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Sunday, October 19, 2014

Health - the golden rule of happiness!

"Neha, I am tired of him being sick, he is always irritated and creates such a mess in the house. He can't play or study, and with festivals around the corner, I don't know what to do" with a deep sigh my sister ended the sentence. I looked at my nephew sulking in the background watching television with complete disinterest and being moody. "But aren't you giving him the medicines?"



"I am but the side effects are even worse, I need to build his immunity, you know there is no festive spirit in the house, since he is ill"

"Di, you go about and leave him with me for a few days and go about" and with that we were busy packing and him being all excited about a trip to his nani's place. "Masi, but I am so sick, will I be able to play and will you buy me lots of things?" I smiled indulgently at him, "ofcourse baby, now please pack your sports shoes for we will be going on an adventure trip", my sister looked at me in confusion, "you do know he is sick right? how will he go on an adventure trip?", "Di leave to me and relax" and with that we were on the road.

We drove and drove and when he woke up he looked at me in confusion, "Masi where are we? This is not Nani's place", "yes it’s not, we are on a farm, and now the adventure trip begins", his shone with gleam of fun, "now first priyansh, you quickly need to drink this in one go if you have to be all well and start the adventure, and then also finish the chyawanprash which is lying next to you. The drink was a medicinal potion, made with whole black pepper, cinnamon and amla juice.



With that he slept for the day and next morning we repeated the same, and then both of us went for a walk amidst the trees and the flowers where he chased butterflies and ran with the squirrels, “Masi I feel so much better, can we play cricket?”, I kissed him on the cheek, “ofcourse yes, but first you need to eat fruits”, tired after a long walk he had his fruits and then a good hearty meal. As the weekend approached near, he was reluctant to go but we had to take the drive back home and Diwali was just next day!

He went running to his mother, hugged her and started off, “Ma we need to start preparing, Diwali has come and its so many things that I want to do, get ready we need to go and shop!!”, it was as if there was energy back in house and I saw my sister smile after days, “you are a magician neha, he is back to himself, finally it feels like Diwali is here!!”

“Yes didi, and now you keep him away from illness with natural goodness of so many good ingredients that are available to us and give him Dabur chyawanprash that has the natural goodness of ashwagandha, Guduchi, Satavari, Bala and vidarikand that will help him build a strong immunity system and keep your house always full of laughter”

And as a bonus I got lots of kisses from my excited nephew and lots of ladoos from my delighted sister!! Here’s to health the natural way!!

This post is part of indiblogger contest, visit https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/ to know more on Dabur Chyawanprash!

Diwali: when home becomes celebration!

When the diyas are lit, and the flames are a prayer
for love, peace, prosperity and lots of laughter
when the rangoli is inviting to come home
and the whole home is calling your name, again
Diwali is where home is, where celebration is!!

Diyas and Diwali
Home is where Diwali is and sometimes this seemingly simple fact gets ignored. Staying away from home sometimes the festival spirit is just missed and when the leaves are not approved it becomes a further excuse. But then diwali is family time and family is always there when you need them most!




Here is my last year love story with my home town Delhi in which the office played the villain. The story starts in October with the festive spirit in air, but due to everybody being in holiday and since you are single, interpret that as no family commitments and children, you are made to stay at office, when all you want to do is be at home eating ladoos, arguing with your dad and basking in all the attention your mom wants to give you at festival time. 


With the tempers soured, and fights at home for not coming and at office for not getting a leave it didn't seem like festival at all. One day before Diwali with shoulders dropped and spirit in complete shambles, and a heavy heart and sounds of my mom’s voice echoing disappointment and sadness echoing wild and loud I sat staring at my laptop reading the Diwali greetings with sarcasm. Dreading tomorrow and missing all my Diwali usualness at Delhi, going to friends and relatives at home, laughing and joking all day, making an elaborate rangoli, eating home made ladoos and kachoris and decorating the entire house. With a sigh and slight tear I brushed away the memories and the tear.


Suddenly I got a call from my boss saying that my leave is approved and wishing me all the best for holidays. I controlled myself not to say nay profanities, wanting to ask him what use is holidays now with no tickets available, I refrained and said a polite bye. Packing my bag I made my way home, empty house I thought but just as I reached.


The first surprise was the rangoli outside my flat and second as I saw my mom standing at the doorway, I almost ran and hugged her, “so what if you can’t come , we have got diwali from delhi here for you in Bangalore, happy diwali beta”, as I entered there was my brother and my father and the entire house decorated.

Without being given much time, I was working around, laughing and eating my mom’s handmade besan ladoos decorating the entire house, filling sweets in boxes to be given around. And then suddenly the tears made their way through as I hugged my dad and all he said was, “family is family beta, we will always be there for you, and at festival time we ccouldn't bear to see your sad face, its time to be happy, its time for ghar wali diwali!!”

And it was one of the most memorable diwali for me ever, I got new friends in my neighbours as they joined in the festivities and it was home away from home with a celebration that I still deeply cherish and this time with diwali round the corner I am off to home, for that special Ghar Wali Diwali!!

Diwali Rangoli!

 How long might be the distances and the miles
 The heart knows no boundaries as it cherishes memories
 That special besan ladoo and the dal kachori
 That colourful rangoli and decorative diyas
 Here’s wishing everybody a special ghar wali diwali!!



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This post is a part of Indiblogger contest for  https://www.gharwalidiwali.com/

Note: All Images used are author's original work.


Monday, October 13, 2014

World is going more Indian than you think!!

The night was dark and mystic, the breeze was fragrant with promise
He knelt down on one knee, underneath the glowing street lamp
"Will you marry me?", she caught unaware, glowed with happiness
"yes, I will", she paused to let that sink, in a hesitant whisper she said
"But I want to do the marriage around the fire, we taking the pledge
of the seven vows, decked up in Indian costume"
Decked up in colours of red, like a princess she walked with garland
he smiled, as the lights glittered, tired of dancing, floating with joy
The observer smiled, "world is going more Indian than you think!"



The music of evening prayers travelled with the strong wind
she ran from her room to the ghats to witness the evening aarti
transported to a different world, she remembered the dark days
the depression, the fatigue and the unknown world of failure
the yoga, the meditation and the journey to peace! she smiled
The observer noted, "world is going more Indian than you think!"

She smiled reading the review of her new restaurant, reminiscing
what they called was her, "cooking block", they had written her off
her cooking was called "mediocre", and the days of despair
and then she tasted the heaven, what they called curry!!
And she adapted it for her modern Indian cuisine, "Indian Kitsch"
the observer chuckled,"World is going more Indian than you think!"

 He was designing for her, she had won the battle against cancer
but that special touch that he craved for was missing, 
she was his special girl and light had finally come through the dark doors
and then he saw the special "chikankari" fabric he had got from India
and then the special dress was ready, the mirror beamed along with her
the observer wiped a tear, "World is going more Indian than you think!"

Both the sides stood facing each other, hatred written across their eyes
behind them citizens cowered, and prayed for their loved ones safety
and then the protester of peace, came forward tired of the destruction
and stood between them, "Let there be solution, through non violence, If you shoot
 shoot me first" and then hundreds joined in as the bewildered army looked on
The observer proudly said, "World is going more Indian than you think" 

He had finally agreed for his son's wish, left his hometown with tears
the future land as they called it, made him scared, weary
he looked down as the land faded away slowly, fearful of the new place
but the polite namaste and the hospitality, the smiling faces at the airport
and the warm roti with sabzi, had the little smile playing from cheek to cheek
the observer patted his shoulder,"World is going more Indian than you think!"


Like the new Lufthansa TVC- Watch it here- Lufthansa TVC

This post is a part of Indiblogger Contest http://bit.ly/MITYTIndiblogger




Tuesday, October 7, 2014

A trip to Sikkim: Photo blog

                                                  The breeze of the hills whispers stories
                                                  Some unknown, some nostalgic..
                                                  The evening dusk envelops the dark green 
                                                  with the music of the cascading waterfalls..
                                                  The beauty surprises, pleases and shocks
                                             makes me reflect who I am and what I want to be!!

There are lack of words to describe sikkim's beauty, its ethereal, its magnificent, its majestic and still largely unaffected by the tourist flow. I travelled for a five day period.

The Mountains on the way to Nathula Pass, Sikkim
 The itinerary for the five day trip was as follows- first two days in Sikkim, visiting the local sight seeing and changu lake and beautiful monasteries. Then a half day excursion to Namchi and from there to darjeeling and fifth day in Darjeeling.

Changu Lake, Sikkim

The Curvy Road, Sikkim

The Peaceful Rumtek Monastery, Sikkim




Namchi, Sikkim

                                                   

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Lepakshi..the beautiful ruins..

A short drive from Bangalore are located the mesmerizing ruins of Lepakshi. It's like being transported to a new world altogether, magnificent, old world charm and just quietness. It's a simple and nice drive from Bangalore on the bangalore-hyderabad highway. The road is good, even after the diversion when you enter the small village, the road is quite good.

The Ruins of Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh

The entry Gate, Lepakshi
The story of Lepakshi is, in the ramayana the bird jatayu while fighting with ravana fell here and lord rama while caring for it, he sai "Le Pakshi", "Rise Bird" in Telegu.


The hanging pillars, Lepakshi
The famous hanging pillars are good to see, but without a guide will be little difficult to understand it.
There is a beautiful ganesh idol and a shiva lingam housed inside the massive seven hoods and three coils of a naga, so a nagalingam which is said to be one of the largest nagalinga in India.
Nagalingam at Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh

Ganesha hewn in stone, Lepakshi


















Also there are ancient paintings, finest specimen of mural paintings of vijaynagar kings.
Mural paintings, Lepakshi

Mural Paintings, Lepakshi



































Apart from this there is a spectacular monolithic nandi and the kalyan mantapa which is also an architectural marvel!! Its just 130 kms away from Bangalore and makes for an interesting day visit!!