Guide for an Energy Efficient Office

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January 14, 2013

The simplest way to find out is to do an energy efficiency exercise at our offices. Is it as simple as switching off all lights and fans when not in use? No, energy consumption and wastage happen both when electrical equipments are in use as well as they are in standby mode. In fact energy efficiency is much more than just electrical power. It is to do with fuel, water, air and food as well.

We have devised a simple theory of energy efficiency by utilising the ‘Panchabhootas’ the five basic elements of Hindu mythology. We can find out the eco-friendly quotient of your offices by checking on these elements –

Guide to energy efficient office

Air – circulation of fresh air and the power usage to supply fresh air
Water – amount of water consumed for daily activities and the energy used to pump water
Energy – energy used for power, lighting, cooking, heating and other purposes
Light – usage of artificial lighting and the energy efficiency of lighting
Earth – building material used for constructing the building

The first thing to inspect is the proper insulation of all air inlets and outlets in an AC building. For instance, the copper tubes that bring in the cool air inside should be packed tightly with plastic foam insulation. Similarly the heat ducts should be correctly ventilated.
Close all holes where air could escape so that the cool air remains confined inside. All AC buildings must have insulated glass doors with automatic door shutting mechanism.
A typical mistake is to place heated areas such as kitchen and pantry inside the central AC zone. Efforts should be made place these areas in open spaces with natural airflow.
Some areas inside the building get heated up faster while some areas are cold. One reason for this is the building’s orientation towards the sun.
Simple solution is to avoid glass covering on the western side to prevent heating or to have double glazing of the glasses to ensure thermal insulation.
Finally, maintain the ambient room temperature at an optimum level of 22-240C.
For non-AC buildings, air cooler is the best option since it moistens and cools the air it pumps in. Fans are not a good option since they tend to circulate the same stale air. We need to ensure to keep windows open to let in fresh air. Exhaust fans are the most efficient way to pump out stale and hot air.

Water

Water consumption in offices is another aspect where energy can be conserved. However, Wastage of water happens because of two main reasons: habits and negligence. Mainly water wastage happens in toilets and in pantries.

Automated water dispensers should be installed in toilets to ensure adequate cleaning and optimal water usage.
Proper dish washing process needs to be managed to ensure optimal water usage in pantries.
Overhead tanks need to have automated water level indicator to prevent overflow or empty run.

Energy

Consumption of electricity and fuel is considered as energy usage. The simplest way to cut down energy usage is to plan your office activities so that peak energy usage can be reduced.

Diesel fuel for backup generator is the largest energy component in any office. Proper maintenance and operations of the generator is crucial to reduce fuel wastage. Automated switching of power between mains and backup is essential.
Most power outages are usually between 10-15 minutes so it is better to provide power through UPS with adequate battery back-up to power all the appliances at office. Intense power consumers such as AC and elevators can be kept out of the UPS coverage.
Usage of energy efficient equipment is crucial. Check for energy star rating for your PCs, AC, fans, lighting and other appliances.
Large campuses can make efforts to generate biogas from the human waste and composting of food and other organic waste.

Light

It is near impossible to utilise natural lighting in all corners of office buildings. However, efforts should be made to utilise as much sunlight as possible. In artificial lighting, the type of lighting matters.

Ergonomically designing the lighting fixtures is crucial for any office. Blinds must be opened partially to allow natural light during daytime.
Incandescent bulbs should be avoided at all costs since they consumer enormous power and also heat up the office interiors. They should be replaced with CFLs and LEDs.
Since the LEDs available right now are too harsh and give feeble spread, they should be used for spotlighting such as table-lamps and showcases.
Tubelights with electronic choke are much better than CFLs since they have better luminance.

Earth

Finally, the construction of the building is another fundamental aspect of energy efficiency. Based on the surrounding environment, the construction should have an airy and spacious or compact and enclosed design.

For a tropical country like India, buildings need to be airy and spacious with adequate entry for proper air ventilation.
However, Indian builders are obsessed with covering the entire building with glass cladding which is a highly inefficient practice adopted from colder Western Europe countries. In India, buildings tend to get heated up the western side due the afternoon sun. Simple solution is to avoid glass covering on the western side to prevent heating.
The exterior design should take care of minimising sun’s heat and maximising the air supply.
The simplest idea is to have lot of trees to cover the building on the western side. However, this solution works only for buildings shorter than 4-5 floors.
Large campuses with ample open space can endeavour to have adequate tree cover so that the cool breeze reduces the ambient temperature. Organic waste can be converted to compost which can be used as manure for the plants.

Companies that are interested in increasing the energy efficiency of their offices can seek assistance from professional agencies to conduct an energy audit. Organisations such as BEE, IAEMP, TERI help in auditing your current energy consumption and suggest optimal solutions.

References –
www.iaemp.in
www.grihaindia.org
www.fastcompany.com

Win exciting prizes in Caleidoscope Offbeat Travel Contest [Closed]

By

Levine Lawrence

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January 7, 2013

3

Oh my! If the world would have ended on 21-12-12, I would have died in regret! There are so many places in my list that I need to visit before I die. I have not even seen a handful of them! Thankfully, the doomsday theories have fallen apart now that we have all survived the great last day of the Mayan calendar. I hope many of you share my thoughts about travel. Why does one needs to travel… If you are one of those who ask such a question to yourself, then you don’t need to travel! A famous traveler once said, “Adventure is not what is out there; it is what is inside us”.

Stuck in our daily drudgery of a 9-6 job in an urban concrete jungle, many of us need to take a big break. Particularly for those who work in the large Indian metro cities, the cramped spaces, the peak hour traffic, the growing pollution and filth can become really suffocating. Obviously, we urbanites yearn for some respite from the hustle and bustle of our concrete jungles.

We at Caleidoscope are organizing an offbeat travel contest named “Top Ten sites to visit before I die!” we would like to seek your nominations for the best tourist spots you have visited or dream to visit. Remember, the site has to be off-the-beaten-track kind of a place. Similarly, it has to be a specific site or a place on the map, and not an entire country. Nominating Switzerland or Brazil will not work. If you can specify a location in the country along with the reasons for the nomination, we will consider that.

Participants have to identify the most popular Offbeat Travel Destination in India. This will be simply decided by the number of votes a particular destination receives. They can also choose another destination as a second best option. Further, there is another prize for identifying the most unknown Offbeat Travel Destination in India. So let’s begin the voting –

For instance, you can choose to vote like this –

My Most Popular Offbeat Travel Destination – Leh, Ladakh
My Second Popular Offbeat Travel Destination – Hampi, Karnataka
My Most Unknown Offbeat Travel Destination – Katarmal Sun Temple

The winner of the Most Popular Offbeat Travel Destination will receive charming prizes.

The contest ends on 25th January 2013. So hurry!

The details of the Offbeat Travel Contest is as follows –

Participants have to write a line about why they choose their destination. If their destination is not in the list, they can add new destination along with its photograph searched online. Participants can only choose three destinations per person. They can also promote their destination among your friends and get more votes.

How to vote?

Participants have to identify the most popular Offbeat Travel Destination in India by posting comments in the comment form below.

Prizes

The winner of the Most Popular Offbeat Travel Destination will receive dazzling and handy prize of BPL Studylite worth Rs.1500.

The winner of the Most Unknown Offbeat Travel Destination will receive charming beauty kit from WellnessOcean worth Rs.1000.

So let’s begin the voting process. Check out our suggested nominations and vote for them or you can reject this list and add better nominations –

Destination	—-	Details Link
		Hampi, Karnataka Rediscover the lost capital city of the Vijayanagara empire http://hampi.in
		Katarmal Sun Temple, Almora, Uttarakhand Climb the misty hills to reach a unique cluster of sun temples in the Kumaon region https://caleidoscope.in
		Leh, Ladakh Attaining nirvana in Shangrila after crossing the world’s highest motorable roads http://www.lonelyplanet.com
		Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Bay of Bengal Scuba diving, snorkeling and elephant swimming in the coral reefs of a breathtaking archipelago http://www.barefootholiday.com
		Mangalore-Sakleshpur railway, Karnataka The glorious train journey through Western Ghats takes you through verdant valleys, gushing streams, breath-taking bridges and endless tunnels https://caleidoscope.in
		Ruins of Nalanda, Bihar Lost ruins of a great university of ancient India built during the Gupta Empire https://caleidoscope.in
		Hillstations of Ooty, Tamilnadu Never ending leisurely walks, lush green tea valleys, faint aroma of eucalyptus trees, British colonial bungalows, the delightful nostalgic legacies of a bygone era https://caleidoscope.in
		Shillong, Meghalaya A walk in the clouds, cold monsoon winds, strawberry gardens, breathtaking valleys https://caleidoscope.in
		Auroville, Pondicherry A global community of free living and spiritual thinking, which aspires to create a sustainable township of human unity https://caleidoscope.in
		Valley of Flowers, Bhyundar valley, Uttarakhand A fairy-land situated high in the Himalayas hides a sea of vibrant flowers http://www.thrillophilia.com

Sri Lankan experiments in sustainable wildlife preservation

By

Levine Lawrence

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January 2, 2013

1

Hope this holiday season you are planning to go somewhere off the beaten track and discover some exotic location. Years ago, I had been to Sri Lanka and discovered two of the most endearing wildlife locales. Both the places opened my eyes to a whole new way of understanding wild animals and preserve them. I had visited them way back in 2005 and I had nearly forgotten about them. A recent visit by my friends, the Tendulkar twins refreshed my memories.

sustainable wildlife preservation - Sameer Tendulkar with an elephant calf — Sameer Tendulkar with an elephant calf

Elephant Orphanage

One was the Pinnawala (or Pinnawela) Elephant Orphanage located on the Colombo-Kandy A1 highway. We do not associate the word ‘orphanage’ for an elephant! How can such a large pachyderm be an orphan, right? However, due to massive human exploitation of the wild habitat, even some large animals get lost from their herd. Baby elephants lose their mothers due to poaching, domestication or habitat loss. Whenever, such orphaned wild elephant calves are found wandering in the forests, they are usually taken care by the forest department in an ad hoc manner. The Sri Lankan Department of Wildlife Conservation made special efforts to provide care and sanctuary for orphaned baby elephants by setting up the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in 1975.

Located at the Pinnawala village in the district of Kegalla at a distance of 90kms from Colombo, the orphanage began taking care of just five calves and has now grown enormously to provide shelter for 88 elephants. It is truly a delight to see the elephants undergo their daily routine of feeding, bathing and walking exercises. Tourists from all over the world come to see these lovable creatures and feed them. It is really endearing to touch those friendly yet naughty baby elephants that keep pushing you to feed them!

sustainable wildlife preservation - Pinnewala feeding time Sri Lanka — Feeding time at Pinnewala

Tourists visiting the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage must not miss the daily bath routine done at 10am in the morning and 4pm in the evening. It is a delightful scene to watch the baby elephants frolicking in the waters of the Maha Oya River along with other older elephants. However, visitors must note that most of the elephants there are now in their adulthood and there is a separate fee for feeding them.

Turtle Hatcheries

Another wonderful nature preserve to be seen is the turtle hatcheries near to southern coastal city of Galle in Srilanka. Sea turtles are large marine animals which come to the shore for breeding. Sea turtles prefer quiet, dark, undisturbed sandy beaches to lay their eggs so that their hatchlings will be less vulnerable to predators. However, as expected human activities intervene in this natural cycle of egg laying and hatchlings returning to the sea.

sustainable wildlife preservation - Turtle hatchery in Srilanka — Turtle hatchery in Srilanka

While in India, our activists continue talking about the habitat destruction of turtle egg laying beaches, Sri Lanka has taken the lead in preserving the turtles through hatcheries. The turtle hatcheries on the Colombo-Galle highway is the most well known. The Wild Life Protection Society of Sri Lanka established the hatchery in 1981 to protect the country’s turtles from extinction.

Olive Ridley turtle, the Leatherback, the Hawksbill, the Loggerhead and the Green Turtle are the five species of marine turtles that visit the beaches of Sri Lanka for nesting. While most of these turtles visit specific beaches in southern Sri Lanka, the Olive Ridley turtles are the only species that nest everywhere. There are 18 hatcheries found along the southern Sri Lankan coastal line; of them, nine hatcheries are found in the district of Galle. Kosgoda and Induruwa are the most prominent turtle hatcheries.

sustainable wildlife preservation - Turtle hatchery a young one up close — A young turtle up close

The hatchery pays fishermen for eggs that they collect at night along sandy beaches. Visitors can see large water tanks filled with new born turtle hatchlings. After being fed for a few days, the baby turtles are released in the sea, usually during the safer hours of darkness. Although October to April is the main egg laying season, some eggs can be found at Kosgoda throughout the year.

Visitors are allowed to touch and handle the turtles and hatchlings, which gives them an idea how nature’s delicate balance is being preserved. Obviously, tourists are given strict instructions not to harm these sensitive creatures. It is remarkable to see how Sri Lankans understood the value of preserving wildlife as well as make it a sustainable eco-tourism activity. I wonder when our Indian environmentalists will realize that nature can be preserved in a commercially beneficial manner!

Pics – Ashish & Sameer Tendulkar

– Factfile –
http://www.elephant.se
http://www.lanka.com
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.induruwabeachresort.com
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk
http://in.linkedin.com

Sing a soulful lullaby

By

AmbikaNagaraj

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December 26, 2012

5

Rock my baby to sleep,

Rock my baby to sleep …

Oops! Sorry baby, that’s all I can sing for you, but you please sleep!!!

Is that what you have been singing for your baby in the name of a lullaby? If yes, please do not feel guilty; you aren’t the only one! There are a lot more young and new age moms who are doing just the same these days.

Singing a lullaby – a soothing music to help those tiny toddlers fall asleep is a beautiful practice followed by mothers across the globe since ages. A practice probably as old as the human civilization itself, singing lullabies for babies has always been an integral part of the precious mother-child relationship.

However, unfortunately times are changing and this custom has undergone many changes with time. Motherhood itself is changing drastically with most urban women doing a balancing a fulltime job and the task of childcare. Unlike our mothers who could easily sing those soothing lullabies that would put us to sleep in no time, new age moms are finding the act of putting a child to sleep a tough one. Why? Simply because most of them actually do not know how to sing a soulful lullaby!

While some mothers feel lullabies are too folkish, odd and funny to learn, some others have absolutely no time to learn and recite them for their babies. However, there are a few of them who would like to sing but are unable to learn lullabies for there are no elders at home to teach them; courtesy: loss of joint families!

With most people opting to live in nuclear families, staying away from their veteran parents, the practices of lullaby singing and caring for babies the right way is fading away as well. The aged are in turn leading lonely lives, missing an eventful life unable to spend time with their grand children.

Then how are our new age mothers managing to put their baby to sleep? Thanks to the advancement in technology as well as modern lifestyles, today’s moms have so many things to depend on: Bollywood movie songs, mobile phone ringtones, nursery rhymes and old melodious lullabies’ songs saved on their PCs.

However, those newborns are actually missing out on listening to ‘actual’ lullabies sung by their moms in their own sweet voices. It is sad that so many kids are inculcated in the habit of sleeping with electronic gadgets close by their tiny ears, which can prove hazardous to their tender ear drums.

What’s more, the dependency on these gadgets seems to be increasing over time. A few friends of mine even say “while I do not know to sing a lullaby, I cannot afford to miss out on my sleep by singing some meaningless song endlessly until the baby goes to sleep either. Such sleepless nights will affect my work at office the next day as well. Hence, I put on some melodious ringtone in my mobile and ensure that my little one slowly go to sleep. And now, he even has his favorite ring tones!”

While it is not advisable to put a toddler into this habit of depending on a gadget to fall asleep, it will be lot nicer if they get to sleep listening to some ‘meaningful lullaby’ instead of a movie song from some Hindi, English or a regional language movie. Mothers, who worry about inability to sing a lullaby, can find some solace in a new research about child-mom relationship getting stronger with soulful lullabies. A new research by the University of Western Sydney’s Baby Lab has suggested that babies do not care what their mothers sing or how bad their voices are, as long as they perform it with soul!

So, instead of making your baby get hooked onto the cell phone, mothers can rather listen to age old and meaningful lullabies on their phones and computers themselves, learn, practice and sing them for their babies in their own sweet voices instead. After all, there is nothing that isn’t available on the internet today, right?!

– Factfile –
http://harveypam.wordpress.com
http://www.indianhindunames.com

Biker Chicks Raise Eyebrows!

By

Caleidoscope

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November 28, 2012

7

Author– Apoorva Somaiah

To say “women break into yet another male bastion” is a clichéd statement these days. However, some niches of mainstream society such as bike riding are still male dominated. So much so that men consider their bikes as a female counterpart with statements such as ‘she roars like a beast, man!’ female bikers were always relegated to soft feminine looking autogear scooters that were slower. Surprisingly a lot of women today have taken to bike riding, handling masculine motorbikes such as Enfield Bullet, Bajaj Pulsar, etc. These women are not only passionate but also proud to be different from other girls.

A large number of women from across India are joining the growing tribe of biker chicks. There is a page dedicated to likeminded female bikers on social networking sites such as Facebook. The Bikerni: Association of Female Bikers-India proudly flaunt their quote, “mud for make-up and petrol for perfume!” Their mission is to promote female motorcyclists in India and provide them a platform to connect with other female enthusiasts and improve their skills. The Bikernis also happen to be the first All-Female Motorcyclists Association of India. According to experts, the number of female bikers in India is on the rise, with their percentage going up by 40% since last year.

Sheeja Mathews, an HR professional working in an MNC in Bangalore, bought a Harley-Davidson in 2011. With that, she became the first Indian woman to own this iconic cult motorcycle, thus breaking the stereotype of only tattoo sporting muscular hunks riding the bike.

Biker chicks - Eeshaani riding bullet — Men gaze while Eeshaani rides Enfield Bullet

However, female bike riders are not a recent trend. Sudha R is a passionate biker and an antithesis of a traditional South Indian woman. This 45 year old lecturer of electronics began riding a bike 23 years ago! She also has a story behind it. When her husband was terminally ill, she became the man of the house dropping her daughter off to school in a bike. Sudha now proudly says, “I only ride a bike and nothing else!” Sudha often gets awkward glances from people but she doesn’t bother. “Every time a student buys a new bike, he comes to me and hands over the keys and asks me to go to on a ride” quips Sudha.

biker-chicks-mysore-Shruthi-riding-a-bike — Shruthi on a Yamaha FZ – Courtesy: Tejaswi Ram

Kanchana Ganga, another student from Mysore started riding a bike a year ago. She says that watching reality TV shows such as MTV-Roadies, and Stunt Mania always got her on the edge to ride a bike. My father is my biggest inspiration, Kanchana adds. She first started riding her father’s Yezdi Jawa bike and now owns an avenger which was recently gifted by her parents. Kanchana Ganga says that it is an out-of-the-world feeling to be riding a bike, and she likes all the attention she gets while riding one. Many people who see her riding a bike cannot believe their eyes. Talking about her passion Kanchana asks “why not girls?” Kanchana is happy about the fact that despite the criticisms she faces, her friends are proud of what she does. She says she is extremely positive about her passion and wishes to make it big someday. Kanchana narrates incidents where she is stopped by traffic cops who double check her driving license to see if it is a “with gear” DL, only to send her off with a proud pat on her back.

Biker chicks - Shruthi riding a bike — Kanchana cruises on a Bajaj Avenger

Eeshani Dinesh, a first year degree student of JSS Women’s College in Mysore rode a bike when she was 15. Eeshani started off with a Hero Honda Splendor and says she graduated on to a heavier bike. “I now ride an Enfield Bullet”, Eeshani proudly beams. As a kid Eeshani was always fascinated with automobiles, which explains her current passion. Talking about all the attention she gains, Eeshani says “I get a bit annoyed when people stare at me. Every time someone says something negative I get this challenging feeling to prove them all wrong!”

25-year old Shruthi Aradya who is pursuing her PhD in Mysore started riding a bike when she was 18. She says with a confident smile “I feel it’s almost same as girls wearing jeans these days. I feel every girl should start learning and owning bikes. You might find it difficult initially, but never give up”. She has tried almost every bike and wishes to own a Royal Enfield some day. Another 25-year old Prathiksha Bhat, joined the league recently. “It all started as a hobby, but I just couldn’t stop” says Prathiksha who started riding a bike while pursuing her bachelor’s degree adds with a giggle “The rush and the royal feel I get while riding bike cannot beat anything!”

Gutsy Indian Sports Women

Factfile –
http://www.facebook.com/TheBikerni
http://www.autoplugged.com
http://articles.timesofindia.com

Give Children the Right to Choose their Career

By

Levine Lawrence

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November 13, 2012

1

children to choose their own career — Image- Pixabay

They say the most talked about topics in any part of the world are weather and politics! However, if you talk to parents anywhere, then obviously their children’s career would be the most discussed topic. There is no doubt that parents are always preoccupied with the need to plan ahead for their child’s future. Right from the day the child begins to walk, they open a planner in their mind – Which language medium to choose… Which school to join… Which syllabus – State, CBSE, ICSE… What type of hobbies to inculcate – sports, music, dance… and finally, which career to focus on – engineering, medical, management, etc!

The biggest concern among all parents is whether their children will grow up to do better academically and be successful in their career. This worry constantly looms in the backs of their heads and affects every action the parents undertake.

There are one set of parents who have a simple desire – their child should achieve excellence in academics and get a good career so that it can support them in their old age. A child can make a good a career in any field, however, the problem begins when a parent decides to make her child an engineer or a doctor early in childhood. From then on, every step the child takes must be oriented towards achieving the end goal. The child has to focus on academic studies and sideline everything else. The movie ‘Three Idiots’ vividly illustrates the result of their endeavour – concentrated H2SO4 ne pura bachpan ko jala dala!

There are another set of parents who want their child to be a super achiever in everything. These are the ones who will push their child to centre stage in every get together to perform in front of everyone. Such parents put enormous pressure on their child to score high marks in academics, achieve excellence in sports and in extra-curricular activities as well. With the explosion of reality shows on TV and the internet, parents push their children to excel so that they gain bask in their reflected glory. You might have seen such tiger moms and dads who quarrel with reality show judges to change their judgement about their child’s performance! Obviously, every child is differently skilled and cannot be judged on the same measurement scale.

OK, am I professing that parents should show complete lack of interest in their child’s career… they should not be bothered even when their children go astray… Surely no! When I say over-parenting is dangerous for a child’s growth, I am not advocating under-parenting either! We need to provide the right learning environment, give enough guidance for our children to do the task themselves, and resist from interfering in their daily activities. A simple example would be to help your child to his/her school homework, but not do it yourself!

Madeline Levine, a clinician and the author of “Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success” says, “The central task of growing up is to develop a sense of self that is autonomous, confident and generally in accord with reality. If you treat your walking toddler as if she can’t walk, you diminish her confidence and distort reality. Ditto nightly reviews of homework, repetitive phone calls to “just check if you’re OK” and editing your child’s college application essay. Once your child is capable of doing something, congratulate yourself on a job well done and move on. Continued, unnecessary intervention makes your child feel bad about himself (if he’s young) or angry at you (if he’s a teenager).”

How do we allow children to learn skills by themselves and not push them to do it… simple, allow them to explore rather than teach through books. Eminent educationist Lalitha Appachu trains teachers by conducting workshops on how to make classroom learning fun for children. “A child is a learning machine. A child wants to do things, discover stuff and show it to us. But it’s always the other way round in a class. What do we do in a class? We just want to finish a book cover to cover. With that we also finish the child!”

If a child can excel in any career, how do we know if it has made the right choice… The best way is to allow children to explore all options such as dance, music, sports, science, arts etc. and then let them decide what career suits them the best. For instance, just because everyone else in the school learns to play cricket, that does not mean your child should not try its hand in chess. It is all about the right skills and the interest coming together.

This Children’s Day, let’s take a oath that we will allow our children to grow independently and have the right to choose their career.

– Factfile –
http://www.nytimes.com
http://www.engineeringidiots.com

Top Eco Friendly Stores for Fascinating Collection of Eco-friendly Products

By

Monica Levine

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November 5, 2012

6

Green living, organic lifestyle, eco-friendly, environmental degradation, these words were quite unfamiliar to me until I met my environmentalist better half! He never misses a chance to gift an eco-friendly product to friends & relatives to create awareness about them. He attends all types of events including conferences, exhibitions, seminars and anything related to environmental issues. Accompanying him to such events and getting unique eco-friendly gifts built up my understanding about my responsibility towards Mother Earth.

Gradually, I have cultivated a liking for environmentally friendly items. However, I feel commoners like us do not have the right access to such valuable products. Particularly in the Indian context, it is hard to find details of all types of eco-friendly products in one place. So here is my effort to create a directory of green and environmentally friendly products found online. Share your experience with me and let me know if you have come across better products elsewhere.

1. Mother Earth

The Mother Earth chain of stores is one of the best places to find an eclectic collection of organic products. Mother Earth believes in providing earthly products to the eco-conscious consumers. Home decor & furnishings from Puducherry and Varanasi is a wonderful collection of products which would definitely add in charm to your home and will make your home aesthetically beautiful. Fashion and food is an added category featured in mother earth. http://motherearth.co.in/earthfashion

2. Green n Good Store

Maternity & nursing apparel is a soothing rage for upcoming moms who would desire to wear something soft and comfortable during those uncomfortable days is the special feature of Green n Good Store. They also have beautiful range of eco friendly apparels with unique designs for men and women. Some more products – Handicrafts, Candles & Incense, Carpets & Rugs, Clocks, Photo Frames, Trays And Coasters, Ettikopakka Wooden. Green & Good store which promises a better future with their vision- Enabling a Happier and Healthier Future. http://www.greenngood.com/

3. Craftsvilla

Craftsvilla’s artistic wall paintings and spiritual section captures the viewers’ imagination urging them to browse more. And as that we are going to celebrate the festival of holi, Organic Holi colours at affordable prices will make your festival a pleasant experience. http://www.craftsvilla.com/

4. Zilpika

Weaving of the wild grass called Sabaii into innovative home accessories like bread basket, towel basket and roti box is a creation of Zilpika. Baby toys from bamboo and apparel made from organic cotton is also added features of Zilpika. Promising stores which delivers eco- friendly products.

5. Era Organic

Variety of organic food products from different places of Bangalore can be found at Era Organic. Its vegetable store is well known for its fresh chemical free leafy vegetables. Food products are delivered at your door step through the ‘basket system’. Handicrafts and apparel is an added feature of era organic. http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-stores/india/era-organic.html

6. Legend Bazaar

Books to paintings, handicrafts to antiques, apparel to jewellery everything brought together in Legend Bazaar. Embroidered bags, banana coir bags, jute bags are some of the special features of Legend Bazaar. Valuable prizing and beautiful colour and texture of the products will make you buy gifts for your near and dear ones.

7. Wellnessocean

As the clichéd quote states, “beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder”. However, we still need beauty products to enhance our beauty. So Wellnessocean presents a wide range of natural beauty products which makes you all the more beautiful. Yoga and spa products are the best features of Wellnessocean. Affordable pricing and special gift vouchers pamper you and your dear ones. http://www.wellnessocean.com

8. Farm2Kitchen

Happiness of plucking fresh fruits and vegetables from your back yard and using those organic products to cook food would have been a wonderful feeling which was once shared during our granny’s era. Today, Farm2Kitchen promises to bring the similar natural way of living through there organic products. Ready to eat, diet food, baby food & pregnancy food are some of the unique features of Farm to Kitchen. And when it comes to health, price doesn’t matter! http://www.farm2kitchen.com/index.php/

9. Natural Mantra

Our forefathers led a natural and an organic life, but today we need to search for organic products to help our children lead a natural life. Thankfully, Natural Mantra is one such online shop that will helps you to effortlessly lead a natural life. The portal has brought together a wide range of products ranging from spices to decor to accessories to apparel everything under one name – NaturalMantra.com. Apart from the green angle, Natural Mantra has created a social impact by supporting small scale enterprises, NGOs that work on various causes or uplift farmers and artisans in rural areas. http://www.naturalmantra.com/

Fable of A Fabulous Fabric: Mysore Silk

By

AmbikaNagaraj

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October 29, 2012

2

India is renowned for many things exceptional and unique. ‘Saree’ (sari), the sensual traditional costume, is indeed an integral part of this uniqueness. While we can quite proudly say it is the best attire to accentuate a woman’s feminism, the apparel boasts of a history dating back to the 3,000 year old Indus Valley Civilization. Ever since, this lovely costume has been worn by Indian women in diverse styles and sensuous ways, further building on the magical yard’s popularity.

A silk saree takes the pride of place in an Indian woman’s wardrobe due to its luxurious lustre and exquisite design. Among the myriad styles of silk sarees, ‘Mysore Silk’ from Karnataka stands out for its unique weave, smooth texture and minimalist design. Manufactured exclusively by the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC), these lovely saris are produced at the country’s oldest silk manufacturing unit – the Mysore Silk Weaving Factory at Mysore, Karnataka. Apart from inheriting the legacy of the silk manufacturing from the erstwhile Royal Government of Mysore, the KSIC also enjoys the privilege of being the sole proprietor of the geographical indication for ‘Mysore Silk’ with the certificate of GI patent registration awarded in 2005.

Established exactly a century ago in 1912, by the then Maharaja of Mysore, the Mysore Silk Weaving Factory is the only unit authorised to manufacture this multi-hued fabric out of pure silk and gold zari. Legend has it that the then Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV went to Britain for Queen Victoria’s jubilee celebrations was impressed by the machine made silk fabric used by the British royalty. This inspired him to order for 32 power-looms to be imported from Switzerland to begin the earliest known production of machine made silk saree in India. Today, the Mysore Silk Factory produces about 35,000 metres of the pure silk fabric per month and nearly 4,25,000 meters per year, which are turned into numerous beautiful sarees, dress materials, dhotis and more.

Although the exact history of the Mysore Silk saree can be traced back to 1912 AD, its origins can be traced back to 1785 AD, when the first silk cocoons were imported to Mysore. Tipu Sultan – the de-facto ruler of the then Kingdom of Mysore imported silk cocoons from China, with a vision of making Mysore, a leading nation in quality silk production. Only a little less wondrous in comparison the China silk yarn, Mysore silk yarn still stands out in comparison to various other forms of silk fabrics. After the Sultan introduced sericulture in the Kingdom of Mysore, several hybrid silk worm varieties were created which were adapted to Indian climatic conditions. Ever since, sericulture in Karnataka has flourished with the districts of Mysore, Mandya, Chamarajnagar and Bangalore taking the lion share of silk production in the country.

Today, impressed by the luxuriant fabric and to keep the charm of the graceful Mysore Silk, scion of the Royal family of Mysore, Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wodiyar has taken up the promotion of this elegant fabric under the brand name – Royal Silk of Mysore. The scion himself is the acknowledged designer of this royal brand. These royal masterpieces, can be purchased in the showroom inside the Mysore Palace complex where the rich collections are showcased.

What Makes Mysore Silk so ‘extra ordinary’?

The Mysore Silk sarees are luxuriant, uniquely minimalistic, elegant and continue to stand out with all these qualities though machine made! The sarees have plain single colour base fabric of 100% pure silk blended with a narrow strip of gold zari border at both ends. Each saree of 5.5 metres ends with a large ‘pallu’ with exquisite design and a blouse piece material. The sarees manufactured come in varieties to suit the customer tastes viz: Crepe-de-chine, Georgette, Zari printed crepe silk sarees, semi crepe sarees. The sarees come in nearly 300 different colours, which are either printed or dyed and in 115 vivid design combinations. The main body or the base fabric is surprisingly plain which really stands out amid all the flowery elaborate designs found on other Indian sarees.

Such is its quality that when rightly preserved, Mysore Silk sarees can be maintained to appear like the brand new ones even after decades. Thus, it has grown out to be a unique brand in itself, attracting connoisseurs from not just across the nation bout from all through the globe. Travelers visiting Mysore from abroad as well as other parts of India make sure to pay a visit to the factory that manufactures Mysore Silk. It is worthwhile to pay a visit to the Mysore Silk Factory, if you wish to witness the beauty of this magical fabric being made with all its wonderful aspects!

Centenary celebrations

This year happens to be the most special year in the history of Mysore Silk – For, starting from 1912 to 2012, it has ruled the world of silk fabrics, completing an entire century successfully!

KSIC has introduced ‘fusion label’, a nano-technology hot press which makes counterfeiting impossible. This initiative is on the lines taken by Silk Mark Organisation of India of the Union ministry of textiles, which has also taken a decision to introduce the fusion labels.

Also Read: Mulberry Magic from Mysore

Factfile –
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Mulberry Magic from Mysore

By

AmbikaNagaraj

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October 22, 2012

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Mysore silk saree

Silk … The very name of the luxurious fabric renowned for its elegance reminds us of an elegant look and the wondrous feel that one gets to experience when felt against the skin. All renowned for the exquisite quality and the graceful look that it promises to provide, apparels made out of this lovely fabric are something every woman on earth desires to own. And In India, which happens to be the world’s second largest consumer of the fabric after China, Silk sarees (saris) (affiliate link) are attires that richly adorn every woman’s wardrobe.

Kancheevaram, Banarasi, Bandhni, Tanchoi, Assami, Paithani – the Indian subcontinent offers an immense variety of sarees, each one of them known for a distinctive style of weave and design. Among the variety of Indian silk sarees, ‘Mysore Silk’ from the cultural capital of Karnataka holds a pride of place. Mysore Silk sarees are made of a specific variety of silk that happens to be one of world’s finest silk fabrics. The drapes are woven out of power-looms which ensure the enchanting Mysore silk sarees always lustrous, teeming with a wondrous sheen and feel that is extremely comfortable against the skin.

Available in myriad beautiful and vibrant hues, unlike most other Indian sarees that are mostly hand woven, Mysore Silk is actually twinned in machines out of pure silk yarns that that happen to be one of the best silks produced in the world today .

Owning a Mysore Silk Saree is a tradition!

Such is the beauty and exquisiteness of Mysore Silk that in Karnataka and neighbouring states, owning a it is customary for every south Indian woman. She tends to feel her wardrobe is incomplete without one of this vibrant six yards of magic! I remember growing up watching my mother, grandmother and aunts gracefully wrap themselves up in the lovely Mysore silk on almost every special occasion.

In Mysore, we can say, it is a kind of tradition for every woman to own a Mysore silk saree. Although quite expensive in comparison to other silk saree varieties, every girl will ensure she’ll purchase one, at least during the time of her wedding. Reason: All for the softness, elegance and comfort it offers. Though simple and seldom available with extensive prints, they gracefully standout when kept aside all other silk varieties with just a simple ‘pure gold’ zari, thus becoming extremely exclusive. Guess it’s probably because of all these special qualities, most women both young and the elderly in Karnataka and especially Mysore can be found encapsulated in these vibrant Mysore Silk sarees during all the wedding and festivities.

Modern women are shunning silk sarees since their heavy drapery restricts flexibility in their daily professional lives. Today, most women find silk sarees to be extremely thick, heavy, and difficult to carry off. They would rather prefer wearing costumes such as ghaghras and salwars over sarees even at special occasions such as weddings. However, once a girl sees a Mysore Silk saree, she is surely be pleasantly surprised, thanks to the lightness, minimalistic design, comfort and also the elegance it promises to offer!

Evidently, Mysore Silk retains its popularity among younger women too! And our elders indeed knew it best! So next time, in case you find someone in a Kannadiga wedding wearing a sober looking plain saree, do go and ask if it’s Mysore Silk. Ask if you can feel it. And if it is the same bewitching drape, you’ll surely say, “Yes, it indeed is a few yards of magic”, the minute you feel it.

Also Read: Fable of A Fabulous Fabric: Mysore Silk

Factfile –
http://www.fibre2fashion.com
indianweddingsaree.jimdo.com

A Hitchhiker’s Guide to New Delhi Culture

By

Cindu

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October 9, 2012

1

^{_{Children cope with Delhi winter – Courtesy: Live India news}}

Our wanderlust woman, Cindu Chandrasekharan ended up in Nai Dilli during one of her numerous stints as an FM radio RJ. Being a hardcore Sillycon city citizen, she had to be treated for a severe bout of culture shock! Please read her travails to fit into the capital’s culture and comment on the best point about being in New Delhi:

I’m a Banglorean in Delhi. So what does a true Bangalorean do in Delhi?
1. Wonder why she is so far away from home. Leaving the Deccan plateau or the cities of the south for the north is not a recommended practice or a convenient set up. Chennai, Hyderabad or even Kochi is fine..but Delhi?

2. Think about the uncles, aunties, “bosses” -usually riding the ricks- she chose to trade for the unclejis, antyjis and bhaiyajies. (A cycle rickshaw is an entirely new experience!)

3. Keep wondering how many Bangalores can fit between East and West Delhi.

4. Be constantly amused at how women wear jeans and a hand full of red bangles without feeling self conscious or even slightly apologetic.

5. Be constantly laughed at for saying “Chumma” instead of “Just like that”.

^{India Gate Delhi – Koshy Koshy}

6. Be amazed at how food is not just comfort or business but is the most common religion.

7. Marvel at the bargaining ability of the general public. From 1000 to 500, from 400 to 100, from 50 to 20, from 10 to 6… It’s amazing. World’s best negotiators probably grew up in Delhi.

8. Go wow wow wow at the amount and variety of food available on the streets.

9. Realize with a song on her lips that t-shirts for 30 bucks in no longer a joke.

10. Wonder why ka-kha, ba-bha, ga-gha, is such a serious thing.

11. Keep shaking her head in disbelief at the spellings and an average delhite’s general ability
to construct a sentence.

12. Be ever so grateful that she went to a school where they used the Wren and Martin and cared to teach how ‘contact’ is pronounced.

13. Be convinced that 15 years of Hindi education was probably not enough for her to speak in Hindi without attracting looks of amusement and disgust.

14. Find it strange that there is chaat masala added to everything including orange juice.

Aloo Chaat – Image Source

15. Have her eyes pop out of her face, touch the ground briefly when a chief guest at an event says “thanks for the mammaries” instead of memories.

16. In winter -for the uninitiated a bangalorean wears a sweater when the temperature dips any lower than 23 degrees- wonders why she is there, in the first place. Assuming she has her reasons…then freeze…sorry sneeze to death. Get laughed at for wearing three layers of woolens over her clothes and never be courageous enough to mention the thermals that lay beneath.

17. Realises that Delhi is not particularly warm –
– When it is more revealing than relieving to use the loo
– When showers are no longer looked forward to
– When you don’t even catch people’s attention when you declare loudly that you haven’t showered in 2 days
– When every woman you are talking to has taken up knitting to complement breathing
– When you truly understand how the comforter got its name
– When you Wake up at 2 pm and wonder whether you should have breakfast or lunch

18. Understand that festivals herald the change in weather. It gets cold, damn cold after Guru Nanak Jayanti. It gets warm, ditch the euphemism, bloody hot after Holi. People make sure that you don’t forget them by repeatedly doing a countdown to these significant days. What she realizes is that when they say something about the weather which is not comforting, they are damn accurate.

19. Stand surprised when the South Indian Rasam receives a standing ovation and slurpy praises at anytime of the day.

20. Be amazed at how anything can be home delivered from vegetables to medicines to bills to massages to ice creams… even long after the pubs in Bangalore have shut.

21. Find it odd that milk is sold by the kilo (kilo? what happened to the good old measure of a litre?)

22. As an after thought, realize that pretty young boys (who should ideally not open their mouths for the sake of their glam quotient) can’t be slotted because a boy in Delhi has to either be a beta or a bhaiyya.

Nai Dilli culture - rickshaw pullers — Rickshaw pullers at dawn – Courtesy: Focus Photoblog

23. Be called a Madrasi even though she has never been to Chennai, even though she tries using an India political map to show where Madras was and where Bangalore is. But then again who cares because it’s convenient to call anyone from the south of India a madrasi. It’s almost like having India’s own America, refusal to understand geography, generalization, politics, assuming the big brother position, bad accents, even worse spellings to name a few common traits.

24. Wonder why people would go driving 5 kms to drink a milk shake that’s not really a milk shake but flavoured milk. It takes all kinds I guess. (btw, it tastes awful)

25. Also feel kicked about going to Nirula’s to have a hot chocolate fudge, even though she may not really like it. It comes with a formidable reputation. A delhiite who does not approve of it is yet to be made.

26. Realize that she will never get used to the amount of filth on the roads. The world transforms into an open-air washroom, the roads turn in to a giant bin and street corners turn into XL sized urinals.

27. Get friends and family coming from Bangalore to get her biryani from Nagarjuna. Yeah. True story!

– Fact file –
http://muffledmusing.blogspot.in
http://www.thedelhiwalla.com

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Prizes

Hampi, Karnataka

Katarmal Sun Temple, Almora, Uttarakhand

Leh, Ladakh

Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Bay of Bengal

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Ruins of Nalanda, Bihar

Hillstations of Ooty, Tamilnadu

Shillong, Meghalaya

Auroville, Pondicherry

Valley of Flowers, Bhyundar valley, Uttarakhand

Elephant Orphanage

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3. Craftsvilla

4. Zilpika

5. Era Organic

6. Legend Bazaar

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What Makes Mysore Silk so ‘extra ordinary’?

Owning a Mysore Silk Saree is a tradition!