LiveStrong

A trip to South India and one finds paddy fields adorning the landscape of the towns and villages. With rice as the staple, one can find a lot of rice mixed or rice based dishes, that are considered healthy, tasty and give full value to the appetite. 👌👐👅 Red Rice is most preferred for consumption. This rice is unpolished, has all nutrients intact and is easily digested by the system, thereby supporting irate free bowel movement. Also, through strolls on a daily basis, Red Rice (also known as 'Palakkad Matta Rice') can be a great way to maintain a good hold on one's diet. 😘☝👏 Here are some dishes where rice holds absolute prominence: Red Rice (3 palm sized spoon servings) with Mango and turmeric based mackerel fish curry, dark brown chickpeas masala and mackerel fry with chilli paste marinade. #BestoftheBest 🐟🐚🌽 Crispy edged salty rice pancakes with dark brown chickpeas masala in curry leaves oil splash. For best results, eat with your hands and don'...

Southern India is blessed with many beautifully crafted temples, that have been testimony to Hinduism being the largest religion within India. Some of the temples in the four southern states are over 400+ years old and still stand upright, without any visible deformity to the edifices. The skill and mastery of the architects of these temples must be credited. Without modern equipment and technology, they​ were able to carve out such masterpieces! ⛲ My visits​ to the North Malabar town of Kannur, which also happens to be the town where my father was schooled before he joined the Indian Navy;  always divinely connects me to the Parassinnikadavvu Muthappan Temple and the small community temple of Kamakshi Ammal Devi. Both these temples have been around for times immemorial and receives footfalls of devotees on a daily basis. The best part is people of different faiths visit this temple as well, thereby pushing Hinduism towards being more of a way of leading life, rather than cons...

Sights, Cultural Insights and Lots of Food! St. Theresa's Shrine, Mahe (U.T.): Peregrination across North Malabar can take one to many shrines, temples, mosques and churches. A visit to Mahe introduces one to the St. Theresa's Shrine within Mahe, an erstwhile French colony and now a designated Union Territory. Saint Theresa was considered as a holy lady, who worked for the upliftment of social classes and was instrumental in improving human rights. She was bestowed with sainthood for her exclusive humanitarian activities and social work. The Saint Theresa shrine, welcomes people of all faiths for the daily mass, special sermons and yearly Christmas celebration. A prime example of how different cultures and religions can coexist peacefully, without any prejudices. The shrine is a must visit, when in Mahe. The serenity one experiences, when inside the shrine is worth it.👐💟💫  "Pooja Veedu" or "Prayer Cabinet": Every Hindu faith household ...

#DQ stands tall in "Comrade In America" #CIA (2017) 📹🎥📼 Dulquer Salmaan #DQ seems to be the toast of Malayalam cinema over the past couple of years. His career graph has been on the upward curve, thanks to the films he has been choosing,  which are tightly scripted and give ample scope for performance. 😆😂😇 CIA directed by Amal Neerad represents a slew of urbana styled​ movies that have been making their presence felt on the Malayalam celluloid over the last half a decade.🎬 The film revolves around a father-in-law duo who live under the same roof, however differ in political idealogy (Siddique Lal -Father - Kerala Congress and #DQ - Son - Communist Party) 📺🔎🔌 #DQ plays the role of comrade to perfection, and has many scenes where he flips his 'mundu' with much elan! #KeralaKaKala 😍😘😚 He falls in love with a girl in college, whose folks are based out of the US. However, she is whisked away from him, after her family learns about their lovey-dove...

Visiting the Coastline: 🏄🏊🐳 The southern India state of Kerala offers a lot of natural beauty across the coastline that touches the Arabian Sea and is also blessed with natural beauty in terms of coconut and palm groves, banana plantations​, mango trees, beautiful flower patterns, shrubs and paddy fields. What sets it apart from a lot of states is its acceptance of various cultures; national and international, thereby allowing it to develop at an languid pace and earn the moniker of "God's Own Country." Heritage Homes with Ancient styled Architecture: ☔🏡🗾 Homes are inspired with locally made materials and blocks of red brick. All homes are airy and allow ample sunlight to shine in, without over dependence on artificial light. Homes are painted with light pastel colors to avoid the scorch of the sun and to stay cool during summers. A lot of the homes have French inspired architecture within it, considering the fact that certain towns were French colonies ...

                 A palm full of Godliness! The concept of #prasadam or #prasad in temples isn't new. As a matter of fact, every religion believes in sharing with its disciples the blessed 'offering' that encapsulates the love and belief of followers of a particular religion. 😇☺😃 These offerings are manifestations of beliefs​ that beget an opportunity for disciples​ to connect with the supreme force. ⛪⛩🌅 Offerings needn't be pompous or glamorous in their outlook. They must define the aura of divinity - visible from the eyes of disciples​. At times, a spoonful of puffed rice, shekels of coconut, a pinch of sweetmeat or holy water is good enough to realise how connected a disciple is with the creator. 👼 When matters of belief creep in, people in general border their concerns within the boundaries of their religion. What baffles my conscience is - all religions emphasize on the attributes of love, peace and unity; isn't it natural...

We all have so many stories to tell. So many instances to relive and a lot of moments that we have or we will cherish in this lifetime. 💘💑 On certain occasions, we strike gold with the perfect partner-in-crime or possibly a spectacular life match to double the joy of the being alive together. 👏✌ It is with a certain belief or personal experience, that JM Wonderland wrote the above mentioned quote. 👄☝ Sometimes the most deeply connected people, have to let go of the camaraderie, simply because it doesn't foresee a future together. The 'chords of love' that connect human beings, are actually sacred bonds that need to possibly be relived at some alternative 'instance of time.' ✍❣ It is definitely never easy to let go, after a covalency that has stood the test of times. The bonds are imagined to be secure for a lifetime, however demand a void space, to prosper independently! 👣💫 Cultural beliefs, intertwined with its value-driven counterparts, always k...

The Salt and Pepper Me in a #MoonFilter! #ThisIsMe Yes, I have used a #filter available on the #Instagram app. Yes, I look overworked and under groomed. Yes, my look isn't a traditional #corporate one. Yes, the look in my eyes tries to envision a better tomorrow for me. My #saltnpepper look has become a part of my persona. My lesions and #darkcircles have become much more prominent. My thick beard has a tinge of #saltiness in its appearance. My look gives out years, much beyond my age. Have I made it large or do I make an effort to do something substantial on a #dailybasis ? The #decision lays within my subconscious as I take everyday by my stride. The days and nights get longer, however the passion I possess towards my trade shall continue forever. #WorkHard #LivePeacefully #CollaborateSuccessfully ! Originally shared here:  https://www.linkedin.com/hp/update/6270949289766293504

What pushes one to dedicate a day exclusively for *Mothers*?👰💇👩👧 Is it the *uncompromising love* that one receives, because *she* never lets go of you, no matter how old you grow? ☺😇💞 Is it because *she*knows almost every like, dislike, want, need and desire, without even inquiring with you about it? 😁😍 Is it because *she* would climb mountains, weather storms, navigate through choppy seas, just to see a smile on your face? 😂😉😚 Is it because *she* would stay up all night, at the cost of her sleep, just to ensure that her kid snores peacefully? 😪😬 Is it because *she* would turn into a goddess possessed with the traits of safety, warmth and compassion just to protect her kid from the prowling eyes of defidents? 👀💣 Is it also because, for her,  the kid is a rockstar and can achieve the impossible by just listening to her inspiring words? 💃👪👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A day dedicated to the *woman* in your life, who shall always keep you, before anything in her life. 👸...