Tushar Mangl

A large population on our Planet prefers pets for a variety of reasons. Centuries ago, we were told, people kept pets for hunting. Dogs, mostly, were preferred companions for the way they picked up scents and their steadfast loyalty. But then, animals were kept as pets for a variety of reasons in the coming times. One of them was, of course, loneliness. Animals give a company, are more loyal than humans, more loving, and in plenty of cases, adorable. From Dogs to Parrots to Cats, several animals have been domesticated by humans over the years. Desk Plants can't be compared to pet animals, but they are slowly taking up that same space. By desk plants here, I mean house plants, which are easily accommodated at a side table, dining table, or any other platform. Unlike outdoor plants or bushes, they are easier to care for. They are filling in the void for humans, especially new age millennials who like to have someone around. Someone who loves back and cheers them up at...

Big things are bound to happen when industry stalwarts come together to create something spectacular, something impactful. “Make me Up”, India's biggest platform for Indian Beauty Professionals celebrating 'Everyone Beautiful', will be held from 21st to 22nd December 2019, at A-DOT, Gurugram, Haryana. Organised by Vibgyor Brand Services & Touchwood Group, “Make me Up” is going to be a one stop showcase for everything beauty and make-up. This never seen before experiential journey of 2 days will cater to both professionals and consumers alike. Kanika Bablani, Associate Director ,Touchwood Group and brainchild behind Make me Up, said, “Make me Up has been conceptualised and designed to be an experiential space wherein everyone associated with the beauty space gets to explore, engage and have a long lasting relationship with newer opportunities every day. Sky is the limit and we will keep adding value to make it bigger and better every year because as we say and ...

About a decade ago, Yum Yum Tree, a Sushi restaurant in South Delhi, became the talk of the town for its innovative Sushi service. The Sushi would roll down a conveyor belt and added delight to the dining experience for its patrons.  Restaurateur Varun Tuli has come a  long way since. He opened the first Yum Yum Cha eatery at the bustling City Walk Mall in Saket, way back in 2014. The origami themed Pan Asian restaurant with vibrant colors, served a variety of Sushi, Stone Bowls, and desserts, which are a specialty in themselves.  The chain at present has four outlets, three in South Delhi ( Khan Market, Saket, and Vasant Kunj) and one in Gurugram ( DLF Cyberhub).  The success of Yum Yum Cha has led to a specialized catering unit (Foodinc, originally started way back in 2012) and a delivery brand Noshi ( currently operational in South Delhi). Ingredients to Success There is no doubt that Yum Yum Cha has turned out to be a hugely successful brand. ...

It is a windy day, with plenty of clouds and no sun. I make my way to the Kairali Ayurvedic Centre located just a few kilometers away from the Huda City Centre Metro Station in Gurugram.  The Kerala Ayurvedic treatment system is now infamous around the globe. Thousands of tourists throng the God's own Country for treatment to various ailments based on the time tested tenants of Ayurveda. That it is nature-based and has a very slight chance of backfiring in the form of side effects (like allopathy) is a plus. Kairali Ayurvedic Centre, in its present form, founded way back in 1989 and offered authentic Keralite therapies here in Delhi NCR. As one of the staff members told me, many people can't afford to take out time or spend resources to go all the way to Kerala for a week-long ( or more) therapies. Hence, the group is providing localized, day-long treatments for its patrons. Suits well for me, like Kerala, for me, is far, and a nearby location sounds much bett...

The author, in his early life, was a non-believer. Arthritis got him closer to a spiritual person who helped him with the pain of ten years in minutes.  The author's life changed post that incident. This book is the culmination of his learning and wisdom, which he has shared. The book is also enriched with illustrations and snippets of anecdotes from the author's own life. He explains in detail what Karma is and how the Karmic code is understood. There are various divisions in the book which make for easy reading. Karma Defined introduces us to Karma and the types of Karma. It also talks of Guru and the importance of Guru in our lives.  The Business of Karma is another section of the book, where we learn more about Karma. Negative and Positive Karma tells us how to improve our Karma and Balance of Karma Theory boosts the reader's confidence in the same. This book is quite inspiring and even as worksheets for the reader to work upon. This book is also in contin...

Nelson Wang's China Garden defines the evolution of Indo Chinese Cuisine in India. Spread across India, the restaurant chain as two outlets in the National Capital, Delhi. Recently they opened up their doors at Trillium Mall, Gurugram, a short distance from the City's district center and the famed Gymkhana Club.  In fact, Mainland China used to be located a couple of miles down at the famous Sector 29 market before it shut down. The locality also used to boast of Unlimited by Golden Dragon, which has also been shut down since.  Rising amidst the demand for Chinese Food in Gurugram, the place does impress. It has been beautifully decorated in shades of gray and blue. I visited it recently for a Duck and Dimsums fest curated by Plates2Miles, a community of food lovers with an active Facebook group. They organize a variety of food events across Delhi NCR, and this was the first time I was invited to attend. The best part of the evening apart from the great com...

Venita Coelho scripts a gripping thriller in this book based in Goa. Jamshed Fali Irani hails from a rich background and travels from Mumbai to Goa in hopes to achieve his dreams of becoming a famed  writer. He rents a crumbling, ill maintained Bungalow,  all set  to  prove his mettle. Things go off track when he  meets Alice who requests him to find her sister Sara. The trouble is that Sara has been missing five years and no one it seems wants her found. Young Jamshed soon  crossed path with Constania  who helps him unravel the mystery. Much  clues are to be found in a Diary they find in the house, which presumingly belongs to Sara. Her closeness to her friend Nina leaves an impact on the reader. This is  a Gothic Mystery Thriller and Venita Coelho's storytelling really impresses. The way she has brought out the setting of a Goan village of yesteryear is vivid and inspiring.  Not many Indian authors have been able to...