FitBit Bloggers Meet

Blogger meets by Indiblogger are always fun, well organized and substantial. We eagerly look forward to such brand engagement activities because of the knowledge we are enlightened with, networking with great bloggers and take a break from hectic schedules. Post successful meets like Wordup, AmbiPur, Nokia, Dove and many more, FitBit anticipated a successful bloggers meet and joined hands with Indiblogger.

For beginners, FitBit is a San Francisco based company that makes wearable fitness bands which monitor your fitness. On 25th August, the Oberoi ballroom bustled with fitness experts, physical trainers, media and bloggers waiting for the event to begin at 11 am. Thankfully I made it in a nick of time with fellow blogger Ruchi. Show host Archana Vijaya savored all attention as she hosted the show in her smart blue dress. Importance of fitness and ways to keep fit was then introduced by Jamal Shaikh, editor Men’s Health Magazine. (He is cute :-)

Woody Scal

With Jamaal and Ruchi

FitBit Chief Revenue Officer Woody Scal then spoke about the company and the products they have launched in India. His presentation opened with a concern on growing obesity in the United States. Also, health reports have shown a trend of weight gain among many Indians, making them obese and pushing them towards various health risks, including cardiac arrest. That’s where FitBit fits in with their tagline “Discover a whole new world of fitness” where they bring a range of wearable bands. The slim wrist bands track the number of steps you take, number of active minutes, counts the calorie you burnt. Not only that, it also tracks your sleep hours, quality of sleep and wakes you up with silent alarm without disturbing your partner. You can sync your stats to your mobile, see real time progress and help you challenge your buddies to achieve fitness goals. Fitness routine turns absolutely fun with these FitBit bands.

The bands are categorized as

–Zip, One, Flex and Charge- For everyday fitness- Ranged between 4000 to 12999 (With basic features catering to daily activities like walking or light jogging, people like me who don’t do strenuous exercise)

-Charge HR- for active fitness- Priced at Rs.13,000  (Suits people who workout daily or are active in gym or running)

-Surge- for performance fitness - Priced at Rs. 20,000 (basically suits professionals or sportsmen) A detailed comparison of features is present in - https://www.fitbit.com/in/compare

Selfie with tech Guru Raiv Makhni

Post Woody’s detailed presentation, Tech Guru Rajiv Makhni took over the show. Any gadget launch is incomplete without the expert’s words. He infused energy among the audience with his wit and questions to all. Jamal and Rajiv together engaged the audience quite well. They invited two FitBit promoters on stage with their Fitbit bands asking them to workout. Real time stats was displayed on screen for us. The session was thorough fun and enjoyable. It ended with questions from audience to Woody followed by networking lunch. No Indian food in lunch disappointed many like me. We settled for cakes, spring rolls, pastries, cookies, sandwich and juice.

Photo-bombed Shwetabh

Got to meet many wonderful people during that time. Its always nice to catch up with old friends Dipali Sharma, Shwetabh Mathur,  Dr Manoj Dubey, Rahul Prabhakar, Yogita Agarwal, Judy . Photobombed Shwetabh and I promise I will do that every time! Was introduced to the lovely Dr Mandira Adhikari and Dr Preeti Chauhan. Dr. Mandira had recognized me through my photos and met me like an old friend. A good observation she has!

Had I stayed back a little longer, I would have met Shraddha Kapoor and Tiger Shroff who were invited during the press meet of FitBit in the second half. 

The Fitbit brand launch was overall exciting and the products too are of my interest. I exercise moderately every day. So I feel, the bands are a good way to keep a check on fitness level. If only they were a little discounted for the Indian market. Another limitation of the bands is they aren’t water proof. A little disappointing for swimmers here.

We happily headed home with Fitbit Tshirts, dreaming to own one band soon. The products are available on Amazon.in for now. Go find  your fit!

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd- Book Review

Set against the backdrop of the old English times, Roger Ackroyd is a wealthy man, suddenly murdered one night and his death becomes the talk of the town. His missing stepson Ralph Paton was suspected to be the murderer since he was to inherit lot of property from the former. Suspects are named randomly, including late Roger's second wife, the maids of the house, Flora  (his relative who was to be engaged to Ralph) and many more. The murder is a complete mystery to the incompetent local police. Fortunately, though, the famous detective Hercule Poirot has just moved into King's Abbot and agrees to take on the case, even though he has already decided to retire from detective work.The beauty of the story is that the readers keep guessing the name of the murderer till the secret is revealed in the second last chapter by Hercule Poirot. This is certainly a masterpiece from Agatha Christie. No one could guess the murderer till the last chapter!

The book is a page turner!

Many characters are brought into the plot, making the story little tight and confused. That's when you start losing interest in the characters. However the number of characters are gradually cut down to minimum and the story grips you again. The second half is rather interesting when the suspects pass the test one by one. Imagine solving murder cases during an era sans mobile phone, apps, biometric scanners and tech gadgets. But Poirot does it beautifully, by solving the case of missing Dictaphone. What is a dictaphone? Well, read the novel to find out! I will not reveal the story here.

Narration is easy & interesting. Language is the usual Christie style. A thorough thriller this is! A must read for all Christie fans.

An easy 4 on 5 to this thriller novel.

"T" for Twist to Tea

I discovered my love for tea when I relocated to Delhi a decade ago. The pressure of studies initially and late night shifts at work later , made me addicted to tea. Be it dry winters or sultry summers, I love to have tea in any weather; Undoubtedly during rains.

I began consuming tea from beverage dispenser in offices initially. Few dispensers come with an option of milk and water only, wherein you dip the tea bags. Honestly, dip tea did not appeal much to me. Invented and much consumed by English, dip tea seems a convenience tea sans the taste. Dip any tea bag in warm water and let the color ooze out. Add milk or/and sugar as per your taste. Avoids mess, avoids soiling of utensils, yet I don’t like this type. I end up using the used tea bags to place on my eyes, to avoid dark circles or puffiness (This is the best use of tea bags for me)

While traditionally prepared milk tea (on stove) still tempts me, I love to experiment with tea in various new forms. I was mesmerized to see the types of tea available in our own country. Since, tea is a storehouse of benefits, lets sip a healthy cup, prepared in different ways.

The Golden Lemon Tea

Lemon ginger Tea- Morning wonder

I have seen my dad having lemon tea routinely for many years now.  A pinch of tea leaves is boiled, strained & poured in a cup, sugar added as per taste and about half a lemon is squeezed into the cup. This is the simplest and one of the healthiest teas of the world. The golden color of the tea and tangy aroma of juicy lemon mesmerizes me. I love to have this tea in summers after morning yoga for instant refreshing feel.

I gave it a little twist with ginger. Boil water with ginger and  tea leaves (quarter of tea spoon). Drop half a lemon's juice into the cup. Have this in the morning on empty stomach, without sugar.

Benefits? Packed with anti oxidants, this tea keeps a check on blood pressure, sugar level, enhances digestion, keeps you active. For all those who want to lose belly fat, try this every morning and see a new you!

Tip- Add a pinch of rock salt or black pepper for a punch of saltiness.

Rejuvenating Cool tea

Come summers, and we crave for cool drinks. Chilled version of lemon tea storms the market as ice tea. A hint of pudina (mint) or lemon gives the tea a different flavor. Packaged tea is available in all stores these days. However, I would advise to prepare this at home. (Bottled or tinned drinks should be avoided if you are a health conscious person).

Cut ginger in thin slices or grate it. Throw mint leaves and ginger together in water and boil it with tea leaves. Alternatively dip tea bag in the water after boiled with ginger and mint. Leave the pot to cool. Have it chilled or warm, the way you like!

Benefits? This preparation if consumed on an empty stomach clears bowel movement, helps reduce belly fat, improves digestion and builds immunity against cough or common cold.

Tip- Not more than half teaspoon tea leaves should be added, else it would turn bitter. Squeeze in half a lemon for a zesty fresh drink. Avoid sugar!

Two drinks, empty stomach, everyday= good health

Stay healthy stay blessed!

Tips to be star blogger- WORDUP meet, Gurgaon

Strikers Pub

My blog server was down with flu I guess, which refrained me from writing my experience about the awesome bloggers meet, powered by Big Rock and dot me. The flu part is believable because it was pouring throughout the day on the day of the meet, and many bloggers could not make it to the event at Strikers Pub, Gurgaon.

Pertaining to scanty footfall and thin attendance, the event scheduled for 9am began at eleven. A nice breakfast and networking with new bloggers was the best way to begin a Saturday. Team Big Rock did a tremendous job of organizing a smooth event and bringing on stage a handful of people who shared useful insights on blogging and digital media.

Veteran advertising expert and Chief Creative Officer of SapientNitro India, Mr. K.V. Sridhar enlightened us with his industry experience and the dynamic changes of the advertising industry. His words of advice- Be innovative, be honest (do not copy) and engage readers. Gone are the days of conventional advertising which had ruled the media once. 360 degree approach is today’s need, including digital media. Every word of the gentleman struck my grey matter and I kept begging for his presentation slides from Big Rock throughout the event. Ok, this reminds me, where are the slides Big Rock? L I am still waiting!!!!!

Mr. Bhatt

A short but very useful session with Lakshmipathy Bhatt proved to be an eye opener. His speech scared me; actually taught me to furnish disclaimers, image source and credit on our blogs, lest it should raise legal implications.

Just before lunch Nandita Iyer took the stage. Iyer is a Bangalore based food writer & columnist; who blogs at Saffron Trail. A cheerful lady who almost spoke nonstop on the stage was fun to listen to. She listed out the do’s and don’ts for bloggers including “Be consistent, focus on quality and educate yourself”. Following her words of wisdom, I immediately changed my profile picture across all platforms to one similar picture (Facebook, FB page, twitter, blog, G+). “Keep updating your blog often” she advised. But my blog server had rendered me disabled then.

Among other speakers were Vishal Shroff from Google, journalist Kiran Manral, founder of Indian Eye org Arun Nair and motor journalist Rachit Hirani who answered blogger’s queries and shared useful tips on the digital media world.

My favorite speaker among all was Ashish Chopra, an award winning viral video

marketer who works at ixigo.com. I wish I had half as his energy! A jovial, super creative and fantastic person, he scribbles ideas whenever they strike. Any idea is not stupid. If executed creatively, it can get lot of attention. His videos made at the right time got him millions of viewers and subscribers in past one year. Man! I salute his ideas and the way he is progressing with digital content. Watch his captivating videos on youtube at http://bit.ly/1flvmgd

Let me sum up what I garnered from the experts’ sessions-

1. Never write for charity. Your work goes unnoticed and hard work goes waste.
2. Mention disclaimers in your blog. You never know when you get a legal notice from the content owner (be it a picture, video or text)
3. Be consistent & frequent in updating your blog. You need to make time. Blogging is a serious business after all. Schedule your posts if you can.
4. Write on relevant trending topics and hit the nail. Example Poonam Pandey released her yoga video right around Yoga Day (irrespective the content) or Ashish Copra made his toll tax video right when Delhi Gurgaon Toll closure was announced.  Timeliness is the key hence.
5. Read other blogs. Just like a good speaker should be a good listener, similarly a good blogger should read others’ blogs. It educates you, helps you know what’s trending and gets you connected to them.
6. In blogging events, one should talk, share and network. No point sitting in one corner. Knowing other bloggers is as important as writing.
7. Keep your profile picture and description the same across all social platforms, because that’s your identity. (I did mine on the day of this meet. 11th July marks as a golden day of enlightenment :)
8. Keep yourself educated and updated with latest news. Else you cannot be creative.
9. Always leave comments on others blog. That’s the biggest appreciation for bloggers and best way to network too!
10. Have interesting pictures or videos in your blog to make it interesting. People keep away from boring blogs or too much text with interesting visuals.
11. Always caption your blog with a catchy headline.
12. Use keywords diligently. Remember your blog will be searched via keywords. Better the search words, higher is the visibility of your blog.
13. Go for blog giveaways. It drives traffic and brings loyal readers!
14. Make your blog your work portfolio. Nothing better than your hobby turning into profession.
15. Take your blog to a website domain if possible. You are the owner of your blog and you need to ensure that it is maintained and updated like your own property. When a blog server is down, you constantly lose your visitors. A domain will not be down like blog. 

Did I miss anything from the event? Yes, stand up comedy which went awry and scrumptious lunch served at Strikers Pub. It has been the best Indiblogger event I attended so far!

Pudina Raita: Digestive Agent

Indian cuisine is known for the spices that add taste and aroma to food. Pudina or mint leaves is one of them. This herb is easily available at vegetable vendors and distinguishes itself from others with its refreshing aroma & small leaves.

Pudina is known to cure bad breath, cough, throat congestion, acne/pimples, respiratory disorders and digestion (Remember Pudin Hara?). High content of antioxidants and vitamins in Mint makes it popular in every cuisine, globally. Sharing a refreshing recipe of pudina, which is healthy and super easy.

Ingredients-

• Bunch of mint leaves, coriander leaves (optional)
• Medium sized onion, tomato
• Black pepper, black salt, sugar

Preparation time- 5 minutes

Method-

1. Wash the bunch of mint leaves and cut off the roots. Separate the leaves and finely chop them.
2. Finely chop a medium sized onion. Chop a medium tomato as well (optional)
3. Beat curd in large bowl with water. Add one third teaspoon of black pepper and half teaspoon of black salt or rock salt for taste and pinch of sugar
4. Mix pudina leaves and chopped onion/tomato in whipped curd. Garnish with coriander leaves if you like. (Many people don’t like coriander leaves. One of them being my husband)

Tip- If you don't like onion in curd, you can grate or fine chop cucumber instead of onion. Cucumber is another cooling agent which refreshes and hydrates you body. Opt for fat free or curd made of toned milk.

This cool curd raita is a nice appetizer, cures digestion and leaves you refreshing. A simple, zero cholesterol dish is ready in 5 minutes only!!!!

Kelloggs teaches buddy parenting

Little Rahul filled in the slam book slowly, reading every question carefully. It was a cute thing for an eight year old kid to fill in “MY DAD” in the blank for “Your best friend”. I asked him how was dad his best friend, to which he replied innocently, “He plays football with me. Dad lets me buy fruits of my choice. I eat and exercise with him.”

“Exercise? You exercise with your dad?” I was stunned.

“When he goes for jogging, I also run with him. Dad told me jogging is the best exercise” Rahul said licking his chocolate. His dad arrived in some time to pick little Rahul from the crèche and he ran to him, dropping his lunch box. Rahul’s father picked up the lunch box, nodded to me with a smile and politely asked me if Rahul was naughty or misbehaving in the crèche.

“Not at all. He is friendly, shares his stuff with other kids, and does not fight at all. You have given him the right values with buddy parenting Mr. Kapoor,” I appreciated Mr. Kapoor, Rahul’s best friend.

That is how every parent of modern time. “Getting involved” is the key to the same. Unless you step into the world of your kids, how on Earth would you understand him/her? Likewise, get kids involved you, behave like their friends, else the generation gap might keep increasing, and you would say “Kids don’t listen. They are beyond control”.

Spare the rod and spoil the child, many years ago had raised questions everywhere. So, buddy parenting is the safest bet, where an active participation of both parents and kids actually unlocks childhood. Unfortunately, the upbringing of kids was very different during my time. There was cordial relation between my parents & me sans friendliness. To me, my parents were my guardians whom I was scared of, but not someone whom I could share my secrets with. Yes I loved them, but could not express. Same was for my parents. Today when I look back into time, I realize there was a lack of openness, unlike the current times, where parents treat their kids like their buddies.

Today's mothers, whether working or housewives, get involved in their kids’ lives actively. Befriending their kids friends or helping kids with their homework and in return learning the latest gadgets creates a strong bond between the two. Such things actually nurture kids with the correct values from the beginning. One of my close friends' mother proudly shares with me her secret of kids' bonds and her. She taught her daughter unique easy recipes and in return learnt computers from her. Auntie does not depend on anybody for a printout or google an article, while Nidhi, my friend has won several hearts with her cooking skills taught by auntie. They confide in each other and guard each others' secrets. Nidhi grew up as a happy kid, with her mom as her best friend besides her.  They play video games together! Such is the magic of buddy parenting.

I have often heard parents scolding their kids when they ask for a cycle or bike. The argument that parents went to college in bus or walked for miles to reach school, is absolutely irrelevant. Times have changed. You might have used typewriters in your young days. Your child will not use a typewriter just because you did. So you see, a bike or a cycle may be a necessity for children. Ask them, understand their needs before shutting them up.

Chocos ad featuring Juhi Chawla is a perfect embodiment of the right values. As Juhi’s son teaches her palying video game, he loses to her. The smart mom subtly teaches her son that to win or lose is a part of the game. And the duo spring to their feet for another match! A mutual and loving relationship with buddy parenting is displayed here.

Lets be buddy parents to our kids so that they are confident, happy and open.

Hug your dad

As I write this post, my eyes are welled up already. It’s been a long year of illness and recovery for my dad. As my whole family is constantly on toes to make him feel better, it just took a warm hug to see him smile and feel positive. Last year when dad underwent a by-pass heart surgery, something very strange happened. While in ICU recovery post operation, dad witnessed a man die on the operation table. The deceased gentleman’s family raised a hue and cry and blamed the doctors for the unfortunate death. The entire scenario shook and scared dad. Fearing for his own life, he removed the drips and walked out of the ICU. The doctors or nurses could not calm him as he demanded a quick discharge from the hospital, refusing to enter the ICU room again. The staff called me to handle the situation. I rushed to the 3^rd floor, where I found dad sitting outside the ICU, tired, upset and scared. He whispered into my ear about the patient’s operation that went awry, calling it a conspiracy of the doctors. He feared the doctors would poison him as well. The nurses were warned by my dad to stay away from him. I felt helpless and worried when a sense of responsibility ruled my senses. I stepped into my mother’s shoes that moment. When my constant consoling and assurance did not budge him, the only thing I could think was a hug. I pressed his palm gently and then hugged him tightly. It calmed him down a great extent. The warm embrace did the magic, what doctors or my words could not do. That hug was a life-saving hug for dad. He felt assured and safe after my hug and entered the ICU.

That stage was, what the doctors later told me, a psychosis attack.

I want to hug my dad every day to assure him of good health, to make him feel positive, to support him emotionally and moreover to thank him for everything. Thanks is a small word in return of all the gestures and his acts of responsibility towards his family. 

During my school days when my mom made me learn riding a cycle, it was dad who taught me saving money for situations like cycle breakdown. I owe a hug to him for the sense of caution he instilled in me.

When my mom was reluctant to send me to Delhi for job, it was dad who supported me. He brushed his emotions aside and allowed me to shift to the capital city so that I turn independent and strong. I owe a hug to my dad for shaping me into an independent bold person.

My first job in Delhi was not easy and the thought of quitting had clouded my thoughts. It was dad who encouraged me to stay put and lectured me on not giving up. I continued my job amid all hardships and turned the tough ways in my favor. I owe one hug to him for standing by me patiently and inspiring me.

An honest, grounded and patient person, my dad has given me all the joys and love I could ask for. I cannot stop thanking God for blessing me with a father like him. A hug to dad will be the smallest thing in return.

This father’s day, I am expressing my love towards my dad by participating in the #HugYourDad activity at BlogAdda in association with Vicks

On a planet named Earth

"A dustbin is appreciated more than a girl. A furniture is more useful than a daughter-in-law. Wife is just an object for sex. She gives birth to a life, putting her own life at risk. Division of property gets more attention than division of girl's emotions&time after marriage. Yet women get accustomed to compromise on self respect. No wait, there was no room for self respect of women."

"Are you kidding me? Where do such thing happen?" the little guy asked.
"On a planet named Earth" the angel replied to the little guy.

"Holy shit! I dont wanna go there. I m happy here in Jupiter. And if women are so illtreated, they can join our planet na. Its so cool & gender neutral. We reproduce asexually n dont have to depend on men u see" The lil guy shrugged & spread its wings to fly in the sky.

The angel sighed. "How I wish to make the gender dynamics of Earth even!" And started hovering over Adam's garden, the origin of life on Earth.

Naturals Hand & Body Lotion Review

Avon's brand Naturals has a huge variety of skin care and personal care products to choose from. I love Naturals for the blend of natural ingredients and gentle care it provides.

Milk & Honey HBL

Naturals always offers products that you instantly fall in love with. Naturals Milk & Honey Hand & Body Lotion(HBL) in 200 ml pack,  is one of them. The rich creamy lotion makes your skin soft and smooth. The HBL promises a 30 hour moisture, which actually stays on your skin till you wash it away. You can feel the velvety touch for the whole day. I apply the lotion on my legs and feet before leaving from home. In evening when I wash my feet, I actually feel the lotion washing out then. My feet stays moisturized the entire day!

The HBL moisturizes skin with the goodness of milk & honey. Known for deep nourishment of skin, milkmoisturizes and smoothens skin. Honey acts a natural cleanser, moisturizer and antibacterial agent. Together these two ingredients give instant moisturization and deep nourishment to skin. The aroma is delectable that you cannot stop relishing.

The lotion comes in a pale yellow hue, that resembles the look of yummy custard. You start feeling hungry when the richness nourishes your skin. This is a perfect daily use body lotion.

What I loved- 

• 30 hour moisture

• Velvety smooth skin

• Non sticky, absorbs immediately

• Good quantity in the bottle, value for money

• Yummy aroma

• Ideal for both summers and winters

What I missed- 

• SPF would have been an added advantage

• No formula for anti- pigmentation/anti-aging

• The plastic lid does not shut with ease. Need efforts to push it close

The MRP is Rs 249. Avail exciting discounts on buying from Avon representative. I would recommend this product to all consumers of body lotions who want silky, velvety moisturized feel for the whole day.

Product Review- Solutions Youth Minerals

Avon's brand Solutions, has a bouquet of variants catering to various skin types & needs. Soutions Youth Minerals has been designed to address the issue of pigmentation, fine lines & wrinkles for age group 25+.

Your skin starts aging faster than you. Stress, poor lifestyle, hormonal changes, environmental stressors expose your skin to wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots, sagging skin and dullness. Infused with exclusiveAmethyst Mineral Complex, Youth Minerals helps in skin’s production of collagen that energizes, renews and restores youthful-looking skin from the inside. Another featured ingredient- Bio Mineral Complex which is a blend of 8 minerals with anti-oxidant properties, helps exfoliate dull surface skin cells and protect against environmental damage.

Day cream- With SPF20 and broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, Solutions Youth Minerals day cream has been formulated to prevent and further protects from sun damage.  Post initial application, your skin feels more energized, soft and smooth. Within 7 days you would see a visible transformation with reduced fine lines, firmer and even skin.

Once you apply Solutions Youth Minerals day cream, you can use make up over it. The cream moisturizes skin, absorbs easily and is non greasy. Switch to an anti-ageing regimen after 25. Nourish and protect your skin at an early stage to delay ageing.

I had used Youth Minerals for 3 months and noticed a positive difference! During Diwali 2014, my friend observed the look of my skin and sought my advise for her skin too. I happily suggested Avon Solutions Youth Minerals. It is a pale purple cream, available in 50 g pack.

What I loved- SPF protection, no fragrance, non sticky/greasy, can apply makeup over it, skin looks younger and smoother after continuous use.Packaging is beautiful but not fancy. The price is much lower than competition brands. Avon's Solutions Youth Minerals is worth the money you spend!

Night Cream- Now I have coupled the day cream with night cream as well. Its working really well. Night creams are equally important as day creams. This is because the derma cells which were damaged during the day, your skin repairs them at night, for which it needs a boost of moisturizing and repair treatment. Youth Minerals night cream helps restore the skin's youth, reduces spots/lines and skin feels softer & firmer. Within 2 weeks skin feels dramatically healthy, clear and refreshed.

What I loved- Non greasy, absorbs quickly, no fragrance, beautiful packaging, effectively works on skin for quick result.  The pale purple cream is available in 50gm pack.

The only thing that I think could be improved is the container size. Though it is compact, yet a 50gm jar made of sturdy glass tends to be heavy while carrying in your bag everyday. The fact that unlike other brands, this comes in glass packaging and not plastic pack,reducing the chances of any chemical reaction to the minimum.

Avail discounts on the MRP if you buy from an AVON representative.

The first expert

Participating in Indiblogger Godrej expert http://godrejexpert.com/single_used_pack.php

“God cannot be present everywhere, so he made mothers” is a very popular proverb which stands true.  For all mothers, their world revolves around their kids. In our growing stage, kids not only depend on mothers physically, but emotionally too. Every child’s best friend is a mother, because she is only person on this plant who can sacrifice herself for her child. My mother too sacrificed a lot to bring up her kids. She let go of her prospective job and never turned back to regret. An expert in fine arts, she wanted to be a handicrafts entrepreneur but situations did not allow her for the same. As her eldest daughter, I learnt the most valuable lessons of life. Mom was an expert in fine arts. She quit her field and chose to be a housewife looking after her family and house. I call her an expert homemaker. I imbibed that quality from her and learnt to be a perfectionist. Be it cooking daily meals for family or painting on canvas, mom left no room for mistakes. If she wasn’t satisfied with her work, she would say it aloud. Unknowingly she taught me “how to be a perfectionist”.

I still remember how I painted my first drawing of a landscape scenery on paper. I still remember how she praised my efforts. I still recall that day when my own painting made me feel so excited that I went running around in the house showing my painting to every family member. And it was the beginning of my bend towards Art & Craft where I never scored less than an “A”. Thanks to my expert Maa.

In my teens, I was never fond of working in the kitchen. My mom never forced me to learn cooking. She rather wanted me to focus on my studies and extracurricular activities. One fine day, she got me into the kitchen to teach me how to cook. Before I even asked why, she explained that I should learn cooking not for any body else, but my own self. Her idea of a teen girl cooking was to make her independent if she stays away from parents, unlike neighbors or relative aunties who wanted girls to cook so that they impress her in-laws! “Oh, cut the crap” my mom negated all negative thoughts and concentrated on teaching me basic cooking. That first lesson of kitchen came handy when I moved to Delhi to pursue masters and stayed in a rented flat. My classmates loved the daal & subzi I used to get for lunch. Thanks to my expert mom once again. The Memories of making daal for the first time still remains fresh in mind. Though technically Maa did all preparations and I just stirred the content in the pan in the end, she gave me all credit for making daal the first time. The process got registered in my mind and became daal cooked by me became the favorite of my classmates. That’s how an expert guides and polishes you!

Maa played Santa on one Christmas eve. We are not Christians but do believe in celebrating all festivals with equal enthusiasm and love. As my brother and I woke up on the morning of Christmas, we had a gift box besides our pillows! Too young to understand that it was Maa, we kept believing Santa exists, till we grew up. The pleasant memory makes me nostalgic now.

She scolded us, was strict with us and even went mad at us for being careless students. But all the scolding was compensated on birthdays when she used to take all pains of baking cake, cooking and decorating the house for 20 people invited for birthday party. Managing so much single handed is an unimaginable task. Hats off to Maa for being a superwoman. She made us feel special..she made us strong. Whatever I am today, I owe to her. Love you Maa!

Mothers- My experts

Participating in Godrej My first expert on Indiblogger, Linked to http://godrejexpert.com/single_used_pack.php

Mothers are our first experts and we rely on them even before we are born, because she is the one who brings us to the world. I never saw my mother as I lost her the same day I opened my eyes. The doctors had given her a choice to save herself or me. She chose to save me. My father played the role of mom and dad both and never made me feel alone, till I started going to school and saw moms dropping their kids to school. My grannies (both daadi and naani) stepped into my mom’s shoes to nurture me. At times my aunts (bua or mausi) would drop in during my school vacations to look after me. I have seen so many women playing the role of mothers in my life. I learnt lessons from each one of their contribution.

Most of our holiday trips to nearby hill stations during my summer vacations were fun for everybody because of my Mausi. “Why did you pack warm clothes? Its summers!” I often heard my dad pulling her leg. “Weather of hill stations is funny. We may need woolens any time you see,” my Mausi used to reply with utmost confidence, as if God had told her in person about the weather changes. Her expertise in predicting the weather proved to be right always. I still follow the golden hill-station rule of Mausi and get saved!

People say that my Mausi resembled my Mother. I saw my mom's picture from her youth. I was excited to see so much resemblance in the sister's faces. Apparently I relied on her for my homework, my dressing up, holiday projects and every little thing. She took me in her warm embrace when I went to her crying about the first blood stains on my clothes. She taught me how a teen grows up with these natural changes in body and how I should carry myself. My first lessons of personal hygiene came from Mausi. The memories are still fresh in my mind.

Its true mothers are worriers by nature. They tend to over think  because they care. Their concern for others converts into stress. While bua’s stress and concern for me brought us closer, it did upset me many a times. A call in the middle of an interview or at any odd hour, did irritate at times but it was more than welcome because I would do the same whenever I missed her. Bua has been the kindest soul who guided me each time and taught me to be fearless. She advised me to raise a hue & cry or even slap a guy if eve-teased. On one instance she thrashed our neighborhood’s boy for passing lewd comments on teen girls. I felt sorry for the guy. Perhaps he was only humming a Bollywood item number. Since that incident, he was never heard singing again and I learnt to confront such situations bravely, guarding my dignity. Thanks to my motherly Bua who is an expert, just like my mother would be.

I moved to Chandigarh for graduation. Each time I made a trip to my home town, the only person who showed concern, besides making a fuss for my health, was my granny. For some reasons unknown, she always found me mal-nutritioned and thinner than before, as if I was on a weight loss spree (which I was not). I had a hard time convincing her against all the notions that she had convinced herself with. Undoubtedly I lost the debate every time. Yet I loved the attention that I got on those home trips.

Now that I am married and stay far away from all of them, the cycle of care and stress has not stopped. Besides my granny, bua & mausi, now it’s my mother-in-law who keeps worrying about anything and everything. Not only my busy schedule at work gives her stress, my not-eating-right and travelling to work also give her enough reasons to worry. Ouch, wasn’t one mother was enough to do the stress-job?  But I feel blessed to have the company of so many motherly figures around me who have taken care of me like their own kid. God took away my biological mother but blessed me with 3 more ladies, (4^th one now is my mom-in-law) so that I don’t feel alone.

Breaking the stereotype

I am writing for the #ShareTheLoad activity at BlogAdda.com in association with Ariel

“I got a surprise for you!” Atul exclaimed as he entered the house, smiling to his wife Sonal. He flaunted a movie DVD. Sonal’s face lit up.

“Let’s watch it tonight after dinner. We had been waiting for this Hollywood blockbuster since long. What say?” Atul asked as he entered his room.

overburdened & tired

Sonal nodded as she gathered Atul’s office bag, lunch box, wallet, car keys and socks in the right place. She moved into the kitchen to cook. Atul watched news in the meanwhile, waiting for dinner to arrive. She prepared Atuls’ favorite dishes and dessert. Post dinner Atul connected the DVD player and called Sonal to join in for the movie.

“I will be back in a while”, a tired Sonal replied from the kitchen while washing utensils.

When she emerged from the kitchen, Atul was fast asleep with half of the movie watched. Sonal switched off the DVD player, refilled the water bottles & kept them in the fridge, collected the dirty linen in basket for washing next day, checked the locks, turned off the lights of the house, managed to wash her face and crashed on the bed. After a tiring day at work, making full course dinner and household chores, all the excitement of Friday was gone. Sonal was overburdened with the household load without any empathy or help from Atul.

Consider, if Atul shared the household load with Sonal, they would not have only watched the movie together, but it would have relieved Sonal of the stress. Not only they would have finished the household chores on time, but also enjoyed the whole weekend. What if Atul’s salary from his MNC was thrice than Sonal’s income as a teacher, the former is equally responsible for the house. Even if Sonal was a housewife, should Atul not see if she needs a helping hand at all?

Well, that’s a story of most of the houses in India, Middle East and Southern Asian countries. When it comes to the everyday house jobs, the females suddenly become the in-charge. Everything from cooking and washing clothes/utensils to dusting and cleaning is considered a low profile demeaning job for which a woman is accountable. Little do they realize, these jobs make a home of a house, in absence of which life would be scattered! How else would you wear your clean formals to office? Or would you be able to sleep on dirty bedsheets or pillow covers, if not washed by the women of the house? To add to the disparity is the fact that these household loads are unpaid! A thankless job indeed.

I feel blessed to be married in a house where my family understand the pressures on me. My husband not only helps me in washing the weekly cargo of clothes, but also warms food and cleans the kitchen post dinner. Resulting this we get enough time to spend with each other. We connect over our common interests of movies, video games and travelling. And this is possible only because he shares the house chores with me.

One fine Sunday, our house was in a mess, clothes lied unwashed, our maid was absent, we had to attend a party in the afternoon and go to work on Monday. I could not imagine to look good or fresh and enjoy a social gathering with so much stress at home. However, my supportive husband agreed to do the laundry while I took care of the cleaning part. The mess sorted in no time and we made it to the gathering, with full energy & freshness. That was the day when I realized the support of sharing.

So if a man and woman are considered equal for the house, shouldn't both of them share and contribute equally? Sharing means caring. Where does it vanish when it comes to sharing the household job? Ask a married working lady her routine after work, she would go on with her never ending list of cooking, cleaning, looking after kids, teaching them, washing clothes, looking after in-laws and so on. A woman works in double shifts. Morning shift in office and evening shift for her family, and that's by default. Even if  the woman chooses to be a housewife, she is on duty round the clock. Talk about paying her, one would say "Its her responsibility!". One can at least not expect her to work like a machine and share some work to releive her of stress, mentally and physically, both.

An equal involvement in home jobs, bonds a family psychologically besides imparting a feeling of togetherness & security. Thankfully the stereotypes are changing. Ariel's initiative of sharing the load and making men understand that laundry is not a woman's job alone is worth appreciating.

Image source- Shutterstock

When the ground shakes

My mother, father, my infant five months old brother and I, lied in one room under the only fan which was working amid frequent power failure. Fans of other rooms were almost motionless due to low voltage. As we tossed restlessly in our beds on that warm night of October, my baby brother started to cry. My mom sat up with him in her lap trying to lull him to sleep. I was barely eight then. The little green bulb which my mom use to switch on at night, flickered. My father wiped his sweat and turned towards the other side.

Mom had opened the windows. Yet the room was suffocating. All we needed was cold breeze. My bed was right next to the window. Unable to sleep, I opened my eyes. Outside the window, the giant Neem tree stood still, without a single leaf moving. For the first time the tree looked scary to me. Dark and ghostly, the tree made me feel more uneasy.

On the roads, strays too barked in frenzy. There was a discomfort in the chirping of birds as well. May be they were crying for water. The shrill howling of distant dogs started nearing. Clearly the dogs were not fighting, but crying.

My brother did not stop crying. My mother was wide awake by that time. The room felt like a hot oven. The birds residing in the giant Neem Tree flew away suddenly, squeaking loudly. I reached for the water bottle on the table near my bed. I stretched my hand when the bed shivered. I turned my head towards the window to see if it was the wind coming from the rustling of the Neem tree. I could not see anything in pitch darkness. Gradually the shivers converted into wild tremors. My bed shook violently.

“Bhumikompo!” (Earthquake) my mother panicked and shouted in Bengali, as she held on to my little brother. The green light was still on and I could see my father with his eyes wide open staring at the ceiling fan. He lied on the bed motionless with a horrified face. He had his palms open, facing the ceiling.

“Ki dekhcho” (what are you staring at) my mother shook my father. He did not reply.

The tremors shook the house. I saw the ceiling move  horizontally. I heard the utensils of the kitchen banging the floor. Show pieces of glass in the living room smashed to pieces. I heard the noises, loud and clear. There was chaos and fear outside. My neighbors had gathered on their terrace or balcony, looking for safe open places.

“Shilpi stay where you are,” I heard my mom shout again, amidst her wailing and attempt to protect my little brother. My eyes were fixed on my dad. I was petrified to see his unusually scared open eyes and palms facing the fan.

The tremors slowed down. My bed stopped shaking. Only then my mom ran out of the room with my bro in her arms and dad followed her holding my hand. We ran in our garden. I remember I was barefooted.

“What were you staring at?” my mother asked dad again.

“I was scared of the ceiling fan. If that fell on us, I was preparing to catch it” dad replied, stroking my head as he panted.

The devastating Uttarkashi Earthquake of 1991 had killed over a thousand people and caused extensive damage to property in the Garhwal Himalaya region. At a magnitude of 6.6, major cities including Dehra Dun and Almora were affected. Thankfully we were safe. Our house in Dehradun had developed fissures in many places and needed repairing thereafter. It was a collateral damage worth crores. For me it was an emotional damage. Even today when the ground shakes or I hear the painful news, my father’s horrified face relives in my eyes.

It's a girl!!!

“It’s a girl!” The alley thundered with triumphant applause. As she opened her eyes, compliments poured in for my family. I can imagine how my parents felt at the top of the world in that joyous moment.  My near and dear ones showered my sister with their love and blessing.

Amid all the love and care, she started to grow up.  She was the apple of our mother’s eyes. Mom never said no to her little desires. Yet she wanted her to be independent and taught her to face the world with courage, just like she had taught me. She spread her baby wings to fly and mom encouraged her throughout.  In very less time, she learnt the values of life. Our father silently stood by her in all the little tricks that she grabbed. Those small tricks earned us a living. All her life, our mother worked very hard to feed us. Our father’s firm determination and positive thinking nurtured us.

We survived on whatever my family or I could do for a living. So what if God made us that way? So what if the rest of the mankind hated us? We were born that way. In her growing phase, as she passed by in the alley, she noticed people shutting their doors and windows on her. She wondered if her presence was so much detested. Why was our community happy when she was born? Why was the human race treating her different? I had no answers to her questions. Perhaps her head was buzzing with questions that day too when she was knocked down. Somebody had attacked her. She fell half unconscious.

“Mom! I killed one” I heard a kid shouting in victory.

“Switch on the mosquito repellant machine instead of clapping on them!” said the kid’s mother as she switched on the repellant machine. My sister died in no time. I had to leave her lifeless body and flew out of the window.

RIP dear sister mosquito.

Image courtesy- printthistoday.com

#CelebrateLifeAtIvy

#CelebrateLifeAtIvy by owning a dream home atIvy estate, an 85 acre estate with 34 acres of greenery and open spaces. Join the 1600 happy families already living here. Check out this walkthrough video and decide for yourself

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. Why wait for special occasions? We humans tend to make things complicated as we have forgotten those little wonders. What makes me happy in such Byzantine? Oh, I love bringing in back those simple things to life. In other words making others happy makes me happy!

Happiness is a whole family eating and watching a movie together. Our life seems to run on a fast track, that the joy of togetherness is long lost. A warm meal while watching a good humorous film or chatting, not only bonds the family but also brings cheer to everyone. What’s better than seeing a happy family sharing the simple moments of joy? How does one wait for a special time? This is my inspiration for a happy life.

We keep waiting for summer vacations or weekends or family weddings to break our monotonous routine and spend a happy time. My thought is little different. Why wait for a weekend. You may feel at peace in a spa even on a weekday after work. I quote my example to everybody who crib on job and no-time-for-hobby. I loved writing, so I turned my hobby into a career. I draw happiness from the work that I enjoy the most. Writing. My hobby was my passion, and now a career. So why not live in the moment and feel the everyday joys? My mother does the same. She loves plants and the terrace garden that she has maintained.  She spends time with the plants, literally talks to them and the happiness that she gets is priceless! Mom does not wait for special events to happen. She draws joys from her present! Yay! Like mom like daughter!

When I had moved to Delhi and started working, I started volunteering at animal NGOs and 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 to feed the strays of my 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. Soon they too joined me in looking after the strays. Those dogs taught us harmony, love & care. Nothing could have made me happier then. I was able to bring happiness and refreshment to the life of those innocent dogs. A mutual love and learning it was! The simple gesture of kindness always spreads joys and makes you happy. Everyday became a special day. Even today as I moved to Gurgaon post marriage, I befriended a stray and named him Bruno. A furry, brown Bruno has all the capacity to lift my mood after a bad day. As I was upset yesterday over a household issue, Bruno came running to me as I stepped out of the house. He rubbed his head against my knee, raised his paw as a gesture of hello and wagged his tail. I forgot my worries instantly. Happiness come in small packages. Big events are not required you see.

Happiness is seeing calmness and smile on your husband’s face as he enters the house. And the reason behind that smile? You got a Sandalwood incense stick, fresh flowers in the vase, changed the linens and put on soft music. He leaves his office worries outside the house and stands by you, relaxed, rejuvenated and happy. Who said simple things don’t make people smile? Add joys in little doses and make the world happy!

Donate your old books and clothes to orphanages or shelter homes. You would notice how you added cheer & joys to their life. Those who were deprived of these basic necessities, would bless you whole heartedly. Simple and satisfactory, isn’t it?

Voting for Will Of Steel

I’m voting for (nominee’s name)’s#WillOfSteel and blogging on BlogAdda to help him/her get felicitated and eventually enabled by JSW.

You go against all odds, cross all hurdles and achieve what others could not. You need #willofsteel to do that. You need firm determination and courage to fulfill those dreams, even if that means sacrificing dear things or living in hardships. JSW presents such people with extraordinary courage whose contribution is truly remarkable. I encourage and have voted for such exemplary personalities on the website willofsteel.in. The nominee who got my attention is Rajendra Singh- The waterman of India, whom I think should be felicitated by JSW for his will of steel.

Rajendra Singh who hails from Alwar, Rajasthan, is notable a water-conservationist. In the time where we are struggling for fresh air and clean water, there are villages and remote places who do not receive water at all. Lands are turning barren, rain fall is uncertain, crops are failing and farmers are committing suicide. In such a difficult time, Rajendra Singh gave up all the luxuries of his life, fastened his belt and dedicated his life to water conservation. Singh has played an important role by helping more than 1000 villages to get water. He has also revived five rivers.

There are very few people who think and do something good for the environment. Singh quit his government service, sold his household items, started educating villagers, went on to work for the NGO “Tarun Bharat Sangh” which means Young India Association and focused on the issues of water. He did not behave like his fellow classmates or co-workers, who study in cities, come to villages for projects and return without solving the problems.

Starting from a single village in 1985, over the years Tarun Bharat Sangh has helped build over 8,600 johads and other water conservation structures to collect rainwater for the dry seasons. By 2001, they had built 4,500 earthen check dams, to collect rain water in 850 villages in 11 districts of Rajasthan. Singh was awarded the Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in the same year.

Alwar, was worse hit due to receding water table and lack of rains. Singh spread awareness and worked for water conservation. One of the forgotten ways was “Johar” which is a traditional method of rainwater storage, popularly in Rajasthan. Post much reluctance from villagers, friends and colleagues, ultimately Singh’s revolutionary work led to revival of Alwar. The water table is stable now and he continues to work for improved water conservation methods that includes check dams.

Rajendra Singh has been thoroughly involved in fighting the bureaucracy and the mining lobby. Today as Alwar is fit to reside in, the credit goes to Rajendra Singh. His NGO has also been instrumental in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. People value the traditional methods of water harvesting today and do not suffer from drought. Thanks to the waterman for his efforts, forward thinking and steel of will.

Let's vote for him and recognize his efforts for the noble work done. We need more people like him who bring a positive change for the environment and save the planet.