Ghumakkad is Eight!

Hurray!
Your blog turns EIGHT today.
Time to express our gratitude to each one of you.
A big thank you from www.ghumakkadhb.blogspot.com team.

The Journey
It has been an exciting journey all the way. From a mere travel blog, Ghumakkad has transformed many folds. Our set of eight stories on Bhutan was the starting point. And we haven't looked back since then. First three years had only a handful of page views since it was a blog by invitation. Once we made it open, the growth has been overwhelming. See the graph below showing 194,700 page views.

 Our Spectrum
Here are quick links to give you a taste of the wide canvas of your own blog:

• Kaun Banega Ghumakkad  KBG online contests, the logo for which has been designed by well renowned illustrator Ramya Sriram. You may click on some of the well contested KBGs like San Jose Gurudwara, USA, Daly College Indore, Fox Millet and Al Noor Mosque Sharjah UAE. 35 editions of KBG have been keenly contested so far.

• Wellness: Our posts on Beating the Covid-19 Boredom, Bouncing Back in Life, Yoga for grandpas, Learning from flowers have appealed to the readers. The idea has been to bring a smile on the face of our readers. Lockdown has been gloomy. How to liven up our life during such trying conditions? Read on.

•  Reader's Contribution: It has been a pleasure to showcase the stories written by our readers. Browse the stories here Coyote Gulch- Hiking in A Stream written by a ten year old hiker and Women Hiking in Water by four adventurous women who nearly got swept away! The latter hike is hailed as one of the top-5 adventure hiles by NatGeo in USA.

• PQs: Pictures leave a lasting impression on our minds. Picturesque Quotes created using Ghumakkad's picture have inspired many readers. Sample a picture of a suspension bridge with the quote superimposed. More than 100 PQs have been created and shared through our blog. 

• Video Clips: Most of our stories also have a short video clip or two. The readers have particularly liked the clip from our story on Ross Island in Port Blair.

• Tips for Teachers: Ghumakkad being a teacher has always believed in sharing of knowledge. Some of the stories which were liked by the teachers and students alike are Learning from Students, When Students Select B-Plan Finalists and Uri The Movie with Many Lessons in Management.

• Nature: Nature continues to inspire Ghumakkad. Stories like Nature's Clock have intrigued scores of readers.

• Treasures of India: India has plenty to explore for a traveller like Ghumakkad. Forts, Palaces, Temples, Churches, Mosques, Villages and Ruins- it is so exciting. Treasures like Laknavaram Lake not so well known, but a great getaway. Hill stations have their own charm. Whether the Himalayas in the north or the Nilgiris in the south, hills always fascinate us. Browse the story Why Kodaikanal written by two teenagers pictured above. 

• Wild Life: The thrill of sighting a Leopard in a city like Jaipur! Who won't feel excited?

All Time Greats

Many readers ask 'Which is your favourite story?' To which I respond 'Whichever has been read by most readers!' A quick glance at the blog stats gave us the following data:

Readership
Your blog has global readership as seen in the graph below.

Road Ahead

With prevailing lockdown and travel restrictions worldwide, Ghumakkad may not be able to travel far. But there is so much to observe and learn from our immediate surroundings. We will strive to bring smiles to your faces despite the lockdown. In addition, we will also take you to places which we have been but are yet to post the stories! Those of you who wish to contribute a guest story are most welcome.

Acknowledgements

There are numerous people who have helped us grow. Some of them had been acknowledged in our 6th Anniversary post. In addition, we place on record our appreciation for Trixie Asirvatham, Chitra Shanker and Ramya Sriram for their unstinted support.

We also thank each one of you for your continued support without which Ghumakkad wouldn't have been here! Do give us your feedback to help us improve.

We are reminded of an ad for chocolates which said 'Never too old for a chocolate'. Ghumakkad started blogging at sixty. So folks 'never too old to start blogging!'

    -   Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 25th May 2020

#GhumakkadHarsh #GhumakkadHB #EighthAnniversary #BlogAnniversary #HarshBhargava #ThrillOfWriting #JourneyOfLife #BringingSmiles #makingadifference #kbgcontest #kaunbanegaghumakkad #wellness #motivation #inspiration #positivity #nature #environment #teachers #learning #india #mysteriesofnature #travelforfun #beatthelockdown #wildlife #keepgoing #blogger #pictures #photowalks #powerofobservation #students

Brahmi or Gotu Kola Answer KBG-35

"Nasturtium"
"Aak"
"Mallow"
"Giloy"
"Guduchi"
"Ajwain"
Many answers came in response to KBG-35.
None correct!

Then what is the correct answer?
Answer was in the clue that it is a herbal plant.
We had also given you an option to name it in any language.
The correct answer to Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-35 is:
Brahmi ब्राह्मी (Hindi)
Gotu Kola or Spade Leaf (English)
Mandukaparni (Ayurveda)
Saraswati (Telugu)
Centella Asiatica (Botanical name)

Why did we choose this Plant?
Gotu Kola or Brahmi has known medicinal properties. Our elders knew about the herb and used it for generations. In fact many of the readers confided that they got the answer from their parents or grandparents! 

Readers may refer Ayurtimes, an excellent web resource for more details about this herb. Gotu Kola is helpful in many health conditions some of which are listed below:

• Mental fatigue
• Memory Loss
• Low retention power
• Inability to concentrate
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia (sleeplessness)
• Convulsions
• Epilepsy

Where does it grow?

It is a wildly growing weed near rice fields and wet places. The pictures for KBG-35 contest were all shot at Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) in Hyderabad India. Many readers in India confirmed having seen it in the vicinity of rice fields on long drives.

How is the Herb Used?

All parts (especially aerial parts) of Gotu Kola herb are used preparing Gotu Kola powder (Mandukaparni Churna), extract, tablets or capsules. 

Winners

We had close to 300 participants online with more than 30 correct answers. First three correct answers came within five minutes of posting! All three winners once again are women. Come on men folk, faster response next time!

We congratulate the winners and thank all those who took part in KBG-35.

1. Sangeeta Agarwal PhD, Biotechnologist, formerly with DuPont Research Centre in Hyderabad, works with the Department of Biotechnology in New Delhi.
2. Praneetha Mudholkar, Marketing Faculty at VVISM Hyderabad. Loves travelling and meeting people. Past winner of KBG many times.
3. Ratnaja Gogula PhD. Former Professor IBS Hyderabad and former Program Lead, Technology Entrepreneurship Program at Indian School of Business Hyderabad. Creative teacher, painter and nature lover she lives in Hyderabad. A past winner of KBG.

Credits

The idea for KBG-35 to showcase a herb was given by Dr Chitra Shanker who works at IIRR. Being locked down, I couldn't travel to take pictures. She took all the pictures and undertook the research as well. Thanks much Chitra.

Hope we succeeded in alleviating your lockdown boredom to some extent. Thanks for browsing. Stay connected for more KBGs.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 22nd May 2020

#nature #plants #trees #naturephotography #wildplants #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe #greenfields #herbalplants #gotukola #brahmi #saraswati #spadeleaf #mandukaparni #centellaasiatica

Which Wild Plant KBG-35

Humble Lauki bud fired the imagination of more than 300 of you to respond to KBG-34 last week.
For KBG-35 we have therefore, chosen a leaf and not a bud. All of you who love vast green fields, this is easy! Green as far as the eye can see. Lockdown prevents you from stepping out. Ghumakkad does it for you through our pictures!

Which wildly growing plant?

Want a clue?
Here it goes.

Now, shoot fast. Name the plant in any language. First three correct answers will be the Winners of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-35!

For first timers on KBG, you can respond on any of the channels below:

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Send email to hbindia@gmail.com
3. Respond on FB
4. Comment on Instagram @ghumakkadhb 
5. Send a WA message. If you want your WA number to be added to Ghumakkad's list, send an email.

The KBG Contest timing is chosen to suit most of the time zones across the world.

Hope we helped you in overcoming the lockdown boredom to some extent. KBG-34 which featured Lauki or Bottle Gourd, evoked great response. For the first time we had five winners! Because first three- all responded at the same time.

Thanks for your participation which keeps KBG alive!

Stay home, stay safe.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/16th May 2020

#nature #plants #trees #naturephotography #wildplants #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe #greenfields #herbalplants

Lauki or Bottle Gourd KBG-34 Answer

"Dhatura!"
"Water Lily"
"Bhindi"
were some of the responses to KBG-34. All wrong.

The correct answer to the 34th Contest of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad is Lauki लौकी or Bottle Gourd. Out of 300 participants we received 30+ correct answers. KBG-34 seemed easy.

We congratulate all the winners. As against the usual first three correct answers, how come KBG-34 has five winners? Because first three responses came together in the 9th minute. So, we decided to club these together. The winners aged 20+ to 70+ come from varied backgrounds. This variety adds the charm to KBG contests.

Winners
Meet the winners of KBG-34:

1. Shiv Rungta, alumnus of BITS Pilani and IIM Ahmedabad, successful entrepreneur manufacturing safety glasses for last 30 years.
2. Nidhi Bhargava, accomplished Kathak dancer, former entrepreneur who loves gardening and Nature. Lives in Bengaluru.
3. Amandeep Kaur PGDM (Fin), works as an analyst with Duff and Phelps in Hyderabad. Loves travelling but hates lauki!
4. Reeta Verma PGDM (HR) loves travelling, works as HR Coordinator with NCR Corp Hyderabad
5. Laxman Swarup B an alumnus of NIT Warangal, former Scientist 'G' with Defence R&D Organisation. Loves gardening and travelling. Lives in Pune.

Clues
This time we did not give any clues. Despite that the participants were bang on the target. Some of them correlated the bud with the leaves shown in an earlier story. That was smart!

Blooming Time
The second part of the question was when does the bud bloom? Nobody answered it. 

Well, the correct answer is that lauki bud blooms at night to attract the pollinators. See the picture below.

Health Benefits of Lauki
Lauki has been hailed as 'your best friend in summer'!
Readers may refer the link which summarises the health benefits as under:

1. Rich in nutrients and anti-oxidant
2. Keeps your body hydrated
3. Provides skin care and protection
4. Beats constipation
5. Regulates BP
6. Beats stress with anti-bilious properties
7. Promotes weight loss
8. Protects against kidney stones
9. Helps you sleep better
10. Provides a cooling and calming effect

So whether you are old or young, include lauki in your diet specially during summers. Regular consumption of humble lauki will keep you healthy. It can be taken in any form as a vegetable, juice or soup. Lauki halwa tastes delicious too.

Once again, thank you for your continued participation. KBG is alive because of you!

Hope we have helped you in taking your mind off Corona.

Stay home, stay safe.

     - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 13th May 2020

#lauki #bottlegourd #nature #plants #trees #naturephotography #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe #flowers #buds 

Name the Bud KBG-34

Corona, lockdown, pandemic, Covid-19: We all are fed up with these words.
Ghumakkad helps you to take your minds off!

Look around you whether you live in an apartment, villa, city, village, college campus or wherever! You will find that the earth is healing. No pollution. No noise. Birds are happier. So are the plants.

Kaun Banega Ghumakkad- your favourite online contest is back! KBG-34 wants you to name the bud shown in the picture and its blooming time.

This one is so simple that there is no clue. Only clue is: look at the picture again!

Come on shoot fast. First three correct answers will be announced as Winners!

For first timers on KBG, you can respond on any of the channels below:

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Send email to hbindia@gmail.com
3. Respond on FB
4. Comment on Instagram @ghumakkadhb 
5. Send a WA message. If you want your WA number to be added to Ghumakkad's list, send an email.

The KBG Contest timing is chosen to suit most of the time zones across the world.

Hope we helped you in overcoming the lockdown boredom to some extent. KBG-33 which featured Foxtail Millet, evoked great response. All three winners were women.

Thanks for your participation which keeps KBG alive!

Stay home, stay safe.


   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/10th May 2020

#nature #plants #trees #naturephotography #travelisfun #funwithtravel #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe #flowers

Bouncing Back in Lockdown

Feeling handcuffed in lockdown?
Emotionally stressed?
Physically overworked?

Take a cue from the Nature.

A small creeper in our yard shows us how to bounce back from emotional strain during the lockdown. Just three pictures shot over ten days convey the message.

Economic strain, however, will take longer time to heal. We need to keep going like the lauki लौकी creeper called bottle gourd or long melon in English!

You may browse our other stories on Covid-19 Lockdown by clicking the links listed below:

Every Day is a Sunday
Stay Home Stay Safe- learning from the kittens
Happiness during Lockdown is...
Corona- The Global Threat

Thanks for browsing and please stay safe.

   -Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 6th May 2020 with Neeta Bhargava

#lockdown #coronavirus #beattheboredom #stayhomestaysafe #enjoythelockdown #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #homebirding #earthishealing #plantsarebestgifts #covid19 #gardening #powerofobservation #bouncingback #nature #laukicreeper #emotionalstress ##keepgoing #bottlegourd #learningfromnature

Every Day Is A Sunday

"Every day is a Sunday"!
Seems wrong? Because we all learnt in the school that everyday is not a Sunday.
But the prevailing global lockdown has changed it! Lockdown has also changed many other things like our lifestyle, need and consumption, family-first, health-first and so on!
Now locked up at home, it seems that every day is indeed a Sunday!

Ask yourself.
Is every lockdown day not similar?
Chirping birds wake you up. Even in metro cities!
Dawn. Glorious glow in the sky.
No pollution. Bright sunrise.
Home birding.
Morning exercise, yoga and meditation.
Breakfast, cleaning the dishes.
Composting the garden and kitchen waste.
House cleaning, mopping, garden cleaning, pruning.
Laundry, drying, folding, stowage.
Protecting the plants from intense heat.
Lunch preparation, eating, dishes.
Rest a while.
Back to garden- watering.
Golf chipping, putting.
Home birding.
Dinner, dishes.
Stroll on the roof.
Reading, writing, painting, music, other hobbies & calling the friends and family.
* WA and surfing the net during the intervening slots.

However, many people start and end their lockdown day with the starred activity above! They eat, sleep and dream with WA!

Whichever way, the whole routine repeats.
Now you decide, does it matter whether it is Sunday or Monday?
Yes for those working from home, the weekends mean more relaxation. But for veterans like Ghumakkad, every day is a Sunday.

Even the Coppersmith Barbet seems to agree with me. Every morning it perches on the tall Ashoka tree in our yard. See the picture.

Coppersmith can be heard more than it can be seen. It has a metronomic call that sounds similar to a coppersmith striking metal with a hammer. Tok tok tok tok. Listen to the 30-seconds video clip below. You may have to jack up the volume a bit.

Sunday or no sunday, Coppersmith is always there. See more pictures below of both male and female birds. Like many other bird species, but quite unlike the humans, God has given more beauty and colour to the males! It is also called crimson-breasted barbet.

Some of the plants like Brahma Kamal which are planted in the beds, can not be moved during summer. Instead of erecting a permanent green mesh for shade, I prefer to use my golf umbrella. It becomes part of the daily routine. See the picture below.

Lockdown has created more happiness all around except for a blow to the economy. The Earth is healing. You may browse our earlier posts on Covid Lockdown by clicking the links below:
'Lockdown Is...'
Staying Safe- What the Kittens teach us
Corona The Global Threat

Hope you are enjoying another Sunday during the lockdown.
Stay home stay safe.

Thanks for browsing.

    - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 3rd May 2020

#lockdown #coronavirus #beattheboredom #stayhomestaysafe #enjoythelockdown #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #homebirding #gardening #cooking #homegrownveggies #golfchippingathome #earthishealing #plantsarebestgifts #covid19 #sunday #everydayisasunday #coppersmithbarbet #powerofobservation