When loneliness chases me

As the day comes to an end

Silence takes me in it’s clutches

I enter into a world of peace

Loneliness knocks the door and asks me

I am here to be your companion for the rest of the time

Embrace me quickly in our arms or you will be the loser

My mind resents and tells me

Don’t surrender yourself to loneliness

You will be the loser forever

I hopelessly try to seek shelter

Under the umbrella of happiness

But loneliness pulls me back again

I feel disturbed, I feel shattered

I feel a void in the heart

It aches in pain and weeps in sorrow

Of the lost moments of happiness

I now surrender to loneliness again

And find shelter in its lap ......

The mighty Dudhsagar falls

It was only after I saw the movie ‘Chennai Express’, I fell in awe with the beauty of Dudhsagar Falls (the scene where the train stops). The milky white streams of water gushing down the rocks from a colossal height is something which I would love to experience in person one day. Ever since, I saw this beautiful creation of nature called the Dudhsagar Falls, I have developed an inquisitive mind about this waterfall located between the border of Goa and Karnataka. 

So, the first question which raises in my mind is ‘How was this giant milky white waterfall formed, is there any anecdote or ancient tale attached to it?’ Well, there is a very interesting mythological tale behind the creation of Dudhsagar. In ancient times, there lived a very powerful and wealthy king who ruled the Western Ghats. He had a beautiful daughter, who used to arrive here in summers to take a bath in a nearby lake located near the palace. Every day, after the princess took her bath, she had a habbit of having sugared milk in a jug made from pure gold. One day, the princess as usual was having sugared milk. Suddenly, she realized that a handsome prince was watching her from behind the bushes. The princess was quite embarrassed, as she was not in her proper clothes. She therefore, started to pour the milk all over her body in an effort to prevent her body from getting exposed. The sugared milk or the ‘Dudh’, hence started to flow down through the mountains and thus the Dudhsagar Falls was born.

Today, this crescent shaped milky white water fall is home to thousands of tourists and has been  declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

To reach Dudhsagar Falls, you can board the train Amaravati Express which leaves from Vasco da Gama every Saturday at 6.50 a.m and reaches the Dudhsagar Falls at 9.30 a.m.

Sarees- An Ethnic Indian Wear

If there is any Indian attire that describes the beauty of an Indian woman, then it is the saree. A Saree represents the rich culture and heritage of Mother India in the global dais. In the 21^st century, many new contemporary dresses have come up for women, but saree has continued to adorn women in the most elegant manner by bringing forth her feminity and is till today the most preferred Indian dress. 

There may be diversity in the culture of India, but Saree is the most frequently worn dresses on important occasions and festivals here. South Indians, Bengalis, Gujaratis, Rajasthanis, Marathis and Punjabis; people from every ethnicity, wear this fabulous Indian attire. Thus, we can say that a sari or a saree breaks all the cultural barriers and strengthens the bond between people of all religions.

Origin

The origin of sari in India dates back to 2800 BC, a period when the Indus Valley Civilization flourished in India. It is said that those times, people used to wear lion clothes which were long pieces of cotton fabrics. These clothes were worn in a particular way where one end was put just beneath the two legs in order to allow free movement of the body after wearing them. This particular way of draping a sari was known as the Kachcha style. 

Another interesting story related to the evolution of Saree is when the Aryans visited India for the very first time. They used to wear garments which were made of leather. In the subsequent periods, when they finally moved towards southern India, they adapted themselves to a new type of cloth known as saree. It was only worn by the females and was known as Neevi. 

Emergence

Until now, what was known as a simple piece of long cloth which could be draped around the body, the saree was making developments in terms of their appearance.  As Persians came to India, they introduced the art of weaving clothes and thus also incorporated this new styles in their clothes. The Persian women began to wear a short jacket which covered their bosoms and the upper parts of their body; it was known as choli. As time went by, Choli became very popular among the women and it was worn by them as well as girls of all religions and classes.   Thus, this new trend of wearing cholis soon graduated to the next level as skilled craftsmen began to adorn them with precious metals and gems.

Modern day Sarees

Today, the picture is quite different from what it was during the first time when saree came into use. Not only has the material used in sarees change, but the way a saree is draped has also undergone immense metamorphosis. A variety of sarees are available today in the market like Georgette Sarees, Embroidery Sarees, Chiffon Sarees, Printed Sarees. You will be amazed to know that a saree can be worn in more than 108 ways. It is a must to wear dress for an Indian bride on marriage and moreover the saree is also emerging as one of the most stylish garments.

 

Delhi- A Foodie’s Delight

Delhi, the historical capital city of India, where tourists arrive from every nook and corner of India as well as abroad to get a glimpse of the colonial India has another side to it. The delicious food of the city cannot be ignored by any foodie. Starting from Kebabs to Alu Chats or the Gol Gappas, you can relish here some of the finest food which you will rarely find in any other states of India. The mouth watering and delicious preparations will surely leave you asking for more.

Hence, it would not be wrong to call Delhi, the Mecca of food and it is definitely a foodie’s delight. 

If you want to enjoy some really scrumptious food in Delhi, then do not forget to visit these places. 

Chandni Chowk: Ask any Delhiite about good food and the first place which comes out of his or her mouth is Chandni Chowk. Paranthas, Lassi, Idli, Dossa, Ice cream, Chole Bathure and the list goes on. You can find here anything and everything you want to satisfy your hungry tummy. Visit Karim’s for non-veg food items, head towards the Paranthe Wale Gali to taste lip smacking veg- paranthas, quench your thirst with a glass of Punjabi lassi at the Amritsari Lassi Corner and if you love jalebi, then Jalebi Wala is always there to serve you hot tasty jalebis.

 Pandara Road: This place is recommended only if you are a hardcore Punjabi. A wide variety of north Indian food is available here. Prepared in a quintessential Punjabi way, all the dishes here will surely bring out the foodie inside you. Some of the best eating outlets worth visiting here are Gulati Restaurant, Chicken Inn, Punjabi by Nature, Ichiban Restaurant and Pindi.

Dilli Haat: Apart from being one of the frequently visited places in Delhi, Dilli Haat is also famous for its regional eating joints. Whether you are from eastern, western, northern or southern part of India, you can get here food of your respective regions. To make things easier for the tourists, there are separate stalls with the name of respective states written over it. Hence, you can have your favourite dish anytime.

Khan Market: The place is not only famous for its designer clothing outlets or shops selling bling accessories;  a chain of food outlets can also be found here in order to make your shopping experience more interesting. Delicious and spicy food along with light snacks is available. Aap ki khatir, Khan Chahcha Kabab Corner, Chonas and Blanco are some of the food stopovers.

Connnaught Place: Tourists as well as local people regularly jostle up here to get the best food. You can hang out with our friends or your loved ones and at the same time also enjoy some of the best food here within your budget. Step in to Nizam’s Kathi Kabab to relish on egg and mutton rolls, if you are bong then do not forget to visit the Bengali Market and enjoy the freshly prepared Rasgullas. Eat the best Kadai and Tandoori chicken at Kake Da Hotel and biriyani at Anand Dhaba.

Nehru Place: It is not about computers in Nehru Place, rather you can find any kind of food here. If you want to have a healthy and nutritious lunch, then there are a lot of interesting food items on the menu card such as choole chawaal, daal chawal, Rajma Chawal and many more. You can also visit here some restaurants and hotels here such as oh! Calcutta, Singh Sahib and Angrezee Dhaba.

Now that you are aware of the places in the capital city where you can have the best food, it’s time to visit them and enjoy them.