Impact of Social Media In Everyday Life

June 30, 2018 AdminLeave a comment

“The great thing about social media is that it gave voice to the voiceless.”

Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and, Snapchat; selfies, videos, memes and streaks; a day without them is not even a day. Think about those times when your internet just stopped working because of poor connectivity, remember how frustrating it was? Can you recall how restless you got when you couldn’t find your phone the other day? And do you remember your last outing when you did not post anything online about it? You probably can’t.

We live in an era where whatever we do, wherever we go, we almost put everything on social media. I remember being at a café with my friends and they did not let me even touch my food because they wanted to post a snap story! Duh!

But I also remember that introvert from my class, striding alone through the corridors and one day someone came up to him and said “man you are really funny, want to hang out?” And I was like funny? I’ve never even seen him talking let alone cracking jokes, but then it wasn’t about what he said, it was about what was on his Facebook wall, and it really was funny. And from that day onwards, I’ve seen that formerly loner kid alone again. The two of those boys hang out together mostly laughing at something on their phones.

Social media in our generation has become a necessity; so on the occasion of World Social Media Day, we had a look at different platforms and activities and went around asking people in Jaipur about what will happen if they are left without social media. Here is what we got:

No more Snapchat stories

Be it a birthday party, be it a wedding or be it a trip with our friends, there is an urge to post multiple stories about it on Snapchat. And the latest trend is streaks, first thing to do after waking up in the morning: to send a snap to multiple people on Snapchat, and so is the last thing of a day to do.

“I’m used to Snapchat . I like to update stories and tell people what I’ve been doing all day, see their stories and know what they have been doing all day. It’s good because when you are apart from your friends at least you can see them and be happy. Like I was unable to go to my friend’s birthday yesterday, but I could see the stories and be happy because I could see him happy and enjoying himself. I like to share the moments that I will cherish all my life. “

Says Anushka, an aspiring writer who is known to her friends for posting too many snaps.

No more hash tags for Intagrams = no more fame

Instagram is the latest hub for sharing of memes. A lot of youngsters have become famous on Instagram because of the accounts they use for promoting their works. With the right choice of hash tags you attract a lot of followers, more followers you have, more famous you are and more recognition you get for your work.

“For me, Instagram is the only platform where I can share my photographs and get feedback so easily. Also, I look at the accounts of other photographers and I get my motivation from them, they inspire me, without Instagram it is going to be way too difficult for me to showcase my work and get motivated and inspired to be better.”

Says Anupam, a photographer with two separate accounts on Instagram, one for personal updates and one for his videos and photographs.

No more instant information flow

Anything happening anywhere, Twitter is the first to let us know. With this micro blogging sites, whatever happens in one corner of the world, travel across the entire globe in a matter of a few hours. Twitter has literally turned the world into a global village with such fast travelling information.

“I have to keep track for the trending and breaking news. Twitter is my Savior.”

Says Anshul, who works for a social media agency.

No WhatsApp = exam notes?

WhatsApp has made communication easier than ever, with unlimited flow of messages, you are free to talk to anyone anywhere at a minimal price.

With our exams the next morning the class chat group is flooded with messages asking for notes. And within a few minutes, we have in our cell phones whatever we were supposed to study the entire semester.

“Without WhatsApp it will be very difficult to have notes for me. My friends and I will have to go to each other and get our notes photo copied. It will be very time consuming, and with an exam the next morning, I can’t really afford wasting so much of time.

Says Muskaan, an undergraduate student.”

No more birthday reminders.

Remember that day when you almost forgot to wish one of your friends on her birthday? But thanks to Facebook you had a notification on your cell phone in the morning, and when you called her in a sleepy voice, she was just pleased to hear from you.

“I have a good memory otherwise, but I often forget my friend’s birthday. And the first thing I do is check my phone when I wake up and Facebook saves the day. I call them up, and tell them that I was waiting to wish you and just fell asleep. And they mostly believe.”

Says someone who forgets to wish their friends. Oh we can’t name them, can we?

Above is just a glimpse of our lives without social media, imagine no YouTube no Blogs, no vlogs. Unimaginable, right? So let’s be just grateful to Social Media for making everything more accessible and making our lives so much easier.

Events in Jaipur · Food · Food Festival · Hot in Jaipur · Hotels in Jaipur · Jaipur · Jaipur Beat · Jaipur Happenings · Jaipur Lifestyle · Uncategorized · Weekends at jaipur

Taste The Flavours Of The Golden Triangle At Jaipur Marriott

June 29, 2018June 29, 2018 AdminLeave a comment

The Golden Triangle, covering the lands of maharajas and nawabs/ mughals in the three cities of Jaipur, Agra, and Delhi makes for amust visit travel plan for any traveler. But did you know these three destinations have a global following for the unique food and the flavors of authentic spices?

Buckle up as we’re taking you on a journey connecting the golden triangle of flavours- you heard it right, where you can relish the perfect blend of spicy Jaipuri-khade-masale, Delhi’s subtle tanginess and Agra’s Mughal flavours in every bite. We are raving about the ongoing food festival at Saffron, Jaipur Marriott Hotel.
The festival is a true delight to rejuvenate with flavours of India picked up from the locales.

As we reached there, we were totally overwhelmed with the fresh vibes, and balmy aura of tranquility. Soothing live music enticed us and the antiques from ancient era took us down memory lane to the time where our grannies used to make mouth-watering succulent gastronomical dishes.

In this mesmerizing milieu of classic fine-dine setting and highly courteous staff we couldn’t resist to gorge upon the ravishing cuisines of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.

For starters, we had a refreshing beverage mocktail: ‘Jaipur Royal’ which was prepared with orange and mint and was quite enticing for our taste buds as it was the perfect mix of the ingredients.

With our golden triangle journey still pending, we were thrilled with the ardent aroma of rich flavours everywhere. Baffled by such a wide variety of the gastronomic food of all the three states; ultimately we asked the chef to serve us his favourites! And that was the best decision—we had the best vegetarian platter served with mouth-watering delicacies we had never eaten before.

Vinegar soaked onions blended with traditional Delhi spices and made into ‘Paneer Khatta Pyaaz’ perfectly complemented the ‘Khammiri roti,’ a tender thin layer with a crispy base of bread. With fragrance of Dilli in the air, we enjoyed the quintessential ‘Lal Kot ki subz biryani’ with rich and creamy ‘bhindi ka raita’, a whipped savoured yogurt garnished with thin and salty julienned ladyfingers.

The khade-masale(whole spices) were lavishly used in the gourmet appetizers like the ‘Jaipuri Sangri ki seekh’. Made with Jaipur Sangri, the seekh kebab had a rich fragrance of tamarind and was bliss for our spicy cravings.

Ria, my colleague; fell for the relatively blandish ‘Purani Delhi Ka Bharwan Aloo’. What intrigued us about this dish was its crispy coating of papad with smooth and tender barbequed kebabs inside which melted softly in the mouth.

After such a lavish dinner, we could have left but somehow the meal felt incomplete without a dessert. To our delight we were served these luscious mithais of the golden triangle in typical mitti-ki cutlery and was something we would never miss. The chilled candy rose petal ‘gulab-ki ice cream’ served with piping hot ‘gulab jamun‘ rich with nuts made our meal unforgettable. The entire episode left a deep essence of incredible Jaipur, Agra and Delhi with us to cherish forever.

Jaipur Beat highly recommends each one of you to visit the fest, as it is not an affair just for the foodies but for those who are deeply attached to Indian roots and want to revisit the old memory lane or for those who want to explore a new journey of northern India. From the first sip of the beverage to the last bite of the dessert; the flavorsome culinary will certainly take you back to the essence of our very own Indian soul. The way all the flavours representing separate states complimented one another was exquisite and therefore youmust be a part of this grand occasion.

We are grateful to the head chef, Mr. Ranjeet Singh and his team for enlightening us with such an overwhelming evening. Through this festival Mr. Singh wants the common man to encounter a trail of forgotten flavours for which he personally wandered the locales of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur and handpicked their authentic spices to recreate them and revive the soulful taste in the most explicit way.

Mind you, you can engage in this fantastic experience and savor this assortment of flavours only at Saffron at The Marriott, everyday from 7:30 pm to 11:00 pm till 15th July 2018.

Food · Jaipur · Jaipur Beat · Jaipur Happenings · restaurants in jaipur · Uncategorized

6 New Haunts In Jaipur

June 28, 2018June 28, 2018 AdminLeave a comment

From the love of awe-flavours lingering at every nook of the walled city to spending quality time at cool and exciting cafes, the craze for unique eateries have been stupendously evolving in Jaipur and so with it the fond of bizarre themes. To keep up with the fervour, new peppy cafes in Jaipur have been opening up with vivid concepts and ambience and Jaipur Beat has got some party places sorted for you.

With food for every mood, irresistible foodgasms are coming your way with these cafes listed below-

1. PEPPERAZI ‘engage in retro vibes’ – With many paparazzi gazing at you from their poster stuck on the brick- walls, this American- theme based cafe has assured to make all of us a centre of the attention. This newly opened place in Bais Godam has an electrifying and peppy ambience of the 60s and 70s with flashy red and blue lights for typical retro diner vibes. Mocktails being their starrer, the food quality and taste is also a star mark, making it a must try!

2. THE LAUGHING B ‘for the happy souls’ – Laugh out your worries with the newly- opened Pan Asian gastro pub in town. A fantastic combination of unique cuisines (Chinese, Asian and Thai), live music and live FIFA screening, this place located at MI Road is a perfect spot to chill and relax with your friends and family. Nonetheless, it has happy lunch hours known as ‘yum cha’ every day between 1 pm to 4 pm. ‘Espresso martini’ is a must try for the cocktail lovers.

3. PINT PAT ‘classy and elegant’- Engage into pure luxury vibes with PINT PAT, newly opened at Malviya Nagar by cafe Lazy Mojo. With world class liquor on top- notch, swirl and sip the wine exquisites and groove in the charisma of soothing live music. Complimenting the liquor, their food is as amazing and delicious with special offers every Wednesday.

4. ICEKRAFT ‘go krafty on dessert’- Stay refreshed this summer with a quirky palette of self-crafted chilly ice-cream and dessert. This new hub in Bani Park has in store for everyone their personal favourites of weird combinations blended into divine flavours; Tiramisu ice cream tacos and Bigbang friffles are heavenly. Berries, choco chips, kiwi, cheesecake, coffee, strawberry, chocolate, waffles and what not! What makes this place out of the box and in the blue is that they have ice-cream for the sweet tooth and quick bites for the savoury. Quite irresistible!

5. NBC ‘ok, but first coffee’ – If you are looking for a perfect cup of coffee to start your day with, or read a book with then Nothing Before Coffee is the place for you. Who does not love to enjoy an endless variety of coffee, mocktails and shakes and that too at affordable prices? Brew your minds with literally the best coffee in town in a warm and cozy ambience located at C-Scheme.

6. LA MASION BLANCHE ‘célébrer l’amitié’ – celebrate the bond of friendship in a decent milieu and fall in love with unconventional cuisines from all over the world. Located in C-Scheme, this place imbibes a pleasant aura and is famous for its Mediterranean and Lebanese paradise. With mouth-watering sea food delicacies, they also have lobster on their platter which is simply WOW. Do check out this new buzz of the town.

Bon appétit Jaipurites!

Images via Google

Content credit: Muskaan Kasat

Edited by team Jaipur Beat.

amer fort · Bollywood · Food · Hot in Jaipur · Jaipur · Jaipur Beat · Jaipur During Monsoon · Jaipur Happenings · Uncategorized

Jaipur’s Bond With Monsoon

June 27, 2018June 27, 2018 AdminLeave a comment

With monsoon knocking the doors, heaven has been opened up on Jaipur with those droplets of joy. A rainy season is in every way so amazing, so pleasing and so upbeat! Those washed up plants with magnificently beautiful appearance, that amazing fragrance of wet soil never fails to blow our minds. To make the most out of this beautiful phenomenon of nature we at Jaipur Beat have a list of things to do while it’s pouring outside.

Long Drive

Even if you avoid travelling in a car, it’s the time to change that. Get that car of yours out of the garage, and get geared up for a long drive in rain. Get an experience, which is beyond imagination and pleasing as well.

P.S.: Be careful of the potholes while driving.

Rain shower

It’s time to relive our childhood, remember how much you loved dancing in the rain? After all who doesn’t love a rain shower? Frankly, we are fonder of rain showers than our regular indoor shower. And who said we’ve grown up? So go ahead, and soak yourselves up and re-cherish your lives.

P.S.: Don’t forget to take a regular indoor shower afterwards.

Image via Google

Chai and Pakode

The forever perfect baarish partners. As soon as the droplets of rain touch the soil, the petrichor hits our noses; we immediately start craving a kadak chai along with garm-garm pakode with hari chutney. Yum!

Get Set On A Date

How amazing would it be to enjoy a nice supper or maybe just a plain simple coffee with the person you love with the rain pouring in the background? Rain and romance go hand in hand after all.

P.S.: Don’t forget to put a bunch of some old romantic melodies on your playlist for the occasion.

Chase the artist within.

We have often seen artists bringing out their best work while it rains in movies. Well, it’s not just the movies; people actually find peace in rain and hence are more creative. So go ahead, scribble, draw, paint, play or sing whatever it is just let the artist within show their magic!

Happy Monsoon.

Content credit: Shanza Sarwana

Edited by team Jaipur Beat.

Fashion Beat · Food · Jaipur · Jaipur Beat · Jaipur Fashion · Jaipur Happenings · Jaipur Jewellery · markets of jaipur · Uncategorized

7 Things Not To Miss When Shopping In Jaipur’s Nehru And Bapu Bazaar

June 26, 2018 AdminLeave a comment

The name of Rajasthan brings in our mind the rich culture, the vibrant and colorful attires, the magnificent and graceful handicrafts and so on. With time, a lot has changed; the land of culture has slightly moved towards westernization. But to keep the very soul of the Lands of Maharajas alive, we have its markets which never fail to slake our thirst for the true essence of Rajasthan.

Bapu Bazaar and Nehru Bazaar are two such markets of the Pink City, Jaipur. These markets (located within the walled city) are a perfect amalgamation of typical Rajasthani products and a slight touch of Indo-western. They are swathed in a cultural charm, and also offer numerous souvenirs to take for your kith and kin. These vibrant markets are always filled with shopaholics and are famous for offering you everything quintessentially Rajasthani.

We are giving you a list of things to check out at Bapu Bazaar and Nehru Bazaar.

Mojaris

Walking down the corridors of either of the markets, you will often stumble upon craftsmen with their dye covered hands, with somewhat eclectic and vintage footwear lined up by their side. There are several shops offering Rajasthani Mojari or Jutis, in these markets. The vibrant colors and traditional patterns often tempt people to buy a few pairs rather than just one. Among these, the shops that stand above the rest are Tourist Shoes and Famous Nagra Shoes.

Artificial jewellery

The bustling markets have an immense collection of artificial jewelry. Innumerable shops of both, Bapu Bazar and Nehru Bazar are lined up with ethnic neck pieces, jhumkis, lac bangles, anklets, sequined necklaces and what not. The finish of these pieces is so good that you can’t differentiate from the real. So, grab the best trinkets and accessories ASAP!

Clothes

Whatever you buy or leave behind, we believe picking a dress is essential if you are here. Highly alluring Rajasthani Bandhej or tie and die, Leheriya, Sanganeri Prints and Batik Prints with radiant mirror work, dazzling gota-patti work and intricate embroidery patterns are all enticingly displayed here. These shops are literally overflowing with breathtakingly beautiful prints of Jaipur, and chances are you will end up with your hands full of shopping bags by the time you decide to head home.

Jaipuri Razaiyan (quilts)

The Jaipuri quilts are made up of cotton fabric and are sown with a light thread. These razaiyan are exquisite with hand block prints and are light weight, comfortable and extremely efficient in keeping you warm on a cold winter night. Nowadays though, there are polyfibre razaiyans also, so better ask the shopkeeper so you know what you are getting. These quilts are amongst most popular choices that people take back as gifts for their loved ones.

Showpieces, decorative items and other handicrafts

Then there are these vendors throughout the markets who sell wares on the covered pavement. As you walk down, these small merchants call out and try to sell you mini- artefacts, baubles, hair accessories, artificial jewellery, lac pens, mirror worked pen stands, keychains, etc. And before you know it , you buy a few pieces, saying just because….

Puppets on a string

These are traditional Rajasthani art. There are a number of people selling puppets while simply strolling in the markets. These vibrantly colored puppets are also great takeaways for some people.

Flavors of food

The seemingly casual bazaar trip becomes a tad tiring what with all your shopping bags and gentle rumble in your stomach. There aren’t many eateries here, but there is mouth water-watering chat available at almost the end of the entire Bazar. You could dig into Faluda Kulfi at Indian Ice Cream and the super famous Guddu Ki Softy. On the other hand, if you are close to Link Road, the Cholle Wala Samosa is a must have treat.

One very pertinent tip about shopping in these markets is that you must bargain about the prices. Shopping here without bargaining is truly letting them fleece you completely.

The next time you are in Jaipur, we strongly recommend you to pay these markets a visit for some authentic Rajasthani stuff to take back home and flaunt.

Happy Shopping 🙂

Content and pictures by interns at Jaipur Beat.

Edited by team Jaipur Beat.

Events in Jaipur · Exhibitions · Jaipur · Jaipur Beat · Jaipur Happenings · Jawahar Kala kendra · Rajasthan tourism · Uncategorized

JKK: A Walk Down The Memory Lane of Indian Textile

June 25, 2018 AdminLeave a comment

JKK has always been providing us with a glimpse of art via different exhibitions it hosts. Paintings, music photography and what not, we have had it all at the Jawahar Kala Kendra and it is back again with the amazing textile exhibition.

The exhibition beautifully traces the origin and evolution of aesthetics in Indian textiles dating back to the freedom struggle of 1947, including the use of same as an aid in the freedom movement, to the present day India.

The wondrously delicate yet the robust textiles of India has survived through decades because of diversity of skills and technologies to portray them, the perpetual vocabulary of motifs and patterns depicting the innovation in traditions which have been passed on through generations.

The exhibition designed by Reha Sodhi reflects the fields of art and craft, fashion and design through paintings done on cloth, carpets, rugs and saris showcasing works of numerous designers and artists.

In the lights predominant impulses of various periods in India’s post-independence trajectories, the textiles are presented through broad themes.

· The National Movement, Khadi and the effects of the European-colonial encounter in the early to mid-20th Century

· The engagement with International Modernism from the 1950s till today;

· An intense revival period in village-based crafts and textiles beginning with the 1970s which has informed the present ecology of urban design;

· The negotiation of roles between artisans-craftspeople, designers and artists;

· A return to historical vocabularies from the 1980s onwards which moulds contemporary fashion and mass consumerism; textiles as a means and metaphor for sculpture;

· And Indian minimalism.

With praiseworthy paintings, and notably fine varieties of textile, the Art exhibition at JKK is definitely going to turn a lot many heads.

The exhibition narrates the story of changes in textile industry due to the social, political and economic impacts on India. It takes you for a journey to the times of traditional Indian outfits of Lehanga Choli, to the garments with heavy Ari and Zari work, to the Silk And Brocade Saris, from the Kurtas Of Khadi to Khadi Denims and finally makes you stand face to face the Contemporary Dresses Of Modern India.

To sum it up, the exhibition is a must visit if you find yourself in Jaipur before the 31^st of July and is open for public on all working days including Monday.

Content credit: Shanza Sarwana

Picture credit: Aparna Natha

Central Park · Jaipur · Jaipur Beat · Jaipur Happenings

Central Park: My Story

June 22, 2018September 29, 2018 AdminLeave a comment

Sprawling lawns dotted with early risers twisting their bodies before the sun breaks at the horizon, mark the start of my day. Filled with frenzied excitement, I see people running on the tracks laid upon me; I see them eagerly waiting at the gym; I see them laughing and I even see them just sitting back, soaking in the divine charm of mother nature in search of peace.

I hear the melody of birds chirping early in the morning, I see them take a flight in the enormous sky in search of food. I am the Central Park of Jaipur, landlocked in the heart of Pink City. I find immense pride in sharing such close vicinity with the founder of Jaipur, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II.

With the sunrays falling on the National flag which stands tall on my grounds, each and every patriot feels a surge of gratification running through them. The art in form of stone sculptures that I contain in my being represents something mighty, yet beautiful.

As the day proceeds, I am completely transformed, people start leaving and at some point I am left alone…but I am never completely abandoned.

Sometimes I hear the laughter of young boys and girls when the world is bathed in the warmth of sun it is me, who provides some comfort to those who seek it. To those poor rickshaw pullers who keep dragging their rickshaws in the screeching heat, it is I who shades them from the sun, those who want a place to give themselves a break from the buzz of urban jungle, it is I who takes them in my lap and let them sleep peacefully and those who have their loved ones in the hospital, it is I, who let them have a little peaceful time away from their worries, in arms of nature.

As the evening approaches and the sun gradually goes down, I transform once again. Once again I change my character, to become a family ground. A place for people to visit for some quality time with their loved ones, their young toddlers. With urban projects setting up, people look at me and get assured that their children still have a place to go out and live their childhood like the way they did, running around, playing real games, getting dust on their clothes. Indulged in the sweet melancholic music of their laughter I feel grateful for my existence.

With the sun finally sinking, the sky turns a mixture of brilliant red and orange, beautiful and serene giving the air a tranquil feel. The extravagantly colourful sky, reminding everyone of the beautiful endings is sometimes the reason behind people visiting me.

As the night falls I am quite once again, with the only audible sounds of traffic and buzzing streets and they too eventually fade away in the quite of night and I find peace watching the moonlight sky.

Picture credit: Aparna Natha and team Jaipur Beat

Content credit: Shanza Sarwana