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My Top 10 Must-Try Sweets in Odisha
Got a sweet tooth? Never forget to try the delicious sweets of Odisha, whenever you visit next. Sweets have always formed an integral part of Indian Cuisine. Considering the different states in India, you can vouch for a wide variety of sweets to satiate your sweet tooth. The cuisine of each state has its unique taste and flavour. Needless to mention, Indian sweets are almost always laden with clarified butter (ghee), sugar or milk solids which makes it difficult to consume a lot. But, it is definitely worth a try! Today, I bring before you a list of 10 must-try sweets, most popular in the eastern state of India –…
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A Tribute To RATHA JATRA – The World Famous Chariot Festival at Puri, Odisha
Amidst the corona virus epidemic scare this year, Ratha Jatra was like never before! With very strict restrictions and a limited number of people, the authorities allowed the basic rituals to be commenced for Ratha Jatra in 2020. The priests were masked and public attendance was completely banned, followed by some sharp criticism for even allowing this in the first place. While we witnessed the empty streets of Puri on television while the chariots were being pulled, I thought of writing a tribute to this world-famous festival of Puri, Odisha. I did my bit of research and collated whatever little I know about Ratha Jatra so far. This blog…
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RAJA PARBA – The Festival Of Odisha Celebrating Womanhood
Today, I will write about a very popular festival of Odisha – “Raja Parba”, which is going to start from this weekend. And I can’t help but hum this very popular folk-song from Odisha, commemorating RAJA PARBA, while I sit down to write. The first stanza goes something like this : ବନସ୍ତେ ଡାକିଲା ଗଜ ବରଷକେ ଥରେ ଆସିଛି ରଜ, ଆସିଛି ରଜ ଲୋ ଘେନି ନୂଆ ସଜବାଜ । Amidst the current pandemic crisis in the world, social distancing is the key. So, one of the many things that has been hit hard and taken a backseat is – the fanfare and celebrations of Indian festivals. So, I thought of writing about one of…
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Making ‘Roti’ in Indian Households : Whose Job Is It Actually?
Recently, I read a very interesting take on roti making in India. It defined the whole process of making ‘roti’ (read : Indian flatbread made from wheat flour) and how it weaves magic in Indian households. Apparently, no meal seems to be complete without the quintessential ‘roti’ or ‘chapati’ after all. And yes, we even have variations in the form of parathas, kulchas, pooris etc. as part of the Indian cuisine. But nothing has ever been as regular a feature in Indian meals as the good-old ‘roti’. I had just wrapped up work and blissfully reading away random blogs in the late evening. And this particular post immediately made me…
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Quote Of The Day
How busy can we really get? Today’s quote is dedicated to that one moment which we spare for just ourselves, and that connects us to the truth of life in someway. -> Take a pause before that last sip of your favourite tea, -> spend that extra minute in bed cuddling with the loved one, -> look at yourself in the mirror for that one extra moment, -> breathe in that smell of the first rain, -> hold your breath for a moment after that beautiful kiss, -> steal a glance and appreciate beauty, -> smile back at a stranger passing by, -> stop by and wave to that…
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Quote Of The Day
Life conversations happen with many. Self-conversations are rare. I dedicate today’s quote to all those times we spend with just ourselves, in that cosy little private space of ours.
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Quote Of The Day
Introducing a new category in the “Unleashed Thoughts” segment of WANDER BIRD – Quote of The Day. This compiles life quotes by the author of this blog – SANTWONA PATNAIK – an avid writer, story-teller and a dreamer.
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WOMEN OF TOMORROW – Are we grooming kids the right way?
Gender inequality has existed across the world since ages. Men and women have never been considered as two equally contributing wheels in the cycle of life. So, let’s just face it, without sounding preachy. Well, we don’t have any control over whatever has happened and there’s absolutely no point brooding and fighting over who did what and the so-called distorted facts from history. But what we have a solid control on now, is the opportunity to inculcate the most basic value of equality within our kids. An EQUALITY which simply means ‘being equal’, with no discrimination based on caste, social status, region, nation and most importantly gender! Kids have the…
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4 Most Amazing Things to Do in Thailand
Thailand is one of the best destinations for pleasure-seekers who are travelling on a budget. With over 39 million international tourists every year, Thailand offers a wide range of activities from daily massages and island-hopping adventures to Michelin-starred street food and a superb night-life. With so many activities to choose from, picking which ones to do can be quite a task. So, here’s a list of four things you shouldn’t miss when you are in Thailand: Visiting the Grand Palace Want to know what it feels like to be a Thai royalty? Visit the Grand Palace. Located at the heart of the capital, Bangkok, the Grand Palace is a 200-year-old,…
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The Bizarre People and Customs of South Korea
Here’s a personal essay by John Adams on the chain of events, which led to his experiences in a beautiful country called South Korea. “I had something special planned for our second marriage anniversary, but she gave me an even bigger surprise ten days prior to the big day. We started as friends in the first year of college and two years later, I was convinced that we were soul mates. Our wedding ceremony took place a month after graduation and it was absolutely perfect. Getting into an intimate relationship with a former best friend is something special and I was certain that this was meant to last. We shared…
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Learn to prioritise LIFE ~ A Personal Memoir from GOA
I could not have asked for a better sunset or better company, on this trip to Goa! Time froze right here. Undoubtedly, life has a zillion shades. Maybe, this is what is called ‘perfect’. As we grow older, it becomes more and more difficult to coordinate, find common timelines and plan a getaway with friends. But if you earnestly want to make plans work, they will work. Learn to PRIORITISE. No matter how reckless and spontaneous our 20-year old selfs were, the dynamics change at 30. We have more responsibilities, financial constraints and work load which definitely get tougher with time. So, impromptu getaways pave way for well-coordinated plans. Yes,…
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What I learnt about Time Management from Mumbai
Every time I visit Mumbai, this beautiful city of dreams teaches me a new lesson for life. Amidst the thrill of almost missing my flight (inspite of starting 3 hours prior to my boarding time) and then catching up, I caught up on my breath at the airport, while waiting for my boarding announcement. ‘Mumbai Special’ Time Management – This is what stayed with me this time, as I sat and reflected on the last 4 eventful days at Mumbai. Yes, I call it eventful because it had all the key elements – the Mumbai rains, jam-packed traffic, water-logging red alerts, hectic work schedules, early morning timelines, Marine Drive, ‘vada…
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The Rainbow Experience in India
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That first touch of a newborn baby on Day 1
Here’s a heartfelt short story on that feeling of the first touch of a newborn baby. It is an angelic touch indeed! “A happy baby has shining eyes. It walks open hearted into the world and spreads magic.” ~ Sigrid Leo 09:55 AM | It was a usual Friday at work. The floor was bustling with activity and each cubicle was getting started with its onsite calls. We had already started feeling the vibe of the upcoming weekend. That’s exactly how Friday mornings feel in an IT office. The managers were doing the rounds just to keep an eye on who’s getting into the ODC at what time. Wish early…
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Cruising For A Bruising In My Rocking 30s
As I sit to pen down my thoughts today, I realise that it is 10th August 2019. Tomorrow, I will officially turn 31. Yes, that’s my age for the records! I’m not too sure if mentioning one’s biological age openly, is within the brackets of ‘etiquettes’ or not. Honestly, I don’t even care. I have never shied away from telling my age, by giving a blatant excuse stating ‘you should never ask a woman her age’. I mean – duh uh! It is not a big deal. Anyway, all that matters is your mental age – what and how you feel from inside. It has been a strangely hot and…
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How I Turned My Life Around Even On A Depressing Dependent Visa (H4) in USA
Taking that decision to shift base to USA, without going to office at all – on an H4 visa, was not an easy call. And heading straight into a sudden break from a hectic corporate work schedule made that role transition in life, even more difficult. Backdrop of My Travel on an H4 Visa I travelled to USA on Nov 1, 2017 with an H4 visa. Back then, I was not quite a believer of long distance marriages (well, I still have my reservations there!) and was a flag-bearer of ‘no-matter-what-couples-live-together’ policy. Prior to this, I was working in Singapore, in a well-salaried and full-fledged role of a software developer-cum-analyst,…
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Mom, I celebrate you everyday, not just today – #HappyMothersDay
It was a regular sign off from a working day and I was on my way back home. My bus was filled with people from various walks of life and bustling with endless chatter. Luckily, the AC was a huge relief on a typical humid Bhubaneswar evening in the month of March. Just then, a friend messaged me about this beautiful campaign – “From Ma, With Love” by One Future Collective. It was celebrating recollections of feminist tales and lessons, passed down to us, by our mother and a beautiful tribute to moms on Mother’s Day. This reminded me of Ma’s glass of lemonade which must be ready by the…
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A Leap Into The Unknown – My First Scuba Dive at PHUKET
I was slowly submerging into the ocean and did not know how to swim. And I chose to take that scuba leap into the unknown. Little did I realize that it would change my life forever. It was a bright sunny day in Phuket and I was enjoying one of the best mornings of my life. I had visited Thailand for the first time, with a group of friends and was awestruck with the natural beauty of Phuket. There could not have been a better combination of sun, water, greenery and sands – served on the same platter. On our way to the Khao Phing Kan (popularly known as the…
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Photo Blog Series on Lake Tahoe – California
Never have I experienced a more magical sunset than that evening at Lake Tahoe in California. Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, straddling the border of California and Nevada. It’s popularly known for its beaches and ski resorts. It was an impromptu road trip to Tahoe from San Francisco, last winter. We quickly packed our bags on an early Saturday morning, booked a cosy accommodation at the Red Wolf Lakeside Lodge on Groupon (on-the-fly) and hit the roads. With small pit-stops for food and refreshments, we made it to Lake Tahoe by afternoon. Wish I could exactly describe how I felt, on that first…
