For the last few days the Saree has been trending on Twitter. Women from all over the world have been showing of their best sarees. The hashtag #SareeTwitter and #SareeSwag has really taken off on the micro-blogging site worldwide. Take a look at some of the sarees shared on Twitter.
The “Saree” or “Sari” is a very popular piece of dress for Hindu women of India. It’s a long piece of cloth which is wrapped around the waist, going around the body and then one end ending up over the shoulders. The saree is worn with a choli (also known as blouse) to cover the breasts and a peti-coat around the waist. The sari is not just a dress but a cultural icon. There are various styles of saree. To the casual onlooker the saree might appear the same but those who are well versed in their knowledge of Indian clothing will know that there are various styles of sarees and wearing sarees.
In Northern India, married women usually wear the saree while unmarried women (referred to as girls) in India wear salwar kameez. Pakistani women do not wear the saree however many rich and high class women of Pakistan do wear them at parties to stand out of the crowd. Women of Bangladesh do wear the saree in their own Bengali style. Considering Hindu population of Bangladesh is around 8.5% the saree remains popular there. The saree is also part of women’s dress in Nepal. In the picture below Indian women are wearing the saree and the salwar kameez.
If you have any questions about the saree or Indian clothing in particular then feel free to comment below.
When you think of a dangerous road, what images come to your mind? You may think of roads with lots of potholes that could cause an accident. Perhaps you think of roads with lots of cars and people everywhere. But unless you’ve traveled extensively, you will never know what truly dangerous roads are out there. These are roads which run alongside cliffs or contain lots of wreckage and debris that never gets cleaned up. Their dangerous conditions are known for causing numerous traffic deaths, some of them happening daily.
Below are the top 2 most dangerous roads in the world
Jalalabad to Kabul Highway in Afghanistan
Most of you will probably never travel to Afghanistan, so you won’t experience what is known as the most dangerous road in the world. This is the highway road (Highway 1) which stretches from the city of Jalalabad to the capital city of Kabul. There are two major dangers along this highway. The first danger is the risk of a Taliban attack since the highway runs straight through territories which are occupied by the Taliban. For the most part, this does not happen too often anymore. Your only real problem would be if your car breaks down and left you stranded there.
However, the second danger is even more threatening because it pertains to the area of the highway which runs through the gorge called “Kabul.” This area has winding lanes which are very narrow and go all the way up as high as 600 meters. With all the heavily loaded trucks driving on this, other drivers are constantly trying to pass these trucks in a reckless manner by erratically going onto the reverse lane. If you happen to be driving on that lane, there would be nowhere for you to swerve to get out of the way. Not unless you want to drive right off the gorge and fall 600 meters to your death.
Reports show that there is a fatal car crash every single day on this highway. They are not all as dramatic as driving off the gorge, but there is certainly fatal car crashes on the highway itself. They mainly pertain to people trying to pass slow-moving trucks and then colliding with another driver moving on the reverse lane.
North Yungas Road in Bolivia
North Yungas Road is often referred to as the “Road of Death.” The Inter-American Development Bank had once famously called this road the most dangerous road in the entire world. It is a very narrow one-lane road which is mostly gravel and dirt. It exists upon very tall cliffs that are as high as 600 meters, which is around 2,000 feet. There are a limited number of guard rails on the road too. You may find some as you’re winding around a curve or corner but they end immediately afterward. Drivers must watch where they are going very carefully because one little distraction could send them flying off the cliff in their vehicle.
This is supposed to be a route from the capital city of La Paz to the town of Coroico. There are a lot of cyclists who take this road just for the adventure aspect of it. But the real danger comes from the oversized trucks and buses which are hauling a heavy load. It is quite common for these big vehicles to drive right off the road and kill all their passengers. And if someone happens to be traveling in the opposite direction on the road, good luck trying to pull over to let them go. The steep hills and cliffs do not leave you any room to pull off anywhere on the road. It is like a wall of rock on one side and a deep fall on the other side. Take your pick. In total, there are between 200 and 300 deaths on this road per year.
India is a country that is known for its rich culture, hospitality, various religions, languages, and lots more. People living in different states have their own sets of principles, rules, customs, traditions, and rituals. There are various ways of greeting and each particular state has its unique way. It is very important to know about these greetings or gestures before visiting a particular state or the country.
Take a look at some of the types of greetings in India
Namaste
This is one of the most common and profound methods of greeting each other in India. This traditional form of greeting is practiced in every region. Namaste is made of two words; Namah and Te. This word is derived from Sanskrit and it means “Not me, they”. It has also been said that it means ” I bow to the goodness in you”. In this case, they are refereed to all the Gods in the Hindu mythological. This can be further explained as, Namaste is a form of greeting or statement that indicates the doer of everything is not me but God. All you need to do is, join both your palm, fingers sticking to each other, and a simple bow and say Namaste. This is a very warm type of greeting in India and is practised by most individuals when they first meet each other. More on meaning of Namaste.
SAT SHRI AKAL
People living in Punjab greet each other by saying SAT SHRI AKAL. This form of greeting is highly practiced by Punjabis and Sikhs living in different parts of the country. Sat means truth, Shri is referred as honorific word and Akal means timeless. In other words, Sat Shri Akal can be defined as God is the Ultimate truth. This form of greeting is used by the Sikh community whenever they meet each other regardless of their native language.
Khuda Hafiz
People who follow Islamic religion greet each other with Khuda Hafiz. This is generally used by Muslim people when they meet each other. Khuda Hafiz means let God be your protector. At the time of Good Bye or see off, people greet by saying Allah Hafiz, which also means the same. This is again an old form of greeting that is strictly followed in the Muslim community.
Vanakam
When you visit south India, you will see people greeting each other by saying Vanakam. It means welcome in Tamil and is usually greeted when a person arrives at your house. This form of greeting is practiced by Sri Lankans, Tamils, and Malayalams. In many cases, people also use this word to say Goodbye.
Pranam
The Hindu mythological or philosophy teaches us to do Pranam when we meet someone who is elder to us. When you greet someone with Pranam, you are required to touch the feet of the elder and say pranam. It indicates respect and love you have for the other person in your heart. People follow this type of greeting whenever they meet their Guru, parents, or while leaving home for the day. There are six types of pranam; Ashtangana, Shastanga, Panchanga, Dandavata, Namaskar, and Abhinandan.
AS SALAM ALE KUM
This is another form of greeting that Muslim community follow. This Arabic word means Peace be unto you. This is one of the most common form of salutation followed by people of this religion. This greeting was deployed to Muslim people whenever and wherever they meet each other, be it place of worship or at social events. Whenever someone greets you with AS SALAM ALE KUM, you can return by saying WaAlaikumSalaam, which means “And unto you peace”.
Jai Sri Krishna
When you come to Gujarat or visit a Gujarati family, you will come across Jai Sri Krishna. This form of greeting is used by every Gujurati when they meet each other in praise of lord Krishna. In other words, Jai Sri Krishna also means Victory to Krishna. This form of greeting is used by many individuals in many parts of the country.
Be it any form of greeting in India, you are always welcome with a warm smile and positivity. People in India consider guest as their God and you will often come across people saying “AtithidevoBhav”. So, before you visit India, it would be great if you have some knowledge about these greetings to blend with the people of this country.
Delhi is a wonderful city with a fascinating history and a promising future. It’s a city of contrasts, where the old and the new exist simultaneously. It is the place where important decisions are made and what direction this nation of a billion people should take is discussed everyday. Despite having only a fraction of the area of Australia, it has a population comparable to that vast continent-size country. In terms of money, it’s one of the richest cities in India. However, unlike many other big cities, it has managed to preserve its heritage while keeping in pace with the rest of the world.
Map of Delhi
History of Delhi
There is archaeological evidence to suggest people were inhabiting in Delhi as long ago as third millennium BC. There are signs of urban dwellings going back to 6th century BC. From 12th century to until the arrival of the British in 17th century, it was one of the most powerful cities in the world. The English moved the capital to Calcutta (Kolkata). They later changed the capital to Delhi and since then it’s remained the seat of most powerful men and women in South Asia.
Best time to visit Delhi
Delhi is one of the few places where temperatures fluctuate from over 40C in the summers to a little over 0C in the winters. Therefore it’s advisable to visit the city when it’s neither burning or freezing. September, November, February and March are the best months to come to the city.
There are tons of places to visit when you are in New Delhi depending on what you want to do. For instance, the area around Jama Masjid is popular among food-junkies, while those interested in historic sites don’t miss the Lal Qila and Connaught Place is the Delhi’s equivalent of Times Square. Here are some of the places tourists generally visit:
(a) Qutub Minar
Qutub Minar
This World Heritage building is the most popular tourist destination in India, attracting over three million visitors a year. The “Minar” (Arabic for “Tower”) is a seven storey tower built more than 800 years ago in twelfth century AD to celebrate Mohammed Ghori’s victory over Rajputs. Back then it was only one-storey tall. More storeys were added to the original structure by other rulers in ensuing years.
(b) Jantar Mantar
Jantar mantar, Delhi
This structure stands in defiance of a common misconception that science is exclusively a European invention. Built in first half of the 18th century this vast sprawl of buildings is an astronomical observatory.
Named after Duke of Connaught, this city centre was constructed back in the late 1930s. It is one of the most important commercial districts in the city and an upmarket area for shopper where they can virtually find anything.
Then there is Chandni Chownk which offers a glimpse into what the old city was like. And there are thousands of other places. We can’t list all of them here, but you can certainly find more information on here on places here to visit Delhi. It is the official website of the Government of Delhi which caters to tourists wishing to visit this wonderful city.
Traveling is a fascinating and unique experience at any age. It expands your boundaries, exposes you to new lifestyles, and reveals your strengths and weaknesses. Thrown into new environments and situations, you learn to find creative solutions and adjust better to different circumstances. And this is exactly the experience that young students need for their professional and personal advancement.
Truly, there is no better moment to travel than in college days. While you’re still young, full of energy, and daring ambitions, it’s a perfect time to try new things and surmount challenges that inevitably come with any trip abroad. At the same time, with all the costs that accompany college – from paying for accommodation to endless need of buying new stylish outfits – going abroad may be impossible to afford.
Unless you know a few tips to help you work around this problem.
Plan Well Ahead
The earlier you start planning the details of your trip, the more time you’ll have to save money and settle all the matters. As soon as you figure out where you want to travel, you can finally start bringing your plans into life. Your travel expenses will greatly depend on the chosen destination. Make sure you include all the costs, like flight tickets, rent, transfers, local transportation, food, etc. You may notice that a trip to Europe, for instance, looks cheaper due to the relatively low cost of the flight tickets. However, the money you need to afford a week there can cover a month-long stay in Thailand.
Like with pretty much everything in this life, force-majeure situations may happen. Every trip entails unexpected costs. And it is almost the rule when it comes to going to a foreign country where you don’t know a soul. Keeping in mind that you need backup money can help you to get everything covered well in advance. It’s a good idea to save a bit more for emergency cases, so plan to save more than you need.
And Start Saving
If traveling is actually what you long for, make peace with the thought that you need to refuse something to save another dollar. Perhaps, you don’t need that jacket so much, so as those couple of drinks at the bar, a nightly pizza, or a fancier car.
To avoid splurging all your savings for immediate satisfaction, make a deal with your bank, and open a savings account. Alternatively, there is plenty of applications that help you to track your income and spending to convert some into savings.
Monitor Cheap Flight Offerings
If you ask avid travelers, they will tell you they start planning their trips at least 6 months ahead. And this is the first tip of how you can cut costs: buy flight tickets in advance. Also, there are certain days when flights are normally cheaper. For example, most of the air carriers announce their latest deals on Monday evenings, so Tuesday is usually the cheapest day to book and take the flight. However, it may work out pretty well on Wednesdays and Saturdays as well.
Demand plays a crucial role in setting the ticket price. An early morning trip is hard, inconvenient, and often troublesome. And, therefore, the cheapest. Taking a flight at 4 a.m. may be too burdensome for a middle-aged employee. For a student, however, it may turn into an adventure with a would-be good story. It is better to choose off-term months as well as flight providers tend to sell off-season flights at a good discount.
If you are a risk-taker, you can take advantage of the last-minute deal from the airline. Sometimes, flight providers offer tickets that didn’t sell out at a drop price. One caveat, though: you may end up getting nothing.
Flying with American Airlines or Lufthansa may be super comfortable, but is given at an additional cost. The flight with these popular brands may be twice the price of the ticket from the budget air carrier. Additionally, direct flights are usually significantly more expensive. A flight with stopovers can considerably reduce the costs and add one more destination to your itinerary. If you have a visa, of course.
Choose Budget-Friendly Accommodation
Airbnb has already gained popularity all over the world as the most optimal place to stay. Basically, you get a fully-equipped apartment with a small kitchen, where you can cook your own meals and save on eating out. The prices are usually quite reasonable, especially compared to traditional hotel rooms. The cons, however, are that you’ll have to make time for cooking and sometimes cleaning, and there is a chance that the place owner may ignore your calls after you arrive, or come to be a weird person. It’s better to check feedback rather than choose the cheapest bid.
If you don’t mind sharing a room, or you want to make friendships with other travelers, booking a bed in the hostel may be a good idea. Another great way to meet other people, as well as learn more about the local lifestyle, is doing a homestay.
Manage Your Time Wisely
Traveling in college is not always about money issues. For Lucy, it was rather a time-related problem than financial. “Before setting off, I gave a sneak-peak into a few blogs of other student travelers. They gave me a few worthy money-saving tips, as well as an idea of how to make time to travel in college. I decided to buy term paper and submit it a few months before the due date as I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see Europe.” By taking a tough decision to delegate some work, she was able to make her dreams come true.
Communicate
And last but not least, don’t underestimate the power of communication. By interacting with locals, you may get an opportunity to buy something at a fraction of the price, crash at someone’s place for free, or learn about hidden non-touristic spots. Plus, such connections have a chance to grow into life-long friendships.
