Hyderabad City looks as fresh after a shower of rains as we feel fresh after a bath. The green landscapes of the city look greener, the roads become cleaner, and the air feels cooler. The beauty of the rain-washed city appears as inviting as the crystal-clear water of sea on an exotic beach. Windy mornings, pleasant days, rainy evenings and cool nights during monsoons make Hyderabad a must visit in July and August. Here’s a walk through the things to do in Hyderabad during monsoon based on the inputs shared by NRIs of Hyderabad.

Paddling a racing bicycle along the wavy streets of Banjara Hills is one of the best things to do in Hyderabad during monsoon. Banjara Hills is the greenest part of the city, and KBR National Park spreading over an area of 400 acres is the oasis of greenery here. The sloping roads with swaying boughs of trees on both sides around outside the park deepen the thrill of bicycling on rainy mornings. The city is home to groups and clubs of bicyclers. You can join a group or club to have the company of passionate bicyclers during your stay on monsoon days.

The Hussain Sagar Lake is the pearl of Hyderabad. The beauty of the lake hangs over the surrounding Necklace Road too. Fed by the River Musi, it is an artificial lake with a maximum depth of 32 feet and sprawling over 5.7 square kilometers. The water level swells in the months of monsoon. The boundary of the lake is the most popular hangout for all age groups and in all seasons. Driving on the rain-washed Necklace Road is a pleasure to those who love going out and driving in the rains.

Then, there is Irani Tea to warm up your mornings and evenings in Hyderabad during monsoons. It is one of the things that the city is famous for and visitors must have. The typical Hyderabadi essence distinguishes the taste of Irani tea from that of regular tea. There are many popular Irani tea hangouts in the old part of the city. Though available round the year, Irani tea with a plate of Osmania biscuits is the best monsoon flavor of Hyderabad.

READ MORE Weekend Trips from Hyderabad

The Charminar is the most identifiable icon of Hyderabad. It is also one of the most famous historic monuments in India. The Charminar in the rains is an ideal subject for monsoon photography in the city. The area surrounding the monument is a bustling marketplace, one of the most crowded zones in the old city. When it rains, crowds disperse making it easier for the Charminar to breathe freely. So, go out on a photography spree and shoot the ways of life around the Charminar, in the monsoon season.

Hyderabadi snacks are among the best food to eat during monsoons. Apart from masala dosa, bonda and mirchi bhaji are favorites of the locals. These street side snacks are sold here and there in the city, two times a day – morning and evening. Bites of smoking hot, crispy onion bonda and mirchi bhaji make the joy of monsoon an overwhelming feeling on rainy mornings and evenings.

If you are from Hyderabad, you must fly to Rajiv Gandhi Airport and refresh your memory of the rainy days this monsoon. Discard your worries about current airfares because Indian Eagle is offering the most competitive deals from partner airlines for cheap flights to Hyderabad for a limited period.  

The post Traveling to Hyderabad This Monsoon? Here’s How You can Make the Most of Monsoon in City of Pearls appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

No other Indian food has as many stories to tell as biryani does. Rosogolla surfaces to public notice once in a while due to the age-old contention over its origin between two neighboring states: Bengal and Odisha, while biryani is the only food to enjoy pan-India attention throughout the year. The stories of biryani are as varied as the taste and flavor of the dish across the country. If lots of conversation or discussion happens over tea in India, many incidents occur over biryani. Biryani is not just a delightful treat but a bribe, bait and gift. It puts smiles on withered cheeks, brings a ray of hope amidst adverse circumstances, pushes campaigns forward, stimulates arguments and unites people.

Travel Beats, a community portal for Indian Diaspora by IndianEagle.com, curated the most interesting biryani stories from across India and abroad to make you understand the unbeatable power and popularity of biryani.

Biryani was a Silver Lining amidst Dark Clouds during Chennai Floods     

Biryani is no compromise under any circumstance! It was evident from the disappointment of some people for being served sambar rice not biryani during the Chennai floods 2015. When a group of volunteers reached out with packets of sambar rice and other relief materials to the people stuck amidst flood waters, braving the pouring rain and shoulder-leveled standing water, they met with disappointment for not serving biryani. Paradise Biryani, a most popular Hyderabadi biryani brand, sent the dish for them.

Actor’s Love for Biryani Inspired the Name of a Tamil Film    

One of the interesting biryani stories is sourced from the Tamil film industry. Among Tamil film stars, Ajith is so fond of biryani that he loves cooking it for everyone on the shooting spot. He has cooked biryani for the filming crew multiple times. It bears out to not only his penchant for biryani but his simplicity and down to earth nature. Moved by Ajith’s unfathomable love for biryani, director Venkat Prabhu named his black comedy film ‘Biriyani” in 2013. Biriyani is a thriller which was filmed in Chennai and Hyderabad.

Cockroach Biryani Led to a Munna Bhai Style Campaign in Kashmir

The story of ‘cockroach biryani’ in Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, is among the most interesting Biryani stories in India. When a local dentist and his friends found cockroaches in the biryani served to them at a multi-cuisine restaurant at Hazratbal, one of the outlets owned by Hat Trick fast food manufacturer in Kashmir, they forced their way into the kitchen and found it unhygienic to their surprise. When the ‘cockroach biryani’ story went viral on social media, a group of young foodies launched a ‘Munna Bhai style’ campaign and sent 1000 ‘get well soon’ letters to the restaurant owner. The campaign caught attention of the Food Safety Department and led to sealing of the cockroach restaurant.

Homemade Biryani Forced Dhoni to Vacate Grand Kakatiya in Hyderabad  

One of the Hyderabadi biryani stories is related to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was captain of the Indian Cricket team in 2014. He along with his team vacated the 5 star Hotel Grand Kakatiya where 180 rooms were booked for the team and BCCI officials, and moved to Taj Krishna due to a fiasco over homemade Hyderabadi biryani. One of Dhoni’s teammates brought homemade biryani for the entire team, which Hotel Kakatiya refused to allow within the premises. Hyderabadi biryani is something exclusive to die for!

Biryani Entertains Participants in National Shooting Championships   

The 59^th National Shooting Championship held in Delhi in 2015 is a memorable event for mouthwatering biryani served to the participants. The shooters from all over India were served delicious biryani at a nominal cost. Nawabuddin is the man who cooked and served the dish to them. Popularly known as Nawab Bhai, he has been cooking biryani for all shooting competitions in Delhi for past 6 years. He himself is a shooter and has participated in twenty national shooting championships. Eminent shooters are fans of Nawab Bhai’s biryani.

Biryani Failed to Make Rajnikanth’s Kochadaiiyaan a Success

Do you know that biryani was used as a bait to make superstar Rajnikanth’s Kochadaiiyaan a success in 2013 in Bangalore? When the fans of Rajnikanth felt that the film was going to be a box office disaster, they organized a rally in Bangalore to promote the film and promised the locals free biryani for watching the film. However, biryani could not save Kochadaiiyaan from being a failure.

Biryani Got People Together for a Communal Work in Kerala    

One of the latest biryani stories is how biryani is used to motivate people for a communal work. Recently, IAS officer Prashant Nair promised platefuls of Malabar biryani to a group of people for cleaning of a 14-acre lake in Kozhikode, Kerala. Removing water hyacinth from the lake was a herculean task, but his promise of biryani made it a success.

Biryani Saved a Bride from Marrying a Wrong Groom      

Anything can happen over biryani in India. Marriages can be fixed or broken over biryani. In 2014 in Karnataka, a bride called off the wedding over the ruckus created by the groom party over the taste of biryani. Even the bride’s family sent 30kg of biryani to the groom’s house but it came back as the groom’s family was fond of mutton biryani.

Biryani Energized Political Workers during Elections in Hyderabad  

Some of the stories of biryani in India are politically interesting. You might wonder what biryani has to do with politics in India. During the parliamentarian elections in 2014, Hyderabad witnessed a boom in sales of biryani. Demand for chicken and mutton biryani was tremendously high across Hyderabad during the electoral period in 2014.

Biryani Brought Good Luck to DMK Party in Chennai in 2009

Biryani not only keeps political workers on the go during elections but also plays an active role in success of electoral campaigns. Chennai witnessed the power of biryani in 2009 when the DMK party won elections in Tamil Nadu. The winning party distributed biryani packets to voters during the campaigns apart from offering usual baits like liquor, clothes and mobile phones. The popularity of biryani was so utilized to tempt common people that the 2009 election in Chennai was notoriously nicknamed ‘Biryani Bypolls.’

Biryani was a Gift from Sania Mirza to Dilwale Team        

Biryani is not just taken advantage of as bait or bribe. It is a pretty gift too. When Sania Mirza visited Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan during the shooting of Dilwale in 2015, she carried a box of Hyderabadi biryani for them.

Two Indian Restaurants Locked their Horns over Biryani in USA

Not only India but also the United States has interesting biryani stories to tell. Two Indian businesses in the US – Paradise Biryani Pointe and Paradise Biryani Grill – locked their horns in a legal battle over biryani at a New Jersey court. Both of these Indian restaurants in New Jersey serve the dish. In 2011, Paradise Biryani Pointe moved the court against its rival Paradise Biryani Grill accusing the latter of infringing the former’s trademark and biryani recipe which the former claimed to have developed over 7 years.

Read More Interesting Food Stories and News

Indian Eagle Travel, a leading air-ticketing partner of Indians from India to America, makes you not only travel on the best flights for low fares, but also have great times over interesting stories of food, culture, and community from India as well as America.

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Needless to say that the Charminar is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Hyderabad India! This historical monument is the first thing to see in the City of Pearls. Why the Charminar was built by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 is one of the interesting facts of Hyderabad. The global icon of Hyderabad holding on to the stories of the bygone eras stands tall in the Old City of Nawabs. Though it stands silent, its eloquence is felt in the buzz of life all around. The life around the Charminar never ceases to throb as there are many things to see and do. Shopping for bangles, binging on biryani, sipping Irani Chai, grabbing bites of Osmania biscuits, visiting the Chowmahalla Palace, and clicking photographs are some of the things to do around the Charminar. Those who are scheduled to travel to Hyderabad from USA and other countries can take a cue from this infographic on how to make the most of a day trip to the Charminar this Ramadan. 

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The holy month of Ramadan is in full swing. The Eid festival is being awaited with bated breath. Preparations for the celebration, including shopping, are going on at a fast pace across India. Of the Indian capital cities, Hyderabad is overwhelmed with festive fervor right from the beginning of Ramadan.

The festive mood of the city is distinctly felt in the area around Charminar in Old City, the hub of shoppers and foodies during Ramzan. This part of the city has late nights because of a special night bazaar (market) that continues to throb till the wee hours of the morning. The bazaar comes alive with the glitters of bangles, the smell of Haleem, the flavor of Irani chai, the sheen of mehendi, the calls of vendors and the frenzy of shoppers.

Lets have a walk through the night bazaar around Charminar and explore its Ramzan special attractions. Lets start from Charminar to Madina Building.

Lad Bazaar famous for bangles is a favorite haunt of women shoppers during Ramzan. The bangle sellers sit with their merchandise in a row. The glitters of bangles of different colors and designs steal the show with each pair of eyes. If you move a little ahead in Lad Bazaar, the shops selling imitation jewellery will greet you. When Eid is around the corner, Hyderabadis hit the market in the evenings to buy bangles and imitation jewellery for gifting.

Glitters of bangles in Lad Bazaar near Charminar

In a corner of the market, you will be welcomed by mehendiwalis. It is a tradition to beautify the hands with mehendi designs on festive days in India. With Muslim women, the tradition is customary on the occasion of Eid. If you happen to visit Charminar during Ramzan, make sure to get your hands beautified with henna, another name of mehendi.

Besides bangles, jewellery and mehendi, there are many other things on sale that vendors will be inviting you to have a look at. Most of the items are suitable for women’s beauty kits.

Hands beautified with mehendi during Ramzan

Now, lets move closer to Madina Building in Patthar Gatti. Patther Gatti is a shopper’s paradise where you will get apparels for the newborn, children and adults. All sorts of apparels – ethnic, casual, regular and party wear – are available here. Shopping for beautiful crockeries is a pleasure here. Many locales buy new sets of crockeries to serve dishes to guests on festive days.

A festive delicacy to taste on Ramzan nights near Charminar

Hours of walking and shopping from Lad Bazaar to Patther Gatti will surely leave you hungry. With Charminar being cornerstone of Ramzan food culture in the city of Nizams, you will feel spoilt for choice over availability of varied delicacies. A single glimpse of Haleem and Dahi Wada (commonly known as Dahi Bade) – Hyderabad’s most popular Ramzan special delicacies – will make your tongue crave for bites. I am sure; one plateful of delicacies may not satisfy your taste buds.

READ MORE Life around Charminar on Ramzan Days

Ramzan shopping is incomplete without a purchase of Attar. Your olfactory sense will surely catch the fragrance of Attar (perfume) in the air. Popular attars like Jannat-ul-Firdous, Kashish, and Anam etc. are the most sought after perfumes. Attars with genuine essence can be found only in this part of the city.

Genuine attars on sale near Charminar

Hey, the walk around Charminar has not come to a circle yet. From Lad Bazaar to Patther Gatti, and from Patther Gatti to Chatta Bazaar, you have seen bangles, jewelry, clothes, crockery, attar and tasted Haleem as well as Dahi Wada. What is left on the list? Seewaiyyan…

ALSO CHECK Things to Do around Charminar

Let’s step farther from Chatta Bazaar, people sitting with baskets full of Seewaiyyan will be seen. Seewaiyyan is used in cooking the most delicious dessert, Sheer-Qorma, a must taste during Ramzan. Guests are served platefuls of Sheer-Qorma in Muslim households, on the occasion of Eid.

Sheer-Qorma, a delicious dessert to taste during Ramzan

Hope, you enjoyed this exploration drive with Indian Eagle. If you visit Hyderabad at other times of the year, the ambiance of Ramzan nights will be missing from the area around Charminar. However, you will surely feel the typical Hyderabadi essence there. So, when are you booking your flight to Hyderabad?

The post A Walk around Charminar on Ramzan Nights in Hyderabad can be a Lifetime Experience appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

After reopening the doors of the Yadagirigutta Temple following months of large-scale renovation for INR 1800 crore, Hyderabad is all set to woo visitors with a 216-foot statue of Sri Ramanuja, a social reformer and saint from the 11^th century. Scheduled to be unveiled on February 5 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Statue of Equality is located in a 45-acre complex near Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad.

Funded with donations worth INR 1000 crore, the Statue of Equality and the complex are aimed at eternalizing the legacy of Sri Ramanuja’s teachings and deeds. Deemed to be one of the tallest statues in a sitting posture, the Statue of Equality in Hyderabad commemorates the 1000 years of Sri Ramanuja’s birth. The statue is made of five metals – gold, silver, copper, brass and zinc. The idol housed in the inner sanctorum of the complex is made of 120 kg of gold signifying the years of his mortal life on earth. The idol faces a grand meditation hall where devotees can soak themselves in tranquility.

Born in 1017 in Tamil Nadu, Ramanuja was a beacon of socio-cultural, socio-economic and socio-religious equality. Hailing from a Tamil Brahmin family, he was a staunch Vaishnavaite. Being a social reformer, he saved millions of downtrodden people from the harms of discrimination on grounds of lineage, education, economy and gender. Driven by the revolution that had built up on his philosophy that every human being is equal irrespective of caste, creed, gender, and community, the temples opened the doors to those subjugated to inequality, untouchability and discrimination.

The Statue of Equality in Telangana is a brainchild of Swami Chinna Jeeyar, a globetrotting ascetic on the mission of propagating Vaishnavism, Vedic wisdom, religious tolerance, non-violence, joy of sharing, and power of equality. He laid the foundation stone for the statue dedicated to Ramanujacharya in 2014. He has been visiting the United States, Europe, Canada, Singapore and other countries since 1994. He has delivered keynotes on a country’s cultural sustainability and students’ role in it at the United Nations. Born in East Godavari of Andhra Pradesh, Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji strives hard to empower the disadvantaged communities with seamless access to quality education, healthcare and other civic facilities.

Some 2700 sculptors from Rajasthan, Madurai, Tirupati, Srirangam, Mahabalipuram and other parts of the country, worked hard to concretize Hyderabad’s Statue of Equality the way Swami Chinna had visualized. The outdoor statue is seated on a lotus base (27-ft high) with 54 petals – which is supported by 36 exquisitely carved elephants. A fleet of 108 stairs runs up to the lotus base from the ground.

The 45-acre complex welcomes devotees with 18-ft-tall standing statues of Lord Hanuman and Lord Garuda at entrance, and features a 42-ft high musical fountain in the sprawling courtyard. There is a grand corridor with larger-than-life statues of global leaders who stood and fought for equality. The complex houses an educational gallery featuring gripping exhibits that walk through the life and journey of Sri Ramanuja. Devotees can immerse themselves in ancient Indian texts, including Vedic scriptures, in a digital library on the Statue of Equality complex. There is also an Omnimax theater where shows will bring alive glimpses of Sri Ramanuja’s life and work through immersive technology.

What is the most interesting about the Statue of Equality is that 108 Divya Desams – the temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu and His incarnations – have been recreated here with attention to their architectural details and ornate beauty. Those who cannot visit any or all of the 108 Divya Desams across the country can pay their regards to and seek blessings of Lord Vishnu and His various incarnations surrounding the Statue of Equality in Hyderabad.

Located at a 15-km drive from Hyderabad International Airport, the State of Equality will see the inauguration event span 13 days from February 2 to 14. The 120-kg gold idol of Sri Ramanuja will be unveiled by President Ramnath Kovind on February 12. The 108 Divya Desams in the complex will be inaugurated and consecrated amid the chanting of slokas from the four Vedas. Maha prasadam will be distributed on all days of the inauguration.

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Deepthi Narkuti from Hyderabad is flying high on her American Dreams as she has bagged a job with an annual salary of INR 2 crore from a tech giant in the United States. She will be working as a software development engineer at Microsoft’s headquarters in Seattle. Undeniably, America is a most-cherished land of opportunities for Indians even amid the ongoing travel restriction.

Daughter of a forensic expert in the Hyderabad Police Commissionerate, Deepthi Narkuti was offered the highest pay package during the campus interview at the University of Florida. Amazon and Goldman Sachs are the other conglomerates she received a lucrative job offer, at the same time. But she chose Microsoft as her career destination.

A graduate from the Osmania College of Engineering in Hyderabad, she worked as a software engineer at JP Morgan prior to taking a break for higher studies abroad. She pursued MS successfully at the University of Florida, a leading public university in the US. She is one of the 300 candidates who landed high-paying job offers from American behemoths.

Deepthi Narkuti is all set to join the elite club of technology mavericks from Telangana, who are part of the formidable tech force in the United States. Notably, Satya Narayana Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft; and Shantanu Narayen, the CEO of Adobe Inc. are also from Hyderabad. The Telugu-speaking diaspora wished Deepthi dizzying heights of success achieved by many Telugu Americans, including Nina Davuluri, Miss America 2014; Kris Kolluri, New Jersey Commissioner of transportation; Arvind Krishna, the CEO of IBM; Neeli Bendapudi, the 18^th President of the University of Louisville; Yellepeddi Padmasree, former CTO of Cisco; and Raj Reddy, founder of the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.

Also Read: This Indian techie quit Microsoft job in USA for her passion

India’s Telugu states – Telangana and Andhra Pradesh – send the highest number of students to America every year, according to the US Consul General Hyderabad. One in every four Telugu-speaking families has a member studying or working in the US. A majority of nearly 2 lakh students who were studying in the US before the pandemic are from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Some US immigration experts opined that Microsoft’s big-fat job offer to the Hyderabad girl is a glaring statement on why Indian talent is required to fill in for American workers in STEM.

The post Deepthi Narkuti from Hyderabad is All Set to Join Microsoft in Seattle for Annual Salary of INR 2 Crore appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

A 21-month-old child named Aadith Vishwanath Gourishetty has joined the elite club of prodigies from the Indian state of Telangana. Hyderabad, home to the second Silicon Valley in India, has given the world some of the best talents, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, and the world’s fastest human calculator Neelakantha Bhanu Prakash. Telangana came to the global media spotlight when 20-year-old Neelakantha won the gold medal in London’s Mind Sports Olympiad, broke ‘Human Computer’ Shakuntala Devi’s record, and earned the title “World’s fastest human calculator” this August 2020.

Picture Credit: Facebook

21-month-old Aadith Vishwanath Gourishetty from Karimnagar, the city of granites in Telangana, has made it to the World Book of Records for his extraordinary memory skills. Before earning international recognition, he secured his name in the Indian Book of Records and the Telugu Book of Records. While kids of his age listen to grandparents’ lullabies and watch nursery rhymes on the Internet, Aadith is strengthening his cognitive abilities.

At this tender age, Aadith can easily identify birds, animals, fruits, flags, colors, body parts, English alphabets, household appliances, professions, logos, among many other things by just seeing their pictures. The toddler’s grandparents were the first to discover his natural ability to recognize pictorial objects from images. One day they noticed him identifying images of gods and goddesses with no difficulty. One evening when he was sitting beside his grandmother in the puja room, he readily recognized the deities, including Venkateswara Swamy and Sai Baba. He effortlessly recollected the names of various gods several other times.

Then, Aadith Vishwanath Gourishetty’s parents decided to test his inborn memory power. They showed him a picture of the Indian Tricolor. A few days later when PM Narendra Modi was hoisting the flag at Red Fort on August 15 this year, Aadith started giving salutation to the flag while watching the program on television. The moment not only took them aback, but also filled them with pride. They realized that their son was born with sharp memory as an innate quality as he was able to identify the flag only by seeing its picture once.

Aadith Vishwanath Gourishetty, who has earned the prestigious titles – ‘Super Kid’ and ‘Mnemonist Wonder Kid’ – can recognize and recollect 272 pictorial objects from 17 categories. Interestingly, he can identify sounds of animals, complex color patterns, and different vehicles from their shadows.

His parents started showing him the national flags of other countries. Aadith did not disappoint them. He effortlessly could identify the flags. It was then his journey began towards securing his name in the Indian Book of Records, and the World Book of Records. “At this age when a child finds difficulty in remembering all his toys, Aadith could recognize the flags and logos, a task which is tough for even for adults,” Aadith’s mother Snehitha told ANI.

“Early in 2020, 5-year-old Aashman Taneja from Hyderabad set a Guinness World Record. This extraordinary Taekwondo player is a USA World Open Taekwondo Silver medalist too. He earned the Guinness World Record for making more than 1200 full-contact knee strikes nonstop in one hour. Indeed, Hyderabad is a cradle of prodigies,” said the Editor of Travel Beats, a leading overseas Indian community portal.

This story is part of our continued effort to promote achievements of Indians in USA, at Travel Beats – a subsidiary of Indian Eagle Travel. Subscribe to our free newsletter for latest community news, exclusive stories, US immigration policies, and first-hand US-India travel updates.

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The Indian food history is the history of invention in times of necessity and inheritance from diverse cultures. Some dishes were invented for the sake of masses, while some others were borrowed from across geographies. Many such interesting stories of Indian food are still unheard of. Travel Beats, a community portal for Indian Diaspora, takes a few picks from the grave of history to share with you.

Petha is as old as the Taj Mahal 

What to eat in Agra? Whoever has been to the city of the Taj Mahal says that Petha is the best thing to eat in Agra. The invention of Agra ka Petha is linked to the construction of the Taj Mahal in the Mughal Empire. When the colossal monument was under construction, some 21,000 workers were bored of the daily meal comprising only dal and roti. The then Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan shared his concern with master architect Ustad Isa Effendi, who requested Pir Naqshbandi Sahib for a solution to the Emperor’s worries. It is believed that the Pir went into a trance during prayers one day and received the recipe of Petha from the Almighty. Then, some 500 cooks made Petha for the workers.

CHECK Best Dishes of Agra

Dal Bati was a means of survival during wars 

What is the best food to eat in Rajasthan? It is Dal Bati Churma in Jaipur, Mewar, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Udaipur. How the recipe of Dal Bati Churma was invented is a story worth sharing. The origin of this Rajasthani food is the famous Chittorgarh Fort in Mewar. Bati is dough of wheat dipped in ghee, a long-lasting food which the Rajput kings of Mewar required for survival in adverse conditions during wars. Bati could be made with the few ingredients and the little water available in the barren lands of Rajasthan. This culinary invention evolved into a delight with two other items – Dal and Churma – over the years.

SHARE Inforgraphic of Chittorgarh Fort

Mysore Pak journeyed from palace to public  

What is the best taste of Mysore? It is the Mysore Pak, a signature sweetmeat of South India. The Mysore Pak history is traced to the kitchen of the Mysore Palace in the early 20^th century when Nalawadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar was the king in power. Kakasura Madappa, the then royal cook in the Mysore Palace, used to please the King with different dishes. One day he made new sweet dish with the mix of chickpea flour, ghee and sugar. When the King tasted it, it melted at the tip of his tongue. On being asked the name of the dish, the cook invented the name ‘Mysore Paka’ in a split of second. ‘Paka’ is a Kannada word meaning a sweet concoction. Mysore is a weekend getaway from Bengaluru City.

KNOW Best Food of Mysore

Khaja is inherited from the Mauryan & Gupta empires 

What is the best sweet of Odisha? Undoubtedly, it is Khaja. Though the culinary art of making Khaja is a matter of pride for the people of Orissa, the recipe is believed to have been borrowed from the Gangetic plains of Bihar around 2000 years ago. The history of Khaja dates back to the Maurya and Gupta empires in ancient India. Today, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh are homes to this Indian dessert. Each of these states offers a different taste of Khaja. The Khaja of Rajgir in Bihar is famous for its puffiness, while the Khaja of Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh is known for its dry outside and juicy inside.

Do You Know 10 Varieties of Dosa

Jalebi is not essentially Indian but Asian in identity 

Jalebi, one of the most popular Indian sweet dishes, owes its origin to West Asia. The Persian-speaking invaders introduced Jalebi to India in the medieval era. This sweetmeat was called ‘Kundalika’, and ‘Jalavallika’ in India in the 15^th century. The poor were offered platefuls of Jalebi during Ramadan in Iran. It is called ‘Zalabia’ in the Arabian countries, ‘Zilebi’ in the Maldives, ‘Zlebia’ in Tunisia, Libya and Algeria, and ‘Jeri’ in Nepal. References to the Indian version of Jalebi are found in “Priyamkarnrpakatha” by Jinasura, a Jain author of the mid-15^th century.

HAVE Best Sweets of Bengal

Dum Biryani was a meal for the poor in Awadh  

The origin of Biryani is the princely state of Hyderabad in the era of Nizams, according to several historic sources. The recipe of Biryani is as old as the Mughal history of India, according to some historians. Some debate that Biryani was introduced during Timur’s invasion of India in the early medieval era. Though the origin of Biryani is debated, Dum Biryani or Biryani of Awadh was originated in Lucknow. The Nawab of Awadh ordered to cook a meal in huge handis (round-shaped brass pots) for all the poor people of his region when there was scarcity of food. A huge amount of food was cooked with minimum resources in covered and sealed pots. This art of cooking became known as ‘dum’.

This article featuring lesser-known Indian food facts is brought to you as part of the campaign, “Explore India with Indian Eagle”, aiming to promote what is unheard about India through our overseas Indian community portal, Travel Beats. Travel Beats is a subsidiary of IndianEagle.com, a leading online air travel booking portal for overseas Indians.

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Venugopal and Madhavi Vippulancha who returned home (India) from the United States are among the few who are setting the brain drain to India in the reverse direction. They were corporate professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area. Venugopal held a lucrative job as a mechanical engineer in Silicon Valley, and Madhavi pursued her MSc. in Pharmacy and Genetics. The Indian couple’s life had been a roller-coaster ride thousands of miles away from Hyderabad until a mishap impeded the happy ride in 2003.

When Madhavi and Venugopal Vippulancha were mulling over a possible move back to India for cultural nourishment of their kids on the native soil, cancer started eating into their nest of joy. Madhavi was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Madhavi decided to eliminate the intake of chemicals from their everyday food and hit upon the idea of living on an organic diet. As organic farming was the only guaranteed way to ensure an absolutely chemical-free food in day-to-day life, the couple made up their mind about the plan to quit their high-paying jobs in the US and return to India.

Picture Credit: Madhavi Vippulancha (Facebook)

Luckily, Venugopal Vippulancha had made a prior investment in 25 acres of agricultural land on the outskirts of Hyderabad City. He took up organic farming not just as a source of chemical-free food but also as a means of sustenance. Madhavi helped her husband in carving a niche in the unknown territory while battling cancer.

Relying on their hard-earned savings, entrepreneurial acumen and never-say-die attitude, they have come a long way. Today, ten rural women are employed in their farm. However, the first few years of their settlement back home were not easy, especially against the odds of Madhavi’s breast cancer.

With their little knowledge of organic farming, the land remained barren and uncultivated for five to six years. Initially, they took up jobs in Hyderabad and learned organic farming with the passing of time. Having armed with the technical and practical knowledge of cultivation, they started farming by planting mango trees on weekends. Today, they own as many as 2000 trees of 30 different local varieties of mango in the farm.

Venugopal and Madhavi Vippulancha’s farm produces multiple crops, including organically grown fruits and vegetables. The farm yields chemical-free tomatoes, bitter gourd, ridge gourd, bottle gourd, okra, ginger, chillies, and other vegetables. In one portion of the farm, they grow marigold in order to keep pests away from the vegetables and fruits. On weekends, the couple spends quality time together doing organic farming.

Also Check: She Leaves USA to Help India with Renewable Energy 

Organic farming is not the end of their world. Before Indian government embarked on a mission towards mitigating the growing plastic menace all over the country on October 2 this year, the US-returned couple started manufacturing disposable sal plates and bowls in a bid to reduce plastic. This is also a way of empowering local women. The venture is named Vistaraku and aimed at replacing plastic disposable plates.

They have set up a small production unit on the farm itself and employed a few local women who are paid on a daily basis for stitching the sal plates. The women enjoy both – the ambiance and the work. The farmland is their second home where they spend a few happy hours of the day. Venugopal and Madhavi, too, spend time and share meals with them occasionally.

This is brought to you as part of the continued series of inspiring stories about India’s reverse brain drain by Travel Beats, a leading overseas Indian community portal and a subsidiary of Indian Eagle Travel. Indian Eagle is a most trusted air ticketing partner of Indians in USA, catering beyond booking their cheap flights to India. Subscribe to our free newsletter for latest community news, stories, events, visa updates and travel alerts.

The post This Couple Quits Jobs in USA and Returns Home to Do Organic Farming and Reduce Plastic in India appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Some people believe in saying, while some people believe in doing. Having scripted a success story for herself and a story of inspiration for those who often complain about the dearth of opportunities for innovation or entrepreneurship in India is Shruti Ahuja. She is one of the few whose return from the United States is a brain drain back to India.

Braving the waves of India’s brain drain to the world’s developed countries in 2010; Shruti Ahuja quit her well-paying job and gave up her cushy lifestyle in the US to make it big in her hometown, Hyderabad. She was heavy with hopes, dreams and business ideas when she came back from New York, but she had little idea that she would be instrumental in developing a ‘green’ solution for India to convert thousands of tons of organic waste into cooking gas and prevent generation of carbon dioxide in the process.

What Shruti ideated during her visit to a poultry farm on the outskirts of Hyderabad almost a decade ago, became the foundation of her social enterprise comprising 16 biogas plants across India where over 12000 tons of organic waste are converted into more than 600 tons of cooking gas or LPG. Her degree in engineering from the University of Buffalo, New York and her work experience in the US became the supporting pillars of her business in India.

On knowing that the mounting of poultry waste is detrimental to the environment, she delved deeper into the problem and learned to her surprise that about 23 million tons of poultry waste is generated in India every year, which can be recycled to produce 270 megawatt of power. While India was on the cusp of new-age economic development, biogas production was at its nascent stage then.

Her concerns about environmental ramifications and health hazards of poultry waste – poultry excreta pollutes water and air – led to her research on organic waste-converting technologies. The research work helped her collaborate with the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology’s Bio-engineering & Environmental Sciences division and learn the nuances of working on an organic waste anaerobic gas lift reactor. The first steppingstone to her entrepreneurial journey in India!

Also Check: This Couple Returns from USA to Solve Water Crisis in India 

Having got the license for using biomethanation technology was the first milestone that Hyderabad-based Shruti Ahuja achieved to build a digester. With her own savings and the parents’ monetary help, she set up the first digester to run the pilot trial of converting biodegradable items such as food waste, leftover vegetables, dry leaves and poultry waste into biogas. A series of trials and failures perfected the technology and made her confident about its commercial salability.

Finding the market for her organic waste recycling solution was difficult due to the lack of education on and awareness of waste management outside a certain radius of urban areas in those days when tons of waste from different sources was primarily used for landfill. Shruti Ahuja has come a long way from changing the notion that waste recycling was not a profitable industry to making the nation realize the potential of her environment-friendly solution.

Adding to the fruition of Shruti Ahuja’s return to India from the US was a contract from the Akshaya Patra Foundation in 2014. She installed a biogas production plant in the Bellary campus (Karnataka) of the Akshaya Patra Foundation, with the daily capacity to convert 1000 kilos of waste into 60 kilos of biogas the midday meal kitchen. The contract was renewed requiring her to install the same plant in the Gujarat, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh branches of the non-profit.

Shruti Ahuja has reached out to bulk waste generators like hotels, hospitals, temples, MNCs, education institutes and food-processing industries, with her waste-to-energy technology to help them manage waste scientifically. The technology has been implemented in different parts of Hyderabad, like Osmania University campus, Capgemini campus, Bowenpally vegetable market, and CVR College of Engineering. She has enabled the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to generate hundreds of units of electricity from over 5000 kilos of waste every day.

This is brought to you as part of the continued series of inspiring stories about India’s reverse brain drain by Travel Beats, a leading Indian American community portal and a subsidiary of Indian Eagle Travel. Indian Eagle is a most trusted air ticketing partner of Indians in North America, catering beyond their air travel needs. Subscribe to our free newsletter for latest community news, stories, events, visa updates and travel alerts.

The post Once an Engineer in USA, She Sets up Biogas Plants across India to Help Convert Tons of Waste into Cooking Gas appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.