AAAAHHHA the Prime Minister Narendera Modi is coming to my city!!!

Today, I had some work in sector 9. I took an auto and while going from a southern sector towards sec 9 I did not notice much while looking outside as the auto driver took me there through the inside lanes of sec 23 and 16.

On my coming back, he took the Madhya Marg and then the dividing road of sector 14 and 15. I was looking outside and was appreciating the trees nicely trimmed and the lime painted on roots and half of the tree trunks. In my heart I was thanking God that I live in Chandigarh which is the cleanest city in India and the trees are being looked after. Just then the auto driver said “behenji (sister) the P.M. Modi is coming and see all the roads through which his motorcade is to pass is being cleaned. Just then I recalled the news that Mr. Prime Minister is coming to Chandigarh to inaugurate the national terminal of Chandigarh airport on September 11^th, 2015. OMG……….. , I took an observatory look outside and saw laborers cleaning the pavements and the road dividers and sides of pavements are being painted in black and white.

I told my auto driver to stop on the side of the road where pottery is sold by local potters as I wanted earthenware in which I could keep bird feed. To my amazement I could see only few statues of earth and rest of the huge display of articles was no more there. I thought probably the potters have shifted to another place and that today I will not be able to buy the flat bowl of earth. So I approached the person selling the statues and asked where the potters have shifted. He looked at me and asked,” Madam, kya chayyia? Vo Modi aa raha hai na, isiliye sab peeche chupa kar rakha hai. Mein le ata hoon (Madam, what you want? Modi is coming so that’s why everything has been hidden at the back in the ground. I will bring what you want.) I heaved a sigh of relief that all the pottery is here.

                                        Pottery hidden at the back
                       Cud not take the picture during day time.... 

All this reminds me of an article published in The Tribune, long time back. Some Defense chief had come for inspection accompanied with his wife. The wife got bedazzled with the roses planted on the campus. She plucked the rose and the whole bush came out. Hahahaha, even that whole plant was shifted there to beautify the area.

Mr. Prime Minister, I request you to keep coming to my city through different routes especially the southern sectors where one usually see heaps of garbage  lying on sides of the roads and unkempt parks so that the administration keeps the entire city neat and clean. May be the water and electricity shortage, traffic issues and many other problems also get sorted with your visits to Chandigarh. In that case we heartily welcome you to our city. :) :):)

"SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAN"

Our Prime Minister Narender Modi’s campaign of “Swachh Bharat” is commendable. He is a forward looking person and has a vision of clean India in the future. He thinks deeply on every aspect be it small or big. He posse’s deep reasoning due to which every citizen is looking forward to a powerful India which would beat the west.

Although, the citizens are responsible for keeping the country clean, still the onus is on the Municipal Corporations of respective cities. It so happened that our sweeper did not turn up for 5-6 days consecutively, and this was not his first time. I approached the resident welfare association many times, however nothing changed. Then I registered a complaint with MC Chandigarh. To my astonishment I received a reply that they are not responsible for door to door collection of garbage and I need to resolve the matter of my own. I could not even switch to some other sweeper as the sweepers have their own unions and they do not let anybody else work in their place and themselves remaining absent from work at their will. Under the circumstances what are the options with the citizens. They would not go a mile away everyday to dump the garbage as they are already paying for these services. The garbage in their houses would attract multitude of germs and flies. Usually people dump the garbage in nearby places like grounds, roads or even sidewalks. This is the general scenario of people in every city in India.

I fail to understand why not Municipal Corporations think on this basic aspect. They go abroad on expensive study tours using the public money and could not even resolve such petty issues. If only Municipal Corporations hire sweepers for door to door collection of garbage and charge a fee towards it, it would not only provide employment to many serious working poor but would also generate money to the Municipal corporations. I have been to US and I see that the Public Utility collects garbage 2-3 times a week and people keep two cans outside their homes, one green for recyclable garbage and other black for other trash. These are provided by the Public Utility against a charge and it is mandate for every household to keep two such cans.  Can’t our Municipal Corporations work something on these lines?  It’s time for the Municipal corporations to wake up and do their bit towards Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

HOLISTIC HEALING WORKSHOP.

Today I went to Max Hospital to get some periodical tests done. I was glad to see a flier about Holistic Healing workshop to be conducted by Dr. Sachin Gupta. Holistic means  relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts (merriam-webster dictionary). We are not only this body. As a whole we are:

• Body
• Breath
• Mind
• Intellect
• Memory
• Ego
• Self

The last "self" is very important". It is also called consciousness, soul, energy or God. It means being aware of our inner self and outer self. We have immense power to change ourselves. It's only that we stay immersed in ego and intellect that we fail to visualize our inner energies. When we see our construction at the atomic level, we do not exist at all. It's only energy. When we conceive the entire atomic structure as a body, we see the body. Therefore, its very important that we keep our thoughts pure and positive. What we think and conceive we become that. This is the reason we are always told to think positive. This can be achieved through mediation.  Meditation makes our mind calm and at peace. Meditation is not concentrating on something, its a state where one drops everything which is in one’s memory and to come to a state where only consciousness remains, where only awareness remains. We reach this state through discipline. Discipline involves breathing exercises, unconditional love,forgiveness and gratitude. 

"Through this discipline a moment will come when the breath will seem to have disappeared. Through this discipline a moment will come when the body seems to have disappeared and thoughts have also disappeared. What will remain when everything has disappeared? That which remains is meditation".(courtesy: http://www.meditate.org/)

Here is a video by Dr. Deepak Chopra which tells about consciousness.

Schedule of the workshop is as follows:

Sept 20th, 2014   1:00PM until 5:00PM
Sept 21st, 2014   9:30 AM until 2.00PM
Sept 22nd,2014   9:30 AM until 2.00PM

Venue Max Superspecialty Hospital Mohali, Panjab, India.

For registration and any queries contact Dr sachin Gupta at 00918968839911.

  

HEALTHY COOKING OIL

These days the markets are full of products marked healthy. Women want to see their family safe and healthy and often vouch on such healthy products which she does for the best of her family.

I myself started looking for healthy oil to cook, healthy eating options and started looking on the internet for healthy stuff, when I was entrusted with the responsibility to look after myself and my Dad after my Mom passed away. I discovered so many new things which I would like to share with you all.  I want you to be aware of certain things on the nutrition charts that are smartly hidden from us.

The first thing that strikes our mind while thinking of cooking is the oil. I came across two healthy oils: Olive Oil and Canola Oil. Since many Indian dishes cannot be cooked in Olive Oil, I settled for canola oil.

I bought Jivo canola oil as a healthy option. On coming home, I looked carefully at the ingredients and discovered that canola oil has Erucic Acid. It says low Erucic Acid. How much low, it’s silent on that. I enquired from the Jivo canola oil and even called them, however; they did not reply.

Then I wrote to Canola Council of Canada.

I received the following reply from Lisa Campbell, oil Nutrition Research Manager:

“Thanks for your inquiry. By definition, canola oil must be less that 2% erucic acid. However, you don’t mention where you purchased your oil. Canadian canola oil averages about 0.01% erucic acid.”

You may visit the Canola Council Of Canada at the following link:

Canola Council Of Canada

Therefore, the Canola Oil must have less than 2% erucic acid. The low Erucic acid as mentioned on Jivo Canola oil does not specify how low.

As such you may buy any vegetable oil which is equally good. Just make sure you keep changing the cooking oil.

In regard to olive oil Vir Sanghvi writes in his Feb 26^th, 2014 article (H.T. Brunch)

Do not pay more for olive oil (especially when you are cooking with it) only because you think it is a healthy option.

Body works: Over the last two decades, olive oil has gone from being massage oil to being marketed as the one fat that is good for you

First of all, the health argument is not as strong as it used to be – many cheaper oils are also healthy from a heart disease point-of-view.

Secondly, good extra virgin olive oil may change when heated while refined oils remain stable. This rather defeats the argument for cooking with olive oil.

Thirdly, olive oil has a pronounced taste which alters the flavor of your cooking. It can destroy most Asian flavors and I do not recommend it for Indian food.

Fourthly, much of what is sold as extra virgin oil is not what it says on the label so don’t let them scam you.

The best argument in favor of olive oil is not health (now controversial) or country of origin (because the producers lie about this) or snobbery (which is not an argument in favor of anything). It is taste.

You may read the full article at the following link:

OLIVE OIL