Winter season brings round, sweet oranges along with it. Recall those legendary days when you used to call your friend, and the moment he used to look back.

Squeezeeee!!!

All the juice from the peel in his eyes. Haha! Those were the pranks amongst 90s kids. 
Guess what the juice was instead good for the skin.

I have never been a fan of fancy bottles telling us 'natural and pure' when in reality they have only a slight percentage of it and is loaded with preservatives, artificial colors, and fragrances. Last year I made flax seed gel for ageless skin at home

Be radiant as these dazzling-orange bright peels

Born in a middle-class family, I tend to reduce the waste to the minimum and get the maximum out of a thing. Taking an example of oranges, why to throw the peel when it is not a waste but in fact, 100 gm of peel contains about 50 mg more vit.C than the pulp. Orange peel also contains considerable amounts of calcium, copper, magnesium, vitamin A, folate and dietary fiber.

"I prepared an orange scrub without any hassle at home."

Steps to prepare it-

"Peel, Dry n Grind"

• First, wash the oranges judiciously before peeling them off to remove all the pesticides Keep them immersed in water like for 10-15 minutes. 

• Take out the peel and cut them in smaller pieces in order to receive even sunlight.

You can also use clean scissors to cut them more evenly.

• Let them dry for 3-4 days under the direct sunlight.

• Do the 'Brittle Test': The peel should be hard and brittle making sure that it has no sign of water left. The water content leads to the growth of microorganisms and bacteria.

• If found good for use, grind them well in a grinder.

• Voila! your scrub is ready

It won't look as bright orange as it used to. Instead it will take the color of the inside of the peel.

PROS:

Happiness is utilising to the maximum and reducing waste to the minimum

• It can be made at home: Best homemade scrub.
• 100% Pure, natural, and fresh.
• Super Inexpensive.
• Keeps skin radiant and healthy with an orange glow.
• If you are suffering from TANNED SKIN. This is the solution.
• Help get rid of period acne and pimples. It is a boon for OILY SKIN.
• Gets rid of dark spots and blemishes
• No wonder nature has given us hints for every remedy. The skin of an orange resembles a human facial skin. You can see tiny pores on its peel. 

A hint for curing open pore problem!

Cons:

It smells heavenly!

• It needs to be finished within 2-3 months as it has no preservatives added. For better usage, Keep it dry and in the refrigerator but in an airtight jar to prevent microbial contamination.

I hope you liked my DIY orange peel mask cum scrub. I am a regular user of orange peel powder wish it betters glow and happiness to your face too like it brings to mine everyday.

If you wish to have any other 'DIY mask, face wash or scrub' request. Comment down and I will try to make it and tell you know the process.

Till then,
Keep masking, Keep glowing 😃
and remember that- " YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL !"

Shongruff
-A Glow of Happiness!

"It is only 1 water bottle" said - 8 billion people

No matter how much we try to avoid it, it has become an inevitable thing in our life. We cannot abstain from using it because of its omnipresence- The Plastic!

How to ruin a perfect place

Did you read about a  pregnant sperm whale found dead on the beach and the scientists found that the excess plastic found in its body blocked its way to its stomach?

If you are feeling the pain and anguish inside you. Welcome to the group that somewhat slightly somewhere in their hearts does care about mother nature. I go through the same pain everytime I visit Himachal Pradesh. People are turning beauty into trash bin.

I now completely understand the phrase-" Her enemy was her own beauty". 

If we see on a micro level: the soil, like humans, contains five basic elements of nature called earth, air, water, fire, and space. By throwing plastics anywhere, we contaminate the earth and the water it carries. The wildlife gets affected, the birds feeding on insects who are consuming this plastic. We are unknowingly harming so many species. The water that we think is the purest and the safest, might be carrying the poison from the plastic.

And not even the top of the peaks are not kept unadulterated infact are contaminated the most- Beautiful places but covered with wrappers of lays, chewing gums, biselri bottles, cigarette packs, beer bottles, and what not.

Where do you think your plastic waste goes?

So heartbreaking </3 Mothers feeding their babies, death.

It has been taken off from your house does not mean it has been taken off the planet. It is here only.

Chances are it ends up in rivers, land, seas or ocean, putting the marine life at risk. That is why we should make an effort in our daily life to refuse single-use plastic at least.

Facts about it:

Do you know plastic items can take up to 1000 years to decompose in landfills?

Plastic bags we use in our everyday life take 10-1000 years to decompose, while plastic bottles can take 450 years or more. 

What on earth are these golf balls doing in the ocean?

Can we burn it?  No, we can’t just burn it either. But we still can see people burning plastic and causing more damage to the already severely polluted air we breathe in.

Here is a small list of small efforts required from our side to save our environment:

1. Drink water from the locals and natural water available in the mountains. this is good for your health.

No man-made purification can match the natural process.

 2. Even if you have bought a biselri bottle. Try to stick to that one bottle by re-filling it where ever possible .

Have you done something like this? If yes, we are proud of you :)

3. When in a cafe, ask them to give you food in steel plates and not disposal ones.

Stop buying plastic & the companies will stop producing crap

4. Guide and spread awareness among the locals, cafes, and shops about the installation of dustbins. Ask cafe owners to replace disposable to steel utensils. Even if you are able to change a single person's mindset. Consider yourself a gifted one, nature will surely pay you back one day.

It is the responsibility of each and every one of us, we all have to do our bit

5. We love eating Maggi up at the top. But do you know the amount of waste it is generating
Keep a small bowl, a mug and a spoon with you. Switch to enjoying a bowl of local food. Maggi and lays you can have at your home in the city too.

Get free maggi noodles by returning 10 empty Ma`ggi-wrappers

You have the choice to decide either Maggi or Mountains???

6. If it is convenient, keep an extra poly bag for collecting plastic waste you see on your way.
Imagine 1 bag by 1 person and hundreds of people participating. Together we can do it.

Even after 33 years, it still looks like it was used yesterday.

7.  Bring your waste down like beer bottles, Lays wrapper, chocolate/chewing gum wrappers along with yourself. You carried it to the top. Have the courage to bring it down with you. It will be lighter than before. A true nature-lover will never hurt his love.

8. If you are an artist, make the local dustbins colorful with sprays to make them attractive.

9. In Kasol, it was not easy to walk along the banks of river Parvati because it had broken beer bottles, stuck in the sand. Pick up the unbroken bottles and make art out of it.

Clean water is a blessing from God, don't pollute it

10. Join and help NGO like healing himalayas and trek and clean the area along with them. They will provide you with the great opportunity to give back to the mother nature and satiate your love for the mountains at the same time.

“What difference will it really make?”

I say A LOT.

Respect the environment and culture of people living in the places you visit. Follow the 'Leave No Trace' policy everywhere you go and carry you waste till you can dispose of it properly. Not anywhere like roads, from the bus windows or near trees. These are 'bad manners'

Transparent plastic found in our online deliveries is the most dangerous.

Before going vegan, I guess I need to boycott online shopping too. While searching for some solutions to this problem, I found: 

A great solution, if true!

We have to push our govt.  by whatever means it is possible. If you are a writer, poet, singer, dancer or an engineer-  spread awareness through your work and actions.

Sealed!

A community held together by its rituals

If you are wondering what is it. Wait for a while I will be disclosing everything in this post about the best time of my life in a village in the mountains of Kinnaur Valley and why you need to visit this place once in your lifetime.
Once!!! I think I am just being modest.

There is so much to see, feel and take along with you that a mere one time visit is surely not enough.
This part of the eastern Himachal is on the route that takes us to the incredible Spiti.

I think I have a thing for the word 'K'. This time Kalpa, last time in Himachal I visited Kalga.
To read about my experience in beautiful hamlet 'Kalga' Click here!
Kalpa and Kalga sound like long lost siblings of each other.

Entrance to the beautiful hamlet

Walking on the path with snow on both sides of the road, cold breeze touching your face and the sound of ice melting from the houses- Sheer bliss!

Kalpa is a small town above Reckong Peo in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. Inhabited by Kinnauri people and their distinguished green caps. If you have heard about Mr. Shyam Saran Negi-  India's first ever voter, he also belongs to Kalpa. And this I came to know just now, how did I miss meeting him!

Why Visit Now?

During springs, you will find flowers in full bloom, pleasant weather and the love for sunlight.
More reasons to visit will be there in the post as we proceed.

On route Reckong Peo

Beautiful Homes

When was the last time you saw a red letterbox?

It was about to snow (View from our hotel)

Animals too are a big fan of Dinesh Bhaiya

Me at my favorite corner enjoying my food in front of Dinesh Bhojanalaya