For me,the usual fanfare associated with any festival is seamless until and unless my kitchen is stuffed with loads of food for feasting.And,Bihu(especially Magh or Bhogali Bihu),a festival celebrated by the Assamese community of the north eastern state of India,to mark the end of the harvesting season,when granaries are full,is the perfect time to indulge in gastronomic delights.

The very word 'Bhogali' relates to eating and feasting and Magh is a winter month in the Assamese calendar.The festival is my favourite as it brings back nostalgic memories when I lent a helping hand to my mom as she prepared several typical Assamese delicacies from days before the festival.

This time,I tried out a few of such cakes(called Pitha in Assamese) and they really turned out well.So,I decided to post the recipes on my site along with a few pictures of my preparation so that you can relish these homemade sweets the next time you celebrate any festival.

The Ingredients for Til(sesame seeds) Pitha are:-

100 gms black sesame seeds-cleaned,roasted and pounded.
150 gms jaggery or sugar
3 cups of glutinous/sticky/botan/waxy/mochi rice-soaked and pounded
Enough water

Method:-
For the stuffing,wash,clean and dry the sesame seeds.Then roast them for a while and pound them in a grinder.Heat a wok or pan,mix jaggery or sugar to the sesame seeds and stir them for a while till the sugar leaves the sides of the pan.

Soak rice overnight in water.Drain and grind in a grinder.Add enough water to make a batter.Heat a girdle or non-stick pan and pour a ladle of batter to make a pancake.As it roasts from below,place some prepared sesame stuffing on the pancake and carefully roll from sides.Let it cool to become firm.Relish your til pitha during Magh Bihu or anytime of the year.

The recipe of Til Ladoo is the most simplest of any sweet made ever.The Ingredients are 250 gms black sesame seeds-cleaned,roasted and pounded coarsely.500 gms jaggery or sugar.

Method:-

Heat a wok.Melt jaggery or prepare a sugar syrup by mixing equal quantities of water and sugar.Add the coarsely pounded sesame seeds and keep stirring till the jaggery or sugar leaves the sides of the pan.Take off from fire. Rub ghee(clarified butter) on both palms and try to make balls while still hot.Be careful,not to burn your hands.Your Til ladoo is ready to store or serve.50 gms of roasted and coarsely pounded peanuts can be optionally added to the sesame mixture.

So get going...Bihu is round the corner....stack up your kitchen shelves with loads of delicacies and enjoy them with your friends and relatives.And don't forget to tell me how do they like it.Come back to savor some Muri(puffed rice) Ladoo and Narikol(Coconut) Ladoo recipes in my forthcoming posts.

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Have you ever felt the urge to sketch a picturesque scenery or compose a poem but someway was unable to verbalize,then,a visit to this blessed spot of nature in the North East of India where nature is at its bounty with lush green vegetation,meandering lakes,cascading waterfalls,smoky hills,thick woods,winding roads is sure to muse you.Truly an artists galore and a poet's profuse,this small hill station,Shillong was often our ideal weekend gate away during our stay in Guwahati(Assam) which is also the sole gateway to the entire north eastern states of India.

A 3 hours drive from Guwahati would take us to the Abode of Clouds...Meghalaya,the capital of Shillong.Guwahati is well connected by rail and air from all parts of India.

After driving leisurely up the winding roads with verdant green pines on one side and terrace cultivation (also called Jhoom) on the other for about 2 hrs,you will reach Nongpoh,a stop for sipping a hot cup of tea and some snacks.And don't forget to load some fresh local pineapples and oranges and some pickles prepared at Khasi homes on your way back home.

Just about 15-17 kms before reaching Shillong is the gorgeous Umiam Lake(also called Barapani).An artificial lake built by constructing a dam across the Umiam river.A day spent in the Orchid lake Resort overlooking the lake would be worthwhile where you can enjoy a few water sport activities like water boats,sail boats,water scooter,etc.A picturesque beauty with the reflections of the mountain in the shimmering waters of the lake will make you spell bound.

Our preferred hotel in Shillong was always Centre Point,as the name suggests, it is located in the heart of the town with market places at close proximity.A stroll through the crowded streets of Police Bazaar in a chilly evening can be a pleasurable experience.A perfect place to hunt for souvenirs-a chequered shawl handcrafted by the local Khasi's,some woolens from the Tibet market,bamboo artifacts from small shops near our hotel,imported fancy shoes and handbags from Glory's Plaza have always been my favourite.Another cherished choice was the Bara Bazaar, a women influenced market where one can shop some local honey,oranges, khasi knives and feast upon some piping hot momos(dumplings).

There are numerous hotels to suit every one's budget like the Pinewood(a govt.owned heritage hotel),Polo Towers(a luxury hotel),Alpine Continental(in the lanes of Police Bazaar),Pegasus Crown(centrally located),to name a few.

Since Shillong was like our second home,we were not much concerned about local sightseeing,instead preferred to move farther upwards to Upper Shillong.However,there are various things to do for an explorer like boating at the Ward's lake or feeding the multicoloured fishes there,a walk in the Lady Hydari park with a visit to its zoo,a photo shoot at the Botanical garden's exotic display of flora, prayer session at one of the various churches and a visit to the Central Library or State Museum can be an interesting one.My pictures are sure to allure to this serene and stunning beauty in the clouds.

If you wish to extend your stay by a day or two ,then,don't forget to try your hands at Shillong's natural Golf course or Archery but opt out of night life though there is a night club as it might not be safe for tourists.

A favourable destination throughout the year,Shillong may be visited at any time of the year.However if you enjoy the rain,opt for the monsoons when it may drizzle any moment and may be bright and shiny the next moment.An umbrella and light woolens always comes handy whenever visiting this hill station.

No doubt why the Britishers called this lovely opulent green meadow of pines enshrouded in clouds,the Scotland of the East.If you wish to know more about this scenic location,then remain hooked till I come back with next posts of Upper Shillong where one can explore azure blue skies,gorgeous waterfalls,exotic limestone caves and much more besides a trip to the wettest place on earth -Cherrapunji.

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For me there is nothing more disheartening than someone returning from my blog,not because my posts do not interest them but because the language is a barrier.

The challenge of translating my writings into different languages may seem complicated,but,like most I too want to reach a wide and diverse audience and would like to offer my visitors an opportunity to view my site in their own language.So,I decided to take the step of installing Google Translate on my blog and go global.

If you too wish to use this service,you can follow these easy steps:-

1. Log in to blogger.
2. Go to Layout/Page Elements.
3. Click on Add a Gadget(a pop up window opens).
4. Scroll down to find HTML/Javascript(add 3rd party functionality or other code to your blog).
5. Click here (http://translate.google.com/translate_tools?hl=en),choose the language of your site and copy the HTML code below.
6. Now paste the code in the content section of HTML/Javascript.You may add a title too like Google Translate.
7. Save and view your blog.

So,go ahead and take the advantage of this wonderful service for broadening your market,the best way ever discovered by me to multiply my readers.However,such a machine may not produce perfect translation but a gist of what the text is all about.But,regardless of this,it would serve as a tool of communication,as ideas rather than the language is more vital.

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My visit to any country is not complete without going to a spa to try every nations traditional methods of rejuvenating before heading back home to a hectic life.But,this time I was a bit skeptical about it as it was not any ordinary spa,but,a spa where small fishes are used to nibble off dead skin cells to give one a perplexed feeling.

We decided to revitalize our skin at a spa in the Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.A treatment which is becoming popular among tourists in most Asian countries,proved to be an ever memorable experience to us.A few pictures that we took during our session have been uploaded for you to enjoy.

It was a small place with simple hygienic ambiance where one can opt for either 15 minutes or 30 minutes of treatment.We had to clean our feet with soap and water before dipping them into the aquarium.

The water in the aquarium was warm and soaking our tired feet in it gave a soothing feeling, except a little tickling sensation caused by the fishes as they kissed our skin. An absolutely painless but unique feeling which is hard to describe but could be easily tackled by diverting our attention to something else.The tiny fishes called Garra Rufa,which were imported exclusively from Turkey for the treatment were harmless,instead they helped in restoring and beautifying our skin.When asked,one of the spa attendants told us that the water is changed everyday lest it should infect anybody else after some one suffering from any contagious skin disease uses it.Also,once the fishes grow big,they are removed from the aquarium and more tiny ones added.

Many claim that the so called 'doctor fish' can cure psoriasis after undergoing serial treatment sessions.Whatever it be,from my experience,I can arguably say that a visit to fish spa can prove to have a healing effect if not physically but mentally as the experience can be a fun filled one especially by watching the first time goers who find it difficult to tackle the tickle caused by the fish's lips and giggle during the entire session.

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Do you have an insatiable appetite for shopping,and,you cannot limit you self to slightly less?And lately you have been concerned about it and want to curb your temptations? Then, here are a few guidelines from my personal experience over the years on how to shop smart.

1. Women have been often synchronised with shopping but they tend to shop smart,smarter than men, as I have often seen men being reluctant of moving from one shop to another in search of better deals.If you want to get better offers than what you are getting at present,than, it is always better to go for that extra search which might save a few dollars.
2. Buying from a hypermarket is advisable as it gives the consumer a chance to compare the prices of different brands of the same product.
3. Signing up for frequent shopping programme entitles the consumer of special discounts.
4. A list prepared beforehand of the shopping needs can limit the shopper's cravings.
5. Have enough time on hand to help prevent dashing in and grabbing the first item on board.
6. Being aware of the marketing gimmicks can help trim the fat off the bill.
7. A quick look at the product label gives a clear picture of the product than what is advertised.
8. Never throw away your bill without checking.There may be variations in prices of those products whose new or discounted price may not have been updated on the stores system.
9. Keeping ones eyes glued to the system while the bill is being generated keeps the storekeeper alert.
10. Impulse buying should be curbed lest you end up buying a product which is truly required in the long run.
11. Never let your bargaining skills go in vain.Also,the expiry date should be checked to ensure that we avail fresh products.

It is true that a 'sale' anywhere would drive a women into an excitable paroxysm,but, by trying to curb it and by keeping these simple tips in mind we can value our hard earned money and save it for rainy days.

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You may always hunt for ways to spiff up your blog but may obviously do not want to dump it with too many options.The best way to spruce up your blog is to add simple techniques that convey your blogs meaning and one such exclusive pick can be the blogs header.

I launched my graphic header from (http://www.headerspot.com/).You may be able to spot yours here too, as it has a bunch of proper themed,bright and beautiful headers.Now, if you wish to add one to your blog to make it outstanding and grab your readers attention , try following these easy steps:-

1. Choose your header from any of the numerous sites available on the internet and right click on it to save it to any location on your computer.
2. Log in to your Blog and go to Layout and then to Page elements.
3. Click on Edit(Header).
4. A pop up window opens.
5. Browse for your pictures location and click on upload.
6. Click Save and view your blog.

However,while clicking on the Edit(Header) option,you may receive an error message.Do not panic.Log in to blogger and go to your dashboard/layout/edit HTML/expand widgets and locate these lines (max widgets='1' showaddelement='no') either you self or by clicking Ctrl+F.

Now,change the widgets from '1' to '3' or '4' and change add element from 'No' to 'Yes' and I am sure nothing can now come on your way of creating a blogger header even if you do not possess master skills in blogging and you would be impressed to see the professional and elegant look you gave to your blog.Still have some doubts,write back to me.

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I am a big enthusiast of theme parks and I am sure, it is too, of all the fun loving people of all ages,as it serves as an excellent break from the monotonous life.

Our preferred option last summer was the Misty City,Genting,in Malaysia.Our Malaysian retreat included 2 days in Genting.However,if you wish to explore more in the Malaysian capital,Kuala Lumpur, a days break should be enough as the city of entertainment is located at a distance of just a few kilometres and public transport is easily available from the capital.

Never forget to get down halfway at the sky way station in Gohtong Jaya town to experience the breathtaking view of the tropical rain forests as you move upwards by South East Asia's longest and world's fastest skyway.The fare is RM-4 one way and RM-7 return.

Also called Malaysia's Las Vegas,Genting is acclaimed to have the only heated water park at such a high altitude.The park has around 40 rides to suit people of all ages and the chilling weather with a few spells of rain without notice which shrouds the city in a veil of clouds,could not deter us from enjoying the day outside.

We got ourselves free passes for the entire day with unlimited rides as freebies from our travel agent.Do not hesitate to ask for yours.To check out for latest rates and upcoming events in the park,you can log in to http://www.genting.com.my/.

My favourite rides include the Flying Coaster,Splash Down,Monorail,Tea Cup,Bumper Boat Ride,Pirates Ship,Matahari,to name a few.However,if you are a more daring kind of person and dare to make your adrenaline pump high,you can experience the thrill of the magical Space Shot,Spiderman Roller Coaster,the Drop and the Roller Coaster.

The park has every facility to cater to the needs of every exhausted and hungry tourist and if you are one of those,no need to head back to your hotel.We relished some fresh fruits and sandwiches at one of the numerous food outlets in the outdoor park whilst enjoying the fresh,cool mountain breeze.



Our 2 days stay in the Genting highlands theme park came to an end, but, we still reminisce the thrill and fun we experienced in the exhilarating rides when we watch our holiday video.Here it is for you to get lured.If you still feel curious to know more about our experience in the indoor's of the theme park or about our Kuala Lumpur extravaganza,remain hooked till I unveil my next posts.

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