Saree is the most ravishing attire that can be worn by all women in terms of fabrics, colors, designs and patterns. It is suitable for different purposes like special celebrations, business look, events and many more.
To make yourself appear attractive, you have chosen your special saree, lipstick, blushes, nail paint and also other glittering accessories. It is sure that you will look special with all these, but it is equally important to choose a perfect hairstyle for the saree that you are wearing. Since your hair is the crown and it can greatly enhance your overall appearance and speak a lot about your image and personality, you should select a beautiful hairstyle that suits the particular occasion along with the saree that you plan to wear.
Soft curls or wavy hair: This simple hairstyle for saree looks really gorgeous and it will definitely make you look elegant and beautiful. The curls can be side swept over your left shoulder or simply left on both sides. This style complements the face of every woman and can make you appear like a celebrity.
Updos: If you are planning to go to a wedding party, then it is vital to get a proper hairstyle done. Though there are several varieties, an updo style works really well with any designer saree. Women who are above the age of 35 years can try this as it reflects a more matured and beautiful look. Along with the updo, you can create a front puff, which will add a retro style queen look.
Braided hairstyles: This is a popular Indian hair style and is a common sight of many women. If you have thick, long hair, then this will give a very casual yet attractive look to your hair. There are usually two common types of braided styles, French braid and the Dutch braid that can be worn with a saree. If you plan to follow this design, then do not forget to decorate your braid with jasmine flowers, roses or even some hair accessories.
Half bun with curls: If you are preparing to attend any traditional occasion like a Puja, then this style is perfect for a white saree with a gorgeous border. The half curls looks absolutely extraordinary with a traditional dress and will make you appear elegant on the occasion.
Front twist with back bun: This is another simple hairstyle for saree that has a twist on either sides of your hair and this can also be made very easily. Make a bun at the back by giving it a modern touch. This is perfect if you are attending an anniversary party or going to attend an official meeting. You can impress everyone by wearing a traditional silk or cotton saree.
Bee hive design: If you are dressing up for your own wedding, then the bee hive style will make you appear stunning and offer a contemporary look. The style is not only gorgeous, but it will also draw the attention of the guests of the occasion. Add some stone studded jewelry to your hair for an enhanced look.
The popular street food chaat is always welcomed in every Indian family. Available in a wide variety, this yummy and spicy dish is an all-time favorite. Whether it is your Holi celebration or a party at home, you can easily prepare different chaat recipes for your guests.
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| Dahi Vada |
The beautiful combination of colors and the tempting flavor are simply very difficult to avoid. But why is it that every time you have to wait for the weekends to visit your favorite chaat parlour? Today, I will help you to prepare dahi vada recipe at home so that you can enjoy the gorgeous dish topped with chutneys and spices any time you want.
How to make Dahi vada recipe?
- First, we will prepare the batter for the soft vadas. Soak a cup of urad dal overnight and when it becomes double the size after soaking, drain out the excess water from the dal.
- Now grind them to make a batter. You can use a little water according to the quantity of the dal, but do not make the batter too watery. It should have a thick consistency and the batter should be smooth without any broken pieces of dal.
- Add crushed ginger, chilli and salt to the batter and beat the batter till it becomes soft and fluffy.
- Now, heat oil in a frying pan and when the oil is hot, take a medium lemon sized portion of the batter and gently drop into the oil. Prepare 5-6 portions at a time and fry them till golden brown in color and crispy. Remove from oil and transfer into a bowl containing lukewarm water.
- Make more dahi vadas from the remaining batter. Squeeze the vadas gently to remove the excess water and transfer them to a plate.
- Now, beat the curd with a little sugar and salt till smooth and pour a generous amount of the beaten curd over the soaked vadas till they are fully covered.
- Garnish it with two teaspoons of sweet chutney, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder and black pepper powder; you can also add some green chutney for extra flavor.
This recipe of dahi vada should be served chilled for better taste. You can beat the curd in advance and keep it in the refrigerator to chill. This tasty and yummy dish can easily be served as a side dish in lunch or dinner or it can also be served as a party snack item or an evening chaat.
Once your infant grows into a walking and talking toddler who keeps all of you enchanted with his smiles and drives you crazy with his naughtiness, it becomes really difficult to handle him unless you set up a strategy listing positive parenting tips. Toddlers can be managed well, but only if you see things from their perspective and help them to understand various aspects of life. Parenthood is definitely a challenging task, but it becomes easier with honest communication and by teaching your children some essentials of good behavior.
Positive parenting tips include teaching by your own actions and finding positive solutions to conflicts. Of course, all children throw tantrums or argue with parents, yet it is important for little kids to learn good behavior and witness how adults love each other and solve the differences through caring and supportive relationship. As parents, if you are more joyful and relaxed, then your kids will also mirror those sentiments and your home will remain more harmonious. It is by watching how we deal with negative emotions that our kids learn their own behavior in future.
Where should we start?
• No matter what age your child is, he or she always wants your full attention. As your child starts to go to school, devote more quality time to them and enjoy reading books and playing and share stories about what happened at school as this will help to effectively communicate and show your love and support.
• Always maintain a positive relationship with your partner. Understand each other’s needs and listen to what others have to say. By following this positive parenting tip, you will help your kids understand what a good relationship is and this will be a great lesson when they grow up in future.
• Help your kids develop emotional intelligence. Share with them the joyous moment and allow them to experience the pleasures of love, excitement and surprises. As parents, accept the fact that your child will have some difficult moments and share the sadness and acknowledge the emotion. It is also important to give your child a safe and supportive space to feel all emotions.
• Try to find optimistic ways to explain things to your children. This positive parenting tip will help your child to easily overcome the situation when negative things happen. Do not generalize the situation, enjoy the situation when something good happens and actively support them for doing or saying positive things. Always be realistic in your reasoning and try to avoid your negative thinking patterns from influencing your decisions.
Positive parenting always starts with a good relationship with your child, so follow the above tips to raise an emotionally intelligent and amazing child.
There are many parents who often wonder how to motivate their children and help them to face any challenges in life. There are numerous ways to keep the kids motivated. It may be good music, stories or even inspirational poems written by famous poets. These literary pieces often contain matter that is culled from inspiring works or include great thoughts and words that become the cause of guiding the kids of present day world. There are many Hindi poems that are unique and distinct and have a great positive effect on the kids and help them to remain motivated all through.
Harivansh Rai Bachchan has contributed to Hindi poetry that has been noteworthy and his poems are a great means for young children who want to remain motivated and face any challenges in life easily. Poems like “himmat karne walon ki haar nahi hoti” explain the kids the ways of the world and how people should try again and again to attain success in life. Parents should select this motivational poem to explain their kids that if they have faith and a firm belief in themselves, then nothing on Earth is difficult to achieve. The poem is written in simple and easy language that students can easily understand and take responsibility for their actions. It is a great way to help children learn valuable lessons on life and never to become weak during difficult phases.
“Himmat karne walon ki haar nahi hoti” is a valuable poem that teaches not only young kids, but also adults that in spite of many failures, one should keep on trying till success is attained. Such poems create a positive difference in us both directly and indirectly as some of the most valuable and memorable lessons are learnt from them. The main purpose of reading inspirational poems is especially to change our perspective towards optimism and future by learning lessons from our failures and looking ahead and keep moving on. Just like you need nourishment or food for your body, you also need food for your mind and soul and this comes from inspirational poems, stories or words that lift you and make you feel better to move forward in life. Kids too need inspiration to face the varied challenges and nothing can be better than poetry that is a great means to boost their confidence and enthusiasm.
If you are looking for such poems, then simply browse some websites that share them and help your children to charge their spirits and discover the power within them to succeed in life.
We Indians are all familiar with the dish halwa, which is usually made with different kinds of flour or vegetables and is considered to be a delicacy in the central parts of India. Two most popular halwa recipes are the suji ka halwa and the gajar ka halwa, but there are also some special recipes that are served as Prasad for various religious occasions. And one such variety is the singhare ka halwa.
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| Singhare ka Halwa |
Singhare is the Hindi name of water chestnuts and these nuts are a good source of fiber and potassium and are also rich in carbohydrates. This water chestnut flour is usually sold in the market during the Navratri and Shivratri festival.
The nutty flavor of water chestnuts gets enhanced when you fry or roast the flour with ghee. I have tried to make barfis by spreading the halwa in a greased tray and cutting them into cubes. Whatever way you eat the halwa, it is simple delicious and today in this blog, I will share with you the singhare ka halwa recipe, which is simple, flavorful and healthy for the amazing health benefits that it offers.
Singhare Ka Halwa recipe:
(a)Heat 3-4 tablespoon of ghee in a pan on medium heat and once it is hot add ½ cup of singhare ka atta and mix well.
(b)Roast the atta while continuously stirring till it turns golden brown in color and you get a nice aroma of the roasted flour. This may take around 6-7 minutes. While roasting the flour, put a cup of water to boil or heat it in a microwave.
(c)Next, add the hot water to the mixture and stir it properly to avoid any lumps. Remember to add boiling water so that there are no lumps formed while preparing the halwa.
(d)Once the water is totally absorbed, add sugar and mix well and keep stirring continuously. You will notice that as the sugar melts it will become runny and shiny.
(d)Keep cooking the singhare ka halwa till the ghee starts to leave from it.
(e)Now turn off the stove and add cardamom powder and mix well. Garnish it with sliced almonds.
(f)Your singhare ka halwa is ready to serve.
Some nutritional benefits of the recipe:
Water chestnut has many nutritional benefits. It is a good source of potassium and fiber and is very low in sodium. The dish is very high in carbohydrates and is a high energy food item ideal for toddlers and kids. It helps to increase weight in children and also to cure cold and cough.
As a child, one of my best memories that I have is of Saraswati Puja. Every year during the month of January or February, this puja was performed at our home and the whole household was transformed with various decorations and I loved to see the joyous mood in everyone.
The most remarkable and interesting thing that I still remember is the alpana that we used to make to decorate the floors, the doorsteps and the prayer altar. These beautiful floor paintings are known as alpana in West Bengal is the word is derived from the Sanskrit word Alimpan meaning colorful designs. Commonly known as Rangoli in other parts of India, these simple aplana designs form an integral part of rituals of Bengal.
Alpana designs for Saraswati Puja represents the artistic sensibility of the people of Bengal and it is usually practiced by women who create traditional designs on the floor using rice paste. It is an ancient practice that is used to decorate the floors, the wooden seats and other household items with rice paste or crushed color.
The basic forms are more or less same and depict the various moods of the season. This art was practiced in ancient times because people believed that the decorative paintings kept their homes and village safe from evil and brought prosperity in life.
The making of Alpana:
Simple alpana designs for Vasant Panchami are created by ladies at home during any celebration. The artistic medium that is used to create the patterns is rice that is non-parboiled. The rice is soaked in water to become soft and then it is ground to form a smooth paste. A cotton cloth or a cotton ball is dipped in the rice paste and held between the thumb and the index finger to create beautiful patterns that are usually spontaneous. But today, different materials like vermilion, flower petals, colored chalk, grains or sawdust are also used to create them.
Alpana painting:
Women usually clean the space where the pattern is to be created. Earlier women used to clean the ground with red soil and cow dung. Bengalis make alpana around the idol and even on the outer site of the entrance gate.
The designs have a magical power and presence and are used as welcoming signs for the guest. Simple alpana designs for Saraswati puja are made that comprise the sun, rice stem, swan, ladder, swastika together with some floral patterns to make it appear more beautiful.
Circular or square patterns are used as a holy pedestal during festivals like Vasant Panchami or Lakshmi puja. Nowadays, the influence of the Santiniketan style of art is also seen and the paintings reflect the grace and elegance of Bengali culture. The symbols used to create simple alpana designs represented the prayers that are painted from the heart.
Your kids are the most precious gift in your life. This morning while sipping tea, I was just wondering if I am really able to be the best mother to my kids or not. As a working mother with a job in hand, two kids to look after and all the list of household chores to do, at times it really becomes difficult to spend some quality time with them. But it is really important to give your child the attention that they deserve. Are you facing similar problems with your kids because of your hectic life schedule? If yes, then read some tips that I am going to share with you that will guide you on how to spend quality time with child.
Schedule some together time daily: Kids love to help their parents. So whether it is about arranging the dinner table or some help in making the grocery list, take their help in little household works and let them contribute to the preparation process. It might be a little messy in the beginning, but your kids will become the greatest helpers and they will remember the special time with you before dinner.
Take an evening walk: If you are unable to spend time together during the day, then plan for a pajama walk before bedtime with your children. This is a good idea to spend quality time with kids and it will give your kids mellow time to decompress and also create some special moment that might have been lost to TV.
Don’t drive always: Avoid driving with your children if the distance is short like visiting the nearby park or a friend’s house. These few minutes are actually priceless moments that you often lose in the name of convenience. So, the next time you go somewhere nearby, walk with your kids and talk about their day in school. Hold their hands and enjoy the special moment.
Play the games they love: This is another activity that can help you to spend quality time with kids. If your kids love to play badminton or table tennis, then take active part in the games. If your kids are too young, then get involved in any activity of their choice like watching their favorite movie or reading them stories. This will not only help you to spend some time together and bond, but it will also keep you fit and healthy. But don’t forget to set time limits.
