The holy month, Ramadan or Ramzan of the Islamic calendar ended some months back and billions of Muslims all over the world were fasting all over the world from dawn to dusk. With the onset of Ramadan, we usually see various new products, particularly food items, in the market for sale. This year however, it was not food items but another commercial that has taken YouTube by storm. The Zain Telecom Company, which is a Kuwaiti company, releases an Arabic video (with English subtitles of course) every year on Ramadan just like Surf Excel. I had not really watched the previous years’ videos but I believe they are usually to be based on the current status of the Muslim nations. The 2018 commercial by Zain entitled “Mr. President” however, is something more than just a commercial. For the benefit of those who have not yet watched, this 3 minute video features a young boy visiting look-alikes of powerful world leaders and speaking his heart out to them. US President, Donald Tr...
Some trips require a lot of planning and discussions, while some just happen impromptu. The latter was the case for my last trip to Amritsar. I had been planning this short trip since September 2023 but the stars were never getting aligned. After a lot a cajoling, when I managed to receive atleast an unsure “Yes” from my mother, there was no turning back. Even with flight tickets making a hole in my pocket couldn’t dither mean from my resolve to go for this trip. Though a very small town in Punjab, Amritsar manages to make its mark as a tourist destination because of the existence of the Golden Temple in its heart, along with some other important historical sites. As nothing works empty stomach, our very first stop was “Kulwant Singh Kulchewalaa” for a heavy breakfast of hot gobhi kulchas and chole. We then began our trip to the historical site “Jalianwala Bagh”, which was at a walkable distance from where we were located. Just at its entrance, a monument has been structured preserving...
The Mughal emperor Jahangir or Salim had once commented “ Agar Firdous bar ru-e-zamin ast, Hami ast o-hami ast o-hami ast ” (If there is heaven on earth, it is here) on the mesmerizing beauty of Kashmir. The vast expanse of land dotted with pines and maples (chinar), bubbling waters of Indus and Lidder provide a breathtaking view as soon as one lands in Srinagar. The most common places to visit on a trip to Kashmir are Pehelgam, Sonmarg, and Gulmarg (especially in winter). However, a place that very few tourists visit is Doodhtpathri, which literally means “Valley of milk”. Located in the Budgam district of Kashmir, this small, hilly region is located approximately 30-35 kms from Srinagar. As the location is at a higher altitude than Srinagar, the air and wind are chilly and fresh. Traveling on the curved roads of Doodhpathri, one can actually experience “Europe” in India – it is no less than any Bollywood movie shot in Switzerland. On both sides of the road are lush green valleys co...
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