UPI is a payment system that can be used for online payment and helps people to transfer the amount using a mobile system. Using UPI you can instantly transfer the amount through an immediate payment service. UPI’s are in the control of RBI and IBA for the successful processing of fund transfers.
UPI system was developed by an Indian national payment corporation. Well, UPI is secure as well as a safer system. As it uses two-factor authentication policies which are quite similar to the OTP system. But UPI makes use of MPIN. Different banks are providing their own UPIs for fund transfer. The main reason for the success of the
UPI system can be used 24 hours every single day. However, even you need not pay any charges while making UPI transactions. UPI system often termed as Unified payment interface can help you to access all banks in one mobile application.
Working of UPI
The UPI system makes use of unique ID and IFS code. As day by day, everyone is using online platforms either for bill pays, shopping, barcode payments, merchant payments, or OTC payments. The UPI system seems to be the future of Digital Payment. Even nowadays everyone is using a mobile phone, various apps, data, and internet service. So, it is very useful if you switch to the UPI system.
UPI allows its customer to either send or request money transfers. Various ways can be used in UPI for a transaction like virtual payment address, QR code, mobile number, account number, IFSC, or Aadhaar number. You only should have a bank account either current or saving to make use of UPI. It will help you to do P2P and P2M transactions through android applications. The complete process to start a UPI transaction is having the following steps:
First of all, you have to download a UPI app for your mobile system either android or apple phone from the respective play store.
After the successful download, you have to create an MPIN that is mobile banking personal identification number.
Now you have to generate your Virtual payment address (VPA).
The last step is to link your bank account to the UPI service.
UPI Benefits
UPI is providing various benefits to the Indian economy and customers as they need not use any paper money to do money transactions. The UPI transaction, on the one hand, benefits the customer. On the other hand, the merchant also gets cost reduction using this system.
The UPI is bringing together consumers, banks, merchants, and financial institutes. You can say it is bringing a great revolution by making cashless and digital economy. The worldwide lockdown due to coronavirus-19 also enhances the digital transactions through the UPI system.
A survey mentioned that 80% of consumers are relying on the digital transaction system. Nowadays people prefer UPI as the complete process is fast, convenient, and easy to use. Even some times people get cash backs on money transaction. However, that is a great thing that encourages them to make online payments through UPI systems.
Future of UPI
The future of UPI is bright as the use of UPI is growing continuously due to economical rebounding. Even the UPI system up to some extent reduced the use of digital wallets by offering QR codes. You can use your mobile phone as a virtual debit card.
Now let’s discuss a few important points related to UPI say how UPI works internally. What is UPI architecture, working process of UPI, what is Bhim UPI ID, technology behind UPI, UPI technical specifications, UPI API integration as follows:
I am listing over there few banking systems which are supporting UPI services like SBI pay, Axis pay, MahaUPI, SBI pay, iMobile, HDFC Mobile banking, Union Bank UPI, Vijya UPI, United UPI, Lotza, KBL smartz, PNB UPI, etc.
UPI helps you to combine all of your bank services under a single platform. Moreover, you need to have two important things one is UPI Id and the other is your PIN. You can also make use of a mobile number and virtual payment address or UPI Id.
How UPI works internally?
It is quite easy to make transactions online by using the UPI system. Sometimes you have to fill up the details like the account number of the receiver, the IFSC code related to the receiver bank, the name of the receiver bank. But even if you don’t know the details. You can still make transactions by using the bank registered phone number, UPI id, and Aadhaar card number of the receiver. The generation of UPI Id is also simple and you need to follow few steps as follows:
First of all, you have to choose a particular app that you want to use for transaction purposes.
Then your mobile will automatically send a message from your current phone number that is already registered with the bank.
Later you have to create a PIN and go through a few other verification processes that are different from platform to platform.
First of all see that overall you can say that using UPI your transaction process becomes so easy. You can easily pay for the food, shopping, and any instant payment. Your common utility bills can be pay instantly without any worry.
But I agree with an important factor you might be worried about related to security. So even I assured you about reliability earlier also that IMPS network is serving nearly rs.8000 million transactions every day. You can find all process trustworthy as it uses the PIN process instead of just OTP.
UPI in Simple terms
For simplicity, you can assume UPI as an email id for your money transactions. I already mentioned in the general introduction of UPI that it makes use of IMPS which is fast enough as compared to NEFT. So the UPI allowing your phone to act like a debit card and you need not keep any wallet or debit or credit card. Don’t you think it’s amazing?
The technology behind the UPI is just to make the transaction process faster. As you are already familiar that if you were trying to make any payment through a mobile phone by using the bank app it was quite uneasy to fill in a lot of details.
Yes, I agree that all the details say account number, account type, IFSC code, and Bank name are meant to provide security but still, the process is very long enough. Usually, banks take up to 12 hours when you add some new payee. But the process of UPI just lets you send money without using such details.
UPI Technical Specifications
The UPI technical specifications can do much more beyond your expectations. Let’s understand it with help of an example. You know well to make transactions two have two options. Either you can use the local address that is the virtual address or the global address which includes the mobile number, bank account number, and adhaar number.
The virtual address allows you to make transactions online and if the bank gives you a virtual address that matches your email id you need not any app to send money. Say you hired a taxi and have to pay back for the fare. You only have to share the virtual address with the driver rather than any bank details. Using the virtual address the driver will request money and you have to authenticate the transaction through a password.
UPI Integration
UPI API integration works as a layer over the IMPS that help in transferring the money using mobile phones. Nowadays companies are moving forward to register their identifiers on UPI platforms. I think the cashback offers can keep the users hook up with wallet systems. One thing is sure that unless these wallet companies come up with an innovative way to stay relevant, it’s going to be an uphill task for them to survive.
The UPI Architecture
The UPI architecture makes use of an immediate payment system and adhaar enabled payment system to provide seamless settlement between accounts. It allows push and pull services and works with barcode, recurring payments, and different other modes.
The UPI architecture is following the three main patters as follows:
Authentication and Authorization separation– In earlier banking transactions while making any payment through credit card the authentication verification is done through the means of CVV number and OTP used for authorization purpose. But UPI made it simple by the use of PIN and mobile number registration.
Identity management federation– This facility provides the advantage of multimodal. It makes use of Adhaar based identification instead of biometric and knowledge base which is driven by a third-party provider named unique Identification Authority of India.
Transaction facilitation of the third party– UPI deals with transactions by using a broker model which is based on four-party transactions and makes all banking very interoperable. The complete transaction protocol is providing a scalable system as it is using non-blocking and asynchronous design.
Still having doubts related to UPI?
Don’t get confused with the terms push and pull. These are simple as push means to send money on the UPI while pull means to receive money. The only need is to establish an identifier nothing else. It supports the safety of sensitive information over the internet.
UPI helps in reducing the unbanked population. The UPI not only providing you the way to transfer money only during any specific banking payment but you can even request money or send money to someone as a gift also. Various modifications in UPI are in the progress.
You can refer to a few apps which are supporting UPI are PhonePe, Paytm, Amazon Pay Truecaller, Hike, Mobikwik, Google Pay, FreeCharge, and many more. The only task you have to perform is to create your UPI Id and the steps of it are already discussed in the article you can refer to them.
What is BHIM UPI Id?
The Bhim UPI app is quite popular among the customers as it is feature enriched. It is used for quick, simple, and easy processing of transactions. The app is developed by NPCI which can be used for android as well as an iOS mobile system. Using the app you can make transactions through QR code or UPI Id.
To gain access to Bhim UPI without internet you have to dial *99# from your mobile phone and can have all features of the Bhim App. The UPI Id used in it is a sort of identification that is different for all users according to their bank details. That UPI id is a must for making banking transactions say receiving and sending the money.
Along with that the account holder also has to set up a PIN to provide authorization for banking transactions. The PIN is of 4 digits which are used for the identification of a person.
Bhim UPI ID example
To understand what is the Bhim UPI ID see it starts with mobile number digits following @ symbol and in end, there is an app name you are using. Say you are having mobile number 1234567890 then while using Bhim app that is very popular nowadays for making online transactions. Your Id will be like “123456@bhim”.
You have to provide some details related to your bank in the app. After that, the app will automatically send a message from your mobile number to process some verification. Later you only have to generate a PIN that will allow you to send money and even you can request money from any of your contact persons.
Bhim (Bharat Interface for money) UPI that was launched in the year 2016 allows its users to make changes in UPI PIN and checking the account details along with the history of transactions. Every UPI app has its limit to make per day transactions. So you can choose accordingly the best one that allows you to transfer money as per your need. You can send money, request money, scan or pay, and even do a lot of transactions using a single UPI app.
Conclusion
You can say UPI is facilitating its users with various features and advantages say reliability, No minimum transaction limit, inclusivity, and Real-time transfers. These features are very useful for startups and small businesses.
UPI is an incredible advance right away and it is set to turn into a proficient option in contrast to versatile wallets. Using UPI you can make payments quicker, simpler, and smoother for a huge number of individuals in India. It can make micropayments which will profit the two purchasers and dealers.
I hope the above information will be quite beneficial for you. I really appreciate your comments and view regarding it.
High school student with microscopes in laboratory.
From an outsider’s perspective, teaching a group of moody teenagers could easily seem like the worst job ever. But as many high school teachers know, it’s quite the opposite, actually — teaching teenagers is a joy.
Getting to watch your students grow into their own person with unique goals and aspirations right before your eyes is so exciting. Being an educator, you have the opportunity to make a huge impact on their lives by helping them apply for college scholarships and choose meaningful careers. Plus, they understand your sarcasm and totally love it (although, they might not admit it aloud).
Source: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock
Of course, this isn’t to say that teaching high school students is easy. Like any other teaching job, you’re bound to make a few mistakes during your first year. To help you navigate that first year and the ones to follow, here are a few helpful tips for teaching high school students.
Don’t demand their respect — earn it.
To teach effectively, teachers must have their students’ respect. Every seasoned educator knows this to be true. But if you try to demand your teens’ respect, don’t be surprised when they talk back and completely ignore what you have to say. Teenagers don’t subscribe to the idea that just because someone is older means they automatically deserve respect. To establish respect in the classroom, you need to earn it.
So, how do you earn your students’ respect? The same way you would with any new acquaintance: Treat them as individuals, listen to their ideas, apologize when necessary, and build a relationship based on trust.
If this sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is. But once you gain your teens’ respect, you’ll be amazed at how much easier your job becomes.
Source: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock
Treat them like the high school students they are.
In the teachers’ lounge, you may hear your colleagues refer to their students as “their kids.” This is often meant in an endearing way. For many teachers, students are like their second family. But the simple truth is that high school students aren’t kids and shouldn’t be treated as such.
For one thing, teenagers generally don’t like it — not one bit.
But more importantly, it sets the worst kind of boundaries for teenagers. Ever wonder why a seemingly-smart student acts incredibly dumb? It’s often because they’re acting within the boundaries that have been set for them by well-meaning adults.
Then again, they shouldn’t be treated like full-on adults either. They’re still learning and trying to figure out life, so remember to give them room to make mistakes and become their own person.
Add variety to your lesson plans.
You were once a teen — you know how easily they can get bored. Teen boredom is a big problem in the classroom because it typically results in lower student engagement, which research shows can have a negative impact on academic performance.
To keep high schoolers engaged in the classroom, try to spice up your lesson plans. Make them more engaging by connecting your lessons to the real world, centering them around a theme, or making them interactive.
Be flexible. You never know when a teaching moment might arise. The best teachers are able to recognize these moments and pivot their lessons to keep students hanging on their every word.
Help your students prepare for the future.
In four years or less, your students will walk across the graduation stage and take the next step in their careers. But are they ready? Do they even know what the next step looks like?
If your students are struggling to figure out what to do after high school, give them a range of different options. Maybe they could launch a successful career in the trades or take a gap year to uncover their passions. Help them identify what they’re good at and throw out ideas for possible career paths they could pursue.
Above all, provide support and encouragement. For students who may not get that encouragement at home, your support and guidance could make all the difference in their future success.
Source: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock
Take a genuine interest in their lives.
Get to know your high school students. They’re people with lives outside of school — just like you.
Ask them about their hobbies and interests. If that doesn’t work, ask if they have anything fun planned for the weekend instead. Their answers could reveal something about them that you can use in your lesson plans.
Being a teenager is difficult these days. High school students are under immense pressure to be perfect in every way — how they look, how they act, how successful they are in academics and sports.
One way you can help your high school students overcome these complex challenges is by fostering a positive culture in the classroom. Building positivity into the classroom can empower your students to share their ideas, unleash their creativity, and engage in acceptable risk-taking behavior, which in turn leads to higher confidence and increased motivation.
To foster a positive learning environment, praise your students’ successes and find ways to reward them for positive behavior. Build an inclusive classroom and make it clear that you value every student equally. Establish a welcoming atmosphere, and, eventually, your students will grow more comfortable sharing their ideas and perspectives.
University students doing group project in library
If you are someone who wants to pursue higher education abroad, then what are you waiting for? Go for it! Studying abroad has a lot of benefits, and we cannot stress enough about it. There are so many incredible universities that offer degree programs and scholarships for international students. Before getting into which university you want to apply to, it is incredibly important to know the place where you want to go for studying. There are several factors that one has to consider when choosing the place for a higher education degree. If you still are not sure about where to go for studying, then you have come to the right place. In this blog, we will be listing the best places to study abroad and why you should go there. Without further due, let’s jump right into it!
United States of America
The United States is the hub of all the best universities in the entire world. The US is so big and has so many states with thousands of universities that are accepting international students and offering them a lot of perks and scholarships. Are you someone who enjoys praying and going out? Why not choose New York, the city that never sleeps? There are several high ranking institutes in New York that are currently accepting applications.
Even though it gets very expensive to study in the US, still you can avail yourself of scholarships and find some cheap spots to manage your bills. Moreover, a lot of part-time jobs are offered to students in the US that help them in managing their budget. If you are having trouble getting a visa, then contact a competent Los Angeles immigration attorney who can solve your problem.
Next, we have the United Kingdom which is home to Oxford University, and many other high-ranking institutes from where notable personalities like Stephen Hawking and Isaac Newton have completed their studies. Even though the UK has gloomy weather all year long, but still the campus life here is amazing. If you want to get a high-quality education and also want to experience art, history, and culture, then studying in the UK is the best option for you. Moreover, you can also visit the rest of the UK during your holidays.
Australia
Another great choice for higher education in Australia, which is considered to be the ‘global leader’ in education. Australia is also considered to be the best destination because of the wide number and type of courses that are offered in the institutes there. There are a total of 1100 institutions in Australia where almost 22,000 courses are being taught. In addition to the high quality of education offered at Australian institutes, it is also popular because of the kind of lifestyle that it offers and the places to visit during vacations as well.
Norway
Last but not least, we have Norway on our list of the best places to travel for studying. Norway is considered to be an expensive place to live, however, people are still willing to spend their bucks since it is known to be an ideal location for undergraduate and postgraduate programs. There are many institutes here that are tuition fees therefore you will be saving a lot of money from there. Moreover, it is very easy to get a study visa for norway
Oats is a type of cereal that is good for people of all ages. It is a healthy food. We eat oats mostly in breakfast, snacks and dessert. Instead of eating instant oats, you can cook some tasty dishes of oats at home. The recipes do not need too much time to prepare and their ingredients are easily available at home. You can try these oats recipes to have healthy food. There are many oats dishes which you can cook.
Oats Upma
It is a lip-smacking dish of oats sauteed with vegetables. You can eat this for breakfast and snacks.
Ingredients –
Oats – 1 cup
Oil – 2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds – Half teaspoon
Cumin seeds – Half teaspoon
Curry leaves – Few
Chili – 1 or 2
Urad Dal – 1 teaspoon
Onion – Half
Vegetables – 1 cup
Salt – According to taste
Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon
Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
Water – 1 and half cup
Method –
You can use any vegetables of your choice. I had put carrot and beans in Upma. You can also use capsicum, cabbage, corn and peas.
Heat a pan and roast the oats without putting any oil. Keep the roasted oats aside. Chop onion, chili and vegetables finely.
Heat a pan and put oil to it. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and chili to it. Let them splutter.
Put onion and fry till the raw smell disappears. Then add vegetables and fry well. Put salt and turmeric powder to it. Mix properly.
Add oats gradually and mix. Then put water to it and cover the pan for some time. Let the oats and vegetables get cooked while the pan is covered.
Remove cover and put lemon juice, coriander leaves to it. Mix well so that all the ingredients get combined. Serve it hot.
Oats Kheer
It is a delicious dish of Oats which makes a good dessert. This is an aromatic sweet dish.
Ingredients –
Oats – 1 cup
Ghee – 2 tablespoons
Milk – 2 cups
Water – 1 cup
Sugar – Half cup
Dry fruits – According to taste
Cardamom (Elaichi) – Few pods
Method –
You can use any quantity of oats that you want. But adjust the amount of sugar, ghee, water and milk accordingly.
You can use any dry fruits of your choice. I used almonds, cashews and raisins for this. I chopped almonds and cashews and fried all dry fruits in ghee.
In cardamom, remove the husk and crush the seeds in mortar and pestle. The powder should be fine. You may use powdered sugar but whole sugar will also dissolve in the dessert.
Heat a pan and put ghee to it. Add oats to it. Roast it continuously till its color slightly changes to brown. Put water to the pan and let the oats get cooked by covering the pan.
After few minutes remove the cover. Then slowly pour milk to the pan. Simmer the milk and stir occasionally so that oats and milk do not stick to the pan.
When the milk comes to a boil, then stir continuously. Put sugar to it and mix well. Then add cardamom powder and dry fruits to it.
Cook till the kheer looks creamy. Serve it hot or cold according to taste preference.
It is a yummy dish of oats cooked with dal and vegetables. You can eat this in any meal with curd, salad or raita.
Ingredients –
Oats – 1 cup
Moong Dal – Half cup
Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
Ginger – A small piece
Chili – 1 or 2
Onion – Half
Carrot – 1
Beans – Some
Ghee – 2 tablespoons
Salt – According to taste
Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
Asafoetida (Hing) – A pinch
Water – 4 cups
Tomato – 1
Method –
Wash Moong dal and soak it in water for some time. Chop ginger, chili, onion, tomato, carrot and beans finely.
Heat a pressure cooker and put ghee in it. Then add cumin seeds, ginger, chili and asafoetida. Let them splutter.
Put onion and fry till the raw smell disappears. Then add tomato and saute till it turns mushy. Put carrot, beans and fry well.
Drain the water from Moong dal and add it in pressure cooker. Then add salt, turmeric powder and oats. Mix well so that all the ingredients get combined.
Put water to it and mix properly. Make sure that nothing sticks to the pressure cooker. Close the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles. Remove cover and mix it.
Check the consistency of Khichdi. If it is watery, then cook without cover for some time. If it is dry, then add some water to it and pressure cook again for 1 whistle. Serve it hot.
Oats Halwa
It is an appetizing dish of Oats which makes a good dessert. This sweet dish can be prepared in less time.
Ingredients –
Oats – 1 cup
Ghee – 2 tablespoons
Milk – 2 cups
Sugar – Half cup
Dry fruits – According to taste
Cardamom (Elaichi) – Few pods
Method –
You can use any quantity of oats that you want. But adjust the amount of sugar, ghee and milk accordingly.
You can use any dry fruits of your choice. I used almonds, cashews and raisins for this. I chopped almonds and cashews and fried all dry fruits in ghee.
In cardamom, remove the husk and crush the seeds in mortar and pestle. The powder should be fine. You may use powdered sugar but whole sugar will also dissolve in the dessert.
Heat a pan and put ghee to it. Add oats to it. Roast it continuously till its color slightly changes to brown. Then slowly pour milk to the pan.
Stir well and check that oats and milk do not stick to the pan. Put sugar and mix properly. Then add cardamom powder and dry fruits to it.
Keep stirring till it thickens and milk gets absorbed. Serve it hot or cold according to taste preference.
Masala Oats
It is a delectable dish of oats sauteed with vegetables and has a spicy flavor. You can eat this for breakfast and snacks.
Ingredients –
Oats – 1 cup
Oil – 2 tablespoons
Cumin seeds – Half teaspoon
Chili – 1 or 2
Onion – Half
Vegetables – 1 cup
Salt – According to taste
Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
Tomato – 1
Garlic – Few cloves
Chili powder – Half teaspoon
Garam Masala – Half teaspoon
Water – 2 cups
Method –
You can use any vegetables of your choice. I had used carrot and beans. You can also use capsicum, cabbage, corn and peas.
Heat a pan and roast the oats without putting any oil. Keep the roasted oats aside. Chop onion, chili, garlic, tomato and vegetables finely.
Heat a pan and put oil to it. Add cumin seeds, garlic and chili to it. Let them splutter. Put onion and fry till the raw smell disappears.
Then add tomato and saute till it turns mushy. Put vegetables and fry well. Then put salt, turmeric powder, chili powder and garam masala.
Saute for some time till the spices mix with other ingredients. Then add oats gradually and mix. Put water to it and cover the pan for some time.
Let the oats and vegetables get cooked while the pan is covered. Remove cover and mix properly. Serve it hot.
It is winter and cauliflowers are available in abundance. Why not cook some tasty dishes of this seasonal vegetable. There are some appetizing dishes of cauliflower which you will want to eat again and again. The recipes of these dishes need ingredients that are available at home. You can make tasty cauliflower dishes which we have in eateries. Follow the recipes of these dishes and enjoy them this winter.
Gobi 65
This is a lip-smacking dish with the flavor of curd. You can eat this either as a starter or include it in meals of lunch and dinner.
Ingredients –
Cauliflower – 1
Curd – At least 250 ml
Oil – As required for frying and tempering
Salt – According to taste
Water – As needed for blanching
Garlic – Some cloves
Ginger – A small piece
Chili – 1 or 2
Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
Chili powder – 2 teaspoons
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
Maida (Refined flour or Plain flour) – Approximately 1 cup
Method –
The quantity of curd and Maida depend on the size of cauliflower that you will use for this dish. Make sure that you use sufficient amount of curd and Maida for making the batter.
Cut cauliflower into florets. Chop garlic, ginger and chili finely. Heat a vessel and put water in it. The water should be sufficient for blanching cauliflower florets.
After the water boils, put all cauliflower florets and little salt in it. Cover it for some time. Then remove cover and drain off the water. Keep them aside.
Take a large mixing bowl and put curd, lemon juice, salt, turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, Maida and little oil to it.
Mix very well and make sure that all the ingredients have combined. Check the consistency and quantity of this batter.
The batter should be enough to coat all the cauliflower florets. It should neither be too thick nor too thin. Dip all the cauliflower florets in batter.
Mix properly so that cauliflower florets get coated with batter. Heat a pan and put sufficient oil to it. Fry the cauliflower florets in batches.
Fry till they turn crisp and brown. Remove from pan and keep them aside. Heat the same pan with oil again for tempering.
Put cumin seeds, ginger, chili and garlic to it. Let them splutter. Then add curd, salt and 1 teaspoon chili powder to it. Mix properly and saute for few minutes.
To this tempering mixture, add the fried cauliflower florets. Mix very well to coat all the cauliflower florets with the mixture.
It is a delicious dish of cauliflower with Chinese flavor. You can eat this with any rice dish or noodles dish.
Ingredients –
Cauliflower – 1
Water – As needed for blanching and mixing
Corn flour – 3 tablespoons
Maida (Refined flour) – 2 tablespoons
Chili powder – 1 teaspoon
Oil – As needed for frying cauliflower and for making gravy
Salt – According to taste
Garlic – Few cloves
Chili – 1 or 2
Onion – 1
Capsicum – 1 or 2 depending on size
Tomato sauce – 2 tablespoons
Pepper powder – 1 teaspoon
Maggi Magic cube – 1
Method –
Cut cauliflower into florets. Chop garlic, onion, capsicum and chili finely. Heat a vessel and put water in it. The water should be sufficient for blanching cauliflower florets.
After the water boils, put all cauliflower florets and little salt in it. Cover it for some time. Then remove cover and drain off the water. Keep them aside.
In a large mixing bowl put corn flour, Maida, salt and chili powder. Mix all the ingredients and add water in required amount. Check the consistency of batter.
Put cauliflower florets to this batter and mix well. The batter should neither be thick nor thin. It should coat all cauliflower florets.
Heat a pan and put sufficient oil to it. Add cauliflower florets in batches and fry them. Fry till they become crisp. Keep them aside.
In the same pan, heat oil and put onion to it. Then add garlic, chili, capsicum and fry till the raw smell disappears.
Put salt and pepper powder to it. Fry till they get cooked. Add tomato sauce to it and mix well.
If there is any batter left in the bowl, then add water and Maggi Magic cube to it and mix. If there is no batter left, then mix 1 teaspoon of cornflour and Maggi Magic cube with some water.
Add this to the pan where other ingredients have been sauteed. Mix thoroughly so that a gravy form. Cook till the gravy turns glossy.
Put the fried cauliflower florets to this gravy. Mix very well so that the cauliflower florets get coated with the gravy. Serve it hot.
Tandoori Gobi
It is a tasty dish of Cauliflower Tikka which makes a good starter. You can eat this with any chutney or ketchup.
Ingredients –
Cauliflower – 1
Oil – As required for frying
Salt – According to taste
Water – As needed for blanching
Curd – At least 250 ml
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
Chili powder – 2 teaspoons
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
Kasuri methi – 1 teaspoon
Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
Garlic – Some cloves
Ginger – A small piece
Chili – 1 or 2
Besan (Gram flour) – Approximately 1 cup
Method –
The quantity of curd and Besan depend on the size of cauliflower that you will use for this dish. Make sure that you use sufficient amount of curd and Besan for making the batter.
Cut cauliflower into florets. Chop garlic, ginger and chili finely. Heat a vessel and put water in it. The water should be sufficient for blanching cauliflower florets.
After the water boils, put all cauliflower florets and little salt in it. Cover it for some time. Then remove cover and drain off the water. Keep them aside.
Take a large mixing bowl and put curd, lemon juice, salt, turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, kasuri methi, garlic, ginger, chili, Besan and little oil to it.
Mix very well and make sure that all the ingredients have combined. Check the consistency and quantity of this batter.
The batter should be enough to coat all the cauliflower florets. It should neither be too thick nor too thin. Dip all the cauliflower florets in batter.
Mix properly so that cauliflower florets get coated with batter. Refrigerate this for at least 30 minutes so that the flavors get absorbed.
Heat a pan and put sufficient oil to it. Fry the marinated cauliflower florets in batches. Fry till they turn crisp and brown. Remove from pan and keep them aside.
I roasted cauliflower florets on a grill in microwave oven. You can roast them on a grill in gas stove if you want.
Roast the cauliflower florets in batches till they get cooked. Remove from grill and serve them hot.
Chili Gobi
The recipe of Chili Gobi is similar to Gobi Manchurian. Only difference lies in the method. Gobi Manchurian is dry whereas Chili Gobi has gravy. Use more water while mixing with Cornflour and Maggi Magic cube. While mixing all the ingredients in the pan, check that there is enough water content to form gravy.
To discuss the portrayal of women in The Kamba Ramayana, I’m going to discuss the characters of Mandodhari, Sita and Surpanakha because I believe that these three women in The Kamba Ramayana are somehow connected with patriarchy.
The portrayal of women in the Indian epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata has always been a highly debatable topic. There exist numerous versions of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and the portrayal of the characters in different versions differs as per different traditions. Here, I’m going to discuss the portrayal of women in The Kamba Ramayana. There exist numerous female characters in The Kamba Ramayana, where Sita is the female protagonist. Characters like, Surpanakha, Kaikeyi and Kuni are portrayed as a kind of female antagonists. Apart from this, Mandodhari is portrayed as a toxic woman, who proves the notion that it’s not just men who are a product of patriarchy, but women too are a product of patriarchy. She, in a way, proves that the well – known saying “a woman is a woman’s worst enemy” is completely correct. She sees all what her husband does to Sita, but instead of opposing her husband, in The Kamba Ramayana, she supports him and considers Sita to be the real harmful person. She turns blind to all her husband’s faults. If she had opposed him, then there might have been some change in his character. It’s possible that then he might have tried to become a better person. But in The Kamba Ramayana, Mandodhari never considers Ravana to be wrong.
She considers Sita to be a deadly “venom”. When Indrajit gets killed in the war, she says, “I am afraid the same fate awaits Lanka’s king tomorrow, all because of Sita, that venom in the form of ambrosia!” (p.253) With her venomous words, she even provokes Ravana to kill Sita. Out of his rage, he says, “All this grief has befallen us because of Sita. With my sword I will at once slay that treacherous and stone-hearted woman.” (p.253) But it’s Ravana’s general, Mahodara’s words, which tame his anger. He says, “O king! This act will bring you infinite disgrace and tarnish your name forever and ever. If overcome by anger you rashly kill this royal tapaswini, Siva, Vishnu and Brahma will clap their hands and mock you, calling you a low-born wretch, unworthy of your race.” (p.253) This should have been done by Mandodhari, as a wife is always supposed to stop (or at least try to stop) her husband from committing something wrong. But here, it’s the opposite. Rather than trying to control his rage, Mandodhari ignites his wrath even more.
Apart from this, when Ravana dies, she behaves like a typical wife. Her behaviour reflects that she’s just a stereotypical “angel in the house” kind of figure. She cries, “What a dreadful fate that I should survive my lord, my firm resolve to die a sumangali, a blessed wife, dashed to pieces?” (p.263) She further says, “I was deluding myself when I thought that one stronger than the gods and the diggajas, one mightier than Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, could never die…I didn’t think that it’d be a man who would one day destroy the fortress of safety your boons had secured for you. Taken in by the might of your penance, I never thought that there could ever be a diminution of your prescribed life of three and a half crore years.” (p.263) After saying all this and ululating to the extreme, she “called out his (Ravana’s) name, sighed deeply and died”. (p.264) Here, it can be said that in The Kamba Ramayana, the author has portrayed Mandodhari as a complete product of patriarchy. Her world comes to an end with the death of her husband. She is portrayed as a weak woman who believed that she has no identity apart from being the wife of Ravana, the king of the rakshasas.
Another female character in The Kamba Ramayana, which although completely differs from the character of Mandodhari, but is too a product of patriarchy is Sita. Sita, the wife of the Primal Lord, Rama, is portrayed as an epitome of beauty and chastity. In The Kamba Ramayana, she is referred to as a “stainless model of what a wedded wife should be” (p.264) and “the jewel of womanhood” (p.268). This is because she always behaves in the so-called “angel in the house” manner, the manner according to which every wife is generally supposed to behave. When Rama refuses to accept her after killing Ravana, she instead of opposing him or trying to justify herself, simply chooses to die. All she says is, “This, I suppose, is what I have earned through my past good deeds.” (p.266) She further says, “All my penance, good deeds and chastity have proved meaningless, never having impressed your mind! Here I stand, a model wife! A woman whose mind even Brahma cannot change for all the world. But if you, the eyes of the world, cannot see this, what god can help me now? To whom shall I declare my spotless chastity? There is nothing better for me than to die. That is what you have ordered too.” (p.266-267)
Rama insults Sita in the worst possible way in which any virtuous man is supposed to behave with his wedded wife. He says, “You stayed content in that sinner’s city, enjoying your food and drink. Your good name was gone but you refused to die. How dared you think I’d be glad to have you back? I didn’t come to Lanka, bridge the sea, and uproot the rakshasa race and destroy all my enemies in order to rescue you. It was but to save myself from being known forever as one who spared my wife’s abductor. You ate the flesh dear to animals, that is theirs by right. You drank toddy and enjoyed yourself. Do you propose to feed us too in the same way? All the good in you that should have shone forth like gems has gone. Solely because of the birth of one like you, womanhood, dignity, high birth, chastity, virtuous conduct, propriety and truth have all been destroyed, like the fame of a king without generosity.” (p.266)
When the flames of the fire went as white as cotton and Sita’s chastity gets proved and Agni himself appears to speak for Sita’s chastity, Rama cool-headedly says to him, “You are the upright witness to the world. You have, in words of the highest praise, declared her faultless. That absolves her in the eyes of the whole world. She shall not be discarded by me.” (p.267) His words, “She shall not be discarded by me” reflect his pride. Instead of apologizing to Sita for insulting her publicly, he comments in a highly arrogant manner. Despite all this, Sita without even questioning Rama a little bit, in The Kamba Ramayana, happily goes with him. If in her place, there would have been any woman of dignity, she wouldn’t have tolerated her husband’s such arrogance. But Sita, who in The Kamba Ramayana, is portrayed as a human incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, behaves worse than any ordinary woman would behave in such an unfortunate situation. Here, it can be said that in The Kamba Ramayana, the author has portrayed the main female lead too as a complete product of patriarchy. She too just like Mandodhari is portrayed as a weak woman who believed that she has no identity apart from being the wife of her husband.
Apart from this, in The Kamba Ramayana, Sita has been portrayed as an extremely beautiful, yet foolish woman. For describing her beauty, the author has stated, “Poets from Brahma down, seeking hard to define beauty, take Lakshmi who dwells in heaven as a paragon. But with Lakshmi herself now incarnate Sita, who shall we look to for comparison?” (p.41) The author further says, “Seeing her beauty, bright-eyed Menaka and all other nymphs, much sought after by the gods above, became sick at heart, their moonlight killed by her perpetual day!” (p.41) But her character defies the “beauty with brains” belief. Sita, although is a woman with beauty, she lacks brain in The Kamba Ramayana. Being a virtuous woman, she has often amused the readers with her foolish behaviour. A perfect example of her foolishness is present in the Aranya Kandam, where she desperately desires to get that golden deer. The author states, “she only coveted it for its beauty” (p.109) On seeing it, she determines to possess it, and thinks, “I will ask him (Rama, who couldn’t refuse her anything) to catch it.” (p.109) She tells Rama, “I saw a stag of the purest gold, most beautiful to behold, ears stiff, legs set with rubies, shining bright.” (p.109) She says, “If, my lord, you catch it quickly, we can take it back to Ayodhya with us. It is such a rare thing to play with.” (p.110) When Lakshmana doubts the golden deer to be some trap of some rakshasa, she shows her tantrums to Rama, and persuades him to get that deer. The author states, “the swan-girl sulked”. He further states, “Normally parrot-like and sweet, her words now were tearful and harsh. “My lord, you won’t get it for me?” she cried out, and went into the hut in a temper.” (p.110) Here, Sita instead of trying to understand the seriousness of the situation, behaves like a stubborn child.
In addition, she behaves even more stupidly when “that grievous cry from Maricha’s cavernous throat reached her ears”. (p.111) She although realizes her fault of forcing Rama to chase the golden deer, yet behaves in an even more reckless and obstinate manner. One moment, she cries, “Like a fool I asked him to catch me that deer and have now destroyed the very reason for my existence”(p.111). The other moment, she blackmails Lakshmana to go and look for Rama. When he hesitates in leaving her alone as he was already suspecting the upcoming disaster, she says, “I shall throw myself in the fire at once and end my life right here.” This is her second most stupid act in The Kamba Ramayana. She, deep down in her heart, knew how stupid she has been. In the Sundara Kandam, there’s a proof of this. While wondering that why Rama hasn’t rescued her yet, she asks herself, “Has my husband abandoned me because of the thoughtless words that I, like a fool, spoke to his brother?” (p.163) She knew that she has made a grave error. So, this justifies that in The Kamba Ramayana, Sita is portrayed as a beauty with no-brains kind of woman.
The character of Surpanakha is a kind of opposite of Sita’s character in the matter of “beauty with brains”. Although Surpanakha lacked beauty, unlike Sita, she had brain. No matter she never used it in the constructive direction, she possessed enough intelligence. In The Kamba Ramayana, the author introduces her as “a fell disease from her birth, born to destroy root and branch the rakshasa clan”. (p.93) Before appearing in front of Rama, she knew that “a rakshasi fanged he will reject at once as one who gobbles up all life” (p.93), so she appears before him as “a lisping koel and a pretty peacock”. (p.93) In The Kamba Ramayana, Surpanakha is a very powerful female character. Unlike Mandodhari and Sita, Surpanakha is a strong character. She knew well that how to mend her tattered pride. Also, she knew it very well that how should she take her revenge.
Although she’s an overall strong personality, she weakens in front of love. Even after being insulted to the extreme, she again offers her love to Rama. Her lines like, “If you will look upon me with grace, I’ll give you everything a woman can give.” (p.98), “If you accept my love, my very life is yours.” (p.98) and “You have done no wrong and I know it. My love for you is now doubled, for I am no fool!” (p.98) reflect her soft side. To convince Rama, she even proposes to aid him in destroying the rakshasa clan. She says, “King of a land well-watered and fertile, you claim to want to destroy the rakshasas. Very well then, if you can ignore my gaping mouth and fangs and accept me, I will teach you to master their tricks and sorcery and help you win the war against them. If you wish to defeat those strong and treacherous demons by using their own magic and witchcraft against them, I can help you. I am familiar with all of them and know well how to prevent the effect they will have on you. It is said that only a snake knows the ways of a snake, and surely you are aware that one must set a thief to catch a thief?” (p.98) All this reflects that although for merely a momentary period, Surpanakha does get blinded in attraction.
Surpanakha’s character shares a little similarity with Mandodhari’s character as just like Mandodhari, she too proves the notion, “a woman is a woman’s worst enemy”. She provokes Ravana to abduct Sita without even sympathizing with her a little by thinking that they share the same sex. Instead, she orders Ravana to possess Sita. She says, “Take Sita, the doe with fragrant locks and narrow waist, and enjoy her; and with the might of your arms get me Rama for my pleasure.” (p.106) She further provokes him, “Go forth and seize that dark-tressed woman.” (p.107) This reflects that the author has portrayed Surpanakha too as a product of patriarchy. Although she doesn’t directly get suppressed by any man, her act of being an innocent woman’s enemy and to envy her reflects that how patriarchy is ingrained in the heads of women.
In conclusion, it can be said that in The Kamba Ramayana, the author has tried to portray women as the products of patriarchy. Where Sita and Mandodhari are presented as weak women, who are mentally as well as physically and emotionally dependent upon their husbands, Surpanakha is presented as a strong woman. Although she is momentarily shown as weak, she gets back her mental strength, and rebels. She fights for her mortified pride, and proves that a strong-willed woman can move even the hardest of the mountains. However, she never uses her wits in the constructive direction. But one can say that Surpanakha is the strongest female character of The Kamba Ramayana.
Let me introduce you to the new topic MySQL tools. Are you aware of the term MySQL? The word itself is basically a combination of two words My+ SQL where “My” is the name of the daughter of co-founder Michael Widenius and “SQL” stands for the structured query language.
I hope you might familiar with the word SQL that is basically a standard language that stores, manipulates, and retrieves data of the database. SQL is having three parts named Data Definition, Data manipulation, and Data Control. So let’s first understand the database.
Database Definition
Database basically considered an application that stores data collection. There are other ways to store the data are also available like File System or Hash tables. Rather we do use databases more as data fetching is quite easy and fast in it.
For example, the photo gallery present in your mobile phone is a type of database, the documents saved in your phone system in form of My files or either on a laptop comes under the category of the database. So we can say we can find databases around us.
But in the recent scenario, we do use RDBMS that is a Relational database Management system that helps you in managing and storing a large amount of data.
Difference between RDBMS and DBMS
Now the question arises if it is RDBMS then how it is different from DBMS. The answer is quite simple database generally stores the data but the RDBMS is software that does the same task of storage but it stores data into different tables and all these tables are related to each other through primary key or foreign key concept or one to one or many relationships.
Here the table in the database is one that has rows and columns and looks like a spreadsheet. Now move back to our topic MySQL.
MySQL
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MySQL is software that is open source, free, fast enough, and easy to use relational database management systems used by many companies. It is owned by a Swedish company named MySQL AB. MySQL allows users to access databases using SQL.
Many web applications or CMS (Content Management system) that are database oriented use MySQL. For example Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, and PhpBB. Also, MySQL is used by various websites named Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
Features of MySQL
It is open-source software so you need not pay for it but you can also buy commercial licenses.
It is easy to use as compared to other database systems say Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server.
MySQL is a good option to develop websites or applications.
You can install it easily on your desktop or server as it is easy to run on Linux, Windows, or Ubuntu system.
MySQL makes use of SQL for data-related operations.
It is written in C and C++ language but also works with other languages like Perl, Php, Java, etc.
It works quickly with Php language that is mostly used in web development. MySQL can handle a data table of size 4GB.
My SQLimplements a client-server model.
MySQL allows data to be stored and accessed through multiple storage engines like InnoDB, CSV, and NDB.
It is an integrated part of the LAMP environment that is a web application software stack.
It is flexible, easy to use, speed, secure, and industry-standard and provides high performance.
20 Best MySQL Tools
Now let’s talk about the 20 best MySQL tools. As I discussed MySQL already now you know well that if there is a database then there is also a need for tools so that we can design, create, and administrate the database. These tools are quite useful for web developers and help in enhancing the functionality of web apps. MySQL can be managed by either the command line or the GUI tool.
In this discussion, I will talk about only GUI tools as they save the user time and easy to operate. But we are having many tools options so it is not easy for choosing the best one. So I am going to discuss a variety of options of tools so that anyone can choose the tool according to their requirement.
MySQL Workbench
phpMyAdmin
Querious
HeidiSQL
Aqua Data Studio
DBeaver
Navicat
Toad Edge
SQLyog
Sequel Pro
MYDB Studio
Database Master
Valentina Studio
MySQL Front
SQuirreL SQL
DataGrip
Adminer
TablePlus
DbNinja
dbForge Studio
Let me give you a clear understanding of each of these tools.
MySQL Workbench
This tool was created by Oracle Corporation. It is a visual tool and mostly database architectures and developers use it for designing, generating, and managing the database. Various services like server configuration and user administration are provided by it.
It supports Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. Its stable version was online in 2016. This tool helps you to save SQL statements and even provide remote database access. This tool is used by many users for modeling data and the development of SQL. It provides features for difficult change management and documentation.
This tool provides server configuration and backup also. It allows the optimization of SQL queries. Actually, it is a de facto standard of MySQL. On comparing with PHPMyAdmin it is having complexity. Some users report that it has bugs and it often crashes. Long queries do not get into process always and due to which you have to kill the application. You can download it from the link dev.mysql.com/downloads/workbench/
phpMyAdmin
It is very much used due to reason for its easy to use interface and even it is free. It is a web-based free MySQL administration tool that is written in PHP. If you are having a basic knowledge of MySQL you will be able to use this tool to make a website. Its installation process is quite easy and simple and even being web-based it is available in different languages.
This tool is also used for a variety of MariaDB operations like database management, permissions, and many more. It comes with a wide range of documentation. It supports both LTR and RTL languages.
Now, this tool is provided in 72 languages. It administrates multiple servers. QBE is used in this tool to create complex queries. Using those tools graphics can be created of database layout. With the help of predefined functions, you can transform data into other formats. You can download it from the link phpmyadmin.net/downloads
Querious
It could help you in managing, monitoring, designing, and developing different database systems like MariaDB or MySQL database. This tool is very beneficial for the user who wants to be highly expert in the database field. The interface provided by such a tool is quite innovative and easy. You can avail yourself of a free trial for thirty days.
The platform supported by this tool is only Mac OS X. The charges for its download are quite less compared to other products. Professional editing and experience are a very useful feature provided by this tool. The Import and export facility is of too much high quality. It provides convenient filtering and tries to avoid writing queries. The performance provided by this tool is awesome.
Few other very useful features provided by it are syntax highlighting, custom query, fast auto-complete, and table references. The server management is very good in this tool as it provides quick status, bandwidth, and a number of connections used. It has a powerful inbuilt editor. The drawback is that it is not freely available. You can download it from the link araelium.com/querious
This GUI tool is available for Microsoft Windows and OS X and used by many developers. It supports MariaDB, MySQL, Microsoft SQL, and PostgreSQL databases. Its stable version that is open source also is provided in 2015 and you can install it easily. Your data in the browser is editable and the structure can be exported to other servers.
It is also portable and quite easy to operate. You can handle multiple database servers using this tool. Data sync and completion of syntax are the main features of this tool. You can use this tool for table optimization and repair. It is quite congested and even not able to work with xamp database.
The only drawback of this tool is that its execution speed is slow and it crashes down on handling large data amounts. You need to require a wine platform for working on this tool on Linux. This tool does not support the Mac operating system. You can download it from the link heidisql.com/download.php
Aqua Data Studio
This tool helps very much in assisting web or database developers and analysts. If you are having good knowledge related to this tool then it could help you with high functional performance. This tool is easily installable and supports responsive customer help. It is a universal IDE used for development, database query, visual analytics, and administration. This tool helps you to improve the productivity of your database.
It usually works on multiple operating systems and available in twenty languages. This tool is quite Intuitive for beginners. This is a versatile IDE for cloud and NoSQL databases. It helps you also to improve server performance by proving a query execution plan view and stats.
It helps in making queries, modeling ER diagrams, and data editing in excel style. Few disadvantages of this tool are that it requires a lot of practice to master it and even the price is too much to afford. You can download it from aquafold.com/aquadatastudio_downloads
DBeaver
This is a free tool that is available in an open source way for developers and administrators. JBDC client support provided by this tool. You can often change and browse metadata of database, keys, or tables. This provides you will the facility of SQL editor including auto-formatting or completion.
This tool allows you to search for database objects. It is a universal DB and SQL client available for users. Its free version is available on Linux.
It is intuitive and easy to use. It is providing a mock data generator and easy import and backup. The export of schema is quite easy in this tool and even it provides automatic database tuning. Sometimes when there are long queries to run then the complete application needs to delete.
The main advantage of this tool is its connection to various data sources. Customer support and advanced-level security are provided by it. You can download it from the link dbeaver.io
Navicat
The tool is actually not available to free but having too good features providing uniqueness. It supports various platforms of windows and even available for Linux and Mac. It is software that provides you with a free trial for at least 14 days. This tool was popular from old times and customer support is provided in it.
Security is the main feature that attracts various administrators and developers. You can avail of Standard or Enterprise edition with extensive features. Various facilities like support for MySQL version, visual builder, and manipulation tools make it quite useful for various administrators. It supports MariaDB and different cloud databases like Amazon. It has the ability to perform scheduled database jobs.
This tool helps in imports and exports of data between excel JSON, CSV, or XML. The various platform supports are provided like windows, Linux, or Mac. If you use the premium version then you can share queries and connections with team members. It is an intuitive tool that helps in easy data editing, insertion, and pasting.
It helps in printing schedule reports and increases productivity. The main disadvantage is the high price. It also requires a wine platform for Linux that slows down IDE performance. You can download it from the link navicat.com/en/download/navicat-for-mysql
It is a lightweight and reliable desktop tool used for development and management purposes. In order to master the database, a toad edge is the best option for use. This tool makes your work simple while you are interacting with MariaDB, amazon redshift, or EDB Postgres Advanced Server.
The interface is quite easy to work with that ultimately enhances productivity. It works with Windows and Mac operating systems. This tool ensures code maintainability and quality. Using Jenkins’s continuous plug-in integration you can have the facility of DevOps. Complex SQL queries can be easily write down with the help of this tool.
This tool really helps you in copying real times running queries. Data synchronization is the most advantageous feature of such a tool.
To visualize segments of scripts, navigation of JSON and error discovery is quite easy due to the advanced editor. It is really cost-effective and flexible approach. You are provided with unrivaled support using this tool. You can download it from the link toadworld.com/products/toad-edge
SQLyog
This management solution is available free as well in three different paid editions Professional, Enterprise, and Pro. With help of this tool, you can work with scheduled backups, data importing, and syncing of data or schemas. This tool is having an uncluttered and intuitive UI that is helpful for the design of complex queries.
It is a smooth query designer available only for windows. Such a tool is a kind of customizable user interface that provides multi-threaded execution of queries. This tool gives you the facility to create DML statements using the definition of a schema. It is a completely easy to use and fast GUI tool used by various SQL administrators.
It is available in various themes also but its professional high pricing makes it not affordable to a few users. The tool also does not provide a drag and drop facility. It is not supportive of Linux and Mac. You can download it from the link webyog.com/product/sqlyog
Sequel Pro
This is a free, lightweight database management tool of My SQL and the next version of CocoaMySQL. All basic tasks of addition, modification, and browsing can be done with help of this tool. It is a very fast and useful open-source tool that is compatible with your different MySQL versions.
It provides flexible connectivity and a very easy installation. You can create new tables, rows, or columns easily. This tool allows you to run SQL queries from simple menus. It is compatible with the cloud and java is not compulsory for its execution. It supports different databases like MariaDB, Microsoft SQL Server, or Oracle 8i.
All types of imports and exports are very easy on this platform. Using TCP/IP protocol this tool provides connectivity to the database. The only limitation of this tool is that it only works with Mac OS X. The connection closing leads to an app crash. Compared to PHPMyAdmin it is not very good. You can download it from the link sequelpro.com/download
MYDB Studio
It was provided in the year 2004 and developed by H2Lsoft. It has a simple GUI that makes it easy to be used for database objects. Facilities like PHP scripts builder and inbuilt browser search helps in enhancing productivity. If you register you will be able to get a free license version. It provides you handy administration tools.
It is quite a good MySQL GUI tool. This is a complete package of MySQL server administration tools. It allows you to have a secure connection through SSG tunneling. You can assume it as a simple package of MySQL administrator because it provides user management, query browsing, and backup management.
This tool helps you to reload the server, flush internal cashes of MySQL use, and admin privileges. For creating a PHP script you just need to follow quite easy 5 clicks. It provides the facility of exporting server variables to XML, Excel, or CSV.
Database synchronization and WYSIWYG support are the main features of this tool. You can say the only drawback is that you have to register yourself on the website to get a free download of this tool. You can download it from the link mydb-studio.com/
Database Master
This tool provides you with everything related to programming. This supports the Windows platform. Database creation, editing, and drop of objects of database are a few tasks done by this tool. It supports MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and many more. This tool provides an updated modern interface.
It is intuitive and easy to use management software. Such type of tool allows you to execute SQL, JQL, and C# query scripts. It supports google analytics, Google BigQuery, and a number of other data sources. Other different facilities like script checker, formatted, and scripting provides the user to help in making queries.
It allows managing multiple database connections in a project file. Database and table maintenance are a few features that overall adding to productivity. It also monitors the database with a charting system. The only drawback is that is not available free. You have to buy it or use a trial version. You can download it from the link nucleonsoftware.com/downloads/
Valentina Studio
It is available in both free and pro versions. This tool helps you to perform various database operations and queries. Basic functionality like schema editing or code completion is available in the free version while the pro version provides other facilities like report designer and query building.
Database integration tools are provided through this tool that is continuous. APIs and SQL commands are being available to developers by using this tool. Managing various databases in tabs is quite easy in it along with dock view. Live logs, diagnostics, and diagrams are a few facilities that such a great tool provides us.
It supports different databases like Valentina DB MySQL, MS Server, SQLite, and PostgreSQL. It supports Windows, Linux, Mac, and even iValentina. This tool is cross-platform, institutive, and good to use but the only disadvantage is the expensive pro and universal version. You can download it from the link valentina-db.com/en/get-free-valentina-studio
MySQL Front
It was released in the year 2012 as a Windows front end. Various Web administrators, designers, and developers use this tool. Different types of data like SQL files, CSV, HTML, and XML can be import and export well using this tool. It is not available in the free version but it does provide a trial version.
Features of this tool usually improve database quality. The disadvantage of it is that it supports only the window platform. With help of such a tool, you can easily handle data through SQL commands and dialogs. Standardized file importing and exporting is done in a very good way in this tool. This tool lets you allow to handle the structure of the database.
To access the MySQL server you can either approach directly or use HTTP tunneling. A different version of it was available earlier but the best version was provided by Nils Hoyer. Using this tool you will be able to handle local or remote MySQL databases. This is easy to use program that will save your time. This tool supports more than twenty languages and requires less storage space. The main drawback is that it crashes sometimes. You can download it from the link mysql-front.software.informer.com/5.3/
Squirrel SQL
It is a java-based SQL client program that is open source and can run on any computer having a java virtual machine. This tool allows the user to view the database structure. It is compatible with databases like Firebird, Microsoft Access, Sybase, etc. This tool helps you to view the Metadata of the database quickly. It can work with multiple databases that could be either on local or remote machines.
You need to be on a single interface but can interact with multiple database engines. It is available in the free version as well as in paid. It is available in different languages also. Numbers of the plug-in are available for this tool to import data or copying data. Many other options available in this are code completion pop-up, tools popup menu, and so on.
It provides a query builder and you can even create charts or graphs of tables and their relations. Extensive documentation is available on its website also so you can refer to it also. You can perform database structure editing also.
During its installation, you need to add drivers and create an alias. Anyone interacting with SQL on regular basis can use this tool to fix bugs at the database level. You can download it from the link sourceforge.net/projects/squirrel-sql/
DataGrip
This tool fulfills the specific needs of professional SQL developers. You can make use of this tool to develop plug-in projects. This tool provides you history record of activities so that you stay on track and not lose your work. It provides different modes through which you can execute your queries. Using this tool you can navigate schema efficiently. This tool explains how different queries work and behave in the database engine.
You can write SQL code fast as it provides you code completion facility. This tool helps in the detection of bugs and even suggests ways to resolve them. You can resolve SQL code references through this tool. This tool provides version control over SBN and git. It supports different databases like Microsoft azure, oracle, and many more.
This tool is available for 30 days trial along with monthly and yearly subscriptions. It helps you to show your all objects in the format of folders. The data editor present in it allows you to do multiple operations. It is available in a customized appearance. You can download it from the link jetbrains.com/datagrip/
Adminer
This tool is written in PHP and having so many featured. Its other name is PHPminiAdmin. If you want to install it you need a single PHP file. It provides support to many popular database systems like Oracle, MongoDB, SQLite, etc. With help of this tool, you can have a variety of various themes.
It is used for the management of tables, indexes, and databases. To connect with the database server you have to provide a username and password. You are available with options for a selection of existing databases or the creation of a new one. You can do many modifications in columns using this tool.
This tool supports all types of data. It provides variable and displays them with documentation. Extensive options for customers are provided. It provides such an interface that users can edit and select data easily. This tool does not work with ID and works only with the name of the referenced record.
It uses the national DATE format. You can even send messages to emails that are provided in the table. This tool does not allow any type of edit in the SQL query. It displays BLOB images and checkboxes or icons of BOOL. You can download it from the link adminer.org/en/editor/
TablePlus
It is the latest tool having a very fast, secure, and intuitive interface used for the database. It can support MySQL version 8.0. The interface is quite friendly that allows you to view and edit database objects. It is easy to browse and edit database structure using this tool. It provides a code review facility.
You can easily add or remove data rows in cells just like spreadsheets. A smart filter feature is provided by this tool. But the main issue is that it is available for Mac OS and the Windows version will come soon. It is available in a free version as well as you can purchase it for more functionality. It has many security features also.
Using this tool you can quickly open anything like a table, schema, or database. You can work with multiple databases and connections. It is clean, focuses more, and provides high performance. Shortcut keys are available in this tool.
For instance, with every update, there is something new improved in the tool. Quick support at high speed is very useful in this tool which can solve your issues. You can add to the functionality of this tool by putting in your own plug-in. Importing and exporting data is also simple and easy. You can efficiently work with multiple relational databases at once. You can download it from the link tableplus.com
DbNinja
This application is modern and based on the web. Anyone who wants to access their hosted servers remotely can use this tool. This tool facilitates you with many features like triggers, events, and views. This tool provides high security. It provides an easy backup of data and MySQL object structures. It is a free tool and very useful for being noncommercial.
You can use this tool for managing databases, function editing, and managing user accounts or privileges. It is used for the backup and restoration of the database. It compares different databases and provides syncing between them. Tables can be easily optimized using this tool.
It also provides the status of the system and can terminate active servers. It provides a tab-based interface that is helpful to do many tasks at the same time. Syntax highlighting and saving queries for later use are provided by this stool. For common tasks, you can even use keyboard shortcuts in this tool. It is easy to install and compatible with multiple web browsers. It supports multiple encodings. You can download it from the link dbninja.en.lo4d.com/windows
dbForge Studio
This tool is an IDE that provides a number of features and even functionality useful for database maintenance. It provides a CRUD generator facility for the result script of select, inserts, deletes, and updates. You can modify your code or query also as code formatting is available in this tool. This tool uses databases like MariaDB.
It is an intuitive interface that analyses the data of the table and also creates and executes queries. This tool provides management of servers and development of a database with SQL server reporting. You can overall say it is reliable or secure as it provides smart code assistance for data protection and problem solution.
It can be used by beginners as well as experienced users. The only disadvantage is that it is costly and provides basic JSON. It is only available to the windows operating system. You can download it from the link devart.com/dbforge/mysql/studio/
Conclusion
In conclusion, I tried to provide you detailed features of various GUI tools. These tools can be used as an alternative that works quite well with MySQL. In addition, they are providing database development and management but still, some of them are paid ones. It is only up to you that what type of requirements you are having so that you can choose either paid or a free one.
Let me try to help you to find better options for you as well. Say you are a beginner in the area of database and you cannot pay much amount in that case if your only need is the basic functionality of the database you can choose free tools as mentioned earlier. You can even improve your skills using such tools as HeidiSQL, SQL Workbench, and Sequel Pro.
But if your requirement is related to high-quality development or advanced functionality of the database then you should prefer some other tools like DB forge Studio, Navicat, Toad Edge, and many more providing different features.
Hope you understood well this topic. Do not forget to do a detailed survey of tools that you want to use. Do ask your queries by posting or you can also ask about your doubts related to any tool. Even if I am wrong at any point do correct me so that we can together spread valuable knowledge.
Noodles is a favorite dish of almost everyone. Apart from instant noodles, there are a variety of noodles dishes. You can eat noodles in any meal. There are some dishes which are different from the usual noodles that we eat. You may have seen these noodles dishes in eateries. The recipes of noodles need ingredients which are easily available at home. You can cook yummy noodles dishes at home and enjoy them.
Masala Noodles
This is a tasty and spicy noodles dish. It is a combination of Indian and Chinese cuisine.
Ingredients –
Noodles – 2 packets of 100 gram
Water – As needed for boiling noodles
Oil – As needed for boiling and frying noodles
Salt – According to taste
Garlic – Few cloves
Onion – Half
Chili – 1 or 2
Vegetables – 2 cups
Tomato sauce – 1 tablespoon
Chili sauce – 1 tablespoon
Pepper powder – Half teaspoon
Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
Chili powder – Half teaspoon
Cumin powder – Half teaspoon
Garam Masala – Half teaspoon
Method –
For vegetables, I had used carrot, cabbage, beans and peas. You can also use capsicum and spring onion if you have.
Chop onion, garlic, chili and all the vegetables finely.
Heat a large pan and boil water in it. The water should be sufficient for boiling all the noodles. Then add little oil and salt to boiling water.
Put noodles to it and stir continuously. After it gets cooked completely, drain off the water. Rinse the noodles with cold water and keep it aside.
Heat a pan and put oil to it. The oil should be sufficient for frying all the ingredients. Put onion, chili and garlic to it.
Fry till the raw smell disappears. Then add all the vegetables to it and fry well. The vegetables must get cooked yet remain crunchy.
Then add salt, pepper powder, turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder and garam masala to it. Mix very well.
Add chili sauce and tomato sauce to it and mix. If you feel that the ingredients are sticking to the pan, then put little water.
Make sure that all the ingredients have combined well. Then add boiled noodles to it. Mix properly so that all noodles get coated with the spices and sauces.
Cook till noodles mix with other ingredients. Serve it hot.
It is a delicious dish of fried noodles with gravy. The time taken to prepare this is more but its taste is worth the time.
Ingredients –
Noodles – 2 packets of 100g
Water – As needed for boiling noodles, making slurry and for making gravy
Oil – As needed for boiling and frying noodles, making gravy
Salt – According to taste
Cornflour – 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons
Garlic – Few cloves
Onion – Half
Chili – 1 or 2
Carrot – 1
Capsicum – 1
Cabbage – Half
Tomato sauce – 2 tablespoons
Chili sauce – 1 tablespoon
Pepper powder – Half teaspoon
Method –
Heat a large pan and boil water in it. The water should be sufficient for boiling all the noodles. Then add little oil and salt to boiling water.
Put noodles to it and stir continuously. After it gets cooked completely, drain off the water. Rinse the noodles with cold water and keep it aside.
Take a large mixing vessel and put 2 tablespoons Cornflour to it. Then put all the boiled noodles in it and mix well so that Cornflour coats noodles.
Make round shaped flat portions of noodles. Try to make all the noodles portions of similar size. Heat a pan and put sufficient oil to it.
Fry the noodle portions one by one. They must be fried evenly on both the sides and slightly brown. Then keep all the noodles portions aside.
Chop garlic, chili and cabbage finely. Cut onion, capsicum and carrot in small cubes.
Take a small mixing bowl and put 2 teaspoons Cornflour and little water in it. Mix well to form slurry. Make sure there is no lump in the slurry.
Heat a pan and put oil to it. The oil should be sufficient for frying all the ingredients. Put onion, chili and garlic to it. Fry till the raw smell disappears.
Then add carrot, capsicum and cabbage one by one and fry well. The vegetables must get cooked yet remain crunchy. Put salt and pepper powder to it.
Add chili sauce and tomato sauce to it and mix well. Then put slurry to the pan and mix. Cook till the mixture turns glossy and then add some water to it.
Stir continuously and let the mixture boil. Cook till all the ingredients have combined and gravy becomes thick.
Serve it hot along with portions of fried noodles.
Noodles Cutlet
This is a lip-smacking dish of noodles which makes a good snack. You can eat this with any ketchup or sauce.
Ingredients –
Noodles – 1 packet of 100g
Water – As needed for boiling noodles and making batter
Oil – As needed for boiling and frying cutlets
Salt – According to taste
Potato – 2 larges
Chili – 1 or 2
Maggi Masala e Magic – 1 packet
Chili powder – Half teaspoon
Chaat masala – Half teaspoon
Pepper powder – Half teaspoon
Maida (Refined flour or Plain flour) – 1 cup
Garlic – Few cloves
Method –
Heat a large pan and boil water in it. The water should be sufficient for boiling all the noodles. Then add little oil and salt to boiling water.
Put noodles to it and stir continuously. After it gets cooked completely, drain off the water. Rinse the noodles with cold water and keep it aside.
If you do not have Maggi Masala e Magic then you can use any other masala instead of it. Any Chowmein or Pasta masala can also be used.
Boil potatoes, chop chili and garlic finely. Take a large mixing bowl and put potatoes in it. Mash them properly. Then add boiled noodles to it.
Put chili, salt, Maggi Masala e Magic, chili powder and chaat masala to it. Mix everything very well without mashing the noodles.
Make sure that all the ingredients have combined well. Then grease your hands with oil and make ball sized patties from the prepared dough.
Take a mixing bowl and put Maida, pepper powder and water to it. Mix well so that there is no lump. Check the consistency of this Maida paste. The batter should neither be too thick nor too thin.
Heat a pan and put sufficient oil to it. Dip the patties in Maida paste and make sure all sides have been coated with batter.
Fry them in batches till they turn crisp and brown. Remove from pan after they get fried uniformly. Serve them hot.
YouTube is a popular online digital platform that is a great source of entertainment as well as infotainment. It features a diverse range of all kinds of genres which includes music, drama, education, how-to hacks, and many more. It was founded on February 14, 2005, by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and David Karim. And currently, it has over billion monthly active users which are more than most of the popular search engines like Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Bing. The success of YouTube can be owed to its wonderful revenue model and its creators. Most of the content on YouTube is free of charge however, now they have introduced “YouTube premium” which is paid.
Why look for YouTube alternative?
But you’d be innocent if you thought your information is secure and watching innocent videos doesn’t give out much about you. Google uses a good amount of your data to understand your preferences. Many times, content creators complain about their videos being taken down for no specific reason. So, an absolute dependency on google is not a good idea…
It’s time to take your privacy back and look for alternatives that do not collect your data. Here are some platforms, that can be taken to advantage for the content creator in his particular genre as well as the viewers seeking privacy.
Vimeo
This platform caters to a specific type of audience which includes artists like filmmakers, advertisers, and creative people. It is an apt-platform for interest-based viewers. It was founded by filmmakers only. Creators use Vimeo to target the niche crown looking for classic videos. It has over 150 million members.
The best thing about Vimeo is it add-free. So, if you plan to embed your video in an add-free platform, then Vimeo comes to your rescue. It comes out to be a lot more professional and respects the content of the creator and who wouldn’t want to watch their videos without any ads.
You can upload 5GB of data for free or you can buy the plan of $7/month (if you pay annually).
DTube
It has been introduced recently and is very similar to YouTube. If you’re looking for privacy then Dtube is a good alternative to YouTube. It’s a decentralized platform which means that the videos aren’t uploaded and streamed from the same server. Instead, its content is stored in a blockchain. There is no censorship and blockchain makes it difficult for hackers to hamper the videos. For people posting on DTube, they are rewarded in the form of STEEM cryptocurrency. After logging in, you can either upload the video from your storage or transfer the video from YouTube or Vimeo. Another good thing about DTube is that it doesn’t show ads and supports free speech (i.e., The content is managed by the community).
Since it’s a new platform it doesn’t have a wide collection of data, but as time passes, you can expect it to be more popular with creators making it a creative place.
The Internet Archive
It is a non-profit public domain online organization aiming to preserve digital content. As the name suggests, it is an archive of documentaries and movies which you might not be able to find anywhere else. These videos are stirred onto the archives for long-term storage. The only disadvantage of this is that it would not contain fresh and viral content here. But you can find the old is gold stuff here.
You can search for videos by searching up the year, language, or subject. You can find movies dating back to the modern 21st century’s “silent era”. You can easily download the content with a single click and since it’s a public domain site you can even have access to movies without a digital right license. So, if you’re looking for the largest free motion picture library, you know where to go.
9GAG TV
It is a go-to platform if you want to check out short and funny videos. To make your way through 9GAG your content is supposed to be creative and most importantly funny. Gag TV is more for entertainment purposes. You will find unlimited gifs, memes, and funny photos that you can even share with your friends. Facebook and Twitter users love this platform. The content will tickle your ribs and will keep you hooked. To add on, the content is categorized making it easier for you to find what you’re looking for.
DailyMotion
Also known as “European YouTube”, It attracts over 112 million viewers making it the second-largest video traffic. It is very similar to YouTube keeping aside the fact that rules aren’t so stringent here. Its looks are similar to YouTube so it’s easier for new users to it’s adapt to it.
Daily motion offers you high-quality videos and unlike YouTube it allows you to upload 4GB of content at 1080p. but this comes with one disadvantage that the videos can’t be more than 20min long. The content creators can upload their content and monetize it. DailyMotion offers millions of videos with speed, quality control, and subtitles. With its huge user base, you can upload your data as a backup here as well.
Veoh
It is a new platform with a good number of videos to keep you occupied. You get all kinds of movies, TV shows for different genres. Moreover, you will find shows from HULU, ABC, etc. Veoh is famous for full-length TV shows which you do not find easily on unpaid platforms. As a creator, you are in luck because there is no upper limit to the length of the video you can upload. The content pool is high so you can find what you are looking for.
To add on to the advantages, Veoh also allows you to download the videos and watch them later and who doesn’t what that? The only downside is that you need to download the Veoh player to watch the videos. But other than that, it’s a good platform if you want to watch short movies and shows.
Twitch
If you’re a gamer, you are in the right place. Twitch is a perfect alternative for YouTube for gamers. This video hosting platform allows gamers to live stream their gameplays and also upload its recording. Though YouTube has the option of live streaming, Twitch offers a platform designed purely for gamers. So, if you want to show off your gaming skills, or watch some cool games then Twitch is heaven for you.
You can search for gaming titles and can also interact with other players to discuss gaming tips. It also offers live talk shows called “IN real life”. For making money, gamers get paid subscriptions, sponsorships, and advertisements. But you have to keep posting content to keep your viewers engrossed.
Metacafe
Fun fact! This platform was introduced before YouTube (in 2003). It hosts a large number of videos that go back to the ‘90s with slightly low quality. This platform is different from YouTube in the sense that it has 90 seconds limit on its videos which is its advantage because these short videos are creative and pretty addictive. They also ensure that there are no duplicate videos.
So, if you want to engage yourself in small videos and quick DIY’s then Metacafe offers you the right services. It has videos of all kinds of genres and just like YouTube it categorizes them into sports, entertainment, news, etc. viewers can also subscribe to different channels.
Facebook Watch
This streaming platform is within Facebook only. Since Facebook brings in brand awareness, so it’s also working to monetize this platform to bring more content creators. Just like on YouTube, you need to search for your favorite video. But Facebook watch works along with Facebook, so it’s not a standalone service. These videos are taken from millions of FB pages and accounts which won’t disappoint you and will keep you entertained. Given its large user base, FB watch is also a competition for YouTube.
If you want to share your video with billions of users then go for FB watch. It might be at a dormant stage right now but with time and improvement, it will become the best video content sharing platform.
IGTV
It was developed by Instagram as a competition for YouTube. You can upload videos of up to an hour on IGTV. Generally, on Instagram, you can post any video of the max length of 1 minute but IGTV offers you to post videos of longer duration. Instagram itself is quite addictive with a huge fan following among the youth. IGTV is a full screen and vertical video and it offers both entertainment and inspiration.
You have to download the IGTV app for watching and uploading the videos. You can also follow your favorite Instagram users or even get a chance to interact with them. Just like FB watch, IGTV is also deciding on a plan to monetize the content to expand the creator pool.
Crackle
It was founded by Sony Pictures Entertainment. The Crackle lets you stream movies and TV serials online. Since it is offered by Sony so you can find many Sony Pictures movies. Since Sony Crackle has partnered with other big production houses like WB, Walt Disney Company, Paramount Pictures, etc. so its video library contains good content with the best quality just like you’d watch on the big screens.
You can stream films for free without any subscriptions. It has a simple interface that makes it easier for any new users. The trust that Sony gives and the collection of movies make this app worth trying.
Amazon Video Direct
Just like YouTube, Amazon also launched its video streaming platform where people can post videos and get paid for them. However, in this, the content creator first has to make an account with amazon. After which his content will be visible to the millions of Amazon Prime users. Presently it’s not very open and is available for a limited number of creators as well as customers.
The viewership might be less than that of YouTube, but you make more profit here as it uses premium subscription which is more than profitable than Google Ads. You will get your timely payment along with amazon support and quality content.
Flickr
It is similar to Pinterest used for sharing photos. Dozens of pictures are made online for the viewers. Unlike Pinterest, on Flickr, you cannot unpin on your interests. You can also upload videos on Flickr but the time limit is set to 90 seconds. So, if you feel like watching videos without wasting much of your time on them, then Flickr is the best alternative to YouTube. The interface is also simple and user friendly.
PhotoBucket
It is basically for hosting images and small videos. It hosts an amazing repository for the users to check out in their past time. It’s similar to Flickr and you get to see a good amount of video content here. PhotoBucket ensures privacy. So, if you are looking for a safe place to upload your videos, then PhotoBucket is the right place for you. You can upload high-quality content. The viewership of PB is slightly low as of now, but will surely increase in the coming times.
PeerTube
This free and decentralized video platform is owned by ActivityPub and WebTorrent. The interface is adding free making it a wonderful platform. Though it doesn’t have a large variety of videos as compared to YouTube, still it is a good alternative to YouTube given the fact that it doesn’t require any copyright or creative limitation to upload your work. PeerTube keeps the censorship aside welcoming all kinds of creativity and wonders. Since it is decentralized it gives more freedom to the creators as compared to YouTube. So, if you are looking for an alternative to YouTube, Vimeo, etc. then PeerTube has got your back.
TED
speaks at TED Resident’s Salon, June 6, 2017, New York, NY. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED
A well-known non-profit organization, TED has videos of conferences happening around the world. It is a nice and educational alternative to YouTube. It provides a great platform for learning and discovering fresh videos. There are over 3000 talks on TED. These lectures are recorded and are uploaded on TED. These topics cover technology, business, design as well as global issues.
Youku
It is also known as “YouTube of China” and is an online video platform used for streaming services. It was launched in 2006 in china. It is a Chinese streaming app that has tons of movies and TV serials. This app is suitable for areas where streaming YouTube is illegal. The only drawback is that most of the audio in this app is in Chinese audio. But it has over 160 million videos that are neatly stacked making it easy for you to search for your desired video. Youku is like having a TV in your pocket. From movie series to sports documentaries, you will find everything here.
Tubi
It was launched recently in 2014 in San Francisco, California, and is owned by Fox Corporation. It is an independently owned streaming service in the US. It provides its users with a diverse range of TV shows and movies which keeps you hooked to it. The company has its collaborations with big productions like WB, Universal pictures, etc. with over 20 million users, the company has announced a watch time of 132 million hours of content. It is announced that Tubi will be released in the UK by 2020 and further its expansion to even Mexico.
For its revenue, it is ad-based. So many ad companies are benefitted from the real-time ad bidding that delivers advertisements to various platforms.
Amazon prime video
Though it’s a paid application, still it offers to be a good alternative to YouTube given the wide variety of movies and TV shows coming for all kinds of age groups. Launched in 206, it is now operating worldwide. Video streaming quality is perfect and can be changed according to your preferences. In India, prime videos come at a minimal cost of Rs. 999 per year and for students, it has special discounts as well. Once you buy the amazon prime membership, you get access to not only the prime videos but also amazon shopping (early delivery benefits)
So, all in all, it is worth buying it if you are looking for an alternative to YouTube. Especially during the lockdown, many films were released on the prime platform. Amazon prime also has its own set of series and movies of all genres.
HBO Now
Founded by Warner Bros and launched in 2015, HBO Now gives you access to all HBO’s programs and movies without the need to buy its channel or subscribing to the cable. It also streams HBO original movies and documentaries. But HBO Now is available only to citizens staying in the US due to its regional restrictions. But HBO content is also available on other streaming platforms like prime and Netflix. This is a platform for all those who are keen to watch the latest seasons of your favorite shows. You won’t find all the HBO series on YouTube, so the best alternative is to check HBO Now (if you stay in any US territory) and get access to all that you wish to see.
handsome man writing in notebook with pen in apartment
Often a time you struggle to get ideas on what to write and end up in a situation of writer’s block. But this situation is normal farrago which almost all come across and find it difficult to get over. However, ideas are like an unwanted pimple which bulges out when least expected. When you will hunt for an idea they won’t come rather it comes in an unusual time and place, but that’s the real essence.
When I was in graduation, I had a teacher who would bring a bag full of props like spectacles, ball, pen and many more. He called that a ‘treasure box’, and asked us to pick any one of the props blindfolded. We were supposed to write a story based on that prop be it a personal experience or anything. Sometimes, he will half describe a situation and we have to weave the story further. Yes, he was not only teaching us writing ideas but also he was enhancing our imagination power, the power to think deeply and expand our way of looking at the things.
Having said that, there are many ways from where you can get writing ideas, which is unique yet common. Listing below ten ways from where to get ideas to keep your pen moving:
1. Reading
This is an interesting read
Books are the best friend of man, they demand nothing but gives many thing!
No doubt if you write then you are a keen reader. As we all know, books are the best companion of man and it’s true. By reading I didn’t mean only novels of great writers rather it can be anything you like. It can be a comic, mythological book, history books, magazines or even blogs you find interesting. The idea behind this is to get an inspiration which will drive you to write a wonderful piece. To gain the mastery of your craft in writing you need to read a lot to different authors as well to understand their writing style, but develop your own.
2. Watching movies/ series
Image courtesy – unsplash.com
Entertainment and learning – killing two birds with one stone .
There is no single person on earth who doesn’t like to watch movies or series. These movies and series are one of the best sources of entertainment that offer a happy moment from our hectic life. Along with entertainment, it can serve your other purpose be it a mainstream movie or an art cinema. It opens a door for enormous innovative ideas, even a single dialogue can trigger off your brain to grab your pen. In the past recent years, we are gifted with stupendous movies and series, offering a plethora of genres. So the next time you binge-watch any series make sure to get an idea with that.
A unique way to get writing ideas through Podcast.
There is no second opinion that Podcast audios are worth listening. You have plenty of options from motivational speeches to knowledgeable content. This can turn out to be a unique source for writing ideas. The ardent speakers presenting their part with a positive approach drive you to stay active and stir your creative thoughts. The interview podcasts by the authors of the groundbreaking novels train your ears to listen better and write best. A good listener makes you a good speaker in the same way it can make you an incredible unique writer. As you have gained enormous knowledge just by listening to a podcast in your leisure time, isn’t it amazing!
4. Stay Updated
No matter in which field you are in, one must be familiar with what is happening around them. Listening news makes you aware of the problems of society. Let’s take an example, suppose you read in a newspaper that people are polluting some beautiful tourist place by throwing garbage here and there. You come up with a blog describing a serene beauty of the place and also about the present condition with some harsh reality check and with proper solution.
Keep yourself up to date !
People love reading about their near areas or what’s happening around them. It can be a global concern or just a fact about your society, it’s a way to put your opinion. Khaled Hosseini while watching the news on television in 1999 heard that Taliban has banned the sports of kite flying. He was so moved with this news, as this sport was deeply rooted in his childhood memory of Afghanistan. He with heavy heart wrote a small story of two boys flying a kite which later developed into one of the greatest novel ‘Kite Runner’.
5.Through personal experience
Image courtesy – freepik.com
Let the world know – Share your beautiful stories.
People go through a lot of ups and downs in their lives. I don’t think it is wrong to say that every individual faces a somewhat similar kind of situation or problem in their daily life. Since we all are human and we all struggle and juggle to make our life best. Therefore, by sharing our personal experience there are chances that the reader can resonate with that, which matters for a good writer. Even if nobody has gone through similar issues there is no harm in sharing your happy, sad, winning and losing stories. Observe your problem, do extensive research on how to solve it, let people know and help them out.
6. Observe your social media account
Some scroll for more hours some for few, but everyone does! Don’t simply use social media rather closely observe the details, we never know it can give a pretty good writing idea for your write- up. Watch meticulously what people like, share and talk about. Social media is something from where you can get ideas from your target audience themselves and it’s a win-win situation for you. Look into your Instagram account and the pages you have liked, a food blogger, a travel enthusiast, fitness freak and a photographer, isn’t beautiful to observe? It opens enormous opportunities to write something on health, food, travel and many more.
7. Observe nature
Image courtesy – freepik.com
Chirping birds and lush greenery gives a power to wide open your wings of imagination. Don’t you think lucid blue sky says something? In the lap of nature and mind without stress has more capacity of thinking a brilliant idea. You feel relax and rejuvenated away from the clutter of the city crowd. The natural view has a positive effect on your mind and provides serenity which is highly demanded for a good writing idea. Just strolling amidst the beautiful nature awakes your innermost feelings and keeps you mentally, physically and spiritually sound.
8. Travelling
Image courtesy – freepik.com
Everyone loves travelling and exploring new places like beaches, mountains or any new resort in your city. It not only makes you ecstatic but at the same time introduces you to the various facets of places. You observe people and unleash various culture, lifestyle and religion. This broadens your mind and gives you a perspective to think beautifully and pen it down. It gives you an authentic character, fresh ideas and natural plots, the world opens up with vast opportunities when you travel. Have you checked out the newly opened food cafe in your area? Go and grab some food and unleash your creative imagination to generate ideas for writing.
9.Talking to strangers
From the childhood days, we have been taught not to talk to strangers! Having said that, I assume you are smart and grown-up enough to sort out that to whom we must talk. But being a writer you have to come out of this cliché. Sometimes you will be amazed by talking to strangers as everyone on this earth is gifted with some unique quality. Many a time you will vibe up with the stranger or at times your perspectives will be different, but that is the real essence of communicating with unknown. A deep conversation in a long journey of a train or just a few chit chats with a fruit vendor, interacting with strangers can give you a different outlook to think. Keep yourself in other’s shoes for a while. However, it’s not mandatory if you are not comfortable then it’s totally fine.
10. Hobbies
Hobbies never allow you to get bored rather it brings out your hidden talent!
We humans are unique in our way, some like sweet some like bitter. Not only we have a different tongue for foods but also we have a different set of liking and disliking for other stuff as well. Everyone is born unique and has inherited a hobby of their choice. And I think everybody has some kind of past time reserved for them. This is the only thing which doesn’t need other’s validation, it’s simple you enjoy it hence you do it. Paulo Coelho’s book ‘The Archer’ is inspired by his archery practices. He loved archery so much that he thought he will definitely write something about it, and the result is unbelievable.
So these are some of the ways from where you can get ideas to write something exceptional. However, we never know the greatest ideas can hit you at the most mundane moment. But make sure when you are involved in any of the above-mentioned stuff keep your eyes and ear open to come up with some wonderful writing ideas. Till then keep writing!
