Protagonists and antagonists introduction: 1) (Newcomer) Urvashi Garg: Skilled classical dancer from north India, knows all the eight classical forms to perfection. They say her eyes speak, her expressions tell a story and when she dances, the world disappears except her. Her smile, her charm, her ‘addayen’ can make a dead sing her tunes and kill an undead. She is desired not only in India but … Continue reading Dare to Say
“Are you sure this much of Garam masala is enough?” I asked sceptically at my roommate, Suhani as she added just few pinches of Garam masala into the cooker gave it a stir and put the lid back on. The whole flat was already filled with yummylicious or I must say mummylicious Rajma.
“Mm-Hmm I am pretty sure…” She mumbled, she was rather occupied in re-reading the Rajma recipe my mother told her over phone last night. I brought the garam masala my mother make during my last trip to home, she makes it with 21 something rare and common dry herbs and masalas, I call it the ‘masala of magic’. It smells of fresh tropical forest, of earthen divine taste, it smells of Home. Every year during my childhood we used to visit Vaishno Devi holy shrine, sometimes even twice a year. I can never forget the Rajma-Chawal we always had there, it is one of the most deliciously-filling meals I ever had, but to be honest, my mother makes a better Rajma. Whenever she used to cook, our neighbours Trivedi Uncle and Aunty used to come unannounced-uninvited over dinner. Gradually it became a ritual and I used to look forward to it, not only because it was a pleasure to taste that Rajma but also because Trivedi Uncle used to bring either chocolates or puzzles for me, sometimes even fluffy toys.
Suddenly the smell of Rajma hit my nostrils and filled every nook and corner of my flat as Suhani removed cooker lid.
“Viola” She exclaimed inhaling the spicy smell, her expressions said how pleased she was with her work; “It smells just like your Mother’s, Right? Well, almost like hers!!” She asked expectantly waiting for my reply and my eyes were gleaming with unshed tears, I was suddenly overwhelmed with longing to see my Mother, eat her cooked meals. I couldn’t bring myself to reply so I simple nodded and called my mother.
Life is very different when you are living in your home far away from your real home, it’s just not the smell of food that takes your mind back to your home, gives you a stroll down the memory lane, and it’s everything around you. The colours, the smell, the small moments have its own distinct fragrance.
Sometimes when I burn the meal I am preparing I miss home, I reminiscence those days when I used to inhale the food without even bothering to think that cooking can be this difficult. Continue reading “Smiley memories :)”
“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard
When I was asked if I could take my parents to any place on planet where would that be? One place instantly popped in my mind, just the thought of visiting it made me giddy and jubilant, it’s a tropical paradise, yes, it’s Hawaii! (Aloha!! — Hawaiian word used when greeting or parting from someone)
I have always yearned to go to Hawaii, everyone says it’s beautiful beyond imagination; has superb weather, wondrous sparkling beaches, and is a relaxing place far from sky-scrapers sitting on the lap of goddess nature. But for me it is far beyond these reasons, it is about meeting new people, learning their ways, experiencing a different culture and that’s the magic of travelling – the real gift is what’s around you, the natural beauty of the place, the people, and the friendly atmosphere.
Dreaming is easy but planning itinerary and the whole process of booking holiday is tenacious especially when you are visiting a foreign land. I would definitely want my holidays to be the happiest one ever. Vacation in Hawaii is like a dream come true. Like a lot of visitors to Hawaii, there is a question about which Hawaii island to visit, which will suit the adventurous streak of my brother, the spontaneous and moody style of the very me, a relaxed luxurious spectacular time for my parents, also I would want to give them some alone time for themselves, they have spent their whole lives in meeting mine and my brother’s needs, they have almost forgotten how to just sit back and enjoy life, relax and watch a sunset together, have some quality time and making up my mind to choose islands from a cluster of Six Hawaii islands: Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui and the big island of Hawaii, will spin my hear right round hence I would definitely seek for experts help; we’ve used Yatra.com for couple of trips and every time been pleased with their services hence Yatra.com it would be.
I would visit Yatra Holiday one-stop-shop premium lounge in my City, best part about them is the privacy and comfort they provide along with of course Yatra Travel experts who assist with all aspects of travel. Isn’t it awesome! 🙂 They also give travelling tips and information we need.
There are two options to reach Hawaii, by air or by cruise. I personally prefer to arrive by air, albeit cruise does sound tempting but there is a thing about built up anticipation of just waiting to step foot on the island and a long cruise can spoil that. Right! For my needs and expectations from this trip I believe a tip of 7 days and 6 nights visiting Maui, Kauai, Oahu and the big island will suit me the best, all main parts of the chain of Hawaiian Islands.
Now the question was when to visit? Well that is what is so great about tropical paradises, is great anytime of the year, there are at least one major festival every month on the big island like Big Island Film Festival, Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, Merrie Monarch Festival etc. And I really yern to experience Aloha Festivals which occurs in September. Next other major issue will be jet-lag! Yes, I believe that by keeping to our regular schedule we can avoid the worst cases of jet-lag, plus you’ll have a lag up on most other travellers. I would ask to book flights which will reduce the lag up time making a trip happy even before it started.
Usually on a trip we waste so much of time in finding hotel/resort that we don’t realise that we are missing out on so much and most of the times specially in it’s a peak season we are unable to find the accommodation we desire and have to settle for less which spoils the mood from the beginning hence it is very important to book everything in advance, and if we book flight, rental car, and accommodations all together, it will save heaps of bucks, believe me. And one does not have to spend a fortune on Hawaii or anywhere else for that matter to have a good time, creating a happy traveller. Packing lightly and precisely also matters, because I do want to be a Hawaiian once in Hawaii and for that I will be doing Hawaiian Shopping once I land there!! Continue reading “Tropical paradise – Creating Happy travellers!”
She is my first teacher and will always be the best one. She is the woman who albeit being married in a conservative family kept on perusing her PhD in Endocrinology in zoology. After completing her PhD she wanted to work, since allowing studies was one thing and getting permission to work by her In-laws was another, her husband helped her finding the middle ground and she started to give guest lecturers in universities. She maintained the balance between work and the responsibilities to her family; she loved both equally with an absolute passion. Her PhD research was on cancer disease, its different causes, its stages, its effects on different organs of the body and its antidotes. While giving lectures she realized that her research will indeed help the students she is teaching and also the scientists in developing the right cure but what about those who don’t have means to know about the root causes of this fatal disease, who die every day in oblivion, what about those who ignore the symptoms of cancer thus unable to treat it at the earlier stages. Her work won’t be satisfying until she does something and that she did.
She started preparing papers but who would want to attend a presentation with all those scientific terms in monochromes? That’s when she zings up her presentation with her special touch, being a botany lover as well she was familiar with the beauty of plants and its life and she added those colors to her black and white screens. That presentation was a huge success and her first step towards a greater goal she was dreaming about. Seeing her determination and beauty of her work, her In-laws were charmed and permitted her to peruse her dreams. She attended many seminars and recruited a circle of those highly motivated people who wanted to work for a greater good. Till date she has been a part of many workshops, ladies circles etc. where she spread cancer awareness and motivate others to do the same, she mostly choose low key areas where people can’t afford the knowledge by themselves. I proudly say that she is my mother; she is as beautiful as her work. She weaves her work, worship and fun in a single elegant yet unflashy string and wears it like a Mia jewelry. She is MY MIA MA.
Continue reading “As beautiful as your work ~ My Mia Ma”
I was a ‘Bulbul’ and everyone who has been an integral part of ‘Cubs & Bulbuls’ knows that 22nd February is the celebration day for Lord Baden Powell’s birthday. It is called ‘Cubs and Bulbul Mahotsav’, always celebrated with utmost zeal and grate compassion. (Cubs & Bulbuls are ‘The Bharat Scouts and Guides’ under the age of 10)
The first opportunity I got to attend the Mahotsav and ‘Cubs & Bulbuls’ camp was when I was 9 years old and few of the Cubs and Bulbuls were selected for the regional camp to be conducted in Ujjain in February ending on 22nd. Now these are the camps which not only helps in building a concrete foundation of a child but also test it by putting them in real life challenging scenarios.
It commenced with flag hoisting followed by scout prayers and oath:
On my honour, I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country,
To help other people at all times,
And to obey the Scout/Guide Law.
Then we were informed about the various good work done by our scouts followed by B.P. Six exercise. Cubs masters informed the students about the importance of cubs and bulbuls and their need in the present day scenario. Those were the reasons I became ‘Bulbul’ at the first place. Then we were enlightened about the aims and laws of scouts and various activities carried out by scouts and guides.
I was born on a cold winter morning against all the odds and my life won the battle against those three deadly words ‘It’s a girl’. I am Kavita and this is my story though many say it’s not real, it’s fictional but it’s mine nonetheless.
In India approximately 31 children are born every minute so a birth of a child shouldn’t have been a big issue but it is because I am a GIRL. And being alive is certainly a big accomplishment. Very few girl children survive every year in the small village I am born and I have my parents to be thankful to bring me in this world.
Some might say being alive is a blessing but visit my village someday and you’ll think otherwise. We grew up playing in sand but never making sand castles, we didn’t know what that were. We grew up playing with tyres, it’s the game I loved the most, as long as you keep hitting the tyre with a stick it keeps rolling and hit has to be precise just like life here. Everyone keeps pushing their limits to live and it isn’t easy. My rural village is in Rajasthan state.
Being blessed with well aware parents I started my education at the very young age, I used to love going to school and my books. I was a sincere student until one day my mother fell and broke her hand, I was ten years old then so naturally I took leave for few weeks and helped in household chores and the biggest task was of getting water for the house. We don’t have direct supply of water at our huts so we have to travel 1 kilometer to the common water point to get domestic water daily. My family consumes around 40 liters of water every day, I managed to bring only around 10-15 liters each day and that wasn’t the worst of it. I started having back pain but we don’t have any health facility we could afford so we did what all others children do, we let it pass without treatment and also my mother told me that back pain is a pert of life, I must accept it. With time I won’t even realize it’s there as I’ll learn to live with it. Continue reading “If only you dare to take a stand”
Remember those enamoring days of first love, when suddenly you start noticing the charm of moonlight, World become a better enchanting place that you don’t want to close your eyes, don’t want to miss out even a single moment. And then sometimes comes the worst situation, your first breakup. Something similar happened to one of my best friends Shreya (changed name) and she was devastated. Even after cheer-up movie marathons, night outs, shopping when things couldn’t get better, we, that would be me, Shreya and Roops decided to have a getaway, it wasn’t planned but not exactly impromptu as well. We didn’t know the destination but we wanted to be at the place that was lush green, revitalized with the recent monsoon showers.
We took Khandwa road from Indore and drove away. Traffic till Rao was pretty dense and the roads were still damp, weather was cloudy. We attached our iPod to stereo and started singing or rather screaming ‘Irreplaceable by Beyonce’, I cannot carry a tune to save my life but Shreya is pretty good herself. I especially like the lines:
“I can have another you by tomorrow
So don’t you ever for a second get to thinkin’
You’re irreplaceable?”
Continue reading “A Great Drive – entry for Michelin Pilot Experience by Ankita”
I shoot upright on the floor, my eyes wide open and my body on high alert, but my mind is still in the hazy arena between nightmare and awareness. My mother is shaking me and my fingers are damp, “It is just a nightmare.” She murmurs softly. I let go immediately, I am fully awake now and avert my face from the worry in her … Continue reading Set me free
Fashion is architecture; it is a matter of proportions. ~ Coco Chanel
Fashion is everywhere, it is in the wind, in the sky, inside your black diary or even inside your gym. Yes, your gym. Why do you go to gym anyway? Why do you work out? So that you can stay fit, have that lean to-die-for body & wear nice clothes and look ravishing all the time. Right. So why do we forget to be fashionable while we are actually working our heads off to achieve that rocking athletic body. Oh.. When I say ‘Athletic body’ I can’t help but think of the upcoming Bollywood biographical, sports film releasing on July 12th, 2013, ‘Bhaag Milkha bhaag‘ based on the former Indian athlete Milkha Singh. And thinking about such movies does inspire to loose that extra fat around your belly areas. And as I said before, fashion is everywhere so be fashionable and look fabulous even when you sweat it out that extra fat.
Jabong.com, one of the leading online shopping stores in India, recently came up with an Exclusive Sports collection of ‘Bhaag Milka Bhaag’. So looking fab even while working out in gym or on joggers park is super-easy now.
I have always studied in Kendriya Vidyalaya schools; one of the best things for their students is the multiple opportunities to participate in inter-school competitions every year. I was in the school kho-kho and volleyball team. I have been playing Kho-kho at regional level since I was nine or ten years old. So I was pretty sure that one day I’ll play at national level … Continue reading I learnt…
Make a Change 