Wedding_invite : Ameya and Pranali

It's been more than year this post was in drafts...Finally publishing it.

।।श्री।।

पाहिलं नमन हे, गणेश वंदन ।

तुळजाईसह खंडोबासी , मनोभावे हे निमंत्रण ।

सकळ देवतांसंगे, आपण करावे येथे पाचारण ।।

"प्रणाली" ही जयमाला- जनार्दनची ।

प्रफुल्लिता भाची ही मायेच्या मुसळ्यांची ।

 सृजनशील सुकन्या ही उबाळे परिवाराची ।।

"अमेय" हा वंदना- राजन यांचा ।

विवेकी भाचा हा पितळ्यांचा ।

सुविद्य-सुसंस्कृत  सुपुत्र वर लाभला "पोतदारांचा" ।।

'८ डिसेंबर' मंगल दिनी ।

यावे आपण आनंद चित्ती । 

वधू - वर बंधती विवाह गाठी ।। 

हर्ष आगळा, हा क्षण सुखाचा ।

मेळ होई, येथे दोहों परिवारांचा ।

शुभारंभ होईल, सुखी संसाराचा ।।

बागडे-धुमाळे-लोकरे-वारे ।

आपणांसी निमंत्रिती स्नेही सारे ।

वरद हस्त ठेवण्यांसी, यावे आपण समस्त परिवारासंगे ।।
http://www.mywedding.com/pranaliameya/ 

Eating Rice is bad, Myth or Truth?

Rice is a fundamental food in many cultural cuisines around the world, and it is an important cereal crop that feeds more than half of the world’s population since ages.

If it never had any nutrition value, it would have been discarded from human diet since long or at least when medical science developed.

Now when we hear about some bits and pieces like “avoiding rice is better when you want to watch your waste line or be sure of not to get close to diabetic arena…” we show pure blind faith in such conclusive statements and follow fad “free from rice diet”,ignoring real facts and figures in this fast pace world, where a line of tweet or couple of lines highlight on facebook or whatsapp become our “guru’s”.

Few facts about why one should eat rice?

The health benefits of rice include its ability to provide fast and instant energy, regulate and improve bowel movements, stabilize blood sugar levels, and slow down the aging process, while also providing an essential source of vitamin B1 to the human body. Other benefits include its ability to boost skin health, increase the metabolism, aid in digestion, reduce high blood pressure, help weight loss efforts, improve the immune system and provide protection against dysentery, cancer, and heart disease.

However, besides fiber, rice also has natural antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin-A, phenolic and flavonoid compounds, which also act as or stimulate antioxidants to scour the body for free radicals. Free radicals are byproducts of cellular metabolism that can do serious damage to your organ systems and cause the mutation of healthy cells into cancerous ones. Boosting your antioxidant levels is a great idea, and eating more rice is a wonderful way to do that.

Rice can also prevent chronic constipation. The insoluble fiber from rice acts like a soft sponge that may be pushed through the intestinal tract quickly and easily. Brown rice and whole grains are known to be rich in insoluble fiber. However, it is advisable to drink lots of water for relieving your constipation condition, in addition to eating fibrous foods.

Which type of rice to choose upon?

The two main categories are whole grain rice and white rice. Whole grain rice is not processed very much, so it is high in nutritional value, whereas white rice is processed so that the bran or outer covering is removed, leaving it with less nutritional value. It means brown rice or whole grain rice is good choice to get more benefits!

It is essential to understand that white rice does have its own set of benefits and eating it or not depends on one’s body. Highly overweight people should avoid it or keep it the portion size to a minimum. Always remember the golden rule to eating healthy is to have a balanced meal at the right time.

How to buy Brown rice?

Depending on number of heads in home, one should decide if brown rice needs to be brought in bulk. With Bulk buy and save money & time campaign, one may tend to buy bulky brown rice bag, however Brown rice actually has a much shorter shelf life than white rice because it contains more oil; it only lasts 6 months. And even then, you should keep it in the refrigerator, is what expert says.

How to eat Rice :

Generally Rice is combined with proteins and fibers. Indian staple diet is rice with dal or veggie curries or chicken curry. This is one of the best combinations one can easily think about. Complementing rice with other sorts of proteins and veggies, helps in rice digestion. Otherwise eaten alone, rice is slower in digestion.

If possible, keep rice as an option for lunch as your metabolism is higher during lunch than dinner helping you use up the carbohydrates from rice for energy which might not be the case during dinner as it may get stored as fats.

one can eat rice every day depending on one’s weight and weight loss goals. In case you are on a weight loss diet, you can have rice two times a week making sure you have a plate of salad along with it to make up for the lack of fibre in white rice. If you are on a weight gain diet, you can have rice daily clubbed with veggies and proteins necessary for your diet.

Tip for Diabetic patient : Diabetic patients should include brown rice rather than white rice, which contains low levels of glycemic index. As little as one cup of brown rice on a daily basis provides a person with almost 100% of their daily manganese requirement, which helps to produce energy from carbohydrates and protein. Brown rice is also extremely beneficial for normal functioning of the nervous system and the production of sex hormones, says nutrition experts.

Skin care tip: Medical experts say that powdered rice can be applied topically to cure certain skin ailments. On the Indian subcontinent, rice water is readily prescribed by ayurvedic practitioners as an effective ointment to cool off inflamed skin surfaces. The phenolic compounds that are found in rice, particularly in brown or wild rice, have anti-inflammatory properties, so they are also good for soothing irritation and redness. Whether consumed or topically applied, substance derived from rice tend to relieve a number of skin conditions. The antioxidant capacity also helps delay the appearance of wrinkles and other premature signs of aging that can affect the skin.

Why Rice bran oil over other oils for daily cooking?

The most balanced and versatile oil in the market and closest to the American Heart Association (AHA) recommendations is Rice bran oil which is proven a superior salad, cooking, and frying oil which leaves no lingering aftertaste. The high smoke point prevents fatty acid breakdown at high temperatures. Its light viscosity, allows less oil to be absorbed in cooking, reducing overall calories. It mixes better in salad dressings and improves the taste of baked goods, providing cholesterol reduction, nutritional and anti-oxidant value. As compared to other oils Rice bran oil has better shelf life.

Comparison of smoke point and balance of fats in some commonly used oils:

Oil Name	Smoke Point	Mono Unsaturated Fat	Poly Unsaturated Fat	Saturated Fat
Rice Bran Oil	490º	47%	33%	20%
Olive	360º	77%	9%	14%
Canola	450º	61%	33%	7%
Peanut	460º	48%	34%	18%
Soybean	440º	24%	61%	15%
Grape seed	485º	14%	77%	9%

...And it's yes!

Only Snapshot from First So Called date!

They say, love is blind and indeed one will not believe it unless it happens. As a practical, rational and logical girl I would have never fall in trap of saying… there is something...don’t know what happens but there is this click or instinct moves two of you forward or may be destiny...oh! We had to meet one fine day!


All logic apart, here I am! Saying all these and much more, whenever they asked how? Why he?

Well, I might have all special reasons and loads of explanations why he and why not someone else, however, how it clicked is probably a funniest journey we had.

They say, when something special is about to happen, you have lots of butterflies running in your tummy and you get some special waves and tickles. It is something to experience than to jot down and have someone follow waves that you’re in. We are one of those lucky couples, who could share such feelings and afford to have good courtship period,, though we met as totally unknown to each other on matrimony and in busy, fast running life.

Like, all others after discussing real objectives from marriage, we thought we were really not the once should meet for marriage, yet we kept talking. There was formal introduction, which got turned to funny-friendly and eventually a personal. I found listener in him, sometimes a friend who would give me rational and frank opinion or sometimes encouraging friend. He thought of me bubbly and cheerful friend, sometimes social butterfly but on very special note, one who will inspire him.

Although we had departed on marriage lines and had created distance, more and more we were looking forward for each other. Our boat started selling there! We met for fun then for so called date then for serious date (LOL) and just kept meeting again and again... All the time we would meet to figure out why again and would end discussions on how you should find your Mr. or miss right one, what you should do for it. For sure, there was chemistry to be comfortable with each other or even to think about someone else then.

On one fine day, we had to stop by, looking deep into each other’s eyes, holding hands together and walking miles together. We were speechless, but knew this is happening to us. We are “the once” to come together and look forward for forever journey. We might not be perfect as an individual but we are complimentary companions to run our life with joy and positive attitude.

As many others, we would have heavy discussions, realizing without him or her I so cannot step out. The more things are falling apart, more we are comprehending its best thing we could have ever said to each other, “YES I do”!

@$! Radio $@!

Now it's more than an year and I haven’t yet jot down anything about  the biggest hobby I am following with so much of passion and dedication.

Listeners/Readers who are waiting for this blog, poking me on this quite often ... this one is especially for you all!

Love you all for being much supportive, inspiring and most importantly digesting me on air for all the shows till now and much more to show up...

****************************************************************************************************************

Being creative is one thing and be in the creative process is another. I guess I have always enjoyed being one and be in one! This must have been my driving force to join Radio after I moved to US considering I have potential time to utilize for myself or allow myself to explore new challenges in the field of creativity.

I lucked out to join live Radio station for weekly shows. I had sort of an idea how I may initiate on it, what kind of theme shows I may handle and so on and so forth. After couple of shows and listeners response, I started noticing the power of being in media. Day by day I become more and more aware on words I spell and topics I handle. I just love the process of challenging myself to handle diverse facets in show. More than that I love the way I am grooming up with all the dimensions of life and giving righteous measurement to my sensitivity and belongingness.

I had enjoyed listening Radio and have learned a lot from classic radio shows since my childhood. I was really fortunate to listen to such shows and be the part of time frame where Radio was still classic and effective media. More than TV serial or theatre actors, I always find RJ’s being much more a part of creation in all the ways, considering its hobby and spending much lesser time for it. This is one media where you have freedom to touch people and grow yourself. When I started, probably the only thought I had was I would like to be RJ for some time in my life. Now, when I look back I find the path is just splendid! That is not just keeping me active or to look for more information, aspects but also engaging me to work on myself every now and then. Making me privilege to meet creative minds and celebrities rocking in most fields!

Sometimes it does become exhaustive, when need to manage the circus of bread and butter and committed hobby. However, listeners inspire by appreciating knowledge, research, enthusiasm, energy and most importantly confident handling and flow of topic. They also make sure; they warn when I slip up while handling topics. This has given me immense love from listeners. All of it just make me more and more vigilant and help moving on to be purist.

The more I work on it, the more I get satisfied feeling after the show. Each and every show becomes distinct to me. It doesn’t allow me to get bore or stagnant. It makes me get rid of lot of anxiety that I have even otherwise to most of the situations. Sometimes, we know most of the things by fact to live life happily, yet its experience which make us pursue to be habitual. I had always learned when you have put the efforts for anything; make sure you do not allow anyone to lose your confidence. I guess it was radio work made me realize, how I should not lose my head and space. Most facts just snap at me and the seed of it grows subconsciously and I found myself grown up for next show.

For no reason, now I have started enjoying myself more and more and this journey is unfolding many a truths… when I enjoyed the most, people around me enjoy the most, when I approach topic with due diligence, people out there found me most influential. List will not end as it continues. Craving to dig more is just astounding. Many beliefs, assumptions are breaking…it’s getting merrier.

This expedition is not only making me more disciplined, dedicated, and optimistic but also helping me to serve. I enjoy shows more when serving feeling arouses. I become more peaceful and allow myself to surrender to divine power then. Quest is unremitting, making me more alive, truthful, blissful and graceful!



Do you know you can listen to my radio shows live on funasia.net 1110AM on Thursday and Friday 10-11 CNT time?
You can also listen to shows on TuneIn on same time location -> USA->Dallas->700 (KHSE) or download YuppTV app and catch live or Download Funaisa App and listen on AM channel?

दे दान...

"दिवाळी दया...दिवाळी!" असे शब्द कानी पडताच घरात आजीला फराळ काढ म्हणून सांगणारी लहानगी पियू दरवाज्यात लागलीच उभी राही. समोर फाटी ठेवून बसलेली दुसरी आजी दिवाळी संपल्यावर फराळ करायला का येते हा अनुत्तरित प्रश्न पियूच्या त्या निरागस चेहरयावर स्पष्ट दिसे. त्या आजीला पाहताक्षणी पियूच्या मनात करुणा दाटे. ही अशी एकटी आजी का फिरते? तिच्या मैत्रिणींसोबत ती का नाही येत. तिची  नातवंड सोबत का नसतात? तिची मुल तिला का एकटीला फराळ आणायला पाठवतात? तिच्या मुली किंवा सुना घरी का नाही फराळ बनवत असे एक ना अनेक प्रश्न विचारून स्वत:च्या आजीला भंडावूनपण सोडी. अर्थात पियूची आजी ह्या सा-याला निरुत्तर.

खास राखून ठेवलेला फराळ- डबा काढत  पियूची  आजी आणि पियू दोघीही दिवाळी नेणा-या आजीजवळ जाऊन बसत. पियूची आजी अगदी  अदबीने दिवाळी न्यायला आलेल्या समवयस्क म्हातारीला कशी आहेस हे विचारी. तिनेही सगळ कुशल मंगल असल्याची पावती दिल्यावर मग पियुची आजी सुस्कारा सोडे. कधी  हलकेच दहा-पन्नासाची नोट तिच्या हातावर टेकवी आणि मागच्या अमावस्येला का आली नाहीस इथपासून ते मुलाच्या नोकरी ते  लग्न इथ पर्यंत सा-या चौकश्या करी.

 ग्रहणानंतर हमखास दिसणा-या चेह-यांपैकीचा हा एक चेहरा. कित्येक अमावस्येलाही ही आजी येई. घरातून कधी पीठ तर कधी काही शिधा नेई. "दे दान सुटे गिराणवाली" ही आजी दिवाळी पण अशीच मस्त सूरात मागे. काहीशा त्या विशिष्ट आवाजासाठी  आतुरलेल्या पियूला ही आजी आली की गंमत   वाटे. कित्येकदा तिला दान म्हणून दानकरी  नको असलेला फराळ देत तर काही त्रासलेले चेहरे "तुझ बरं ग बाई, आयता फराळ तझ्या नशिबात वाढून ठेवलाय ते" म्हणत काही-बाही पुढे सरसावत. पण पियूची आजी मात्र ह्या आजीशी वेगळ वागे. नको असणार खाणं टाकलं तरी बेहत्तर पण तिला कधी अशी उष्टावळ वाढत नसे. उलट तिच्या जवळ मायेने जाऊन तिची सगळी कर्म-कहाणी ऐके. क्वचित  डोळ्याच्या कडा पाणावल्या की चहा आणते अस म्हणून घरात जाई. चहासोबत तिच्या हातावर कधी पैसे ठेवी तर कधी जुनी साडी. पियू हे सगळ न्याहाळतच मोठी झाली. दिवाळी सुरु होताना जितकी ती आतुर होत असे तितकीच आतुर ती संपतानापण असे.

 पुढे पियू अभ्यासाच्या ओझ्यात बुडून गेली. दिवाळी आता फ़क्त P.L. म्हणून पाहू लागली. पियूची आजी गेल्यावर दिवाळीत खास राखायचा घरातला फराळ- डबाही बंद झाला. दिवाळी न्यायला येणारी आजीही कधीतरी यायची थांबली.

 पण आता आपल्या सुखसंपन्न घरात दिवाळी झाल्यावर उरलेला फराळ पाहताना मात्र पियूला आपल्या आणि दिवाळीवाल्या आजीच्या आठवणीने उगीचच व्याकुळ करून सोडल होत...

Chekhov's timeless story

This is a story I recently heard, which made me awake. Hope it works for you too.


"Once upon a time there was one small village, where there was no concept of doctor. People used die with minor illness too. Suddenly in that town, one person arrived. No one had clue how he came, where he came and all and all...
In spite of all questions, doubts when the new person started interacting with village people and started treating or helping people to recover illness with absolutely no returns in mind. If anyone from village was dead, he used to get in crowd for funeral and cry as if his own baby had lost. Then slowly- slowly people stopped thinking about this person’s origin or any other qualms relating to him. After few years, people from the town started believing him, started treating him as God. One of the leaders from that town gave him place to live and his clinic. Few of them started taking care of his food and cloths. He never complained anything about the town or people used who used to come to get medicines from him. Even after his basic necessities fulfilled, he never stopped treating people with the same love nor stopped to cry for people who are dead. Now, the village had accepted this doctor as one of the important person in town.
On one fine day, someone saw doctor was killed. The entire village gathered at his place. While seeing this killed doctor, people noticed - doctor’s watch and gold bracelet was vanished. These were the only two things; doctor was attached too and took care of them throughout his life. With so many guesses people concluded there is one drunker in town, who could do this ill exploit. Upon the observation, those two precious things were found at drinker’s place. So then they registered official complain about him. Though there was no vivid evidence against this crime, substitute evidence was mentioning the clear crime had happened and claimed the guilty. People were hoping the punishment to be announced for the drinker. On the day of verdict, not single person was left in home and the court hall was packed. Jury announced the verdict - “Not guilty acquitted!” Entire town collapsed. Even the criminal left the court with guilty face. The situation was clear enough; he was the only one who did this evil job. No one questioned the jury’s decision. The entire town left the drunker as he was.
Why so? Why this was allowed?
The answer to this was – the town was not ready to take responsibility for the deed that happened. It happened not because of one person’s crazy mind but somewhere because of all the people living there, were responsible to let it happen. None came in front to confront the decision, none gathered to get criminal punished and hence the things could move in “Not guilty acquitted!” way. "

When I saw the conclusion I was amazed. Indeed, this is what happens when certain things go wrong in any of society at any time. It’s not one who turns it black but all people who stopped realizing the difference between white and black. We should not cry on what’s going wrong, if none of us have courage to make it correct.
Checkov tells the truth of all society diminishing values or growing higher, it’s never one who makes the society. Rules to work in ethical or unethical way for society, but cumulatively, every one form the mob, groups or society, who decides to let it happen or make it happen!

सिंहासन

"Once upon a time there was one CM...He had his own army including journalists. The state where he was ruling had lot of problems as did every other state. The way he was fighting was no way different from any of his ancestors nor predecessor..."
   So to conclude the 'Sinhasan' movie story narrates political journey of all people regardless time boundaries. Dr. Jabbar Patel takes us to very much realistic world with best star cast  showing how one anonymous phone call turns everything upside down and vice-a-versa in political world. The same circle people with individual aspirations become a reason to collapse each other and ultimately the furtive remains unresolved and common man never gets to see a clean and secure morning even after independence in spite be in democratic society. It's not just the story of dirty political life nor just the social circle revolving around it but also a story of negligible people living in country that turns in to smugglers or short time criminal due to their primary needs. How do the honest social-works get terminated and how the lime light switches off the vision of a person. The entire movie we watch through simple journalist's eye (Nilu Phule), who is sensitive but clever enough to post the news, well into the political circle but still neutral towards fulfilling his self-desires from it. As the movie progresses, the back ground song USHAKAAL HOTA HOTA just catches your emotions and shows the irony of political leaders and common man. At the end, when everyone is hoping some revolution from C.M., thinking at least now he will take some tangible steps, drama catches the pick of dishearten decisions, which will never lead country anywhere. Rather new story of evil work will begin in politics with same spirit. Exactly at that point the journalist (here the symbol of common man) gets attack of madness by seeing beggar catching him...and how the upper circle still remains untouched is mind blowing game shown in this movie. Although the film is in black and white it has shown all the colors of politics and world around it. The best part is there are all cold-wars, no real verbal fights between oppositions. The end seems more convincing as current C.M. gets sympathy from people due to his heart attack and somehow manages to keep his chair intact.
  All star-cast is superb and have delivered each and every small role with same spirit. Especially, the last scene of the movie where the journalist goes mad, makes us stumble. We keep to our sinhansans intact thinking this is where we are! In my perception, it's the mind blowing shot or the end of any drama - conveying all the mix of emotions.
  The problems of common man must have change from one end to another over the period of time. The media has change a way of putting tricky situations in front of us. Yet, how politicians are still close to their chairs and their agenda to lead is way too contradictory with common man's situation or any problems, is the actuality. Somehow the film becomes timeless story of politicians’ world. A Must watch late 70's movie with best star cast ever and direction. I bet you will remain intact to your sinhasan's throughout the film.