Monday, 18 January 2016

Why kattappa killed bahubali

"The saddest part about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies."- Anonymous
The quote above might ring a bell to the people who recently watched 'Bahubali', the antecedent of the two part epic fantasy film that released this July. The movie is about the rivalry between two brothers, by the end of which Kattappa, the trusted royal commander unveils a shocking event from the past that not only surprises the audience but also leaves them inquisitive.
The movie, directed by S. S. Rajamouli has an amazing cast that includes Prabhas (Bahubali / Shivulu), Rana Daggubati (Bhalladeva), Tamannaah (Avantika), Anushka Shetty (Devasena), Ramya Krishnan (Sivagami), Sathyaraj (Kattappa), etc. in it.
Though the second part of the movie will be released only next year, here are five possible reasons as to why he might have done the heinous act.

Balladeva's trick

After Bahubali falls in love with Devasena, he gives up the throne in order to lead a peaceful life with her. Once Balladeva ascends the throne, there is war waged against Makizhmathi by the neighboring province. In the war, Bahubali is just a warrior and Kattappa is the war commander who has to obey a specific protocol given by the king. As the war begins, Bahubali refuses to kill innocent people and convinces Kattappa to capture the women and children without hurting them. But a special troop with the Makizhmathi banner kills the captives which compels Bahubali to fight against them. Meanwhile, Kattappa is tricked by Bhalladeva, who gives a war protocol saying that the Makizhmathi troop has a traitor in it and that he can be recognised as the one killing his own men. Kattappa is then ordered to backstab the traitor. Thus Kattappa would have been tricked into backstabbing Bahubali.

Vow made by ancestors

Kattappa might have obeyed the orders of the Bhalladeva as his ancestors had taken a vow to obey the orders of the Makizhmathi king. Without Kattappa, the army chief as an exception, his ancestors and the generations to come were forced to obey the pledge taken. Hence, Kattappa killed Bahubali adhering to Bhalladeva, the king's orders, as per the ancestral custom.
To save his daughter, Devasena.
Devasena might be Kattappa's daughter, whom Bhalladeva and Bahubali are attracted to. But her outright rejection to Bhalladeva and her growing affection towards Bahubali might have made Bhalladeva take Devasena as his captive and therefore blackmail Kattappa to kill Bahubali in order to save his daughter. Kattappa does what he is asked to but after Bahubali's death, he is ordered not to free Devasena. When Kattappa tries helping Devasena by going against his ancestor's vow, she refuses it, as she knows that Kattappa killed her husband and she pledges to be helped only by her son.

Blame game

In the film, there is a conversation between Bhalladeva and Devasena wherein he tells Devasena, that both of them are waiting for Bahubali to return as she has to see her son one last time and because he has to kill him once again with his hands.
This might imply that Bhalladeva might have killed Bahubali but Kattappa takes the blame as he is told to do so. Kattapa accepts the lie.

The Director's choices

Last but not the least, Kattappa might have killed Bahubali simply because S. S. Rajamouli’s script needed it. The whole idea of getting the loyal commander to look like a traitor might be an attempt to increase the curiosity of the audience. Thus, even after two months of release, 'The reasons why Kattappa killed Bahubali' seems to be one of the most discussed topics amongst the Indian audience.
So let us wait for the second part of Bahubali to clear the underlying suspense which might prove, Kattappa to be a victim of circumstances or otherwise.

Sunday, 10 January 2016

Top exercises to increase brain power

You keep your body active by doing regular workouts. Similarly, your mind also requires certain brain fitness workouts that can help your mind process information more quickly. This increases your ability to perform multiple tasks at the same time.
To help you achieve this, you will find simple but effective brain training games and exercises such as solving math problems to achieve greater mind fitness. Include this brain stretching exercise in your daily routine to get boost your brain power. Here are the top 10 daily brain exercises that can help you stay mentally sharp at any age.

Art projects :
Art is a great source of exercise for your brain, as it helps to boost that part of the brain that works without words and can only express itself non-verbally. Art requires you to be creative, use fine motor skills, and think analytically.
Hence, art encourages the brain to think out of the box, and trains your brain to think on different planes. All this while being fun as well.

Expand your vocabulary
Learn new words, sign up for newsletters, read articles closely, and list out words that you are not familiar with.
This technique will help you outsmart the conversation with your boss, as well as sharpen your memory, by increasing your vocabulary.

Use your non-dominant hand
While doing basic tasks which require no concentration, try using the non-dominant hand; say if you are right-handed, try using your left hand to eat, brush etc.
This activity will require extreme attention, and you will find yourself focusing on completing these simple tasks.

Do your own math
For your daily calculation, do not use calculators. Instead, opt for the old fashioned mental math. As we grow older, it gets difficult to do even the normal math in our heads and we opt for calculators.
It's better not to take the help of the calculator, and do math in your head. This is a very common way to keep your brain active. If you are not good at calculations, then put in som practice.

Listen to your favourite song again and again
If you like a specific song, keep listening to it over and over again as this will help your brain memorize the lyrics and after some time you will know the lyrics of the entire song.
This activity will help your brain boost its memorizing power.

Multi tasking is good for you
Performing activities like working at the computer, putting your little sister to sleep, listening to music, solving math etc - all at the same time, requires a lot of attention.
All these are simple basic activities, which can be done together; but, distractions can cause confusion. Practise multi tasking simple tasks so that it increases your concentration levels.

Study a foreign language
The advantage of learning a new language is that it is a great source of exercise for the mind and it's a great way to boost your professional career as well.
Further, people who have knowledge of foreign languages are always in great professional demand. Besides, studying something new always keeps your brain busy.

Skip GPS - Opt for maps
Thanks to new technology, reaching an unknown destination has become very easy. However, we are becoming too dependent on these technologies as we are losing our mind's power of analysis.
We need to stop letting these gadgets do all our tasks for us, and use maps instead. This utilizes your imagination and analytical skills.

Use a brain training video game
When you are free or when you have nothing to do, engage in playing video games. Not all video games are brainless. Some video games like Halo, would require lots of reasoning and thinking.
Engaging in playing games like this or even solving Sudoku puzzles will help your brain power develop.

Avoid using a shopping list
Always shopping with a list in hand is a simple job. The real task begins when you memorize all the things in your head and then do the shopping.
Initially it will be a little tedious, you will forget some things. But as time passes by, and as your mind becomes more active, you will get all the items without the help of a shopping list.

Friday, 8 January 2016

Ways to reduce internet usage for watching netflix in india

Netflix has finally stepped into the Indian market, but the two big problems that the company as well as the consumers face are poor bandwidth and high costs of data. According to a study, watching a one-hour standard definition Netflix video consumes 250MB of data, while a HD video can take up to 2GB. However, there are apps and browser extensions available for mobile devices as well as desktops that can reduce the data consumption rate and thus save your data Wi-Fi as well as mobile networks.
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Netflix in India: 5 ways to reduce your internet bill

Opera claims that its Opera Max app can save up to 60% of data on all apps on the phone, including videos streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube etc. Therefore, you can watch an hour of Netflix video by consuming 150MB of data instead of the usual 250MB. Moreover, if you don’t want to use Netflix on mobile data, you can block access to it in settings. The app is available only for Android devices for now.
1 Opera Max – Android
iPhone and iPad users, on the other hand, can go for Opera Mini browser. This browser offers data savings of up to 60% even on video playing mode on both iPhones and iPads as well as Android devices.
2 Opera Mini – iPhone & iPad
UC Browser offers data savings of up to 80% on both platforms, Android and iOS. Moreover, the company claims a 20% faster browsing experience courtesy its cloud acceleration technology.
3 UC Browser – iPhone, iPad & Android
Google Chrome for Android and iPhone comes preloaded with a data compression engine, though it does not offer data savings as high as those of Opera and UC Browser. The data saving feature is turned on by default in Android devices (Options > Settings > Data Saver). However, iPhone users need to turn it on by themselves (Options > Settings > Bandwidth > Data Saver).
4 Google Chrome – Android, iPhone and iPad
While the Chrome browser for desktops does not have the data compression technology baked in by itself, you can instead go for an extension released by Google last year. As the name Data Saver Beta suggests, the extension is still in beta testing. The data compressions rate varies, with some users reporting 10% savings while others claimed data savings as high as 70%.
5 Google Chrome Data Saver Beta – PCs
Of course, using these mobile apps means that you will have to open the Netflix website on the mobile browsers, not the official Netflix app. This way the data is routed through the third-party company’s servers, which may be a problem for those who are concerned about the security of their data. However, all companies claim that the data routed to their servers is completely secure and they do not store users’ details.
6 The catch
Netflix is not the only company offering video streaming service in India, as a number of video streaming companies have emerged over the years. These include nexGTv, Box TV (owned by Times Internet Limited, the digital arm of The Times of India), ZengaTV, YuppTV etc.
Such companies not only offer syndicated content but also live TV streaming and have technologies that save data costs by varying the bitrate according to the network. For example, the nexGTv app automatically changes the video quality when the user loses 3G connection and is switched to 2G instead. This results in a smooth user experience without a huge loss in video as well as audio quality.

Thursday, 7 January 2016

7 things to know about Netflix launched in india

Netflix, the world’s biggest TV streaming service, has finally arrived in India. The service is aimed at ‘cord cutters’, people who are more interested in watching TV shows and movies online rather than on televisions. If you are considering subscribing to Netflix in India, here are seven things you should know...

Netflix launched in India: 7 things to know

Netflix is an online streaming service that provides syndicated content as well as original shows on laptops, smartphones and tablets. You can watch popular shows like House of Cards as well as new titles like Jessica Jones, among other movies and TV shows, any time.

1 What is Netflix?
As part of its launch strategy, Netflix is giving the first month of access free to users in India.
2 The first month is free
Netflix is offering three plans in India: Basic (Rs 500 a month), Standard (Rs 650 a month) and Premium (Rs 800 a month). Users can watch unlimited hours of TV shows and movies on Netflix once they sign up.

3 The plans
However, signing up for Netflix in India requires a credit card. Even those who want to try out the service for the first free month must provide their credit card details, though they will be charged in the second month only.
4 You need a credit card to sign up
Netflix users can cancel their subscription any time at the click of a button.
5 Cancel anytime
Netflix is offering SD (Standard Definition) videos on the Rs 500 per month plan and HD (High Definition) streaming on the Rs 650 per month plan. For Ultra HD (4K) videos, users need to subscribe to the Rs 800 a month plan
.
6 What’s the video quality?
Those who subscribe to the Basic plan (Rs 500/month) can use their Netflix account on only one device at a time. Under the Standard plan (Rs 650 a month), the account can be used on two devices simultaneously, so you can use the subscription on one device while a friend uses it on another. Similarly, the Premium plan (Rs 800/month) allows four people to use the same Netflix account simultaneously

Wednesday, 6 January 2016

Signs that you may have diabetes

Diabetes is often called the 'silent killer' because of its easy-to-miss signs (hence 'silent'), but ability to wreck havoc through multiple organ damage (hence a potential 'killer'). In diabetes high blood glucose acts like a poison; it is often accompanied by high blood pressure and abnormal blood lipids, forming an evil team to harm the individual.
The cells in your body rely on glucose for energy; hence glucose is essential for you to function properly. You may take some amount of glucose directly eg., in fruits; but the majority is derived from breakdown in the intestine of carbohydrates like starch present in rice, bread, potato etc. Glucose is transported to all the cells in the body through the bloodstream, which is like an elaborate road and rail network in your body.
However, in order to use the glucose, your body needs insulin. This is a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin is like a key that opens the 'locks' on cells to allow entry of glucose. People with type 1 diabetes no longer make insulin to help their bodies use glucose (as if their pancreas has declared a lockout), so they have to rely on regular insulin injections. People with type 2 diabetes may have enough insulin, at least initially, but they cannot use it well (as if the 'locks' on cells are defective, so the key cannot open them); they're insulin resistant. Many of the signs and symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are similar.
Warning Signs of Diabetes
Sometimes diabetes can develop without any warnings signs. In fact, about a third of all people who have diabetes don't know they have it; most of them have Type 2 diabetes. That's why it's important to talk to your doctor about your risk for diabetes and determine if you should be tested, even if you have none of the warning signs.
Common warnings signs of diabetes include: Increased thirst or dry mouth
Frequent urination in large volumes
Increased hunger
Unexplained weight loss (even though you may be eating more)
Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
Frequent infections (including fungal infections of the private parts) or cuts that take a long time to heal
Blurred vision
Because diabetes can lead to serious health complications, it's important to be aware of the signs of diabetes. If you have any of the above mentioned warnings signs of diabetes, give your doctor a call and schedule a diabetes test. With the right diabetes diet, regular exercise, and medications, if needed, you can manage diabetes and live an active, productive life.

Monday, 4 January 2016

7 effective detox foods

Find yourself regularly procrastinating from that much-needed detox? Do you think that detox means starving yourself?
Experts say that there are several misconceptions about detox, the most common being having to eat tasteless food. One of the first things that you need to understand is that a detox helps jumpstart your metabolism and can actually be an enjoyable task. It also means that you need to give sugar a break. Here are five foods that are perfect for a detox...
Coconut water
One of the healthiest detox foods, coconut water is low in calories and sodium, and contains no cholestrol or fat, making it an ideal candidate in this list. It also works wonders on your skin — it moisturises the skin from inside and ensures that you digest food quickly.
Green, leafy vegetables
Stock your refrigerator with vegetables like spinach, broccoli, kale, spinach, asparagus, artichokes, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery and lettuce. Going green can do your immune system a load of good. Have a vegetable juice or salad and see the positive difference it makes to your body.
Ginger and garlic
Ginger's medicinal qualities and health benefits are well known. Apart from using ginger in your food, add it to your tea or simply put in a few chopped pieces in hot water. Regular consumption is said to be good for your liver. Garlic is another essential detox food. It boosts your immune system and is a great way to remove toxins from your body.
Foods containing fibre
Nuts, legumes and lentils comprise generous quantities of fibre and are excellent detox foods — they work well to cleanse your system from within.
Green tea
A detox ritual cannot be complete without green tea. Packed with antioxidants that destroy free radicals in your body, green tea improves brain function, increases fat burning and even reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Lemon
Have a glass of lemon juice, preferably during the morning. This will flush out toxins and also aid digestion.

Best money moves for 2016

At the beginning of 2015, many pundits had estimated that equities will deliver roughly 15% returns during the year. Instead, the Sensex declined around 6%. If you were investing for 1-2 years, these statistics would be worrisome. However, if your investment horizon is longer, say 5-6 years, 2015 would have been a great year during which you stocked up on quality stocks (or funds that invested in them) at low prices. What should investors do in 2016? Firstly, they should continue to save and invest for their goals and not be deterred by the noise about returns. More importantly, they should not lose sight of their asset allocation. However, this is generic advice for all times. We have drawn up a list of smart things to do with your money in 2016. We also reached out to 50 financial planners to know what they thought of our suggestions. We are sure that our suggestions will prove rewarding in the new year.
. . Open an NPS account
. . Avail of additional `50,000 tax deduction.
. . Up to `50,000 invested in the NPS under the new Section 80CCD (1b) gets additional tax deduction, over and above the `1.5 lakh investment limit under Section 80C. In the 30% tax bracket, an investor can shave off `15,000 from his tax liability. This would bring down the effective investment to only `35,000 and push up the returns for the investor. If the NPS fund you invest in earns 8% compounded returns over the next 15 years, the effective return would be 10%. Some financial planners say investing in the NPS is not a good idea as equity funds can give better returns than NPS, where there's a 50% cap on equity exposure. Even though investments in equity funds are not eligible for tax deduction, their potential to give superior returns more than makes up for it. The other problem with NPS is the rules for investing the corpus on maturity. After 60, at least 40% of the corpus has to be put in an annuity for monthly pension. Withdrawals are taxable and the pension from annuity is taxed at normal rate. The pension will be a mix of principal and interest, but the entire amount will be taxed.
. . Start using an e-wallet
. . You get cash back and it's safe.
. . With e-wallets expected to play a key role, you can start using these for discounts, cashbacks and other incentives. Players like Paytm, PayU and Mobikwik are already offering significant cashbacks.
. . Some financial planners believe that ease of online transaction and heavy discounting have led to a rise in discretionary expenses. "We have seen budgets for food and clothing increase two-fold in two years," says Priya Sunder, Director, PeakAlpha. However, there are incentives even for essential household expenses like grocery, Internet, DTH and mobile bills. Other categories include taxi rides, movie tickets, online shopping, food orders, hotel bookings, and flight, train and bus tickets. There are rewards for referring others as well.
. . The wallets—in which you can put in `10-10,000—also offer security. The sites maintain the same security level as that for any other banking transaction and you can limit your loss by putting less money in the account. The limitation is that they are semi-closed—you can transact only online on limited sites.
. . Move to direct MF plans
. . Lower charges lead to higher returns.
. . Investors stand to gain from direct plans of mutual funds since lower charges translate to higher returns. The difference in returns is more pronounced for equity funds. In debt funds, the expense ratio of regular plans is not too high, so the difference is lower. In liquid funds, the expense ratio is very low, so the difference is wafer thin. In the three years since these were launched, the average large-cap diversified fund has given 15.39% annualised returns, but the average direct plan has given 16.42%. Before you switch, however, check if you have crossed the minimum tenure set by the taxman. In equity and balanced funds, shift after completing a year or the 15% tax on gains will wipe out the gain. In debt funds, debt-oriented hybrid funds and gold funds, wait for 3 years or gains will be added to your income and taxed at marginal rate. Even after 3 years, gains will be taxed at 20% with indexation benefit.
. . Replace FDS with debt MFs
. . These are more tax-efficient.
. . Fixed deposits (FDs) are safe, but also tax-inefficient. Short-term debt funds can be a better alternative. Though the returns generated from short-term debt funds are similar to interest you earn on FDs, the tax benefits mean that the actual return from debt funds is higher if you hold them for more than 3 years.
. . In a debt fund, the long-term capital gains are taxed at 20% after indexation, while short-term capital gains are added to your income and taxed at the rate applicable to you. This is a game changer for those in the 30% tax bracket. Instead of shelling out 30% tax on interest earned on a fixed deposit, the tax rate is 20%, which is further reduced by indexation. Debt funds also help in deferring the tax. In case of FDs, you are taxed on the interest every year, whereas in debt MFs, tax is payable only when you sell.
. . Monetise gold holdings
. . Gold bonds offer 2.75% interest and don't levy any charge.
. . Launched in November 2015, gold bonds are linked to the price of gold and offer 2.75% interest. If we assume that gold prices will rise by 5%, the bonds will yield an annualised return of 7.75%. It's time to get rid of your gold ETFs as well. You pay 1% on the fund per year, but if you sell and put the proceeds in gold bonds, you earn 2.75%, and the net gain is 3.75%. However, take note of the tax implications and don't forget that gold bonds are less liquid than ETFs. They have a tenure of 8 years with an exit option after the fifth. Purchases have to be made within the stipulated time and there is also a 500 g buying restriction per fiscal.
. . Invest in Sukanya scheme
. . If you have a daughter below 10 years, this is the best debt option for you.
. . Launched in January 2015, the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) is the best category to invest in if your daughter is below 10 years old. It offers a higher interest rate than PPF.
. . While the PPF offers 25 basis points higher than the yield of 10-year government bonds, the SSY will offer 75 basis points higher than these bonds for the previous year. Compared with FDs, the SSY not only provides higher rates (at present), but also has better tax benefits. As in the PPF, you can avail of tax benefits under the Section 80C for SSY too. So, investments up to `1.5 lakh will be exempt from tax in a financial year.
. . However, the scheme lacks liquidity. While the fixed deposit has a lockin period of five years and the PPF has a lock-in period of 15 years, you have to stay invested in the SSY till you child turns 21. Premature withdrawals are only allowed after the girl turns 18.
. . Secure a family's future
. . Buy social security schemes for your maid, driver, watchman, sweeper, etc.
. . Spread some happiness and begin the new year with a good deed. Help your household staff to open a Jan Dhan account and introduce them to social security schemes such as the Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and the Pra-dhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana. They can get `2 lakh accidental insurance for as little as `12 a year, and a term cover of `2 lakh for `330 a year.
. . However, it will require more than just convincing them to invest in these schemes. You might have to step in and make the first investment. It will cost you less than `2,000. Then it becomes easier to convince them to continue

Bizarre home remedies for the common cold

For the people from the land of Ayurveda, home remedies are the most sought after method of healing.
For some, medicines are the last resort as they believe home remedies will fight colds, cough and flu. It might even be true that Grandma Secrets can help you fight cold the natural way. But today we take the road less travelled when it comes to fighting the common cold. We list out bizarre and unusual ways to approach treatment and fight cold, cough and flu.
Caramelised onions
It may add flavour to briyani, but have you heard that burnt onions can help cure the common cold? Here's what you do:
-Take an onion
-Burn it on a direct flame
-Eat it
It is claimed that burnt onions can cure cough and chest congestion.
Betel leaves to fight the cold!
Very few people know that betel leaves are used to cure the cold. It is a weird fact that most paanwallas may not know. The recipe for cure involves a good squeeze of the betel leaves with a drop of honey and promises relief.
Frog skin cures flu
In fairy tales frogs turn into princes, but in real life frogs make an interesting ingredient for a fired dish. If you want relief from a manic cold, dry a frog's skin, powder it and add to fruit juice. Apparently, it promises you respite from your croaking voice.
Goosey treats
Bizarre is an understated word for this home remedy. You will need a goose and kerosene for it. The trick to wipe out the common cold is to apply and massage goose grease on your chest like you do with vapour rub; but the idea here is to completely burn it out add some kerosene to it too.
Dung solution
In India, cow dung was, and in some parts still is, used as a plaster for the walls and as a fuel. But there is another purpose to cow dung; apparently fresh dung is applied on the chest in the form of a cross. Sometimes there's no logic to the alternative remedy madness! Would you dare to try?
Alcoholic cure
If you love to drink, you will love the next cure. According to old tradition, the cure to common cold lies in drinking. What you have to do is, buy a hat, place it on the table and drink whiskey till you can see two hats. Quite a challenge! When you see two hats, hit the sack and remain there till you feel better.
Smelly socks help you breathe easily
The solution to cold is a wet sock. Here's how it goes: Take a tub filled with warm water, dip your feet in the tub. Then comes the interesting part, take a thin pair of socks and dip it in cold water, squeeze the water from the sock and wear them.
Now take a thick pair of socks and pull these over the wet pair, sleep it off. Apparently, 'According to 1,001 Home Remedies (Reader's Digest), the wet socks help draw blood to your feet, thereby boosting circulation, which helps clear congestion.'
Chocolate cures everything
When we have a sore throat, we gargle with salt water. Next time try out chocolate, apparently theobromine calms the sensory nerves, promising you relief from your intense chest congestion.
Vapour rub your feet
Most of us apply rubs on our chests for relief from the cold. But did you know that applying vapour rub on your feet also cures your cold? We say, go for whatever works for you - feet or chest!
Garland of onions
We began with onions and we end with onions. Apparently this pungent onion, looks like it holds the secret to cure the common cold far better than other remedies. Just as you would put on a garland of garlic around your neck to scare away the vampires, onion garlands keep away the cold. Crazy, but worth trying out!