Lessons from life: Why you should follow your heart!

It was right after my summer vacation. I was about 14 then. I had just learned to ride a bike and used to insist taking my mom for a ride to show off that I can do it on my own. All of summer I had worked on part time jobs, some household chores and been collecting some money for a special purpose. This special purpose was to buy a surprise gift for my mom on her birthday! Though her birthday was quite some time away, I was planning for long. I had visited some nice stores and seen some nice gifts for her. I planned it all so well and finalized on a saree that would match the color of her eyes and knew she wanted to buy that color with the zari on them. I knew she would love it and she would look gorgeous in it. It was quite expensive and I was determined to buy it for her.

But I was short by about 100 rupees. That was quite some money in the nineties. I was desparate and was trying to get more pocket money, doing more tasks than ever and was collecting the amount. By the end of the holidays, I was able to meet my target and had converted all the coins and change to bigger currency notes and had them safely tucked away. I visited the shop and told them to keep the saree reserved for me and that I would buy it a day before her birthday. Of course my mom wasn't aware of all this and boy it was going to be a great surprise. Everything was in the right place until...

My mom had come down with fever and cough and we had to go to the hospital to see our physician. When we were there the physician checked out and prescribed a syrup and some tablets for her. I told her to rest in the reception area and went to get the medicines from the medical shop in the hospital. While I waited for the pharmacist to pack my medicines a man in his thirties came to the shop with a prescription on his own. Judging from his dress he must have been a daily wage labourer or a farmer obviously not very well to do. He was very cautious and was talking in a hushed tone very hesitantly to the pharmacist who was just ignoring him. I hung around a little longer to find out that the man was literally begging the pharmacist to give some medicines on loan. They had a young child, about 3 months admitted in the general section (the cheapest section, usually free for stay but medicines are to be bought) and is in need to medicines but they cannot afford. On further hearing out the pharmacist started shooing the guy away and said he owes them some money and he will not lend anymore. The amount was quite big but I was really hurt by the way the pharmacist was treating the man and the tears in the man's eyes touched something in me. I couldn't leave.

I asked him how much the medicine costs while ignoring the pharmacist who was saying they will never repay me back.  The amount for some reason matched to the money I saved for my mom's saree. I was devastated. All my three month's plan, hard work, missed plays and saved money was exactly matching to his requirement. How would I buy my mom the saree? How would I surprise her? Should I pay him and help his child or should I just take my medicines and walk away. I looked him again and could feel his pain. He stopped begging the pharmacist and was turning away. I help his hand and gave him the money I saved up for my mom's birthday. He fell down to his knees and was shocked and thanking me and started weeping. The pharmacist was shocked and was saying something about taking my address and repaying. I just touched the man's shoulder and told him to take care of his child and walked out. Once I left the corridor, I wiped my tears off. I couldn't think of anything.

I composed myself by the time I reached mom and she was worried why I was late. We went home. next day, I went to the hospital again to see if the child needs some more money. By God's grace the child was healthy and playing. The medicines I paid for helped him recover and they managed to arrange some more money. The family was very thankful and said they would repay me soon. I didn't share my address or contact information and told them to take care and went off. Over the next few days, I tried making as much money as possible but still couldn't make enough to get the saree. I had visited the shop several times in this week and requested them to keep the saree for few more days.

On the day of my mother's birthday, I couldn't get the saree but got her a card and a coffee cup instead. When we opened it after the prayer, she was surprised and said, "Where is my saree?" Now it was my turn to be shocked. "I thought you were gifting me a saree!" 

Then she opened the pack dad gave her and there was the saree I told the shopkeeper to hold on to. I was surprised and shocked. Too many emotions swept though me at that point and I hugged my mom dad and wept. Here is what happened. While I was busy doing all this stuff of making this impossible target, the shop keeper had called on the land line (there were no mobiles in India then) and asked if I was coming to buy the saree. Mom got to know more and said she will pick up if I don't do.

While I was talking to the pharmacist, mom was worried that I was taking too long so she ventured to the pharmacy and oversaw the whole thing. She saw me pay the man and walked back calmly to the reception. She thought I would tell her the story but when I didn't she didn't question. She had spoken to dad and dad went to the hospital the same night and told the doctor that he will take care of the total bill for the child. They said they were really proud of who I was growing up to be. It was one of the most memorable moments in my life. My decision to follow my heart paid was correct. I paid a small price but got paid back in abundance. Somewhere that small child would be a teenager now and hopefully is making her parents and me proud.

Follow your heart always. Take a leap of faith and God will always repay you back. As in the book of Proverbs 19:17 it says, Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

Pic is from here.

Do a Fantastic job!

In today's message, I am about to urge you to do a fantastic job at your work. Be the best you can be and ensure that your commitment levels are very high. Unless you set a goal for yourself, who would be able to convince you to be the best? 

If you have been to a doctor for your child, wouldn't you expect a 100% commitment from her in treating your child. Why shouldn't your customers expect the same from you? In other words, would you accept anything below par service and commitment from anyone else. Then why set a low standard for yourself. We should set a really high goal today and set out to achieve that today. Let us deliver our fantastic work today, tomorrow and every day thereafter.

#A2Z Challenge #ConsumerPsyche 

Book Review: Pirates of Bollywood

There were very few legal thrillers in India. Growing up with John Grisham's literature and being really impressed with the strength  the legal system holds and is incomparable to what a normal job would give you. The books usually do not celebrate the deliverer of the law or the defender of the weak but are usually elaborate in the plot and curt in the avenging. In India, the genre is just warming up and leading space is Kalyan's genuine effort and I am really happy with the way his books are being well received. I recently happened to read his latest book and here is the review.

Outline: The plot is simple and is open from the beginning. It is about the combating the rotten piracy issue in Bollywood and the title suggests the same. Though for the commoner the story might sound simple, the amount of research gone in to the book is clearly visible as the intricacies of the piracy schemes, the combative investigation and the passion with which the police (the sincere ones) work is clearly shown. I am particularly impressed with the treatment of the legal hands in the book as Arjun is already famous. With little need for introduction Arjun helps in handling the case deftly and helps in the conclusion too. 

5 reasons why you should pick it up?

1. Engaging writing style of Kalyan keeps you glues to the book and even if you are not a movie buff the concept is still engaging and entertaining.
2. Action! The story is never dull and is full of chasing, fights and a lot of action. 
3. The lady in charge. Taking a realistic look at the story the book engages you on many levels while keeping the chase active. The lady cop is an added advantage and I like her style and finesse of handling things.
4. Reality: A well researched book is always a delight to read and the author doesn't disappoint you. Right from the beginning, you feel the command on the subject and how deftly he makes you learn a thing of two about the crime industry!
5. The genre: Rare to start with but growing at a healthy rate the genre needs intellectual brains to write stuff that keeps feeding the hunger for thinking writing and Kalyan as the right prescription for you.

I am really glad that people like Kalyan, who are in the industry and in the workplace are looking beyond keeping their trade secrets are looking at sharing the things from the battlefield and this is a bold yet necessary move as it helps in creating a knowledge base that would help young people to understand the nuances of the industry. 

One thing I would like to change in the story is to get the hero - Arjun hit somewhere else other than the nose! How would the hero look on the camera with his nose in a plaster all through the movie?!

Rating: 2.5/5

Monday Blues: Excel in abundance!

Every day we come upon several situations where we can excel but most of us choose to ignore them. This Monday, let us learn to use those opportunities to learn, to deliver, to succeed, to motivate, to encourage, to change, to grow and to excel.

Learning is a lifelong journey and only those who learn everyday have a chance to succeed everyday. While the emphasis is on the learning and improving, it is essential to look at excelling in what we do as unless you excel, you don't move forward. To excel you need to learn, to read, to understand and to be open. Do not hesitate to learn and to put things into practice and may you Excel in Abundance!

This post is a part of the A2Z Challenge.

Fear not, for I am with you

Fear not, for I am with you; 

be not dismayed, for I am your God. 

 I will strengthen you, 

Yes, I will help you, 

 I will uphold you with 

My righteous 

right hand. 

Isaiah 41:10

Because He Lives

Its Easter Sunday and this beautiful song proclaims that my saviour is alive!

D is for Do!

Today's letter is the A2z Challenge is D and hence the word I have chosen is DO! Most times we are more interested in saying things, planning, bragging and hoping they would happen. You know what? That is easy. The toughest part is to go out there and perform. To do!

Like the great bard claimed To Do or Not To Do is the question. Most of them don't even bother to answer and prefer the naught answer. Doing things isn't easy. It takes effort, planning and commitment. It takes guts to step up and commit oneself to doing things and guess what only they can get things done and move forward in life. Let us promise ourselves that we wont just be thinkers and quitters but be the DOers and let us make things happen. Let us do so many things that give us pride, accomplishment and help us remain on the top of the game and live like a boss.

Go out and DO!

C is for Courage

Have the courage to tell the truth. Honest opinion might not make you popular among your friends but would help you stay real and close to the inner self. It is essential that you be honest at all times unless it is better to be silent :)

This post is a part of the A2Z Challenge and today's word is Courage. Courage to speak out your mind when you are trying to help others is a wonderful trait we can all make use of. 

Honest feedback helps the other person to improve, learn, understand and realize that you stand for what is right and aren't two minds about sharing your opinion with them. If anything, it would only help your friend to see how serious you are and bring in a no nonsense attitude with you. I think it is essential to develop this trait and be true to oneself. Also it is important to accept your shortcomings and work on them. This needs courage too. Let us be courageous and search our innermost darkest threats and fears and face them!

Things you learn from a dog!

B for Be Nice

Every once in a while you have a chance to be nice to someone who doesn't deserve you to be nice. But be nice anyway. Whatever is the reason for you to be rude, angry and upset, try and not be that. It is easy to be rude but difficult to be nice. 

Once I was in a traffic incident where both the drivers were at fault but were shouting at each other in frustration. I couldn't stop wondering why they were doing it. All there were few scratches and both weren't even bothered about the financial damage but were adamant on proving their point of being right. In life when we have situations like this, make sure you be nice and move on. After all we are all covered by insurance and the amount won't matter to anything. Things could be solved by simple reasoning and discussion. It is less frustrating to be nice and simply solve the problem. Anger and being rude never helped anyone.

I am not saying it is an easy job to be nice, but we should try and be. Being nice is a virtue we can all benefit from.

Pic is from here. #AtoZChallenge

A for Awesome Adulthood!

Simple things are a luxury in these times and it is better we let ourselves to stay on this path. This month I am taking part in the A-Z challenge and would try to talk about the Monday Blues series. Today, we would look to step out of our comfort zone and look at the beauty of nature and indulge in simple, yet challenging situations. Make time for yourself and there is nothing better than self improvement. If you don't look for yourself, then who would? And who should?

Look at this wonderful video of kids playing in the mud and enjoying themselves. Pure simple joys like these make for Awesome Childhood. Can we also make some memories like these along the way and make our adulthood Awesome too?

Monday Blues: Be the solution

I watch a lot of stuff and negativity around me. Negativity about situations, conditions in life, street, prices, budget, stress and a lot of other things but there is no solution for all these being even thought of. Today be the one who works out a solution. Be the solution. Be the spark that moulds people, changes things and shifts the gear. Take charge and get things done.

Blessed Assurance

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song;

Praising my Saviour all the day long!

(Fanny Crosby , 1823-1915)

Being Dad

I am a hands on dad. I like to be part of everything that happens - quite literally. Much to the amusement of other people, relatives and sometimes even my wife, I love being there and enjoying every moment of my little daughter and she loves it so much too! Hopefully she would do the same once she grows up :) Here is a wonderful video you might have already seen but I felt like worth sharing. Only if you take part in your child's work and you would appreciate what your wife and mom would have gone through. Celebrating #BeingDad.

My abiding place

I take, O Cross, thy shadow for my abiding place;

Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss;

My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the Cross!

(Elizabeth C. Clephane, 1830-1869)

What should I wear today?

One thing you can wear to work any day is a smile. Wear one to office today. Be cautious as it may be contagious. I am sure no one would complain though. The ability to smile relaxes you and the environment around you. Why dont you try it as the #OOTD today?

Open UP!

I started this photo feature about 7 months ago and it has been an emotional journey and a pleasure to share with you all so many stories of amazing people, stories of courage, choice, humanity, persistence and joy. I am sure you would love them too. Here is the link to the facebook album for the stories. Do share and like.

Click here to view the facebook album.

10 things I expect from Narendra Modi's #SuperBudget

1. Make in India: Boost manufacturing (Auto, chemicals, pharma, defense, leather, tourism, food processing...) with funds, tax breaks, faster clearances, FDI >  boost jobs, technology, education > improve lifestyle
2. Smart cities - let us build them. Educate, empower, embrace, encourage, ensure
3. Food sustainability - Research, reclaim, encourage sustainability and show a road map for sufficient production
4. Improve infrastructure - roads, transport, water, power, hospitality, tourism, reduce food costs, improve education
5. Reduce, simplify personal taxes - increase the exemption to 5 lakhs, travel allowance to 5k, insurance exemption to 60k, medicals to 70-100k, higher tax benefits to women, higher exemptions to pension plans, home loans, education loans, government bonds
6. Encourage traditional arts, culture, education, manufacturing, public investments
7. Simplify tax laws for service sector, reward quality
8. Give incentives to start-ups, cleanliness drives, recycling, sustainability, education
9. Jan Dhan: Increase the BPL and help people grow out of it
10. Bring back black money and avoid generating more

#SuperBudget #ModiBudget

The need for emotional hygiene

The Economist explains How airborne Wi-Fi works

AN ALWAYS-connected lifestyle is a blessing for some and a nightmare for others. Aeroplanes used to be the one respite in a typical business traveller's itinerary—a place to escape from the e-mails and phone calls for a few hours, and perhaps even have some good ideas. (Travellers with long memories might remember seatback phones in some countries that allowed exceedingly expensive, poor-quality in-flight phone calls; fortunately, nobody ever used them.) Starting in the early 2000s, however, this blissful seclusion started to come under threat, as airlines started to provide internet service at 10,000 metres. In-air Wi-Fi is now increasingly common on domestic routes in America, and on long-haul routes elsewhere. Given that many routes fly largely over water or over uninhabited areas, how do you connect an aeroplane to the internet?

Delivering radio signals to a plane is nothing new, but the usual ways of doing it involve low-bandwidth links that would be painfully inadequate for internet traffic. Voice communication remains analogue, even in the digital age. The Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) provides digital links via VHF signals from the ground, or via satellites, allowing planes to send brief bursts of telemetry information. But ACARS operates at data rates comparable to dial-up models, measured in thousands of bits per second (Kbps). These voice and telemetry systems are designed for international compatibility, reliability and resilience. In-flight internet requires something much more zippy, but with less of a requirement that everything must work perfectly at all times. Two approaches have emerged, one based on ground-to-air links and the other on satellites.

Boeing led the first efforts in the early 2000s, leasing dedicated transponder capacity on geostationary satellites that appear to hover at a fixed point in the sky, and designing an enclosure (or "radome") to be retrofitted on top of its aircraft, and those made by other firms. Its Connexion service provided suitably equipped aircraft with an internet link running at a few megabits per second (Mbps), divvied up among passengers. Boeing also had to retrofit Wi-Fi (and, in some cases, Ethernet cabling) inside planes. But the service never became financially viable, in part because of the high cost of installing and operating the equipment, and Boeing discontinued it in 2006. That same year another firm, now called Gogo, purchased a thin sliver of air-to-ground spectrum in the United States, and began service in 2008, deploying dozens of ground stations that point upwards at aircraft, rather than downwards at people on the ground, and use a variant of 3G mobile-data technology called EV-DO. Service was extended to Canada in 2014. This provides enough bandwidth for e-mail and basic web browsing; Gogo blocks both streaming video and internet telephony to ensure that one user cannot hog all the capacity.

But satellite never entirely went away. After Boeing's early, failed attempt, satellite equipment became lighter, cheaper and more capable, and newer planes are designed to accommodate Wi-Fi gear. Several firms now operate in-flight internet service via satellite; some own the satellites, like Panasonic Avionics (United's contractor for its newer internet service), while others, such as Row 44 and OnAir, license the necessary capacity. Gogo has added satellite-based internet to its options as both a standalone new service and as part of a hybrid service that combines, where available, ground and satellite transmission. Meanwhile, speeds are poised to skyrocket as satellite operators expand service from the lower-frequency Ku band to the higher-frequency Ka band. Data rates should jump from a maximum of roughly 10Mbps to 50-80Mbps per plane. And America's telecoms regulator will auction 500MHz of ground-to-air bandwidth in the near future, which could allow connection speeds of up to one gigabit per second for planes travelling over land. Travellers who worry about feeling out of touch while airborne will welcome these improvements. Those who prefer being disconnected can take solace in the fact that thousands of aircraft worldwide still remain unconnected—for the time being, at least.

Original article is from here.

What makes a house ‘green’?

Green is in vogue. Many buyers begin their search with a strong interest in green, even if what they understand by a “green home” is vague. While the growing interest in green homes is an exciting and positive development, some buyers are falling victim to green washing, the practice of marketing a product as eco-friendly when it really isn’t. So, if you want to buy a green home, you definitely have to do some extra homework.

The first thing you should do is ask yourself why you want to invest in a green home. It’s an important question because people tend to buy a green home for one of the three reasons, and while each of those reasons overlap to some extent, they determine what the buyer really means by green. Green can be as simple as saving on energy costs, which means buyers will want to focus on energy-efficient appliances, weather-proof windows and good insulation. A green home can save 30-40% energy from day one of occupancy, which, our research shows, can light up 35 village homes per year. Similarly, water savings are 20-30% above a conventional home. This can provide water to one village home for an entire year.

Alternatively, some buyers define green in personal health terms, so they want a home that uses non-toxic materials. Lastly, some buyers define green as contributing to a sustainable future. For those buyers, it’s often important to look for building materials that are locally sourced and sustainable.

Unlike earlier, when energy-efficient or water-efficient homes could get away with being called ‘green’, new rating systems ensure that a green home needs to address all facets of environmental concerns. Everything from the site of the building, water, energy, materials and indoor air quality are considered in the rating system. A green home isn’t just a green structure; it’s a home that makes the best use of the land and the resources around it. Asking simple questions such as which direction the home is oriented toward can tell you a lot about the home’s green credentials.

Let’s look at the different parameters and how they matter:

Site selection: Here the focus is local building regulations, soil erosion control, basic household amenities, natural topography, heat island effects, parking facilities for visitors and design for differently abled people. Something as simple as the house’s orientation determines how much sun exposure it gets, which affects heating and air-conditioning use.

Likewise, it’s important to understand prevailing winds, because these have an effect on temperature inside the home.

Water efficiency: Evaluate the property on the basis of whether it has rain water harvesting systems, efficient plumbing fixtures, landscape design and waste water treatment systems. A good tip is to pay attention to the landscaping. If it’s dominated by non-native plants, that should raise alarms for green buyers. In some parts of the country, water is a serious issue, so non-native plants are going to raise your costs and make it harder to be green. Apart from sustainable landscaping, you can also use water conserving taps, which save you up to 35,000 litres every year.

Energy efficiency: This rating is based on use of chlorofluorocarbon-free equipment, enhanced energy performance, on-site renewable energy, solar water heating, energy saving measures in appliances and other equipment and energy metering. The simplest fixture you can have is a solar water heating system. You can also have more complex solar systems for providing energy for lighting as well. Also, as a house owner in a green project, you could spend as much as 40% less on energy bills every month. So, clearly green homes are not for any particular economic segment; it is a choice about making smarter energy-efficient buildings.

Materials and resources: Rating parameters for this are based on household waste segregation, organic waste management, handling of construction waste materials, reuse of salvaged materials, materials with recycled content and local materials. You should ask your builder if they plan on using green building materials such as autoclaved aerated concrete bricks, which are not only lighter but also more eco-friendly than regular red bricks. Solid waste collection and disposal that involves composting is essential in minimizing waste from your home.

Indoor environment quality: Parameters considered under this head are based on measures for tobacco smoke control, minimum artificial lighting during day time, fresh air ventilation, exhaust systems, low volatile organic compound materials, paints and adhesives, building flush-out, cross ventilation, and others. You can design the house to maximize ambient light during the day to reduce the use of artificial lights. One can also use special building materials that help to reduce indoor temperatures and thereby decrease air-conditioning costs.

Design innovation: This is all about following standard sustainable design practices. Your house or building can give you significant savings over the long run if designed cleverly. Nobody buys an eco-friendly home just because they are inclined to be green. They see the value of cheaper costs of energy and greater security on water. You can do without the water supply board, bore wells or tanker water suppliers. The energy bills can be minimized and can reduce your dependence on the external grid to just about 30% of all the electricity usage.

It’s a matter of choice.

Prem C. Jain is chairman, Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).

Read more here.

Monday Blues: A warfare

Every day is a race, a fight, a warfare. Let us face the reality and move on with what is important, what we should focus on and how we can perform well when faced with multiple choices. When we face the reality and focus on what is important, we would be able to negate the chances of reducing the stress. Usually we would be going towards the easy ones which is a wrong thing to do. 

In pursuit of excellence, we should focus on what is important and what is of high priority. In the words of N. Emil Jebasingh, Director of Transworld Radio, India, Lions are playing a havoc on the nation; but we are hunting the rats! Let us focus on the lions.

Let me hide myself in Thee

Rock of ages cleft of me;

let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood,

from Thy riven side which flowed

Be of sin the double cure,

cleanse from wrath and make me pure!

                (Augustus Toplady, 1740-1778)

What are you doing?

The three bricklayers!!!

When asked "What are you doing?", the first bricklayer replied "laying brick". The second answered, "Making $9.30 an hour". And the third said "Me?I am building the world's largest Cathedral"

So, What are you doing?

Stolen from a friend's facebook post.

Gillette turns Indian

Most non-Indians would never understand what cricket means to us. Thank you for this wonderful ad Gillette.

 

Reflections on the Delhi election 2015

‪#‎DelhiVotes‬

1. Interesting to see Anna Hazare warming up to Arvind Kejriwal!
Power changes status I guess. I would respect Kiran Bedi more than Anna Hazare.

2. While Aam Aadmi Party is rejoicing today, they should remember power and trust are double edged swords and comes with great responsibilities. If you don't keep promises, the Aam Admi is watching.

3. The center - state relations would be interesting to watch.

4. The winner is clearly the one with the better marketing strategy!

Congrats Arvind and team. Sleep well tonight for tomorrow you got to get out and deliver.

Consumer Psyche

Imagine there is no heaven

This is a rendition by "Imagine" by Emmanuel Kelly on The X Factor 2011">"Imagine" by Emmanuel Kelly on The X Factor 2011. Stop complaining!

What a mum to have!

Christian Rap!

How did I miss this? Christian Rap!

 

Holy Holy Holy

An old hymn today to praise.

Delhi votes

As my national capital votes today, I am proud of the increased interaction and participation all over, especially in the social media. Arvind's team put forth a spirited fight, Bedi and the BJP team weren't far behind and finally moved out of Modi's image. Congress' Ajay proved he can face a losing battle. 

This vote is not for a party, not for an ideology and definitely not the result of a glamorous campaign. This vote is for progress, for development and for the democracy. This vote is not for your or me, this vote is for our children, our future. This vote is not for us to throw away, this vote is for our children to preserve. Hope Delhi votes well.

The winners I should say are the people of Delhi, the Delhi voter whom everyone is trying to win over with schemes and the offers. Hope he chooses his government well and hope they live up to their promises.

Global Quality Awards

Yay! We won two awards at the Global Quality Awards, Real Estate Awards 2015. 

1. Award for Quality Real Estate Project Development (Ecofriendly Projects) - Samskruti Builders
2. Best Luxury Project of the Year 2015 - Samskruti Hoysala, Bengaluru

Thank you all for your love and support. We are humbled and honored.

Restaurant Review: Delhi's Khan Chacha

So I was told that this place serves the best biryani in Delhi with the most authentic mutton biryani and sheek kebabs. I got to go and see for myself. Khan Chacha is the restaurant in question. There are several branches in Delhi and I was at the one near Connaught Place and we were in for a pleasant surprise. The restaurant is a small shop with an upper deck to take your plate and munch on. As it was a self serviced eatery, there were not many people pushing you around. Once we found a table to sit down, we looked at the menu and decided to try the biryani and the famed sheek kebabs. 

Even the Aam Admi comes here for the kebabs

The decor was done up well with contemporary look and minimalist approach. The relish was the pictures of the celebrities who frequented the place and almost everyone I know has been here. The awards from the foodie world (most of them) had given a high rating and were proudly displayed behind the cashier. Once you have placed your order they foood was made fresh in the kitchen and you could see through the glass. I liked the simple kitchen and by keeping the product offering to a fixed menu, they were able to churn out multiple dishes and service many people.

A hygienic kitchen where fresh food is made to order

The taste was very similar to the Mughalai style and was slightly bland for my taste (I like it with a lot of spices and masalas) but the texture of the kebab was consistent, was dripping with its juices and served hot. The magical dish was the mutton biryani and was delicious. I was glad we had come there as I could taste probably one of the oldest recipes in India for the Mughalai mutton biryani. 

Apart from the non-vegetarian dishes like fish tikka, paneer tikka, chicken tikka you also have a vegetarian paneer tikka, aloo tikka and vegetarian biryani and the rolls are the best sellers. The recipes are passed down from generations when Mr. Khan who started the restaurant in a small shop and grew to what it is today.  Salim and Javed are Khan Chacha's sons who are running the show now and I should say, quite successfully. 

Mutton Sheek Kebab

The Delhi crowd likes it as they are serious about the quality and freshness while being true to the authentic taste of Delhi. The Kebab is the showstopper with its softness, flavours, masala, appropriate chewiness achieved with the right amount of marination. 

I liked the way they adopted the modern fast food culture to an Indian restaurant where they have a self service system as it helps in reducing the burden on service and is loved by the college crowd. If you are Delhi, you must drop in and taste their Kebabs.

Ratings:
Ambiance: 4/5
Parking: Street
Food: 4/5
Taste: 4/5
Cost: 4/5 (about 12$ for two)

For more restaurant reviews click here.

Don't talk, just chat

You got to agree that it is a pain to sell old stuff. Stuff that you loved once and bought it after a lot of care. Stuff you cherished and wanted use and made plans. Like that vacuum cleaner that you researched and bought expecting to make your life easy but is stored in a cardboard box in some corner in your house or that wonder storage boxes that matched your new curtain designs or that gift from your ex that you want to get rid off. Well there would be so many things like that in every Indian home and with the advent of the new online revolution, it was supposed to be easy yo sell and get them off your shoulders in a easy way. But the reality is something else!

A latest ad from Quikr

The moment you fix up a free ad on any of the reselling sites the flurry of the calls is too much to handle. Even after you say serious buyers only and even when you mention all the details in the description, you get asked the same questions and the same explanation for the same product only to add to your agony. In such a case, the need for innovation is desperately needed and long due. 

We were looking to move to a new home few days ago and the landlord was asking us if we would want any of the electronic items like fridge, washing machine, oven and so on. I said I would check and let him know. Next day he called me back saying none of that stuff is available as he has placed an ad online and finished all the sales. It is that fast you know but the problem, he mentioned, was the number of calls he had to answer and how silly he felt explaining the same process again and again to all the people who called. When you have to explain the same point again and again and to do that on a daily basis, it gets tiresome. How about we reduce your time spent and simplify the process. How about making it Quikr? It is to this note that there is a blessing from www.quikr.com which chose to allow the chat option to cut off all the unnecessary calls and just chat. The same feeling is shared from people on the other side of the line. 

Here are the three reasons why I prefer chat over a phone call.

1. When you are buying, you would have some doubts and it would be great to record some of the communication in the sale process and chatting allows you to do that. 

2. The mobile app provides a chat option that allows people to connect and talk to each other so as to reduce the number of interactions and at my own convenient time. 

3. It is also essential to complete the discussion as I have an option to copy and paste the points rather than repeat the same again on phone through a call. 

With innumerable calls coming your way, when a service provider tries to reduce the effort in completing the transaction, it is a welcome drive. Any brand which thinks about its client's use and is looking to improve the experience is a progressive one at that. Let us change the way we are approaching the sales mechanism. Let us reduce the clutter in the selling and make it easy. So why would you talk when you can chat?

This entry is for the Indiblogger Happy hours.

Beware! Those carrots could make you sick

Niranjan Kaggere writes in today's Bangalore Mirror...

The fresh and nutrition- rich vegetables sold in the markets of Bengaluru have left the state government worried! In a major shock to veggielovers several vegetables and fruit sold in the markets of Bengaluru tested positive for pesticide residue, particularly organo chlorine pesticides that can take toll on your nervous and digestive system and weaken muscles! 

A random check conducted by the Horticulture department run Bio Centre in Hulimavu on different vegetables has revealed shocking details about the 'freshness' and nutrition value of vegetables. 
Fruits like papaya, vegetables including cabbage, green chilli, capsicum, carrot, tomato, bottle gourd and ginger were found to contain considerable amounts of the banned pesticide. 

Acknowledging the results of the test, Horticulture minister Dr Shyamanoor Shivashankarappa said, "In a random check conducted recently at our centre on vegetables and fruits available from Bengaluru's markets, traces of the banned organo chlorine pesticide were seen. 

"The department has been advising farmers not to use these pesticides and use only those pesticides suggested by the department." Shivashankarappa added, "Dicofol pesticide was preferred by farmers to prevent flies and pests in Bhindi (okra), brinjal, bitter-gourd, chilli and beans crops. But the demand for these pesticides has drastically come down after awareness drives by the department."
Sources in the Horticulture department said that even though the number of farmers using organo chlorine pesticide has come down, a few still use it. 

"The government has already banned pesticides with these contents. Yet farmers continue to use them. Even though it safeguards the crop from pests and insects, the residue will remain in the vegetable. 

"Proper washing in warm water will help remove the content," revealed a senior official from the Horticulture department. 

Meanwhile, a consulting physician from a leading hospital told Bangalore Mirror that a short-term exposure to organo chlorine pesticide would result in convulsions, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, slurred speech and sweating. 

"Long-term exposure due to consumption of such vegetables may damage the liver, kidney and central nervous system," he said. Senior BJP Leader and MLC Ramachandre Gowda caught the government's attention about this trend at the Legislative Council and urged the government to discourage the use of pesticides with any of these harmful contents as they are a health hazard. 

Friendship is beautiful

After finding out his best friend has cancer, first grader, Vincent Butterfield, shaved his head and raised money to help support the expensive treatments.

Monday Blues: Keep it simple

While making presentations, either on paper or online, we tend to spend more time on the design, fonts and illustrations and often tend to ignore the power of content on the audience. This is usually the case when we are early up in the career or new to computers. While we explore a lot of this stuff which is supposed to make it 'cool', we need to realize the power of content. 

The power of content is huge and there are chances that your presentation or way of communication like body language might be communicating something entirely different from what you want to say. So today my advice to you as a part of the Monday Blues series is to KISS. Keep it simple. Simple is beautiful, realistic and natural. Simple is a solution.

Pic is from here.

A gift to you

What a beautiful song to start this month and what a way to praise the Lord. Have a great February.

Everything I am
Everything I'be
I gift it to you Lord
And do it thankfully

Every song I sing
Every praise I bring
Everything I do
Is a gift to you

Everything I have
All you've given
I gift it to you Lord
And do it thankfully

Every song I sing
Every praise I bring everything I do
Is a gift to you

Everything I am
Everything I'be
I gift it to you Lord
And do it thankfully

Small gestures matter

Do care. President Obama forgot to salute when he boarded Marine One. He later realized his mistake and went back to the Marine.

Keep it sleeek and keep it amazing

One thing that has always kept me interested and looking up in the sleek and mean looking gadgets and this time when I was headed to the ITC Gardenia for the Indiblogger meet, I was in for a treat. Meeting friends and having fun is the major agenda than just the product experience in the meets and boy we look forward to that. This Indiblogger meet was no different either. The best thing was that we had a decent crowd of bloggers, decent is an understatement, fully charged and gearing to go.

The fun games and the teams were creative to say the least. The old Hindi movie theme and the gangnam style were the crowd favorites. The fun and food being the other interesting thing, what stole the show was the mean looking baby laptop new on the block. The experience was awesome and the chicklet keyboard is my favorite. The #GosleeekASUSExperience was a pleasant one.

The device is cool for both its pricing and the features and should be a steal considering the market out there. Check the products out on Amazon and may be you would be happy with the 11 hour battery life. And next time, do join us for an incredible experience at the IndiBlogger meets! See ya. Keep it sleeek and keep it amazing.

Here is the group picture that we all love. Keep blogging and live forever.

Pics are from here and by Raksha.