SELF DEFENCE

Personal protection takes many forms, so there is a wealth of information available for those wishing to explore the various approaches to individual safety. Martial arts training and other defensive strategies help people stay safer while reinforcing confidence in everyday situations.  Various defense tactics are widely discussed online, including basis ways to keep you and your family safe.  These blogs cover a range of personal defense strategies and highlight the individual opinions of some of today’s leading personal defense experts.

 Functional Self Defense – Realistic Modern Defense – The message here is to promote personal safety through awareness and preparedness.  To prevent attacks and respond in the best ways possible when they do occur, visitors are encouraged to explore free information available on the site.  Tutorials and photographs take the subject to heart, illustrating effective self-defense methods for individuals. Articles cover wide-ranging subjects that relate to personal defense, as well as other varied topics of personal interest to the author. The thought-provoking pieces stimulate personal defense ideas among readers.

Women’s Self Defense Boston – Women face unique perils, which require them to pay particular
attention to specific approaches to personal safety.  Since they are equipped differently than their male counterparts, and since many of their attackers will be men, women are trained to take advantage of their own strengths and to de-escalate attacks by removing their disadvantages.  Krav Maga training provides the backbone of the Women’s Self Defense philosophy that helps them stay safe, using scenario-based training to create real-life dramatizations of attack situations women might encounter on the street.  By role-playing and moving through the motions of successfully thwarting attacks, women stand ready when they actually occur.  The blog discusses several ways to use repetitive training to synch the mind with the body’s ability to respond to threats.

HEALTH AND FITNESS FOR BUSY PEOPLE

Life races past at 100mph and staying healthy and keeping fit can be an uphill struggle when you’re busy. Here are 10 tips that will help you to find time so that you can keep in tip-top shape.

1-The list

A great way to focus your time on the things you value, such as staying healthy and fit, is to create a list of everything you’d like to do in your free time, such as watching your favorite TV series or running. Once you’ve got your list, number each activity in terms of how much of a priority it is for you, starting at number one and working your way down. At the end of this task, you’ll have a list of the activities you value. Try to always fit in at least one of your top three priorities per day, even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

2-Less can be more

You do not always have to exercise for an hour to reap the benefits and as soon as you understand this you will be able to exercise more regularly, even when you have a jam-packed day. For example, you can do four minutes of kettlebell exercises, four minutes of abs work, and two minutes of squats and lunges.

3-optimum food

When you’re busy your diet can suffer and vending machines, pizzas, and takeaways can become too much of a regular occurrence. To make sure you’re getting the right nutrition make sure you always have a good stock of foods that deliver the maximum health benefits to hand. For example, tomatoes (good for your heart), spinach (good for your brain), blueberries (good for your cholesterol), salmon (good for weight loss), and pumpkin seeds (good for your memory) are hugely nutritious and will keep you full.

4- pick a healthy hotel

A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that people who travel away for work more than 20 times per month were 1.92 times more likely to be obese and 2.61 times more likely to feel like they had poor to fair health than those workers who only traveled for six times per month. If you travel away from home for work try to book hotels with gyms, healthy menu options and when you are there avoid comfort eating and instead reward yourself in other ways.

5- Relax

When you are chasing a day full of meetings with a busy evening your stress levels are probably sky-high and stress has a terrible impact on your health and wellbeing. Therefore one of the best things you can do to stay healthy and fit is to learn how to relax. If you don’t have time to meditate or take a hot bath, studies have found that even the anticipation of laughter can help us to relax and reduce stress levels in the body. So, take a look at some funny Youtube videos to help you unwind.

Here are some hacks to remain healthy and fit:

1- make it your priority

If you are not fit and healthy then you will never be happy with your professional, social, and personal life. You will not be able to enjoy any of your accomplishments. Avoid keeping your diet and exercise as your last priority. If you are fit and healthy then you will become more efficient and productive.

2- Find ways to exercise

If you don’t have a single second to exercise then find ways to exercise in your daily routine of work. You can take stairs instead of an elevator. You can stand instead of sitting. There are many ways in which you can find an alternative to exercise in your daily routine.

3-Regular health checkup

With your busy schedule, you don’t give enough attention to your health and it goes down on your priority list with every passing day. Schedule a regular visit to a doctor to know your current health status and how you can further improve on it. It’s better to be proactive rather than to completely neglect the situation. Better you feel, better you will be able to cope with your busy life.

4-Social circle

It is easier to live a healthy lifestyle if the people around you are on the same level as you. It’s a psychological thing in humans if you see someone doing something you also get the urge to the same thing. Have a group circle of people who are also into fitness and want to live a healthy life.


EXERCISE AS SELF-CARE

1.   Exercise doesn’t have to mean going for a run or to the gym. Any activity counts. The goal is to avoid sitting for prolonged periods. Let go of the idea that it needs to be an hour of the aerobics class or spinning or a several-mile powerwalk or run. It doesn’t! There are great benefits from all activities for any amount of time: it all adds up.

2.  Exercise can fit into the busiest workday. If you have to go to another floor, take the stairs. Try walking across the office to chat with a colleague, instead of sending an email. Someone going for coffee? Go with them. Your next meeting? Make it a walking meeting, especially if it’s nice out. If all you can do is stand up from your desk every half-hour and stretch, maybe walk around your office, then do that.

3.  Keep track of what you do. If you have a wearable step-counter, this can be a fun way to keep track of your activity and your progress. If you realize you haven’t moved much one day, then try to get up and move around more. Invent a reason to go for a walk. It can be motivating to see how your stamina (in steps and flights) improves over time.

TRIP TO MANALI

Life is a long road we travel, from experiencing the beauty of a path filled with flowers to continue the journey with hard rocks beneath our legs. Many times there is any uncertainty in our way which has an either sweet or bitter taste.

Well, in my case the roads turned out to be a thrilling one, there was a great gush of my adrenaline with every moment my chartered bus traveled along its way to Manali. There was a mixed feeling of excitement and guilt as the dream of going on a lone journey was finally coming true with the fact that my family still supposed that I was doing my internship in Delhi.

The bus continued along its way taking sharp turns every other minute and I saw a beautiful yet scary face of nature that was welcoming me and at the same time challenging with narrow roads and deep valleys. The long boredom of my internship had finally been broken and I felt wondered at how the ‘untouched’ songs from the playlist of my cell phone were making me feel amazed as if revealing their beauty to which I finally surrendered to sleep.”Cherry lenge bhaiya, Himachal ki special h” broke my sleep as I saw a group of mature women standing beside my seat in the bus who were as energetic as the chilling morning winds and their face as red and welcoming as the cherries they were selling. It was 7 AM in the morning and I was 80 kilometers away from Manali, 40 Km from the Kullu Valley. After the minute hand of my wristwatch completed its two rounds, I reached Manali.

A serene town located amidst the ‘aanchal’ of the Himalayas. Manali had everything it takes to describe ‘someone’ beautiful. In this case, the indefinite pronoun was a city where my shoes had just stepped in. I checked-in at a Backpacker hostel ‘The Lost Tribe’. After a refreshing breakfast, I started my journey. On my expedition to explore the Himalayas, I turned my way towards a 2 Km long trek which led its way towards the Hidimba temple. The ancient temple which was named after Hidimba Devi, the wife of brave Pandava ‘Bhima’ and the mother of ‘Ghatotkach’. A three-storeyed building built with rocks and wood, it stood proudly with skeletons of many animals on its wall. Thoughts of YJHD were being recollected in my mind as I made the way to ‘Clubhouse’. Like any other clubhouse, it had video games, discs, and indoor sports. The only thing I liked was boating as excluding that, all things there seemed mundane.

The hostel indeed was the best in quality. After dinner, we sat around a bonfire sharing stories with each other. The guy next to me was a Canadian who explained the beauty of India experienced by him in his two months-long journey. There were stories from a Hyderabadi Guy who was on a mission to finish visiting all the states of India before turning thirty to a young Irish couple who were expressing their love in a unique way, by traveling. Stories continued from a group of ‘Royal Enfield’ travelers who returned from their Ladakh trip to my story of coming alone after leaving my internship in between.

The night grew darker and the beats of the songs with headphones on my ears were even louder. Indeed a mesmerizing view was there in front of me looking like a perfect scenery with the light of the huts flickering in the dark backgrounds of the mountains. It looked like a perfect bouquet of lights like showing many colors of life, some vibrant, some dull but in the end, a very beautiful picture soothing my eyes. The songs of ‘Coldplay’ and ‘The Beatles’ echoed in the silence. While probably other people in Manali were making out love that night, I made peace with nature.

The second day started with a soul full of 

energy as I made my way towards the Beas River. Sitting by the riverside and contemplating the mountains was the best feeling I ever had. The cold water kept flowing as if telling to never stop but to move on. The sun rose from the mountains and the quote ‘Rise and Shine’ never felt that real earlier. The great Himalayas stood high resembling the might and power it held within, yet very gentle and humble giving shelter to prolific wildlife. The precious stones along the riverside were shining brightly on my behalf for giving this precious gift from God, ‘Life’.I continued exploring Manali and went to Solang valley for paragliding. It’s amazing how we felt in childhood when birds could fly and we wondered if we had wings. It came true for me as I jumped from a breathtaking height. Those few moments in the sky were moments of thrill and adventure in my life. As if the time had stopped and high I stood, up above the world. It was incredible looking down from such a height, seeing myself float above the Earth, suspended by nothing but a canopy and a harness. Finally the evening embarked on my visit to the beautiful Buddhist monasteries. The Gadhan Tekchoking Gompa is situated on Mall road. If you still were not connected to nature, this is the place to find your soul. The beautiful idol of Lord Buddha with the aromatic fragrance of the Tibetan incense laid an enchanting charm on me that made me lure to visit the place again. The next day was probably the brightest of all. As I said, people here have something different, something beautiful within them. How could luck so favor me, that I met a girl Gautami. A girl in her mid-twenties whose eyes sparkled like a diamond as if celebrating every moment of being alive, talking non-stop. An accident meeting at the first place, she made me visit old Manali. An enthralling village that has beautiful cafes with sophisticated names and local shops lined on both sides of the road. Many foreigners gravitate towards the beauty of Old Manali.

A tranquil place located amidst snow-capped mountains with apple orchards and traditional houses made with mud and woods. Sloshing river adds more to the feeling of solace. She made me visit many cafes, the ambiance of all of those was unique in their own way. It’s amazing when you meet a girl who exactly resembles the one whom you loved so much. In every way from her gentle yet captivating smile to her ‘non stop talking’ way in which she defined the beauty of Manali to me. That day made me nostalgic and it was one of the best days of my life. We still talk, though on WhatsApp.

Finally, it was time for me to bid adieu to the wonderful place that will dominate my mind for a long time. I came from Manali but probably left a little piece of mine there. New learnings, some cool friends were all that Manali gifted to me. You travel to let your soul free, finding real peace. Probably, a travel bug had bitten me, whose poison still brings a smile on my face.

LORD SHIVA AND THE CANNABIS

Whenever I think of Mahadev Shiva (lord of the lords), I imagine him as an eternal power, an in-charge who takes care of people on earth and a problem solver when a conflict arises between gods.
Shiva is considered as one of the supreme forms of gods who can save nearly everything from falling apart. Being regarded as a ‘destroyer’ symbolizes his massive power, he is one of the three in ‘Trimurti’. I see him as a yogi who lives a simple life in mount Kailash very well known as Kailash Parvat. He is called by several names like Neelkanth, Gangadhar, Aghod, Gauri Nath, Rudra, and thousands more. He dislikes greed, arrogance, and hypocrisy. He is an undemanding God that anybody around this globe can please him just by chanting his name with a pure heart and can make Shiva answer his/her prayers. He is the complex amalgamation of all the qualities:

. He is ascetic as well as a family person.
. Beautiful but terrifying as well.
. He is the dancer (Natraj) but can be absolutely still.
. God worships him, but demons & negative energies are also devoted to him.
. He lives in a green forest but meditates in burial ground & burning bodies.

Unfortunately, some people mislead Lord Shiva by picturizing him as smoking pot and consuming a Bhang (cannabis). I entirely agree with people associating Shiva with a Bhang, but the question is why he is related to it? Cannabis is one of the most sacred plants, and it is written in the fourth Veda that relieves anxiety. Thus, being a sacred plant, it is used as a spiritual and religious plant.

Moreover, during the ‘Samundra Manthan’, a lethal poison named ‘Halahal’ was released, which was so poisonous that it could end the entire creation. To avoid that to happen, Lord Shiva consumed whole poison on his own, and later to cool him down, gods offered him Bhang (cannabis). So, if you are consuming it over his name then always remember he also exemplifies a trademark of qualities as well, be it giving utmost respect to his wife (Shakti/Parvati Maa), generosity, mellowed, wearing a tiger skin (not precious pieces of jewelry as other gods are depicted in mythological books) implies his simplicity, and whatnot.

So, if you are a true Lord Shiva disciple, and want him to show you the right path, then admire & follow his positivism as well. Then you will see, he will do immeasurably more than what you had wanted or imagined. And no matter how hard the time gets, always look up to him with pure intentions, and he will do the rest. Lastly, I would request you to be a ‘Shivaholic’ not an ‘Alcoholic’.

TRAVEL DIARIES

Delhi

Delhi, India’s capital territory, is a massive metropolitan area in the country’s north.In Old Delhi, a neighborhood dating to the 1600s, stands the imposing Mughal-era Red Fort, a symbol of India, and the sprawling Jama Masjid mosque, whose courtyard accommodates 25,000 people. Nearby is Chandni Chowk, a vibrant bazaar filled with food carts, sweets shops and spice stalls.

Jaipur

City in Rajasthan

Jaipur is the capital of India’s Rajasthan state. It evokes the royal family that once ruled the region and that, in 1727, founded what is now called the Old City, or “Pink City” for its trademark building color.

Agra

City in Uttar Pradesh

Agra is a city in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state. It's home to the iconic Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built for the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan’s wife.

Goa

State of India

Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea. Its long history as a Portuguese colony prior to 1961 is evident in its preserved 17th-century churches and the area’s tropical spice plantations. Goa is also known for its beaches, ranging from popular stretches at Baga and Palolem to those in laid-back fishing villages such as Agonda.

Mumbai

City in Maharashtra

Mumbai (formerly called Bombay) is a densely populated city on India’s west coast. A financial center, it's India's largest city.

Chennai

City in Tamil Nadu

Chennai, on the Bay of Bengal in eastern India, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. The city is home to Fort St. George, built in 1644.

Rishikesh

City in Uttarakhand

Rishikesh is a city in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand, in the Himalayan foothills beside the Ganges River.

Khana Khazana (खाना खज़ाना)

Lucknow Cuisine

Tunday Kababi

The Chowk outlet serves only beef kebabs while the Aminabad outlet serves both mutton and beef kebabs at a very cheap price. So eat as much as you want without burning a hole in your pocket!

Rahim’s Kulcha Nahari

Imagine tender pieces of meat marinated in an exotic spice rub and cooked overnight, stuffed into freshly baked tandoori kulche. After tunday kebabs, nahari kulcha is the second most famous food jewel of Lucknow food and cuisine.

Prakash ki kulfi

Lucknow food will never disappoint the ones with a sweet tooth. One of the major competitions in desserts is Prakash ki Kulfi. They serve only kulfi faloodas in their shop and it’s made within the blink of an eye!

Sharma Tea Stall

A visit to Lucknow is incomplete without a visit to Sharma Ji. The Bun-Makkhan is something to die for! Freshly baked buns smothered in homemade butter.

Makhan Malai Chowk

Winters are incomplete without makhan malai. It is conceptually similar to Old Delhi’s daulat ki chaat, but much more intense and flavourful. The dish in itself is light and fluffy.

Sheermal at Chowk

Sheermal or Shirmal is a very famous delicacy prepared in Lucknow.  It is a saffron-colored naan or flatbread. The dish is mildly sweet and made with milk, yeast, and maida.

Is there such thing as "UNBIASED REPORTING"?

What do we understand by the term ‘biased’?

 

Being biased is nothing but being prejudiced for or against someone or something. While biased can just mean having preference over one thing or another and thus it is synonymous with ‘prejudiced’, and the prejudice can be taken to the extreme level. Sometimes a person is so biased or leaning in one direction, that it’s hard to see the other position, creating unfairness in an argument or idea. Talking of unbiasedness, it is a term that should be coursing through the veins of every reporter, editor, or an anchor.

And therefore reporting implies that discovering of all facts and figures, selecting and presenting important facts and weaving a comprehensive story. Reporting is the main function in the world of journalism.

As we move forward, when we think of “UNBIASED REPORTING”, what’s the first that comes in our mind?

"UNBIASED NEWS”

What is “unbiased news”, new or noteworthy information of any recent event which doesn’t take any preferences? Well at least hypothetically speaking, unbiased news must be there and it is a realistic expectation as compared to what we presently see in India. I find Doordarshan to be the most unbiased of all. Though one can argue that Doordarshan may suppress the numbers of casualty or maybe pro-government in some independent news but barring some grey areas they have no business to do bashing one party over another. Public around the world overwhelmingly agree that the news should be unbiased especially in their coverage of political issues.

As to clear my point, is there any such thing as “UNBIASED REPORTING”?

Some protests or movements have more trouble than others in getting coverage.

WHAT DO WE WANT?
"UNBIASED REPORTING"!!

 This crisis of Indian media is writing a new history that recommends the death of journalism with constant manufactured opinion and no accountability. Media as propaganda is quite inherent to its functioning. News Anchors have become Judge and pass their judgment shamelessly without any ethical consideration.

The Indian public has been provided misinformation as a hard truth and they don’t know it as it has been done repeatedly.

So, therefore, it concludes that "UNBIASED REPORTING" should be there !!!

Unbiased reporting doesn't show prejudice between any positions which upholds the greater quality of a reporter. Many techniques are used to avoid bias reporting one is the disclosure of affiliations that may be considered as a possible conflict of interest and can cause the credibility of that news organization if not unbiased. This is especially apparent when a news organization is reporting a story with some relevancy to the news organization itself or to its own individuals or conglomerate.

Maintaining relationships during Social Isolation.

The global reaction to the COVID-19 virus has been known before, and it has quickly left the world in uncharted waters. Even though it’s necessary, keeping your distance from everyone outside of your household can quickly underscore just how important regular social interaction is for humans. If you’re trying to faithfully observe social distancing rules but you’re feeling that overwhelming need for interaction with others, here are some suggestions to maintain your relationships in social isolation.

                                                              VIDEO CALLS
 "There's just a deeper level of emotional intimacy and connection which can happen on video that basically can't happen just on the telephone" Video chats are all the craze during quarantine and with good reason. They enable conversation, are easy to adapt from pairs of individuals to larger groups It doesn’t matter if you’re linking up with an old college club, or connecting with your parents, video calls are a great way to stay in touch during a quarantine.

PHONE CALLS
 If you’re not feeling up for a visual element in your communication, you can still maintain that social lifeline by calling a friend or family member to see how they’re doing. If you’re tending to chores, watching the kids, or are preoccupied with some other activity, a phone call can be a great way to still get in touch. Simply pop on a headset, pull up your contacts, and give someone a call. They’ll appreciate the shout out.


TEXT MESSAGE
 For those relationships in your life that require less maintenance, text messaging is a lifesaver. While you can spend half an hour on the phone with two or three people per day, you can keep in touch with dozens of friends and family through the power of the texted word.


Whether you’re giving a beloved friend a quick phone call to check-in, or texting someone it’s important to put in the effort to maintain your relationships during social isolation.Face the social distancing challenge find ways to cultivate your social life, even from a distance.

Alleppey Backwater: Perfect Holiday destination

In our Kerala tour, a houseboat cruise in Kerala is a uniquely different experience that must not be missed. This is all about why I refer to this experience as ‘different’.



We got into the houseboat at 12 Noon from one of the jetties in Alleppey. The boat cruised along narrow canals where we saw the full glory of village life. People traveled in canoes to reach the mainland as many houses there do not have an approach road. Even children were using canoes the way we use cycles and bikes to move around. It was amazing! We passed by other boats and it was a delight to see the guests there having a ‘Wow’ expression on their faces. The boat stopped for lunch by 1 PM right in the middle of the lake, making us feel all the more awesome and by 5:30 PM, the boat was docked near its owner’s house. The boats usually have their own regular parking slots. The boat’s TV was connected to the cable in the owner’s house and we were able to watch television for some time.

We spent more time roaming around, though. By 8 PM, dinner was served, and we hit the bed by 10 PM. Let me tell you, sleeping on a floating boat is very different.
We got up in the morning to sounds from the village, songs from a temple nearby, the gentle thumps of village folk washing their clothes, and the squeals of children playing. It was an amazing experience! I wish I could get up like this every day! By 8 AM, we were done with our breakfast and we started cruising back to check out from the boat. We left the boat by 9 AM, and our remarkable trip came to an end.

My honest suggestion is this: book houseboats to experience something different, not to have all the luxuries you can find in a hotel. It is a different kind of experience, but definitely, not one to be missed in our Kerala tour packages.

FAKE MEDIA SCAMS

I

n the modern era, various social media are expeditiously revolving around us. Social media have changed the way the human interact. Our lives have become increasingly public even though we try to bound ourselves for sharing personal information. Personal information is today’s currency. Information on what you like, where you go, whom you are friends with, any information that describes, who you are is valuable data. The more someone knows about you, the more vulnerable you are. And it’s easier for someone to manipulate you or launch an attack on you when you have private information on an individual.

With everyday newer technology crawling its way into our lives, it comes with different pros and cons. 2019 has seen worldwide social media users grow to almost 3.5 billion. Facebook and YouTube have a staggering 2 billion active users, Instagram and WhatsApp have more than 1 billion active users, and LinkedIn and Twitter have more than 300 million users each and still counting.  Even though these online platforms have become our primary source of entertainment and indispensable part of our lives, they can pose serious threats if we aren’t careful. Scammers abound on social media.

With so many active users, popular social sites are scammer’s paradise. Scammers will entice you into clicking by posting sensational and emotional breaking news stories, sometimes capitalizing on a recent news event, or making up a fake, shocking new story. Their motive is to exploit these stories for any kind of possible financial gain.

There are several different types of tactics, scammers will use to try to lure into taking the bait. For example: - impersonating victims or family members of tragic events, selling souvenirs or memorabilia while claiming the proceeds will go directly to the charity, or by posting photos and videos and the event. As users, we should be wary of any activity which is not created by us on our social networking and digital platforms. Precaution is the only way by which we can save our digital world.