NEW YEAR GREETINGS

Fresh HOPES, Fresh PLANS, Fresh EFFORTS, Fresh FEELINGS, Fresh COMMITMENT. Welcome 2015 with a fresh ATTITUDE. Happy New Year to all my Friends.

Beauty of Banaras or Varanasi or Kashi

The holy city in India with numerous temples also known as City of Temples with three different names is unique on its own. The city which is blessed and protected by Lord Viswanath the other name of Lord Shiva has its inheritance glory with the presence of the  Ganges and its bank (ghats) embanked with staircases of almost 4 to 5 kms and named each Ghats. In my recent visit it charmed me in the early morning hours with the sounds and echos of  ringing bells in the temples. It has captivated still the very tradition of Vedas and Puranas, giving respect to teachers and elders when people meet each other. The road sides has several tea stalls with various milk and milk products such as Rabri, Malleiya, Pera, Curd and many more. The city has heritage forts at Chunar and Ramnagar which are worth seeing and place for  shootings for movies and serials in TV. The Sarnath being the  place of Bhudha giving 1st sermon to his five disciples lingered the Bhuddist culture and tradition. The monks present  there carried on their duties of worshiping Bhudha and enlightening the thoughts of Budha from generation to generation. The most important structure that I have come across is the Ashok Chakra or the National Emblem that is found in our currency is worth seeing. It was built in 3rd Century BC by King Ashoka and still its magnificence specially in finishing and polishing the marble will keep anyone amaze to see. The city is a tourist place and many foreigners flock there to see the Ganges and the archaeological remnants of King Ashoka. Banaras is really a place worth visiting.

Importance of Tree Bean

This is a vegetable called as Tree Bean and Yongchak (in Manipuri). Special dishes are prepared with this tree bean and most of the people in Northeast India love to eat specially by Meiteis  in Manipur and Assam. This a tall plant which is found in bunches and seeds are enclosed with thick covering. The taste of the bean is quite bitter at the first bite, but gradually after taking more and more seeds it becomes a sort of addiction to eat more. Normally most of the people will not taste good but those who get the taste becomes irresistible   to consume more. Vegetable vendors in the market fetch maximum money selling tree beans and it is a good business for sellers. The longer the beans the more the cost. The flower of this plant is shaped like a spongy ball and tasty  salad can also be prepared with it.  But one thing that is unknown about this plant is that   it   serves good for patients with DIABETES