Language is the oxygen for communication and the social world. In addition, human beings are social animals by nature, so separating the two is unimaginable. Language learning does not mean memorising an entire structure of a language but, acquiring and understanding the right knowledge.
We use language everyday. It is a vast network and not a simple study. It requires written and oral skills for understanding well. Above all, it is a natural gift that enables us to learn new cultures too.
If you are learning a new language or are facing problems while understanding, here are some tips for you!
When you started learning a new language, you must have heard or read, “learn like a child”. This tip is great on some aspects but not entirely correct. It is important to acquire a language as a child does, his or her mother tongue. But, since our childhood has gone, it is time to look at the brighter side. Most of the adults are bilingual. Since, they already have a good command over one language, learning a new one is not that tough. Moreover, as we grow up, we develop better cognitive skills.
In case you are confused to start learning a new language or not, just know interest can drive many things. Also, with the pandemic going on, we have plenty of time to acquire a new skill. So, here are some brief pointers for you…
Tips and Tricks for Learning and Understanding a Language better!
TRANSLATION is a BIG NO
Every language is very different from one another but shares a common ground which is, expression. Each language has its own phonology, morphology and syntax. It is always the best if we learn from the scratch and not simultaneously, with our first language.
Many consider translation as the most effective way to learn but no, it is not. Firstly, it makes us learn a new language through the path of another which leads to poor cognition. Secondly, it makes communicating in the target(new) language tough because before understanding, we try to translate. In addition, when learning a new one becomes a task, we all run for short-cuts and end up using translations.
If there is a need to actually use one, avoid going for literal translations. Try searching the word or phrase in the target language and comprehend it. You can also try different links that provide a detailed meaning in the same language and not on word to word basis. In other words, learning a language is not a standardised method. Rather, it is a journey and should always be traveled without a translation agency.
Learning can be fun, if you want it to be. In today’s world of innovations and technologies, there are plenty of things that you can include while learning.
Firstly, explore YouTube channels that are teaching the language that you are learning. The benefit about watching those videos are that, they are short and easy to store in the memory. You can also find shows on Netflix or any other platform and watch them daily. This is a great exercise for understanding any language. As said, visual learning is the best form!
Try watching anything(short duration) with the target-language audio and subtitles, it will get easier to get a hold on the language. At the initial phase, it might seem impossible to ever understand it. But keep watching any show or a part of a movie(try watching it in breaks!), it will get easier day by day.
Secondly, explore some fun applications to learn the language better. You can download dictionary applications that provide a new word everyday. Moreover, you can also use quiz sites or applications to practise better.
Some are: QUIZ UP
KAHOOT
In addition, there are many fun learning applications. You can take out some time from your day and play a little to learn more!
The power of listening is a must to know. It is a very important ability to be able to comprehend things. Listening is another good exercise for understanding a language better.
A daily practise of listening to some native-speaker via video or audio, is an important thing to add. Even if you are learning the language from an institute, try to focus on your teacher when he or she speaks. Every language has its own way to be delivered. To master the art of speaking, you need to focus on listening.
(There are many examples stated in the above point that you can refer). You can also try different Podcast applications to understand better. Also, if you are a music lover then why not explore your taste to a new language?
Learning is not like magic. Yes, it might feel like one when you have achieved something but you cannot learn something overnight! (not talking about the material we LEARN before an exam!).
If you have to urgently move abroad and need to learn to converse, there is a possibility for you to grasp some sentences. But is memorising few sentences, really learning a new language?
Learning can be a slow and long process.
CONSISTENCY plays a vital role in this journey. You need to add the language in your routine to add it to your brain. Taking three hours one day is not as good as taking half an hour daily for the target language. Even reading or listening to the language before going to bed, is better than ignoring it the entire day.
You need to think of it as a friend who needs constant attention daily! And if you lose touch for days, it would not be good.
INTERACTION is the key!
Interacting involves many aspects of learning a language. It helps us, by polishing our listening as well as speaking skills. Making mistakes while understanding somebody or committing errors while speaking is better than not using the language at all!
Interacting must be very easy for the ones taking classes or learning through somebody offline. If you are doing so, make sure to utilise this opportunity completely. Try learning from the conversations and note down things you find tough to understand. For the ones, who are self-learning, try joining people speaking the same language through different community-applications. If this is not possible, do not lose your touch with the videos. Try to speak in front of the mirror and compare your speech with that of the person in the video. You will definitely start picking up details that will help you more!
Well, going to the native place where the language is spoken and learning it from the surrounding stands out as the best way. But remember that, it is your will and interest that matters the most when you choose to learn something new!
Language keep on growing with time, so it becomes important to be on track with them. In other words, the process of learning is EVOLVING and so are the languages. Therefore, learning any language can go very smoothly, once you start making it a part of your routine and make it your friend!
Imagine running around an island, guns blazing. You get to chase and hunt down people with a plethora of weapons. And after high octane road rages with vehicles spanning from a Car or Bike to a UAV, your goal seems to be to survive. Should you manage to outsmart everyone else on the island, you get to have chicken for dinner. Yeah, that’s not a brief of a weird dream or the plot of Tournament 2. As absurd as that intro sounds, PUBG Mobile is very real. At least it was 36 hours ago. Apparently, the Indian govt. is considering if and when to ban this immensely popular battle royale among other things.
PUBG Mobile was released for Mobile platforms on February 9th 2018. The initial release comprised of two separate versions by two of Tencent’s internal studios. The LightSpeed and Quantum version of the game comprised of vanilla elements and mechanics of the game. This is the most widely popular PUBG Mobile. The Timi version, however, was titled: ‘PUBG Army Attack’ and took a more arcadey approach to the game mechanics. This version was later discontinued while the former went on to thrive. All until the godforsaken Chinese infiltration.
PUBG Mobile Gameplay
China Ban: Some Hindsight
Indian government declared an all-out war on China after having discovered privacy issues on 59 Chinese apps, TikTok, Camscanner and Xender being some of them. This was later followed by a ban on 47 clones of the said apps. And it is now planning on banning another 275 applications. PUBG could probably make the list. There is a very big chance this decision could go sideways as the game has its root set deep inside the Indian population.
Back in June, the Chinese army had been spotted infiltrating India which eventually lead to the relationship between the countries becoming a bit bitter. India soon responded with increase military patrols and forces. Turns out, it never stopped there. The country adopted a ban Chinese products movement to ensure trade routes to China be cut off from India and disrupt the income that flowed in. Phase 1 of this ban took place with the ban of 59 Chinese apps. This included many widely used ones like TikTok, UC Browser, Xender, Shareit, etc. Later on, 47 new clone apps of the original 59 apps were also banned. The latest sources go on to say that another set of 275 Chinese apps could also be banned. It is possible PUBG Mobile is one of them.
Alternatives to PUBG Mobile
PUBG Mobile is quite a famous game with about 33 Million active users in India. While microtransactions are loot boxes are a big source of income, it is doubtable if banning such a game affect a studio as big as Tencent. While the chances of PUBG being wiped are very real, here are some good alternatives:
Fortnite
Fortnite
Epic Games’ Fortnite brings a cartoony dash to the Battle Royale genre. Having gorgeous graphics and being the perfect port of the PC version, Fortnite is a really enjoyable game. While certain aspects of the game do appear silly, be it the resource management, the goofy weapons, the over the top cartoony art style, the game, in general, is quite fun. The main goal of a player is of course to survive. But being able to build towering buildings and destroy just about anything gives a sense of originality and freshness to Fortnite. This is something most Battle Royales fail to deliver.
Developed by TIMI studios and distributed by Activision and Garena, COD Mobile brings the whole COD experience to a handheld. While it does not have a campaign mode or a single-player story, the Battle Royale and TDM modes of the game more than makes up for this. Players do get to choose from multiple class types, each with their own arsenal of weapons and advantages. The main goal here is again, to survive. What makes it special is how it makes use of Helicopters and Quad-Bikes to give an exhilarating experience.
Garena’s free fire, to be completely honest, is yet another PUBG clone. Though the game started off a bit early, it expanded upon and used several of the features and mechanics PUBG did. It did pay off somehow, given how huge following it has. While some aspects of the game, like the water design, etc looks generally better than PUBG, the game is, sadly yet another Battle Royale game that tried nothing inventive.
Rules of Survival.
ROS
This is probably the first Battle Royale game to arrive on a mobile device. While the mechanics and level design of the game are still pretty primitive, the game does deliver a full Battle Royale experience. Developed by Netease, who apparently compete with Tencent in almost everything, Rules of Survival did get the short end of the stick despite being the early bird. The game never got any more realistic than when it was originally released. Instead, the devs decided it was a good idea to riddle the players with microtransactions. This backfired big time. Over time, even though the game introduced new vehicles and mechanics, the lost faith couldn’t be retrieved as easily.
Survival Heroes
Survival Heroes
Snail is yet another big player in the mobile game market. However, Survival heroes is quite different from the other games of the genre. It really tried something new with the gameplay mechanics and the game in general. Players are greeted by a top corner camera, yes, the MOBA camera if I may. And that is all it is, at the end of the day. A MOBA battle royale game that does a really good job at delivering what’s promised.
Creative Destruction
Creative Destruction
While Netease tried a PUBG port to the mobile market with ROS, Creative destruction is but a Fortnite clone. Call it what you may, but the game is basically a rip-off of Fortnite. A dialled-down version of the game that can be run on devices that Fortnite’s picky playability system abandoned.
Ride out Heroes
Ride out Heroes
Remember when Palladins decided Battle Royale was the future and release a game called Realm Royale in 2019? Yeah, the original Realm Royale may be dead or forgotten but Netease sure gets an A with Ride out Heroes. It is a medieval crossed with futuristic weapons themed battle royale. It is quite a fun enjoyable experience with per class skills and self reviving KOs. Overall, a pretty fun game.
Several gamers did take it out on the govt.’s decision displaying distaste and outrages all over twitter. Players even went as far as conducting a March through a map in PUBG to unite and protest against the said decision. While ‘An eye for an eye’ is the way to live by, this is not really the case with a game like PUBG. It’s kill or be killed. Now, what’s left to be found is if the players will really retain their weapons. Fingers crossed.
Imagine yourself on stage elocuting one of the verses of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, given the fact that it has already been taught in your class. You have prepared 3 answers, but all you can do is feel your nerves breaking down. You are not able to utter a word. Imagine the other disgust that a known topic can bring into your circumstantial surroundings. The international baccalaureate program is all set to aim at student encouragement. This encouragement is primarily focused on allowing students to think broadly, beyond the thought of community.
The international baccalaureate program has gained quick recognition, especially in the US. Any school, child, member, part of the international baccalaureate program is taken as a part of the global society capable of speaking, hearing, motivating and taking the lead of a crowd that once felt highly strung. Students enrolling into the international baccalaureate program are taught and prepared to break all boundaries of nervousness and speak to the community at large.
What Is the International Baccalaureate Program?
This program is a diploma course aiming towards an intense curriculum for students in high school, both junior and senior years. Our schools and colleges miss interactive and in-depth learning because the focus is not on one but the entire school at large. This program emphasizes the learning and understanding of English Language and Literature. The program focuses on understanding the importance of English culture, its enrichment and running rigorous exams.
The course is of high impor5tance for students moving from one country to another, as a part of a standard curriculum. Today over 3 million students in about 150 countries have participated in this program. It helps gain a highly respected position in the community they introduce. Research has shown that the program is worth pursuing if the high school offers it. So while you make your selection, it’s important to know if your school is under the international baccalaureate.
Similarity
Most of you don’t know but students of the US, UK and Europe have to prepare for an exam to get through High School. They have multiple options and opportunities. A higher scale of these opportunities is the International Baccalaureate Program. This program although a diploma is a two-year-long, full-time course. The program aims at academic development along with personal interest and culture with an integrated curriculum.
If successfully completed, it will be globally recognised. There are a lot of benefits of this program just like IELTS. It may surprise you to know that this program is a nonprofit program. It aims at giving students and learners an opportunity to receive a degree and education skills that can be utilised globally. This program has four different individual programs all of which aim towards the same intellectual growth, emotional development, personal and social skills.
All of the four different programs have six distinct subjects, all details present below.
Eligibility Criteria For The International Baccalaureate Program
The mission is to offer education to every student irrespective of bias. Any student willing to enroll in high school and is of16 to 19 years can apply for this program. Without a doubt, there are no restrictions on the eligibility criteria although a school that offers this program is the only criteria. The curriculum criteria differ from school to school. For example, ABC School offering the international baccalaureate program may have GPA requirements over a fixed percentage of a student. The program offers Limited seats and schools have a take on the number of seats it can offer. The application process is competitive, students consulting a counsellor or a student advisor should check multiple times for the specific requirements that are provided by this program.
The application process is simple but with a specified deadline. International Baccalaureate Schools offering this program have distinct websites. The website is administered by the school counsellors and all details relevant to the application process can be found on the website. Applications require teacher recommendation letters, personal statements, vaccination reports, an extracurricular activity list and any other form of grades/scores pertaining to activities that a student might have secured.
Medical Reasons
The list has data from years prior to high school. Schools also make their mandate for certain medical examination reports as part of the application process. If this program is left in the middle, you may not be allowed to enroll exactly in the same way. In order to stay away from any chances that a student might have to leave due to medical reasons. For a medical case to be processed at the time of admission, it’s best to give them a clear report and then take the admission.
There are also distance criteria. Students living within the school’s vicinity will be a better choice to avoid the chances of missing a class. As such, students do not have to travel from extreme distances to meet educational requirements.
Let’s Talk About The Diploma
The international baccalaureate program offers a career-related program and a diploma program respectively known as CP and DP. The career-related program is similar to a vocational college program. Students enrolled in the career-related program receive training in professional skills while still in high school. The academic regard and practical knowledge are both parts of the career program.
The diploma programme stresses more on theoretical knowledge than the industry skills. However, career-specific classes are present in both options. For any other school student studying in junior year, is exposed to a career program. Whereas in the case of the international baccalaureate, diploma students are part of the high school arena as soon as they complete the admission and start classes.
Because of the automatic trigger introduced in the curriculum, the application process begins in the eighth grade itself. The freshman year and the year prior it acts as a deciding year for students interested in the baccalaureate program. All the specific dates, deadlines and every detail require to successfully complete the admission process and start the course are present on the website. This is to educate the students and their family members. Believe it or not, in the US, students of the 8th to 10th grade have a parent-teacher meeting where the new set of educational degrees and next career options is understood.
Cost
The most important part is the cost. The program will not cost you anything to study the course. However, the assessments are chargeable. These factors are dependent on college credits. The usual fees start from $10 and may reach up to $200. Another program offered by the international baccalaureate is the middle years’ program. Schools pay the required fee for each student in the exam because the school itself takes the credit from the student and makes the program available.
Professional Development
Another segment of the international baccalaureate program is professional development. This segment aims to provide transformative experiences. Teachers and educators can benefit from this program. Once they learn, they can do the same for the students. This program offers workshops and conferences. Teachers can register for a workshop or request to join an existing workshop. These workshops are available both online and face to face. Teachers learn various topics.
For example, the international baccalaureate program education curriculum, career-related program, leadership roles, diploma program, primary years program, materials program, are few of the topics of the workshop. Workshops are either registered or requested. There are three categories in which the workshop can be requested. Three category options are present on the site of the request itself. Teachers also have a scope where they can request the international baccalaureate to organise a professional development workshop at their school.
For example, ABC School provides the international baccalaureate program. Teachers working in the same school can request international baccalaureate to hold a workshop for their better learning. International baccalaureate program producers catalogue with all the programs and products are a part of the offer. While the workshop is held there are several conferences where educational leaders, practitioners, teachers, government personalities, people from universities, schools, and decision-making platforms participate.
Benefits Of The International Baccalaureate Program
Schools today have chosen this program because of their emphasis on student understanding, language culture, innovation, creativity, leadership and many other skills which require silent performance. These qualities have a huge impact on the personal development of a child. Schools offering the program have employed thousands and thousands of teachers, educators, decision-makers, leaders and trainers.
]A way to distribute the motive of the international baccalaureate to the students. The aim is more than just teaching. The aim is more than just developing professional and theoretical knowledge. It to enquire what the student is inquisitive about. Knowing what a student already knows can help the program better create its syllabus. What the student is himself good at, in turn, leads to motivation and thereafter to success. Today the international baccalaureate program is available in three languages, worldwide.
International Baccalaureate Curriculum
As noted above, there are six main subjects to write about. Each of the programs focuses on the culture of language and literature. It includes language acquisition, experimental sciences, computer sciences, mathematics, language and literature, individuals and societies, and arts. Apart from the sixth subject, there are three additional elements of the program. They include learning, adaptability outside the classroom, a theory of knowledge course and 4000-word essay practices.
Three of the programs offered by the International Baccalaureate are equivalent to a college degree. Students are trained to obtain at least 5 out of 7 points to be eligible to obtain college credit. Most colleges and high ranking universities recognise the academic strength of a student qualifying international baccalaureate program. However, a college’s own policies come into action while granting credit for the examination.
Not any or every school willing to offer this program will be able to grab the opportunity to approve it. The approval of a school takes time. Teachers undergo rigorous training. Students who want to pursue international baccalaureate online must also be enrolled in a school providing an international baccalaureate program. Else, there is no provision for online education.
Schools
A school offering the international baccalaureate can do the least by strengthening its delivery system. This is an automatic outcome for every school who chooses to offer the program. The program and its design help align a set of rules, structure, procedure and consistent learning by working together with the objective of the school itself. The program works towards providing a dozen educators at schools.
This is to help teachers, students, professionals, and anyone who is aiming for a better learning experience. With such amazing benefits, every school aiming to become a part of the international baccalaureate program is known as IB World School. Apart from the learning benefits, there are benefits of association, several groups globally present where the School can become an association of the IB World School. Together these associations are named IB. They enter into a contract to carry out the motive and a special logo that identifies the status at a glance.
Student Perspective
Nonetheless, we already know that the program aims at a unique education. Students will gather their independent thought process, drive to learn, keeping away shame, and an approach to taking part in a program that indulges in an actual face-off, among other benefits. Get through the highest-ranking universities and gain recognition globally, develop knowledge on a second language, imbibe capabilities to conduct people’s engagement and be a part of globalisation.
The International Baccalaureate proudly says thatits students perform better than any other. The social-emotional and theoretical characteristics of the program not only help them with the academic grades but makes them a better student, a better programmer, and a better performer. Students pursuing the diploma program mostly get to the top-ranking universities. Those joining the primary year program outperform the number of students in every other field of competence. The pride shown by the International Baccalaureate in terms of its alumni is presented in the form of an IB network, which is named as the Global alumni network. Students graduating from this program can join the network
The Difference Between International Baccalaureate And Advanced Placement
Most of the educators, learners and universities try to compare International baccalaureate with their advanced placement classes. Advanced Placement is also an alternative but there are a few differences. International Baccalaureate is an introduction at the middle school and elementary school levels. In the case of Advanced placement, there are no courses during the elementary and middle school levels.
The curriculum of the international baccalaureate has a handful of classes which are also present in advanced placement classes however the difference lies in the fact that international baccalaureate is a school-wide program and schools can take the approval. Advanced placement classes offer no such approval. The teaching methods of advanced placements and international baccalaureate are different. AP is more focused on standardized tests and learning when contrasted with the IB classes. The latter is more in-depth. International baccalaureate classes are full of research writing and have evaluation procedures at every level.
The primary difference – International baccalaureate final exams are taught in ways where every student is challenged by his own learning. New scenarios, amazing case studies and new information pertaining to a period is a part in the form of assessments. Students’ in-depth learning ability, the capability to process and relate data to examine an answer is a part of the routine assessment. The international baccalaureate has about 6000 trained examiners in all grades who work together to evaluate students worldwide.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, the IB classes take a global approach in every step. The most common and known topic is a connection between the mediaeval or the historic period with books and novels of today. In addition to that, students learn about communism and culture. The difference between approach, depiction and music. Students get an in-depth overview, dig deep and find the answers most suitable.
Research on the international baccalaureate has stated thatschools offering middle year programs had the diary of Anne Frank taught. Students prepare to dig into the implications of being a witness to the Holocaust as perpetrators and bystanders. In some schools, students learn to develop their own experiment in biology classes which can be a little tipsy, if you think, but it innervates a child’s mind and digs to the core.
Paneer is a delicious food that we can eat in many forms. There are some Paneer dishes that we love to eat. Paneer is a delight for vegetarians. There are some recipes of Paneer that you can cook whenever you want. You can enjoy your meal by having these dishes. These recipes do not need too much time to prepare.
Paneer Curry
This is a delicious dish of Paneer sauteed with herbs and spices in a rich gravy. You can eat this with rice, chapati, puri and paratha.
Ingredients –
Paneer – 250g
Oil – 4 tablespoons
Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
Ginger – 1-inch piece
Chilli – 1
Tomato – 2
Salt – According to taste
Onion – 1
Chilli powder – Half teaspoon
Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
Cumin powder – Half teaspoon
Coriander powder – Half teaspoon
Cream – 1 tablespoon
Atta (Wheat flour) – 2 teaspoons
Water – As needed
Kasuri methi – 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon
Method –
Cut Paneer and onion into cubes. Chop tomato, ginger and chilli finely.
Take a bowl and mix Atta with some water. The mixture should neither be thick nor thin. This mixture makes the gravy of Paneer curry thick.
Heat a pan and put 2 tablespoons of oil to it. Add onion and fry till the raw smell disappears. Then put Paneer and fry well.
Heat another pan and put 2 tablespoons of oil to it. Add cumin seeds to it. Let them splutter.
Add ginger and chilli to it. Then add tomato. Fry well till tomato turns mushy.
Put salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder to it. Mix very well.
Add cream to it. If you do not have cream, then you can use thick milk. Then add the mixture of Atta with water.
Stir well and add water if the gravy is very thick. Put kasuri methi to it and mix.
Then add the fried paneer and onion to it. Mix well. Cover the pan and simmer for few minutes.
Finally garnish the curry with chopped Coriander leaves. Serve it hot.
This is a tasty combination of onion, tomato with scrambled paneer. You can eat this with rice, chapati, puri and paratha.
Ingredients –
Paneer – 250g
Oil – 3 tablespoons
Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
Ginger – 1-inch piece
Garlic – Few cloves
Onion – 1
Tomato – 2
Salt – According to taste
Chilli – 1
Chilli powder – Half teaspoon
Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
Coriander powder – Half teaspoon
Garam masala – Half teaspoon
Method –
You can either grate Paneer or cut into very small pieces. Chop the onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chilli finely.
Heat a pan and put oil to it. Add cumin seeds to it. Let them splutter.
Put onion to it and fry well. Fry till the raw smell disappears and onion turns translucent.
Put ginger, garlic and chilli to it. Fry well. Then add tomato to it. Fry till tomato turns soft and gets cooked.
Add salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala to it. Mix very well.
Put paneer to it and mix thoroughly so that all spices coat paneer. Cook till all the ingredients mix well.
Do not overcook paneer as it can lose the softness. Serve it hot.
Paneer Tikka
This is a lip-smacking dish made from Paneer coated with spices. You can eat this as a starter or as a side dish in meals.
Ingredients –
Paneer – 250g
Oil – As needed
Curd – 1 cup
Ginger – 1-inch piece
Garlic – Few cloves
Chilli – 1
Salt – According to taste
Chilli powder – Half teaspoon
Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
Cumin powder – Half teaspoon
Coriander powder – Half teaspoon
Garam masala – Half teaspoon
Kasuri methi – 1 teaspoon
Chaat masala – Half teaspoon
Besan (Gram flour or Chickpea flour) – 2 teaspoons
Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
Method –
Cut Paneer into large pieces. The paneer cubes have to be turned in the pan after marination, so they must be big in size. Chop ginger, garlic and chilli very finely.
Take a large mixing bowl and put curd to it. Add ginger, garlic and chilli to it. Mix well.
Add salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, chaat masala and kasuri methi to it. Mix very well.
Then add besan and lemon juice to it. Put 1 teaspoon of oil to it and mix thoroughly. Ensure that all the ingredients have mixed and there is no lump.
Add paneer cubes to this batter and mix gently. After all the paneer cubes get coated, cover and refrigerate this bowl for half an hour.
Then heat a pan and put some oil to it. Add the marinated paneer to it in batches. Turn the paneer cubes so that all the sides get roasted.
The quantity of oil used for Paneer Tikka depends on the type of pan and cooking time of paneer. I had used 3 tablespoons of oil.
The leftover batter of tikka can be used as a chutney. It tastes yummy. After all the marinated paneer cubes get roasted, serve them hot.
Paneer Masala
This is a tasty dish made from Paneer sauteed with herbs and spices. You can eat this with rice, chapati, puri and paratha.
Ingredients –
Paneer – 250g
Oil – 3 tablespoons
Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
Ginger – 1-inch piece
Garlic – Few cloves
Onion – 1
Tomato – 2
Chilli – 1
Salt – According to taste
Bay leaf – 1 or 2
Cinnamon – Few pieces
Chilli powder – Half teaspoon
Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
Cumin powder – Half teaspoon
Coriander powder – Half teaspoon
Garam masala – Half teaspoon
Kasuri methi – 1 teaspoon
Curd – Half cup
Water – As needed
Method –
Cut the paneer into pieces. Chop ginger, garlic, chilli and onion finely. Chop tomatoes and grind them into a paste.
I had not fried the paneer. But you can fry paneer before adding it to the gravy if you want.
Heat a pan and put oil to it. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf and cinnamon to it. Let them splutter.
Put onion, ginger, garlic and chilli to it. Fry well till the raw smell disappears.
Add tomato pulp to it and mix well. Fry till tomato gets cooked.
Put salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder to it. Mix very well.
Add water to it and stir. Then put curd and mix thoroughly. Simmer the gravy for few minutes. Add more water if the gravy is thick.
Put garam masala and kasuri methi to it. Stir well. Then add paneer to the gravy. Cover the pan and simmer for few minutes.
Remove cover and mix well. Serve it hot.
You can use any type of Paneer that is available. I used loose Paneer for these recipes. Packaged paneer can also be used. But loose paneer is softer and fresher than packaged paneer.
Horror movies that are unpredictable and gives frequent jump-scares, are the best ones! The ones who love such movies know how satisfying it is, to find a QUALITY-HORROR film. A film that has a combination of suspense, thrill, good story and obviously, something paranormal has to be considered the best.If you are looking to add some more to your to-watch list, you are at the right place!
Waiting for the sequel of any horror film gets irritating at times because finding a scary one is not easy. Every movie of this genre gives different types and levels of scares and we all like them distinctively, don’t we? So, considering you have watched the parts of Insidious, Conjuring, Paranormal Activity, The Ring, The Grudge and Saw…
HERE ARE SOME OTHER HORROR MOVIES THAT YOU WOULD DEFINITELY LOVE!
NO SPOILERS AHEAD!!
The Shining (1980)
Duration: 2h26m
IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
It is one of those classic horror movies that are not to be missed. Though old, it still remains on the top of almost every horror-lover’s list. It is a screen adaption of a Stephen King’s novel by the same name. It stands out being a psychological thriller and because of the classic-scare scene, it has!
The story is about how a man loses his sanity when he moves in an isolated hotel, with his family. It includes horror elements like supernatural visions and psychological aspects like mental disturbance, as well. There is a possibility for one to not understand it on a single go but still, worth trying. Also, it has a sequel based on the novel and the title of both is, “Doctor Sleep“. The best things about this movie that cannot be ignored are the soundtracks and the acting.
US(2019)
Duration: 2h1m
IMDb rating: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
A very recent horror film that actually leaves you with a lot of thoughts. The interpretation of this film and the significance of certain elements is mind-blowing and incredible. Above all, it is a very thrilling and captivating psychological thriller for the ones craving for SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
If you are really fond of critically analysing movies, this one is a MUST! To put in some other words, it is unlike the standard horror movies. You would not really find those typical scary-elements here. It is one of those movies filled with twists and jump scares so get ready. However, at the initial phase, it might seem a bit boring (slightest chance!) and not horror but I will suggest you to finish it.
Another classic in the world of horror is this movie. It is based on a novel by Ira Levin, by the same title. It is one of those movies that keeps no stone unturned to prove, it belongs to this genre. As a result, it became a benchmark for most of the horror movies.
Firstly, it is exceptional! Secondly, it is actually one of the finest films of this particular genre because of the commendable acting done by all the actors. Lastly, it actually has the atmosphere of suspense and thrill throughout. It is an iconic film and no words can define it well. Therefore, if you are really looking for that ONE HORROR FILM for tonight, WATCH IT!
IT FOLLOWS(2014)
Duration: 1h47m
IMDb rating: 6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
This horror movie is filled with many scenes that would give you goosebumps! It has the right number of supernatural and scary elements to satisfy all your cravings. This movie received various critical and social interpretations
Moreover, it really scares you with the unknown elements and the storytelling. It is about a grown-up girl and a supernatural entity.This movie is thrilling as well as wild. As a result, it excites and creates suspense at the same time. If you are looking out for one such movie, it is the time to add it to the list.
This horror movie is very dynamic in terms of its elements. At the same time, it deals with emotional, intense and supernatural elements. In other words, it can be said that it is a very dark and scary movie.
The movie is about a family dealing with unknown and tragic occurrences. It unfolds in a step by step manner, revealing secrets about the family. Moreover, the story is not straight but hey! it provides some space for analysis. For all those who really love psychological elements, this movie will not disappoint you!
THE BABADOOK(2014)
Duration: 1h35m
IMDb rating: 6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
It is rare that a horror movie portrays a scary yet meaningful tale at the same time. It covers a lot of dimensions within itself. Firstly, it stands out as a dark narrative. Secondly, it is filled with strong emotional elements, mainly grief. Also, above all, it really leaves you thinking!
The movie is about a mother who is in the grief at her husband’s death and finds it difficult to love her son. On the other hand, the little boy is disturbed by some other element. It strongly contains the aspect of the pain cause by “loss”. It is, in many ways, a very DIFFERENT movie. If you are searching for a scary tale with some horror dimension, this is perfect!
SINISTER(2012)
Duration: 1h50m
IMDb rating: 6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 63%
This one is a horror movie filled with twists and surprises! It contains supernatural aspects along with many frights. It is scary in its own demonic sense. Moreover, the soundtrack of this film adds to the thrilling effect.
It is about a writer who is looking out for some ideas and later, becomes keen to unravel some hidden mysteries. There are mixed critic reviews on this film but still there is no harm in trying it out!
It is an intense and a scary movie that is filled with great performances. This horror movie contains a background of war, as a result, it is very different and unique. There are not only supernatural elements but the story, itself, that creates a terrifying effect.
The story is set during the Iran-Iraq war in 1988. It is about a family where the mother and daughter are at home, while the father is at the front, for the war. In a very subtle and smooth way, it turns out as a dark film filled with jump-scares. Above all, it contains many symbols and elements. Therefore, all those who love interpreting different aspects, would love it!
The thrill and excitement, horror film lovers get from jump-scares is inexpressible.The above stated movies are great horror movies, if there is any other movie that you really love, do share in the comments.
TILL THEN, LET’S WAIT FOR THE UPCOMING HORROR MOVIES AND ALL THE SEQUELS LEFT!
ALSO CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING LINKS FOR DIFFERENT GENRES:
Hashtags are the most famous tool in twitter. Hashtags are used by people to trend a popular topic that is to be spread among a certain group of people. The hashtag trend is prevalent for various issues; whether to advocate the problem of climate change or to appreciate their favourite celebrity.
The feature of hashtags was brought into twitter by Chris Messina on August 23, 2007. Ever since the hashtags have dominated the social media platform Twitter. It has spread from Twitter to Facebook, Instagram and other social media and the users have been established irremovably in all of them. The introduction of the hashtag was a revolutionary change among the people on twitter.
Twitter hashtags trend for good reasons and gain popularity. In the following headings, the topics like, why and how would a hashtag trend popularly, the genres of the popular hashtag, top trending hashtags, features of a popular hashtag, recommended hashtags, hashtag trend fails shall be covered. Read ahead, to have complete knowledge of hashtags.
Popular Hashtag Culture in twitter
The symbol for the hashtag is # sign without any space between the words. If the words are very short and cannot be recognized without space, a _ space sign can be used to create the hashtag. For example, #reach_out can have spaces but #teachforindia does not need space. Reach out can be parted and read. It is also permitted to use Capital letters for identifying the beginning of each word. For example #TeachForIndia is more understandable than #teachforindia.
Common mistakes are made if hashtags are misunderstood. Hashtags have been used by people since then. Tweets are posted with hashtags inevitably. More than 40 % of the tweets in twitter contain a popular hashtag.
It is important to have a healthy message for a hashtag. There must be a good reason for it to become popular. The potential for generating trend is hidden in every hashtag if you get it right. People who create popular hashtags have become instant celebrities for some time. At times, it is a never-ending mystery for people to know who created the famous hashtag. To trace back a hashtag, one has to go search for the original hashtag, which is almost impossible among the 330 million users in twitter. At first, twitter used worldwide trends, but as of now, worldwide trends have been localized to be more specific among the users.
Most of the people in the world would wake up to a trending, popular hashtag on twitter. It is almost, as if, the twitter providing their morning news feed. When a lot of people are dependent on Twitter, for daily usage, the application is responsible for being reliable.
The hashtags acquire a vital role in shaping access in the media. The hashtags become popular after it is tweeted by a lot of people.
Why would a hashtag trend become popular?
Hashtag trends become popular for many reasons. It is trended for some serious reasons. The serious reasons include political issues, general welfare, health and fitness, justice, world funds, country’s management, negotiation between leaders, technological advances, bio-medical advances, environmental care, gender empowerment, the entertainment industry and activist’s concern. These topics are refreshed and supported by twitter as long as they follow the community guidelines.
The trending of the tweet and its popularity does not totally depend on the person. Greta Thunberg, the environmental and climate change activist started out very young in twitter and became popular. You can become popular on twitter with just a reasonable hashtag.
The trends are sometimes even very silly. The most important serious tweets may be subjected to ridicule with hashtags. It is not to be misunderstood that one tweet can make a person popular. Even some silly trends rule twitter for a lot of reasons.
Sometimes, it might be only just for fun. Trolling a very infamous tweet by using hashtags is also very popular nowadays. It is acceptable by the twitter citizens as long it does not hurt the feelings of the respective people. The vulgarity of any popular hashtag will be removed by twitter guidelines.
In a few featured shows, a hashtag is popularized by the show hosts who advertise and ask for the audience to trend it. These hashtags, if it is favoured by the show audience, they become trending. Many popular hosts like, Ellen De Genres, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, James Cordon have a separate section of their shows dedicated to hashtags.
Some hashtags are also popularized by the music artists who release a new album and want it to become popular. The hashtags are created according to the usage for the moment. As each hashtag is created, the trend is accepted and spread by the people who favour it.
How does a hashtag trend popularly?
Hashtag trends popularly as many people tweet it with a relevant message. The popularity of a hashtag is determined by the number of people who use it in their locality. The different genres of hashtags trend for different reasons. So what makes a hashtag, even the silliest ones become popular?
The simplest answer is that it is purely by luck and chance. A very famous hashtag may become a huge flop but a very absurd hashtag may trend in a matter of minutes. The popularity of a hashtag is not determined by the artificial intelligence of twitter. It is purely determined by the people who decide whether they want to trend it or not.
The trends locally lie within the knowledge of the people who live there. Twitter supports about 33 languages. The local languages, although they gain the favour of the native people, it does not last long. Emoticons and English are the two most prominent ways of language for a tweet to become famous.
Generally, 1500 to 2000 tweets in a locality or a country bring a hashtag into a legendary one. The trend is supported by twitter itself if it raises voice against a common topic rather than a personal issue. Some hashtags are chosen by twitter and it shall be promoted until the problem is resolved. That’s how some hashtags become notable in the trends.
Hashtags, which are supported by famous people, becomes a hit instantly. The #fitness challenge and the #ice bucket challenge reached the peak of fame when celebrities took part in it. The nomination for the challenges with the hashtag is an important reason for it to trend. Seeing their celebrities participate in the activities, the hashtag becomes popular among the followers of the celebrity.
How to make your hashtag popular?
Some tips and tricks can be used to make a hashtag popular. As said before, understanding the twitter algorithm is the easiest way to make a hashtag popular. The Twitter algorithm is not managed by people sitting before the computers, monitoring the usage of words. Management of twitter algorithm is overseen by a shapeless, matter less, coded and computerized artificial intelligence. The way of the algorithm is a lot simpler than understanding a human mind.
There are some features for a hashtag that has to be followed to make it trending. The first way to make your hashtag popular is to choose some quality content, something that is worth trending. The hashtag must not contain negative or confusing words. The content should be simple enough to be understood by all sections of twitter users. Complications in using a hashtag will result in the hashtag travelling down the trend line.
The target audience should be selected before trending any hashtag to make it popular. More than 70% of twitter users are aged between 30 and 60 years. An eye-catching current issue will result in the popularity of the hashtag. It must be concerning all ages and should be suitable for discussion in a family. Any other issue will not be welcome among all the family members, thus leaving it meaningless.
The hashtags tweeted with a current issue on a global or local level gains popularity massively. The famous hashtag trends are supported by people. The most common trend of the hashtag is more than 50% of justice for a certain cause. The luck and chance can be tackled well if you understand the twitter algorithm properly.
Time and timing for a popular hashtag
The timing of the hashtag is also crucial if it has to be trending. Even a well-meant hashtag will turn into a hashtag for ridicule if the timing is not perfectly matched. Timing of the hashtag should not be outdated. Posting an outdated hashtag will give upon negative impression among the followers. For some everlasting hashtags, like #throw back Thursday or #thank god it’s Friday, the tweet should be on an appropriate date. Trending something on Monday with the hashtag of #throwback Thursday with a current picture is highly inappropriate.
Timing is different from time. The timing of the post and time of the post must go hand in hand to avoid any confusion. The timing must be appropriate. A tweet of the hashtag with a pun during a funeral will only test the patience of people.
People view the hashtags based on time as well. The most viewed hashtags are timed between, morning 08.00 A.M-10 A.M, afternoon 01.00 P.M -02.00 P.M, evening 06.00 PM -08.00 P.M and at night 10.00 P.M-11.00 P.M. (All local timings). These are the times where 155 million active users stay on twitter.
Genres of trend for popular hashtags in twitter
Engagement of people in twitter hashtag will depend on the popularity of the genres. There are infinite genres and still, new ones can be created. The genres would include health, lifestyle, food, jewellery, books, quotes, authors, love, relationships, psychology, entertainment, cooking, politics, nature, weather, environment, memes, religion, science, medicines, war, general relations, national welfare, music, criminology, law and society.
Challenges are also promoted by celebrities who find it interesting. Every hashtag belongs to some genre and it will be recommended to the user according to their preference. The genres that are engaged maximum draws attention from people, hence making the hashtag famous.
Proper hashtags must be tagged with suitable genres. You can also make a hashtag famous if you know under what circumstances you make it trending. A very enjoyable martial art tweet with a hashtag of cooking will not trend, obviously.
The famous genre of all the times in twitter is politics. All national and party leaders use twitter as a platform for official communication with other leaders. The engagement in politics is to be trodden carefully. One word, even unintentional, may lead to serious conflicts and can be used to sue as a piece of evidence in the court.
The word choice and hashtags must be used diplomatically in politics. The hashtags must be used carefully at all times in all genres. The wordings of a hashtag must be concise and meaningful. Lesser the words and more the meaning, the chances of trending are high for hashtags. For a popular hashtag, genres act like a guiding light.
Once the trend is observed, the artificial intelligence will pick up its pace and spread the hashtag to a number of users. The hashtag in some genres remains merely as a fad. After a period of time, the hashtag is forgotten and it fails to resurface although it is present in the right genre.
Recommended hashtags and its popularity in twitter
Some hashtags appear to the users feed because they had been following a topic regularly. This could be a periodical topic, like astrology. Hashtags that are tagged along with the tweets of the people who are followed also come under recommended hashtags. Basically, recommended hashtag appears as the artificial intelligence has identified it to be of personal interest of the individual.
The recommended hashtag can be followed or left as it is, depending on the individual decision. The recommended hashtags have more power to develop an interest and curiosity in a person than the already following hashtags. The popular recommended hashtag of all the time in astronomy, space physics as it only requires basic knowledge and piques the interest of the eternal state of the universe.
Caution is advised before exploring any recommended hashtags. Some might just be a scam. A popular scam, but nevertheless, it comes under scam. These are used by frauds to spy and obtain your information. A hashtag narrows down a person’s interest making them vulnerable in the social media platform. Private accounts in twitter are to be more cautious, as it will be a simpler target to know the natural interests of a person.
Recommended hashtags are preferred by people who are indifferent to the genres. They have huge popularity as they are already trending in some places. These hashtags work across the particular locality or a country. The interests and opinions of similar people are shared well through recommended hashtags.
It is worth giving a try by following a recommended hashtag. 30% of people learn on twitter just by using the recommended hashtag. This also causes FOMO among people. FOMO stands for Fear Of Missing Out. There are both positive and negative sides of a recommended hashtag. Tread cautiously before trying it out.
Trending hashtags in India
Most of the trending and popular hashtags are found to revolve around a few major genres in India. The major genres of India consist of politics, science, cinema and society. It is important to note that activists and NGO’s from India have worldwide recognition. Some of the influencers teach their ways and lead their most trusted followers into propagating trending hashtags.
One of the prominent religious and nature activists, Sadhguru Jakki Vasudev made the hashtag #rally for rivers (an initiative for linking the rivers across the country as the multi-dimensional project)and #Cauvery calling (an initiative to clean the river Cauvery that runs across the southern states of India) one of the most popular hashtags among the Indian citizens. His hashtags, spreading the message of nature, calling for help gained tremendous support regardless of religions.
Indians are naturally sentimental and loyal. They express their opinions through twitter and hashtags. The current prime minister of India, Sri Narendra Modi Ji has over fifty-three million followers and is the most followed person on twitter in India. The second most followed person is a cinema legend Mr Amitabh Bhachchan. Shah Rukh Kahn, Salman Khan and Virat Kohli have the following positions respectively. This proves the popularity of politics, cinema and cricket in the country.
The latest hashtag that the prime minister has posted in twitter is #India fights Corona. All the citizens of India are aware of the effects of the Corona Virus. Twitter hashtags play a crucial role in educating them. Another initiative by Times of India #Mask India announced a contest for its readers, asking them to trend the hashtag. The newspaper published the best pictures in the supplementary pages.
It wouldn’t suffice to say how much of good popular twitter hashtag is spreading in India. Indians use this as an interesting tool to educate themselves and learn various things with their sharp and keen mind
Popular Twitter hashtags that failed
Just as the hashtag floats in popularity, sometimes, it fails horribly too. The major mistake that people do is not checking the timing or situation before posting a hashtag. The hashtag #nowthatchersdead was interpreted by many users in twitter as # now that Cher’s dead instead of # now thatcher’s dead referring to the famous Margret Thatcher. The hashtag was trolled and retweeted with twitter users paying respect to “Cher” instead of Thatcher.
Sensitive situations must be handled carefully. The typographic mistakes made by verified people in twitter is also heavily trolled and criticized. The word coverage was accidentally tweeted by the American president Mr Donald Trump as covfefe. In a few minutes, several hashtags popped up making the word covfefe famous. This subject persisted as fuel to the trolls until they were sued. Some misunderstood inappropriate hashtags also tend to become popular on twitter.
The bottom lineof this hashtag trend
The word popular has two sides. Pro and Con. The popular could be the good kind, called famous. Or the popularity may end up on the wrong side earning the name notorious or infamous. Some popular and famous hashtag, for the current times, would include #stay safe and #fight against corona. After some time, they might lose popularity. After all the word popular is very unstable and can be changed through the times.
All good tweets will contain a hashtag in the future. Maybe, people will communicate only through hashtags in future. Even now the artists in twitter use short forms called #WIP that abbreviates as work in progress. The possibility exists in future that every word will be an acronym and will come with an emoticon and every tweet will become a hashtag. It is the responsibility of the netizens to stay wise and put hashtags into good use.
Our life revolves around mainly two emotions that are positive and negative, but positive emotions are not limited to just one emotion. We all are blindfolded with the fact that being happy has nothing to do with positivity, staying happy is the same as staying positive but we all are ignorant about that happiness creates positivity and vice versa is a myth. Happiness releases endorphin hormone which in turn leads to positivity. As it is wonderfully said that “Positivity can neither be created nor be destroyed, but it can only be felt with a peaceful heart”. So, 10 emotions are scientifically proven to be positive emotions.
JOY
The very first positive emotion that persists among all of us and is closest to happiness is JOY. Staying joyful about a person, thing, place, or even during adversity is a prove that positivity resides within you. Joy has nothing to do with the outside world. Situations or people that feel safe, familiar, or led to your growth results in the change that makes a person feel joyful and ultimately playful.It produces an urge to acquire or learn new skills.
GRATITUDE
It is perhaps known as one of the quieter emotions but the benefits of gratitude are amusing. It is with constant practice of gratitude that one can achieve his/her higher self. A person practicing gratitude tends to give much more than usual without making oneself empty. The gratitude brims the soul with immense love and power. It can also lead to higher interactive social bonds and developed skills of loving.
SERENITY
Another quieter emotion would be serenity. When you have a feeling of peaceful current circumstances that you just want to have more of it. According to emotion theorists, when people feel serene or content, they just want to live in that moment and do nothing. It is in that mental state when people are savoring and integrating to the fullest of their life. Having to feel such intense positive emotion leads to better understanding and clarity of the world as well as their views and thoughts.
INTEREST
Interestingly, Interest is one such positive emotion that is not even treated as an emotion. It’s human nature to have an interest in one thing or the other, but what we fail to acknowledge is that it is a kind of positive emotion. It is usually originated when we are feeling safe, mysterious, or even embracing novelty. Through this, we can experience the taste of exploring the outside world or our inner world. Interest can create a person full of energy and with a better knowledge from scratch.
HOPE
It is indeed a positive emotion which we experience at the time of crisis because not all positive emotions happen in good situations. Just like, Covid-19 era we all are hoping this to end soon. You know you are experiencing hope when you are fearing or even facing the worst but still yearning for better. It increases one’s resilience to hard times and makes them more inventive towards the situation.
PRIDE
It is yet another amazing positive emotion that is experienced by everyone at least once in their lifetime. Socially valued achievement, inner satisfaction, conquering something even small, etc. all make us feel proud. This emotion helps us broaden our mindset by dreaming big and then preparing us to achieve furthermore accomplishments. Pride can also be related to someone else’s achievement like your friends, family, etc.
AMUSEMENT
Another positive emotion is an amusement which is usually experienced in some non -serious situations. Experiencing such situations where you are holding your stomach and laughing till you can’t anymore is all because of amusement. Laughter can take our stress away and practicing it daily can lead to a much healthy and positive lifestyle. We all have heard that “laughter is the best medicine”. Shared laughter helps in building friendship and creativity.
INSPIRATION
The most unknown positive emotion is an inspiration. We either inspire someone or get inspired but have you ever wondered why we feel good after doing any of the former? It is because, at that time, we are either receiving or sharing the positive vibes making our aura more positive. When we are sharing positive emotions, we are increasing our capacity to intake more of such positive vibrations. It aspires to achieve excellence and not success along with gained skills and morality.
It is again, one of the quieter positive emotions. Awe and wonderment are something which is always felt but never contemplated. When we are overwhelmed by greatness, that’s when we experience this emotion. Awe can be considered similar to inspiration but on a personal level. It shapes our minds and heart to accommodate something new in our life. It also helps to see ourselves as a part of a larger whole.
LOVE
I saved the best for the last. One of the greatest positive emotions over every other positive emotion is none other than, LOVE. Love tends to heal even the oldest wounds. It has the traits of every other positive emotion. Love can be felt in any form but mostly when you are connecting or sharing positive emotions with someone. A person experiencing love tends to play, explore, savor, dream and the list is countless as it is considered as the most powerful above all emotions. Love makes us believe in trust by building great unbreakable bonds, even in a community and it is also known in improving a person’s health.
We are all filled with positive emotions especially love. Each of the positive emotion can be felt by us as soon as we are allowing ourselves to feel. You are the greatest source of love. Have faith, stay positive, and spread love.
Have you ever finished a book or a movie and thought, ‘Oh well, that’s gonna leave a scar…’? Isao Takahata’s 1988 Anime Movie titled; Grave of the fireflies (Hotaru no Haka) is quite catastrophic, to say the least. And trust me, that is going to leave quite the scar. This animatedwar tragedy paints a gruesome image of the Second World War. If you, being a true fan, ever thought ‘The Fault in our stars’ is quite depressing, you’re in for a hell of a ride. Grave of the fireflies takes the whole bakery, not just the cake.
Seven runs through the excruciating plot later, you start to get a good sense of clarity. Having handled this much, I can now safely tell you that there is not one single thing even remotely satisfying about this movie. Whatever wholesome joyful moment it builds up, it mercilessly crumbles down a few minutes later. It is the epitome of utter dejection.
The story follows two siblings, Setsuko and Seita, hailing from Kobe, Japan. The plot does a very justice at exposing the young duo a plethora of war horrors and the repercussions that follow. Just to make it obvious, this is a depressing story. Death and starvation being the key players in the plot. And it is going to leave you as the viewer absolutely helpless. Keep in mind, this is a movie review. Please be advised that there are major spoilers ahead. If you’re not a sucker for spoilers, this is where we part ways.
Movie Poster – Grave of the fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies: The Plot (Anime Movie)
Grave of the Fireflies was released on 16th April 1988. Written and Directed by Isao Takahata, the movie is based on a short semi-autobiography by Akiyuki Nosaka. The very fact that someone almost went through the plot in real life, is depressing as it is. Produced by Toru Hara and animated by Studio Ghibli, its visual effects really didn’t age well in direct comparison with many modern titles like ‘Weathering with You’. It is the melancholic plot and the feeling of total dumbstruck desperation that makes it hold a mighty candle to other modern titles.
Seita and Setsuko
Present Day
The movie begins with a teen, dressed in a school uniform with a captain’s hat, delivering a monologue. “September 21st 1945, That was the night I died.” if you’re too emotional, this is your first red flag. The movie then proceeds to reveal an empty train station in Kobe. The viewer is introduced to a scrawny bruised starving version of the teen, dressed in rags, almost falling over headfirst, from exhaustion, leaning against a wall. The scene develops further, with a bustling crowd walking around the boy, with not really anyone paying attention.
2 minutes into the movie, and it’s already nerve-racking. The camera pans around the station, showing several others similar to the teen. Apparently, this was a common view in post-war Japan in 1945. The story starts shortly after Japan admitted defeat in the second world war, with several families split and lives lost. The story goes on to show the boy taking one last desperation puff of air, tumbling and dying. A worker finds him dead, salvages a box of fruit drops he had, and throws it out. As it hits the ground, a bunch of fireflies light up and start flying upwards.
The Fruit drop box
Before the Station
Unlike the popular claim by Muriel Bing, it was quite sad when they stopped drawing the boy. The Yokokawa household was one happy family. Seita and his younger sister Setsuko were just as gleeful as any children of their age. The father worked as a navy captain while the mother took care of the family. Now, as soon as you find it joyous, you are exposed to the cruel fate awaiting them. Fire-bombings by the military causes the family to leave their home and run to take shelter in an aunt’s house in the next town. While taking off, the mother is separated from the kids. They agree to meet at the local school. Seita soon comes to find out that his mother had been gravely injured in the bombings and is hence killed.
The movie goes on to show the siblings taken in by their selfish aunt. It really draws moral values from society. This was depicted by how the aunt goes from a caring substitute mom when they had money to a fickle-minded greedy lady when they were broke. You couldn’t really blame the lady since supplies were limited and those were dire times. This inadvertently forced the siblings to leave home and stay in an abandoned bomb shelter.
The Bomb shelter
Enter, depression
To their terrible luck, they would run out of money and food. Seita turned to a petty thief for a square meal. After being caught, beat up and arrested, he finds out Setsuko suffers from malnutrition. A desperate Seita withdraws all their belongings after finding out their dad was presumably dead among other Naval officers. He rushes for food with the money and blitzes back to the shelter only to find his sister dying. No amount of Justin Timberlake jumping for his mom in ‘In Time’ makes as big an impact as desperate Seita trying to feed Setsuko only to watch it all go in vain.
It was during then that the viewers are introduced to the fireflies. They light up like the stars in one night and drop dead the next morning. How human life translates so well to a couple of fireflies in the night is really spot-on. How volatile and uncertain everything really is. You could see more fireflies when Setsuko died. Even more so when Seita did.
The fireflies
Some real world Numbers
Grave of the fireflies cashed 1.7 billion yen in Japan and $516,962 in the US. Distributed by Toho, it is 89 minutes long with over the top torture every other minute. The movie has an IMDB rating of 8.5/10 rated by around 223k people and a 100% rotten tomatoes score.
It sure is sad to lose someone you love. And survivor’s guilt is never a myth. This animated masterpiece is a perfect portrayal of the horrors and spoils of war, the spontaneity and inconsistency of our society as a whole. It is that kind of a movie that just fills your fear of abandonment and pain to the brim, making you recount your blessings and rethink your life choices. Though not for the weak-hearted, this movie is a definite must-watch.
There are so many different and amazing theories and laws in science which we know as facts. But why do they exist and what is the reason behind them is unknown to many theories. Here are 6 basic facts which we all know. Let’s dig deeper to get a closer look on all of them.
Amazing scientific question- How to estimate the age of fossils?
It is possible to estimate the relative age of fossils because most fossils are found in sedimentary rocks. These are the rocks made out of sediment that has been compressed or cemented together in layers. Older rock layers or strata are usually at the bottom. So, each layer is younger than the layer below it and older than the one above it. Fossils may be present in igneous and metamorphic rocks. But those are usually destroyed. Telling the age of fossils in absolute years is a much bigger problem. There are certain methods namely Tree ring method, counting annual growth rings can give a scientist reasonably accurate data back to about 3000 years ago. Next is the Varve method, based on counting the annual layers of sand and clay deposited in a lake, bay or river by melting glaciers. This can be used for deposits less than about 15000 years.
Amazing and round beach pebbles, but why only round?
Beach pebbles are usually round and smooth. the main fact behind it is the continuous flattering that they keep receiving from the sea. These pebbles were first a part of larger rocks which broke down to pieces due to earthquakes or other natural phenomena. Due to the movement of the sea, these pieces get constantly rubbed against each other and hard materials. This removes all their irregularities. All we get is a smooth round pebble.
Funny bone- an amazing part of you
Where is your funny bone? Ever thought of it? It is situated in your arm. It is a long bone which extends from your shoulder to your elbow. At the top, it is attached to your shoulder blade. At the elbow, it is attached to the two bones in your lower arm. The funny bone carries very strong bicep muscles. The bone is grooved to carry the nerves to your hand. It is so-called because when you knock a particular part of your elbow, you get a funny, tingling sensation. Its biological name is the humerus, often pronounced as humorous. This is why it is called as a funny bone now.
Why do people have different coloured eyes?
What a baby is going to look like depends on the 46 genes in his body cells. This is like really amazing. All eyes contain blue cells. Some people have other coloured cells as well so that their eyes look green, grey or brown or hazel. All babies show blue coloured eyes because the other cells don’t grow until the bay is two. Sometimes, people have eyes which are partly blue and partly brown or of any colour. This is because half of their eye got the usual blue colour while the other half has some other colour as well.
Next time you swallow something, try to breathe too
It’s an amazing body fact that you can’t breathe when you swallow. It is because your respiratory system is closely linked to your alimentary system. In fact, both the food you eat and the air you breathe, pass down the pharynx. It is a long muscular tube situated behind the nose and mouth. Swallowing temporarily interrupts the breathing by closing the air passages while food is propelled from the mouth to the gullet and stomach. If a food particle goes a wrong way, the lungs respond immediately by trying to expel the food with a cough. Also, some air finds a way to the stomach and if excessive can cause flatulence.
An amazing fact about birds’ eggs
Birds’ eggs are always round in shape. Why is it so? The roundness of an egg allows pressure to be allowed from the outside which would break if it is applied from the inside. Thus a helpless chick is protected until the moment it needs to break out from its shell. Eggs are hatched by an adult bird sitting on them and the best container for round eggs is a cup-shaped nest. It prevents it from rolling about. Birds with scanty nests, mostly in the case of sea birds have more elongated eggs. If such eggs are caught by the wind while lying on some cliff, they will spin around instead of rolling over the edge.
The recent outbreak of Corona Virus has affected each one of us in some or the other ways, especially, our mental health. It is a difficult time for all of us. If you are feeling weak and low or trying to help somebody, here are some tips for you!
Understanding the importance staying at homeandof well-being
The foremost thing to calm yourself down is, to know what is happening around. At an early stage, the lock-down was mandatory to stop the spread of the virus. With the removal of lock-down, several things started to cool off but prevention still remains important. It includes taking care of our physical and mental health and making it our primary concern.
It is normal to feel fearful, anxious and bored because of the on-going pandemic. However, it is important to take care of your overall psychological well-being.
Here are some ways to keep you optimistic to improve your mental health and well-being!
Minimize Screen Time
Staying at home the entire day can be tough. But, if you choose to sit in front of the screen, it can rather be stressful. In aspects of connecting with our friends and family, it is quite healthy because social isolation is not easy. Still, that does not mean spending the day on social media is not damaging.
If you are stuck alone during this period just remember, it is not permanent ! Staying in touch with the family and friends is important but try to focus on doing something productive. You can take up an online course (maybe, a new language?) or learn a new skill.
Social media can also lead to a lot of fake news consumption so avoid such things. Try to check up the news update from a credible source and not forwarded messages. This would help you to stay away from unnecessary tension and stress.
The best way is to fix and limit your screen time. It will be good for both; the mind and the eyes! Spend the rest of the day reading a book or doing household chores like cleaning your room (it can actually be healing!).
Meditate
This is a tip that we all are aware of, but we do not really follow it. It has been said and tested that meditation is the best exercise. It helps to remain fit and balanced physically as well as mentally.
If you do not have it in your routine, then practising it now, is the best! During this pandemic, making any new habit is not burdensome and a habit like meditation is much needed.
Meditation has actually proved to be a cure for stress and many other mental health problems. It helps to balance your chakras and form a positive mental well-being.
It will definitely energize you and connect you with the present. Start with five minutes (minimum) daily and soon, you will be meditating on a daily basis!
Practise effective and Healthy sleep
It is normal for the days to become monotonous but spoiling your sleep cycle is not normal. Since the going out is less, sleeping late and avoiding morning baths can become a routine. But this pandemic-time should be taken as an opportunity and a better routine should be formed.
It is essential to get the right amount of sleep(6-8 hours) because sleeping less or more than the normal range can lead to unhealthy issues. Such problems include daytime fatigue, frequent yawning, obesity and many serious mental health problems too.
Healthy sleeping helps balancing moods, as well. Having a good sleep schedule includes shutting down the screens at least half an hour before sleeping. It is very easy to reschedule the spoiled schedule during a break like this.
One should be consistent and willing to do it. Also, bed should only be used for sleeping, spending the entire day on bed is not a good idea!
Healthy Eating
Eating well and drinking plenty of fluids is very essential. Healthy eating is important not only for your fitness but also, mental health.
The gut is often considered as the second brain. It is very important to eat nutritious food to have a healthy lifestyle and thoughts.
A long period of free time can cause one to feel hungry even if they are not. Avoiding loads of junk food and fried food is a must.
It is a proven fact that the right nutrients can improve mood and help in better cognitive skills. Hence, eating the right diet is something to be worked upon, if you have not yet.
This is the best time to try something new! If there is anything that you have always wanted to do, include it in your routine and practice it. If there is a book you have not touched from a while, read it. Cook something new, learn a new skill online, try practising a new language or talk to someone, you have not, from a while. This time can be used as a way to improve your thoughts, well-being and lifestyle. The most important thing you have to take care of, is your mind. Thoughts are ultimately the seeds that make us, what we are. Thinking positive and taking care of yourself, is the best thing to do!
In case, you feel you really need help and things seem grave, consult a doctor. Things can be exhausting during such an outbreak but staying safe should always be a priority.
