India Fashion Interface Bloggers' Convocation

This was the first fashion bloggers meet for me. Seeded by MyFashionBay, the bloggers convocation was in association with Pearl Academy and ROPOSO on 6 &7 Feb’16. Venue partner- Indigo at One Golden Mile, New Delhi.

Panellists of India Fashion Interface 2016

The fashion interface is a platform to bring fashion designers, bloggers and fashion brands together. A panel of 5 members from fashion fraternity were brought on stage. Among them were Bubbles Sabarwal ,well known for her role in blockbuster No one killed Jessica, Komal K a top fashion blogger who blogs at http://thedelhifashionblogger.com/,  Meha Jayaswal, faculty at Pearl Academy of Fashion, Sunil Raisinghani, VP Vcloud Luxury, and Payal Jaggi, founder Kinche.

The event kicked off with an opening speech by Gaurav Banasal, co founder MyFashionBay.com Rachna Singh, Founder MyFashionBay.com.  They shared valuable insights from their experience and industry expertise.

Rachna- Founder My Fashion Bay

and moderated by
The first of its kind, IFI2016 was also focused on initiating unique networking strategy through events, a trend which is still picking up in India. Topics covered in details were-

• Importance of social media for bloggers as well as brands and their collaboration.
• How to increase traffic on blogs and make it known
• Running digital campaigns for self or involving with a brand

During the session, Meha Jayaswal quoted that bloggers do an incredible job and write informative pieces. However blogs are not credible sources of information and hence not included in books for bibliography. This trend will change slowly if information credit is mentioned on the blog, plagiarism is filtered out, original pieces are produced and topics are well

Fashion blogger Komal

researched.  A point well made. Bloggers too should follow code of ethics!

Komal emphasized on bloggers’ social media presence and networking skills. Brands are also likely to collaborate with bloggers who have good content and prove to be good social media influencers. Getting paid by the brand comes later when the blogs achieve that standard of being “highly influential”.

As correctly stated by Sunil Rai, there are not fixed parameters for brands to choose bloggers. There should be an equal importance given to blog traffic and content simultaneously, which is debated many a times and the gap needs to be addressed.
A serious issue was pointed out by Payal as she said blogging is still naïve in India. The market is saturated abroad where blogging is taken seriously and brands pay well to bloggers, unlike India where after so much efforts bloggers still struggle to charge for their pieces they write.
The convocation had good take way points for all. Few among them were –

1. Bloggers should not write for free (after all there are loads of efforts involved in writing a post)
2. Attending bloggers meet or networking is very important to make your presence felt
3. Balance all your social media properties. Readership should be at par on all places lest they should look fake.
4. Keep learning new things (technologies, tools) to upgrade yourself. Come out of comfort zone and explore the “new”
5. Be original. Don’t plagiarize. Keep things organic. Buying likes will only hamper your image (as brands can easily figure that out)
6. Including pictures/videos will beautify your blogs and get attention/traffic. Remember all words and no picture will make your bog a dull baby! Display your profile picture to begin with.

On the verge of closing, IFI awarded bloggers on winning the blog contest. Fellow blogger Ridhima and I were the winners of the same. Read my winning blog post here

http://expressunleashed.blogspot.in/2016/01/my-love-for-blogging.html

Payal and me

The event closed with hi tea and scrumptious snacks. Along side was POPBAZAR where designers and entrepreneurs across the country had set up their stalls of trendy apparels and beautiful accessories. From everyday fashion to designer wear, all patterns and colors on display were a visual treat. All the  talented designers who showcased their work deserve a huge round of applause for their efforts and design execution! The event was a great success.

For more pictures and updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/myfashionbayblog/photos/a.373704922647802/1138489876169299/?type=3&theater

Anything that you feel comfortable and good in can be a fashion statement for you. All you need is an eye for detail and good marketing.

Tops Selfie Contest by Foodiye.com

Baked, fried, toasted, roasted, boiled, steamed, raw and fresh or prepared and preserved with the harmonious mix of love and culinary talents ; if this is how you prefer your taste buds to be treated, then you fall under the hearty category of “foodies”. For this bunch of food-lovers, dishes and cuisines are not merely a regular, cumbersome affair; rather a flavorsome ritual, where each morsel is cherished and every bite touches the sensitive cords of the heart. Not for nothing has such a love for food been celebrated daily by thousands of people around the world, but also quite aptly its joy and pleasures have been referred to as “food porn” by the netizens. Welcome on board the journey to the center of the heart – food!

One of the highest points of this food-some journey is the fact that it  it takes into account the eccentricities of its various patrons; the health conscious ones, the mid-night bingers, those with a nose for the junk and even the plain old homely food lovers; there’s something for everyone. As varied and wholesome the community of foodies around the world is, there’s a dedicated platform, a social network connecting people for the love of food. Foodiye.com is a unique online space that allows food-lovers to connect, share and express their mutual affection for scrumptious, delectable and tempting savors.

Foodporn by Foodiye

Above all, the divine reason, why foodies around the world should connect and contribute to this amazing food archive is an exciting contest that assures the winners fun and happening prizes and hampers. The #TopsSelfieContest became the ultimate contest for food lovers that needed the participants to click a selfie with their favorite Tops Pickles and upload it on Foodiye.com. With several enthusiastic participants posing with their choice of Tops pickle, the contest soon gathered pace with a hoard of pickle selfies flooding the food-social-network. Better still, the winners of this fun and simple contest were treated with exciting gift hampers and prizes.

Over a period of three decades, the well-known FMCG brand has spread its wings not only across the length and breadth of India, but also in as many as 25 countries around the world. And all this, under the skilled and visionary guidance of its founder, Brij M. Seth. The dream of acquiring the position of popular provider of high-quality processed food was fulfilled marvelously over this tenure of evolution and progress by Tops. Apart from supplementing most of Indian homes and eateries with 21 delightful flavors of pickles, Tops has been smart in its product choices. Today, this food-giant supplies several other processed foods like Jams, Jelly, Tomato Ketchup, Instant Mixes, Custard Powder, Vermicelli, and Culinary Sauces among others. In the truest terms, Tops has sufficed every need of a modern household to become the most-preferred brand providing convenience food.

As Shaw proclaimed that there is no sincerer love than the love for food; remember to have fun and make merry on your next eating experience. Who knows, another exciting contest could be waiting for you foodies? Having said so, on your next trip to that favorite restaurant of yours, do not forget to click beautiful pictures of those flavorful dishes you try. Till then, happy eating!

My love for blogging

The journey- I did not know what does a blog mean. Totally unaware of the term blogging, I had first heard of this word from the legendary Amitabh Bachhan who interacted with his fans through his blog. That’s when ‘blogging’ caught my attention. However I did not advance towards starting my own blog, since I was too busy with my post graduate studies. Exams and assignments were more important than blogging that time. Reading and writing remained my first love, but I barely found time to pursue them.

And then the day came; Something I had been running away from, caught me by my neck.

I always aimed to be in the advertising field. When my college placement cell announced the campus interview from an ad agency, my joys knew no bounds. I left no stone unturned to crack the group discussion and written test. Among 30 odd students, I was the privileged one to be short listed for the personal interview. My heart pounded and feet trembled. I had given my 100 percent. The interviewer was impressed! The last question she asked me before the session ended was “Do you blog?”

Without thinking about consequences, confidently I affirmed ”Yes, I do” biting my lip and hiding my nervousness.

Blogging educates you 

Thanks to my stars, she did not ask for my blog URL; because I would have been blank if she did or probably would have lost that job opportunity. Post interview, I headed straight to the computer lab and the first thing I did was created my blog. Hence a blog URL and a blogger was born. This ain’t a fake story. This dates back to November 2008.

So a blog that was built on a lie, became my identity. I loved to write and what better way than blogging? It gave me the freedom to express. It made me fearless and independent. My writing style and content evolved from personal stories to brand events or reviews. A hobby turned into passion and then profession. I write at work (as I am a copywriter) and on my blog too. Blogging changed my life by giving me a purpose, direction and meaning.

Blogging is fun

Words are precious. Each and every word on the blog represents honest feelings; be it personal or for any brand. Since I am bad at verbal expression, all the unexpressed emotions go on the blog. At times when my hubby and I fight, I vent out in my blog. haha! So much has blogging become a part of me. My hubby would also check my blog often to read my stories, brand associations or lashing out!!

I blog on numerous topics. With time I concentrated on health care, environment, travel & food, as the realization dawned upon me that a person cant be good at everything. Blogging helped me find my niche.

Three years later, my blog landed me with a second job. The employer looked at my blog posts and offered me a job immediately. This was in June 2011. A full fledged career through my blog is a reason strong enough for me to love blogging. The blog “Unleashed” turned out to be my source of living.

Blogging makes you social

Besides writing of my own, it is my duty and responsibility to read others’ blogs. I constantly look forward to network with them and learn something new. Blogging has liberated me and taught that learning never stops at any age. Blogging gave me a direction to meet new people, open my mind to new ideas/ventures and become an active listener. Blogger meets are a great platform to connect with like minded people. Its only with the support and readership of bloggers/readers one gets recognized or accolades for posts written.

Gone are the days when writers used to stay aloof. Blogging has only changed the image of writing. Blogging has made me social. It has the power make you a better person. It worked magic for me!

Blogging is fun and food for thought. When I am doing nothing, I would write on my blog. Its a hobby, a passion, a recreationand at t he same time a serious activity. I take it seriously, because I value it.

So my blog has shaped me as an individual and a professional as well. I follow what Steve Jobs said; “Do what you love and love what you do”. I chose to blog hence.

Contest entry for India Fashion Interface by www.myfashionbay.com Roposo and Pearl academy

Image sources- All pictures have been clicked during various blogger meets. No image to be used or reproduced without permission infringing the copyright issue.

The gone man

Indo-Chinese border, knee deep snow, hunting animals for a living in adverse climate, no roads or electricity, interrogating terrorists, journey across the nation, dedication to work, transfers, officers party and so on….Each story by you was hooking. Some sent shivers down my spine, some tickled me. Writing a book on your narrated stories was my dream, which unfortunately could not happen. Dedicating this first blog post to you, for you were a loved, respected and an admired man. Though I did not want my first post on you like this, but life often has something else in store for us.

For you Baapi..

The only wish on my lips now is to have you back,Wondering how to could convince God for this hack.Going away was so easy for you, is it?Killing our togetherness by every bit?

Who will have tea with me now, who will narrate his service days stories,who will talk about China border, who will flaunt IB’s victories?As you left, there is a void within us and also a lump in my throat,You will be badly missed as the anchor of our family boat.

15th Jan 2016- The day I lost my father-in-law. Rest in peace dad. You were extremely generous & honest with a heart of gold. Miss you 

#Colgate360GoldMornings

6 am- Alarm rings. And you snooze it for 10 minutes.

6:30 am- You open your eyes and plan to wake up after 10 mins

7 am- Your heart skips a beat as you are already late by half an hour and you push your schedule by every minute, cursing yourself and ruining the morning.

At work when your colleagues wish you good morning, you sulk “What’s good about this morning”?

If this is what happens to you daily, then it’s time to change yourself. No wait, you can’t buy another body nor go to another planet. But you can certainly change your toothbrush at least! Yeah, you heard that right. Changing your toothbrush can change your lifestyle and make your mornings gold.

Colgate Gold Morning

Colgate Charcoal Gold toothpaste performs a 360 degree duty of more than cleaning teeth. It cleans teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. A magical morning wonder, isn’t it? With fresh breath, clean and healthy oral cavity, you not only feel invigorated but also confident. You subdue your chances of bleeding gums, debris on teeth or tooth decay. Healthy teeth not only makes you look & feel good, they also make you eat and speak properly. Research has proved that can charcoal or “koyla” is actually helpful in changing the pH and health of the mouth. It is effective in preventing cavities and killing the bad bacteria present in tooth decay. With the gold standard of mouth cleaning, you gotta rule the world! Yay! Oral hygiene is important for overall well being. And the charming gold look of the toothbrush is vibrant enough to make you feel good. After you admire yourself in the mirror, this is the second best thing to happen to you early morning.

Okay, one more important thing. The first smile that comes your face early morning is also great reason to turn your mornings into gold! And my Goldie does that effortlessly. I mean he is not a golden retriever breed, but a cute four legged cutie pie who loves to jump on my bed and pull me out (literally) for a walk. As I look at him helplessly, he stares with his head tilted and a smile on his face. See this. I am not kidding!

Stobby with his golden smile

What better way to keep healthy with an energetic dog and bonding with other strays. They often block my way to the gym. Their happy faces and wagging tails is only priceless! A walk, yoga or run, any fitness activity in the morning keeps you healthy and happy; making your morning and life golden by all means. As a fitness enthusiast and good health promoter, I can really well connect to the #Colgate360GoldMornings.

Organic Harvest Lip Balm

Love nature? Love organic things around you? Then this blog post is for you. Ok wait, this is for every beauty, cosmetics and skin care product blogger/user. Organic Harvest approached me with their organic concept and wanted me to try their natural lip balm. Find them at http://www.organicharvest.in/ 

So the package arrived at my doorsteps in a tiny jute bag. Mind you, no plastic, and I made a mental note “Organic Harvest lives up to its name”. The small compact lip balm came packed in sturdy holder. The red round pack looked too cute. Keep away from children. I have two round shaped products now, which I better keep locked away from children, lest they should start playing the ball. (Lakme Mousse Foundation was one, and now Organic Harvest).

So this Lip balm is not in the usual stick shape. Looks interesting, isn’t it? This one is a pomegranate formula. The introductory price tagged on the packing is only Rs. 150.

The brand also claims the lip balm to be free of bee wax and other harmful chemicals. Makes it a vegan lipbalm then  Since it is organic, there is no sun protection formula either.

As I opened the pack, the cute little ball shape looked like hemisphere of the Earth. With no hint of color or fragrance, the open shot looks like an egg fitted inside a cup. haha. Take a look at the open shot and how to apply it-

Apply the roll on surface to your lips and apply the same. Recommended not to rub your finger on the balm for hygiene reasons.

WHAT I LIKED-

-The cute, leak proof, compact packaging. Even if you carry this to a warm place, it will not melt.

-The very mild fragrance which goes away in some time.

-Leaves lips smooth. I apply at night and wake up to even and crack free lips in morning. Repairs lips slowly.

-Absolutely natural without bee wax or paraben. Does not leave a white wax like whitish line on lips like other lip products.

-Since it has no color or gloss, you can apply lipstick or lip gloss over the Organic Harvest lipbalm.

WHAT I MISSED

-Does not give a glossy sheen or visible moisturizing base to lips.

-No SPF(Which is understood, since it is organic)

-No color (Since it is natural)

-Lips may feel sticky in absence of moisture formula

Those looking for a tinted balm or moisture rich balm, this is not for them, If the organic and natural factor is to be believed, this lip balm would definitely suit them. It is travel friendly but not kid friendly. Absence of SPF is a slight turn off for me. Advisable to apply at night before sleeping.

My rating : 3.5 on 5.

Vedic Collection's Tatha Skin Care

Tatha, is an organic skin care brand under the umbrella brand Vedic Collection, founded by Dr. Divita Kanoria. All products of Vedic Collection are absolutely natural without preservatives, paraben or chemicals. And this is what attracted me the most to the brand. A whole media kit of Vedic Collections’ Tatha products was given as trial pack in cute organic wooden box. Here’s my review on two products from the box-

Review of Tatha Face wash- Almond

The first look- The moment I opened the cap of the cute little jar, the yummy aroma hypnotized me. The texture is thick brownish jelly like, mixed with almond particles. The aroma will linger on to your senses and you would feel like eating it. One extra point for a natural scent.

The packaging- So stylish and cute. Easy to carry in hand bag or even while travelling. The golden cap and the little spill proof glass jar are absolutely stunning. The jelly texture is another reason for it to be spill proof.

The ingredients- as per the label are: coconut oil, sesame oil, almond oil, almond, honey. Rich in protein and vitamin D, it soothes, softens, nourishes and conditions skin.

How to use- Take a small quantity on your hand, rub palms with water and apply on face, leaving eye areas. Very less lather will form on palms. But don’t get trapped! The lather is because of almonds and honey. Upon initial application you might find it greasy and difficult to wash off. But you have to rinse well with water after massaging on face.

The results- The face wash will leave your face squeaky clean. Skin will not feel dry at all, unlike face wash of other brands from the market which tend to dry your skin after washing. The presence of natural oils prevents doing so in Tatha’s case. After wash, your skin feels nourished, bouncy without having the moisture stripped off from skin.

Word of caution- Avoid eye contact. Eyes will get burning/itchy sensation if face wash comes in contact with eyes. Splash eyes with water if that happens.

My recommendation- 100% yes! I loved this unique face wash and recommend to all those who are looking for natural products for their skin. It is safe and soft on skin. I rate it 4 on 5.

Review of Tatha Face scrub- Normal

The first look- The dry content inside the jar left me wondering about its usage. Usually scrubs of market are not so dry. But then again, I realized this is natural product without chemical binders or preservatives. The aroma is delectable for sure.

The packaging- Same as the face wash, the cute jar with golden cap looked very adorable. Neatly done, I must say.

The ingredients- as per the label are avena sativa (oats), prunus amygdalus var. dulcus (sweet almond oil), apis mellifera (bee honey), prunus amygdalus var (bitter almond)

How to use- Scoop out the scrub on your finger and dab on wet face. Focus on forehead, nose and chin, avoiding eye areas.

The result- Since the content is dry, I found it gliding on skin with difficulty. The scrub had a sticky consistency on my palm. Feels very soft and not harsh on skin. However, it did not work well on my skin, may be because I am used to the usual scrubs from market with thicker and harder granules. While scrubbing my face with Tatha scrub, the product lumped in places refusing to spread out. It was difficult to use.

Word of caution- Avoid eye areas.

My recommendation- This scrub will suit you if you have normal skin type. The scrub particles are soft on skin and not meant to exfoliate white or black heads. This face scrub is recommended for those who want mild scrub or want to exfoliate every day. I rate it 3 on 5.

My experiment- For an effective result, I mixed almond face wash with this scrub. It worked well. My face did not dry out, dead skin cells and mild white heads were exfoliated and skin looked refreshed. I can advise you to use the products together or a daily regimen if you want to see visible difference in your skin. The products are 100% natural, contain no parabens, have not been tested on animals and contain essential oils.

You can order all Vedic Collection products from https://vedic-collection.com/

Informal Bar- Review

Food bloggers' meets are always unique and this time I was invited to an equally unique place named INFORMAL in Connaught Place, Delhi. The newly opened restro bar cum club is easy to locate on Tolstoy Marg, just few blocks away from British High Commission.

Lockers@Informal

Against all expectations of a dark place buzzing with smoke and loud noise, Informal made a pleasant

 impression. With wooden floor and rustic walls, the place has its own charm. A well-lit ceiling instantly gets your attention. The rugged looking lockers, as explained by the staff, was for guests to store alcohol if they are unable to finish the same. The lockers are tagged with the guest name and the bottle is given to them the next time they come. A great way to relationship building with the unique personalization!

The ground floor is spacious enough for 40-50 people at one time. The staff directed us to first floor where half the floor was indoors and rest half on-looking into open terrace bar. The aesthetics are beautiful, very charming and do not look overdone. Not to forget the staff, who is super friendly and very courteous. They did not leave us unattended even for a minute. I am impressed indeed.

Informal has a large variety of food & beverages.

I started with Dahi k sholay and it was incredible. Crispy outside, tangy and soft inside. The dahi sholay left me asking for more. I coupled the snack with Virjin Mojito and it was bang on! Fresh, tangy and sweet, the drink was refreshing indeed with minimal fizz. Unlike other eating joints, Mojito wasn’t full of aerated drink. I loved it!

The second specialty dish was served in no time after we finished dahi sholay. Loved the presentation of Turkish caviar olives with lavish bread. Bread was crispy. The caviar did not suit our taste buds so we left it half eaten.

Fruit Mocktails

On the first floor, we dined in the terrace bar soaking the warmth of sun. The staff brought us basket bread with herb butter, barcelona tumaka and extra virgin olive oil. The bread platter had a good variety from soft buns to lavish bread and soft flat bread. The presentation was excellent, but the breads not that exciting. I ordered Curvature, a drink with orange chunks, lime chunks, passion fruit and peach, topped with apple juice. Hubby’s drink was a similar kind with lemon chunks replaced by apple chunks. He ordered chicken bites in charcoal with cilantro and spice parmesan sauce. Looked yummy! Hubby’s feedback- The taste was excellent but the smoky flavor was missing.

Mushroom rolls

Smokey chicken

Vodka on flame

As the day progressed with a huge variety of food on display and interaction with bloggers, we gorged on the Madrid specialty croquetas with mushroom. Deep fried and crispy, the golden rolls were loaded with cheese. Sinfully heavy but delicious.

I eyed the thin crust pizza but was too full to eat any further; though I did not miss chocolate coated lavish breads in dessert.

Informal put up a great show to mark the end to the meet with their “Vodka on flames” activity. Inverted glasses full of vodka at the base were lit up. The guests were to blow at the base of the glass to light up the flame. It soared high! Loved the activity.

My rating to Informal-

Staff Service- 5 on 5, courteous, helpful, friendly, quick

Food- 3.5 on 5 Great quality, less on quantity

Food Variety- 4 on 5 Nice experiment with food

Innovation in beverages- 4 on 5 Nice variety and mix n match

Music- 4 on 5 Not the annoying loud one but peppy, lively, new

Ambiance- 5 on 5 superb, spacious

A repeat visit for me? Definitely yes!

Vedic Collection bloggers' meet

New Delhi (December 12th, 2015) —Vedic Collection announced the launch of a new, redesigned version of its website-https://vedic-collection.com

Key features of the site include a cleaner and more attractive design, a more engaging user experience with enhanced search and navigation. Vedic Collection specializes in Essential Oils and Aromatherapy based products for mind, body and spirit under the categories Tatha and Samaya. A large number of bloggers, journalists and young digital enthusiasts were invited to the event, where Vedic Collection founder, Ms Divita Kanoria and the team disseminated valuable information to enhance the skills, knowledge and outreach of the participating audience.

The speakers and participants held enlightening discussions about the site’s refreshed and simplified look combined with optimization for mobile devices which allows consumers to better interact with Vedic Collection online. The consumers can choose the beauty products according to natural ingredients like Almonds, Rose, Lavender etc and customize their own beauty box according to their regime, diet, skin type etc.

The site intends to build an online community that changes the beauty-shopping pattern; an interactive community where consumers’ opinions matter and where all beauty lovers are valued. So one can actually try out a product prior to buying it by choosing samples and getting them delivered. The users can also sign up for exclusive newsletters as well as the Vedic Collection’s special. The event witnessed some fun filled activities like ‘What’s your skin age’ wherein the bloggers filled up a form to determine their actual age of skin; ‘What’s your Rashi’?wherein the Bloggers were given an essential oil according to their sun sign. There were also enthralling round of discussions and a good grub session. The beauty , wellness, lifestyle bloggers and journalists were delighted to get hands-on experience and personal guidance from the learned experts of Aromatherapy.

Speaking on the launch of the website, Divita Kanoria, Founder and Chief wellness Officer says “Theelegant, consumer-centric design of the new Vedic collection website provides an innovative platform for our users that will boost the discoverability of our products and drive sales. There is an abundance of relevant and useful information on the site such as usage, tips, ideas and benefits of essential oils. This new website launch takes into account several of the most requested features including addition of tips and tricks, in-depth information on essential oils and aromatherapy, and enhanced search functionality, all of which give the reader a pleasurable viewing experience. We are pleased to see the young digital influencers who have participated in the Bloggers event and I courteously thank them for their enthusiastic participation .Vedic Collection looks forward to sharing and creating greater momentum with them.”

About Vedic Collection

The Vedic Collection is totally committed to provide pure, natural, safe and effective products,
thereby, enhancing and enriching the lives of all those we touch. All our products are handmade under strict quality supervision and are paraben, sulphate and chemical free and are not tested on animals. We use, only recyclable glass bottles for storing our products to maintain its purity, as we are aware that plastic containers react with the essential ingredients used in aromatherapy and loses its potency. Our products are 100% pure, authentic, unique and safe. They do not contain any chemicals.

Face Care: Tatha Face care range suggest you the best natural products according to your skin Kind.

Body Care: Tatha works towards re-establishing harmony and balance. Tatha body care products help in Detoxification, facilitate healthy living, maintain youthfulness and vitality.

Hair Care: Nourishes the scalp, Keeps Hair Strong, Keep them shining, Keep hair thick, Enhances circulation.

Mens Care: Tatha range for men is focused towards the much herald metro sexual generation

Are you a responsible tourist?

I am blogging for #ResponsibleTourism activity by Outlook Traveller in association with BlogAdda

Cover places on foot

How does one describe travelling? For few it means discovering new cuisines and culture, for few it is a change of place and weather, and for few it means pure fun or family time.

For me, it is unraveling myself keeping stress at bay. But how many realize the stress that we pass on to the environment or the residents of the place visited? Like many others, the realization came to me after I graduated from school. I became a frequent traveler who loved to make short trips on extended holidays or weekends. Convenience is what travelers pay for, and the most convenient way to travel for me was Volvo bus. Little did the fact dawned upon me about the fuel consumption and the pollution caused due to it. It was for the first time when I went to Jaipur, I found it so difficult to breathe in the polluted air! Unlike Delhi, commercial vehicles in Jaipur run on diesel instead of CNG. Perhaps CNG does not generate profit. Same was the case in Manali, when I almost choked in polluted air, in spite of the serene nature and trees around. Further,  the disastrous news on ban of snow sports in Manali left me heart broken. Activities like skiing, snow biking, paragliding were banned in Manali due to rising pollution level. The entire purpose of my visit was defeated with this ban! However, the very next moment, it was also a learning for me, how tourism has destroyed our environment.

While trekking up the hills of Manali and McLeodganj, heaps of non-bio-degradable waste turned me off. Why can’t we stop trashing plastic, if not stop using? I trash wrappers, packets or bottles in my handbag but never leave them at picnic spots. Shopkeepers at hill stations, wrap items in paper bags, as a measure to curb plastic pollution. It is the responsibility of tourists like us to respect the move and not litter the tourist places. Boozing at the recreation places in hill stations should be banned and a fine be imposed on those who leave their bottles there. That’s not a dustbin, mind you!

Love nature

Agra Tourism ministry has introduced battery operated rickshaws for tourists from parking to the Taj Mahal entrance. Any initiative to bring down the air pollution should be encouraged. Welcome the initiative and travel in eco-friendly vehicles, wherever possible. If the distance is short, why not walk? You might as well burn some calories! As a responsible tourist, I propose nature walks or jungle safaris instead of hiring diesel jeeps or noisy cars. We have strayed away from environment in the daily hustle bustle of life. Lets reconnect with nature and rediscover some inner joys while touring. In fact, many tours are for a change of weather. Let’s keep the same weather stable, green and pleasant for all.

Refrain from littering in water bodies too. My dad once scolded a gentleman washing utensils in the river while we were on a picnic in Sahastradhara (Sulphur water spring and river in the hills of Uttarakhand). The gentleman had a perception that running water carries away the dirt/waste. Little did he realize the harm he was doing by adding pollution to water and river-bed, which my calmly dad explained. Such is the kind of stand we need to take, for the environment, as a citizen, if not as a tourist. Let’s think beyond “Oh there are so many washing clothes/ trashing packets in the river already. Why not me?” Let’s do that everywhere, in any country. You don’t want the coming generations to see a dead world, will you?

Protect monuments

Stand up and speak up if you witness historical monuments being tampered. From scribbling names to fishing out stones or breaking walls, a responsible tourist will refrain from such activities as well as be vocal against these. Destroying cultural heritage is nobody’s business, and I am intolerant about it as a responsible tourist.

I have pledged to gift a green from my next tour onwards. Instead of buying fancy show pieces, why not bring back a tree sapling from the place visited? Apart from that, why not gift a sapling or indoor plant to your friends/ relatives as a memoir of the place, instead of bringing sweet boxes or fatty snacks? This will encourage green tourism! 

Respect wildlife. Do no barge into their habitat or disturb their lifestyle, else they should come charging at you. As far I am concerned, I end up befriending animals (not the wild ones of course), bringing back great memories from each tour.

Be kind to animals

Be compassionate

In a nutshell, we as responsible tourists can contribute a lot consciously to make Earth a better place. We can balance our recreation activities with little efforts for the environment that can make big difference gradually.