I have now spent more than seven weeks in Mumbai, came here at the cusp of the virus hit and have weathered the tide of the lockdown, seeing reports of the virus as it spreads from country to country spreading death and doom, body bags on the roads and suicide rates on the rise the world has gone into a recession and I am playing the game of musical chairs, this is the third time we have been asked to shift from our hotel property. First, from  Villa Parle, we shifted to Andheri East Chakala and now we are being moved to another OYO room property in Andheri West. The news is that we are falling in the red zone as the infection is high in this part of Mumbai, infect Mumbai has had a spike in infected people and today there were almost 184 positive cases of the virus.

I am sure by the time this is over I would have been moved to over half a dozen properties. The virus is affecting us all, throwing our lives upside down and we have to learn innovative ways of living at a time like these.

People are calling for more testing to be done, consumer confidence is at an all-time low and people are scared to come out of their houses even when the lockdowns are over .3rd of May is the date now, but I feel the lockdown will continue even further. I will just get shifted from one hotel room to the other, I guess even if I try I cannot get out of the nomadic life that I am destined to live.

The food is generally vegetarian nowadays and maybe a new place and a new hotel room would be good for me and maybe help me get back to my meditation days. The news is full of news on how people are getting frustrated with the lockdown and some are even coming out on the roads disobeying the government, stars and celebrities are using this time to deliver their public service messages to the people at large.

With suicide rates up it is important to remain cheerful and occupied at times like these remember how submits to the will of God will get through these uncertain times. A vaccine seems some time away and the lockdown looks to continue for some time, there is the voice of optimism, amidst people professing doom and gloom, politicians show optimism and the health fraternity show caution, restaurant and this is not over yet attitude. Conflicting views and directives surface it seems everyone has a view an opinion on the times we find ourselves in yet no one knows what actually will unfold, who knows this lockdown might just keep going on indefinitely even if it is officially lifted will people feel confident enough to come out of their houses until a vaccine is discovered which cures the dreaded virus and when will we get that, no one knows its all in the distant future. As of now, this is a new reality and it might just stay that way indefinitely. Will this locked out the state of existence will be the new normal a new paradigm we’re mankind will have to adjust to find innovative ways of living with these conditions. A world where man is trapped indoors amidst fear, uncertainty, with visions of death and disease, with thoughts of mistrust and with rules of strict social distancing. It is a more loveless a sate if people can’t get close to each other, touch and feel are a no now.

More isolation more introspective life where people have to live in isolation in a sort of exile with a different set of rules. It will eat time for us to change our mindset, routines, and habits to live by the rules of this new shifted paradigm where the virus plague is a permanent reality, but if this continues slowly we will get used to it as our behavior, habits, and mindset will adjust. So what works for us here well the climate and the ecosystem has blossomed the air is clean and good the water the rivers the snow the first and the animals are all dancing for joy. An old uncle of mine says he goes for his walks inside his colony in the morning and I see some morn sign walkers from outside my bedroom window, they sure must be happy to see empty roads no noise pollution and lots of space and air. On one side the virus is taking lives on the other side the climate is improving we are eating healthier and living stress-free lives working from home, that itself must be saving lives and making people live longer. Its the way you look at things, yin and Yan positive and negative. As of now, I am getting ready to shift for the third time into another OYO property.

I have been doing. A lot of Binge watching of YouTube videos these days as I have all the time in the world. I have been watching video’s of guru’s politicians, thinkers and statesmen alike, a lot of these people have begun to seep into my writing as characters in my stories and books. I do make changes here and there but they give me a reference point to start. I have built a few in my stories and given them a texture and an aura and then I play with them. People weave them into my book and start and then give them a shape and make them come alive on paper. These are real people I watch on YouTube and learn from and hear talk day in and day out they are a great raw material for interesting characters fro my story. Rather than watch films and web-series to get ideas I prefer YouTube videos where people are real and more alive they can be etched better into stories.

It is a great space to get inspirational spiritual guru, politicians, spokespersons and head off sate like characters, some good writers and creative types are also there. Blogging requires a lot of storytelling and you can take a lot of that by watching YouTube videos and build their talk also in the story, you get a good idea from there talk about there mannerisms and bent of mind also there beliefs and philosophies.

So get inspired and watch some YouTube build some exciting ebooks and tell some fantastic stories.

The Virus has impacted the world and it has been near four months of misery lockdowns, sickness, dash and failing economy the doom is apparent as societies and countries try and deal with the changing landscape of people having to operate from home and with travel restricted, all travel has been effected badly this hotel booking, airlines, hotels, resorts, or locations every kind of travel has fallen dramatically around the world. Millions of Jobs have been lost in the travel and tourism industry and it has had an impact on travel blogging. They are seeing their projects postponed and sponsors backing out, only is tight, most bloggers are writing about the coronavirus and what people should do at home to spend their time productively. Hotel booking has dropped more than 30% and the airline is cutting staff as they begin to bleed due to no international travel.

Bloggers being part of the gig economy and not the mainstream are still used to coping with uncertainties and are better placed than most to cope with these changing times that could last longer than expected. Travel bloggers need to change their thought process and make engaging content that educates the readers on the times of the Coronavirus and also gives them tips to stay safe and healthy during these times. Since there will not be much traveling and tourism for months on end bloggers need to find new content to represent the strange and uncertain times that the world has been thrown into due to the pandemic. An online travel website and hotel booking portals have also seen a huge loss of traffic and the only industries thriving are Energy, Food, Pharma and Media, this is all the basic necessities essential just to keep us alive. The rest of all the other industries have fallen sharply by almost 30% to 40%.

It is the worst time to travel anywhere and I recommend a strict lockdown routine. Meditate, read, write, watch Netflix and chat to friends old friends not new ones, you just might get a new insight. Live like a hermit or a monk just with the bare minimum at times like this leaning towards spirituality will help. Save money and valuable resources because this could be a longer haul than expected. But remain cheerful and make fun uplifting content, try advice more than preach. The movement will be severely restricted and there will be a deep rescission so time will be hard we know that the rise in domestic violence proves the fact that people are tense and job losses are mounting this is creating pressure on the family as a unit. This is the time to stay connected with real friends and family and show solidarity towards others.

Till then give readers hope and educate them on the new landscape.

With affluence and incomes rising and so much available in terms of choices and experiences, on the rise is the trend of destination weddings. These are grand and lavish experiential weddings at exotic locations and with a charm and flavor which is very personalized. Chennai and its nearby lands are a perfect location for an out of the way wedding, it’s beaches of Maha Bhuleshwar are the perfect way to marry. With candlelight dinner on the beach with the waves lapping up at your feet, dancing wine and great seafood this is a perfect place to get wed. intercontinental Maha Bhuleshwar Resort Chennai is a stone architecture to marvel. It has a huge banquet space which can host a reception for 250 guests. The lily pool is something to marvel at and the resort is famous for its cocktails and beach parties.

Vivanta by Taj – The Fishermans Cove is another great resort property which is run by the Taj and has it’s signature touch and class is also blessed with great architecture and structural design. They have a huge banquet space and beach space to execute a perfect wedding. The specialty is the high quality of their seafood especially the lobsters. They have just renovated the lobby and their cottages come with amazing views. It is one of the best Banquet halls in Chennai for a wedding.

Chennai is a modern city with its international airport and excellent service and amenities, it has a tropical climate and is home to many luxury hotels and five-star resorts. The food is a class apart and its traditional food is a delight. It has a huge coastline with the Bay of Bengal and is full of pictures of beaches with sun-kissed weather and torquiest water. They form the perfect locations for a beach wedding.  Then you have Mahabalipuram, a temple town one hour drive away from the city. The great architecture from the Pallava Dynasty is something to be seen and admired. This unique temple town is a perfect place to tie the knot and has some great photogenic locations with some breathtaking views. Along with the Fisher-mans Cove, you also have the Radisson Blu and the InterContinental Chennai. Chennai has a lot of services to organize a wedding and it is easy to hire wedding planners, makeup artists and photographers intact most hotels can organize the entire affair for you.

Chennai East coast road is one of the most scenic roads in the city it is a place which has not been explored much unlike the other famous beaches like Elliot Beach. You can also see the Chola Mandal artist village and the Muthu Kunda lake they are worth seeing. But the untouched, still virgin East coast road has many resorts and hotels for one to tie the knot.FarmHouse weddings are also a rage if you want a rustic and more rugged feel to your wedding with a live band and a lot of noise and music. The farmhouses provide spacious lawns where guests can enjoy their delightful cuisine. Sagarika Gardens and Laxmi Gardens are some of the famous farmhouse resorts to have a classic destination wedding.

You can have a heritage wedding at the Daksha Chitra Museum in mikado overlooking the Bay of Bengal is a perfect heritage wedding location one must consider. Here old Chennai homes were broken down and rebuild into museums the vibe is perfect for a heritage wedding as the place is responsible for preserving the cultural heritage of all four states in south India.

Armed with all this information you know you are spoiled for choice in Chennai, so next time when you tie the knot do look southwards.

earnkaro.com is the latest influencer app making the waves in the webspace, it is an App that helps people share links of products and services sold and traded on the largest e-commerce sites, targeted at the common Indian influencer who lives in small town and cities, the app helps people sitting at home to make money by using their free time and influencer network on the net. The app is a platform through which you can make quick influencer Link called profit links, these can be made through the platform. Then you need to share the profit links of the product you are promoting to your influencer and social media follower network.

The company has funding from the legendary Ratan Tata and is gaining. Popularity amongst the common folks, who now have access to technology through their mobile phones. The promotion videos promoting the app and explain how it works are in the vernacular and it seems the company is targeting the non-English speaking folks which are a large influencer market who are now buying things online through their app and paying for these services online as well. The bait is the charm of making money from home, their-fore it targets housewives also. The other target for the link-sharing influencer app is the youth the students and young working adults, who are looking to make Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 by sharing product links thorough this platform.

If a purchase is made through the profit link that you have shared with your network, you make money, which is a portion of the value of the product that has been bought by your follower. The profit comes directly into your account which you create when you sign into the app. There is a list of product partners and you can see first hand the profit that you will make a product and brand-wise.

You can share your links through watts app, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media networks. If you are a blogger you can paste these links with a detailed product review post that will help people decide on whether to buy the product or not. It is a classic referral program and is focused on generating influencer sales for e-commerce sites which have taken off in a big way in India due to the high mobile penetration and availability of high-speed 4G networks. So go out there and generate referral links of your favorite products, share it with your social media network and see the cash flow into your account as profits.

The keyword is a word or a bunch of words that when a person searches for it on google, gets the desired information. If the keywords that link to your blog webpages are giving good results then they should rank on the first page when searched for by the linked keywords. You can use keywords as quick links attached to your blog. I have put keywords like Travel Books Online, Religious Books Online, Poetry Books Online, Travel Blog in India, Travel Books In India. These are the keywords my SEO team is pushing. This means anyone looking for travel books when types Travel Books Online will get www.tikkustravelthon.in on the first page of the google search. The idea is to generate enough search traffic that you rank higher and higher on the google search engine page. This happens over a period of time and slowly your designated keywords will climb up in the ranking, a few of my keywords rank 5 and 8 in the google ranking which is high. But you need to identify the relevant keywords for the content that you are serving up in your blog.

Have a separate page when someone clicks on the quick links on the blog, in my case each keyword will take you to a type of book I am selling through my blog. Keywords earth links are also a source of new traffic that comes directly to the blog. A large portion off my new visitors and users come through when a keyword is searched for and the user clicks on the link of tikkustravelthon.in. This directs a lot of traffic to my blog and all of it is new users looking for differ t types of travel and religious books.

4th  April 2020

It’s early rising for me and I stuck to my Corona routine of long mediation, some exercise, and then an even longer bath, all this ate a very leisurely pace. The air from my window was fresh today, I guess there was no spraying activity done today. I am told small shops and vegetable vendors only come out to sell in the mornings after that people goo back to their homes. Here in Mumbai lack down in complete and through only a few bikes on the street atet to only in the morning to get bread and milk and everyone were wearing masks.

The morning Azaan is something of a ritual I am getting used to in my current hotel, hearing it at its loudest. “ It’s the Muslims they are spitting on the notes and harassing our doctors and nurses, they don’t listen to anyone have caused the virus to spread .” My grandmother informed me in the morning as I had my breakfast of lime juice and sweet buns. I could still hear the chirping sounds of birds as I zipped through some videos on youtube.com and realized that the virus had killed over 10,000 people in the US .” We’ll at least out death tole is still moderate and the lockdown has been effective .” I told my grandmother. But the virus had already taken religious overtones in India.The mask and sanitation help but I am busy keeping my immunity at the tops, so lots of lime juice and grapes along with an Ayurvedic herbal medicine to fight cold and cough. It’s called Sudarshan Ganvati and it’s manufactured by Zandu Pharmacy.

Most people feel helpless and in detention due to the lockdown, it’s an uneasy feeling like being trapped or punished. All of a sudden your mobility is restricted you are not free to move around, the body needs movement and exercise and a lot of people can’t even get that. People who have routine are now in great discomfort as they don’t know what to do with their day .its been eleven-day since the lockdown and now the impact is being truly felt as news of fatalities from around the world hits home.

I for one have not felt unnerved due to the crisis and taken all precautions to stay safe and advised that to others too. An expert was explaining how the virus enters the body and how the immune system fights it, they say that the antibodies create a storm of sorts that turn of the body itself and attacks the lungs. There are theories that say that the crisis has been created so that the government can use technology and keep track of all of us through the phone, giving the people the argument it is pessary to track every citizen and isolate these who are infected and identify hot spots. Not only will this virus change the way we fundamentally work and interact with each other it can further increase intrusion from the government who can now control us by monitoring our data and tacking us through the mobile device.

Theories they are aplenty, as for me I still await the end of the lockdown more than that I pray that domestic flight service resume fast

The world truly might not remain the same after the Coronavirus hit. One thing that will emerge is the importance of Gig workers and the concept of work from home. These are independent, freelancers, who work on a project to project basis using technology they are mobile and can work from anywhere, including home. We have seen how due to nationwide lockdowns, companies are using innovative partnerships to deliver aid, goods, and services, essentials to people locked up in their homes. Most companies have asked employees to work from home using apps and technology to do their work.

Companies are using gig workers to double up as delivery men, drivers, and health workers to reach out to affected areas. These migrant workers will become a more important part of the urban workforce and will come closer to the main steam in-terms of pay and benefits at the same time enjoying the freedom of work and who to work for.

I am getting up early these days by 5;00 am or so, somehow I feel a great calm and serenity takes over me when I wake up In these unprecedented times of coronavirus. Well, it’s a human lockdown and everyone is indoors. Went out for a brief walk to buy some essentials the fruit vendors, chemists and local stores where open. I could see some bikes parading the market streets but it was just people walking up to buy food, milk and rations, all looking like ghosts with their masks. The silent shops, streets and parked auto gave the morning an eerie feel. “ Who knows you could get the virus from a 100 rupee note also .” My grandmother had said to me over my conversations with her in the morning. I washed my hands three times since the morning going out and returning back to my room.

It seems the PM has asked everyone to light a Diya or a torch on the 5th of April, I kind of show of solidarity for our nations fight against the virus. I got a glimpse of BMC and the local health authorities in action when a spraying exercise took place in the colony near my hotel, a lot of the virus busting mixture came into my room, giving it a medicinal odor.

Social media is full of stories of Muslims spitting on the street and health workers being beaten up, to me that is very wrong at times like these we have to show support and stand with all the medics fighting the virus in our communities. Now the politicians have jumped in and highlighted the issue.

It has been very quiet this part of Mumbai in Chakala where my new room and hotel are. The only noise I get to hear is chirping of birds and the Azaan a call for prayer from the nearby mosque. In the afternoon and evening, it all goes quiet as people stay indoors and introspect. I have had complaints from many that they are getting bored with the lockdown. The Internet is full of videos of people using their time in an innovative manner in the confines of their houses. Many parts of the city have been quarantine and hot spots have been identified where the infected patients are coming from.

Just saw a video of Bill Gates advising the world on the pan epidemic he thinks it will be beyond May till we see the levels of infection plates and then fall off. Even my bank has relaxed its interest norms with regards to their credit card repayment. People can default and they will not have to pay extra interest, along with relief packages announced by the government and RBI. There is a feeling of unity and that everyone is in it together, that positive message will relive people of immediate social and economic suffering caused by the outbreak.

The empty streets outside my hotel room is a grim reminder of how bad the situation is and how scared people are because of the virus. The shops only remain open late mornings and then shut down, door to door services are operating but are disturbed in some hot spot areas. Contamination free milk with virus-proof packaging is being sold delivered to houses. Even newspaper brands have got promotional video’s out showing that all the newspapers are sprayed during production and touching or reading them will not transmit the virus to their readers has been going around. There is free in the consumer as to what he is eating, torching or consuming. Trade and sales in all major industries are down over 40% and the bear market is set to continue for a few quarters.

So what do we do in the meanwhile to remain uninfected and healthy? Take social distancing seriously and remain locked in the house for the entire period of national lack down. We should eat healthily and increase immunity towards the virus, stay vigilant and stay sanitized. Use this time to contemplate, chat with friends and do things we had always postponed for tomorrow, indoor activities preferred. A virus has sent the world in a different zone all together as our days and minds are consumed by it, we see news on it 24*7. During the day detach yourself from the drama and mediate, go inwards. I am happy that I have turned Vegan during this time as not much non-veg is available nor advisable in time like these. Till we can reduce infections and come out with an antidote that can be administered to everyone cheaply, all we can do is wait and watch.

How the cops, local officials, nurses, and doctors coping at times like these as I sit in the comfort of my room and mediate I would never know. But a prayer from my spirit goes out for them too during my morning meditations. This battle will be first won by the human spirit and it’s that realm of reality we need to open up within ourselves. Educate yourself on the virus, its symptoms, how it attacks the respiratory systems, what are its source and how it can be fought, get more knowledge about it from authentic sources. You can educate others by making fun videos on Tik Tok, there is a Digital challenge going on where people are dancing on music and showing people in steps how to wash their hands from Dettol.  Keep your activity positive, humorous and informative that way you can help others and above all, you stay safe and healthy.

These are tricky times and no one has a road map in. Panic we are looking for experts, leading light and opinion makers to show us the way out and get things going , it is their duty to take us safely out of this quagmire.

Till then as people we [ray for Normalcy to return so that we can tide through these uncertain times and go back to our lives as it uses to be. But is that just our illusion will life be just the same after the coronavirus, I assure the world would have changed at least in outlook and thinking. We will be more proactive about the environment and consider nature, we really need to think about what kind of a world we want our children to inhabit. Till then all we can do is patiently wait till the time turns.

Another day another dawn, I have been getting up early these days just after 5 am today, got some mediation done and listened to Satguru in the morning his chants and silent jokes add a bit of flavor to my Corona mornings. The stay of my inner consciousness has shifted upwards and I feel very light and energized in the mornings. There is so much tranquility around with the lockdown and I can hear the birds aloud through my windows, as I keep them open most of the time. There is nothing much to do for me through these times except to write and introspect at what the world is going through. I am bombarded by news and videos all day some scaring me the others offering hope and relief for mankind. I see the panic in the eyes of politicians, celebrities trying to use the pan epidemic for their own popularity, religious leaders hijacking the virus for gain, but then there are people and institutions coming forward to help the community at large.

To me the virus and the epidemic is a slap on the wrist for us humans, it is nature’s way of doing its own oil and filter check, see it like a servicing that the world needs to go through, just to make sure everything keeps running smoothly. It is time for us to stay indoors away from each other and go inward to introspect about the bigger questions in life. Time for us to fall back and look and re-assess our priorities in life and the way we treat our environment. A whole season will go by with lockdowns all over the world as scientists and doctors fight the epidemic and quarantine people.

With death tolls rising it becomes possible that we could be one of its victims, who knows the virus spares no one, rich famous or otherwise its impact is global.

It should give us a new way of seeing life and make us appreciate the value of our lives and the little things that matter the most to us. , like friends, family, relatives, and well-wishers. I am sure the lockdown will have an imitate impact on the environment as pollution levels have fallen dramatically in major cities, with clear blue sky and fresh air all around. Birds, insects, and animals have come out of their hideouts, now it’s their time to play as we all stay locked indoors. People are talking to the economic and social impact of the virus, all that will follow but first, we have to stay alive and make sure we fight the virus and do not fall sick or infect others. Testing has increased all around India and if you feel some sickness one should go to the hospital and get a test done.

After this aberration it will take time for things to get back to normal as a lot of people would have been laid off, business shut down and logistical supply chains in a mess. The time we spend in isolation should be used to get closer to our core and remember the god within us all. I am sure spirituality will increase during this time of crisis as people look for hope and some kind of divine intervention. With no cure and vaccine currently, we really need help from the gods.

Another thing that will see a shift is a work from home concept, with everyone connected the lockdown has made a lot of people work and study from home itself. That way we will start using technology in innovative ways to share, collaborate and work with each other all form home. A greater push towards to gig economy that people were predicting. Technology is being used now to cure infected patients, share diagnostics, data, figures and patient symptoms between doctors and research centers around the world.

Governments will have to look after the poor and the homeless and give them aid or grants as with an economic shut down they will be starving to death. Aid packages will have to be given the infected and the families of the dead will have to get some compensation. Big corporate houses and wealthy families will have to pump in money back into the economy to spur it into action and back into the growth phase. The rich have to re-assess their responsibility towards the world at large, the few cannot have the plenty too.

The Pharmaceuticals industry will see a lot of demand and will need some great new vaccines and innovations to get us out of this epidemic. One thing is for sure it will make us more compassionate towards each other and show us that we are all so deeply connected to each other.

All this caused by an unseen virus, existence way of doing some man culling and restoring some balance that is needed. It will make us think that how dependent we are on each other and how fast something lies this can spread . Humanity is going through it’d challenged no doubt and we have to see how as notions we can help each other fight the disease. We will learn to share expertise and knowledge along with results that will help experts to diagnose better and heal the sick. The collapse of the stock markets and lack of active workforce has put a halt of production and the supply chain and logistics are rendered redundant due to travel restrictions and interstate lockdowns. The social agencies and NGO groups will have to come forward and join the effort, I assure governments will have to allocate more funds on socially beneficial causes after all this is over, there will be damage and casualties. Rebuilding confidence back into the workforce and reviving the economy will be a huge task in itself. But first, it is important to stay alive and well and make sure those around us remain healthy and cheerful.

It is a great opportunity for environmental and health organizations to push their agenda further and demand world leaders to tackle health and environmental issue with more urgency and with impactful results. This is were Green Peace, Oxfam, Save the earth and The Bill Gate foundation should increase the tempo and ask for more government funding and otherwise to support their causes to improve global health and environment.

The virus is also attacking our large joint family system which exists in small towns and villages. When the youth come back formwork and are rendered jobless due to the lockdown they return to their villages in droves. Here they stay in close proximity with Tehri families, which are joint and large in Munger, with dozens sleeping in one small hut. The young infect the old and the aged, casting them to fall sick and thus the infection spreads even faster due to house family size.

For me these times have helped me write, introspect, catch up on Netflix and YouTube video. Yes! I even managed to get a hang of Tik Tok. But what is most important that I have started doing mediation and gyaan in the morning along with some yoga. I am going to use this time to look inward, thank existence for keeping me alive at the same time take all precautions and stay Indoors throughout the lockdown period. I have also reached out to friends and family and had long conversations with some old pals. My diet has turned vegetarian, bemuse meat and poultry are in shorty supply and that might help me lose some weight.

It is advisable to have lime and honey water, along with ginger paste to increase metabolism and immunity.

At times shut the TV and the net and just do some deep breathing, panic and tension will not solve anything remember we are all in it together and all of humanity is impacted by this one way or the other, so don’t worry and listen to what they tell you in the news all the time. Stay positive, stay isolated and stay alone, keep a 6 feet distance from others , wash your hands with sanitizers and always  be wearing a face mask