Sunday, 27 February 2022

Why are processed foods harmful?
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Why are processed foods harmful?

Why are processed foods harmful? 



Processed foods have a poor reputation for a variety of reasons. They are well-known for being 'health destroyers,' and for this reason, processed foods should be avoided at all costs. Regrettably, here are a few of our favourite meals, and they are extremely popular due to their sway over our taste buds. Now for those concerned about processed foods: some of them may benefit your health!

Foods that have been processed do not survive in their original state. They have been modified somehow to make them more palatable or facilitate preservation. Frozen, drying, bottling, and aseptic processing are popular.

It is not these processes that render the meal unhealthy; rather, the substances employed in production, such as high salt, sugars, or fat, contribute to the dish's poor reputation.

However, there is a distinction between chemical and mechanical processing. If a food contains only one component and no added chemicals, it makes no difference whether powdered or placed in a jar. It is still food.

In contrast, processed foods are produced entirely of refined components and synthetic compounds. The following are seven ways why processed foods are detrimental to your health.



1. Sugary and rich in fructose 

Typically, processed goods have lots of sugar or doppelganger, high-fructose corn syrup.  Excess sugar consumption is generally known to be dangerous.

As we all know, sugar is a source of "empty" calories – it contains no necessary nutrients but is high in energy.

However, empty calories are the edge of the iceberg regarding sugar's detrimental effects. Numerous studies demonstrate that sugar can also have detrimental effects on the metabolism that extend well beyond its caloric content.

It can result in insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides, elevated dangerous cholesterol levels, and increased fat storage in the liver and stomach cavities.

Sugar consumption is significantly linked to several of the world's major fatalities, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, overweight, and cancer.

Most individuals do not add excessive sugar to their coffee or cereal; they obtain it through processed meals and sugar-sweetened beverages.


2. Designed to encourage overconsumption

Everybody wants to consume healthy food. That is fundamental to human nature.

We were endowed with taste receptors by evolution to aid us in navigating the natural food world.

Our desire is drawn to sweet, salty, and fatty foods because we know they offer the energy and nutrients we require for living.

Numerous processed foods have just been created to be so "lucrative" to the brain that they outperform anything found in nature.

We have complex processes in our brains and bodies that are designed to manage energy balance which functioned to maintain us at a healthy weight until very recently in evolutionary history.

There is much information that the incentive potential of foods can override the innate defensive mechanism and cause us to consume more than we need, to the point where our health is jeopardized.

This is often referred to as the "obesity food reward theory."

The truth is that processed foods are so profoundly satisfying to our brain that they influence our ideas and behaviours, encouraging us to consume more and more until we get ill.

While delicious food is good, meals engineered to be excessively rewarding, thereby bypassing our built-in brakes against excessive consumption, really aren't good.

3. Contains artificial chemicals

If you check the nutritional labelling on a packaged, processed food, you're likely to be unaware of some of the contents.

That is because a large portion of the ingredients is not real food. Rather than that, they are synthetic chemicals that are introduced for a variety of functions.

Foods that have been highly processed frequently contain the following:

●        Preservatives: Chemicals added to food to prevent it from spoiling.

●        Colourants: Chemicals used to impart a certain color to food.

●        Chemicals that provide a distinctive flavor to food.

●        Texturants: Substances that provide a specific texture.

●        Consider that processed foods may contain dozens of extra chemicals not stated on the label. 

Such as, "artificial flavour" is a proprietary combination. Manufacturers are not required to specify what this term signifies, and it is typically a combination of compounds.

As a result, if you read the term "artificial flavour" on an ingredient list, it could signify that an additional ten or more chemicals have been blended in to create a certain flavour.

Naturally, most such compounds have been reportedly proven to be safe. However, considering the sample of the material's ongoing belief in the safety of sugar and vegetable oils, I recommend taking their "approval" with a pinch of salt.


4. People can grow obsessed with junk food

Processed foods' "hyper-rewarding" character can have catastrophic implications for some people.

Certain individuals can develop a physical addiction to this substance and lose control over their usage.

For several persons, junk foods can alter their brain's biochemistry, resulting in outright addiction and losing control over their use.

5. Frequently contains refined carbs

There is considerable debate over the role of carbs in the diet.

Some believe that carbs should make up the vast majority of our energy consumption, while others believe they must be ignored like the disease.

However, practically everyone believes that carbs derived from natural foods are superior to processed carbohydrates.

While processed meals are frequently abundant in carbohydrates, they are typically refined.

One of the primary issues is that processed, "simple" carbs are rapidly subdivided into the digestive system, resulting in rapid insulin levels. A few moments ago, this can result in carbohydrate hunger as blood sugar levels return to normal.

Unsurprisingly, consuming a high-carbohydrate diet is related to unfavourable health impacts and various chronic disorders.

Avoid being duped by labels such as "healthy grains" frequently seen on packaged processed foods, particularly morning cereals.

These are often healthy grains that have been pulverized into superfine flour and are equally as unhealthy as refined grains.

If you're going to consume carbs, make sure they come from whole, single-ingredient foods rather than processed junk food.

6. Nutritionally deficient

Compared to unprocessed foods, processed foods are deficient in critical nutrients.

In some circumstances, foods are fortified with artificial minerals and vitamins to compensate for those lost during manufacturing.

On the other hand, Artificial nutrients are NOT a good substitute for the nutrient content in real meals.

Additionally, let us not forget that natural foods contain more than the recognized vitamins and minerals.

Natural foods, such as plants and animals, include thousands of additional essential elements that science is only beginning to comprehend.

Perhaps one day, a chemical combination will be developed that will replace most of these elements, but until then, the only way to obtain them in your meals is to consume complete, unprocessed foods.

The more processed meals you consume, the fewer vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and various trace nutrients you will receive.

7. Fiber-deficient

Fibre, particularly soluble, fermentable fiber, has a number of beneficial properties.

One of the primary benefits is that it acts as a prebiotic, providing food for the beneficial bacteria in the colon.

Additionally, there is evidence that fiber can decrease glucose absorption and help people feel more fulfilled with fewer calories. Natural fiber in foods is frequently lost during processing or is purposefully removed. As a result, most processed foods are extremely low in fiber.


Monday, 21 February 2022

5 Simple Resolutions for Cooking and Baking
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5 Simple Resolutions for Cooking and Baking

 


The Holiday Season is an excellent time to rip things up in the kitchen by making some little cooking and baking objectives.

Let's be frank: Last year was a struggle! We don't want to make the start of the festive season any more unpleasant, so we've come up with a list of 5 minimal cooking and baking goals for you.

These are small baking and cooking goals, but they have the potential to improve your cooking this year significantly. Keep reading for other cleaning resolutions!

1. Experiment with New Recipes

When experimenting with a new recipe, deviate from the recipe's instructions. Combine components of numerous recipes that appeal to you, much like a wedding season's salad.

Do not confine yourself to the elements in a single salad dish! If you enjoy the sound of golden beets in one salad dish and the thought of shaved brussels sprouts in another, mix them in your salad recipe!

Once you allow yourself to experiment with combining and matching excellent recipes you discover, the options are endless.

 


2. Play Around with Your Best Meals

Is it chicken breast with pink sauce and penne? Can your friends rely on you to provide them with your go-to chicken, spaghetti, and curry sauce regularly? Awesome! Sounds wonderful.

However, what if you changed your go-to dinner? It does not require extreme bravery or additional chemicals!

Begin by deviating from a single section of your recipe.

For example, try using significantly more instead of the normal amount of garlic. Unless you despise garlic, there is no way to go wrong with more garlic. If you have fresh basil on hand, experiment with a handful of thinly sliced basil.

Additionally, you can experiment with textures: slice small strips to caramelize instead of dicing an onion for your sauce. This shift in onion shape will cause you to rethink your regular onion bite.

By setting a cooking goal to alter just one item in your favourite recipes, you may uncover unexpected flavour profiles and textures.

3. Create Cookies in a Variety of Ways

While baking resolutions may seem banal following a year of lockdown sourdoughs, check us out: Baking trends flourish for a reason! We want to propose that you continue riding the baking trend wave.

You can create cookies unlike any you've ever cooked by playing with the appliances you already own. Have you ever attempted to air fry a box of cookies? Have you ever baked cookies with convection?

A family cookie swap or a gift to a loved one aren't the places to experiment with cookies. Give these alternate baking methods a try on cookies to serve your family.

If you're baking using the air-fry mode on your oven, keep an eye on all those cookies and don't leave them in for an extended period. If you're baking your cookies with convection, you can either adjust the temperature or the cooking time of the batch while maintaining the temperature specified in the recipe.

Make a note of which techniques resulted in the perfect cookies and make that your newfound go-to cookie recipe.


4. Play with Leftovers

Allow the bizarre menu options at your local diner to motivate you to use leftovers.

Make an omelette or scramble with your leftovers if you enjoy breakfast for dinner. Almost any leftovers can be transformed into tacos if you have a heap of tortillas. With flatbread, cheese, and cream, you can create a delicious melt from leftovers.

By setting a cooking resolve to be more imaginative with your leftovers, you'll not only reduce food waste, but you'll also keep your refrigerator tidier by avoiding the clutter of 900 empty containers of the old food.

5. Everything in a Flash Pickle

We've all seen shows about cooking competitions. We've all seen so many casual references to "quick-pickled" dishes that they've become practically unnoticeable. Now is the moment to emulate the television contestants and quickly pickle everything.

If you're barbecuing or preparing meat sandwiches and would like to add some zip, cut up a radish, slice a clove of garlic, thread some onions, and combine all of these ingredients in a jar or bowl with salt, vinegar, and honey. Please leave it in the refrigerator while you finish cooking the other ingredients, but before you realize it, the dinner will be ready, as will your quick-pickled vegetables!

You can experiment with different spoonfuls of vinegar (a mixture of apple cider vinegar and white vinegar is a good starting point) and vegetables to pickle. Still, once you've devoted yourself to trying with quick-pickled sides, you'll discover which combination works best for you.

Additionally, you can mix this cooking solution with the previous one. When you're ready to make chicken salad with leftover chicken, quickly pickle some onions and radishes as you slice and then mix them into your completed chicken salad. It will give the leftovers a crispy texture and lovely acidity.

Complementary Resolutions

Execute One Simple Task During Your WFH Lunch Hour

●        If you work from home or are enrolled in online education these days, housework is probably the furthest thing from your thoughts during the day. However, completing one kitchen-related duty during your lunch break, if possible, provides you with fewer chores to complete later.

●        Your chopping board and kitchen knife may go into the dishwasher while your grilled cheese sandwich cooks to a crisp golden finish.

Naturally, keep an eye on your preparing meals, but if your dishwasher or sink is close enough to your range, you can fill the dishwasher while you prepare for lunch. If your dishwasher is brimming with clean dishes, you are aware of the proper procedure: Unload it, and voila—you've accomplished one task on your lunch break!

Wednesday, 25 August 2021
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Questionairre with Nikhil Mahajan

 So this month featuring author is ' Nikhil Mahajan'


Nikhil Mahajan is a physiotherapist turned author who has written two national bestsellers titled “My Love never faked” and “As Long As I Love you” which were released in the year 2010 and 2011 respectively, and in the Year 2012, he co-authored a novel titled “A Little Love Incident” with Aakyaa Pandey. In the year 2013, he explored the new art of writing i.e. adult comedy in the Indian literary titled “Oh Yes! All Men are Dogs.” Which remains in the news throughout that year because of its witty content. His last book was “WHITE SMOKE” which was released in 2017 and now is set for a Web-Series by one of the biggest Production House in the country.

 

. Nikhil is prolific writes about the urban societies with civilized protagonists, and he inculcates the modernization in the Indian culture. Most of his work remains quixotic and fictitious which appeals to most of the youth throughout the country. Mahajan hails from Udhampur, a small place in Jammu and Kashmir and had his schooling from APS, Udhampur. He has done his Physiotherapy from JCOP, Jammu and then pursued PG - Ortho in Physiotherapy from MMU, Ambala. Currently, he is working in NCD Scheme, as a physiotherapist for a government hospital.


Questionnaire with Nikhil

1.       How did you first get involved in writing, are you an imaginative person?

 

Everyone who wants to be a writer imagines the day they’ll hold their finished book in their hand. And for me, there was a literary aspiration buried deep inside me. But then I had a break-up which broke me for two years. A part of me then started believing that it will never happen. But then something good happened that the story of my life came as my first book.

 

2.      Is ‘White Smoke’ your first book?

 

No, I have already written four books and my first book titled My Love Never Faked was a bestseller. This book was based on my true life incidents and I am very close to it. It largely put me into mainstream writing, which I never thought I would do.

 

3.      Why did you name your book 'WHITE SMOKE'?

 

Ever since I began writing this book, I had a long title in my mind. But when I was about to complete it and got in touch with Arup Bose of Srishti Publishers, he suggested that I keep the title short and crisp.

White in the title signifies wholesome and smoke is for the mystery, being indiscernible yet being there. This refers to something beyond human imagination and once you start reading the book, you will come to know that the title works well with the story.



4.  What are the hardships you underwent during the publishing process before landing up with a suitable publisher??

 Getting oneself published is as tough as writing a manuscript. Once you’re done with it, then your gates to a new world are opened. Sometimes publishers don’t really see eye to eye with a          writer’s story and reject it; sometimes things settle in one go itself. Something like that happened with me too. The first phase of my journey was not very smooth. I was rejected a lot of times, by five or six publishers. And few of them said it wasn’t a novel, but rather my autobiography. But then, Jayanta Kumar Bose from Srishti Publishers trusted my work and my first book went on to become a bestseller soon after its release. And I still receive a lot of emails from readers on that book.

 

5.      Which genre, according to you, is it the most difficult to write?

 

Writing a biography perhaps. There are certain perspectives in it which remain untouched and no matter how much you put the effort into it, somehow it remains biased to the person or the story. Actually, it’s like finding a needle in a haystack.

 

6.      Where do you see yourself in the next 6 months, and 5 years down the road?

I believe in simple living and want to shed all my burdens which I think I have come up with all these years. So in the next five years, I would like to be a calmer version of myself. But before doing anything like this, I would like to write something for society that will be more purposeful than writing commercial fiction. I want to write and make an impact on society against its evils.


11. Tell us something about your hobbies and any type of other activities that you love to do apart from writing?

 

        Apart from writing, I like listening to good music, I love to travel to different places and meet           different people; and I am very fond of cooking.

8.      What do you do when you are not writing?

I am a physiotherapist by profession and I practice it when I am not writing. Moreover, I live a life like any other guy next door… as simple as it can be and you may not even recognise me if I pass by you. I have a very normal busy life, a regular job, a family to raise and friends to enjoy life with. After getting published, nothing changed for me, and yes, there are times when I am not writing I am experimenting or travelling. I do not write every day. I do not write with deadlines or compulsions. I only write when I feel like it.

9.      Any specific tips you have for new writers who want to make it big in the world of published books?

Writing is a tough job, and it’s tougher to be published traditionally. There are three stages of writing getting your manuscript geared up for submission, editing it wisely and marketing it sensibly. So keep writing, no matter what. Just stay focused.


10  Share some notes on your upcoming project?

There is one finished book which I am holding right now which is about the journey of every woman who faces every type of decimation in the household to the offices, and overcomes it bravely. And my story is about three ambitious girls who face the evils which are faced by women every day in society. This story narrates how these three girls together overcome the pain and struggle, to make a mark for themselves, in the end emerging victorious. And I am also working on the sequel of WHITE SMOKE too. 

Sunday, 4 July 2021
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Questionnaire with Meena Mishra

 So this month's featured author is  ' Meena Mishra'


Can you tell us a little about yourself? Your profession and your hobbies!!


Meena Mishra is an award-winning author, poet, short-story writer, social worker, novelist, editor, educator and publisher. The Impish Lass Publishing House is her brainchild. Her poems, stories and book reviews have been published in many international journals and magazines. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards. She is an active member of the Mumbai English Educators’ Team and was invited by the Education Department of Maharashtra to be a part of The Review Committee for the new English textbook. She has been working as the International Coordinator for British Council activities for more than 10 years.  She has been invited as a judge for several literary competitions and lit fests including the Lit fest of IIT Bombay and NM college fest. Her poems are published in many magazines, including the prestigious periodical Woman’s Era. She has been a contributing author and poet for more than 100 books. Her books include- The Impish Lass, Emociones Infinitas, Within The Cocoon of Love and The Impish Lass Book 2. . Her poems have been translated and  published in Spanish magazine. His latest book – The Impish Lass-  Book 2 ( TIL Stories and More) has received raving reviews from the readers including the greatest Indian Nuclear Scientist Dr R. Chidambaram. It has received 5 stars rating on Amazon.    Her contribution to the field of education and writing has received acclamation from esteemed newspapers like Times of India and Mid Day. Her articles are published in Times of India’s NIE and a suburban newspaper and leading educational magazine of the country- Brainfeed Higher Education Plus. She was invited to share her views by Sony TV for their first episode of, Zindagi Ke Crossroads, based on the needs of special children.  She was recently invited by the “AajTak” news channel to express her views on the special episode on the PMC Bank scam victims. She has received many awards in 2020-21 for her contribution to the field of education and literature. Some of them are
•  Vishwa Shikshavid Samman -2020
•  Appreciation Certificate for Support for Covid 19  challenges in education by     Government of Maharashtra – Regional Academic Authority Mumbai.
• Pathbreaker of the Year Award-  by Harper Collins.
• Acharya Chanakya Shikshavid Samman -2020 for valuable contribution to empowering the society.
• Nation Builder Award.
• Super -30 Teacher nomination by IB Hub.
• ‘Most Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award,’ during World Education Summit in Feb-2021.
• Winner of Womennovator Award and  1000 Women of Asia Award, given in association with Ministry of Electronics and Information technology ( Government of India ). Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( Government of India ) and Agni Invest India.
• She has recently been nominated for the 2021 ELTons Outstanding Achievement Award by the British Council.
As a publisher, she believes that EACH SOUL THAT WRITES HAS THE RIGHT TO GET PUBLISHED.
 

Questionnaire with Meena Mishra

 
1.       How did you first get involved in writing, are you an imaginative person?
 
Meet Ms Meena Mishra, the author who sold 1k copies of her latest book ‘The Impish Lass- Book 2 ‘  without spending a penny on any sales, promotion or advertisement,  in less than 2 months, in this pandemic.
 
2.       What is more challenging – writing a book successfully or selling it?
 
Writing a book is easier than selling it. You have control over your writing but you have no control over the sales of the book. If you have lots of money to spend on marketing and advertisement, the visibility of your book helps you reach out to the readers. If you are already famous with a big sales record you don’t have to put in efforts for these things but if you are a beginner like me who is beginning from the scratch with no support from any big name in the industry, it’s very difficult to sell your book.
 
3.       Your book has got 5-star ratings on amazon.in and kindle apart from receiving raving reviews from the readers including the greatest nuclear scientist of this country Padma Vibhushan Dr. R. Chidambaram. How are you feeling as an author?
 
I am glad ‘The Impish Lass- Part 2’ has been well received by the readers. Actually, at the end of the day, you feel delighted as an author if your readers value and appreciate your efforts. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who have been a part of my editing team. ( The participants of the ‘Be an Editor for a Day,’ contest, Yutika Bhansali for handling this contest. Core editing and proofreading team - Praniti Gulyani, Ishani Behari, Kirthika Jayakumar, Sheila Bhattacharya, Shruti Bhardwaj, Anamika Kundu and Aparna Bhat for editing and proofreading all the stories at least 5 times. I am so very grateful to my self-motivated team. Of course, I would like to express my infinite gratitude towards Dr R. Chidambaram for being kind enough to accept my invitation of writing the foreword for this book. The official letter sent by him is like ‘Bharat Ratna’ for me. Something I would like to treasure for a lifetime.
 
4.       How did you manage to sell 1000 copies within two months in this pandemic and lockdown without any marketing or advertisement?
 
I do have my personal contacts that include my friends, colleagues, poets, writers, editors, relatives and ex-students. I received an overwhelming response from all of them. I would send them personal messages asking them to support me by buying my book and they would oblige me. There have been writers and friends who were either hospitalized or quarantined due to Covid, still, they bought my book to show their love and support towards me. My friends from Mumbai English Educators’ Team and Asian Literary Society also came forward to support me despite their personal struggles. My colleagues who had never ever read a story or poem of mine before, also came forward to support me wholeheartedly. I am so very grateful to each one of them.
 
5.  Is it right that you discouraged the readers to buy the book from different online platforms and encouraged them to buy directly from the publishing house? Don’t you think it would have added to your book coming up in the ranking of bestsellers?

Yes, I did. I am not only an author but the CEO of The Impish Lass Publishing House too. Why should I encourage people to buy from online platforms?  I don’t believe in this bestseller ranking and all. For me, It reached my readers and they could resonate with the stories, nothing else is more important than that.
 
6.  Which is your favourite story in this book?
 
‘How I Spent My First Earning ‘ is my personal favourite as it portrays my love towards my mother.
 
7. Who inspires you to write?
 
I have been living in an imaginary world with my secret muse. It’s my world where there is love, fancy, imagination, drama and much more. Whenever I am happy, sad, mad, upset, I share my feelings with him. He is a patient listener and always gives me the right suggestions. Whenever I write something, first of all, I seek his opinion on it and then proceed further. The last chapter of this book, ‘A Letter to My Muse,’ is dedicated to him.
 
8.       What would be your next step after this? I mean any other book in line?
 
I would like to rework my novel ‘Within the Cocoon of Love,’ co-authored by Vishwas Vaidya, a poet cum scientist from Pune.
 
9.       What is your message for the budding writers?
 
Don’t consider your first draft as your final draft. Work and re-work upon it. Get it edited, re-edited and proofread before your work goes for final printing. Be patient. There’s no shortcut to success. You never know whether your book would get buyers or not. Have faith in your skills and keep on honing them.




Tuesday, 1 June 2021
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Questionnaire with Orbindu Ganga

So this month's featured author is  'Orbindu Ganga'


Can you tell us about your literary journey? Your profession and your hobbies!! 


First of all, I am pleased and honoured to have my thoughts being worth shared with the reading community. I am Orbindu Ganga, have completed my masters in science, worked in various domains in the market analysis as a Process Associate in Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), investment banking as Band II Officer in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Content Account Manager (Client Relationship Manager) in global electronic operations in Reed Elsevier. I made a significant shift with the realisation of my passion. I made a move from content management as a Content Account Manager (Client Relationship Manager) into writing and spirituality. My passion has become my profession. The journey began when I started writing and made my cue into spirituality. I am the founder and editorial director of an international English Literary Journal – INNSÆI, International Journal of Creative Literature for Peace and Humanity (IJCLPH), author, poet, content writer, researcher, sketch artist, and spiritual healer.

I am touched by various shades of life. Content writing intrigued me to love the world of English literature. Loving the words and understanding the origin made me agog for semantics, etymology, and neology. I touched the nuances to get imbibed in understanding human behaviour psychology and counselling. Understanding the dynamics and the deeper conscience of the mind are my thoughts of knowing neuroscience and philosophy. The past has always been a subject of discussion which I adsorb from history and archaeological studies. Nature and its diverse species have fascinated me in the study of entomology, ecology, oceanography, and ichthyology. Walls do speak and so do is the structure that captivated me to get imbued in architecture and interior designing. Knowing the world around and creating a thought to get answers whirled in the thoughts to the world of quizzing. Understanding the people and the places created more inquisitiveness towards travelling. The heavenly bodies and their movement primed my love for astronomy. The waves of silence have always whispered me to music. In pursuit of the truth of the unknown influenced me deep in spirituality.

Poetry has been his first love. I have been the featured poet twice in November 2019 and July 2020 edition of "The Year of Poet VI and VII" for the poems - "Alone in the garden", "Scary eyes", "Dilapidated edifice", "Hiding her tears", "Waiting", and "Flowing" published by Inner Child Press International Publication (United States of America). My poetry "Lighting a candle of hope" has been published in the yearly "World Healing World Peace 2020" anthology published by the publishing house Inner Child Press International Publication from the United States of America. My poetry featured among the 42 poets around the world in the yearly anthology WHISPERS OF SOFTLAY: Yearly Anthology of poetry. My poetry “Renaissance within” has been published in the book WAR – WE ARE REVOLUTION by Inner Child Press International Publication (United States of America). I have been invited as the Guest Writer in Dr Hulya N Yilmaz's literary space.

 My poems have been published in international publications like  The Writers Club (United Kingdom) - "Tsunami", SIPAY Literary Journal (Seychelles) - “Revered the silence", "Humanity in nature's cry: Kerala Flood" and "Unflowered", Teesta Review: A Journal of poetry (India) - "Touching edifices" and "Mendicant", Sahitya Anand (India) - "Time to awake", "Shards of glass", "Perpetuity in backwaters" and "It rained like never before", Spillwords Press (United Kingdom) "My smiling assassin", "Premonition", "Metamorphosed", "Ricocheting the self", "Phrontistery", "Aurora splashes", "Searching him", "Her creation", "Flowing ink", and "The waiting days", SETU (United States of America), OPA - "Living with her memories", Atunis (Albania) - “A way to snowfondland", “Silence after the commotion”, and “My snobbish little bridge”, Winamop (United Kingdom) - "Ashes", "Touch me not", "My snout-fair snow", "Walking in the snow", "Being forlorn in autumn", "Serendipity", "Starry Night", "Tears", "Culacino", "Junction", "Blank", and "The 'I' in me", Science Shore (India) - "Realization", Borderless Journal (India) - "Praying Mantis" & Poetry of Spring's Embrace (United States of America) - "Sun Sliced the Ice", "If you had ...", "She was my mother", "Haunted exile", "Confetti of mizzle", "Where do I seek justice ?", "Flowing like a river", "Inane species", "To think different", "In tune with nature", "Sauntering heart for her", "Let her go", "Broken Wings", "My colours", "Still inspiring us", "God's own country", "Being", "Shadow", "Troubled water", "Inundated flow", "The nameless", "Remorse", "Let them heal alone", "The shift", "Tittle", "Voice of a revolution", "Chiaroscuro", "Dusted in dust", "Astral", "To connect", "Nihility", "Substance of a thought", "Seeing the life through", "Thoughtfulness", "The Unsung", "Like never before", "At last, not again - The rain", "Weeping in my heart", "The choice of knowing", "Listening to her", "Adam-Eved", "Never the same", "An ink forever" ,"A drive at night", "Living with her, delighted forever", "Au Revoir", "She is my smile", "Karmic flow", "A helping hand", "Copious in silence", "A taste of being amarantine", "Harakiri", "Lost with the mind", "Pulchritudinous drained", "Moments of beauty", "Existence of Tagore",

"Mastered, Slave within", "Enprint of nature - Truth of life, "Musligark", "I am Unlettered", "Scattered Letters", "The Mad Race - The Farcical Life", "Still", "Flowing with the wind", "Changing Colours", "My Tears Are Alone", "Ardhanareeshvara", "An Exploration", "Buried and Smiling", "Left Me With Tears", "Infinity", "Mysteries in Symmetries", "I am Waiting", "None to see", "I am Unlettered", "Musligark", "An Enprint of Nature - Truth of Life", "Mastered, Slave Within", "Existence of Tagore", and "Moments of Beauty".

The November edition of the prestigious Poiesisonline Multiversity International Monthly magazine THE MAG has published my multilingual poetry from English (My Silence ...) to Hindi -  मेरी खामोशियां (Meri Khamoshiyaan) and Tamil - என் மௌனம் (En maunam). My poetry "A clarion call for synergy" and "I breathe, waiting to fulfil my dreams" have been published in the special edition of the international E-Magazine Cultural Reverence.

 My poems have been published in anthologies like VASUDHA 2 - “Selfless”, RAINDROPS OF LOVE, HEARTISTRY - “She” and “Love being floored”, POEMS FROM 30 BEST POETS - "Knowing me", "Journey to heart" and "Hide & Seek", MOONLIGHT - "Moonglade", "Pleine Lune" and "Moonwake", MEDLEY OF MELODIES - “Cleanse me”, CORONA - SOCIAL DISTANCING - "The known assassin - Corona", "ROOBROO - II - " Watered" and THE HEART OF A POET - "Being humane." My poems have been published in Techtouchtalk, an English Weekly - "The landfall" and "Ant - The Cleaner." My poetry has been published in the anthology GREEN AWAKENINGS published by Kavya-Adisakrit. My poem "An unknown guest in the family" has been published in the book "THE CYCLONE WILL END" published by Farha Pustaka (Indonesia).

 My poetry featured in an international anthology "WORLD FOR PEACE" by World Institute for Peace (WIP). I have published my oeuvre "Where is my daughter ?" on dementia in the book TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS WITH DEMENTIA. My poetry "My words" featured in the YouTube channel POETRY FOR PEACE on World Poetry Day March 21, 2019. My three poems - "Playing around", "Eternal love" and "Princess" are published in the anthology "HARMONIOUS SYMPHONIES" by Solitaire. My two poems "Smiling with a gelasin" and "Like never before" are published in the anthology " BEYOND WORDS." My poem "lesson learnt" has been published in the anthology THE DIFFICULT TIMES."

 My short story "Dharma's Battle" has been published in the book "The land of unfree labourers." My short story “Searching For Voice” has been published in the book UNFURLING MY HEART published by Evince Publication. My two research papers are published in the journal - Thar Multidiscipline Journal (A spiritual insight: A study on Rudyard Kipling's poem "IF") and a book - The Poetry of Vihang A. Naik (New Literary Dimensions) - Quest for peace and Hope: A study of Vihang A. Naik's Poetry Manifesto (New & Selected Poems). I have reviewed a book - Reneging Quiescence by Dr Samiha Zubair.

My articles "Thoughts have a heart" and "God's own country - A model to emulate during a medical emergency", "A journey away from crescendo", "Mother: A God on earth" and "The inception of a new dimension" have been published in the digital platform in yoursnews.in. My articles "Education system needs reform" and "The suicidal SELF" has been published in Sindh Courier. My articles "The art of learning" and "Substance of a thought" are published in SCIENCE SHORE. My poetry and prose have been published in the book "Complexion Based Discriminations."

 My science article "Understanding bipolar disorder with pineal gland" has been published in the book  "NO ONE FIGHTS ALONE - Volume 2."

My painting "Adsorbing the energy" and the article "A journey to explore" have been published in a spiritual journal - Awakening (India). My photography "THEYYAM" has been published in Winamop.

 I feature in World Anthology by World Nation Writers' Union (Kazakistan) (Temirqazyq - Best Poet/Writer 2017) - "Reams of dreams", "Painting my pain" and "The shadows of the past." I am an official member of the World Healing World Peace Foundation. I have authored the book “SAUDADE.”

My interview:

https://authorsinterviews.wordpress.com/2018/02/14/here-is-my-interview-with-orbindu-ganga/

Invited as a Guest Writer:

https://hulyanyilmaz.com/2020/07/19/guest-post-2/?fbclid=IwAR3HTlYvJOnD1YrBJJyvc0N_lNwAnZSxfVBMlQwd0IIo3F4IGqNbsHkrBjY

 Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0793TPYCJ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1516336249&sr=8-8&keywords=saudade#

 Amazon author page:

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079S3LWPN

 Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/orlando.blake.5036

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ordinary_is_beautiful/

 

 Qestionnaire with Orbindu Ganga

How did you first get involved in writing, are you an imaginative person?

 

It was serendipity. It happened in 2014 when I started scribbling those thoughts through my ink, those became poetry. It was never looking back from thereon.  I am very much in the world of imagination when my ink flows. Spirituality has helped me into exploration and showed me a path of imagination. 

 

 

What do you find most challenging about your writing?

 

Writer's block is a challenging one where we are unable to pen a single word. At such a time, everything seems to be oblivious. In search of thoughts, we try even harder, end up doing nothing with no thoughts flowing to write. It takes days or weeks to come out of hibernation and make the ink flow again. But I do enjoy each phase as it gives you so much to observe within and reiterate the fact that life is such a wonderful experience. Life teaches you so much with our observations. We have to observe and be in the flow. 

What do you do when you are not writing?

As I said before, I am more in observation when my ink doesn't flow. Spirituality has given me a lot the way I think. I am never satisfied with one thing. So my thoughts are exploring many things. I have to handle my journal and we are in the process of starting another journal. I love healthy conversations because I love the art of listening, being my passion. I do offline counselling, in the training session to become one very soon.  

Where do you see yourself in the next 6 months, and 5 years down the road?

We would have started our next multilingual literary journal, one of its kind within 6 months. I will have my anthologies published as an editor to provide a platform for young creators. I will be doing my counselling session as a professional life coach, one of my dreams, to listen to people and help them see life with lucidity. I will also be more involved in spiritual healing.

Five years is a long journey, there are many things in mind to initiate various projects. One will be a project in science related to education. Another project is for humanity and to bring a smile to others. Hope to see many more anthologies being published as an editor. We will have another colossal literary journal to be launched. I have my book launched, working on it for many years. 

How do you keep coming up with material/content for your story? 

You just need to love yourself and explore the self. As you do every day, you will come up with many thoughts, those thoughts become your oeuvre. 

Just be in the flow, the universe will show the path...

 Any specific tips you have for new writers who want to make it big in the world of published books? 

The universe has a path for each one of us. It's our prerogative to realise and understand the real essence of life. We should not be following anyone, not replicate what others have done before. It is their journey, they realised it in their ways. Similarly, each one has a journey of their own. Each one needs to have faith in their talent and efficaciously work on it to sharpen it. One needs to be aware and accept their journey. Never think of a result of how it will serve you.

 Love what you do, you shall receive what you deserve... 

 What’s the best thing a writer can give to his readers?

He/she should be true to oneself in his/her creations. Let the world be against you, believe in your ability and create your oeuvres. Every time you create, unless you're satisfied with your oeuvre, never publish it. Be your authentic self in bringing out the best in your creativity. When the readers like your oeuvre, they would love your authentic self. So be the original, never become someone else.  

A lot of people are interested in writing for the money earning potential. What are some tips for people interesting in making money from writing? What are some realistic expectations in regards to what can be made?

Writing is not for those who want to mint money. They might have a smile in the early phase, but they won't continue the journey because you need to love your craft and one should have the passion. Writing is a passion, if you love writing, you will flow in the literary journey without thinking much. You need to sow a seed with passion and compassion, the result will be overwhelming. Never think of the result, love your work, do it with passion, you will find the result.

 

Impossible is nothing. Anything is possible in this world. You need to believe in yourself and creations should be authentic of yourself. Though it might take some time, you shall find the taste of bliss in the beautiful journey. Just believe in yourself, challenge the existing, and work efficaciously the world will be yours. 

 What motivates you most in life?

 Having a beautiful life itself is a motivation. Not all souls created to become a human form. The day I was born, I consider myself to be fortunate. It is the way we think in this beautiful life. Each one of us has both phases in life. One can make you smile and another lesson to learn. How you take both in the same stride is more important. Each moment lived is valuable. Each moment to make someone smile is bliss. I am adding bliss every day, the little I could.I am the being, I am becoming the life. 

The majority of the readers tend to take sides due to religion and other considerations.

 Each one should have an opinion. We are human having a form to express what we believe. But there is a fine line where it should not go beyond the self unless the person is more attached to the cause. We are all independent to express our opinions, it is all about where we put a pause, a comma and a period. 

What is the story behind the name of your book?

Saudade is one of my favourite words which doesn't have an equivalent English word. The word has a lot of significance in terms of the emotional phase where one feels nostalgic and melancholic at the same time. The book touches those feelings misted with tears, with a smile. There is the phase in life when we look back, it brings mixed emotions which can't be explained in words. Such words are silent and they reach out with the tears showing their helplessness and rekindling the memories. 

What are your views on increasing plagiarism?

A coin has two sides, we accept two sides to realise the importance. Plagiarism is found everywhere. If we take a sword to wipe off, you might be successful in cleaving the weeds. But it shall again sprout. The approach shouldn't be to negate and talk tough. We need to accept the status quo. We need to understand the root cause for such a phenomenon existing incessantly every time. The only way is to educate the people who do plagiarize. Let us join together to educate our people about plagiarism to make them understand the pros and cons of it. More importantly to show them the direction to correct themselves. We will be cleaving the foundation of the weeds. It will help us to have a society where plagiarism becomes zilch. The solution should be for the development and not neglected those, leaving them alone, which can make them anti-social elements in future.