Rohtang Pass

Rohtang Pass is the Gateway to the Lahaul Valley and is situated about 51 km from Manali town at an altitude of 4,111 meters (13,400 ft.) on the highway to Keylong. In winter the mountain slopes are snow clad which turn into perfect skiing slopes. At Rohtang Pass, one sees the majesty of the mountains at its height and splendour. Rohtang Pass is the main attraction for tourists coming for tour to Manali.

At the top of the Rohtang Pass, the air seems to glitter against the snow as one looks down over herring boned ridges into the Lahaul Valley. There is a beautiful Doshohar Lake left to the pass, where pilgrims go every year on the auspicious day of 20th Bhadon.

The visit to Manali is incomplete if you do not go to Rohtang Pass. On your way to the Rohtang Pass, on one side you can see Kothi and Gulaba, places en route from Manali, while the Rohtang Peaks stare at you on the other side.

The mountain plateau is surrounded by a large meadow strewn with myriad wild flowers in season.  The pass was ancient trade route between the people on either side of Pir Panjal. Rohtang Pass is the only access to Lahaul valley and is open from June to September each year although trekkers can across the pass a little earlier.

Rohtang is an adventure tourist site for tourists coming for Kullu Manli Tour, where it can be cold even on a summer day. Winds blow at furious pace and it is chill after 3pm. It is the highest point on the Manali-Keylong road and provides a wide panoramic view of mountains rising far above clouds, which is truly breath taking. In winter, the road of Rothang Pass is closed. Skiing is possible even in summer months (May and up to mid June) when the snow is still there on slopes. Wooden sledges are popular for rides. Para gliding is now a days very popular in summers between Rohtang and Marhi, taking one high in the sky for unforgettable views and lifetime experience.

Mochar Ghonto

Banana is used in Indian cuisine in many ways. From North to East India and then towards south, it is used to prepare many Indian regional dishes. Every part of banana plant is used, from its stem to the flowers and the fruits to the leaves.

In Bengali cuisine, the banana flower, called Mocha (pronounced as Mo Cha, Cha as in Chair in Bengali), is a delicacy to have. It is prepared in different ways, using various ingredients. Today I will tell you how to prepare Mochar Ghonto (Stir fry Banana blossom).


Mochar Ghonto
Serves for 5-6 people

Ingredients

1. 1 Mocha (Banana Blossom)
2. 1 Medium sized potato (cut into cubes)

For Flavoring

1. 4 Cloves
2. 2-3 Pods cardamom
3. Half inch stick cinnamon
4. 1-2 tsp of coriander powder
5. 1 tsp of red pepper powder
6. Salt as per taste
7. Sugar as per taste

For Tempering

1. 2-3 Bay leaves
2. Tej Patta
3. 1 tsp of cumin seeds
4. 3-4 tbs of mustard oil
5. 2 tbs of ghee

Preparation Method

• Its better to oil the hands, knife before chopping banana blossom.
• Place a news paper, then place the cutting board. Grease your hands and fingers with oil.
• Open the outer layer of banana blossom, take out the flowers and take out from it "the hard somewhat blackish at the top stalk", and chop them finely.
• Follow the same pattern for the other layer of blossom, until you reach the central heart , which would be slightly pale yellow or off white in colour.
• Chop it finely.

To Get Rid of the Bitterness of Mocha

• Wash Mocha in water thoroughly 2-3 times, fill in a large pan with water, add the banana blossom (Mocha) to it, add 1tsp of turmeric powder , ½ tsp of salt and bring to boil .Cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Cover and stop the flame, let it cool off well, now discard the remaining water and take out the chopped Mocha, squeeze out the remaining water with hands (that’s how our aunts and Mothers have been doing it) or better use the sieve.

Preparation of Mochar Ghonto

• Heat a Kadhai, add oil, temper it with cumin seeds and bay leaves.
• Add potatoes; fry them at high flame for sometime.
• Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder
• Add salt and sugar for seasoning, to taste.
• Fry all the ingredients for 4-5 minutes at high.
• Add chopped Mocha and fry them also.
• Add the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.
• Slightly sprinkle some water with hands.
• Cover and cook for 10 mints at low, or till the potatoes are cooked and tender.
• With the help of spatula, gently mash the entire gravy and mix in well
• Add ghee and Garam Masala for flavouring.
• Garnish with fresh grated coconut.
  
• Serve with hot steamed rice.

Houseboat Tour in Kerala

Kerala is one of the most beautiful and enchanting tourism destinations in India. It is amazingly beautiful blessed with magnetic charm of nature, tranquility and serene surrounding which offer tourist to experience the bliss of Mother Nature at its best.

Well if you are looking a holiday in the lap of Mother Nature, enjoy holiday in the houseboat which is truly a wonder created by the man and the residents of this beautiful state of Kerala in India. Kerala houseboats are made using all the eco-friendly materials like bamboo, Anjili Tree and many other materials which make houseboat truly a wonderful wonder which offer tourists to enjoy cruise over the pristine backwaters. Kerala backwaters are truly a wonder, which is amazingly blessed with astounding charm of nature and tranquility and the houseboat provide wonderful opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the nature from close point.

The state of Kerala has several backwater destinations which include the famous Kumarakom, Kuttanad, Kollam, Kasargod and on top the Cochin. These entire backwater destinations is blessed with astounding beauty of nature beautifully dotted by the swaying coconut trees, rustic village, lush green paddy fields and several other exciting tourism attractions which simply enriches the soul with pure happiness. Come and enjoy the Kerala backwater tours staying on the Kumarakom houseboat or at Alleppey and treasure remarkable experience of lifetime to relish in forever.

Well cruise over the backwaters of Kerala is made more memorable by the houseboats also locally called Kettuvallam, which is well furnished with contemporary facilities, on-board dining facilities, spacious and luxurious rooms with attached bath and warm hospitality that make the stay over the houseboat more remarkable. Well if you want to enjoy cruise over these scenic backwaters of Kerala you are most welcome. But it is advisable to book the Kerala houseboat in an advance to avoid the last minute rush and to get handsome discounts from the travel and tour management companies. You will find several Alleppey houseboats along the shore and many others in different backwaters which will take you for a journey and offer you unique experince which one will hardly find in any other tourism destinations of the world.

Due to its uniqueness charm and attractions, BBC has tagged Backwater tours as top 10 must enjoy journey of lifetime. So what are you waiting for? Book one tailor made package from the leading tour operator and enjoy journey over these scenic water worlds and treasure remarkable experience to relish it for ever.

It is that Day of the Year Again!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas Everybody! This sound will be ringing inside your ears very soon as ‘That Day of the Year’ is just about to arrive. It is Christmas time again and one just cannot control his/her excitement. There is so much to be done. A Christmas tree has to be decorated, Carols to be practiced, Choirs to be sung with, Gifts to be bought, Relatives to be assembled, the Christmas Parade to be witnessed and so many movies and cartoons related to the day to be seen on TV. December 25 is just round the corner and preparations across the globe are on. The Birth of Jesus Christ will be commemorated by a Visit to the Nearby Church, after which the day is all set to be enjoyed and reveled in.

Preparations start a week earlier for what is said to be the most unnerving week of the year. This is the most anticipated day, as the day is meant to usher in a lot of happiness for the coming year. Christmas is the most celebrated day in the West. Fairytales have it that Christmas Eve is when Santa Claus is said to arrive through the Chimney at Midnight, on his sleigh pulled by his favorite reindeers; Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen. He is said to drop in gifts for the whole family, which the kids scamper through first when they wake up on Christmas.

Prayers are offered first in the Morning when families wake up to the occasion. They go to the nearby Church, pray for their well being, congratulate each other and get ready for the festivities. Christmas trees are decorated with stationary and lights with the Star being placed on top of the tree. Lots of gifts are kept under it, which eventually get unwrapped in the evening. Throughout the day, carols are sung and Jesus is praised.

One also gets to see the Christmas Parade during morning hours which contains many famous cartoon characters, meant for entertaining crowds and get broadcast on TV. The time is best to catch up with relatives and friends and enquire how life is. A lot of talk is preceded by intense preparations to celebrate and usually dinner too is had together; a multi course meal starting with soup, moving onto a dish and finally culminating with desert.

The familiar Sound can be recalled again in the night just before sleep…Ho! Ho! Ho!

Ayurveda Panchkarma: Wonders of India

Pancha Karma is the cornerstone to Ayurvedic management of disease. Pancha Karma is the process which gets to the root cause of the problem and corrects the essential balance of 'Tridosha' in body. Pancha Karma is not only good for alleviating disease but is also a useful tool in maintaining excellent health. Ayurveda advises undergoing Pancha Karma at the seasonal changes to clean the body, improve the digestion and to improve the metabolic processes.

Panchakarma is a Sanskrit word that means "five actions" or "five treatments".

This age-old science of purifying the body is an ancient branch of Ayurveda, The Treatment in Ayurveda consists of two main types.

One is Shaman Chikitsa, used to subdue the vitiated Doshas, due to which any ailments may be produced. It is administered by using various medicinal herbo-mineral preparations.

However, if the Doshas are vitiated beyond a particular level, they give rise to various endotoxins, which have a tendency to be accumulated in the minute channels. These are beyond the level of pacification and hence need to be eliminated or removed from the body. In such cases, the second type of treatment, which is Shodhan Chikitsa or cleansing therapy, is indicated. Since it consists of the five types of main therapies, it is known as the Panchakarma Chikitsa.

Panchakarma has been given a special place in all the ancient Ayurvedic texts. Aacharya Charak, the author of the most important ancient text on internal medicine, has described a wide use of Panchakarma therapy for almost all the major diseases. Two separate sections, Kalpa Sthanam, and Siddhi Sthanam in Charak Samhita describe the details of special decoctions and other preparations used for Panchakarma therapy.

Panchakarma includes three parts namely:

Paachan (Digestion)
Snehan (Internal and external oleation)
Swedan (Fomentation)

Panchakarma
1) Vaman: therapeutic vomiting or emesis
2) Virechan : purgation
3) Basti: enema
4) Nasya: elimination of toxins through the nose
5) Rakta moksha: detoxification of the blood

A Luxury Ride with Rajasthan Culture

Rajasthan’s Culture is one of the richest in the country and boats of a diverse heritage. The traditional demeanor might have been camouflaged under a curtain of cosmopolitanism, but the customary ambience still prevails and can be felt in interiors not infiltrated by modernity. In short, there are a lot of things in this Royal State which still remind people of the valor that once existed and the blood flowed during wars.

Perhaps, the quintessence of this land can only be felt during those tumultuous Camel Rides. Once you are on that animal, you will get to experience the place better. Whether it is a ride all across Pink City, strolling through the Sand Dunes of Jaisalmer, the majestic environment of Jodhpur, The Lake Palace of Udaipur, the forest reserves in Ranthambore or the Forts in Chittorgarh, all of them have something to tell about the ancient culture of Rajasthan that was once the spectacle lighting up the state.

When one travels by car to all those places that Rajasthan is known for, one can still see those men wearing turbans and playing that musical instrument with young girls dressed up in traditional Rajasthani dresses performing those conventional dance routines. The women sit by the roadside and sing songs where as children, especially girls singing songs to entertain the crowds gathered around to get a view of it.

The State of Royalty has been known for all those majestic palaces in and around the place. These can be seen all throughout the geographical landscapes as they are situated all over. One gets the experience of a lifetime by being around these sites as they are truly Rajasthani and make the visitor feel as if he is amongst all the Royalty that existed in the days of Yore.

Posted By: Long distance movers

Relaxing in Rishikesh

Rishikesh is a city in the Municipal Board of Dehradun District in Uttarakhand, India. The exact location is near somewhere the foothills of the Himalayas in North India. The place attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists every year, from within the country and overseas as well. It is considered to be a very auspicious place where devotees from all over simply pour in to revel in the majesty of the Divine Force. It is known as the gateway to the Himalayas and located about 25 kilometers away from Haridwar, another one of the holiest of cities in the country.

The place is named after one of the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu and means, ‘Lord of all Senses’. Hindu Mythology says that Lord Rama indulged in unbelievable penance here before he set out to slay the Evil Demon Ravana. The bridge that was constructed by the ‘Vaanar Sena’, the ‘Lakhsman Jhula’, still stands tall here. The bridge made up of Jute Rope initially has been duly replaced by an Iron Rope Suspension Bridge. This got washed away in floods many decades ago and was finally replaced by the bridge that exists right now.

From a relaxation point of view, there can be no better place than Rishikesh. There are plenty of Yoga Centers that teach Art of Living courses. The meditation taught here is one of the most renowned in the country and accounts for all the peace prevalent in modern times. They say it is the closest way to attain Moksha.

Apart from your spiritual side, you also get to unleash your adventurous side. Rishikesh is known to be world famous for all the rafting and para-gliding that one can indulge in a lifetime. There is a specific season when one can indulge in all of this and make it the most memorable experience of his lifetime. There are a lot of instructors available at this place acting as escorts who take a group of enthusiastic rafters in the raft over the roughest of watery terrains.

Relaxation is best done when done in Rishikesh. The place is one of the best and holiest where one gets all the peace of mind one can ever crave for. There is nothing but serenity amidst this divine place which is closer to the divine force and nature as well. Rishikesh is one of those few places where one gets a good mix of both divinity and natural marvel. You feel closer to God as well as get to feel close to nature. You can have the adventure you want by being at this place and will never really get to feel perturbed. That is the magic of Rishikesh, one that can only be felt when you visit and experience.

Travelling: Becomes a Delight with a Camera

How often do you travel without making any plans? Seldom, because the pre-travel hysteria is so much that you tend to lose the plot very badly. There are so many things to pack and so many of them in your list that you are mostly in a state of utter confusion. If one thing goes right, the other is wrong and if a couple of things go your way, a dozen of them are waiting to disappoint you. Whatever the case is in the whole process, the best thing you can do for yourself is carry your digital camera along. Ensure you have the Canon Wide Angle Lens fitted in it.

The thing with the Canon Wide Angle Lens is the bigger and wider picture you get to see through it. When you have it inside your camera, the normal view becomes larger and more glorified. You are able to see the object in front of you better. Moreover, it appears larger. Who would not want to capture or see a larger picture, which will eventually be taken home and shown to family? When you have a personal collection of such large pictures, you always find it easy to recall the memory and think all that you saw back then.

The Canon Wide Angle Lens is just like a prism. You get a larger view of the image in front of you. You get to see it clearly. You are able to look at it from close quarters. So close and proximity personified the look is that you marvel at the view in front of you. Whether you click at the clear sky, you click at the beach in front or you click at the Swans brushing up with the surface of the water, you click at the rain forests, you click at the rough terrain ahead whilst travelling or you click at anything, you get a clear wide picture of what is ahead.

Throughout the journey, the only thing you focus at is clicking and photographing. When you get to glance at something, your eyes suddenly swing towards the object and you feel like clicking and taking all the shots you possibly can. This is where your choice of lens matters. If it is good, your shots are wide and something you can marvel at. If they are bad, the only thing you do is get disappointed and hope for something better to come across the next time.

You just cannot afford to travel without your camera. You will constantly bump into so many things that if you forget to carry it with you, you will be left curing yourself for the rest of your life about not holding onto those shots which would potentially have left you with a dozen memories to look back on. Never rely on one lens for the whole act becomes capricious. Carrying your Canon Wide Angle Lens with you ensures you of some really fie photographs, snaps you would be very proud of in the future.

A Luxury Ride with Rajasthan Culture

Rajasthan’s Culture is one of the richest in the country and boats of a diverse heritage. The traditional demeanor might have been camouflaged under a curtain of cosmopolitanism, but the customary ambience still prevails and can be felt in interiors not infiltrated by modernity. In short, there are a lot of things in this Royal State which still remind people of the valor that once existed and the blood flowed during wars.

Perhaps, the quintessence of this land can only be felt during those tumultuous Camel Rides. Once you are on that animal, you will get to experience the place better. Whether it is a ride all across Pink City, strolling through the Sand Dunes of Jaisalmer, the majestic environment of Jodhpur, The Lake Palace of Udaipur, the forest reserves in Ranthambore or the Forts in Chittorgarh, all of them have something to tell about the ancient culture of Rajasthan that was once the spectacle lighting up the state.

When one travels by car to all those places that Rajasthan is known for, one can still see those men wearing turbans and playing that musical instrument with young girls dressed up in traditional Rajasthani dresses performing those conventional dance routines. The women sit by the roadside and sing songs where as children, especially girls singing songs to entertain the crowds gathered around to get a view of it.

The State of Royalty has been known for all those majestic palaces in and around the place. These can be seen all throughout the geographical landscapes as they are situated all over. One gets the experience of a lifetime by being around these sites as they are truly Rajasthani and make the visitor feel as if he is amongst all the Royalty that existed in the days of Yore.

Dipawali Celebrations in India

Dipawali or Diwali is supposedly the biggest festival in the Republic of India amongst all religions, casts and creed. It is said to be the brightest festival, marking the end of evil and ushering mankind into a new era of happiness and prosperity. The festival of lights is not only celebrated in India but also in countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and the Fiji Islands. It is celebrated as a national holiday there.

The Day of Dipawali is the day when Lord Rama returned back to his Kingdom of Ayodhya after slaying the Evil Demon Ravana of Lanka. He came back with his Wife who had been held hostage by Ravana. Also with him came his younger brother Lakshmana and the Monkey God Hanuman. For those who have embraced Jainism as their religion, Dipawali is the day when Lord Mahavira attained Moksha back in 527 BC. Sikhs celebrate Dipawali as their day when Guru Har Gobind Ji returned to Amritsar after setting free 52 Hindu Kings imprisoned by Emperor Jahangir in Fort Gwalior.

The day is called in a very huge manner in India. The whole country gets decorated in lights and illumination like a bride and crackers are burst all around. Diyas are lit all over and the Goddess is prayed to for Divine Intervention to seek her blessings. The day is marked as the one when one prays to have all the sorrows jettisoned from one’s life creating room for only happiness and joy to flow in.

This is the time when the whole country is lit up with fireworks and it becomes very tough to see a clear sky. The celebrations start from the eve and go onto till a few days after the festival as well. The whole week is counted as auspicious and said to be very special for everyone.

According to Hindu Philosophy, this is the day when one gets the chance of a lifetime to take notice of the inner light that is existent inside a person. The day is marked when one gets rid of all ignorance and prays for all obstacles to leave life. A Grand Lakshmi Puja happens on this day in every household. The whole house is decorated with diyas and candles and the Puja is done on a very resounding note. The Goddess is prayed to from the heart and asked for forgiveness apart from being prayed to for lots of happiness, prosperity and wealth within home.

India is a religious land where one thinks a lot about such festivals and makes it a point to categorically celebrate the same as well. Lots of lights, sweets being distributed all over and wishes being exchanged make for a quintessential Dipwali or Diwali. One cannot honestly ask for more as the festival gives a person everything he asks for. You get all the joys flowing in at once and people hugging and embracing each other to call in this wonderful festival that marks a new phase in life.