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Eager to escape the daily grind of the 9 to 6 lifestyle and remind your soul that there is more to life than this hustle culture? Hit the road with the windows down and your jukebox playing your playlist! In such a culturally diverse country like India, road trips remain an underrated jewel to blow off steam. From the hilly terrains of North India with its expansive view of the lofty Himalayas to the rocky roads of South India with roaring waterfalls and lush green forests, get in gear for a detox like no other.  

Start this new year with a new resolution: Get, Set, Go! Take your bike or car for a cross-country solo trip or join your friends for a fun ride. However, zeroing in on the best route, or perhaps looking for an unexplored route, is always the most difficult task. Cruise along the Konkan coast with the sea breeze hitting your face or drive through the Nathu La Pass to reach the north-eastern frontiers of the country. This list rounds up the most scenic routes from all corners of India.  

1. Manali to Leh – A Bucket List Champion!

Along the way: Let’s be honest, you hoped to see this sitting atop the list. A road trip between Manali and Leh is one with ethereal beauty. While not exactly offbeat, the route is breathtaking beyond words and will always feature in the list of best road trip routes in India. Don’t believe us? Experience it for yourself! But be prepared for a route that demands some mastery behind the steering. Snow-capped mountains, stunning monasteries, spectacular landscapes, and picturesque valleys make up for the sharp turns and hairpin bends along the route. Although this makes the route emotionally fulfilling, it also makes it difficult to manoeuvre.  

With a length of around 478 km between Manali and Leh, the best advice is to spread the trip across two days. At its highest point, the road boasts an average height of almost 4,000 metres. Hence it would be wise to make at least two stopovers along the way to adjust yourself to the thinning air and the dropping Celsius. You will have to take the Leh-Manali Highway, crossing Solang Valley, Lahaul, and Zanskar Valley en route, with stopover points at Keylong and Sarchu.  

Gotta go: June to September  

Trip-o-meter: 2 days  

2. Bengaluru to Coorg – The Scotland of India!

What Munnar is to Kerala and Ooty is to Tamil Nadu; similarly, Kodagu, popularly known as Coorg, is Karnataka’s very own summer getaway. Nestled amidst the Western Ghats, this road trip is the perfect escape from the IT hub of Bangalore. Take a break from the stressful urban life and take a serene drive to the lush green countryside. You are guaranteed to feel mentally and physically lighter as soon as you start seeing the serene peaks. The air clears, the temperature falls, and soon you are in the lap of nature.  

Situated around 245 km from Bangalore, this quaint hill station is a traveller’s paradise with forests, waterfalls, and world-famous coffee plantations. Whether to take a photo or simply absorb the natural delights, there are many scenic spots to halt on your journey. Your travel time depends on the route chosen, your average travelling speed, and the traffic. Start from Bangalore, crossing Ramanagara, Madya, and Kushalnagar along the way and you will reach Coorg in 6 hours. Alternatively, the Channarayapatna route will take you to Coorg from Bangalore in around 7 hours.  

Gotta go: October to May  

Trip-o-meter: 6 – 7 hours  

3. Gangtok to Lake Tsomo and Nathu La Pass – A Getaway to a Gateway!

Sikkim, the land of monasteries, is the perfect north-eastern retreat to escape the sultry summers of the Indian plains. As tourists throng to the hills during summer, crowding the state capital of Gangtok, many choose a more isolated route. If you are among them, take a trip through the remote north-east mountain roads to Lake Tsomo. The hilly terrain makes for a challenging ride and keeps you on high alert, but the beauty of the journey compensates for the risks. Also called Changu Lake, this glacial lake is situated 40 km from Gangtok at the height of 3780 metres.  

The lake is sacred to Buddhists and Hindus and is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, thus making for an unparalleled drive. The summers are the best time to visit Tsomgo Lake, just when the snow is melting and the wildflowers are beginning to bloom. A drive of around 17 km more will take you to the Nathu La Pass on the Indo-Tibetan border, around 4404 metres above sea level. Take in the mesmerizing view of Tibet’s Chumbi valley as you stand surrounded by snowy mountains and glacial waterfalls.  

Gotta go: May to October  

Trip-o-meter: 2 hours 

4. Pune to Goa – The Pearl of the Orient!

A timeless classic for enthusiastic car and bike lovers from Peninsular India, a road trip from Pune to Goa is as mesmerizing as it is scenic. Start your journey with the Western Ghats giving you company as you look forward to a fun and frolicky weekend. With a distance of 594 km between Pune to Goa, you can choose the AH 47 route that will take you from Pune to Satara, Kasegaon and cross through Akheti, Codli, and Bandoli. Soon you’ll feel the salty breeze on your face and spot the sandy beaches on the horizon, as you reach Goa.  

Another faster route that you can take is along NH48 and Asian Highway-47. This journey spans around 449 km and will keep you behind the steering for around 10 hours, with stops. Drive towards the sand, sea, and sun on a gorgeous road that will not only detox the week’s toils out of your mind but also energise you for a fun time ahead. Stop at various scenic spots and tourist attractions along the way, like the Chalkewadi Windmill Farm, Kopeshwar Temple, Mollem National Park, etc.  

Gotta go: December and January 

Trip-o-meter: 10 – 13 hours 

Take the wheel  

If you feel that’s where you need to be, to start feeling more than a machine simply hustling to make a living. Get your vehicle out, fill the tank, choose your route, swing a bag over your shoulders and off you go! Whether the mountains are your calling, or the seas, a properly planned road trip will help you revive your old self! If you plan your trip, calculate the time and distance of the journey, and make sure to take measured stops, then the drive will be one to remember. Don’t forget to take all the essential supplies, from medicines to extra batteries, warm clothes to dry food.  

What’s the one thing that will absolutely decide the success of your road trip? That’s right, the condition of your car or bike! If you are a cautious driver and want to secure your car as well as yourself against any unforeseen problems or accidents, remember to make sure that your vehicle’s insurance hasn’t expired. Go over the details of your Car Insurance or Bike Insurance and make sure that you are covered for any sudden encounters. Depending on the route you decide on and what your vehicle is, you can further choose from numerous exclusive Road Trip Covers available on Bajaj Markets to further guarantee your and your vehicle’s safety.  

When every month draws to a close, financial struggles and money worries rear their ugly heads to torment us. When that happens, and suddenly, an urgent yet unavoidable expense surfaces, you might find yourself in a pickle. In such a scenario, you might turn to a bank to lend you some money to fulfil your need. But who does a bank turn to? Have you ever found yourselves wondering where do banks get their money from? How is it that they’re never at a loss for funds? How do they raise such an enormous amount of capital? Keep reading to satiate your curiosity and learn more about the whys and hows of banking finance.  

How do banks raise funds 

1. Income generated from Interest

If we were to have an eagle’s eye view of the whole situation, banks are, at their very core, lenders. That means they lure depositors to store their extra capital with them and, offer them a small interest in exchange. They then lend these idle funds to external borrowers who need money immediately. The bank charges these customers with a significantly higher rate of interest. The difference between the two is the bank’s profit, which the bank loves to maximise. This is called interest income. It is the most primal way in which a financial body makes money.

While banks would love to set their interest rates as per their own whims and wishes, in most cases, that is not permissible. These rate ranges are regulated and enforced by central banks such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This is done to maintain a thriving economy and avoid inflation. What’s more, interest rates are dependent on demand and supply statistics.  

Long-term maturity debt instruments are liabilities such as bank loans, credit lines, bonds, etc., with a repayment due date after 12 months of inception. When the demand for such instruments increases, banks sell them at a higher price and lower interest rates. However, if this same demand falls to the ground, these financial bodies might find it more profitable to sell them at lower prices but with greater interest rates.  

One point to be considered in such a ballgame is credit risk. Some debtors might default by not paying back their dues. If many borrowers indulge in such behaviour, it might create a difficult situation for the bank.  

2. Income generated from Capital Markets 

Banks often offer brokerage services to various organisations. They do so by connecting companies or firms in need of funds with those with extra capital and who want to use them profitably. This is called a Capital Market. Moreover, these financial institutions also deploy investment banking teams to provide specialised services to organisations. These groups help their clients manage debt and equities proficiently. Another value-add service is the assistance given out during companies’ mergers and acquisitions. Here, the clients pay a significant amount as service fees to the bank.  

One point to be noted is that Capital Market earnings are volatile. Market and corporate activity across the board might soar and fall considerably, which means these prospects become unforeseeable. Recession and inflation both have a part to play in how the demand graph moves.  

3. Income generated from Service Charges  

One final trick that banks have up their sleeves: service charges. You might be aware that these financial bodies charge fees for every service that they provide. This includes credit card fees, custodian fees, monthly account fees for checking and savings accounts, and so much more. Also, mutual fund investments might be charged a service fee, with some banks even offering in-house mutual fund products to customers.  

For multiple reasons, service fees are an attractive source of income for financial institutions. Firstly, such charges have little tendency to fluctuate and usually stay the same or even hike over time. These income streams further prove their worth during economic slumps, when interest rates of other tools may be decreased to adapt to the market, and consequently, the demand for capital markets might be diminished.  

Why do banks raise funds

Like people, banks and other financial institutions, need money to survive and sustain themselves. Without significant funds backing them up, they will fail to achieve the very purpose they were created for: lending and managing money. As a result, these institutions put in tremendous effort to secure more capital. One way that banks do this is by borrowing money from central banks. This is called ‘cost to funds.’  

Banks generally engage in this behaviour to maintain a steady cash flow required for day-to-day sustenance in transactions. Then, they profit by charging their lending customers a higher rate of interest. The difference between the interest paid to the central bank, and interest earned through loaning out money to customers, is the bank’s profit to keep. Usually, when central banks, such as the Reserve Bank of India, hike their repo rates consecutively, the banks raise their interest rates on loans offered to customers.  

So, there you have it. Banks rely on different sources of income to keep them afloat. This is how banks operate, raise capital, and manage to stay profitable in today’s fiercely competitive world of finance. 

Gone are the days when people spent their days thriving in nature’s embrace, relaxed and carefree. Simple yet meaningful existences paved the way for these people to become centenarians, living their lives to thefullest. If you ask your centenarian great-grandma or grandpa for a rundown of how their days looked like when they were young, they will probably say something like this: getting up early in the morning, milking and feeding cattle or other livestock, having a wholesome and hearty breakfast, while laughing and discussing light matters with loved ones. Then they might have gone ahead with their day, completing simple tasks such as cooking, cleaning, farming, or shopping for groceries. Afterwards, they would eat lunch, sleep under a tree in the afternoon, have a healthy, home-cooked supper, only to finally take to bed.  

Back then, people’s entire existences were blissfully serene and mellow. Agreed, they didn’t have today’s technological advancements to make every single mundane task easier and had to do everything by hand. Yet, they were more at peace with themselves than today’s man ever will be. You can’t turn back time and escape the monotony of the 9-5 clockwork corporate life. However, what you can do is take care of yourself, so that your existence regains meaning, and your physical and mental health is strong enough to take the brunt when the times get tough. Keep reading this blog to know more about how you can rekindle the sparks of joy and make life seem beautiful again, without spending a penny! 

1. Go for walks regularly 

As our schedules get more hectic, a lot is going on in our minds as we try to jumble and manage too many things simultaneously. After some time, this mental clutter that we keep procrastinating to clear out is bound to get the best of us. One way to handle the situation effectively is to go for walks. The more frequent, the merrier. And while you’re at it, it’s best you visit a park or a thickly forested space to be right in the presence of Mother Nature. The cool breeze playing with your locks with the melodious waves reverberating all around you. What’s more, if you’re lucky, you might even run into a mischievous brook babbling somewhere close by!  

When you’re surrounded by such peace and calm, it is a lesser hassle to clear your head. Your worries may be gone with the wind, giving you the required mind space to rationally plot your gameplan for the coming day, week, or month.  

2. Play some music

The general tempo of your playlist is directly proportional to the emotions that will follow after listening to it. Simply put, when you listen to uplifting or lively songs, you are very likely to experience a surge of positive emotions. This is beautifully complemented by an outpouring of happy hormones like dopamine and serotonin. Thus, if a consistently happier mental state is what you pursue, listening to upbeat music might be a zero-cost method to better your life in both the short and long run. 

3. Move and meditate

When the going gets tough, it gets difficult to do even the simplest things, let alone be productive and submit time-bound deliverables at work. One way to attain inner peace is by forming some healthy habits, such as moving your body regularly and meditating. Believe us when we say this, you don’t have to take a leap off the deep end and start working out for at least an hour every day. The best way to start is by taking up a physical activity that you genuine enjoy, such as walking, biking, yoga, or something else. Just get moving. Start by taking as little as 20 minutes out of your day for this self-care activity, and then you can slowly amp it up. If you’ve had a bad day, meditating for even 10 minutes can help you ground yourself and achieve mental clarity. You don’t even have to stick to the traditional meditation techniques; you can just put on a track that calms you and close your eyes. You’ll feel much better after. 

4. Prioritise your sleep

A demanding schedule is no reason to slack off on getting enough sleep. On the contrary, being rest deprived is known to increase stress and anxiety. Sleep deprivation also contributes to other health problems, including obesity, a weaker immune system, along with increased risks of developing heart disease! Some more common consequences may include being more irritable, memory issues, and lower productivity levels. This is why you must prioritise getting at least 8-10 hours of sleep. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, you can play calming music, read a book, or take a long, hot water bath with scented candles. The sleep that follows is bound to be restful and invigorating, for sure!  

5. Start journaling

Yes, as cliché as it sounds, believe us, it works. Take the reins of your life back in your hands instead of losing them, and yourself, to the circumstances. One proven way to regain control is to start a journal. What kind? Whatever you prefer. It can be a wellness journal, a gratitude journal, a daily journal, a food and exercise journal, or an all-in-one diary! Make it a habit to jot down your thoughts when they scream too loudly in your head, or maybe start your day by writing down 5 things you’re grateful for. You can keep yourself accountable by tracking and writing about your performance at work and what you ate. You can also jot down details about whether you drank enough water or whether you stayed active throughout the day. Just putting these minute details on paper will act as a record of your personal growth. Revisiting these will help you get a sense of your accomplishment, no matter how small, and boost your sense of self-worth.  

While these activities are great zero-cost methods to ground yourself, getting professional help by visiting a licensed expert is always advisable. A clinical diagnosis will be beneficial in recognising the root of some problems. It will further give you a sense of direction on how to deal with such issues, and escape from their clutches for good.  

We do understand that such professional mental health services can get expensive, which is why we here at Bajaj Markets offer comprehensive and cost-effective mental health insurance covers. Be sure to check them out and pick one that suits your specific needs best!  

Health is Wealth, an idiom that has been with all of us for centuries now. However, how many of us feel the same? I guess only a handful of people. Today, the fast-paced life is full of uncertainties, and with uncertainty comes emergencies specifically “money emergencies.” 

Half the population of the country still does not understand the importance of buying health insurance. A sudden illness or unforeseen ailment treatments can burn a hole in your pocket, and the financial burden of a medical emergency is too much to bear. Hence, the best way to safeguard the financial burden is health insurance. 

Buying health insurance is different, you cannot just walk into the market and buy the first one you get. Also, with more than a dozen of players in the market, the task becomes more daunting. Hence, to buy meaningful and beneficial health insurance with a robust cover, you need to consider aspects like the claim settlement ratio, the total sum insured, etc.

Also Read: What Does Your Health Insurance Not Cover

The Key Factors You Should Consider Before Buying Health Insurance 

Buying health insurance is like shopping for your life. Because along with safeguarding you from any medical emergencies, it also protects you from uncertain expensive medical bills. Hence, it becomes essential to figure out all crucial points before buying one.

Here is the list of the crucial factors you should consider while buying your first health insurance:

The Premium of the Policy and the Sum Insured

The primary thing to know is the total amount insured and the premium to be paid for it. You must understand the finances included thoroughly, as you will have to pay premiums yearly or monthly based on your choice.

Pre & Post Hospitalisation Coverage

Right from your first lab test to identify the ailment to the post-recovery medication, ideal health insurance should cover all. Pre/post-hospitalisation coverage tells you whatever your insurance covers before and after your hospitalisation. Make sure you check these terms before buying health insurance, as various insurers have different conditions for the coverage. 

Age

Minimum age for a child to get covered by a health insurance policy usually ranges from 90 days (about three months) to 18 years. For an adult, the eligible age is 18 to 65 years. However, there are many plans for people above 65 as well. Hence, you must consider age as a principal factor as it is one of the deciding factors in determining your health insurance premium. 

Inclusion and Exclusion of Plan

Health insurance covers various things like AYUSH treatment expenses, daycare expenses etc. However, it does not cover pre-existing diseases, medical emergencies caused by intoxication etc. Hence, you must know all the inclusions and exclusions, which will help you choose the right health insurance. 

Wait-in Period

Most health insurance does not cover pre-existing diseases straight away. The waiting clause is different for different insurers, but it ranges from 9 months to several years. Hence, before you make your final decision and purchase a health insurance policy, read, and get familiar with all the wait-in clauses.

Add-on Covers & Co-payment Clause

There are various add-ons available that you can add to your health insurance to increase its coverage scope of it. Remember, you need to pay an additional amount as a premium for those add-ons. The co-payment clause tells you the pre-defined percentage of the amount you must pay. These policies cost you less but also offer you fewer covers. 

Buying health insurance is crucial but buying an adequate one is even more important. Hence, you must figure out all your requirements and then choose and buy the right plan.