Life Lessons – Changing Priorities – Future Survival Strategies – Covid19 Pandemic…!!!

Mankind is evolving out of the current situation.

As an anxious individual as we wait for reassurance and stability, we are more worried about the disruption of Covid19 and its impact.

People are producing content while it is at home – humour, particularly memes on WFH  ( Work from home/work for home) are helping to lighten the mood.

What is more prominent that each one of us have learned lessons of life, and our priorities have started to change for now and forever.

# LockDown …. Deciphered a new life, we never lived before…

We learn to live with less

More family time leading to co-sharing of household activities leading newer dynamics in family life…no one will get this opportunity ever..!!!

Work from home....which was infrequently believed to be ineffective by many employers... has broken all the delusion...WFH is going to be the new Corporate paradigm...

Time to build new desire towards our own health, climate, living beings and environment, which will save the homo sapiens from mass extinction..

Investments and insurance are more important than vacation and expensive purchases…

Doctors and Medical Professionals are the new Heros – not the Celebrities

Increase in compassion towards the deprived and needy class in the society…who are often ignored…

Decisions are circumstantial and may not be perfect all the times,… so respect as given the opportunity no one make a perfect.

😃 Given an opportunity Police can beat anyone...#frustration 

And eventually when all this over and we return to life, there would be a lot of disruptions in terms of changes in behaviour (buying and spending pattern), which will decisively lead to a newer World…

To be continued….as it's still in making….

Cheers!!!!!

Utakala Divas - A Day to reverberate Glory of our Great Motherland....Odisha..

Bande Utkala Janani – ( Glory to Maa Utkala !!)

On April 1, 1936, Odisha became a separate province, after a long struggle of over three centuries. The formation of Orissa province under the British rule, separated from Bengal and Bihar, marked the beginning of a new journey for the state.

Odisha Day, also known as Utkal Divas and Utkala Dibasa, is celebrated on April 1 every year in memory of all the struggle that went into gaining a separate political identity for the state that was once part of Kalinga ruled by emperor Ashok, and later by Kharavela, remembered as a conqueror and the champion of Jainism, before Mughals invaded and wrested it.

Utkala Dibasa: History and significance

According to historians, Orissa was originally inhabited by tribes that lived in its hills and plains. Later, it became part of Kalinga, the ancient kingdom that Magadh King Ashoka invaded in 261 BC to expand Mauryan rule. The ‘Great Kalinga War’ famous for the bloodblath it saw was eventually won by Ashoka, though he could not enjoy his victory and soon embraced Buddhism.

Apart from the Great Kalinga War, recorded history had few references of the kingdom until King Kharavela’s rule began. In fact, Kalinga under Kharavela had managed to avenge the Maurya invasion by defeating Magadh. Historians say Kharavela, besides being known for establishing Kalinga as a mighty political state of India, is also credited with laying the foundation for Orissa’s fame as a land of art, architecture and sculpture.

Gajapati Mukunda Deva was the last Hindu King of Odisha, who was defeated by the Mughals in 1576. In 1803, the British took over the reins of the state, dividing it into several administrative units. The northern and western districts became part of Bengal Presidency. Later, the coastal region was made into the Province of Bihar and Orissa.

Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das founded a Odia social and cultural organisation named Utkal Sammilani in 1903 to unite all Odia. A revolution was started by them which continued for three decades under the leadership of Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das, Utkala Mani Gopabandhu Das, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Pandita Nilakantha Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Gangadhar Meher, Basudeba Sudhaladeba, Radhanath Ray, Bhubanananda Das, A. P. Patro and many others with the support of the public.

Finally, British gave up and accepted Odisha as a province of India ruled by them. It was 1st April 1936 when Odisha entered in state list of INDIA with 6 districts only. Now we got 30 districts.

Unfortunately, he (Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das) passed away on 1934, 2 years before he could witness his dream.

The state’s name was changed from Orissa to Odisha on 24 March, 2011, after Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, gave its nod to the Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010 and the Constitution (113th Amendment) Bill. The Lok Sabha, the lower house, had passed the bill and the amendment to change the name of the state from Orissa to Odisha, and that of its language from Oriya to Odia, on November 9, 2010.

Why Odisha - what we should know ?? why should we be proud off ??

Odisha has surprises at every corners..which the world is yet to explore

What you get only in Odisha ?

Olive Ridley Nest at Arribada, Gahirmatha Beach, Rusikulya – The only place in India where they come every year

                               

  

Odisha Pegion Post Service – One of the last surviving Pegion Maling Service – Angul & Cuttack

    Lasgest costal lagoon – Chilika and second largest in World

    Sambalpuri Hadndloom – Hand Woven Sarees and Dress material

   Irrawaddy dolphin ( rare species)  found in Bharmhagiri, Chilika Lake

Pattachitra - A traditional painting done on palm leaves

Top tourist attractions

    Shree Jagannath Dham – Among one of the four Dhams in India

Asia’s Largest Earthen Dam – Hirakud

     

     Konark Sun Temple, Puri – World Heritage Site

  Daringhbadi – Kashmir of Odisha

Jirang – Odisha’s little Tibet

Unique Odia Cuisnes

 Pakhala - Pakhala is rice which is fermented overnight with water and consumed with an assortment  of fried vegetables and fish.

Dalma - Dalma is dal (lentil) cooked with an assortment of vegetables and spices.

Dahibara Aloodum

 Pitha - Pitha is essentially cereal based steamed cake. It’s the food for any occasion from the perspective of an Odia household. The dish has many variants and much sought after amongst them are ChakuliPitha, PodaPitha, Monda etc.

Rasagulla – Not Rosogolla….( We Odia’s call it Kheer Mohan to be precise ) 

Chena Poda – Roasted Sweet Cottage Cheese

     Kora Khai

The list will go unending....i may have missed few more important things...pardon me for it

I have tried to capture a few things for all of you to reverbate the Glory of our Great Motherland..

Be a Proud Odia...!!!

Bande Utkala Janani... Echo it Loud and Loud

Jai Jagannath...!!

Happy Utkala Divas

*Courtsey – Odish Tourism, My City Links and multiple sites. 

Dahi Bara Aloodum - A double bliss

Yum Yum....Lip smacking....Savory....Dahi Bara ...Aloodum.....

It's a delectable gastronomy that combines two separate dishes together...Dahi Bara ...and ....Aloodum

The delicacy has been exuded through generations with a lot of childhood nostalgia. and now is one of the highlight of odia cusine that has a cult following.

For me, i can have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.....:)

Like me there are a lot of people in Odisha who have a insatiable appetite for this delicacy

It is combination of Bara soaked in thin curd/buttermilk and aloo dum, a gravy of slow cooked potatoes. Served in bowl made of khalli patra, vadas are placed at the bottom and then topped with the thick aloodum gravy. Finally it is topped with Ghugni (white peas curry), coriander, chopped onion and bhujia sev.  Almost a perfect meal with carb from the potatoes, protein from the vada made from lentils and probiotic from the buttermilk.

The origin of Dahi Bara Aloodum is not well known but the trails of this legendary delicacy began from Cuttack which is still alive in the streets and alleys of that beautiful city. Over the years the cultural influence has played a pivotal role is developing the taste of Dahi Bara Aloodum over years.

For instance the the exclusive taste of Dahi Bara Aloodum in Cuttack has never replicated outside the city. Even within the city of Cuttack there are lot of variations of the delicacy which can't be veiled

• Raghu - Only Dahi Bara & Aloodum with some chilli spices 

• Ishwara- Dahi Bara, Sweet Dahi Bara, Aloodum, Ghugni, chopped onion, coriander and a lot of other good add ons

• Trinath - Dahi Bara & Aloodum that tastes like mutton gravy

Click on the links on the names above to try them when you are in Cuttack next. There may be few other places that serve better, just that i haven't explored all of them.

By blending the Dahi Bara with Aloodum, people of Odisha have blended Gastronomy with Culture which is double bliss.

Few of the social media activist took an initiative to celebrate 1st March as a day to celebrate Dahi Bara Aloodum Dibas, so lets join hands and keep the juggernaut rolling.

Happy Dahi Bara Aloodum Divas to all of you