’s family well :

You want the same future :

You acknowledge your problems :

You don’t have to make an effort but you don’t mind making it:

The thought of your relationship makes you smile :

You know you love each other unconditionally :

Churros Con Chocolate

Paella

San jacobo

Croquetas de jamon

Empanadas

Helminths

Pinworm

Tape worm

Trichinella

Ascaris lumbricoides

Roundworms

Ascariasis

Lymphatic Filariae

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