Indore - A Heaven for Foodies

INDORE - The Commercial Capital of Central India. It is the largest and the most populous city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. 

It is considered to be an Educational Hub as it's the only city with campuses of both - Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and has state's top ranked Engineering and Medical Colleges.

Indore is also the home of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) and Madhya Pradesh Table Tennis Association (MPTTA). Indore is the fourth largest centre of Cotton Textile Industry in India.

But what makes Indore truly amazing and a great travel destination is its rich Food Culture. The life in Indore starts with Chai (Tea), Poha and Jalebi. Indore's love affair with food is legendary. The flavours of Indore's diverse kitchens have a lot to offer to a Gastronomer.

Being famous for its food and cuisine, the culinary culture of Indore is a blend of Rajasthani, Gujarati and Maharashtrian influence. It is especially popular for its street food. Two of the traditional foodlands for street food in Indore are Chappan Dukan and Sarafa Bazaar which serves a variety of spicy and sweet mouthwatering food to fuel and satiate the city's irrepressible appetite.

SARAFA BAZAAR is largely an area for selling jwellery but it converts into a street food market which comes alive every night at 8PM. No visit to Indore is complete without a sarafa visit in the evening. One look at the goodies on offer and you will understand why this place is so high on a foodie's pedestal. The place bustles in the night with plethora of food stalls offering the best chats of India. It has Indore's specialities like Pav Bhaji, Aaloo Tikiya, Sabudana Khichdi, Dosa (of every type), Potato twisters, Malpua, Garadu, Gulab Jamun, Dahi Bada, Jalebas (King size Jalebis), Shikanji, Rasmalai, Makke Ka kis, Chole Tikiya, every type of paan (ice, fire, smoke, chocolate) and you can even Pani-Puri in 10 different flavours.

Can this get any better!

CHAPPAN DUKAAN (56 Shops) is located at the Heart of the City which is packed with food stalls on both sides of the street. It is the most celebrated foodies landmark where you find snacks in abundance! This place is quite literally a food treasure trunk with Chinese, Mexican, Italian, North Indian and South Indian delicacies. With so many varieties you have a sizable number of options to try.

These two destinations should be at the top of your food itinerary whenever you visit to Indore. The Lip smacking delicacies will make you fall irrevocably in love with Indore.

Scrumptious is a word that delights every foody soul. This is the word that comes to mind when you step into Indore's food market to satisfy your hunger pangs. This buzzing city could stake it's claim on the top slot for being the food capital of India. It is a place that beckons food lovers to return again and again for its unique offerings. Not only the street food but you'll be surprised to visit all the exclusive cafes and restaurants with their own distinctive taste and style. You can find Lover's Cafe, Horror Cafe, Airplane Cafe, Forest Cafe, Sports Bar, Entertainment Park and that's just a start.

Indore is like a Disneyland of Food for Foodies. The food is an amalgamation of recipes from the neighbouring states with Indori touch which once tasted will have you smiling all day. So to keep indoris food spirit alive and quell our cravings, an organisation known as INDORI ZAYKA actively promotes various food destinations of Indore.

They are also known for organising central India's biggest food fest known as INDORE FOOD CARNIVAL popularly known as Indore Ka Tyohar which is a three day fest of food, fun & entertainment. With more than 50 variety of food stalls, musical performances, shopping stalls, cultural program, extravagant games, open air DJ and various fun filled activities, it ended up with a record breaking attendance of 45k+ people including foreigners.

As it's established now that people in Indore are the biggest Foodies ever. Be it Pani Puri, Aloo Kachori, Johnny Hot Dog, Ghamandi Lassi, Khopra Patis - Indories will gobble them without a Burp!

So for indoris to indulge in this food extravaganza again, Indori Zayka organizes a FOODWALK every few months where for 2 days you get to visit 12 enticing food destinations and indulge in all the mouthwatering dishes they have to offer.

Another Appetizing offer for indoris is the PANIPURI FESTIVAL that offers every unique fusion of Pani Puri you can think of on a silver platter.

Therefore if you are a foodie, you will love this city and if you're not, you'll definitely become one when you visit Indore.

PS Facts that make Indore EK NUMBER -

- It has been ranked as India's cleanest city for four consecutive years.

- Indore is holding two Guinness World Records, for holding the largest Tea Party in the World and for making the largest Burger in the World.

- Indore has a unique tradition called GAIR celebrated on Rangpanchami. It is more like the Tomatina Festival played with colours. Colours are sprinkled over the huge crowd and then water is splashed through a cannon to get everyone drenched.

- The love for SEV  is incomparable. Indoris cherish their Sev. If you don't believe me, have a look at this innovation - Pizza with extra Sev Toppings or Sev Cake.

- Indore's love for CRICKET is quite known as it's the only city in the world to have a World Cup Square with a huge statue of the world cup as well as a huge concrete Cricket Bat Statue with names of all the players of Indian cricket team that won the 1971 series against West Indies.

- Indoris have a fantastic lingo, here people do speak Hindi but the accent and eloquence is out of this world. It's a place where Haan becomes Hao, Bhai becomes Bhiyaoo or Bawa, Mujhe becomes Meko or Mereko. 

(Uniqueness at its best)

- An Indoris love for CHAI is unmatched!

PPS Foodie Heaven has an Address - It's Indore.

HOW TO SURVIVE - Work From Home

Off to work? In the current scenario it means rolling out of the bed, sauntering towards your laptop and firing it up.

If you don't live under a rock then you must be aware that due to the spreading of the novel virus, major cities look like ghost towns with empty streets, offices, stores. Lockdown and quarantine is the standard response to avoid catching or transmitting the virus.
This results in demand for home based workforce getting the job done while being connected through computer networks.

Working from home can be highly productive for both employers and employees and with video chats, conference calls, VPN networks and wireless internet, we can constantly stay connected as though we are working from office.

As of now it is realistic to assume that shifting to the "Home Office" is the new normal for many of us for a while especially as coronavirus has reached its pandemic status. Home based work comes with its own distractions in the form of other people who live with you, pets (if any), household chores,etc. Also the lack of proper office space, constant supervision, prioritized schedule, it is easy to get distracted and get very little done.

Also for some people it's difficult to work or perform efficiently without supervision. It may lead to feelings of isolation. Loneliness can make people feel less motivated and less productive. And for some the situation can be exact opposite as when you live in your office, it's easy to overwork.
But doing too much at home can be as problematic as doing too little. A balance needs to be maintained otherwise the work life may bleed into your home life, physically and mentally.

Well remote working is not all sunshine and daisies, So here are a few ideas or practices to make the most of  this situation. Let's grab a snack & dive-in:

- Create a Workplace
If you want to stay on track and get things done, you need to have a place of work so instead of lying on your bed with a laptop, try to create a proper space for yourself to be more productive. Whether it's a separate room, a fully stocked desk, or a clean part of your kitchen table for your laptop with a comfortable chair - these can relay a message to your brain that you need to work productively and avoid distractions. It is important to be comfortable, as if you are not comfortable you are likely to find excuses to get up and go somewhere else.

- When you're working, Act like it
Dressing for work helps to set the right mental note plus it avoids the awkwardness of being dialed into a virtual meeting while you're still in your pyjamas. So, take a shower and get dressed, treat it like a job. It also involves giving yourself some time to have coffee/breakfast before checking in rather than waking up at 7:59 to check in at 8 a.m.

- Need for Routine
Some people are night owls and work better late, similarly some are morning people who like to get things done early. It doesn't matter what you prefer, what matters is that you have a routine and you follow it to get your work done. As it is said - Humans are a creature of Habit and Routine helps us both mentally and physically in achieving our goals. One just needs to make sure that your daily routine shouldn't affect your communication between your teammates.

- Manage your Time
It is easy to procrastinate while you are working from home, effective time management will help in prioritizing key tasks and a to do list can help in aloting time required to perform each task and once completed the pleasure of crossing tasks off your list can help you stay motivated. To keep your brain on work mode, you need to avoid doing non work tasks during your work time. For Eg: Schedule a separate time to do laundry or to cook instead of tackling it while you're finishing a presentation.

- Set Boundaries
Your family, friends and colleagues need to know that just because you are working remotely, it doesn't mean that you are free all the time. Your schedule for WFH will include your office work as well as your personal life as you can't ignore the other commitments in your life like taking care of your child, having some "Me Time", etc. It's important for your friends and family to know your schedule and respect it so that you're not disturbed during your work hours (by family & friends) and during your family time (by colleagues).

- Keep Spirits up
These are stressful times with negative headlines, worrying about sick and elderly loved ones, these can put answering the work mails in the back burner. To avoid the negative feelings from overpowering us, we need to communicate with colleagues, friends, family members. One needs to find ways to motivate themselves to work positively and productively.
"It's easy to be sad and depressed these days, so if you are a manager or a team leader, your job is to lighten things up & be a cheerleader for your team to keep their spirits up".

- Crank up the Communication
Remote working might seem like a solo experience but the key to working from home is clear communication with your boss to know exactly what is expected of you. Communication was effortless while working in the office due to the close proximity to the boss and colleagues but now one might need to go for other sources like Skype, zoom, Google Hangouts, etc. One can have virtual pizza parties, celebrate birthdays, give public praise for projects completed, can have casual conversations. It's a good way to bond - kind of weird but everybody is feeling weird, so it's fun. It adds a little bit of levity to an otherwise difficult environment.

- Minimize Distractions
Distractions can come in various forms, be it housework, interruptions from family and friends or the most common one - Mobile phone. I know staying away from your phone is a very difficult task but you can alot time slots for checking your phone as it's not necessary to check your notifications every minute, or to check who's online, or how many people have commented on a video you shared. These things need to be on a backseat while you're working. For Eg: There is a presentation you need to complete so once you're halfway you can cut yourself some slack and check your phone for ten minutes then get back to work mode.

- Reward Yourself
Think of the time when you were a little child and your parents used to give you treats for good behaviour or for completing a task. You can do the same, do not let yourself work to the bone & reward yourself by taking a break from screens, meetings & work. You can take a 15 min. walk, catch up with a friend on the phone, make yourself a coffee, take a short nap. These short breaks will improve your productivity level & help you perform better & faster.

Remote working may cause irritation but in the grand scheme of things it may be beneficial too, as it allows you to be close to your family, give them time which you weren't able to do before i.e have meals with them 3 times a day, playing with your kids during breaks, etc.

Some days all of the above may go out of the window so it's time for a cheesy mantra - Be Kind to Yourself.
You're not simply working from home, you're working from home in the middle of a global health crises, so don't be hard on yourself and just try to get through the day as best as you can.

PS - Sending you a Virtual Hug 😉

10 Things everyone should learn from Mahabharata

Mahabharata is an Indian epic, one of the biggest epic known to mankind which is full of Wisdom and Knowledge.

Mahabharata illustrates the LAW OF KARMA, it explains how the actions of one generation can affect the other generations as well. No one can escape the results of their own Karma and every action has its consequences, one that is intended and another which is unintended.
For example - The impulsive oath taken by Bhishma (Devavrata) when he vows to remain celebate so that Satyawati's heir can rule the kingdom, it was due to his devotion towards his father but it led to dire consequences as that very act was the source of the dispute between Kauravas and Pandavas which eventually led to the great war.

Similarly, the choices made under the influence of Lust, Ego, Greed, Pride are deadly and always has multiple negative effects.

Behind the great war, lies an infinite pool of lessons and teachings. So according to me, the 10 things that everyone should learn from Mahabharata are:

1. Stand by what's right, no matter what or who is against you.
~ Arjuna was initially hesitant to wage war against his kin but then Lord Krishna reminded him that one must follow the path of Dharma (Duty) even if it meant going against your own family. Similarly, parshuram agreed to fight Bheeshm (his student) in a one on one war to get justice for Amba. Even if you are a great warrior or leader, you won't be considered a great individual unless you take a stand against wrong things. Duryodhan and durshasana would have never committed such a great sin of insulting draupadi if not for the silence of Bheeshm, Dronacharya, Karna and the whole Sabha.

2. Half Knowledge can be very dangerous
~  Abhimanyu rivalled his father in terms of skills. We all remember him for his bravery and courage, no one could defeat him through fair means, so they used his incomplete knowledge regarding chakravyuha as a weapon to get rid of him.

3. Passion - No one can stop you, if you are passionate about what you do.
~ Arjuna was known to be the greatest archer in the whole world but Eklavya was even better than him, he hid beneath the trees to learn everything that drona taught Arjuna as drona refused to accept him as a student due to fact that he didn't belong to a Kshatriya family. His passion for archery and hunger for knowledge made him the most skilled archer in the whole world.

4. Don't be swayed by greed
~ Gambling is never acceptable. Look at what it did to Yudishthira, what did he win out of his greed, the answer is NOTHING. Infact he lost everything, his kingdom, wealth, his brothers, wife. To gamble a woman is the biggest sin. All this could have been avoided if he had stopped when he knew that things were going too far and all he needed to do was to simply accept his defeat.

5. Quality > Quantity
~ The Pandavas won due to the master plan and various strategies deviced by Lord Krishna. There is no way they would have faced victory if not for him. And when given the chance, Duryodhan chose the Narayani Sena over KRISHNA. So he had a large Sena but still he was the one who lost as what is the use of large amount of resources if you don't know how to manage them.

6. Learn to learn, throughout your life
~ The most admirable quality of Arjuna would be his habit of accepting all that came his way. He never stopped learning and growing. His obedience, will, focus, determination made him one of the greatest warrior of his time. Not only did he learn about military science from Drona, Divine weapons from Indra, Pashupatastra from Mahadev, he considered Krishna as his mentor and received the ultimate gyan in terms of Bhagvad Gita.

7. Think before you speak
~ One must always choose their words wisely as we cannot take back what we have already spoken. Draupadi insulted Karan during her swayamwar by asking him about his caste also she used harsh words towards Duryodhan saying that "The son of a Blind is blind too" when he slipped due to illusion of land and water in Mayapuri. That very action of hers enraged Duryodhan into taking an oath to seek vengeance which he did in the form of insulting her in the worst way possible (her cheerharan).

8. Revenge consumes all.
~ Revenge and hatred can lead to only one thing : Destruction. Shakuni's hatred towards Bheeshma due to the unfairness done to his sister was the reason for his sinister plans which led to the kurukshetra war and ultimately to the death of not only himself, but also his sons, nephews and millions of other people.

9. As you sow so shall you reap.
~ One will always face the results or consequences of his/her actions. When Lord Krishna was hurt, draupadi tied a cloth on his hand to prevent it from bleading. Similarly when kauravas attempted to dishonour her by trying to disrobe her, Lord Krishna saved her honour by robing her. All the kauravas died in the kurukshetra war as a result of their adharma (Draupadi's cheerharan, Attempting to murder pandavas multiple times). The same way Shikhandi (reincarnation of Amba) was the cause of bheeshm's death as bheeshm was the reason of Amba misfortune, she was rejected by her family and her chosen husband (Salva) when bheeshm abducted her and her sisters during their Swayamvar.

10. Friendship - An Eternal Bond
~ The Pandavas had Lord Krishna and The Kauravas had Karna. Both always backed the two parties whenever needed. The pandavas managed to survive the war with Lord Krishna's unconditional support. It was lord Krishna who came to draupadi's rescue while her husband gambled her to disgrace as then he was protecting his Sakhi.

The discussion will not be finished without mentioning one very important character.
There is one person who was admired the most, may be due to his generosity, kindness or due to fact that life was unfair to him since birth - KARNA. He was the prime example who taught us that being good is important but one should know when to stop being good as the world is an evil place and people will take advantage of your kind nature if you let them. Duryodhana used him all the time knowing that Karna values his friendship the most. Even Indra Dev took advantage of his generosity by asking him his Kavacha and Kundalam so that his son Arjuna can defeat Karna in the war.
So, it's better to admire Karna for his nobility and courage from a distance but we'd rather not follow his footsteps.

In the end, our goal must be to follow the path of Dharma, do what your conscience tells you, it liberates you from all bonds and one can do anything as long as the intentions are good as did Lord Krishna when he asked Arjuna to kill Karna when he was vulnerable or when he asked yudishthir to lie to protect dharma.

Moral : Life is not fair on Anybody, so its unfairness doesn't gives us a license to walk on the path of Adharma. Everyday is a chance to change your life so don't let hurdels stop you from achieving your goals.