I can’t wait to see this beautiful monument as my clients and I visit it during our 2011 Silver Legends Himalayan Tour next month.
Emperor Shah Jehan commissioned the building of the Taj Mahal, a final resting place and mausoleum for his beloved bride and wife Mumtaz Mahal, starting one year after she died. The building started in 1632, took twenty-two years to build and twenty thousand laborers. It is spread over forty-two acres on the banks of the River Yamuna near the city of Agra and was designed in such a way that no further addition or alteration to it would be possible.
My Himalayan tours are all about delicious food such as our rainbow salad of delicious local vegetables, herbs and spices of the area. Although some of those greens are not available in the bay area I have found some nutritious substitutes which I posted in a recipe a few months ago and am also sharing as a video version below.
This nutritious recipe includes power greens such as Kale and Swiss Chard. Did you know that one cup of Kale provides over 300% of Vitamin A and 80% of your Vitamin C daily needs, while Swiss Chard provides 374% of your Vitamin K daily needs.
Other ingredients include bell peppers – high in antioxidants,phytochemicalsandlycopene,known to fight heart disease, stroke and cancer while Cilantro is a powerful cleansing agent, good for the digestion and full of antibacterial qualities.
The ingredients make for a filling, wonderful meal by itself or with some grilled chicken, sliced and layered over the top. It is also featured as one of recipes inThe New GreenGrocer Cookbookthat Pete Carcioni re-published in honor of his father Joe Carcioni the original “Greengrocer”.
Do you have a favorite recipe you would like to share? Or perhaps a healthy nutritious one that has been a big hit with your kids? Do share so we can all benefit and enjoy.
I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. (Stephen Grellet)
I am amazed at the beautiful children I come across when I am in Meghalaya, India. These kids are so quick with a smile and so endearing. Some of the faces I saw created in me a motivation to start my nonproft Visions for Villages
When you are taking part in tours of the Himalayas, I hope you are able to visit a tea manufacturing place. This is my final discussion on teas and today’s topic is on the healing qualities and health benefits of teas.
All types of tea contain flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants. These flavonoids in tea also help maintain bone mineral density, reducing osteoporosis and preventing fractures as we age. Green tea flavonoids stimulate the body’s ability to burn calories by increasing fat oxidation and raising the metabolism.
Dr. Jack Bukowski of Harvard Medical School concludes that the flavonoids and antioxidants found in tea may inhibit the formation of cancer cells, and protect the cardiovascular system by decreasing free radicals.
Flavonoids also work as anti-clotting agents, enhance the body’s immune functions, lower LDL cholesterol levels while raising HDL, boost longevity, assist digestion, and lower blood pressure.
So bottoms up to a nice cup of tea!
You can read more about teas, tips on making a perfect cup, as well as my yummy chai recipe in my book, The Deity Diet.
Because my wellness boot camps in India are at a 1600-acre tea plantation, my guests and I have the good fortune of seeing how tea is manufactured from the initial picking of the “two leaves and a bud” until the tea is packaged for the open markets, so I thought I would share with you how this process works.
It starts with the harvesting of the tea leaves where as I had mentioned above, only the bud and the two youngest leaves are plucked. My boot camp guests and I are so fortunate to have the pleasure of hiking amongst the many trails and tea bushes of the vast estate and frequently come across the workers who manually do this harvesting, a pretty labor intensive process.
And did you know that an experienced worker can pick up to 60 pounds of tea a day which produces about 15 pounds of the final product.
These freshly picked leaves are spread out on trays and hot air is blown over them for up to twenty four hours to drive out the moisture. This is known as the withering process and during this phase the leaves lose about 40% of their weight. During the drying process the leaves turn a dark shade of green. Leaves that are to be made into black tea are then rolled and broken up with machines to release their enzymes and essential oils, preparing them for the oxidation process.
In my next post (part 2 of 3), I will discuss the oxidation and fermentation process. Part 3 will be the final section on tea where you will find out how manufacturing is done to create black, green, oolong, and white teas and what makes these teas different from each other.
If you are in the New Delhi area of India and would like to participate in an unusual experience – you may want to take an inner city walk with the Salaam Baalak Trust.
This organization works with street children in Delhi, providing them with a caring, secure environment which includes five 24-hour full care shelters for children, while providing them with a means to an education, and ultimately the opportunity to live full, enriched, meaningful lives.
Some of these children such as Shamsul, due to poverty and family problems, boarded a train from his home state at the age of 11 to New Delhi where he spent one a and half years picking rags in and around the railway station before being picked up by one of the trust staff. Shamsul received an education and is now a young man earning a good salary at a media company.
This is not a slum tour, this is a walk through the backstreets of New Delhi led by your young, fully trained guide who was once living and working on the streets, where you will view the world through their eyes as they share with you their life journeys. This tour is also one of the services that we offer as part of our Himalayan Boot Camp vacations.
(My apologies for this long blog post, but I did not want to break it up into more than two parts. Perhaps it is more of a short story, but I so wanted to share with you the beautiful story and history behind the Taj Mahal, and if you should one day see this amazing monument, understand and imagine in your mind the lives of the two people who were the reason for its existence)
Though only fourteen years of age, Arjumand was stunning, and it was clear she could not lack for suitors. Arjumand’s thick hair was the color of the midnight sky and reached down to her waist. Her charcoal-colored eyes mesmerized him with unimagined and unspoken promises in their depths. Her golden skin was smooth and her lips red and full. She moved with such grace that she seemed to float about. And when she met his eyes ever so briefly, the prince was sure that her small smile that followed was meant for him alone. He was right. Arjumand herself was captivated by the attractive young prince and knew in her heart that they were destined for each other.
Though Prince Khurram was temporarily rendered speechless with Arjumand’s beauty and grace, upon his recovery he inquired as to Arjumand’s name and family. He learned that Arjumand was born to one of the noble houses of his court, and to his amazement, was not yet engaged to any man.
As the days and weeks passed, Prince Khurram could not stop thinking about Arjumand. At this time, he was already betrothed to two other princesses in arranged marriages by his father the Emperor, but the prince did not love or even know either of these princesses. On the other hand, he was completely besotted with Arjumand.
Upon much reflection, he requested permission from his father, Emperor Jehangir, to marry Arjumand. His father agreed, and with the proper review and recommendations of the astrologers and the correct alignment of the stars, Prince Khurram was betrothed to Arjumand in 1607 and their wedding date was set.
Finally, the happy day approached, and on March 27, 1612, five years later, handsome Prince Khurram, at the age of twenty, married the beautiful nineteen-year old Arjumand.
Prince Khurram favored Arjumand above all others, including his two other wives, and he showered her with love and affection. To the great delight of their subjects, Arjumand was just as in love with him as he was with her. The prince broke all tradition by being with her as much as possible, and the two were inseparable. The prince loved to bestow upon his bride unusual and beautiful gifts from all over the kingdom, but one gift he gave her was more than a mere object, more than even just a symbol of his love for her. Rather, it represented not only the special place she held in his heart, but also her place in their kingdom, and the love of the Court and its subjects for her – a new name. From now on she would be known as Mumtaz Mahal, which meant “Chosen One of the Palace.”
The years passed and eventually Emperor Jehangir died. Prince Khurram became the new emperor on February 4, 1628 and from that time became known as Shah Jehan.
Shah Jehan ruled withMumtaz Mahalby his side. Mumtaz was renowned for the major role she played in her husband’s monarchy. Her wisdom was legendary and she became his counselor, companion and partner and it was said, a critical advisor as he ruled his kingdom. Their combined intelligence and astute judgment created a monarchy at this time that was comparable to no other.
Mumtaz Mahal was the only one of Shah Jehan’s wives to bear him children. During their nineteen-year marriage, she bore him fourteen children. However, only seven of their children survived infancy.
In 1631, Shah Jehan readied himself for battle against the warlord of a neighboring kingdom; a battle that he guessed would last for many months as the enemy was a fierce one. Normally, Mumtaz accompanied the emperor to his battles, staying at a nearby palace, but she was pregnant with her fourteenth child at the time and the palace physicians did not recommend travelling in her condition. Despite the circumstances however, Mumtaz, who was strong in body and in mind, insisted on going along as she normally would and Shah Jehan was unable to deny her request.
While Shah Jehan led his army into battle, his wife Mumtaz stayed at a royal harem a few hours away. When her time came, she went into labor and gave birth to a baby girl at the harem. A messenger brought word to the emperor that he had a healthy daughter and that the queen was tired but doing well. Since the news was good, the shah decided he would wait until morning, when he would leave his troops and set out for the harem to visit Mumtaz and their new daughter.
After an exhausting but triumphant day on the battlefield, the emperor was readying himself for a few hours sleep before his journey to see his queen, when he received some disturbing news. It looked like Mumtaz had taken a turn for the worse and was in very serious condition. The harem physicians recommended that he get there as quickly as possible to see his wife.
Immediately, Shah Jehan left the camp with his bodyguards, riding as fast as they could into the early hours of the morning. When he arrived at Mumtaz’s bedside, he was shocked and terrified to see her so weak and pale, and deep in his heart he feared that she would not make it past morning. This fear was worse than anything he ever encountered, even during his most fierce battles. How would he make it without her by his side?
For the next few hours, Shah Jehan held his beloved Mumtaz in his arms until, in the early hour of dawn, she breathed her last faint breath. As he lay by her side, his heart heavy and breaking, his world turned dark with sorrow and pain, only the gods knew that Shah Jehan would never be the same man again. His spirit and love of life had died along with Mumtaz. She was all of 38 years old.
It was said that following his wife’s death, Shah Jehan was so heartbroken, that he locked himself in his private chambers where all the people in the palace heard were cries of anguish. When he finally emerged days later, he declared a mourning period throughout the kingdom.
After his first year of sorrow and pain, Shah Jehan commissioned the building of the mausoleum – the Taj Mahal – for his beloved bride and wife. The building of Mumtaz’s tomb started in 1632, one year after her death. It took twenty-two years to build and twenty thousand laborers. It is spread over forty-two acres on the banks of the River Yamuna near the city of Agra and was designed in such a way that no further addition or alteration to it would be possible.
The Taj Mahal was built on a raised square platform of 186 feet by 186 feet. The central dome was fifty-eight feet in diameter and 213 feet in height. There are four minarets, one at each corner of the Taj at a height of 162.5 feet each.
Deep inside the mausoleum are the actual crypts containing the bodies of the emperor and the queen, while the two marble tombs above them are the two false tombs viewable to the general public.
Enormous quantities of white marble and sandstone were brought in from different areas of the Munhall empire. Precious stones from different parts of the emperor’s kingdom and beyond were brought in to adorn the walls and ceilings – pearls, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, jade and more.
According to art historian Shobita Punja, “as you walk closer to [the Taj Mahal], its magnificence just takes over. Reflected in a long pool is the mausoleum in all its majesty. The dome floats two hundred and fifty feet into the sky, its simplicity and proportions perfect, subtle variations in the veined marble creating changes in color with every mood of the heavens. Four minarets frame the space like the setting of a jewel”
“The sky forms a curtain to the Taj,” Shobita further adds. “It’s the backdrop. At night, when the sky is black, this little marble jewel box stands glistening in the moonlight; in the early morning, when the sky is pink and orange, the white marble reflects those colors; and at sunset it has a completely different look. So the sky is as important as any other physical detail around the Taj. And the way it’s set on that platform, standing up against the huge expanse of sky, it seems as though they were evoking a sort of heavenly curtain to play a part in the scheme of things…. That’s why it’s so perfect. It’s a symbol of perfect love and of great beauty.”
The years went by and Shah Jehan never took on another wife but continued to rule his kingdom in peace for another 26 years until he became seriously ill in the year 1657. At that time, he had five sons, the youngest of which wasAurangzeb. Aurangzeb wanted the throne and for almost two years he fought his four brothers until he had eliminated all of them. In 1658, Aurangzeb declared himself emperor and imprisoned his father at the Jasmine tower of the Red Fort in Agra. Aurangzeb imprisoned Shah Jehan for eight years at that tower.
From the shah’s chambers there, he would gaze daily at Mumtaz’s beautiful tomb across theriver Yamuna. He would remember the love they shared, the love which he knew even death could not contain.
After he died in 1666, he was buried in the inner crypt of the Taj Mahal, next to his beloved Mumtaz, the two lovers together at last for all eternity.
I would like to provide my guests the opportunity to interact and give back to the local communities in India they visit during their Himalayan Boot Camp journeys. I truly believe that it can be a rewarding experience if one has brightened the life of someone less fortunate in the community one left behind after the vacation is over.
I am thinking of providing this interaction at a couple of the local schools that cater to the more impoverished children. Here are just a couple of my ideas for my guests:
Take 3-4 books and have a storybook session with the children. The local children will love this!
An afternoon of crafts with the children using supplies we take from here that those children have never seen and can take home with them (paper dolls, painting etc – the possibilities are endless)
Distribute some clothes (T-Shirts?) and have some afternoon refreshments and snacks.
These are just small things but they are a start. I grew up in this area of Meghalaya, India and know exactly how much brightness this will bring to the children. I am not sure where this idea will take me but I just have this gut feeling that both the givers and receivers of this kindness will be so blessed and the memories will be amazing.
Please provide feedback – tell me what you think. I also welcome any additional ideas you may have.
Ever met someone who absolutely changed the way you think? Well, a few months ago I met Cassandra Rae of Simply Fearless, an absolutely amazing woman and one of the most positive thinkers I know. Cassandra’s online bio is “I am simply and beautifully human!” What an attitude!
I went to Cassandra for help with my blog as I was totally stuck with what I call a mental blog block (she is also a blogging expert and can provide tons of ideas in a matter of minutes). So after helping me get unstuck we starting talking – I was having a totally overwhelming day (she is also a great listener) and going through the “I have to do this…” and “I have to do that..” – she looked at me and said, “Connie, change the “I have to..” to “I get to…“.
I just looked at her in amazement that such powerful little words just popped out of her that could completely change an attitude! Those words have made such a difference in my life since then and I have reminded myself so many times to say “I get to…”.
Overwhelming tasks become positive opportunities to be thankful for. For example, I have to cook tonight becomes I am fortunate to have a husband or child or family I get to cook for… I have to get these books back to the library becomes I am thankful for FREE books and movies I get to enjoy and so on and so forth.
I have passed this on to my daughters, my sisters, and my friends. Who knows how many attitudes and lives these little words have impacted. Just amazing. If you want to find out more about Cassandra be sure to check out her awesome blog and website at www.simplyfearless.com.
A wonderful thing happened to me recently. I belong to this amazing group called Ladies Who Launch (LWL). I consider myself very lucky to be involved with this group as they have been an invaluable for encouragement and feedback on some of my ideas and endeavors as I was launching Himalayan Boot Camp. They are also a great source for recommendations on resources ranging from web designers to insurance agents and more.
A few weeks ago, as I was finishing my book The Deity Diet and looking for people in the health and nutrition field to review and endorse it, I sent out an email to this talented and diverse group of women, asking whether anyone would like to check out my manuscript and endorse my book.
Parenting coach Chandra Giovanni, who I had never met but whose name I have seen often in emails back and forth in the LWL circle forwarded my request to Dr. Susan Lark, an authority on health, nutrition and balanced living and a bestselling author of 13 books. To my delight, a few days later Dr. Lark responded back that she had reviewed my manuscript and would be happy to endorse my book.
I have received just as notable endorsements for my book from other experts in the fitness and nutrition fields, to note just a few fabulous people to which I am thankful. What marvelous people surround us every where.
I would like to pose the following questions to my readers – have you experienced the power of women working together in your life? Were you at the receiving end? Or were you one of the women who helped someone else out? What motivated you to help? I am curious if you were blessed in some strange wonderful way.
I would love to hear your story. Feel free to comment or write me an email and I will take the top two stories and blog about you and your experiences. And remember, anytime I blog your story you receive a free autographed copy of my book. Lets connect and interact, it makes it so much more interesting that just myself as the lone writer of my blog.
Until next time, here’s to your Longevity and Abundant Living!
The information in this blog is for educational purposes only. For diagnosis or treatment of any medical problem, please consult your licensed health care practitioner.
nufactured from the initial picking of the “two leaves and a bud” until the tea is packaged for the open markets, so I thought I would share with you how this process works.
After his first year of sorrow and pain, Shah Jehan commissioned the building of the mausoleum – the Taj Mahal – for his beloved bride and wife. The building of Mumtaz’s tomb started in 1632, one year after her death. It took twenty-two years to build and twenty thousand laborers. It is spread over forty-two acres on the banks of the River Yamuna near the city of Agra and was designed in such a way that no further addition or alteration to it would be possible.
