Cause for the Earth

Writing for http://greenyatra.org/ on Earth Day, in association with Indiblogger.in

More than 90 farmers committed suicide in 45 days in Marathwadaa. Reason? Uncertain rains, failed crops, burden of debt. 

Water problem still persists in major parts of the country. Reason? Every drop of water is a life savoir for few whereas more than 3 liters of water is wasted daily in cities.

Rising pollution level, global warming, deforestation and so on...

It's a vicious cycle where the reason and cause chase each other. We know the causes, we debate and educate people, but do nothing for it. It’s high time we fasten our belts, lest we should see dead Earth in few years. While the emission of CFC from air conditioned rooms and refrigerators cannot be ruled out, we can contribute towards a greener and better Earth in our own way. Every move counts. Do small things daily. Sharing few simple and convenient ways here-

Birds are dying. How many sparrows do we see these days? Like dinosaurs, soon birds will be extinct too. Fill in a flat base earthen pot with water every day. You can save the lives of thirsty crows, pigeons, sparrows, parrots and all birds of your society. A small move will be a blessing. More than

Save Birds

1000 birds die each year in absence of water and trees. I remember rescuing a pigeon at a metro station who was scared, thirsty and unable to fly. I arranged water for the poor bird. By the time I reached the bird NGO, it died in my arms. I cried. I was angry & upset with what trauma humans have caused to nature. A bird sitting in a corner of an air conditioned metro station went unnoticed by everybody. Those who noticed, thought the bird was enjoying the AC. The metro officials were also of no help. It was an eye opener for me and I pledged to save birds with every resource that I have. A flat earthen pot with water is the best thing you can do for the nature's delight- birds. Planting a tree is the second best thing you can do. However, you may not have space to plant a tree. So have a shady plant outside your house or in balcony, big enough for a bird to take shelter in. Place a water vessel near the plant or on the edge of the pot. Thou shall be blessed by mother Earth.

The moment I told my husband about this movement, he fully agreed and wanted to plant a tree in our colony's park.

Pool in- People residing in an area commuting to same working place can contribute by car pool in. My colleagues go for car pool in and their efforts are praise worthy. Not only they save fuel, but also reduce the pollution level, save money and parking space. Getting each other's company and bonding is an added advantage. A small step can make a big difference. Encourage others to do the same. Applause to those who have started doing it. You are the guardians of nature. Be responsible & sensitive to the environment!

Save water- It has been reinforced several times to save water, but nobody pays heed to it unless they face a scarcity of the same. Irrespective you stay at

top most floor of your multistory building or a remote village, water is a valuable resource for all. Summers is the time you realize the importance of water, isn't it? So, close the tap while brushing teeth or shaving. My family does a wonderful job of saving as much water as possible. We utilize every drop. If guests leave water in glass, we pour the remaining in our plant.  We don’t take bath in showers. We bath with a bucket of water, ensuring no wastage of water. The muddy water from the mopping bucket or after washing clothes, we sprinkle it on the dusty roads, to settle the dust. We do not waste fresh water for the purpose.

We eat daal and deserts in the same bowl. One bowl less used means one bowl less washed, hence saving water. As we eat out in restaurants, we ask waiters to serve deserts in the same dish. We do not eat with fresh spoons for separate food items. Once the restaurant manager asked us why. We told him “Less utensils mean less water wastage. That’s our way to contribute for the environment”

Collect rainwater in open vessels on your terrace or roof tops. Use it to water the plants or wash the staircase of your house.

Collect waste water from air conditioners or RO water purifiers, and use the same to wash your verandas, terrace, stairs etc.

Re-use/Recycle- Hard shells of coconuts, wooden planks, dead bamboo shoots. All these natural and bio-degradable things can be

Recycle organic waste

effectively put to use for nature. I have created bird houses with these organic waste items. You can do the same. Broken wooden frames, irreparable wooden cots etc are usually burnt during holi or sold to a kabaadi.Be creative, and make something useful.

Consider the environment before taking large number of print outs at work. You have all the liberty to make a notebook from waste papers with unused sides. Do not trash them unnecessarily.

No to polythene- Small things in daily life can make a difference. For example when you visit kirana stores or grocery shops, carry your bag with you. Ladies can stuff the purchase in their handbags, instead of asking for a carry bag. People who buy single packaged item, can carry it in their hands, can’t they? Why ask for a poly

Say No To Plastic

bag even when you buy a single item? Excess use of polythene lead to a ban in many states of India. A small hill station like Dalhousie has been banned the usage of plastic. People should stop using plastic on their own, before it’s too late.

But small time vendors started opting for cheap polythene that are more harmful, which in my opinion should be penalized. Ultimately these polythene bags go in the bin from where strays end up chewing poly bags. Thousands of strays die due to polythene. Death of cows is a painful example of the same.

Better to use paper bags or cloth bags, which major retail giants provide. To carry your own bag is most advisable.

Save electricity- Rise in population has lead to more demand of electricity. However our power plants and efforts by the Government are unable to meet the huge demand. As the corporate hotshots and metro city residents enjoy the well lighted air conditioned facility, there are many places where a basic facility of electricity is absent. Every power button button that you switch off can benefit the needy. My bosses at give an excellent example to us by switching off the lights before leaving their rooms/cabins, even if they leave for meetings as short as fifteen minutes. In spite of the unlimited power supply and generator backup, we do not waste power, so that those deprived of the need can benefit from the small move of ours. Do the same at home. Turn off the lights, fans and AC when not in use. Water turbines have immense pressure to generate electricity. Do you think the turbines can fulfill all needs when the demand shoots sky high? Lets curb that demand and do our bit for the Earth.

Years later, when you would look for a green place for yoga or trek, you wold find none. Preserve and care now, to make the coming generation see a green beautiful Earth.

The ad world

“Barkhurdar, padhenge nahi to bheekh maangege aap. Maths mei zero, English mei andaa, saraa din chicks k peechay bhaagna, ye kahaa ki tameez hai?”

Recent Mentos TVC (2015) grabbed eyeballs with the hilarious script and voice over of comedian Sunil Grover, who dubs for an angry rooster. The rooster is seen scolding his chick, then his wife and eve teasing, supposedly a sexy hen. Audience fell off their chairs watching the witty ad. I really don’t mind watching this ad, even if it interrupts my favorite movie or TV show. Super comical interpretation of rooster in a brand like Mentos, got a good brand recall. But did that enlighten the customer about the brand message? Apparently No. The message got lost and the audience almost forgot that Mentos is now bigger and softer. Just like this message did not get effected the rooster, the audience overlooked it too. The brand score card? 50-50 (50 for innovation and newness, negative for lost messaging)

There are funny ads, action packed ads and emotional ads. And then there are no sense ads too that fill the channel with junk and moralize, traumatize and terrorize the audience. Don’t believe me? Watch the Chaini Khaini ad or Pataka Chai ad starring yesteryear's starsMalaika Arora Khan and Urmila Martondkar. These hurt, alright! The brands could have made posters or web ads, considering their huge budget to fit into electronic media. Please spare the TV audience for God sake. These are useless commercials similar to movies like “Deshdrohi” or “MSG” with no audience or sense.

There are commercials for which you need brains and ‘eye for details’ to notice the alphabet formation that ‘makes you click’. I am talking about Canon powershot camera, starring Anushka Sharma. It was innovative and very creative indeed. There is a lot that goes into photography, from capturing emotions to getting the right environment. True, anything can make you click, as the ad starts with A- Anushka Sharma, B for a pair of spectacles and so on in an alphabetical order. The Canon ad balances it beautifully. Anuskha Sharma was a rising star at that time with quite a few blockbusters to her credit. The brand cashed on the popularity and freshness of the actor and went on to make a catchy campaign. Who does not like clicking? Canon Power shot nailed it. Yeah, I sound like an ad guru, but I am not.

Ads that I have loved since childhood are of brands like Boost, Complan, Parle-G biscuit to name a few. As a child I adored the Lux bathing bars advertisements featuring Madhuri Dixit, Karishma and my favorite Juhi Chawla. The brand endorsed itself as a luxurious one. Surprisingly, I loved the ads more than the TV serials, given that we did not have many options to watch in the absence of cable TV. Liril ads generated a stir in the market with its freshness! Come summers, my sister and I would jump into the shower, humming the Liril “la la la la”. Liril signified freshness & fun. The ad showed bubbly girl who would enjoy in the waterfall singing, dancing and playing virtual instruments. My sister & I loved to mimic her. Good job done by Padmasee and Lintas indeed! Preity Zinta made a storming entry into media with this ad. The newness worked well and Liril did not change the hum for more than 35 years. It’s the TVC I miss now.

However, in a nail biting match between India and Pakistan or World Cup Finale, ads are only a break to grab a glass of water or take a leak. Nobody really cares about these ads. But, ads keep the show running. So even if you hate them, you can’t ignore them.

Ad which I never understood was ONIDA, where a green faced horned monster scares the audience. It took me years to grab the essence “Neighbor’s Envy”. Frankly, it was a little mature ad for the Indian audience at that time. Had it been me, I might have given a simpler punchline like “The pride of every house”. Not that creative, but simple to understand, right?

Commercials these days have become difficult to understand. Body Spray ads resemble condom ads and the latter feature porn star, making it look like a promo of a Blue Film. Strange is our world!

I am joining in on all the Pepsi IPL action in my own style with the #CrashThePepsiIPL activity at BlogAdda

Snapped the deal

The simple things that bring smile to many faces, are present around us in every shape and form. All we need is a knack to recognize them and let those simple things flow. We humans tend to make things complicated as we have forgotten those little wonders. What dil ki deal does one strike in such byzantine? Oh, I love bringing in back those simple things to life. In other words making others happy makes me happy too!

I went to a salon few days ago for a foot massage. In the middle of the therapy, I asked the guy about the foot relaxation points, techniques and from where he was trained. Calmly answering my questions, he looked worried whether or not I was happy about the service. And then I asked him his name.

“Suraj” he answered, as it brought a smile on his face.

I realized, very few people ask their names. My question made him feel special. I had left an appreciation note for him in the visitor’s book and thanked him in person. Like others, I could have availed the services and left, as he was just doing his job. But I managed to get a smile on his face. Little gestures like this, does magic.

When I had moved to Delhi and started working, I started volunteering at animal NGOs or shelter houses. My deep concern for strays almost made me an animal activist. (‘Almost’ because my full time job barely left me with time for such service during weekdays). I started feeding the strays of my residence colony. In no time, I befriended all dogs. Feeding them, playing and spending time with them became my daily routine. I loved to see the dogs welcome me by wagging their tails and rushing to me for their daily treat as I returned from work. I took the sick ones to vet, medicated the injured ones and spent most of my free time with 11 dogs of my colony. I was named “The dog girl” by my neighbors. However, my landlady was against the whole act of kindness. She hated to see the dogs huddle near the gate waiting for me. They tore the door mat at times or pooped on the roads. She warned me to keep the dogs away from the house lest I should search for a new accommodation. Against all odds, I followed my heart and continued to help the strays. At last I got a notice from my landlady to vacate her house. The news spread around and neighbors were shocked to hear that. But they helped me search a new accommodation in the next lane promising me to be by my side. Soon they joined me in looking after the strays who changed the lane after I changed my residence. Those dogs taught us harmony, love & care. Nothing could have made me happier then. I was able to bring happiness to the life of those innocent dogs as well. A mutual love and learning it was! The simple gesture of kindness always spreads joys. It was a perfect dil ki deal for me which I struck after following my heart.

Happiness is seeing calmness and smile on your husband’s face as he enters the house. And the reason behind that smile? I got a Sandalwood incense stick, kept fresh flowers in the vase, changed the linens and put on soft music. He left his office worries outside the house and spent time with me, relaxed, rejuvenated and happy. Who said simple gestures don’t make dil ki deal? I added joys in little doses, make him feel special and what followed was magic! After months of hectic schedule and frustration, I saw my husband smile & calm. He drove us for dinner to his favorite restaurant.

In another instance that I remember, I strongly followed my heart, bypassing all official regulations and mind. It was my first month with my new employer post MBA. As an intern, I was bound by rules and strict no-leave policy. My best friend Atul, who was my colleague, had gone on an emergency leave for his dad’s heart surgery. The week passed by in his absence. On the day of uncle’s surgery, I happened to call Atul. He was stressed and I found him sobbing. Needless to say, any child would feel the same under such circumstances. I managed to calm him down and disconnected the call. My heart was bleeding. I cursed myself for leaving my best friend in the hospital alone, but thought about the no-leave policy.

“Damn the policy” I murmured to myself as I packed my bag to leave from office.

“It’s an emergency. My uncle needs me. He is in hospital,” I told my senior who stared at me. I might have lost my job for an unplanned leave, yet I chose to follow my heart. The thought running in my head was that I would get a new job, but not a friend like Atul who really needs somebody in the hospital. The moment I reached hospital, Atul broke down. Uncle was in the operation theatre, with few more hours left for the surgery to end. I stood by him, assuring uncle’s speedy recovery and well-being. The emotional support that I extended to Atul at that point in time made him stronger I guess. My reporting boss called to demand an explanation for the uncalled absence in office. I did not lie to her and explained the entire situation. Surprisingly, she approved my leave. By grace of God, Uncle recovered post operation soon. The day still brings tears to my eyes thinking of the incident when I followed my heart over my instincts to be with my best friend.

I am participating in the #DilKiDealOnSnapdealactivity at BlogAdda in association with SnapDeal

Dil ki deal

I am participating in the #DilKiDealOnSnapdealactivity at BlogAdda in association with SnapDeal

It was my first job and my first stint in Delhi, alone, away from my family. What was it to stay alone was a new experience. During the job induction, it was made crystal clear to us to refrain from taking leave for the first six months. My heart fluttered, mind toppled and eyes welled up. The following month was Diwali and the thought of being alone that day struck me like a thunderbolt. I did not even know how to conduct a full-fledged puja on such occasions, let alone celebrating it with people. Plus I had no friends In Delhi who would accompany me or ask me to be a part of their family on Diwali. After all, Diwali in India was a family celebration. The HR manager continued to enlighten us with the company policies while I swallowed the lump in my throat and pretended to be normal.

Days passed by and I breezed through my training period. One part of me was excited and eager to explore a new city, while the other part of me missed my family. Every day either of my parents would call me asking me if I was okay, had my meals on time, attentive to my job or not and a never ending list. Indian families are emotionally bonded and I understood the value of the bond then.

“I have made sweets & namkeen, but I don’t feel happy without you. I wish you had an off on Diwali” my mom said painfully one day over the phone. I felt helpless as my job did not allow me to take leave for the next 6 months. My training batch mates discussed shopping, sweets and crackers, while I had no idea where and with whom to go for shopping. I stopped thinking about festival and tried to concentrate on my job.

Days approached quickly with Diwali being just three days away. Within a month of joining, I cleared training and waited for the "on the job training", popularly called OJT, where-in we would learn while working with mentors. My mentor David, half French half Indian, guided me. “All well?” he asked as he noticed me feeling low one day.

“Ya all well, just missing my family. Won’t be with them during Diwali for the first time,” I replied as I was almost on the verge of crying.

“Oh Diwali! Yes I have heard about this festival of lights. My mother often told me about it when I was young. Why don’t you go home then?” David asked me.

“Trainees are not eligible to take leave on Diwali David. I joined a month ago,” I replied in the most unenthusiastic voice.

“Chill! Who will mentor you when your mentor is not present?” he winked.

I squinted my eyes at his face.

“Arey baba, go home. I am taking off for 3 days. No company will penalize you when you take leave. They would only deduct your salary. Choice is yours.” He resume to tap the laptop keyboard.

I could not sleep the whole night. David’s words kept ringing in my ears. I got up in the middle of the night to shuffle my luggage. Next day I reached office with a small bag stuffed with clothes. David smiled at me and gave a thumbs up. I did not inform my parents about this little surprise. I left from office in the evening, bought a box of sweets on the way and boarded a bus from Interstate Bus Terminal for my home-town.

I reached my hometown on the morning of Diwali. As I rang the doorbell, a stream of thoughts choked me. I had actually rebelled in my first job! I had followed my heart to see that smile on my parents face. I braved the harsh company policies to be with my family on Diwali. I gave a damn to my job. Special thanks to David to guide me on the HR policy know-hows.

I snuggled in mom’s warm embrace as she sobbed with happiness. A box of sweets with my first salary, a wonderful surprise on Diwali and moments of joys. It was magic. I still remember that sweet day of the year 2003.

B: Blink

Linking to http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

The platform was crowded as usual. The usual hustle bustle of the daily commuters, the loud whistle of the train's engine, street vendors on the platforms and passengers waiting at the platform for the last local train, seemed to be a very regular. The lazy dogs slept in one corner near a group of elderly men playing cards. As the last local arrived at 7:40 pm , students rushed towards the train. All seem to be familiar faces, except him. He caught my attention and my eyes stayed glued to him. The white platform light fell on his face. Almost 6 feet, the slim guy had long brown hair. He blinked his eyes fast. . Dressed in blue denims, white tee and a bag pack, he came across as a student to me. I stood towards the end of the platform staring at him.

From the past four years, I traveled daily from Mandi House Railway station to Ghaziabad  in the last local train. I had seen students and working professionals like me, daily at the same time. Many a times I befriended students in the train guiding them the routes or discussing about the latest course books. My friendly attitude was perhaps why many students treated me like friends instead of a teacher. After college time, I used to coach students from financially weak families. Among them, was a very bright student Raghu. His financial conditions did not allow him to study full time. He worked part time as an accountant during the day and studied in my evening classes. Tall and slim, Raghu also blinked his eyes very fast. He was my favorite student. Last year he died in a road accident, leaving his family alone. My eyes welled up as I saw the tall guy at the platform; Raghu's look alike.

He glanced at me as I managed to keep my tears from rolling. He walked towards me, blinking his eyes very quick. I pretended to look away. “Excuse me sir. Is this the last train?” he asked me in his husky voice.

I nodded my head unable to speak at that time. “Where are you headed?” I asked him swallowing the lump in my throat.

“Sahibabad” he replied.

We hopped onto the train together making our way through the crowd on the platform. We stood near the entrance door, holding on to the support handle.

“Sir, do you travel daily?” he started a conversation, with his eyes blinking fast.

“Yes. What about you young man?”

“I am new here. I started commuting today.” His eyes blinked swiftly.

The train sped through the Yamuna Bridge and screeched to a halt suddenly at a small junction. Somebody might have pulled the emergency chain. The lights inside the train went off.  The tall guy lost his balance and I felt him lean over me. Few more passengers lost their balance to tip over each other, hurling abuses at the train. The confusion, clutter and noise prevailed for about few minutes. The train moved, lights were on, people were back to their places. But the tall guy was gone. He might have got down at the platform, I thought. “But he fell over me. Why would he leave suddenly?” I thought as I rubbed my back which had hit the seat-rest. My hand moved to my back pocket. My wallet was missing. I checked in my other pockets and looked around. As the train left the platform, I saw the tall guy disappear on the platform within the blink of my eye.

Kellogg's Breakfast

This blogpost is for https://www.facebook.com/anaajkanashta

When people self-invite themselves over breakfast at your house, it means there is definitely something nice about it. That's what Gupta family is known for. Kellogg’s presents over 100 mouthwatering recipes featuring Guptaji’s family who know how to whip up the perfect breakfast for any occasion! And there are over 100 reasons for me to go to their house for nashta.

Late in 2011, I started going to the gym in attempt to make my lifestyle healthy. My gym instructor suggested me healthy diet, which included cornflakes in breakfast. Reluctantly I started to consume cornflakes. For me, the only way to eat cornflakes was to soak cornflakes in milk and top with fruits of your choice. Gradually it became a part of my daily routine and my colleagues know me by the name "cornflakes girl". The only thing that keeps changing is the fruits topping. At times its apple or almonds at times banana or raisins. But I was restricted to these fruits only. Unlike Guptaji I did not know the use of cornflakes for such an amazing variety!!

Cornflakes make such wonderful shakes. Why it did not hit my mind ever? Guptaji's recipe of Almond Coconut Shake left me surprised. Blending almond, chocolate syrup, ice cream, coconut and soaked cornflakes with a topping of thin slices of coconut n ice cream. Wow, almond shake with cornflakes was never so easy. Besides,  almonds is healthy and filling, recommended for all age groups. Where was this recipe all these years? Certainly a unique way of getting the remote back in your hands.

What Mrs. Gupta calls Cornflakes Crumble Mango Custard, a "Razz Kholne Wala Nashta", indeed is something to die for!  It is mouthwatering. Custard paste just takes 10 minutes of preparation.  Yummy, healthy and awesome. Not only a breakfast, but can also serve as snacks or dessert. Get the yummy-licious dish at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0yDjFygJtU

Even the peach cornflakes is ready in nick of time! I had never tried peaches with cornflakes.

For one recipe of Cheesy Cornflakes, I literally started doubting my creative thinking. I had only prepared bhelpuri with cornflakes. Adding cheese paste would have given my bhelpuri an Italian twist. Fine chopped onion, tomato, cheese paste and 1 minute of microwave is all that takes to prepare Cheesy cornflakes.

I would certainly like to go to Guptaji's place for the date shake made by Guptaji. They way he made the date shake to revive his love for Mrs. Gupta was indeed impressive. Few dates removing the seeds, 3 cups milk and soaked cornflakes, that'st it!  Date the shake onhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcXVY-P5BGM Kellogg's has definitely changed my perspective of breakfast recipes.

Making sweet dishes in Indian family is a nightmare. Hours of toiling in kitchen and loads of sugar and refined oil refrained me from making Indian desserts, especially laddoos. I could have never imagined preparing laddoo with cornflakes! It is amazingly marvelous! Crush cornflakes, add shredded nuts, ¼ cup milkmaid, ¼ cup ghee and desiccated coconut. A easy mixture of this into small balls and crispy laddoos are ready in no time. Get the recipe at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JR_6GlFGE0

Kellogg's breakfast recipes have not only captured the essence of India' middle class who are on their toes juggling with health, office and time, but also given new dimensions to quick breakfast.

Be it the Cornflakes Fruity Yogurt Cup, Cornflakes Khatta Moong or Walnut Cornflakes Chocó balls, there is a huge variety of such wonderful recipes from the house of Kellogg’s. Who does not want to have breakfast at their house! I would love to.

NH10- Movie review

Director- Navdeep Singh, Producer- Anushka Sharma

Cast- Anushka Sharma, Neel Bhopalam, Darshan Kumar, Deepti Naval (in cameo)

Plot- A well off, working professional couple, Meera(Anushka) and Arjun (Neel Bhoopalam), stay in Gurgaon. Often known as the concrete jungle, it offers dream jobs with high pay packages, lavish lifestyle with dark naked truth underlying in its wraps. A good lifestyle may not mean secure roads. That’s what happens one night, when Meera is attacked in her car by unknown goons as she drives to office from a friend's party. She manages to flee from the spot in nick of time, but the incident leaves her shattered. Scared and scarred, Arjun applies for licensed gun for her safety. Soon, he plans a short vacation in a forest resort, close to Gurgaon for Meera's birthday. The road trip goes awry as they witness a couple being beaten at a road side dhaba. When nobody approaches for help, Arjun intervenes, only to be slapped by the gang leader Satbir (Darshan Kumar). 

An insulted and upset Arjun, spots the SUV of the goons on the way and detours to follow them with the gun. Meera’s plea to stop him, fall on his deaf ears. He watches horrifying “honor killing” of the same couple. The girl was the goon’s sister. As Arjun prepares to run away from the crime scene, he bumps into a mentally challenged lad, a bother of one of the gang members. The gang catches hold of the Arjun & Meera, hit Arjun and plan to kill both of them. In an attempt to escape, Arjun accidentally shoots the mentally challenged lad.

A still from NH10

The couple are chased throughout the night by bloodthirsty gang members, for whom law & order don’t exist. Arjun is brutally hit again. Meera, the protagonist puts up a tough fight to save injured Arjun. She secures Arjun under a railway line bridge, promising to return with help. She runs from pillar to post in the murky no man’s land asking for help. Scared but determined, Meera does not give up in spite of being hurt, exhausted and alone. She gets hunted several times, is pelted with stones, takes shelter in a labor’s hut, kills a corrupt cop, meets with an accident and lands into the village sarpanch's home. This is where the climax again takes a spine chilling turn.

Characters- After playing a kind, good, supportive husband in Mary Kom, Darshan Kumar plays the rustic, dominating Harayani man, who has no qualms in killing his sister for his family honor. Tough, untamed and raw, he carries off the uncanny role really well. Kudos to the director and the scriptwriter who created the thrilling frames.

Anushka does a brilliant job with her memorable performance. Her acting skills would be etched in the audience's mind for a long time. Watch out for her body language and eye expression as she lights up a smoke and patiently waits for Satbir to rise up with his fractured leg. Deepti Naval as the village sarpanch impresses in a cameo. All characters essay strong roles which give that edge to the film.

Background score adds excellence to the film. The entire movie keeps you glued to your seat without letting you blink an eye.Cinematography deserves big applause. Filmed with realistic angles and backdrop, NH10 has the power to scare you in spite of not being in the horror genre. Navdeep has an eye for detail which is very apparent from the reality touch he has given. The audience get to view Gurgaon's shimmery lights and tall buildings through a car window, where the couple is heard chatting. It is the usual private conversation between a husband and wife which instantly hooks audience. The forest areas, half constructed buildings, sandy hills, scattered houses in village, barely maintained police chowki, all add real touch. Even the villagers, who reluctantly and sarcastically tell direction to Arjun for forest resort, would make you nod heads in agreement and anger.

NH10 does not suggest measures to the social evils portrayed.  What it does is reveal the horrid truth that sobs silently beneath the glittering city lights. It lashes out to the patriarchal society for its gender bias and an apocalypse world who confines women in houses and stab them if they get married in the same gotra. When Meera lodges a police complaint against the attack on her, the cop asks her not to venture out alone at night. He also warns sarcastically that law & order remains confined to the visibility of malls. The former vanishes when malls disappear. Sad but true. 

Several things leave the audience seething as the film shows the harsh reality, which are- When Meera asks for helps from the cop at police station, he instructs her to complaint at the thana where the incident took place. Jurisdiction depends on location; else FIR would not be registered. Happens often, yeah? No education can change the mind sets of people who kill in the name of family honor. In this case, it’s a woman who initiates and supports the evil. Cops join hands with criminals by covering the social evil. What could be more disgusting that this? A woman trapped in such a family tries her best to save Meera by lying, but gets slapped.  How many times have we noticed or heard such incidents in these shady villages? Shamefully, countless times. That is why Meera picked up the iron rod to teach the bad guys a lesson, jabbed a ball point pen into the evil cop's eye, crushed her attackers under the wheels and shouts at the sleeping society. She ends with 'Jo karna tha so karna tha' leaving a message for the disgraced world who refer to women with derogatory words on toilet doors or walls of public property.

I admit I was disturbed and scared after watching the movie. I was not able to sleep well at night, as the movie thronged my thoughts. A must watch of this season is NH10. Go for it!

Being together

This post is for https://housing.com/ #together

It was Esha's birthday. Like each year, I dialed her mobile number to wish her on her birthday. Irrespective of the fact that we could rarely meet after our tenure in the same job and being room mates, we remained good friends. Post two years of quitting job, she got married. I was still working in Delhi, trying to make something out of my career. We were physically apart but kept in touch throughout. We made sure to call each other at least on our birthday, if not at regular intervals.  It was 11:00 am and I thought to call her as I was not loaded by work that day.

I expected to hear a bubbly chirpy voice at the other end. The time that I spent with her brought a smile on my face. As the call got through, her number was not reachable. I was disappointed, wondering why she had switched her phone off. Leaving a message on social account was not an option, as she was not active on social media, and had discontinued her profile of late. After trying her number thrice,  I called on her hometown's land line.

"Hello?" the bubbly voice received the call.

“Happy birthday moti!” I wished her in excitement.

“Thanks SD! How did you know I am in Chandigarh?” (She often abbreviated by name to SD)

“Idiot! Your mobile is not reachable. I thought of calling your parents to give me alternate number of yours if any. 

Why is your phone off?” I scolded her with a concern in my voice.

“No, its not off rey! I have discontinued my Delhi number” she replied with a hint of melancholy in her voice.

“Why the hell? So who will update your number to me? What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Things are not quite well at my end. I am going through a rough patch in my life sweety. Will tell you later.”

I had no idea what had happened, but I was concerned and worried for her. Why did she discontinue her Delhi number, why was she in Chandigarh, was there a problem in her marriage…thoughts wrung my head as I tossed on my bed that night. I felt guilty of not being to talk to my best friend for a long time. Amid my own struggle and work life balance, I had almost forgotten Esha. Post my broken love relationship, I was never myself. That night I kept thinking how life had made a joke of me. More I thought about my past relationship, more I felt hurt. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I felt that void within me again.

The next day at work, I was informed about an official visit to Chandigarh to one of our clients. I felt happy and was eager to visit Esha during that visit.

I bought a box of chocolates for her and headed for her house on Saturday afternoon. As I pressed the door bell, she opened it for me. We hugged each other. She rushed to the kitchen and returned with two glasses of watermelon smoothie and home-made cookies. I was touched. She had not forgotten my favorites. After a brief chit chat about job and family, I asked her about her marriage.

She smiled. “I knew this would come. Well SD, I have filed a divorce from my husband. The case is still pending.”

I ran a blank at her in shock. She was married one and a half years ago. What could have possibly gone wrong!

“This alliance was brought by one of our relatives who had woven lies to us. My family fell for it. I trusted my parents and got married, hoping for a good life ahead. But all that shines is not gold. The good looking guy had an extra marital affair. Plus, he had lied to us about his education, job & salary. Financial condition deteriorated. When I offered to help by working, his family refused. Big ego you see. They can die hungry, but will not allow the bahu to work. Things went terribly wrong when he started to return home drunk and physically tormented me. I kept mum and tried my best to save the marriage. When my parents came to know about it, they brought me back. They keep feeling guilty of not doing a background check that brought my life to a standstill.”

Esha’s words pierced into my heart. I was disturbed and angry at the same time. How dare could a man hit his wife? Why did he marry if he was into another relationship? My eyes welled up. It should have been my turn to hug her. But she came to me instead, and hugged me.

“Why are you crying silly? I am fine. See, I am out of a bad marriage. I was wrong when I stayed quiet. It’s worse to accept wrong more than doing it. Now I am free from his clutches. I will start working very soon,” she said with hopes in her eyes.

That moment I compared myself with Esha. She had braved the odds with maturity and is so much calm. I felt like a fool who was crying over a broken relationship of six months! I learnt a big lesson from Esha that day. 

Optimism is what I was missing in my life. How well did Esha put her broken pieces of life together deserved an applause. My meeting with her that day filled me with hopes, optimism and courage to move on. Her story helped me get over my broken relationship and I was my normal self. She gave me the strength and motivation to go on with optimism and look up.

(Image in the post is my copyright, clicked my me via Samsung mobile)

Look up

While toying with the idea of relocating to the U.S for a job, Anirudh was not only worried, but reluctant too. His new employer had hired him at higher salary and promised better perks, but the job required him to move out of Kolkata. Leaving his home town, parents, friends and his lifetime’s memories for a new place, made him jittery. To search for a new house or to stay in guest house, to cook on his own or hire a cook, to stay alone or with room partners, to adapt to a new lifestyle, totally different culture, to manage  everything alone; these thoughts bothered him as he spent sleepless nights before accepting the new job offer.

Yes he had reasons to worry but his career was also at stake. As his elder sister I could gauge how his mind wavered between his job and family. To leave ailing parents behind for a new job was indeed difficult. I was married and had relocated to Delhi. I visited Kolkata for few days and I could sense the uneasiness on Anirudh’s face, no matter he tried to conceal this thoughts with his cheerful smile. I counselled him to accept the job opportunity. He was reluctant and did not seem convinced. Two days later, he came to me with an envelope in his hand. He seemed to be relaxed. “Ki holo?” (What happened), I asked him.

“I rejected the job offer” he said with a smile.

“Why? This was a great chance you always dreamt of! Are you crazy?” I exclaimed.

“I won’t leave my parents for a job. It’s just a job. I told that to my employer and they agreed. I can stay here in Kolkata and work for as on off-site employee. See, I rejected them, but they accommodated my needs. Didi, I knew my priorities and I was positive that my employer would agree to my terms and conditions. Why should I leave my home. I get my energy and happiness when I see my parents.”

I was stunned by his reply. What great optimism was my brother full of! I felt proud of him.

Years later, I was back to Kolkata in city hospital to attend to my father after he met with a stroke. I sobbed as Ani hugged me in the hospital during dad’s heart surgery. The doctors had reported 70% arteries blockage. In the critical situation when Mom and I were a nervous wreck, we could regain our strength and hopes with Ani standing by our side, silent but steady.

Our cousins were there in the hospital to support us. To cheer up everybody, Ani cracked jokes.

“How could you be not serious in this difficult time?” one of our elder cousins snapped at him. He was our uncle’s eldest son who was very close to our dad.

“Crying or worrying will not cure him anyway dada” Ani said calmly keeping his hand on his shoulder, transferring all his positive energy into the grim environment.

“Dad will be fine. Don’t worry. He will be healthy and hearty. Heart surgeries look complicated but trust me they are very common for doctors. Have a cup of tea”, and he extended his arm with cup of tea to calm us. The surgery was successful and dad recovered gradually. I am often amazed by the optimism that he carries and never feels low. What motivates him, even he does not know. All I know is that he is different and a very positive person who lights up everybody’s life with this cheerfulness and people look upto him for his optimism.

This post is part of  https://housing.com/lookup in association with indiblogger

The world remade

I write, I build emotions, I express, I catch eyes of the readers, I create content to attract the world to the brand that I work with; to hook them, enlighten them, confuse them, give them ‘gyaan’ and ultimately sell the products in our brand portfolio. They call me copywriter, I call it “copy creator”. I create, other than the brand, for my own self at times. I create stories and the characters. I believe in fiction and I live the dream of being the creator through the characters that I create in my stories.

Often I wonder how would be like to create or let’s say rebuild a new world in my way! Don’t we all remember, how we played “Raja Raani” or “Chor Police” in our childhood?

As we grow up, we fight odds every day. We crib, we cry, we fight, we feel hurt & cheated when things don’t happen in our way. We really want our railway ministers, or finance ministers to make a budget that suits the largest population; the middle class. I really don’t wish to remake the world by holding a powerful post, else who would do my job then?

I want a new world which has a fresh and good mindset. Let’s create a world where education is not confused with literacy, because even the so-called educated lot today kill girl child and demand dowry during marriage. The degree holders from good universities are found involved in molestation & rape. Decorated officers and corporate employees hire little children for household work. What’s a world with such educated people? The world that I would rebuild will not have people with a mindset that think of female feticide, dowry, rape, eve teasing, molestation or child labor. I would rebuild a world free of crime against women & children.

Degrees and certificates don’t make you “educated”. No school or book teaches you to be a violent and open fire. My new world would be sans violence and terrorism, because people would be literate. The world would be rebuilt with educated minds and literate people who could not go to the extremes of picking up ammunition when brain washed. Dictators and terrorists like Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Kasab, Muammar Al-Gaddafi, Joseph Stalin, Robert Mugabe would not be born as bad people. Undoing the harm they inflicted would be impossible, but I would build them as people who could prove to be blessing for the mankind. Let their creative thinking bring joys and innovative modernization for the new world to be a better place. They had great ideas to rule and kill people. In the new world they would have great ideas to develop and utilize people for an amazing world. It’s then when everyone would say "Here's The World, Remade!"

Yes, we don’t live in a perfect world. So we try to live within the framework of society. My new world may not be perfect too. So it will have laws that would deal with serious issues strictly. Since humans are divided by religion & caste, it results in inter-religion clashes. My new world WILL NOT have inter-religion rattling. This take care of so called honor killing. I would sit back on my seat and be relieved of any inter-caste/inter religion disputes.

I may have to deal with global warming and climatic changes as the human race progresses. However I would leave that to the mankind to tackle. My new world be free of terror, crime and cultural gaps. My new world will have ‘educated’ humans who think positively, creatively, ahead of time and progress together without pulling down others.

Making a world like this is next to impossible, but we still can try to use our minds diligently, isn’t it? Why can’t we have and implement strict laws for menacing crimes like rape, child trafficking, child labor, dowry death? That’s because of the limitations of the mankind by law. My world would not be limited to such margins. How I wish the fiction was a reality.

I am participating in the #TheWorldRemade activity at BlogAdda in association with India Today #Conclave15

Jodhpur Palate

Jodhpur, the second largest city located in central Rajasthan has loads of historical stories in its façade. Founded by Rao Jodha in 1459, the city boasts of rich Rajasthani culture and grandeur, much evident from the monuments and savory food.  Rajasthanis are known for their affection of sweets, which we enjoyed on our trip to Jodhpur.

Right in the center of the city is clock tower. In the same vicinity is Sardaar Market that houses several eateries, always bustling with people. Not only tourists, even the locals relish sweets in the eating joints. One such eating joint is Janta Sweet Home on the main road of Sardaar Market, which offers a variety of snacks and sweets. Spacious, well maintained and neat, Janta Sweet Home is run by a courteous family who receive the customers with smile.

Makhaniya Lassi@Mishri Lal

Makhaniya Lassi@Janta Sweets

Jodhpur is well known for Makhaaniya Lassi. Sweet curd is topped with malaai and a dollop of home-made cream (butter), and that’s where it gets the name from. Heavy and creamy (plus the extra sweet), a single glass can make you feel really full and drowsy.

Maawa kachori

The most outstanding sweet dish which we discovered was Mawa Kachori. Ya agreed, it is high on calories and too sweet, yet we could not resist and gave in to our temptation. The filling of the kachori is with mawa and dry fruits with a tinge of spices. The kachori is soaked in chaashni and served hot on the plate.  With every bite you take, you feel the spices burst on your taste buds. That’s the uniqueness of Jodhpuri dish. However, beware of the calorie intake as this is high on sweet and is deep fried of-course.

The only disappointment is lack of seating arrangement in Janta sweet home. So, you can manage to stay awake as you slurp on the heavy snacks.

Another speciality food in Jodhpuri cuisine is pyaz kachori, which is available almost everywhere. They serve pyaaz kachori with aloo subzi. Reminded me of Uttar Pradesh, where kachori is served in breakfast as well as snacks. (I have experienced the kachori ritual in Mathura, Lucknow & Agra)

Take a turn at the end of the road, and spot a small eating joint named “Mishri Lal & Sons” which serves you excellent makhaniya lassi, dosa, kachori and tea. We had a meal!

Warm milk preparation

Kesar Doodh Jalebi

Doodh Jalebi adds on to the list of the sweets that we savored in Jodhpur. Jalebi is dipped in a bowl full of warm milk with a tinge of kesar. The milk is warmed in a large iron vessel swarmed with dry fruits, kesar and malai. The guy with a huge sweet shop on the clock tower road near our hotel was a hotspot for doodh-jalebi during evening. One can have it as dessert post dinner or treat it as dinner itself. The wholesome dish fills you to your core. Who said Rajasthanis have sweet tooth? They have sweet jaws!

                                   

Towards the road leading to the clock tower is a tea shop named Bombay Tea Stall. Ah! The thought of Mumbai's "Cutting Chai" came gushing to me. A thin tall glass full of tea just made my day, while my husband stared at me enjoying my tea (He is not a tea person). Beware of the tea loaded with sweet and milk
.

As we entered the market next to Clock Tower, we were taken aback by the sight of sweet shops and namkeen stalls. The place bustled with shoppers, rickshaw pullers, horse carts, cloth merchants..the place bustled with an enthusiasm, and positive spirit of Jodhpur..it bustled with life.

Our 3 days of stay in Jodhpur was a joyful one where two food lovers had their plate full.

"Twisted" tale of bread

Bread Poha

What happens when you are left with boring pieces of bread at home without much options besides butter, jam or omlette? You either end up forcing yourself to sandwich them or throw them after they turn stale. I chose to give the bread pieces a nice twist and turn them into an interesting poha. This is bread poha. No, I hold no patent of invention. This dish has existed for years! I am sharing a quick, light and healthy breakfast fix with you all.

Things needed- Heavy bottomed pan, cooking oil, Bread pieces (any type), tomatoes, onions, mustard seeds, curry leaves, salt.

Cooking method-

1. Cut the bread pieces into cubes. Slice onions and tomatoes. Keep these aside.

2.Heat oil in pan. Add mustard seeds. Optionally you can add peanuts or raw chana daal in oil and fry them till they brown. (I skipped peanuts, as they are not too healthy). Add curry leaves and dried red chilly, once mustard seeds start crackling.

3. Add onions to the pan.Keep stirring till onions turn light brown. Add the diced tomatoes.

When the tomato dices turn pulpy and start to dehydrate, add bread cubes in the pan. Add salt to taste.

4. Stir the content in the pan and add a little water. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

I used brown bread for this dish. You can use multigrain bread as well. Any kind of cooking oil can be used, be it ghee or refined oil. I used mustard oil.

This healthy, lip smacking dish barely takes 10 minutes. This preparation is low on cholesterol and has the necessary spices required by body for daily metabolism.

Caution- Do not over cook the dish and do not add too much oil.

Stay healthy, stay blessed

Paper Boat ~ For Tea Lovers

While shopping for groceries in super markets, you see the attractive colorful packs of carbonated drinks or fruit juices and get into a dilemma of whether or not to buy. Thanks to your calorie intake and unhealthy lifestyle. Trust me, to control and restrict your calorie intake is not only difficult, but at times next to impossible. The cliche "I will work out tomorrow" urges you to load your shopping trolley with colorful packs of drinks. So how does a person cut down on this unhealthy intake? Paper Boat comes to your rescue. Especially for the tea lovers, who cannot say no to tea and slurp on the sugary liquid.

Paper Boat gives a refreshing twist to the old concept of tea in India with the rejuvenating flavors of ice tea! Take a look at the little tagged notes which say it all

Paper Coaster

Having tried the aam panna drink from this brand, my expectations were high from the ice tea packs as well. The expectations were met! Lemon and ginger tea and tusli flavours come our as the most rejuvenating ice tea flavors. For tea lovers this is a blessing, as you do not often get flavored ice tea! The most common ones we have heard is lemon ice tea, right? Lemon & ginger ice tea gives a little spicy taste due to the blend of ginger. Tusli ice tea is the better of the two with a healthy and cool brew of tulsi or basil. The best part is low sugar content, which means low calories and low fat! Refrigerate the tetra packs and have a cool refreshing drink quenching your craving for low-sugar yet energizing drink.

The attractive use-and-throw packaging is very pleasant to look at and user friendly. Tightly sealed cap and plastic doypack promises zero spillage and tear. Each pack is priced at INR 30 which I think is slightly higher. I guess INR 25 would have been a fair deal for these. The tagline on the packs says drinks and memories. How can the brand create memories? Well, the cute packaging with the water bubbles and paperboat as the name as well as a doodle, just gets the nostalgia out! A product of Hector Beverages, clever marketing of Paperboat is grabbing eyeballs.

Being a health conscious person, I am glad to have found a drink that suits my needs and taste. I would rate it 3.5 on a scale of 5.

Watch the paperboat youtube video here. Nostalgia will leave you in tears.