The Indore Insider

Praying to lord Ganesha, priests at Khajrana temple offered special prayers on Thursday. The prayers were telecasted live on social media portal by the head priest Satpal Bhatt. “Indore is blessed to have lord Ganesha and we are praying to the lord to help us overcome this difficult time,” Bhatt said. The 30-minute long prayer was attended by over 5,000 people live and later attended and shared by various devotees online.

For the last 40 days, every morning we get up and spend all our time finishing work and chores. This is not just monotonous, but at times depressing as we miss those compliments from colleagues, excitement of going out and occasion special dates. While we love dressing up and cleaning up for special days, often dressing and cleaning up can also make our regular day special. During lockdown, lack of grooming and self-care is known to affect our mood more than we realise. A poll of 1,800 women in UK during lockdown revealed that 80 percent of women admitting that wearing make-up and self-care helps them feel good about themselves. With rising temperatures, it is normal for people to struggle with dryness and tanning. Since access to moisturisers and other skincare products is limited, beauty experts shared some self-care tips that can help you feel calm, happy and beautiful at home. Beat summer blues Removing Tan: Blend honey and lemon to make a face mask. Keep it on for...

From the tastemakers of West Bengal, a healthy vegetarian recipe that can bring balance to your body is ‘Dhokar Dalna’. The recipe can be prepared using all the ingredients easily available even during lockdown. The recipe is rich in antioxidant, hence, it helps in keeping your heart healthy. The glycemic index of the recipe is low which makes it super food for diabetics. Chana dal, the main ingredient has high amount of potassium and low amount of sodium which makes it very effective in regulating your blood pressure. It also maintains the electrolyte balance of your body, thus prevents constricting of the blood vessels. How to prepare Dhokar Dalna? ·        Soak chana daal (split Bengal gram) overnight. Blend it to form a paste. ·        Grind roasted carom seed (ajwain), turmeric powder, red chili powder, sugar, asafoetida, garam masala powder and cumin seeds to form a paste ·      ...

In order to help the less-privileged, Christian community is reaching out to various groups of people in the city. Under their reach-out programs, Indore Diocese are working for landless, widows, differently abled, senior citizens and homeless people in 22 areas of Indore together with some areas of Dhar and Dewas districts. The programs are being organised under the leadership of Red church. Bishop Chacko Thottumarickal SVD said, “We reached to 3000 families with ration material, masks and sanitizers.” He added that the entire community is reaching out together in unison. Further, he quoted a life lesson from Jesus Christ, as ‘Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behaviour: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them.’ Fr Mukesh Machar said that volunteers are reaching out to people of 250 villages and 50 slum areas of these three districts with necessary food and other items during knockdown as they are the ones who are m...

Celebrating World Dance Day through a virtual live session on Wednesday, fit India ambassador Aarti Maheshwari went live through world of fitness. “Dancing is a great activity to pursue at almost any age provided you are in proper health to handle the rigors of dancing for life,” she said addressing the viewers. She explained that dancing can be practised by seniors as well as children without risking any major injuries. “Dancing helps bodies and minds relax as the music and surroundings take people away from their anxiety and frustration for a while, which is much needed during this stressful time of lockdown,” Aarti said. She explained that to dance well, one must allow the mind to relax. “As our minds relaxes, body follows and we can notice muscles loosening up. Simultaneously, tension and stress melt away,” Aarti said. In the live session, she urged people to join her and try the basic steps of dance taught in the session. To keep the tone merry and cherry, latest Bollywoo...

Clarifying the confusion trending about class X board examination, Central Board of Secondary Education released a statement stating that the board will take examination of pending 19 major subjects for the students of class X and class XII. The statement was issued on Wednesday to clarify confusion and speculations rising after the meeting between HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, state education ministers and a statement given by CBSE secretary Anurag Tripathi in an interview on Tuesday. The major confusion rose regarding whether the CBSE Board Exams 2020 is cancelled or not. Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia had suggested to the HRD Ministry at the meeting that CBSE Class 10 and Class 12 students should be promoted directly based on internal marks like the students of classes 9 and 11 as the board exams couldn’t be conducted in the Covid-19 lockdown. The same was tweeted, where the confusion began. Further, the statements issued in interview and meeting lead students to believe t...

With limited supply of groceries and restrictive diet without essential fruits and vegetables, it is no surprise that people are feeling weak, tired and lazy. Teenage girls and most women are at a risk of iron deficiency due to lack of nutrition. A recipe that can help in providing a good source of protein and energy comes from Tamil Nadu. ‘Kummayam Podi’ is a recipe with abundant health value including strengthening bones and uterus. Health Benefits The recipe prevents constipation by aiding digestion. Further, jaggery acts as a detox, as it helps cleanse the liver by flushing out nasty toxins from the body. The recipe is loaded with antioxidants and minerals like zinc and selenium, which help prevent free-radicals (responsible for early ageing). How to prepare Kummayam Podi? ·         Dry roast green gram dhal (1 cup), urad daal (2 tablespoon) and rice (4 tablespoon) separately till it become light brown. Let it cool down. Then b...

MP Shankar Lalwani and Collector Manish Singh visited Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj on Tuesday seekint his blessings and support. They sought blessings for Indore's doctors, health workers, policemen, corporators, public representatives and their teams working in the field, volunteering and all the townspeople for the best health and protection from the corona.  Both requested Acharya to give citizens a blessing to stay in their homes, seeing the benefit of the lockdown. Acharya gave blessings for the healthy life of the residents of Indore city and Indore. Acharya quoted the importance of lockdown for prevention from covid-19 and appreciated the work done by the health workers, policemen, revenue and all other government staff. He gave blessings for everyone. 

Namo Namo Shankara organisation is now preparing and distributing special food packets for people fasting for the month of Ramzan. More than 15,000 food packets were distributed through district administration to doctors, administrative staff, municipal corporation employees, police officials, and sweepers on Tuesday. Naresh Fundwani, president of the organization, said that apart from the food being distributed daily, different lunch packets are distributed continuously to the needy people of Indore city, in which today many areas of Indore city work as colonies and corona fighters. “We along with MP Shankar Lalwani prepared Chole Bread, which is an easy, nutritious and long-lasting snack for people,” he said. The organisation has been providing food packets to underprivileged people since the lockdown.

A popular and simple dish from Sindhi cuisine to delight your day is ‘Sindhi Koki’. Sindhi Koki is a popular flat bread, famous for its taste, texture and simple recipe with minimum ingredients, easily found in every kitchen. Health Benefits The main ingredient of the Koki is whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour is excellent for diabetics as they will not shoot up your blood sugar levels as they are a low GI food. Raw onions used are a very valuable source of vitamin C – the immune building vitamin. Along with other phytonutrients from onions, it helps to build WBC (white blood cells) which serves as a line of defence against illness. How to prepare Sindhi Koki? ·         Mix the whole wheat flour, chopped onions, green chillies, ajwain, salt, ghee, coriander leaves and dried and crushed pomegranate seeds in a large bowl. ·         Add little water and make a tight dough. Do not over knead this doug...

Staying at home is essential but difficult and at times frustrating enough to topple our mental balance. One of the best ways to stay physically, mentally and emotionally fit is ‘dance’. Other than being one of the most beautiful ways to express ourselves, dance can heal us and revive our lives in ways we cannot imagine. A latest research study conducted while the world is quarantined was published in Frontiers in Psychology stating that Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) may promote exercise, reduces anxiety, prevents depression, and improves quality of life and deepen familial ties between grandparents and grandchildren. We don’t need studies to tell us that dancing even if it is what we label as ‘bad dancing’ can elevate our mood and turn our mood around to happy. This World Dance Day, which is celebrated on April 29 ever year to promote art and culture, to raise awareness among public regarding the art of dance, is different. Due to lockdown for prevention of covid-19, we are ...

If you are at home during lockdown and worried about gaining weight, then one easy solution is switching to healthier diet. While we often feel that healthy food means ‘tasteless’ nutrition. This recipe proves the notion wrong by being healthy and nutritious at the same time. Semolina (Rava) dumplings are the best way to take care of health and taste. Benefits of Semonlina Dumplings The recipe prepared with semolina is high in B vitamins like thiamine and folate, which have many important roles in your body, including helping convert food into energy. Additionally, semolina is a good source of iron and magnesium. These minerals support red blood cell production, heart health, and blood sugar control. Semolina contains zero cholesterol, according to the USDA nutrition facts. Hence, it often helps is maintaining weight. How to prepare Semonlina dumplings? ·         In a large kadai, heat oil and saute chilli and ginger. Add 2½ cup wat...

Daly College has stepped up to assist local administration by providing 1000 food packets for persons in quarantine. The challenge for the school was arranging raw material that was initially provided by former alumni Rajesh Mehta. Further, another challenge was arranging suitable man power as the campus was under lockdown since March 21. There are about 100 families of teaching, administrative and support staff living in the campus. Making 4000 chapattis everyday became the main challenge as the Chapatti making machine broke down. Resident staff on the campus came to the rescue by volunteering to make chapattis at home and they are supplying about 2,000 chapattis every day, (rest are made in the kitchen by volunteers). Collection of chapattis from homes is done by block in-charges, who are appointed to cater to the needs/supplies and safety and security of residents in specific areas. Resident staff comes in shifts to help in chapatti making and packing of dal, sabzi and ch...

The big fat Indian wedding is a dream for many Indians as well as foreigners. Other than being one of the greatest economy boosters, weddings essential form a life-long bond between two people and in turn two families. Due to lockdown, over a thousand wedding have been postponed as many couples and families could not bear the idea of organising a quiet wedding with a few people. Couples who thought having their wedding date in the twin year 2020 would be a good memory will now have to wait till November to get married. Based on the current scenario, weddings are a dim possibility in May and June. June, though, there are some Shubh Muhurats, it will be tough to organise a wedding during monsoon and the after-effects of covid-19. In fact, not just Hindu weddings that depend on Shubh Muhurats, even Muslim and Christian weddings have been postponed and will be planned in the last two months of the year. Hindu Weddings: Only 8 dates for proper Indian wedding “Muhurat is of great impo...

Following the death of tiger in Pench National Park just when first case of coronavirus was detected in tigers, 7 more tiger deaths have been reported in Madhya Pradesh during the lockdown period. The number of deaths reported in tigers during lockdown is much lower than the actual number, which is likely around 20. The number of tiger deaths reported in the country since January 2020 till date is over 28. MP had reported the highest number of tiger deaths in the country in 2019 and 2019. In 2019, 27 big cats reportedly died in the state forests and surroundings, according to the figures collated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The same number was recorded in 2018 with highest number of tiger deaths in the country. MP had earned the title of Tiger State in tiger census 2018, but it seems to be going downhill from there. As recorded, more than 50 percent of these tiger deaths are reported during lockdown in tiger reserves. Rest are reported to be outside ...

Due to lockdown, most people are stuck with only potatoes and onion in their vegetable stock at home. While the love for potatoes is endless, after a month of lockdown, it is no more the first choice for long. An interesting way to spice up your cuisine and enjoy delicious snacks is to try something new. ‘Pyazi Kebab’ is the new recipe that you can try and be sure that it will be adored by kids in the house. Health Benefits The recipe being loaded with onions may help to lower blood sugar levels, making them beneficial for people with insulin resistance or diabetes. In one study of patients with diabetes, a 100 gram serving of red onion significantly reduced blood sugar levels. The recipe has sources of vitamin C, sulphuric compounds, flavonoids and phytochemicals. These nutrients may help reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease and stroke. How to prepare Pyazi Kebab? 1. Spread thin slices of onions on a plate. Lightly rub with lemon grass,...

On the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, Hindu and Jain community observed fast and offered prayers to goddess Laxmi and lord Vishnu on Sunday. In Jainism, this day is celebrated to commemorate Lord Adinatha, their first God. Further, goddess Annapurna was born on the same day. The day essentially marks the setting of Treta Yuga among the other three Yugas (Satya, Dwarpa and Kali).   While donation plays an essential role in celebrations of the day, people often reserve the day for new beginnings. Planning their future and deciding their future course of action in terms of business, studies and other tasks was a part of most Hindu households. “Any good work performed on this day invokes manifold blessings and at Khajrana temple, we have been distributing 1200 food packets every day through district administration to do our part for society,” Satpal Bhatt, head priest of Khajrana temple, said. He added that the puja of Akshaya Tritiya was performed in households, where e...

Its day of fortune, prosperity and luck as Hindu calendar marks Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej on April 26, i.e. today. The day is one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar, which falls on the third day of brighter half in lunar month Vaishaksha. The word Akshaya means something that never diminishes. This is the reason why people buy gold on this day, believing it will never diminish and help them prosper. The trend in Indore has seen variations, as people opt to buy electronics, smart devices and cars more often on such auspicious days. This year, amid lockdown to prevent coronavirus, the trend is bound to change. Sarafa Bazar-the popular gold market of Indore is shutdown. Most goldsmiths from this market are not channelizing online portals and applications to take orders. Some jewellers have tie-ups with online marketplaces and might consider bookings online. Electronic retailers have several offers on Akshaya Tritiya to lure prospective customers, a...

Amid lockdown to prevent coronavirus spread, we all seek refreshment and a break from the monotony. A good break that can tempt an Indori is delicious food. While it seems that food options are limited due to limited supply of groceries and no veggies, we have an interesting recipe bound to tempt your tongue. Rajma Biryani is a health pack dish prepared with rice and kidney beans This recipe is not just tempting but also nutritious and beneficial for your health. Health benefits The recipe is rich in protein and various minerals, vitamins fibers, antioxidants, and other unique plant compounds. One can nourish the body with the recipe as it is a good source of B vitamins (including thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin) and iron. It may aid weight loss, promote colon health, and moderate blood sugar levels. How to prepare? ·         Cook rajma with 2 cups of water till its soft and you can mash it between your fingers. Drain the water and...

Devotees of Maharishi Parshuram began their worship of Parshuram Jayanti by keeping a fast from Saturday evening. Unlike every year, Janapav in Indore district is the birthplace of Maharshi Parshuram, remained stranded on Saturday evening. Every year, a grand celebration with communal meal was organised at Janapav along with four-day long yagya. Members of Sarva Brahmin community generally take out a procession in Indore as well. This year, the community members stayed home and prayed to lord Parshuram to help the country in fighting coronavirus. Yagya and prayer rituals began from Saturday night in Brahmin homes. Usually, people visit temples and offer prayers to Lord Vishnu. However, due to lockdown, all the community members have to stay home. Community members began the night-long worship by reciting Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra. Devotee Yamini Upadhyay said, “Lord Parshuram is the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and our guru.” She explained that lord Parshuram was a B...

No school including all the private schools affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) cannot increase the school for the academic session 2020-21 as per orders released from school education department on Friday. The board will issue orders if there are any changes in future, but until then, no increase in fee is allowed. Further, the orders shared from Joint Director (Indore) of school education department Manish Verma noted that those parents who have not been able to pay school fee of academic session 2019-20 can pay the amount till June 30, 2020. “Schools need to consider requests from parents if they are unable to pay fee due to coronavirus pandemic and current lockdown,” the notice said. In case, parents have not been able to pay school fee due to pandemic, no school is allowed to remove the child from the school, as per orders. “Many schools force parents to pay fee in lump-sum amounts, but keeping in mind the disturbance in income for everyone due to ...

Youngsters are taking to social media to spread their messages and appeals regarding prevention tips from covid-19. Coming together, students are now running campaigns on various social media portals, which are trending with #IndoreFightsCorona. The campaign is headed by a group of students from Gujrati Profesional College. Starting from collage of their group to memes and cartoons, the group of youngsters feels social media is an essential way to reach out to youngsters in the city. The group of students includes Shubham Saxena, Purvak Jat, Yash Joshi, Mrinal Sharma, Vivek Kushwaha, Ruchita Katiyar, Harshita Desai, Himanshi Agarwal, Karthik Sen, Arya Kashyap, Nikita Mittal, and Sanjana Khandelwal. “It is easier to reach people through images and urge them to follow the prevention protocol for covid-19, we know it is difficult. Even for us staying at home has been really tough, but we all can do it together,” the group said.

Ramzan, the holy month for Muslim community, began on Friday evening. Community members offered the first Tarawih or night prayers and geared up for the first Roza on Saturday. Muslim religious leaders across the world called on people to ‘stay home and stay safe’ this Ramzan, keeping mosques closed and congregational prayers on hold to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Muslims observe Ramzan by fasting during daylight hours, but also essential to this holy month are gatherings to share meals and take part in communal prayers, known as tarawih, or night prayers. "Congregational prayers are a big part of the lives of many Muslims generally, but even more so during Ramzan with tarawih prayers held daily at many mosques across Indore," said Dr Ishrat Ali, Shahar Qazi, said. Because of coronavirus pandemic, mosques have been shut down for weeks to avoid mass gathering under series of measures to curb coronavirus spread. However, the community members were reminded ...

Indore might have a high number of coronavirus positive cases, but their waste disposal scheme especially technology in place for PPE (personal protective equipment) will help the city in controlling harmful after-effects of the virus. This was explained by Shri Govindram Seksaria Institute of Technology and Science (SGSITS) professor Vivek Tiwari in E - Lecture on Success Story of Indore for Technocrats. More than 80 participants joined the e-lecture organised via online event application. Tiwari discussed various ways in which Indore is carefully controlling coronavirus outspread with proper disposal. “Improper disposal of PPE can result in outspread of coronavirus and disposing lakhs of contaminated kits is a major challenge for the entire world,” Tiwari said. He added that disposing PPE even by incineration can be harmful. “If we burn the kit without treatment, then the harmful gases can affect environment, and as a civil engineer we work with hospital designing where In...

Staying at home has improved our health with hygienic, fresh and nutritious food. However, most people are missing the ‘cheat’ food from their diet. Whether it is all-time favourite samosa, kachori or the modern wraps and rolls. Since lockdown is not the right time to risk your health, it is better to make wiser decisions of having healthy versions of your favourite food. A loved and interesting recipe that can settle your craving for street-side food is ‘Paneer Tikka Kathi Roll’. Health Benefits The recipe has good content of protein, which slows release of sugar into the blood. Hence, it is beneficial for diabetics. The recipe provides adequate calcium for healthy bones, teeth, healthy heart muscles and smooth nerve functioning too. The recipe also provides good content of magnesium which can not only check the untimely spikes but also ensure better heart health and immune system. How to prepare Paneer Kathi Roll? 1 .       Prepare a thi...

Central Board of Secondary Education will conduct board examinations post lockdown for 28 major subjects, informs the board to clear rumours floating on social media about the cancellation of examinations. Amid rising concern of pupils regarding the CBSE Board Exam 2020 Date, officials from the board have verified that entire cancellation of exams is not being contemplated by the CBSE as of now. The board is still discussing to come to final conclusion on pending board examinations and a suitable statement on dates will be produced only after assessing the situation after May 3. The caution comes after rumours went viral about CBSE considering cancellation of 10th and 12th Class Board Exams 2020 due to coronavirus pandemic. As announced, CBSE has reviewed the situation and in line with that decision that it will be conducting the Board Tests only for 28 major papers or subjects. The subjects for which the examination are to be held are vital for students to look for entr...

Over a month at home, locked down with limited social interaction only in virtual world is taking a toll on mental health of many people. Though mental well-being is often ignored as just sensitivity, it is difficult to ignore it during the lockdown. According to a study conducted by Sheffield University, the day after the lockdown was announced 38 per cent of the study’s participants reported significant depression whilst 36 per cent reported significant anxiety. Another survey, which was conducted around the end of March by Ipsos Mori found that 1 in 5 people are concerned about isolation, including not being able to go out in general, being in isolation for a long time, and the impact this will have on long-term mental health. Instead of desperately seeking social engagements by breaking the rules of lockdown, some smart Indoreans have decided to work on their inner well-being. Their campaign says ‘Can’t go out? Let’s go inside ourselves’. Joined in by over 100 families o...

Tired of the same old boring dishes? It is time to explore the land of Daal lake and often addressed as the crown of India ‘Kashmir’. Kashmiri cuisine has a variety of recipes that are easy to prepare, balanced and delicious. We rarely get to hear about them in regular restaurants if we are the authentic taste. However, these recipes are not too difficult to prepare. The additional motivation to try ‘Kashmiri Dum Aloo’ recipe is easy availability of all the ingredients even during lockdown. The health benefit of this recipe lies in the use of curd. Curd help in weight reduction, good for your heart and build immunity. How to prepare Kashmiri Dum Aloo? ·         Wash the baby potatoes and prick them with a tooth pick all around. Boil them with salt till they are tender. ·         Peel and deep fry the potatoes till golden brown. ·         Heat mustard oil in a heav...

Stranded students in Kota arrived Indore late on Wednesday evening. About 19 students from Indore and over 1,100 students from Madhya Pradesh arrived in state. As their arrived, their parents and family members relieved from the worry of their child getting infected in another state and suffering alone. Students from all over the country come to Kota, Rajasthan, to prepare for competitive exams in engineering and medicine. However, after the nationwide lockdown was imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19, about 25,000 students were left stranded in Kota. Over 8,000 were from UP. Several of them had demanded they be allowed to go home, as Kota is a Covid-19 hotspot with 92 cases, as on April 17. A campaign on social media campaign #SendUsBackHome was started by students that irked state government starting from UP to bring back students. Following the procedure, parents are required to register their child’s details in the allotted online form. After registration, the govern...

Shia Dawoodi Bohra community will keep their first ‘Roza’ today commemorating the month-long ‘Ramzan’ that began from Wednesday evening. Following Islamic prayer timing, Ramzan began from Maghrib prayers. The entire community has decided to seek blessings of Allah and pray that the country becomes free from coronavirus. This is the first time in 95 years that there will be no mass gathering and prayers offered in the month of Ramzan. A 95-year-old senior member of the society Hassan Ali Saadiwala Sahab said, “There are spiritual rewards of fasting multiples during the month of Ramzan. Besides refraining from food and beverage, all the followers of Islam must shun tobacco products, sexual relations, and sinful behaviour. They devote themselves to the recitation of the Quran and immerse in charitable deeds.” Talking about the month-long fasting, community coordinator Johar Manpurwala said, “This month-long devotion commemorates Muhammad’s first revelation and its annual observan...

  Indoreans along with their love for savoury treats have a sweet tooth as well. While at home living a less-active life, it is suggested to opt for healthier diet that controls your weight and ensures proper nutrition. Taking lockdown period as a long family vacation, most families want to indulge in delicacies but it is difficult with limited groceries and no veggies. One interesting recipe that is sweet, nutritious and healthy is ‘Puran Poli’. Health Benefits Puran Poli contains way more nutritional value than any other sweet you generally consume. It contains the goodness of lentils such as chana dal (Bengal gram), which is a good source of fibre and folate apart from Vitamins A, B and D. Puran poli made with whole-wheat flour is rich in complex carbs, fibre & vitamin B complex. Also, if you opt this healthy version than note that Jaggery is surprisingly effective as an aid for weight loss. This is because jaggery is a rich source of potassium, which is a m...

Students who have a dream to become lawyers and ensure justice will have to wait further to attempt Common Law Admission Test (CLAT 2020). CLAT 2020 has been postponed again in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic to June 21. As per latest schedule released, the exam will now take place on June 21, from 3 pm to 5 pm. The last date for online application has also been extended to May 18. The exam, conducted for entry into National Law Universities (NLU) across the country, was initially postponed to May 24 due to Covid-19 outbreak in the country. It was earlier scheduled to be held on May 10. CLAT is a national level exam for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programmes offered by the 22 NLU in the country. The entrance exam is organised every year by the Consortium of NLU. Convenor of CLAT 2020 and Vice-Chancellor of Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), Jabalpur Prof Balraj Chouhan confirmed the development, after a meeting of the CLAT Consortium. F...