It is pouring in Delhi finally! After bearing the intense heat for days, finally able to feel the cold breeze sweeping past my face. Ahh! What a feeling.
Some calming songs, open window, watching the greens appear greener and work from home- hahahah- no excuse to not work. But at least now I get to work with a vibe.
Howz your day going?
Happy Friday btw- weekend kinda started early this time. 😛
Self image is a combination of how you present yourself and how others perceive you.
It includes your physical image as well as the past experiences that have shaped you to be the person you currently are.
It is dynamic, it changes as the objectives of your life change.
Fostering a positive self image is equally important as maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
A few simple steps to follow and you are on the right track:☺️
1. Focus on refining the positives– All of us have our shares of positives and negatives. It is important to refine and highlight the positive traits while working on the not so great ones.
2. Take time to do what you love– A peaceful, satisfied soul is far more effective than an unsatisfied one. Make sure to take that road trip you are planning for so long! 🚌 Little moments of detox/ clarity can help get back on track. Like they say, being yourself gives you the best kind of confidence!
3. Define the personal goals– A major part of the current self image is defined by the personal goals we set. Make sure to set reasonable and time bound personal objectives, so they are achievable and there is a constant motivation to work towards them- to develop the lifestyle we have been dreaming of.
4. Positive body image– Body image is an undeniable component of the self image! So, dress your part … wear what makes you feel good about yourself.
5. Give positive affirmations– Writing down things makes them solid. You feel confident realising your own worth. Make sure to write positive affirmations at least once a week or before sleep! ✍️
A positive self image can boost your emotional, mental and physical well being. It is the little steps towards a more confident life.💛❤️
Hope all of you are doing great and doing your share to keep yourself happy! 😀
Happy Sunday!☺️
More than just the extravagant beauty, there is something humbling about the mountains.
This is about my experience of climbing the Kedarkantha Summit in the December of 2021. It is a majestic peak in Uttarakhand at the elevation of 12500 feet- one of the most popular snow treks in India.
When going on snow treks, it is best to equip yourselves- snow boots, gaiters, caps, gloves, warmest clothes and more layers of clothes🥶. I am a person who would feel the coldest in a room- you know the “cold hands and warm heart” type🤣😌, so thinking about a snow trek was a big challenge, and now to have completed it is feels like a bigger achievement.😎
December is the prime time, so, not gonna lie, it was crowded. But, the bright side, I met so many new people from all over India.
Precisely- New People, Good energy and Great Adventures.
If you are craving the most delicious, creamy bowl of happiness, you’ve come to the right place!✨
Sharing with you a quick pasta recipe with the minimal supplies!
Our star ingredient for the day- Tomatoes!🍅🥫
Forget about Italians, even Indians cannot imagine cooking without tomatoes.
Tomatoes are an integral part of the Indian cuisine. We use them every single day;
tomato soup, tomato rasam, chutney, in our gravies and more. Basically can’t think of cooking without them.🤷🏻♀️
By now you would know I am a Sindhi (if you don’t, click here to check out my last blog post on the story of the India- Pakistan Partition 1947)
Let me help you know little bit more about our culture!
~ Starting off
“India’s very name comes from the Indus River which is the English way of pronouncing the Sindhu river.
India, Indus, Sindhu are all the same!
The Persians and Mughals converted the word Sindhu to Hindu.
The Greeks converted that to Indos.
So from Sindh and Sindhis we get Hindus, Hindustan, Hindi, India and Indian.”
~ Our Surnames
As a Sindhi, can you guess what I hear most often?
“Oh! You are Kukreja and still a Sindhi?!!”
Most people spot Sindhis by inspecting whether their surnames end in “-ani”? Lol
Let me tell you why this opinion!
The route of this, is the Sanskrit word ‘Ansh‘ which means- ‘descended from‘. Ansh colloquially became -ani therefore we have our names — but not all Sindhi surnames end in -ani.
Surnames identify the family groups. Each family was allowed a Nukh (meant to be one’s caste name) and hence that is how the surnames were derived. This refers to a broad family tree.
Take for example if the head of the family was Ramchand, the family would use the surname Ramchandani.
I hope now you have the answer for your most favourite question!! HAHAHHAH
~ Our Occupation
Oh yes and we are amazing business people.
Even though Sindhis entered the country empty handed, (as we discussed in the last blog) with endurance and hardwork most re-established themselves in trades and other businesses; The Rahejas, the Hindujas, the Hiranandanis to name a few.
~ Our Language
Well we speak Sindhi.
And those who know me, definitely know how much I love it. This is the one thing that keeps me closest to my culture.
The joy is to be able speak in Sindhi at most places when not a lot of people understand it. (It is like a secret, code language, haha)
Even though it is the official language of the Pakistani province of Sindh, Sindhi is one of the scheduled languages officially recognised by the Central Government in 1967.
~ Our Music
I assume most of you have heard, Dama Dam Mast Kalandar, the song sung by Mika and Honey Singh! It is actually a Hindi remake.
Dama Dam Mast Qalandar is originally a spiritual song written in the honour of the most revered Sufi saint of Sindh, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
The original poem was initially written by the 13th-century Sufi poet Amir Khusrow.
To top it all, Sindh is also called the land of the Sufis.
Sufi Literature is the essence of Sindh, and hence we share a similar taste in dance 💃🏻 , music 🎶 and poetry.
~ Our food
And finally the food.
Our cuisine is filled with mouth watering dishes: Sindhi curry, Aloo Tuk, Dal Pakwaan- to name the famous few. (come over, I am sure you have never had something like that before😋)
Infact we have our own version of Macroni. 😚
It is said that a few Sindhis visited Italy and got some macaroni pasta back home and the ladies created a
Sindhi-nised version of it using tomatoes!
Well and yes Sindhis are very particular about their papad, it needs to be the right kind. We sure love having papad with all our meals.
AND we have amazing flat breads mixing jaggery, flour, and oil; for dessert – Miththo Lolo!
(in the image down below)
Well that was about it! ❤
Happy and guilt-free eating to all! 🙂
Beyond It by Prachi Kukreja 