The Olfactory Factor : insight on Arabic perfumes #Gulf Times

When Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth, looked at her bloodied hands and cried that all the perfumes of Arabia could not sweeten them, perhaps she too knew that the scent of rose, jasmine and amber have the mystical power to wash away almost anything.

Perfumery, or the art of making perfumes, began in ancient Egypt but was developed and further refined by the Romans, the Persians and the Arabs.

It’s an Arab tradition to use aromatic oils as a base for perfumes, called attar. The word ‘attar’, ‘ittar’ or ‘othr’ is basically an Arabic word which means ‘scent’, derived from the Persian word ‘Atr’, meaning ‘fragrance’.

A 9th century Abbasid scientist, Abu Yusuf Yaqub bin Ishaaq al-Kindi, is considered the founder of the Arabic perfume industry.

Ittars, long been considered one of the most treasured of material possessions, are popular not only in Qatar, but throughout the Middle East. These natural perfumes are affordable because they are so concentrated that a small bottle will last for several weeks, if not months.

For the same reason, they are usually offered for sale in small quantities, traditionally in decorated crystal cut type bottles or small jewelled decanters. Due to the purity and the nature of oils, there is very little chance of spoilage.

Additionally, since these perfumes are highly concentrated, a small drop makes the aroma last the whole day. It is also amazing how the aroma’s intensity changes with the changes of body temperature. Their peculiarity is that they are made only from natural ingredients and doesn’t contain any alcohol.

Perfumes are very powerful agent in our social life.

Read more here :

http://www.gulf-times.com/fashion%20and%20style/237/details/351204/on-the-perfume-trail

   

Article in Gulf Times : All that blings is Gold

Gold never goes out of style. It can be worked into nearly any shape, from tiny strands that do not break easily to thin sheets, nearly anyway a jewellery artisan desires.

Gold is bought for a variety of reasons such as for auspicious sentiment, as an investment, hedge against inflation, asset allocation etc. It also carries a high perceived value and an emotional quotient. It reinforces closeness of relationships. Gold coins in smaller denominations are also considered apt for corporate gifting and rewards for contests or for commemorative giveaways.

In betrothal, an important part of the Chinese wedding tradition, four pieces of jewellery including a gold necklace, a pendant, a pair of earrings and a bangle are selected by groom’s mother and presented to the bride. The golden colour symbolises wealth and happiness.

One of the ancient traditions of Western Europe which is still going strong today in the Christian community is the idea of the engagement ring. It was way back in 860 AD that Pope Nicholas I proclaimed that not only was an engagement ring required to seal the agreement to be married, but that the engagement ring must be made of gold.

The making of the ring out of gold signified that the groom was willing to make a financial sacrifice for his new bride-to-be. Since then engagement and marriage ceremonies in the West include a small piece of gold jewellery.

Italian gold jewellery, on the other hand, is synonymous with style and Italy is well known for its yellow gold jewellery and classical designs. Italy is known as the world leader in gold jewellery production for its outstanding technical skills. Gold charm bracelets have a strong presence in Italian gold jewellery.

Everyone likes to make a statement and wear jewellery with a meaning behind it. It is an intelligent way to show one’s history or beliefs. A good example of this is the symbol of an inverted hand, where the hand extended forward is a symbol of divine force. Another example is Celtic jewellery where the Celtic knots can symbolise the eternity of life.

Read more here :

http://www.gulf-times.com/culture/238/details/350374/gold-is-never-out-of-fashion

My article in Gulf Times : Finding dream furniture

Even with Qatar Census revealing that more than one million nine hundred thousand people reside in Qatar, it is hard to estimate the number of households in this small country on the Arabian Gulf. A home to many expatriates, Qatar has seen an influx of population in last few years. Even natives who travel all around the world finally come back to settle to the place they call their “home”.

But what makes a simple four-walled abode a place to live is its interior — the families living in unison despite their own individuality.

While a master bedroom represents the views and conviction of the nurturers, a kids’ room symbolises the playful tender years. Every member of a family has his or her own taste which is gracefully reflected in the furniture they pick for their rooms.

See the full article here :

http://www.gulf-times.com/culture/238/details/347938/finding-your-dream-furniture

   

Li’l birdie says…

So….. You’re saying I can jump off this window and not die?

I can fly?

No way in hell I am trusting you, man!!!

*Bleddy Human*

Month of March : “In Print”

Month of March

Week 1

Cover Page :

Cover Story :

Week 2

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Week 3

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Week 4

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Cover Story :

Overwhelming joy of seeing my name IN PRINT.

Thank you MONTH OF MARCH.

How smart is our cell phone habit? : my article in GULF TIMES

When decades ago, Nokia was introduced with its catchy tag line “connecting people”, who knew mobile phones would eventually become more than just a necessity? For years after the first mobile phone was introduced, it remained a luxury item, out of reach to most middle-class users. With the advancement in technology, the number of players in the market increased and mobile phones became more affordable, and therefore ubiquitous.

The first phones had just the bare minimum function of dialing or receiving a call. Later, there was a phenomenal growth of SMS or Short Message Service. With these two functions, the requirement of a “mobile telephone” was met. And today, ‘smartphones’ feature many different useful functions like alarm, calendar, portable camera, Internet connectivity, media players, video recorders, and even GPS units.

Lately, the mobile phone industry took a step forward to introduce smartphones. And like every new product in the market, it remained exclusive for the richer class of customer. In the last few years, however, even this trend has completely changed.

More than two dozen companies have now introduced affordable smartphones in the market. So how has this trend affected the recent generation of users?

Read more here :

http://www.gulf-times.com/technology/233/details/347049/how-smart-is-our-cell-phone-habit?

Please “like” , “share” and give your feedback on the article on the link above.. I would appreciate it 🙂

Also an extensive list I prepared for this article :

Applications to check out

General (an app for everyone)

Wikiweb — a Wikipedia app that serves up the usual content crowd-sourced from willing bodies around the world and also visualises the connections between articles.

* * *

For young kids (age 5-10)

Eye Paint Animals — discovery tools aimed at energising kids to play, create, invent, explore and learn in enjoyable ways without the limitations of set parameters.

Native Numbers — provides a deeper understanding of number concepts and imperative math vocabulary; builds a strong foundation.

Red in Bed — teaches kids about the colours of the rainbow; each colour gets its own musical note, too.

Bee’s ABCs — singing along to the alphabet song, spelling simple words and learning about pronunciation.

I See Ewe — explore more than 50 shapes, colors, objects and animals; adjustable levels of difficulty, verbal prompts and four different languages included.

Preschool Jobs — learn and explore various professions such as a doctor, astronaut, rock star, police officer and a construction worker, see their work environments and examine the tools that they use each day.

* * *

For middle and high school students (age 11-16)

Tense Builder — teaching the tenses; includes the English words that do not follow the rule, otherwise known as irregular verbs.

MyHomeworkApp — keeps track of homework, projects, tests, and other assignments; set reminders for when things are due, set level of priority and keep track of schedule of classes.

TED Talks — customised quizzes, discussion guides, and other supporting materials to facilitate making a great lesson plan.

Ankidroid — perfect for exam cramming; helps students memorise anything through information flashcards which they can create themselves. Once loaded they can quiz themselves anywhere, anytime.

Wolfram Alpha — uses a vast database and various algorithms to answer to any questions of wide range like physics, chemistry, astronomy, maths, etc.

Khan Academy — over 2,500 free videos on everything from basic maths to venture capitalism

Languages — a fast offline translation dictionary app

* * *

For students appearing for tests (age 13+)

BenchPrep — choose your course (high school, higher education, graduate and professional), choose your device, and study independently or with friends.

SAT Vocab Cards — browse and quiz on 1,000 high-frequency SAT words for free, with 1,000 more available for purchase.

SATLadder — a competition-based question answering structure including over 2,000 SAT questions.

MCAT — features over 2,000 flashcards so you can study on the go.

GRE Word Boost — with 500 essential GRE words in its database, study and quiz anytime.

* * *

For teachers

ClassDojo — teachers can create a free account, add their students’ names and customise the behaviours they want to encourage. During class, positive behaviour is reinforced by dishing out feedback points to students; these feedback points automatically compiles the data into reports, letting teachers monitor progress, trends and share information with parents.

* * *

For parents

Famigo Sandbox — a brilliant and free way of making your Android device safe for your kids. It includes a free app of its own for kids to play as well as listing certified safe apps for parents to browse and choose from. There are no ads or in-app purchases and you get shown games and activities that are platform and child specific.

App Timer Mini (ATM) — simple tool to track user’s time on selected apps; the app timer can be set for all the apps, based on how much time should be spent on each which will be shown on the screen while you are using an app.

* * *

Other fun apps

Auryn Ink — digital watercolour-painting app; feels like real watercolour painting, right down to choosing between wet or dry canvases, and watching the paint dry on the page.

Tapestry — offers short stories from various authors, displayed full-screen rather than in e-book style layout; readers are encouraged to give feedback to the authors too.

Celeste — combines 3D graphics of the heavenly bodies with fun facts about astronomy; aim the device’s camera at the sky and see exactly where each object is located, day or night.

Famous Artists and Their Paintings — learn about more than 100 famous works of art from Michelangelo, Rembrandt, da Vinci and more and test your knowledge with a time-trial quiz.

Britannica Kids — encyclopaedias come alive on a range of topics; info presented alongside videos, games and quizzes.

Robots for iPad — learn about electronics and robotics through videos and interactive examples of more than 100 real life robots like Sony’s Aibo dog.

How it Works: Machines by Geek Kids — get an introduction to engineering and learn how various machines work by taking them apart and reassembling them.

****

Feedback . Feedback . Feedback .

The world on my plate : My article in newspaper

People today can travel anywhere around the globe traversing geographical boundaries. And with them, travel their culture and food. The number of foreigners working in Qatar has led to the eating habits of people here being influenced by food from all around the world. Various cuisines and outlets now open in the country have been adapted to serve nationals as well as expatriates from Asia, Europe and America.

Without a question, a dish or a restaurant is selected primarily based on its taste, cost and convenience to eat.

Read more here :

http://www.gulf-times.com/food/235/details/345782/-the-world-on-my-plateA side-bar which appeared in actual newspaper but not in E-version:

FAMOUS CUISINES

Falafel – traditional Arab food – deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas, beans, or both; usually topped with salads, pickled vegetables and hot sauce

Samosa – fried or baked pastry with a savory filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils, ground lamb, ground beef or ground chicken

Kebab – wide variety of skewered meals cooked over or next to flames

Indian chaat – a mixture of potato pieces, crispy fried bread, gram or chickpeas and tangy-salty spices with sour home-made Indian chili, fresh green coriander leaves and yogurt. Popular variants include Aloo tikkis (garnished with onion, coriander, hot spices and a dash of curd), bhel puri, dahi puri, panipuri, dahi vada, papri chaat, and sev puri.

Sandwich – consists of two or more slices of bread with one or more fillings between them

Spring roll – large variety of filled, rolled appetizers. Kind of wrapper, fillings, and cooking technique used vary considerably from place to place

Croissant – butter-layered yeast-leavened dough rolled and folded several times in succession to give a flaky texture, similar to a puff pastry

Donut – deep-fried from a flour dough and shaped in rings or flattened spheres that sometimes contain fillings

Fresh juice – prepared by mechanically squeezing or macerating fruit or vegetable flesh without the application of heat or solvents

Milkshake – sweet, cold beverage which is made from milk, ice cream or iced milk, and flavorings or sweeteners such as fruit syrup or chocolate sauce

Steamed corn – kernels taken off a sweet corn cob or cut off and boiled or steamed

Risottos – rice cooked in broth to a creamy consistency. The broth may be meat-, fish-, or vegetable-based

Pizza – oven-baked, flat, round bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings

Pasta – made from an unleavened dough of flour mixed with water and formed into sheets or various shapes, then cooked and served in any number of dishes

Pies – baked dish made of a dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients

Pancakes – thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan

Scones – single-serving cake or quick bread made of wheat, barley or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent

Puddings – sweet milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, or a mousse, made of bread or rice

Muffins – semi-sweet cake or quick bread that is baked in portions appropriate for one person

Cakes – form of bread or bread-like food normally with a round shape

Schwarma – meats placed on a spit and may be grilled, eaten with bread, tomato, and cucumber with toppings like hummus and pickled vegetables

Barbecued chicken – chicken parts seasoned and coated in a barbecue sauce, then grilled or smoked

Slurpees – frozen flavored drink

Ras Malai – consists of sugary white, cream or yellow colored balls (or flattened balls) of fresh cheese soaked in clotted cream flavored with cardamom

Other Photographs which are not included in e-version of paper:

Reaching out through blogs : My article in the leading newspaper of Middle-East

Since I started working as a part-time free-lance writer for Gulf Times, life seems to have taken an exciting new turn..

After the article for working women in Qatar, I have now written about bloggers in Qatar. In this country, blogging is still not considered as a “cool” or beneficial way of social interaction and with my article I try to clear those myths and misconceptions.

Read it here –

http://www.gulf-times.com/technology/233/details/344940/reaching-out-through-blogs

Although Gulf Times did not include photos of all the amazing bloggers I got in touch with, I will attach their photos here as a token of thanks for their contribution.

 

# all photos belong to the rightful owners

Women at Work – My article in Newspaper

As a free lancer, I published an article for Gulf Times the leading newspaper for Middle-East.

Please click on the link and view it :

http://www.gulf-times.com/culture/238/details/344654/women-at-work

# Feedback appreciated
#Happy.Women’s.Day

#Best.Friday.Ever

D.U.B.A.I.

Dubai.

The land of riches. Or as I call it, the land of fake-wonders-in-the-world. 😉  … In case you don’t know what I am talking about. See this. or this.

A view from the top 😀

Worst part – I could not locate the famous Burj from far up here.. Maybe next time, I’ll make arrangements for a visa 😀

Pretty crowded, ain’t it? Somehow it reminds me of Indiaaaa…

Not as green as one may think it is. After all it is in the Arabian Gulf.

As the land and waters and my panoramic view trailed off, I started to think what was the best thing I saw in my lay over of 3 hours. And here it was :

the FABULOUS  cow 😀

Analysis of my 2012

 

So, we haven’t died and its almost the end of this superb year 2012. 😉

Whoever suggested the world will end, kindly tell me the new date to look forward to. I mean, seriously, I was waiting for something to happen, something bigger than a Tsumani or Katrina.

So, I understand lots and lots and lots of things have happened this year – but as part of me keeping a journal of 2012 I am going to pen down whatever I can remember now of my past one year.
Like I said in the “My Purpose” section, I want to remember the good things and cherish them even after a few years. A pity – I have a not-so-good memory so I have a very few things to say about each month.

It was New Year – YAY!

Ordered for a new phone and got it delivered – double YAY!!

A dull Valentine’s but sent out a few gifts

Came to know about options in MBA from India

Flew home (Qatar) for Holi and spent it with family

Got visited by my dad later in the month

Introduced my bosses to my dad and my work environment

A memorable trip taken 😉

Decided to <finally> pursue MBA

Started studying for it too (sigh)

The dreadful summers – long hours of job and tiresome running around my power plant

Almost an end of summers – and my will to work long hours

I completed my one year at my company – YAY!

Got my so called hike

Met with my best best buddy before he left for Minnesota

I started a new blog – this blog 😀

And I started knowing MN better

A superb response for the blog

Started updating poetry on my other blog too – frequently that too

Time was flying by – form my MBA entrance exams

I left my job, left the city I lived in – without even meeting the people I worked with

Came back to India

Wrote CAT 

Celebrated Diwali with two of my mom’s sisters and partially in the train

I turned 23 😉

Filled a dozen application forms and wrote 2 other exams

Got blog awards – Blog of the year 2012 1 and 2, Liebster Blog Award, Reality Blog Awards,  

Understood the importance of Thanksgiving

Realized I haven’t died yet 😉

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, officially, it will be an end to 2012. Secretly I am smiling inside, cuz I never thought I will be writing so frequently on this blog – but I am! Looks like the WordPress experience has been a great one 😉

So, in the good spirits and an open mind and heart for 2013, I hereby declare the end of this 2012!

Murakami Ego’s Exhibition

Visited the Murakami-Ego in March 2012, which is an exhibition by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.

It was the first solo exhibition for the artist in the Middle East, showcasing over 60 works created since 1997, alongside new ones designed especially for the exhibition.

The 6-metre high self-portrait shows the artist as a giant meditating Buddha greeting his visitors at the entrance of the exhibition space.

  

With a PhD degree in Nihonga painting from the Tokyo University of the Arts, Takashi Murakami has developed a signature style where the most modern techniques combine with the skill and precision of traditional Japanese art.

  

Exhibition in Middle East

Exhibition in France

memoirs from the past

Museums are the places where one can LEARN.

Recently I learnt about idiosyncrasies of the fairer sex, since as early as 8th century!

JEWELLERY!

      

If this habit started that long ago, nobody is to blame the jewel fanatic women of 21st century 😉

Plus, now with so many artificial alternatives, accessories can be designed to mimic that of any possible era, and its AFFORDABLE! 😀

 

Although these jewellery now form an extensive part of our history and an indispensable part of our museums, they precisely depict the fancy lifestyle of the Princesses! It would be ridiculous if we didn’t follow the footsteps of our past 😉

Thanks to Museum Of Islamic Art, Ad Dawhah, Qatar for teaching me this lesson 😉

Why the boundaries? *voice of my James Sully Avatar*

Lazing on the beach sands and watching Qatar Grand Prix, this caption came in my head which provoked many thoughts about “boundaries”, which in turn made me feel like Jake Sully (played by  Sam Worthington) of AVATAR.

This is how :

Step 1

Watching the Grand Prix. Observing the route of the motor boats. Notices the so-called-temporary-boundary formed for the contestants.

Step 2

The phrase “boundaries in water” pops up in head and is stuck. I start thinking!

Step 3

I wonder why humans make boundaries in water. Land is divided, isn’t it enough already? Is partition of sky next?

Step 4

The horrible incidents of the middle-east lately (in Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Iraq and Afghanistan) creep into my head. I start to think, why people fight, why do wars happen, why can’t we stop them.

Step 5

I reach the conclusion. Humans are so greedy, I hate them! *feels like James Sully of today’s real world*

Step 6

Loud applause. Reality kicks in 😀

Somebody has won the race! I finish munching on my potato chips! 

  # THE END to my James Sully Avatar 😉

~ my first bucket-list ~

I love travelling. I don’t like travelling alone, but I have come up in terms with myself to enjoy solo-rides too 🙂  

I thought of making a list of means of transports I have used and which can I put into my own small (first) bucket list.

Courtesy wiki.answers, here is a list of modes of transport; ones uncrossed are yet-to-be taken:

1. Airplane  (more than 2 dozen times)
2. Bus  (more than 10 dozen times)
3. Car  (almost every day)
4. Canoe (looking forward to this)
5. Donkey  (it was basically a breed of donkey you find in hilly areas of India)
6. Expressway  (in capital city of India and many national highways)
7. Ferry  (when I visited Mumbai)
8. Freeway (while travelling in India and Oman)
9. Glider (not yet)
10. Hot air balloon (can’t wait for this one)
11. Horse (Yeah!!)
12. Inflatable raft (this will have to wait)
13. Jetpack (I don’t think I’ll be using this in this lifetime 😛 But, not giving up)
14. Kayak (this too, not yet)
15. Lorry (yes, yes, yes 😀 this was a fun story I’ll probably be penning down later)
16. Motorcycle (absolutely)
17. Naval fleet (nope, not happening in this lifetime)
18. Oxen (a cart driven by oxen, yes. But actual one, no)
19. Palanquin (not yet)
20. Rocket (not happening :D)
21. Subway (absolutely)
22. Taxi (the days of college)
23. Unicycle (bicycle YES, tricycle YES, but unicycle NO)
24. Van (yup, I drove around 10 people in my van)
25. Waterway (Oh, loved it)
26. Yacht (soon, I hope)
27. Zeppelin (I din’t even know this existed)
28. Zipline (it was way too fun to forget :D)
29. Scooter (for many years with my Dad)
30. Railways (Finally, last year)
31. Tonga (School time) 
32. Bullock Cart (Yeah! :D)
33. Bicycle (yes, for four years EVERYDAY)
34. Tricycle (as a kid, sure :P)
35. Truck (not yet)
36. Trailer (Looking for a chance :D)
37. Parachute (would love to)
38. Helicopter (Can’t wait!!)
39. Camel (Yup, three times)
40. Elephant (Only once, but it was fun)
41. Mule (yes :D)
42. Autogyro (would love to)
43. Reindeer (this I don’t know when)
44. Yak (No idea when and where)
45. Sledge (not anytime soon)
46. Chariot (nope)
47. Cart/Rickshaw (Yes, hundreds of times)
48. Carriage (not yet)
49. Tram (looking forward to this, soon)
50. Moving walkway/Moving sidewalk (at airports)
51. Roller shoes (have to learn- to do list)
52. Skateboard (have to learn- to do list) 
53. Ski (have to learn- to do list)
54. Moped (have to learn- to do list)
55. Jeep (yes, drove one :D)
56. Ship (Ah, had an amazing time)
57. Luxury Bus/Car/Boat/Ship (Not soon :D)

Now these form my short term goals :

1. Canoe
2. Oxen
3. Palanquin
4. Yacht 
5. Truck
6. Trailer
7. Parachute
8. Helicopter
9. Chariot
10. Carriage
11. Tram
12. Roller shoes 
13. Skateboard
14. Moped

I hope by next year I have at least a few of these crossed out 😀

Cheers!