Friday, July 31, 2020

The Leggend of King Rawana - Part 3

Ravana's Family



Ravana's family are hardly mentioned outside the Ramayana, which is viewed by some as being only the point of view of Rama devotees. According to that:

Ravana's granduncle was Malyavan, who was against the war with Rama and Lakshmana. He also had another granduncle named Mail who was killed by Lord Vishnu.
Ravana's parents were sage Vishrava (son of Pulastya) and Kaikesi (daughter of Sumali and Kethumathi). Kaikesi had ten brothers, the famous generals in Lanka’s army being Dhumraksha, Prahastha and Akampana, which would effectively make them Ravana's uncles and three aunties named Kumbinashi, Puspotkata, and Raka. Kaikesi’s father, Sumali was instrumental in making Ravana, the king of Lanka, by advising him to get boons from Brahma, defeat Kubera, and establish the Rakshasa rule in the three worlds.
Ravana had seven brothers and two sisters:
Kubera – the King of North direction and the Guardian of Heavenly Wealth. He was an older half-brother of Ravana. Kubera was born to Vishrava's another wife Ilavida.
Kumbhakarna – One of the most jovial demons in Hindu mythology. When offered a boon by Brahma, he was tricked into asking for eternal sleep. A horrified Ravana, out of brotherly love, persuaded Brahma to amend the boon. Brahma mitigated the power of the boon by making Kumbhakarna sleep for six months and being awake for the rest six months of a year (in some versions, he is awake for one day out of the year). During the war with Rama, Kumbhakarna was untimely awakened from his sleep. He tried to persuade Ravana to open negotiations with Rama and return Sita to him. But he too failed to mend the ways of Ravana. However, bound by a brother's duty, he fought on the side of Ravana and was killed in the battlefield. Before dying he met Vibhishana and blessed him for following the path of righteousness.
Vibhishana – A follower of Rama and one of the most important characters in the Ramayana. As a minister and brother of Ravana, he spoke the truth without fear and advised Ravana to return the kidnapped Sita and uphold Dharma. Ravana not only rejected this sane advice, but also banished him from his kingdom. Vibhishana sought protection from Rama, which was granted without hesitation.
Khara – King of Janasthan. He was a cousin of Ravana and the son of Kaikesi's sister Raka.
Dushana – Viceroy of Janasthan. Cousin of Ravana and twin brother of Khara.
Ahiravan – In Krittivasi Ramayan, Ahiravan was king of the Underworld ruled by the rakshasas by Ravana and the demon king Maya.
Kumbhini – Older half-sister of Ravana and the wife of the demon Madhu, King of Mathura. She was the mother of Lavanasura.
Sahastra Ravana - He is mentioned in Adbhuta Ramayana as elder brother of Ravana, one thousand armed and thousand-headed, living on an island named Pushkar, he was much more powerful than his younger brother. He is slain by Sita who takes the form of Mahakali to slay him.




Shurpanakha – The sister of Ravana. She was the ultimate root of the kidnapping of Sita. She was the one who instigated her brothers to wage a war against Rama.
Ravana was married to Mandodari, the daughter of the celestial architect Maya, Dhanyamalini, and a third wife. His sons from his three wives were as follows
  • Meghnaad (also known as Indrajit because he defeated Indra), the most powerful son of Ravana. He was born to Ravana's elder consort Mandodari.
  • Atikaya
  • Akshayakumara
  • Narantaka
  • Devantaka
  • Trishira
In the Bengali ballad "Meghnad Bodh Kavya" by Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Beerbahu is said to be Ravana's son.
Priestly ministers
Ravana is said in some version to have had Shukracharya, the priest of the Asuras, as his minister, and in some versions Brihaspati, the priest of the Devas.

One of the most original, which is not found in earlier manuscripts, tells how Ravana orders his court priest Brhaspati (all the gods being his slaves) to read the Chandi stava (mantras of Chandi), that is, the Devi Mahatmya, in order to stave off defeat if he can recite it. According to the Krttivasa text, Ravana arranged for a peaceful yajna (sacrifice) and to start the recitation of Chandi, Brihaspati was invited. Accordingly, Brihaspati recited the same correctly.

The Leggend of King Rawana - Part 2

Birth of Ravana




Ravana was born to great sage Vishrava (or Vesamuni), and his wife, the Rakshasa princess Kaikesi in the Treta Yuga. People of Bisrakh village in Uttar Pradesh claim that Bisrakh was named after Vishrava, and that Ravana was born there.[16] But according to Hela historical sources and folklore, Ravana was born in Lanka, where he later became king.

Ravana's grandfather on his father's side, the sage Pulastya, was one of the ten Prajapatis or mind-born sons of Brahma and one of the Saptarishi (Seven Great Sages Rishi) in the first Manvantara (age of Manu). His maternal grandfather was Sumali (or Sumalaya); king of the Raksasas and the son of Sukesha. Sumali had ten sons and four daughters. Sumali wished Kaikeshi to marry the most powerful being in the mortal world, so as to produce an exceptional heir. He rejected the kings of the world, as they were less powerful than him. Kaikesi searched among the sages and finally chose Vishrava, the father of Kubera. Ravana and his siblings were born to the couple. They completed their education from their father, with Ravana being a great scholar of the Vedas.

Boon of Ravana

Ravana and his two brothers Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana performed penances on Mt Gokarna for 11,000 years and won boons from Brahma. Ravana was blessed with a boon that would make him invincible to the creation of Brahma, except for humans. He also received weapons, chariot as well as the ability to shapeshift from Brahma. Ravana later usurped Lanka from his half-brother Kubera and became the King of Lanka. He appointed Shukracharya as his priest and learnt the Arthashastra (Science of Politics) from him.

Devotee of Shiva
 
One of the most Popular Images of Shiva is called as "Ravananugraha" which was popular in gupta era which depicts Ravan beaneat Mount Kailasa Playing a Veena Made out of his head and hand and strings made out of his Tendons with Shiva Parvati sitting on top. According to scriptures, Ravana once tried to lift Mount Kailash, but Shiva pushed the mountain into place and trapped Ravana beneath it. For a thousand years, the imprisoned Ravana sang hymns (Shiva Tandava Stotra) in praise of Shiva, who finally blessed him and granted him an invincible sword and a powerful linga (Shiva's aniconic symbol, Atmalinga) to worship.

The Leggend of King Rawana - Part 1




Ravana is widely considered to be a symbol of evil. While in Sri Lankan mythology, he is considered as a great ruler. Ravana also had many qualities that made him a learned scholar. He was well-versed in the six shastras and the four Vedas.

In the Ramayana, Ravana abducts Rama's wife Sita and took her to his kingdom of Lanka, where he held her as a prisoner in Ashok Vatika. Furthermore in Ramayana, it is stated that during this time, he expressed desire to marry her. Later, Rama, with support of vanara King Sugriva and his army of vanars, attacked to Lanka, killed King Ravana, and rescued his beloved wife Sita.

Ravana is considered to be the most revered devotee of Shiva. Images of Ravana are seen associated with Shiva at some places. He also appears in the Buddhist Mahayana text Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, in Buddhist Ramayanas and Jatakas, as well as in Jain Ramayanas. In some scriptures, he is depicted as one of Vishnu’s cursed doorkeepers.

Etymology

 
Statue of Ravana at Koneswaram Hindu Temple, Sri Lanka
The word Rāvaṇa (Sanskrit: रावण) means roaring opposite of Vaiśravaṇa meaning "hear distinctly" (passive).Both Ravana and Vaiśravaṇa, who is popularly known as Kubera, are considered to be patronymics derived as "sons of Vishrava".

Rāvana was a title taken on later by Dashānana, and it means "screamer" in Sanskrit (Ravana would sing hymns). Further, roravana is Sanskrit for "loud roaring." In Abhinava Gupta's Krama Shaiva scripture, yāsām rāvanam is used as an expression to mean people who are truly aware in terms of the materialism of their environment.

Ravana has many other popular names, such as Dasis Ravana, Dasis Sakvithi Maha Ravana, Dashaanan, Ravula, Lankeshwar, Lankeshwaran, Ravanasura, Ravanaeshwaran, and Eela Vendhar.

Iconography




Ravana is depicted and described as having ten heads, although sometimes he is shown with only nine heads because he has sacrificed a head to convince Shiva. He is described as a devout follower of Shiva, a great scholar, a capable ruler and a maestro of the Veena (pronounced veh-nah; a chordophone instrument). Ravana is also depicted as the author of the Ravana Samhita, a book on Hindu astrology, and the Arka Prakasham, a book on Siddha medicine and treatment. Ravana possessed a thorough knowledge of Siddha and political science. He is said to have possessed the nectar of immortality, which was stored inside his belly, thanks to a celestial boon by Brahma.

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Embekka Devalaya



Embekka Devalaya (Embekka Temple) was built by the King Vikramabahu III of Gampola Era (AD 1357 - 1374) in Sri Lanka. The devalaya is dedicated to Kataragama deviyo. A local deity called Devatha Bandara is also worshiped at this site. The shrine consists of three sections, the "Sanctum of Garagha", the "Digge" or "Dancing Hall" and the "Hevisi Mandapaya" or the "Drummers' Hall". The Drummers' Hall has drawn the attention of visitors to the site, due to the splendid wood carvings[2] of its ornate pillars and its high pitched roof.




Embekka Devalaya is situated in Medapalata Korale of Udunuwara in Kandy district. This is a sheltered place used to rest during long pilgrimage or long journeys in ancient days of Sri Lanka. This Ambalama is said to be built during A.D. 1341 - 1357 by the King Bhuwanekabhahu IV.

Carvings and Wood Work




It is said that some of the wood work utilised for the "Drummers' Hall" came from an abandoned "Royal Audience Hall" at Gampola. There is every possibility the hall has seen repairs during the reigns of the Sinhalese Kings of Kandy. The carvings, which adorn the wooden pillars of the drummers' hall, as well as the "Vahalkada" (the entrance porch of the devala, which is said to be older) are some of the best examples of Sinhalese art. The base of the wooden pillars are octagonal shaped while their top end with four leaves stacked in a square.The most noted and famous carvings out of them are the entwined swans, double headed eagles, entwined rope designs, breast-feeding image, a soldier fighting on horseback, female dancers, wrestlers, women emanating from a vein, bird-human hybrid, elephant-bull hybrid and elephant-lion hybrid.




The roof itself has significant features. The rafters all slant from above towards the incoming visitor are fixed together and kept in position by a "Madol Kurupawa", a kind of a giant catch pin the like of which we do not find elsewhere. When we consider the carvings of the entire temple there are about 125 series of decorations, 256 liyawela type designs, and 64 lotus designs, 30 decorative patterns and roof designs, ending up in 514 unique designs.














Wednesday, July 29, 2020

The Gardens of the Sigiriya



The Gardens of the Sigiriya city are one of the most important aspects of the site, as it is among the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. The gardens are divided into three distinct but linked forms: water gardens, cave and boulder gardens, and terraced gardens.

Water gardens
 


 
The gardens of Sigiriya, as seen from the summit of the Sigiriya rock
The water gardens can be seen in the central section of the western precinct. Three principal gardens are found here. The first garden consists of a plot surrounded by water. It is connected to the main precinct using four causeways, with gateways placed at the head of each causeway. This garden is built according to an ancient garden form known as char bagh, and is one of the oldest surviving models of this form.

The second contains two long, deep pools set on either side of the path. Two shallow, serpentine streams lead to these pools. Fountains made of circular limestone plates are placed here. Underground water conduits supply water to these fountains which are still functional, especially during the rainy season. Two large islands are located on either side of the second water garden. Summer palaces are built on the flattened surfaces of these islands. Two more islands are located farther to the north and the south. These islands are built in a manner similar to the island in the first water garden.

The third garden is situated on a higher level than the other two. It contains a large, octagonal pool with a raised podium on its northeast corner. The large brick and stone wall of the citadel is on the eastern edge of this garden.



The water gardens are built symmetrically on an east-west axis. They are connected with the outer moat on the west and the large artificial lake to the south of the Sigiriya rock. All the pools are also interlinked using an underground conduit network fed by the lake, and connected to the moats. A miniature water garden is located to the west of the first water garden, consisting of several small pools and watercourses. This recently discovered smaller garden appears to have been built after the Kashyapan period, possibly between the 10th and 13th centuries.

Boulder gardens

The boulder gardens consist of several large boulders linked by winding pathways. The gardens extend from the northern slopes to the southern slopes of the hills at the foot of Sigiris rock. Most of these boulders had a building or pavilion upon them; there are cuttings that were used as footings for brick walls and beams. They were used to be pushed off from the top to attack enemies when they approached.



 
Terraced gardens

The terraced gardens are formed from the natural hill at the base of the Sigiriya rock. A series of terraces rises from the pathways of the boulder garden to the staircases on the rock. These have been created by the construction of brick walls, and are located in a roughly concentric plan around the rock. The path through the terraced gardens is formed by a limestone staircase. From this staircase, there is a covered path on the side of the rock, leading to the uppermost terrace where the lion staircase is situated.

Kandy Esala Perahera



The Kandy Esala Perahera (the Sri Dalada Perahara procession of Kandy) also known as The Festival of the Tooth is a festival held in July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka. This historical procession is held annually to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha, which is housed at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. A unique symbol of Sri Lanka, the procession consists of traditional local dances such as fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandyan dances and various other cultural dances, in addition to the elephants who are usually adorned with lavish garments. The festival ends with the traditional diya-kepeema ritual, a water cutting ceremony which is held at the Mahaweli River at Getambe, Kandy.

History



The Esala is believed to be a fusion of two separate but interconnected "Peraheras" (Processions) The Esala and Dalada. The Esala Perahera, which is thought to date back to the 3rd century BC, was a ritual enacted to request the gods for rainfall. The Dalada Perahera is believed to have begun when the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka from India during the 4th century CE, eight hundred years after the passing away of Lord Buddha.

According to tradition, the Tooth Relic was taken in procession to Sri Lanka by Princess Hemamala & Prince Dantha.

It was also through the efforts of Upali Thera that the Kandy Esala Perahera came into being. This procession was originally focused on honor to Hindu deities, particularly those incorporated into Sri Lankan Buddhism. Upali Thera believed this to be inappropriate in a Buddhist nation, and his influence led to the king declaring that "Henceforth Gods and men are to follow the Buddha".

Modern Perahera



After the Kandyan Kingdom fell to the British in 1815, the custody of the Relic was handed over to the Maha Sanga (the Buddhist Clergy). In the absence of the king, a chief lay custodian called the "Diyawadana Nilame" was appointed to handle routine administrative matters concerning the relic and its care.

The Procession

The Kandy Esala Perahera begins with the Kap Situveema or Kappa, in which a sanctified young Jackfruit tree (Artocarpus integrifolia) is cut and planted in the premises of each of the four Devales dedicated to the four guardian gods Natha, Vishnu, Katharagama and the goddess Pattini. Traditionally it was meant to shower blessing on the King and the people.

The Kumbal Perahera



For the next five nights, the "Devale Peraheras" take place within the premises of the four Devales with the priest of each Devale taking the pole every evening, accompanied by music and drumming, flag and canopy bearers, spearman and the Ran Ayudha (gold Armaments), the sacred insignia of the Gods.

On the sixth night, the Kumbal Perahera begins and continues on for five days. Initially, the Devale Peraheras assemble in front of the Temple of the Tooth, which is Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist Shrine and where the Buddha's Sacred Tooth Relic has been kept since the 16th Century, with their insignias placed on the ransivige (a dome-like structure) accompanied by the Basnayake Nilames (the lay custodians of the Devales).


The relic casket, which is a replica for the Tooth Relic, is placed inside the ransivige affixed to the Maligawa Elephant, the Maligawa Perahera joins the awaiting Devale Peraheras and leads the procession. Whip-crackers and fireball acrobats clear the path, followed by the Buddhist flag bearers. Then, riding on the first elephant, is the official called Peramuna Rala (Front Official). He is followed by Kandyan Drummers and Dancers who enthrall the crowd, and are themselves followed by elephants and other groups of musicians, dancers and flag bearers. A group of singers dressed in white heralds the arrival of the Maligawa Tusker carrying the Sacred Tooth Relic. The Diyawadana Nilame (traditionally required to do everything in his power to ensure rain in the correct season) walks in traditional Kandyan-clothed splendor after the tusker.

The second procession is from the Natha Devale, which faces the Sri Dalada Maligawa and is said to be the oldest building in Kandy, dating back to the 14th Century.


The third is from the Vishnu Devale (Vishnu being a Hindu god), also known as the Maha Devale. It is situated in front of the main gate of the Natha Devale.
The fourth procession is from the Katharagama Devale (dedicated to the God of Kataragama deviyo, identified with the warrior god Skanda) which is on Kottugodalle Vidiya (a street in Kandy). This procession includes Kavadi, the peacock dance, in which the pilgrim-dances carry semicircular wooden contraptions studded with peacock feathers on their shoulders.

The fifth and final procession is from the Pattini Devale (Pattini being a goddess associated with the cure of infectious diseases and called upon in times of drought and famine), which is situated to the West of the Natha Devale. This is the only procession that has women dances.


The following important times are announced by the firing of cannonballs, which can be heard all across Kandy.

The commencement of the Devale Peraheras
The placing of the casket on the tuskers back
The commencement of the Dalada Perahera
The completion of the Perahera
The Randoli Perahera Edit
The Randoli Perahera begins after five nights of the Kumbal Perahera. Randoli refers to palanquins on which the Queens of the ruling Kings traditionally traveled. 2018 Kandy Esala Maha Perahera (Randoli Perahera) was held on 25 August 2018, the full moon poya day with the participation of hundreds thousands people.

Diya Kepeema and the Day Perahera


After a further five nights of the Randoli Perahera, the pageant ends with the Diya Kepeema, which is the water cutting ceremony at the Mahaweli River at Getambe, a town a few miles from Kandy. A Day Perahera is held to mark the ceremony.


 

Sunday, July 26, 2020

10 Sex Tips For Women That'll Make It Far More Pleasurable



If you identify as a straight woman, it’s likely you’ve been conditioned your whole life to make sure that your male partner is enjoying themselves in the bedroom. And although it is important that sex is enjoyable for all involved, it’s just as important to ensure that you are having a pleasurable time, too. Sex is, after all, a two (or three, or four, or more) person affair. Everyone’s pleasure and comfortability should be at the forefront. Thankfully,there are plenty of sex tips to make it delightful for everyone involved.



The majority of the tips focus on the moments before and after sex, and with the goal of strengthening communication between sex partners. Of course, there are tips that can be used during sex as well, including checking in with your partner periodically and sharing what you like, and don’t like, as you and your partner(s) are in the throes.

From ensuring consent before and during sex, to experimenting with toys and lubes, here are the best sex tips to make sure things are great for everyone:

Talk about sex.
That doesn’t mean that you should just up your dirty talk and call it a day (although that can definitely be fun). Dr. Jess O’Reilly, Astroglide’s resident sexologist, tells Woman’s Day that you should be talking about sex before, during, and after the deed. “Research suggests that when you talk about sex during sex, you experience higher levels of self-esteem and satisfaction,” she says.


sex tips for women talk about sex
Don’t just talk about fantasies. Talk about what sex means, how important sex is, and what you want from sex.
TANYA CONSTANTINE
These conversations don’t have to simply focus on what feels good, either. You should be talking about sex as a noun instead of a verb, O’Reilly explains. So instead of asking about your partner’s fantasies, ask them questions like this: What does sex mean to you? How important is sex to you? How often do you want to have sex? How do you want to feel before, during, and after sex? And of course, these conversations should also focus on establishing consent before and during sex, especially if you’re interested in trying something new with your partner(s). No one can have a great time if they’re not a completely comfortable, willing participate




Build anticipation.
While most people consider anticipation to be the sexy tease that eventually leads to a big climax, O’Reilly says that’s not entirely true. “Anticipation is not the precursor to pleasure. Anticipation is pleasure,” she says. “If you go straight for the goods, you will both miss out on this important stage of pleasure.” In other words, it’s important to take your time.



Instead of going to the spot that you know will drive you and your partner wild first, O’Reilly says to just suggest you’ll get there. “By alluding to what you’re going to do with your words, body language, and teasing touch, you build sexual energy and desire that mounts into a more climatic response.” In fact, research shows that dopamine, a chemical associated with reward and pleasure, is released as soon as we begin to anticipate a reward — not just when you receive it. “This is why planning a vacation is often more exciting and pleasurable than the trip itself, and why dopamine levels can rise dramatically when we dream of future plans like retirement.”

The 100 Ways To Make Money Online




  • 1
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  • 2
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    Influencers; how many followers do you have on Instagram, Snapchat, or even on Twitter? Influencers are people that command a huge following online and as such, have the potential to influence. Brands and products are willing to pay them just to get endorsed, or associated with the influencers.
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    Newsletters; do a bit of research on the demographics and interests of potential clients or customers, and then bombard them with Newsletters. You have to balance between not annoying the recipient with endless newsletters, and making them informative/interesting/entertaining. For instance, a newsletter about an upcoming event could feature a catchy story of the history of the venue, ending with a sales pitch requesting the recipient to show up.
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    Email marketing; email marketing is just that; it means sending clients emails with details of what you’re selling or services you’re offering. The point here is not so much on getting instant responses, but future prospective clients. Thus, you send the emails to as many recipients as possible.
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    Online modeling; in this day and age of Instagram, Snapchat, and many other online platforms, photos and videos can easily go viral. Brands are always looking for models with the right, perfect bodies to help promote their brand. Take good profession photos, send them to an agency and get paid; you can have your face hidden or pixeled out, or even shown if the brand is a decent on that you’d not be ashamed of being associated with.
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    Online webcam shows; let’s face the truth, sex sells and has always been selling. Online sex chats and Skype sex shows are strangely, some of the highest paying online jobs! The fact that some men are willing to pay hundreds of £ £ £ an hour just to see a girl undress or tease him on the cam tells you just how hot things can get. Some models will entertain more than one man a day or night without leaving their apartments, or even showing their faces; they earn thousands of pounds a week.
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    Escort profiles and reviews; welcome to the naughty side of the internet where you get paid to imagine that you’re an escort, or a client that has spent time with one. Imagine you visited London last week and met a pretty escort, had good times and you now have to write your experience for other potential clients to see. Alas, and you’re doing this all this from the comfort of your hostel or house, all that you require being only being a laptop, the internet, and a creative mind.
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    Selling email lists; marketers are always looking for leads and ways to reach out to new clients. If you have a list contacts of people you think have interests related to what the marketers are offering, you can sell that database to the marketers. The good thing here is that you can sell the database to multiple marketers as long as the list therein is relevant to the marketing campaign being undertaken.
  • 22
    Social media executives/managers; it is one thing to have a degree in marketing and advertizing. It is another to be a crafty social media marketer capable of making an impact on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Companies are always looking for Social Media Executives and manager who can work from home as long as they’re helping give their brand a robust online presence.
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    Online PR firm; you can charge people and companies a fee to promote their image online, to package and present them in a way that helps advance their reputation or worth.
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    Mobile App development; mobile app development is a multi million pound industry that has room and space for anyone able to design an app. Of course, you have to be good at coding but more importantly, think of an app that will transform the user’s life in a way they won’t want to do without it. Google Play Store will pay you well each time the app is downloaded from anywhere in the world. There are numerous articles online on how to develop a mobile app.
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    Apps review; you don’t have to be a coder in order for you to get paid to write an app review. Just download an app and take note of the download time, the interface (is the app easy to install, start using), and send this review to the client; you get paid handsomely regardless of whether you uninstall the app immediately after writing the review or not.
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    Delivery rider/driver; you have a bike/car and a Smartphone? This is for the days you don’t have classes or are just bored and looking to step out and freshen up. There are Franchises desperately looking for delivery men and women in areas around you and you can earn up to £16. Check Deliveroo and see their offers.
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    Fiverr Gigs; fiverr is a large market place where thousands of people make money online from. People sell their services, usually referred to as gigs. The services could include anything from social media posting, doing voiceovers, comedy and pranks, you name it. The default rate for every service is $5 hence the term Fiverr. The more gigs you attach, the more money you’ll make.
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    Music reviews; do you love music, not as a singer or instrumentalist but as a mere listener? There are sites that are willing to pay you when you listen to their music and write a review or comment below. SlicethePie is a good place to start.
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    Online music studio; download music making software and make beats and instrumentals that you can sell online. Many music producers have made much cash making beats that they post on YouTube and leave their contacts below; interested upcoming artists are always willing to pay for a nice beat.
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    Sell your school notes; do you know that there are sites where you can share your school notes with other students and get paid for that? You, you just upload your notes together with the price you’re charging and interested students can download them for a small few.
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    Buying/selling of domain names; domain names are website addresses that end with .com, co.uk, and .net. It costs you less than £2 to register a domain name at GoDaddy.com or 123-reg.c0.uk.  Yet, a premium domain will go for up to £1,000 or even more when being sold.
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    Online tutors; students taking online courses spend millions of £ £ £ on paying tutors to teach them and mark their exams. You have to be skilled and qualified in the field you wish to tutor your students in. A good place to start would be UK Tutors and Udemy.
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    Online HR agencies; most companies nowadays are recruiting from the internet and as a HR expert you can handle the applications online and send the shortlisted candidates list to the employer. You’re more like a broker, hunting for potential employees from LinkedIn and other online job adverts; the employer gives you a commission at the end of the exercise.
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    Online Doctors; not all illnesses deserve a visit to the doctor as the internet has become the new source of information. It could be that there’s a first time mother looking for tips to bathe or feed her newborn, a girl with menstrual pain, an adult with an aching tooth looking for a quick remedy at home. If you have the skills, just get some online presence and leave your contacts; people are willing to pay for online medical consultation especially if you’re qualified and offering effective remedies.
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    WordPress Plugins; there are online money making opportunities for those that are well conversant with WordPress themes and plugins. Companies are always looking to outsource the designing of their website to coders and those conversant with WordPress.
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    Data entry jobs; Data entry jobs are some of the easiest ways to make money online, however, they are also the most prone to scammers. You will need to be accurate and able to meet tough deadlines. In order to avoid getting scammed, it’s important check out legit data entry jobs.
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    Earning from Cashback sites; you can earn some money online each time you shop from sites like eBay and Amazon. But you will need to sign up to sites like CashKaro, ShopAtHome, and eBates and ensure that you shop through them; you always get  2% to 5% cashback from the total amount you used to shop, as long as you shopped from these sites.
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    Podcasting; Podcasts could be a video of an interview you did on a funny or trending topic; it could also be about a topic you’re well conversant with, eg current affairs or finance.  Some media houses and individuals are willing to pay for good videos; you can also post them online on your YouTube channel.
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    Getting paid to click; PCS jobs aka paid to click jobs are super easy; you just click a given URL stay there for a few minutes and earn your money. The pay may be small per click but if you have multiple sites to click you’ll notice that it’s quite a lot by the end of the month.
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    Newspaper columnists and correspondents; freelancer writers, feature article writers; you don’t have to be employed by a major Newspaper of magazine in order to have your work published. Simply write your story and email it online to the editor and if he/she likes it, chances are that they may hire you to be a regular contributor.
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    Writing eBooks; an eBook is ideal if you are passionate and authoritative in a certain field, for instance Dog Training, How to fight alcoholism, and so on. You will set a price for your eBook and email it to as many people as are willing to pay for it.
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    Sharing content; if you have a knack for writing really interesting and captivating content that can go viral, then you can sell it online and have it published. This could be a humorous experiences, a joke, funny one liners, and so on.
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    Contextual advertising; blogging is one thing, but having advertisers pay you to share anchor texts that contain links is another. For this to happen your blog site must be pulling huge traffic to marketers can see the potential for returns.
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    Selling ads on your site; if your website/blog posts are attracting huge traffic on the site, you can charge brands and products a fee to place ads on the site.
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    Renting and selling space to write on your website; as a blogger, you can get paid by other upcoming or little known bloggers and have them publish their work on your site.
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    Writing for other sites; get paid by bloggers and other site owners to write content and post it on their site. It could be that you have a better gasp to they are just fatigued and in need of someone that can fill up content on their behalf.
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    Sell photos online; are you a professional photographer or one with passion for photography? You can take nice photos on your phone of camera and sell them online for a fee. There are photo sharing sites where interested people can buy the photos and use them.
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    Online music lessons; online guitar and piano lessons are always in demand from music lovers and music producers. You can post the lessons on YouTube or email them directly to the interested students. The lessons are offered in phases and the student pays for each lesson as you advance.
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    Design and sell courses online; again, you can be the designer of a course in a field you are well versed in and sell them online. From dog training short courses to working out and aerobics, Yoga, public speaking; you just need to be creative and come up with a regiment or step by step guide that you can record in a CD and sell online.
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    Online guidance and counseling services; just like the online doctor or online tutor, there is also a niche for the online guidance and counselor. For a small fee, people with weighty issues could seek solace and a shoulder to lean on during heartbreak or when they feel so low. You could get paid to call them and offer your professional advice, or even conduct a Skype call to comfort and encourage them. You get paid to offer counseling online and trust you me, the internet is full of men and women facing such weighty issues that any offer for assistance and advice is always welcome.
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    Caption photos with quotes; photographers may be good at taking the right photos for the moment, knowing the best time or lighting to take a photo, and so on. But they may not be so good in writing the captions. Often, motivational and inspirational quotes are always best understood when they have a nature photo, animal photo accompanying them. Get in touch with top photographers and offer to caption their photos; most photographers are always more than welcome to pay for such because it helps advance their work.
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    Online Forex trading; forex traders work by waiting for the right moment to sell a currency they bought and make a profit from the difference in conversion rates of two currencies. Some of the leading online forex trading sites includeCMC MarketsForex.comSaxo Bank, and many more.


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    Selling books online; you can also make some quick money by selling old books online, a site like BookScouter is a great place to start. You’ll just need to enter the ISBN number and bid for buyers based on the price you’ve set.
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    Sell recipes online; nowadays, chefs and hotels are always looking for new recipes to serve their guests and if you are passionate about cooking, you could make a homemade video of the recipe you’re preparing. As long as the meal is tasty and recipe easy to follow, there are always chefs and people willing to pay for that.
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    Desktop publishing; are you good with adobe Photoshop? You can help magazines and other publications in designing their front page covers or any other photos they need edited; a smart way to make money from the comfort of your room. However, you must have the skills in photo editing and use of latest photo software.
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    CPA; CPA refers to cost per action and it entails you convincing other people to sign up or register in a site. The commissions are numerous here.
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    Membership sites; if you are knowledgeable and well versed on a certain topic; you can create a site for users looking for answers in that field. You start by posting content that solves questions to particular problems; as the traffic increases and people start quoting your site you can start charging a membership fee for anyone that wants to access the site. You can do this on WordPress; just buy a theme or plugin to make the site appear more professional and authoritative.
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    Online journalism; online journalism is vast and it can include anything from writing a script for a TV programme to being an online panelist (you’ll just need a good grasp of the topic, your laptop and internet). Online Journalism pays handsomely and you can make it a fulltime job.
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    Visual arts, designing jobs; sites like Evanto Studio and 99 Designs pay designers good cash just to design logos, emblems, even covers of magazines and other publications.
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    Online focus groups; Microsoft, Google, PayPal and any other companies are always seeking feedback from users in order to help them improve on their service delivery. Make money by helping them get feedback from their products.
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    Online Tech Support; big companies find it easier outsourcing some of their tasks to qualified persons who are willing to avail their services online. Tech support is one such task; you make money by solving tech related problems, mostly relating to computer software and hardware.
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    Call center jobs; if you are fluent in English and are courteous, you can make money working as a customer care representative for a major brand or business. You’re trained on how to respond to queries, how to direct customers with queries to the right department; you’ll need good quality headphones, a laptop and internet.
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    Virtual assistant; virtual assistant work like office assistants helping in data entry, customer care, telemarketing, or any other task that may come up. Only that this time, you do this from your home without the hassle of commuting back and forth. Some of the leading sites that offers legitimate virtual assistant jobs include Fancy Hands,  Fexjobs.
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    eBay and Amazon sellers; sell merchandise on behalf of these sites and get paid. If you are a good marketer, you will easily get nice commissions from selling products on Amazon and eBay online; millions of people make a living doing so.
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    Google AdSense; you just need a blog site or website for you to make money from Google AdSense. When visitors to your site click on the AdSense ads, Google pays you up to 68% of what they received from the advertisers.
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    Revenue sharing sites; check out sites like Xomba, Snipsly,HubPages, or evenInfoBarrel.com.  Just signup and get paid to write nice articles. You will need to acquaint yourself with SEO and Keyword research so that the content can have higher chances of top ranking on search engines.
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    Selling gadgets online; why not, you could also make money online by buying laptops, Smartphones, and other electronics and resell theme at a profit. People are always looking to sell their items in a hurry when faced with a financial emergency and if you are able to purchase such items at that hour of need, you can later sell them for a profit.
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    Stock photography; if you take good quality photos of animals, nature, landmarks, prominent people and the likes, you could make money by selling them to sites like Shutterstock, Fotolia, iStock, Dreamstime, Getty Images, and many more.
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    Sell artwork online; are you an art collector or painter who has passion for artistic works? The internet has numerous platforms and sites where you can auction such to the highest bidder. Paintings if nicely done can fetch thousands of pounds online.
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    Send viral videos online; funny videos of animals, children, comics and pranks, real life situations; all these are in high demand in this day and age of social media. Major sites and publications like The Sun, Daily Mail, Live Leaks, Ripleys Believe It Or Not are just some of the sites that will pay handsomely for any unique viral video.
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    Sponsored links/posts; if your site is authoritative and with huge traffic, marketers will always pay you well to sponsor links to their products or websites.
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    Sponsored tweets; similarly, some individuals or companies pay you to tweet on their behalf. This is more like being in charge of the twitter account, tweeting and replying to tweets from other users.
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    Getting paid to like Facebook posts; although this doesn’t always pay very well, there are some brands that will pay you to visit their Facebook page and like or leave a comment.
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    Playing games online; before games are released into the market, the makers and designers always get some people to test them and leave feedback that may help them improve. They pay you to play a game online and share feedback with them. It’s an easy and fun way of making money online.
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    Product testing; again, product testing is all about picking an item that’s given for free and using it, then sharing the feedback. The product can be shipped right to your doorstep for testing, or you could pick it from a designated dealer around you.
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    Raise money for charity; although this one is debatable, raising money via charity is a lucrative way of making money online. Some people may find it unethical but truth is that if you have a cause that you’re passionate about, you can open a Facebook page or online platform to have donors and partners send their contributions to you.
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    Crowdfunding; like the name suggests, crowdfunding is all about raising funds from online crowds.  People donate their money to you online and all that you’ll need is to have a nice, juicy story or content that people will enjoy reading.
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    Software testing; software engineers are known to pay businesses and individuals to try out their software online before release into the market. The software could vary, from the one used to hide IP addresses to software used to translate or check for plagiarism in content, and so on.
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    Selling insurance online; become an online insurance agent and sell policies to clients online, on behalf of the mother company. You don’t have to go from door to door looking for potential clients; just online marketing via emails, Skype calls, and once the deal is sealed, you can now direct the client to the mother company and await your commission.
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    Online voiceovers; do you have a nice voice that’s ideal for doing documentaries or any other features? Check out for opportunities on sites like Upwork or liaise with film makers online who’re looking for people to do voice overs. They will send you the written script and all that you will need is to record your voice in a crisp, audible manner.
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    Resume and cover writing; thousands of job applicants lose out on job opportunities each week due to poorly done Resumes and cover letters. Such people are willing to pay a professional who can draft their cover letters and write the perfect Resume. Check out sites like My Perfect ResumeResume Genius, etc.
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    E commerce site; companies like Amazon started off as small ecommerce sites and today they are worth millions of pounds. You too could start an own  site to sell merchandise online, where shoppers can shop for goods and services online, pay online, and you receive your cut each time they complete the transaction. You can liaise directly with the manufacturer or distributor and deal exclusively with their products.
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    Online real estate brokers and agents; the internet is full of wealthy buyers looking for prime property. Most don’t have the time to go round looking for property and here is where you come in; identify a real estate that has property and agree with them on the commission you’ll get if you get a buyer for their property. You could then look for clients online, sometimes you even earn double because the real estate agent pays you a commission and the client also gives you a tip for helping them land their dream property.
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    Trading on CraigslistCraigslistis one example of many online websites where you can advertize your goods or services absolutely free. There are different sections where you post your ad and the responses are always numerous. However, you want to be careful as Craigslist has many fake ads, scammers and cons; never send money or pay for any good and service you’re yet to receive.
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    Online advertising and branding; as an online advertiser, you don’t need a huge office, staff, or such. You just need to be good in marketing and branding, and an ability to convince. Companies are always looking for online advertisers who can help them reach the many customers who spend most of their time online researching and shopping.
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    Coupon site; Amazon and eBay are good examples of coupon sites and you too can start your own site and earn handsomely. You earn by selling coupons on behalf of merchants who transact online.
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    Guiding newbies to sites they joined; as a newbie, it is common for you to struggle and make mistakes as you learn the ropes. For instance, freelancers who sign up to Upwork quickly find out that that’s the easy process; one has to create a nice profile that will help them bid for jobs with ease. Thus, there are pros who earn from such newbies by helping them create the profiles, bid for projects, and so on so forth, for a fee.
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    Domain hosting services; selling domains and hosting sites on behalf of clients is also an easy way of making much money online.
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    VOIP; VOIP stands for voice over internet protocol and here, people are able to make calls over the internet, rather than using the traditional phones and mobile phones. With VOIP, you will just need to have a router, Gateway, and SIM cards. It is much cheaper making international calls via VOIP than via a mobile network. This may require some financial muscles to invest in but once you get going there is much money to be made online from VOIP.
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    Payment gateway solutions; online payment options like PayPal, Payoneer, Skrill, and the likes are all the brainchildren of online entrepreneurs. Each time a customer transacts, you earn a commission. But you have to be good at coding and web development.
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    Online TV; an online TV is easier to start compared to the traditional TV that necessitated one to have a mast, boosters, a physical location, etc. But with online TV, you can broadcast live on the internet without need for any external equipment like masts. Viewers will stream your programmes live or watch them later via YouTube.
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    Social media group admin; with the new data protection laws passed by the EU recently, the way we handle and use data online has greatly been altered. Brands and companies are willing to pay admins of their social media pages just to sift through the content and ensure there’s no infringement of the law that’s taking place. As an admin, you get paid to just moderate on the group or page, it could be a Whatsapp group, Facebook group, and so on so forth.
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    Academic writing; millions of students studying across the world’s universities and colleges pay millions each year to have pros handle their assignments and dissertations. Academic writing is one of the most lucrative ways to make money online and you can pick from any field that you’re good at; humanities, sciences, languages, and so on. There are different methods of writing academic projects, and you have to have an eye and ear for detail.
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    Selling accounts online; 90% of academic writing is done from writing accounts like Studypool, WriterBay, Uvocorp, Essay Shark, and so many more. Thus, as a broker, you could buy the accounts from one writer and later resell them at a higher price once the ratings have improved. Buying and selling of academic writing accounts is as lucrative as the writing itself.
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    Airbnb business; do you have spare space in your property that you can rent out? As an Airbnb host, you can promote your space online and have numerous responses from guests looking for the same. You don’t need to go up and down looking for potential guests, or place ads on newspapers and other platforms. Airbnb is entirely an online thing; place an ad, await responses, seal a deal, and earn your money; all from the comfort of your home.
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    Answering questions; get paid to give answers and advice online! Check out sites likeFunAdviceKGBEther, to start with.
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    Ad revenue system; sites like Instamojo and Traffic Monsoon let you make money by buying ad packs, and earning when visitors watch that ad.
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    Installing Auto responders; you will need a team to help you in coding and developing software that will help you create an auto responder like Aweber. The returns are good and you can earn thousands of pounds each month.
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    Online travel show; do you love traveling and touring new places? Take nice photos and videos of your travel, get nice nature shots and later sell them online to travel and tour companies. You could even liaise with a tour and travel company to make it appear like they are the ones that facilitated your travel; you get to promote their brand and they’ll pay you for that.
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    Online Car reviews; are you a motor vehicle geek who is good in making observations? The internet has opportunities for you to earn, get paid to review the latest cars or compare two different brands. There are numerous online platforms where your prowess may come in handy and while at it, earn some cash.