Special Issue

Executive Editor Pramathesh Borkotoky

1 COVER STORY Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu

Issue Editor Mani Padma

Kavita outlines the Durga Puja Contributing Editors Noyon Jyoti Parasara Sankhya Samhita Other Team Members Ritu Pranab Dutta, Kavita Saharia, Myra B, Manimugdha Sarma, Anupam Bhattacharya

9. God

39. Spotted

Siddhesh Kabe pens an interesting

Sanjeeta Thapa visits Mahishmardini Caves

fiction based on God

Published By Pramathesh Borkotoky, Hashan Hazarika and Rakib Ahmed for

16. Travel in Style Bonnie Patowary gives some tips

Fried Eye Media,

about what to take while travelling Sewali Path,

14. Indian Animation for the Adult You Noyon tells you about what obstacles were there before the animation movie Ramayana – The Lord Prince

33. Just One Peg Kshitij Khurana makes you Laugh through his wonderful story.

and many many more‌..

Near Assam Netralaya, Jail Road, Jorhat - 785004

Editorial Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Maa rupena samsthita I Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Shakti rupena samsthita I Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Buddhi rupena samsthita I Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Laxmi rupena samsthita I Namestasyai II Namestasyai II Namestasyai II Namo Namah II

(To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of universal mother To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of energy To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of intellegence To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of true wealth We bow to her, we bow to her, continually we bow to her) The above Maa Durga Mantra is the essence of the eternal spiritual relationship of Man and the Divine, an eternal truth that powers us on to exist and rejoice at our existence at the same time. Durga Puja , one of the most celebrated festival world over, is one such festival when we reach out to the -Divine in pure abandon, in whatever form we may celebrate it – Dusshehra, Vijaya Dashami , Navaratri , Dasahara- The Celebration of Shakti , culminating in the triumph of Good over Evil.

Our Country at the moment is facing a turbulent time, with the Kashmir Issue, Ayodhya, natural calamities and not to mention the CWG and it is maybe the good faith of the countrymen, which has kept India stable even in such times. Maybe this Durga Puja, will bring us new hope to bury our infinite individual differences and give us the strength to face the trying times ahead together, just as we celebrate Durga Puja and Dusshehra together.

We in Fried Eye have brought out this Pre Puja celebration issue just for you, in an attempt to incorporate the Festive spirit and Spirituality along with some fun light reading.

We have Kavita Saharia giving us a glimpse on Puja celebrations as she takes us down memory lane with her cover story, Sanjeeta Spots a Cave of the Mahishasur Mardini in Mahaballipuram, Sid forces us to think about our own imagination of God through his fiction-God, Bonnie reminds us to have a fun time and let loose during our vacations in her Travel in Style article, Kshitij provides us comic relief with his Just One peg and puts forth his point that one can combine humor with social causes as he tackles Adult literacy. (This was the winning post in the humor category in Bloggers Premium League Contest 2nd round.) Noyon Jyoti Parasar brings out an informative and researched piece on animation movie scene in India , just when Lava Kusha is about to hit the screens, with his articleIndian Animation for the Adult you and of course some lip smacking recipes and other interesting write ups.

Our authors have really worked hard to make this Durga Puja an enjoyable and also meaningful with their write ups. Hope you have an enjoyable read and we will be waiting for your feedback for further improvement.

Happy Puja from all of us here in Fried eye Signing off Mani Padma Issue Editor

Letter from Exec. Editor Dear Reader, From today the Navratri starts. Nine forms of Shakti is worshipped in these nine days. I have not been able to witness this as Navratri is not celebrated in this side of the country. In this part of the country, Durga Puja is celebrated. Durga Puja celebrations starts from the 6th day of the waxing moon (Sasthi) of the Aswin Month of Saka calendar (September-October) with the call to Goddess Durga (Bodhan) and ends in 10th day of the waxing moon (Maha Dashami) with the Bidding Adieu (Visarjan) of the Goddess. During this time the whole environment is very vibrant with a carnival like celebration everywhere.

Many shops mushroom up during this time with various products like toys for children, my favourite being the Pepa and the whistle. I still buy them to relive my childhood. Visiting various pandals to appreciate the art of the artisans who make the idols come into life and we feel that special connection with the Goddess. That feeling cannot be described in words. The Drummers keeping the energy intact with us play the drums from time to time. I specially like the Bengali Pandals fro their innovative games they come up with each year with the regular quizzes, debates and other intellectual games. They are much focussed to develop your intellectual capacity. Sometimes I believe these games should be a much part in the school curriculum. I like the Bihari Pandals for their wonderful chutney music that they keep singing during these days. I like the Assamese pandals for their wonderful vibrancy and the food they provide. During the day, they have various competitions like Naamguwa, Uruli, etc. In the evening they have Bhaonas (Mythical Plays) and Nataks (Plays). Assamese Puja Pandals are more culturally focussed. Though, it sounds like any other celebration, but somehow the feeling is different and the aura has to be felt and not read. So, just enjoy the Puja and the Navatris.

Wishing you all a happy and a vibrant festive season,

Warm Regards,

Pramathesh Borkotoky Exec. Editor Fried Eye

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu

Sharad Navratri is widely celebrated in different ways throughout the India.In Sanskrit the word Navratri means nine nights.In the North East part of India it is celebrated as Durga -Puja.The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are set according to the traditional Hindu Calendar in the month of Ashwin which is the beginning of the winters.It falls in the months of Sep -Oct.As Durga Puja represents celebration of the Goddess as Shakti ,all her nine different forms are worshipped during these nine days.I would like to share my experiences on how i have been celebrating Durga-Puja all these years living in three different states of North East( Assam,Arunachal-Pradesh and Meghalaya).With its religious significance this festival has turned into a huge socio cultural event here.People participate in this celebration irrespective of their religion,backgrounds and beliefs.

You know the Puja is near when you find these Kumars (potters) engaged in making the clay images of the ten handed Goddess that we all worship later.The tradition of clay image making in India is as old as from 18 th century.The above picture is of Lachit Nagar area ,it is the hub of this art here in Guwahati.

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This job is very hard , lengthy and back breaking .The artist hardly noticed me when i clicked this picture.At a later stage these idols are decorated with beautiful clothes and jewellery.Beautiful pandals are build in different areas of the city(pandals are temporary structure made with bamboo and cloth ,these pandals are used as temporary temple to worship the goddess).While some of the pandals are simple structures, others are often elaborate works of art with themes that are based on history, current affairs and sometimes pure imagination.Pujas are mainly financed by the local people and communities, now a days we see some corporate houses coming forward as sponsors .In many part of Assam and other neighboring states the festival is celebrated in community prayer halls or Naamghar too.

The shops and malls are fully packed up from twenty to twenty five days from the festival as people shop for new clothes for themselves and their relatives.Lot of gift exchanges happens amongst friend and relatives during this time of the year.The festival starts with Mahalaya ,it is the day of invocation of the goddess to ward of evil from this earth.She is invoked by the chants of mantras and other devotional songs.We also pray and pay homage to our ancestors on this day.It is on the sixth day or Mahasashthi that the idols are inaugurated on pandals.It is said that Goddess arrives on this day to Earth accompanied by her children.Amongst the chanting and beats of drum the face of the Goddess is unveiled this day.The main puja takes place on 7th,8th and 9th day which are called Mahasaptami,Mahashtami and Mahanavami.

The picture shown here is of a Naamghar which has been celebrating the festival since 1935.The picture below shows the unvieled faces of the Goddess and the other Gods which are Ganesha,Laxmi, Saraswati,Kartika.You can see the very familiar pose of Ma Durga unleashing her wrath on Mahishasura a demon .It signifies the victory of good over evil.

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Expert priests are appointed to perform the rituals as the whole process is very detailed and complicated.Now the next three days consists of chanting of mantras,shlokas ,aarati and offerings.Red being the favorite color of the Goddess ,one finds the head priest always dressed up in red.On the 7thday Mahasaptami before the dawn nine types of plants are worshipped as a symbol of ma Durga.These nine plants are of Banana, Colacassia,Turmeric,Wood Apple,Jayanti,Pomegranate,Arum,Rice and Ashoka.A tree is dressed up as the goddess and is installed besides the gods and is worshipped.

As the priest continue with their rituals,crowd starts gathering up at the venue for offering their prayers. A welcome speech by the organisers announces the timings of different rituals and other cultural events .Durga is worshipped in the form of cosmic knowledge Mahasaraswati.

Traditional drummers are called from nearby villages/areas. They are an integral part of puja.The beautiful images ,the sound of sankha(conch shell)the chanting of mantras,beating drums , the smell of scented flowers and incense sticks add a lot of charm to the rituals.

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Inside the hall/pandal ladies gather to sing durga-naam( devotional songs for the goddess).The whole community becomes one family during this festival.

During evening hours aarti is performed-it is one of the main attraction as the priest offers the light from the wicks soaked in ghee to the diety in a rhythmic dance like manner .The drummers play the drums non stop throughout the aarti.Aaarti is done in the spirit of humility and gratitude.It symbolises five elements,earth,wind,fire,water and ether.

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On the 8th day or Maha-ashtami ,devotees gather again to offer pushpanjali (flower-offerings).Kumari puja is performed where little girls are worshipped at the goddess.Important sandi puja is performed later to

interlink ashtami and navami .

It is also the time when we prepare Boloy,a yellow colored holy wrist band made of cloth which contains rice grains,mustard seeds,aparajita leaves and durva.Boloys are distributed on the day of Dasahami amongst the devotees.

You can see yellow cloth and the ingredients that are used in making of a Boloy.

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On morning hrs outside the pandals/prayer halls one can notice many stalls where ladies group sell their home made sweets ,clothes and other handicrafts.

To encourage the young kids for more active participation various competitions are held .After aarti and prasad distribution people enjoy cultural evenings.Evening also includes visiting various pand als of the city/town.

The 9th day or Mahanavami is the concluding day of puja.As usual chanting of mantras and puja is offered to the goddess.A bhog is offered to the goddess which is later distributed amongst the devotees.Another attractive feature of puja is Khichuri prasad on the day of navami .It is a dish made with a mixture of various lentils and rice grains.

Dashami or the 10th day is the day when the devotees bid a tearful farewell to the goddess.It is a very highly emotional day for all.

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Goddess is prepared for her departure -- sound of drums,chants,devotional songs and offerings of flowers and the rice grains are showered at the images.

As the goddess is finally lifted the roaring sound of Durga Ma Ki Jai almost deafens ones ears.Moist eyes are norm .Finally the idols are carried in a procession around the locality and immersed in a nearby river or pond.Devotees bid her farewell with an invitation to come back again the next year.

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With tearful eyes and songs we say goodbye to her !

Written by Kavita Saharia. She is an internationally renowned blogger and a very successful Dentist.

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God The only truth in the universe is death. Extinction. Annihilation. In a highly fluid environment one must be prepared for change, extinction is the nature’s way of telling that land must be cleared for a new species to dominate. Nature is governed by a single law. Adapt or perish.

This holds true for a single individual, species, society or even a reality. Thus when Dinosaurs had fulfilled their time on earth, a meteoroid shower conveniently wiped them of their existence.

The universe threw me into the liquid reality without any life support.... sink or swim, in the ancient prison of Kaladunga. I did, what I always do best, I survived. I was born in the dark cellar on the dungeon on the island of Kaladunga, and my childhood was spend getting whipped by the prison master for the sins I never committed.

For six years, after I learned to talk, I kept asking, what have I done? Is being born a sin? The old padre used to visit the prison trying to teach me, the bible. I kept asking him, why, why did God choose me for this fate? Is God punishing me?

Every passing hour, my hatred for humanity and God increased. I had never seen the light of the day only the dark cellar of my prison. The only living being in the room was a rat, which I brutally killed one day with bare hands... adapt or perish.

Slowly as I grew older, my security was eased and I was allowed to mingle with other prison inmates.

Thus my informal education began and I learned about life, other cultures and about the universe.

I then learned that I was born to a mother termed as witch by the church and a father announced as heretic, hence I was condemned to life long imprisonment in the dark cellars of Kaladunga with no contact with the world.

I challenged the prison master for dominance. There was a fight, a massive war between the two of us. And I lived, something I am good at... adapt or perish.

For the first time I saw how bright the world was, and I hated it. I preferred the dark, where my life had began. My journey began in the real world, like a devil unleashed upon the planet, like the dark ages had began. I named myself Kaal, the end.

As my journey began, I came in touch with the real world, science. I met a crazy scientist, also termed as heretic by the church. He called himself Prof. Colombus and had an obsession of space

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travel. He used to draw strange figures on the walls of the prison and talk about planets, galaxies, solar systems...and the abode of God.

My interest in his works increased and when he offered me a position to drive his space-ship, I could hardly refuse...My quick grasping ability made me learn the controls quickly and we both set out to journey the unknown.

We saw stars, planets, galaxies sitting in the ship. We explored moons, the asteroids, meteoroids.

For me the universe was as dark as my prison cell. My whole life engulfed into darkness.

I learned his works, understood his principles and finally there came a day when I did not need a baby sitter with me. His body floats into the endless sky for eternity, while I journey ahead.

Few years ago, I mathematically proved the existence of the center of the universe, the ultimate power source from which life sprang out. The purest form ofenergy which Vishwamitra used to build the worlds, the cosmic energy that flows during Tandavnrutya of Shiva... and my life had a new meaning. I realize I was destined to search for the pyre, since my birth.

I searched for countless worlds, million dimensions, carefully calculating my journey ahead. I visited planets, asteroids for signs of the energy patterns. My happiness knew no bound when I saw the first cosmic signature on the remote planet....far aloof from the general cosmos.

The moment I realized the cosmic energy pattern, I felt another pull towards my destiny. The power of almighty, was close to me. How could I forget, such vast source of energy will not be lying around....

Thus my hardship began, the so-called Devgans, the body guards of God attacked my ship. They showed a very great display of sheer strength, their ships designed by the cosmos.

I prevailed, through stealth...Adapt or perish.

The more I entered deeper into the region, the more I became vulnerable to their attacks, but I prevailed through will power.

I found a landing bay, where I docked my ship and finally stepped onto the planet. The planet was called 'Harshal', the light emitting planet and the only source of light was present directly into its core.

'Halt,' a voice boomed over me, 'Who goes there?'

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'Who are you?' I shouted.

'I am Karuna, the first Maharathi of the Kshatriya order, Son of warrior Prahasta, Grand-son of warrior Ravana and this region is under my protection. You are a mortal and are forbidden to enter the realms.'

'I come from far away, I am not here to leave... if you are indeed the maharathi, I challenge you...'

Karuna appeared in front of me, he was twice as large as a man and equally broad. He carried a Axe in his hand which emitted a greenish blue glow from its blade.

Karuna was definitely the biggest warrior of all times. His axe zoomed past me twice and through sheer luck I escaped. But I was also no less warrior, I used the Witch Blade, which was molded from the furnaces of Aramis temples, the finest blade in the universe, just lesser than the celestial cutter.

A big battle followed. As the dust settled down, I survived, something I am good at.

As I walked ahead, I was completely exhausted from the battle and I settled near a river for some rest. As I saw my reflection in the water, the water started glowing white and before I realized, it formed a layer around me. I could not move, I could not speak.

Far off, I saw a woman robed in complete white clothes, standing waving her hands to direct the water.

'You wretched mortal,' she shouted, 'How dare you step into the heavens? You may have defeated the Kshatriya warrior, but you cannot escape from the power of Anumati and the Varunastra...'

I was totally helpless into the flexible water. Thus she carried me and condemned me to depth of the ocean where I was thrown into the deep water trench...for life.

I was home.

She did not know, I was born into a trench like this. I have faced worst trenches than this. Hence I waited, slowly, carefully I made my way to the surface. I realized I cannot fight the weapons of God...hence the only weapon I had was stealth, something I was good at.

Shadow was my power, darkness my home. I crept past the planet, slowly, unseen, moving in the shadows and I explored. Finally, I found it, it was true, the energy was there...lying around.

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I could not believe I was seeing it, from my eyes, purest form of energy, no emitting gases, no burning images....purest form of energy shaped into a cube hanging in the middle of the land. From this, sprang the millions species in the universe, from this came the countless planets, from this fueled the sun for many solar system. This is it.

'Halt,' boomed Karuna again, 'I cannot let you pass...'

'Stop him,' Anumati starting waving her hands and I could hear splash of water from the river.

Countless other faces came out of shadow with many weapons.

I had no moment to think. Adapt or perish. Such is the power of the brain, that before I saw the danger, a solution had formed.

It was a desperate ploy, how could I, a mere mortal tame such a vast energy? I was bound to burn into pyre, but I had no choice, the other option was...death.

I jumped into the pyre. God and I were about to become one.

Blank. Darkness. Nothing.

My soul was ripped apart, my body was burned down to ashes. Through sheer will I prevailed…adapt or perish.

For a million years, I felt nothing.... I was floating in nothingness, the energy seeped in. It took me centuries to understand the power of my sneeze that can blow up the entire cosmos.

Slowly the universe started shaping in front of me and I became reality. I took form of a cluster of stars which slowly shaped up as me.

I could feel my hands and I could feel my legs...and I could feel power in my fingertips.

As the universe proceeded into its own weird sense, it did notice something amiss. Something changed.

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Adapt or perish. It was time the universe adopted their new ruler.

I became GOD.

Written by Siddhesh Kabe. He currently works as a Software Engineer with Cognizant Technology Solutions in Pune.. He is a man with many talents and is also a very well known blogger.

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Indian animation for the adult you!

Noyon Jyoti Parasara Even as many continue to crib about the lack of Indian animated content which does not borrow its story from mythology the next ten days sees the release of two more animated films – both with stories based in the epic Ramayan. And as usual the content is more or less targeted merely at kids, holding the entire adult audience with no other options but gorge of Hollywood flicks and Japanese Animes. Not that the quality of animation is something that Indian makers need to be proud of either.

However this first condition in itself is a huge statement in how animation and people‟s mindset towards it has grown in India. Not many would know that only two decades back the Indian government scorned at a brilliant idea to make an animated movie out of Ramayan. The people behind the project were Japanese producer animator Yugo Sako, Indian filmmaker Krishna Shah and Ram Mohan – the man who is considered the father of Indian animation.

Yugo Sako was touring India in 1985 to film a documentary called „The Ramayan Relic‟.

That‟s when he came across the epic story. Like everyone else it held his attention and he decided to make a movie out of it. And as he had quoted later, “Because Ram is God, I felt it was best to depict him in animation, rather than by an actor.” He went about getting the story right from historians and academics and that‟s when he was directed to Ram Mohan.

But obviously Indian government differed in opinion. For them Lord Ram could never be animation. That would be hurting the sensibilities of the people following the religion is what the government judged even as the TV soap Ramayana scaled heights of popularity with actor Arun Govil as Ram. As a result plans of producing the movie in India had to be shelved.

Thankfully Sako was far motivated to shelve the project.

Sako went back to his country and started working on the film with an all-Japanese team and Ram Mohan coming in as a co-director. The production of the film started in 1990 and when the film released in 1992 it was called Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama. The film not only won the hearts of Indians and the government here but also of the audience world over.

And this one is evident from the fact that the film was released on home video in English dubbed version and much later in the year 2000 the film was further localized for the English

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audience. And this version even made it to the list of nomination in Academy Awards of 2001 for Best Animated Feature. That was the first year the Oscar committee gave awards in the category and the nominated list included much newer films like Monsters Inc, Shrek and Jimmy Neutron in comparison to almost a decade old Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama.

Years later the Indian audience fell in love with the film again as Cartoon Network acquired rights to the film and broadcasted it in the country as a series.

Back to present we have enough reasons to be unhappy about the state of animation films in India today. The only successful movie at the Box Office probably remains the 2005 film Hanuman. Dozen others tried their hand at recreating the magic with more mythology bases animations. Some, like Bal Ganesh, were liked by kids but none has been able to rightfully call itself a hit. Yash Raj films tried its hand with a Disney collaboration when they made Roadside Romeo, which was beaten by Cheenti Cheenti Bang Bang to become India‟s first full length animation feature that did not have its roots in mythology. Both released in October 2008. There are more people like acclaimed director Govind Nihlani and Karan Johar who are lining up their own animated features like Kamlu the Camal and Koochi Koochie Hota Hai - with storylines independent of mythology. And this bears hope for all animation lovers who are the present situation. But for now and for a few months to come you probably will have to continue satisfying yourself with Ratatouille, Kungfu Panda, Wall E, Up and likes – all imported from the west.

Nevertheless, it is a definite change and a progressive one at that. And that calls for a super Dusshera party! Movies, magic and masti… everybody!

Written by Noyon Jyoti Parasara. The Author is a Mumbai based Film Critic, and he has written for publications such as Mail Today, DNA, AOL.in, Filmnirvana.com, Masala.com, Business Emirates 24X7, Free Press Journal, The Hindu, The Deccan Chronicle, The Asian Age, The Telegraph, Afternoon, Navbharat Times, The Times of India, Digital Studio, Yuva, NowRunning.com, etc. He has also been reviewing Hindi movies for AOL India for over two years.

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TRAVEL in STYLE - BEAUTY & STYLE TIPS:Hey Lovely Ladies, It’s that time of the year when you are planning for a vacation, maybe in shore or offshore. And the travel woes can add up to the confusion of the festive time. So to make your choices easier and varied I have just listed some of the basic recommendations Guys, though this is not exactly of your use, you can pick up ideas for gifting or surprising your girls.

Well coming back to the topic, if we can take out a little time from our busy schedule and make a list of the things to do and items to pack, it becomes easier to experience a wonderful vacation.

5 MUST- PACK DRESSES IN A VACATION:Dresses to be packed depend on the type of vacation. For eg dresses for a Seaside vacation will be quite different from a snow and mountain vacation. Still I will try to incorporate both and make the packing as simple as possible.

1. Bikini/ swimsuit & sarong. (Enjoy the beach) but if you are traveling in cooler climes than take a windcheater instead.

2.

A pair of jeans. It can go with any kind of topskurtis and tees alike. If you are not comfortable with jeans, then there are those slacks or stretchable churidaars which are quite in trend. You can find them in multiple colours and even in prints.

3. Light and easy wear cloths like t-shirt ,tank top, shorts, Capri. etc. Kurtis for the traditional.

4. A pair of evening dress or a set of formals. You may never know when you might be invited to a dinner party 5. Light sleeping wear.

For places like Las Vegas ,Amsterdam where parties are the norm, minus the bikini & add party dresses ( preferably black in color because now a day’s most of the pubs and party have dress code in it and black is common)

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5 MUST HAVE COSMETICS FOR FEMALE IN A TRAVEL CASE:1. Body and face sunscreen. (at least spf 30).

2. A lip gloss or lipstick. It can brighten any face.

3. Kohl pencil. It can give your face a mysterious look.

4. Light wear foundation (to cover up the tan of the day) 5. Baby cream (before you sleep, which I usually use)

5 MUST TAKE ACCESSORIES:1. Sunglasses

2. Stole or scarves. The stole doubles up to keep you comparatively warm 3. Comfortable walking shoes (for sightseeing and hiking) and flip flops 4. Sun protection hats 5. a piece of chunky jewelry. Only A piece! It looks elegant and it can be a watch or a bracelet or a pendant or tear drop earrings, but yes the ground rule is – singular

5 MUST PRACTICE BEAUTY TIPS ROUTINE ON A VACATION:Though it is difficult to practice a regular beauty regime, but it is advisable to practice some basics.

1. cleanse all your make up with a cleanser 2. At night n a small container or packet try to take some gram flour(besan) and mix it with water and apply it in your face after you reach the hotel. keep it for 5 to 10 mins wash it off and you'll find an instant freshness on your face.

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3. Drink lots of water.

4. While going out try to cover your hair with a stole or scarf (wind might make your hair frizzy).

5. Though we tend to neglect our feet but it is advisable to go for a foot soak with warm water and aromatic salts if possible. A soak in a bath is better of course

5 MUST HAVE HYGIENIC AIDS IN YOUR PURSE:1. Wet wipes.

2. Sanitizer 3. Face wash 4. Deodorants or antiperspirants 5. Disposable bags to maintain cleanliness when you are out traveling It’s also good to pack a small first aid kit and mosquito repellant kits Well though I am not an expert I will try to mention some dress combinations which are comfortable and hassle free. Just the right thing for a vacation or a holiday

Shorts and tank tops look really chic if you can carry it off well. It is comfortable too and need less packing space.

For the shy ones, you can go for either a pair of jeans or capris with a fitted kurti. You can team it up with a stole if you want.

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A black fitted lace top will make you look smoldering whatever you team it up with. Be it – jeans, skirts

And if it is a short one, you can team it up with a saree too

Another good idea is To carry less clothes and rather shop for some local dresses and add variety to your wardrobe, After all it is good to travel light.

Well Ladies, that was all for you to the best of my knowledge and capacity. At the end I can just say that, for a change just let your hair loose, forget the office and work and have a blast.

Written by Bonnie Patowary Adhikari. She is based in US and likes to dabble in fashion.

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Gift an Idea The festive season is here again. Occasions for celebrations, ritual and tradition, of shopping and food and of course the most important representation of our love for each other- gifting. Yes! With Durga Puja , Dusshera , Diwali just around the corner, each of you must be racking your brains out on the perfect gift ideas. Well, I am sure what we have for you today is truly unique, if not perfectsomething that will stand out both in craftsmanship and uniqueness or impress the receiver with the thoughts behind it. As we are an online magazine with readers spread out all over the globe and with the majority of them scattered over India, we in Fried Eye are going to feature some of the online stores or websites which portray not only originality of thought, but also feasibility, affordability and variety and of course one which is relevant to our theme and motto of Fried Eye – That is promoting talent from the North East part of India. With that we start our recommendations and the first is:Kuhee.com- An online store started by Sanchayita Sharma Goswami, with the aim and objective of sponsoring a few lesser privileged women with designing and sewing skills but with no regular income. It was designed to provide them with a market and at the same time tap the potential market in the west for the handicrafts from North East India. This online store at present caters to the customers in UK with full plans to branch out all over the globe.( i.e the products are home delivered in UK only at present) .

Well those were some of the beautifully stitched and crafted products of Kuhee. Com and you can assess the store online at www.kuhee.com too.

With that, lets move on to our next website or show case which is Kraft Inn. Well, can bamboo be behind when we are speaking of handicrafts. Bamboo craftsmanship is one of the best in North East

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and incorporation of contemporary designing with the latest scientific treatment, has resulted in the creation of some superb products.

And this is the principle that is used in KraftInn as stated in their website:“KraftInn leverages the innate skills of local artisans, the best of bamboo resources available in the north east of India and related technology and mixes it with innovative design to produce beautiful, distinctive and modern products. The bamboo is treated using scientific methods for long periods of time to retain its natural strength and look.� The products are of course are for all to see and admire Trays, Ice buckets, lamps, candle stands, gift baskets- Just right and light and of course beautiful too.

Though their products are available in maxiMum store , Delhi and soon they will be available all over India, for trade enquiries and other inquiries you can contact them on their website www.kraftinn.com or http://www.facebook.com/KraftInn

Mouchaq? Does that ring a bell? If you are from the north east and had spent considerable part of your childhood reading, then I am sure all of you will be familiar with it. How about being a child once again and revisiting those times by gifting your loved ones a subscription of the famous and signature magazine for one whole year?

Reading is a hobby that one needs to encourage in young minds to educate them about the enriching facts of life. So why not start with our rich culture and heritage by gifting Mouchaq?

Requisition for a subscription has become easier through their website www.mouchaq.com. All you have to do is transfer the amount in their account mentioned there and e mail the residential and transfer details. Home delivery is available for all over India.

Next on our list is Odyssey 360 The 24 hour book store which is a part of a bigger unit, Odyssey India limited, a Chennai based company whose tag line says all about their vision and modus operandi :-

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“To create a world class multi national retail chain which is global in thought and local in action�

They have retail stores and kiosks offering multitude of varied products, mushrooming all over the country with plans for overseas too, and also an online store at www.odyssey360.com with option of home delivery all over India. Though all categories are not available on the online store, but still there are some interesting categories that we can order for ourselves and our friends from the comfort of our home. They have the latest releases in books and movies, toys for children and if all that is confusing enough then you can go for gift vouchers which they can redeem in the nearest Odyssey store (www.odyssey.in )where they will be availing a better variety in music and multi media, stationeries, cards, hand crafted gift items and of course books.

Well those were our recommendations for you and hope you have an enjoyable moment selecting and choosing them for your dear ones. But in case you are still confused on what to gift, then you can always take a print out of our pdf version of Fried eye and gift it. I m sure they will like it. What say?

Written by Mani Padma, a medico by destiny and a blogger by choice.

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Thoughts Do Count Festival-Inflation-Social Service- Do they have a connection? Not in a way that they should have but yes! In my twisted sense of logic, they do. How? Festival doesn’t mean only celebrations but also a connect with the higher one, by prayers, some satisfying good work, sparing some time for the less fortunate, but Inflation really is a dampener for the little bit of Social Service that you might be planning. And I don’t blame you if you are unable to, after all it’s a dog eat dog world. But as a firm believer in humanity I know you do spare a thought for them but just don’t have an idea how to materialize them. Well thoughts are more than enough, but if you are really serious about it, raring to go, then I might help you with some suggestions (you see, suggestions are the only things that come free) As they say there are some things that money can’t buy and no I am not promoting master card, but emphasizing on the little things that matter a lot but needn’t cost you much.

1/ Have you got a DVD player at home? Even the computer will do! Well then, how about arranging a movie show from your DVD collection of classics like Finding Nemo, Shark Tale for the children of your menial help?(dubbed versions are available too) All you need is a ten rupees worth of ACT II popcorn to liven it up.

2/ Do you have story books, novels, magazine stacked with you? Well how about donating some to an orphanage or an old age home. I know there is nothing original in the suggestion, but just imagine the good you will be doing by giving them something to look forward to during celebrations. It costs just a sacrifice of some emotions of yours

3/ Do you have a flair for acting or show business? And have likeminded friends, then how about trying your talent of organizing a drama or Ramleela for the benefit of those who are in special homes. It practically cost nothing at all, just some smiles.

4/Like wise for singing- If you have a melodious voice (and a guitar strumming talent will add to the zing) how about regaling them with some songs , one evening. It will be a practice session for you too and bring back some lost memories to them.

5/ Is there an old Aunt or Uncle or your old neighbor who stays alone away from his/her family?

How about preparing a dish and taking it for him/her? Trust me, it is guaranteed to bring a toothless smile, no matter how inexpertly you have prepared it. Cost – just a little smoke and fumes.

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6/ With double income single kids becoming the norm these days, due to the rat race and rising expenses, children are increasingly found to be left without quality time with their parents. Do you know any such children in your family and friend circle? How about taking them on a drive or outing this puja? The parents will be more than grateful and you will be brightening up the little one's day too.

7/ Or you can just take printouts of Fried eye and distribute them. It will just cost a few papers and printing ink. Not much, isn’t it? But our writers here have worked hard to just put up an interesting issue filled with best of wishes and lots of love. And love’s labor should never be lost. Right?

Written by Mani Padma, a medico by destiny and a blogger by choice.

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Crossfigure Challenge Crossfigure puzzles are a numeric version of crosswords.

Use simple arithmetic and a little logic and ingenuity to solve the clues, and fill in the grid with the correct numbers.

A challenging puzzle, in which all the clues are simple numerical expressions. You will find that for solving the puzzle logic and ingenuity are more important than mathematical skill.

Across

Down

1 27 across times two 4 4 down plus seventy-one 7 18 down plus four 8 6 down divided by sixteen 9 2 down minus eighteen 10 Dozen in six gross 11 5 down minus seventy 13 26 down times 23 across 15 6 down minus 350 17 25 across times 23 across 20 A square number 23 A prime number 24 A square number 25 20 across divided by seventeen 27 6 down divided by four 28 Four dozen 29 Seven gross 30 22 down plus 450

1 1 across plus twenty-seven 2 Five dozen 3 30 across plus 888 4 Two times 17 across 5 29 across divided by twelve 6 28 across times 23 across 10 10 across plus four 12 Three times 24 across 14 13 across divided by sixteen 16 28 down times fifteen 17 13 across minus 399 18 29 across divided by eighteen 19 22 down minus ninety-four 20 20 across minus nine 21 25 across minus fifty-two 22 20 down times six 26 Five times 24 across 28 21 down plus twenty-seven

Solutions on Page 30

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Quickie Chic Dusshera is round the corner and so is the fervor of enjoying the vacation with friends and families. Lavish display of colorful puja pandals and the excitement to see the charming idols of Goddess Durga gets the thrill to rock on with those echoing drumbeats. To begin your evenings delightfully with friends and families, I bring you a sumptuous recipe which can be cooked without being tired for a late afternoon lunch.

Ingredients 1.

Medium pieces of chicken according to requirement

2.

1 medium onion. Chop into small pieces

3.

A cup of fresh curd

4.

Coriander powder

5.

Cumin ( jeera) powder

6.

2/3 pieces of green chilies. Slit the chilies, de-seed and cut into fine pieces.

7.

Red chili powder

8.

A pinch of turmeric powder

9.

Ginger and garlic paste

10. A small bottle/can of tomato puree. Alternately, 1 medium sized tomatoes 11. A small packet of kasoori methi ( dried fenugreek leaves) 12. Salt to taste

NOTE : For the spices all you need to do is visit the nearest grocery shop and get all the ingredients at one go.

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Preparation

1.

Wash the chicken pieces and drain out the water. Add curd, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder and coriander powder according to taste. Mix thoroughly with the chicken pieces. Cover and keep aside for 30-45 minutes for marination.

2.

Heat oil and when slightly heated add finely chopped onions. Cook until the onions turn golden. Add pieces of green chilies. Stir few times.

3.

Add the marinated chicken pieces in the oil. Keep aside the curd for later add. Cook the chicken for 30 minutes by stirring few times. In between add finely cut tomato pieces (or tomato puree if you have).

4.

Add the remaining curd in the chicken. Add a spoonful of coriander powder again (for lifting up the coriander flavor) and a spoonful of cumin powder.

5.

After 10 minutes add a small spoonful of kasoori methi only for aroma. This gives the chicken curry a slight tinge of fenugreek aroma.

6.

When the curd dries up, thick gravy is left behind.

The QUICKY CHIC is done. Enjoy with plain rice, daal fry and green salad.

Happy Dusshera !

Written by Sanjeeta Thapa. A Foodie and a Trainer in Business Communications.

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Green Chutney for samosas/chips/ pakoras This is very simple to make and tastes good too. One can have the chutney with any variety of pokoras, samosas or any fried eatables/chips etc. It also serves the purpose of side dish for the main course. Preparation is very simple. Boil one piece of medium ripe tomato, peel it when done and keep it aside. Take a bunch ( handful) of coriander leaves and lesser quantity of pudina ( mint ) leaves, 3 large pieces of garlic, a small piece of ginger, and few green chillies according to your taste. Grind all these ingredients with the roasted tomato to a paste. Add salt to taste. It's ready to eat .

ENJOY !

Written by Sanjeeta Thapa. A Foodie and a Trainer in Business Communications.

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Cucumber and Tomato salad

Preparation 

Cut cucumber and tomato into small cubes.



Remove seeds from cucumber and tomato.



Make a paste of 3 large garlic, a handul of mint leaves, a small pieces of ginger and green chillies according to taste. Add salt for the paste only.



Mix the paste slowly in the diced cucumber and tomato.



Sprinkle a small amount of chopped corriander leaves to liven the salad

Serve with Rice and non-vegetarian items.

Written by Sanjeeta Thapa. A Foodie and a Trainer in Business Communications.

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Solutions to Crossfigure Puzzle

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Up, up and away…. – Mountain driving I am not surprised by their usual weird wishes but today’s demand is really the weirdest. I mean, have you heard of a car who writes or more precisely who writes for an e-zine. Yes, that is what my beloved madam has asked me to do- write a few tips or rules of driving in the mountains. But sigh! as I am a very much loyal car and that too with a soft corner for my dear Madam, I am going to attempt this for her. Not that I am not qualified, oh I am in fact I am very much qualified, as I have made more than 30 trips in my life of four years to the mountains-Some as high as 4000 m. Of course half of the credit goes to my Sirjee too, for maneuvering me well , but yes I did behave well in all of them except ...for the first trip and that too because he had broken one cardinal rule. So let’s zoom on to the rules before I go off-track.

Rule no 1- When you are planning for a trip to the mountain and if the servicing of the car is due, then get it done one week before the trip. Because taking the car immediately after servicing isn’t a good idea either. Why? You should give us time to get us accustomed and if something have gone wrong during servicing, you will come to know it too late , when you have already left and are in the mountains.

This was exactly what happened when my master took me to the hills for the first time.

Rule no 2- You might be Schumacher in your city but mountains are another matter. So my point – drive only in the second or if the road is too smooths then the third gear at the max.

I was worried that my master might literally zoom off as he thinks no less of himself than John Abraham of Dhoom, but good sense prevailed and he drove in a controlled manner without any prompting. Well – mark of a good driver.

Rule no 3- It is always better to check your tyre’s air pressure, brakes and fuel tank before setting off as amenities as above are usually scattered far between in the mountains. In fact it is advisable to carry a small spare jar of fuel, spare tyre tubes in addition to your spare tyre. Your jack and tool box should be complete for you never know what you might face...(spoken from my true experiences)

Rule no 4- If you are in urgent need of fuel, then the small towns or hamlets do store fuel for retailing even if there are no fuelling stations nearby. So inquire around. I even remember my master purchasing fuel from the local grocer in Lansdowne.

Rule no 5 – When my master had taken me to Dalhousie in Himachal, he was slightly apprehensive of the steep climbs and more so when it was time to descend, so in a bid to be super cautious he literally drove with his foot on the brakes. The result- my tyres started heating up due to the friction

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to the point that it started to smell of burning rubber. I was taken to a garage where they said that such a thing may again lead to brakes failures and advised him to use brakes sparingly while going downhill. So drive sensibly and use your brakes sparingly ,only in need.

Rule no 6- Speaking of driving downhill, again there are some daring ones who shut off the engine while descending, which is a very dangerous and illegal practice as it leads to Death!-Of both humans and our kind- the cars. So don’t shut off the engines while descending. There are other better ways to save money.

Rule no 7- Avoid night driving in the hills, so in order to do that, take out a map and plan out your route well. Remember the speed in the hills decreases considerably. So keep that in mind while calculating.

Rule no 8- Some other things to be cautious of are snow, sand and rain. Both make me go slip and slide. Slip and slide I go! So drive slow. Snow and sand will make your car skid, where as rain can cause landslides. I have seen mountains which were all loose and gravelly and I was caught in a mini storm over there. (shudder!) I still remember the fright we had that the mountain might crumble like a cookie upon us.

Rule no 9- Sometimes the roads are so tough to tackle, at such cases better to go for a SUV with a four wheel drive and a good ground clearance. But before you run for a Hummer let me tell you this- some mountain roads are narrow and there your hummer will not look nice with two of its wheels hanging out from the edge of the road and it could be mighty dangerous too. What I want to say is try to strike a balance. If driven with care and expertise, an Alto can travel high up too. Sigh! I still remember a dainty Alto up in the wilderness of Spiti which left me sleepless for a few nights.

Rule no 10- My final rule – Always give the preference to the car which is ascending. In other words if you are going down the hill and a car is coming up, don’t act selfishly and honk at it irritatingly after all it is your turn to wait.

So with that I am winding up my assignment as I have to go for my evening stroll I mean drive. Hope Madam likes it. And of course always glad to be of your service, humans.

Written by Santo Bhatti, the author is the family car of the Bhatnagar Family.

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Just One Peg Please The Pee-paa-k family was a wealthy one. They owned a highly fertile land in some obscure village of Haryana. Moreover, in addition to being known for their land earnings, the family was regarded for having the most unique surname around. The only problem, if ever there was one, was the fact that they were uneducated.

It was because of this lack of education that the father accidentally named his kid 'Peg'. He had been fond of foreign names. And when this child was born, he approached one of the tourists for getting a suggestion on... an English name, maybe! The tourist, in complete apathy and inebriation, said 'Peg' and walked away. The father liked the sound... and thus, we have a Mr. Peg Pee-paa-k—the central character of this story.

Now then! Peg, unlike his father, completed his city education and with good grades. With the exception to his name, he was a decent fellow on all counts. Peg could manage a job in the city, but he chose to go back to his village. He wanted to teach. He wanted to teach the adults... so that they could make something better of their lives. Who knows... maybe Peg did not want another case of such stupidity in naming a child.

He advertised his 'classes' for a number of days. The age limit for eligibility was +35. I clearly remember it was the first day of school and three students turned up. Here's a description on the students and their first classroom words:  Lakkad Singh (Carpenter, 36) - Waah waah... furniture kitna achcha hai class

mein...  Subjee Singh (Vegetable Seller, 40) - Class ke baad yaha maal bech lunga thoda...  Dhishoom Singh (Wannabe Local Goon, 34) - Koi aunty nahi aayi?

Peg welcomed his students before introducing himself. Although he was disappointed by the turnout, he was kind of happy to at least make a start. He was even amused to find them sharing the same last name... 'still, much better than mine', he thought.

He began his first session with some basic sounds and pronunciations. His students fared well in their pretest... except the fact that none of them could pronounce the name of their teacher. The best, actually the worst, they could manage was a subtle... Pig Sir...

An hour that day and the school was over. 'Slow and easy to start', thought Peg. His day was okay... except for some bullies from Dhishoom and a gross manifestation of his name.

The plan for the next day was A-B-C-D. Peg educated his students about the importance of A-Z and how it formed the base of the English language. His students seemed to agree with

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him. Peg instructed the students to repeat after him... and expected them to memorize simultaneously. The students nodded.

Peg began...

A for Apple (Students, chorus: Aeee faaar Ayappal)...

B for Boy (Chorus: Bhee faar byee)...

C for Cat (Chorus: Seee faar Kate)...

D...

E...

F for Fish (Chorus: Effh faar Pheashhh)...

...until Peg wondered, 'do they even know what these things are?'

He asked if the students knew the items in the A-B-C-D. The students nodded in unison.

Although impressed, Peg still decided to take a mini test. What is fish? Fish kya hoti hai?

Here's what the students said:  Lakkad - Lakdi banane ki FEES...  Subjee - oFFIS ke bahar sabji bechta hoon mai...  Dhishoom - kele pe ladki FEESliiii...

Ahhh, said Peg. He was happy he enquired in time. 'It wouldn't work this way; they don't know anything.'

Peg thought of two options... (a), he continues the usual way, explaining the meanings on the way... or (b), he uses words that are known to his students. A minute later, Peg thought of a third option - (c), he'd explain the sound and ask them to come up with words. C, he finalized.

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Peg explained how the sound system worked and gave them some examples. Next, he informed them of the assignment—he would say the alphabet along with its sound, and his students were to give him words from their personal dictionaries.

Can you guess what happened next? Well, next, we had three amazingly absurd versions of the alphabet. I say absurd, but I know they were the most relevant ones for the people in question. Take a look below. This comes to you direct from the students.

(Note: These are samples... the complete list is right at the end of the post... for reference.)

Carpenter Lakkad Singh's responses included...

A for Aari...

B for Baksa... ...

D for Dehaadi... ...

G for Gutkaa H for Hathoda... ...

N for Namastey Ji...

O for Ozaar...

P for Paechkas... ...

Peg had to control himself big time. He could not stop laughing the first minute but was in awe of Lakkad Singh the second. It was brilliant. Lakkad had grasped the sounds so well that he actually managed to create something that can be termed as 'Alphabet for Carpenters'. Peg was very happy; he had a bright student. Next, he turned to Subjee Singh.

Veg seller Subjee Singh's responses included...

A for Aaloo...

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B for Beans... ...

D for Do Kilo... ...

H for Hari Sabzee...

O for O Madame Ji... ...

Q for Qaraari Moolii S for Sabzeeeeee Layyyyy Lowwwwww.... ...

Y for Yashomati, Humree Biwiii... ...

Whoa! Subjee Singh had stunned Peg. He not only caught the correct sounds but also the perfect words... most of them. 'This is brilliant.' Peg was equally impressed with his second student. He had realized he was teaching a class of at least 2/3rd brilliant guys. To be honest, he did not expect much from the last student... but the last student's turn it was.

Wannabe goon Dhishoom Singh's responses included...

A for Aawara...

B for Bhai...

C for Chiknaa...

D for Don... ...

K for Kutte Kamine...

O for O O Jaane Jaana... ...

S for Supaari

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...

X for XXX Filam...

Y for Yawn Shoshan... ...

Brilliant were all the three students. They just needed some education on the sound system... and within half an hour, the class was able to produce three new sets of the English alphabet.

It was the day learning had taken place... more in Peg than the students. He went home and reflected on the day. Something terrific had happened. Peg realized that:  Not getting the right 'start' does not make anyone less smart... people often learn

more in real life than in classes.  Education, with relevance, is much more fun and retention oriented. People he

thought to be uneducated came up with stuff he couldn't dream of. Only because they spoke of the stuff they could relate to... given the total comfort zone!  Education is necessary for all, adults and children. After all, only an educationseeking wannabe goon would say 'H for Hey Bhagwaan and not Hathiyaar'.

That does look like the end of the story, but it isn't!

The classes went fine and the school gained mileage... and Peg did manage to teach a lot of adults. They made good use of the learning they gained from the village adult school @ Pig Sir.

Peg, just like his father, had become a notable public figure. He was loved by villagers... so much so that two of his first three pupils named at least one of their kids... in utter respect for the teacher... PEG! ------------------------------------------THE END------------------------------------------------------

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Reference: Only for those interested in the complete set of alphabets produced by the students...

Keep Learning!

Kshitij Khurana is a well known blogger who is well known for his humorous posts.

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SPOT-TED: The Mahishamardini Cave On the eve of Dusshera, a 7th century one-rock sculptured panel at the Mahishamardini Cave resonates the victory over evil. The cave is located near a light house on top of the hill at Mahabalipuram. Known for its sea- faring activities in ancient times,Mahabalipuram is a small coastal town, situated nearly 56 kms from Chennai. It was built as a port city by Pallava kings in seventh century and has been named after the Pallava king Mamalla. The city is famous for its numerous temples and rock carvings.

The Mahishamardini Cave is the most outstanding mandapam. Of the various depictions of scenes in two large friezes from the Puranas in the mandapam, the one of Goddess Mahishasuramardini (meaning the slayer of Mahishasura), is outstanding. The Goddess astrides her ferocious vehicle, lion. She is seen to be attacking a buffalo-headed demon called Mahisha. The panel shows, Mahisa to be a terribly powerful force of evil while the Goddess is seen to be killing the demon. The great battle, witnessed by the gods, is narrated in this superb specimen of monumental Pallava sculpture.

Written by Sanjeeta Thapa. A Traveller and a Trainer in Business Communications.

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Written by Sanjeeta Thapa. A traveller and a Trainer in Business Communications.