گردبادی از هویت

She was there.

She stood on the edge of the vast valley, which reached out to her to convince her to jump to oblivion.

The sight was not new to her. She had thought of it infinitive times in the past, but then, she had also mustered the courage to take the final step, that day.

In the abyss of thoughts which were overwhelming her mind, and memoirs which brimmed over her heart, she had forced herself upon this consequence.

From the pinnacle of the Tower she was standing on, all she saw was the wake of vultures circumscribing her Grandfather's deceased body.

On the other hand, was the inexhaustible horizon to jump to.

~~~ 

The Tower Of Silence had become a second home to her, now. 

Why, she had lost her entire family to such an unexplicable calamity.

In a span of three weeks, her entire world had come crashing down upon her.

The first to leave her side was her father, followed by her grief-stricken mother. Now that her grandfather had left her too, she was orphaned.

Grandma was the most oblivious to it all as she had abandoned all sense of space and time. 

She had lost all hope in the beauty of life and saw it now as a dull, lifeless panel which had been ostracized by all.

~~~ 

Just as she was about to let her feet lose touch of the ominous ground, she felt someone's hand tucking at her saree.

She saw her Grandfather!

With a note and a archaic collection of five pages in tow, he led her down from that edge to the entrance of the Tower Of Silence.

Once she was outside the Tower, all she could see were a soiled letter and a handful of pages on the road.

In the immensely morose sky above, she saw a raven perched on a tree branch, overlooking the sullen moon.

A signboard outside made her realize that she was part of an exclusive community. A community that had made her what she was.

That which had given her an identity, 

As an antiquarian legacy. 

It then occured to her to pick up those pages and the letter, lest they be blown away by the meandering wind. 

The letter, to her utter dismay, was blank, though it had گردبادی از هویت written on it. 

گردبادی از هویت in Persian, meant 'The Whirlwind Of Identity'.

And, the pages? 

She could sense that they held the unknown answers to the many unexplored questions which had exhausted her completely. 

They were hoowever, a pointer to some bigger secrets that they would reveal. These incoherent, random pages would somehow weave together, the fabric to a deterministic ancestry. 

~~~ 

Her Grandfather's voice clearly echoed saying: "Go back home, Dear. We are waiting for you."

She rushed back home to find a sight which overwhelmed her beyond all bounds.

There, she saw her beloved Grandfather in spirit and her aged Grandmother whiling away on their most favorite hammock in the house.

As soon as she tried to approach her, Grandma got up and proceeded to the inside of the house, with Grandpa's spirit following her particularly to Grandma's Prayer Room.

There, she saw light.

It suddenly occured to her, of the Fire Invis, a game which she used to play with her Grandma. It was like the Secret Spy. A coded message on paper would be discovered and see the light of the day when subjected to fire.

The soiled letter, then was no different. It led her to explore a secret chamber in her grandparents' room which had been concelead by a door with a symbolic inscription on it, all these years.

The central lock of three concentric rings had been overlooked by her as a child, even though it sparked her curiosity as a mature individual. 

Grandma knew and chanted the prayers which would unlock a better understanding of the abyss. 

The opening of the lock made her even more receptive to the intricacies of the existence of her dwindling community. 

~~~ 

For it revealed to her, a book dating to the 10th Century, tracing the journey that her ancestors had taken to carve an identity for themselves and members of their sect, battling the dominance of Arab Muslims in Iran, establishing a name for themselves as professionals, partnering with Englishmen, and partaking in the Industrial Revolution for India's development as a country. 

Now, with her grandparents having left her all on her own, it had dawned upon her to not let go of life as a  precious possession, which had to be preserved in all its purity. 

The embellishment of a Fravashi on the outside of the book ushered into her, a sense of determination and perseverance to hold on to herself and steer clear of all suicidal tendencies which had clouded her essence to liveliness and hope. 

The wings symbolised the Spiritual World and made her draw inspiration from the spirits of her now deceased family. 

The body symbolized the Physical World and reminded her of the sense of control to her materialistic possessions that were not to overpower her, at any said point in time. 

The head symbolized the sense of Conciousness of a greater purpose to her sect and her community, than her own, and that made her reminisce the teachings of Prophet Zarathustra, in their entirety. 

~~~ 

Out of those five pages which she had obtained outside the Tower, four belonged to members of her family, and one was to call her own. 

The Whirlwind Of Identity had thus been simplified, with her embarking on a journey to self-realization with her Grandma by her side. 

As they were about to leave, they saw her Grandpa in spirit, on the same hammock, keeping to himself, the memoir of his cherished abode.

~~~ 

In a matter of hours, she had known what it meant to embrace Zoroastrianism and embark on... 

The Path Of Zarathustra 

~~~ 

I am participating in this creative activity organised by makers of The Path of Zarathustra in association with BlogAdda.

P.S.: All images have been attributed to Google Search. 

Since Time Immemorial, Familia Decennia...

"Come Kids. I'll tell you a story."

"Is it story-time already, Grandma?" 

"Toi ti - toi ti!"

"Yes. Come along quickly!" 

~~~ 

That was Grandma 50's calling out to her tiny tot 90's and the gibberish toddler, 2K. 

Yes, Ladies & Gentlemen. 

Welcome to the legendary Familia Decennia... 

The family of decades. :) 

~~~ 

What Familia Decennia, you may ask. It is a pity if you don't know of them. Familia Decennia has been present amongst us since time immemorial. 

Grandpa 40's heads the family effortlessly while Grandma 50's dwells on the elegance of the yesteryears with her anecdotes. 

Dad calls out to 60's and 70's; Mom identifies with the 70's and 80's. 

Tiny tot 90's is a hybrid between eras. 

Toddler 2K is still exploring. 

Together, they are Familia Decennia, 

They create nostalgic memorabilia. 

~~~ 

"Something which we think is impossible now is not impossible in another decade." 

Constance Baker Motley must have dwelled much on the fact that time symbolizes a flowing river, which never stagnates, to make such a statement. 

The child at heart is hard to discipline. The child in blood-relation, harder. 

It is in learning the ropes as a child and teaching the same to your kid that you traverse the crests and the troughs, albeit with one wide gap to bridge. 

"The lessons of the Past are ignored and obliterated in a contemporary antagonism known as the Generation Gap." 

As parents, it is imperative to realize that we must not limit our children to our own learning for they were born in another time. 

The perception of 'Survival Of The Fittest' also graduates with the passage of time. 

The single-most important truth to let sink in lies in the fact that our parents' outlook towards life, their lifestyle was suited to their survival in those times, our lifestyle aided us to successfully survive our times, and that of our children is keeping them all fine till this point in time, and will continue to, hopefully. 

~~~ 

As far as the incessant declaration of being superlative to the successor by the preceding generation is concerned, it is a concept which is going to stick around till eternity. 

In my opinion, major events in my lifespan were timed just perfectly by Lord Almighty. 

C'mon, whose impeccable sense of time and sense am I even daring to doubt? :D 

To this date, day, hour, minute, and second, I thank heavens for blessing me with a child who was born in the 90's and attributes her childhood to the 2K millennium. 

For there can never be a more appropriate timeframe to call yours, if you wish to bridge the digital divide. 

~~~ 

You tell me, which generation has seen the use of landlines, cordless phones, mobile phones, and smartphones, all at once? 

Which one's the mother, which one's the daughter?
One utilizes the round-dial, fiddles with the cordless, another! :) 

Which generation will claim to have kick started the W3 Revolution, by exploring desktop computers, laptops, and wearable smart devices, all at once? 

What decade will I remind you of when I riddle you with a generation that had seen that arduous cable TV era and has now effortlessly switched to wafer-thin Plasmas and OLEDs, while rapidly advancing to the times of live-streaming becoming the norm? 

While the mother here boasts of her parents having decorated the house with the first monochrome television (masked by a colored screen, to give the impression of colored television) of the locality, which was at that time considered to be a luxury, and had all our neighbours in awe, the daughter considers it a cakewalk to have access to the telly tube. 

They'll tell you of which decade when they profess affinity to the erstwhile VHS recordings which graduated to cassette reels, and finally to CDs and floppy disks? 

नन्हे-मुन्ने गीत and Twinkle-Twinkle,
Nursery rhymes with an innocent sprinkle. :) 

These kids will be able to boast of the fact that they practiced the art of letter-writing, have witnessed the working of a yesteryear post-office and have actually wondered where the envelope with that one, two or five rupee stamp disappeared down the letter-box. 

They will be able to bask in the glory of having been the first ones to familiarize themselves with the prevalent SMS lingo too. 

Thankfully, the Letter Box was in a much more respectable state in both my daughter's and my time.
It has been reduced to a pitiable state post-2005. :(

Who would have seen the five, ten, twenty paise coins, the fifty, hundred, five hundred rupee notes, AND known the Bank ATMs also? 

Tinkering around with the Paise in our pocket,
Until paper money made it lighter, our wallet! :) 

The one resounding answer to all the above queries would be a cheer in unison, from the 90's kids. :) 

Thankfully, my child has seen the two extremes - the remnants the physical reflections of many erstwhile manifestations as well as the virtual avatars of a convenient lifestyle.

I am relieved by the fact that my daughter would not surprise her parents by behaving like this kid...

...Or like Dennis here: :) 

~~~ 

The experience of one emotion, however, which I feel my child and the kids today at large have missed out on has to be the absence of instant gratification for any effort put in. 

Today's time and life are fast-paced ones. So, it is more than justified for her generation to expect results in the blink of an eye or in the snap of a couple of fingers. 

Though she has been mature enough to understand that it takes the effort, determination and perseverance of days, months and even years at an edge to sprout from a seed into a full-grown tree, she has grown impatient to a certain extent upon the arrival of the 2K millennium, over the years. 

~~~  

Not neglecting the fact that I have seen more bruised knees, sharp scratches, wounded ankles, injured arms from her than any other kid of her age, during her childhood, and that she has learnt to stumble and fall and yet put a brave face through it all and improve her balance, but if I were to be given a chance, I would like my daughter to experience how it felt like to not be pampered all the time, being bashed up for being stubborn more often. 

That is HOW I LEARNT to remain grounded and be thankful for all that  had been provided with, by my parents, which was more than abundant in my humble opinion. 

My brother and I learned the hard way, that life does not work on our terms, rather it is the other way round. 

We took risks, dealt with failure and disappointment, went over the moon and back on tasting the ripened fruit of success, and came out more responsible as an individual. 

Had it been possible, I would want to provide my daughter with a more realistic expression of how I grew up, tolerant of situations and circumstances and grateful for all that I had.

~~~ 

Childhood is made fun, 

When there's exploration. 

Throw in some curiosity, 

Some innocence in capacity. 

Kids learn on their own, in a sticky situation, 

Paving their own way out, is a skillful satisfaction. 

Honing their cognitive skills, their undiscovered abilities, 

Sharpening their know-it-all, all-purpose utilities. 

#BachpanWithFlintoBox ensures that your child learns the right way, 

While there is your Little Scientist to brighten your day. 

~~~ 

I am participating in the #BachpanWithFlinto Blogging Contest, organized by Women's Web. 

Flintobox creates award-winning discovery boxes filled with fun exploratory activities and games for children in the age group of 3-7. If you wish to gift Flintobox to your child, niece/nephew, or friend’s child, use the exclusive coupon code WELCOME to avail Rs. 250/- off.

P.S.: All photos are attributed to the blog's copyright except for the two comic illustrations which have been taken from Pinterest. 

~~~ 

A Trip Down CaratLane...

What?

The Launch Of #CaratLaneVirtualTryOn, by one of India's leading e-commerce site, CaratLane.

When?

Thursday, August 20.

Where?

The Park Hotel, New Delhi.

Yesterday evening was set to be made more exquisite, thanks to my most preferred e-commerce site to shop for modern pieces of jewelry.

The star of the evening, hogging the limelight, was #CaratLaneVirtualTryOn. The pioneer retailer of precious jewelry and gems in the online space was now ready to venture into the App-savvy world with their CaratLane App.

In conjunction with their core mission to Democratize Jewelry, CaratLane has incorporated cutting-edge facial recognition into their latest offering.

I would have forever been skeptical about buying precious jewelry over the flashy screen had it not been for CaratLane.

Thanks to them for being the first to introduce an array of reliable services in the gems and jewelry market, of the likes of:

• Try At Home
• Same Day Delivery 
• Open Displays In-Store

Being the brainchild of Mithun Sacheti who comes from a similar background of Jaipur Gems, CaratLane has been receptive to the creation of a hassle-free browsing experience.

The annoying fact that jewelry stores are always guarded to the helm, with all exquisite creations being locked up in glass cases has been countered by them with a subtle statement:

"Why can't I browse through jewelry just like I browse through clothes or footwear?" 

"We don't keep our jewelry locked up in glass cases. We keep them in open displays so that you can pick up, try on and play with our jewelry." 

~~~ 

What particularly impresses me is CaratLane's Design Philosophy:

Thoughtful Designs, 

Inspired By Art 

Revitalizing Heritage,  

Innovation At <3 

~~~ 

CaratLane had begun by focussing on two segments when they had started out new. 

Those were: 

• Solitaires. 
• Jewelry At Everyday Price Point. 

They are now on the outlook to venture into the Evening Wear segment, by focusing on Contemporary Designs, after having rolled out numerous iconic collections of the likes of Showstoppers, Paisley, Eterna, Nizam, and Fleur. 

Showcased here are the Trellis and soon-to-be-launched Lotus collections, which had been exhibited at the Experience Zone. 

~~~ 

With the realization that opportunities are increasing, lifestyles are changing, and fashion is evolving also comes the hard-hitting fact that a business builds on the foundation of Trust. 

To answer the perpetually engrossing question posed to all e-commerce websites: 

"How does this LOOK on ME?" 

CaratLane has launched #CaratLaneVirtualTryOn to aid customers to discover the perfect piece of jewelry according to their taste and requirements. Taking their service one step ahead, CaratLane has also provided the facility to create and share an entire Look Book of sorts. :) 

The closing of the event was constituted of a rapid-fire QnA which was aced by Mithun, Atul and Guru and an exclusive Blogger's Photo Session. 

In my honest opinion, CaratLane has been able to perfectly gauge the preferences of the Indian woman today, thereby being able to meet the aesthetic need for modern and contemporary pieces of jewelry. 

CaratLane has my vote on #CaratLaneVirtualTryOn. :) 

~~~ 

P.S.: All collages have been specifically created to put together this blog post, by Yours Truly. :) 

Towards A Clean WASH With TERI

India is a CONTINENT in itself. Where else would you find such a blend, such a fine amalgamation of cultures? India as a geographical entity on the World Map is unique, in relation to the fact that we have such varied climates, terrains, weather patterns and agricultural cycles all over the country. Unity In Diversity achieves its epitome in India. Not overlooking the fact that each region requires its own requisite amount of resources, to utilize and achieve sustainable living, each region is as distinctive as it is analogous.

Such a precious resource, which has established its commonality to the entire universe, is WATER. The fluid which harbors all known forms of life on the face of this planet, be it as a habitat or as an essential component in the composition of our physical bodies, is often the most misused, the most abused resource of all.

It is disappointing to come to terms with the fact that a majority of India's population are unable to procure access to hygienic potable water, which steers clear of impurities. On the contrary, some of our own are deprived of the basic right to sanitation, and a healthy lifestyle. It is a pity that the absence of the most basic necessity of a dignified means to rid oneself of bodily wastes in most rural Indian households goes unnoticed. This grave mistake in turn, ups their vulnerability to life-threatening diseases.

It is our individual responsibility as an informed citizen of our nation to familiarize ourselves with the importance of a hygienic lifestyle on the outlook and uphold it in its entirety.

With this noble motive in mind, TERI University and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in association with Coca-Cola India and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) have launched the "Strengthening Water and Sanitation in Urban Settings" initiative in Kolkata.

The WASH programmes (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) aim to reach 50,000 beneficiaries in low-income settlements and over 300 professionals through WASH governance studies. It will also reach out to 2,500 students through 20 municipal schools across India.

Each drop contributes to the formation of an ocean.
The same holds true for an informed nation. :)

#Airtel4G Enlivens My New Business!

Remember when I had taken the #Airtel4GSpeedTest?

4G is the demand of time. Everyone needs speed. Everyone wants to do more in lesser time. Everyone is hungry for efficiency and accuracy - that too on the move. Gone are the times when you used to sit in the office on a seat every day, seven days a week. Businesses demand results – be it reaching a new location to meet a client, or be it an approval on a workflow on the business app on the device. Most the time, so far, we were facing speed crunch for all such activities. But now, our wait is over and an ultimate solution has arrived.

Most of the businesses have now understood the power of social media and that is why the social media platforms are no more merely for fun-related activities. There are tremendous business-related activities, being taken seriously, which are happening across the globe on the social media platforms over the internet.

These are not possible if you are working on any number before ‘G’ less than 4. #Airtel4G from Airtel is there to serve you (and of course, me too!) for the new start-up business venture that I have launched recently. I am all for it – the 4G service. I am very clearly and distinctly convinced that the throughput of 4G connection is definitely higher, but then I am smart enough to calculate my business results. That is where I know that the results that I can achieve with 4G were not possible earlier.

My outreach is extended now - even to the areas where I was not able to penetrate my online portal. The mobility of my business is now live in a real win-win situation where my employees will be able to drive results on the move or wherever they are.

My business focuses on becoming the leading online portal for the newest trends in technology, business, fashion, lifestyle, family, parenting, travel, food and more. My backend team needs to finish a lot of video uploads in real-time or offline. Earlier it was painful, but now it is happening at lightning fast speed. On the other hand, I am also aware that the performance of my portal will be able to achieve its optimum best at the customer/consumer/user-end only when they are also on 4G.

My portal's subscriptions have increased substantially since the day I employed 4G for all my official devices. Each employee is carrying a portable device on 4G. The news items on my portal have reached a new height. We are now quicker to launch fresh stories, faster than our competitors. We also promote 4G for our subscribers so that they also taste the fresh wave in the transmission era. My employees’ productivity has seen an upward trend and has shown tremendous potential, and so has the performance of my business. Thanks to 4G for providing the speed we were striving for.

On A FruPasta Trail To Italy!

Those who know me well know that I am a family person. It is not only the company of cheerful family members that keeps me well but also the elucidation of anecdotes from each one of our daily routines which makes me feel that I am blessed.

Joyous times are accounted for, whenever there is a celebration in the family. Celebrations always provide all the family members an essential reason to make time and get together. Such get-togethers always rekindle all such distant memories which may or may not have been lost down the abyss of grey cells over time. 

Even if not for celebratory accounts, we siblings (cousins and otherwise) keep visiting each other occasionally. I have some Indian festivals to thank, though, for keeping the persistent sibling-hood alive! :) 

~~~ 

It was on one such visit by my brother, sister-in-law and their seven-year-old daughter yesterday, that I was surprised by my culinary skills. 

Usually, my brother vouches for an 'informed host' i.e. he likes to be informed when he has guests coming over and likes to inform his hosts when he visits too. That is a quality which I like, but sometimes it kills the 'surprise' element to a visit. 

However, my niece is a naughty brat. She makes it a point to incorporate some or the other 'surprise' element, with her innocent aspirations. 

With innocent being the keyword, she puts all of us elders to work, in engaging her playfully or even otherwise. Picture a kid - a foodie. Picture a kid who possesses - a large sweet tooth! :) 

If you haven't guessed already, more often than not, the kiddo's aspirations involve food. Desserts are her epitome of appetite. 

~~~ 

Thankfully, I had my three-course-meal sorted for them (or so I thought :P ), with all home-made dishes:

• Chifferi Rigati Pasta, courtesy Delmonte India, 
• Barbecued Chicken and Sweet Corn Pizza and, 
• Cassata Sicilana

It was almost time for dinner when my niece came running into the kitchen, and narrated to me her wishful thinking.

The conversation went thus:

बुआ, What's for dinner, tonight?  

Something that is a delight? 

There are some favorites in the air, 

Some #ItalianEscapades seem fair? 

Pasta is Italian, but so repetitive, 

Something unique, please up your score!

That is like an exam for a teacher, 

बुआ's test to ace, no dodging either! 

Exactly. White amd red sauce are passe! 

Does nobody like Dessert Pasta, for a change? 

~~~ 

Experimentation in the kitchen is a forte to ace, for anyone attempting to innovate, and impress with their culinary skills. 

Such was my plight, when the kiddo posed an inquisitive combination. 

Dessert + Pasta? 

How could it be? 

~~~ 

Nonetheless, in the spur of the moment, my grey cells embarked on a gastronomical trail. The dessert which I had planned - Cassata, and the entree - Pasta, were simultaneously echoing in my ears.

As a result, Chef Poonam (wishful thinking at its best :) ) presents to you:

Recipe: 

FruPasta Duet

Twinning Custard 

~~~ 

Delmonte India introduces: 

Chifferi Rigati Pasta 

~~~ 

Portion Size: 10
Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: 15 Minutes

Utensils:

• Vessel : 2 nos. 
• Stirrer : 2 nos. 
• Plate: 3 nos. 
• Bowl: 4 nos. 
• Serving Platter : 4 nos. 

Ingredients: 

• Full Cream Milk: 1L. 
• Sugar: 150 gm. 
• Custard Powder, Vanilla & Strawberry variants: 4 tsp. each.
• Assorted Nuts: Cashew, Almond, Raisin, Crushed Cardamom Seeds: 7-8 nos. each.
• Fruits: Red Apple, Banana, Pomegranate: 1 no. , 2 nos. , 1/2 no. respectively.

Directions: 

Note: Steps 1-7 are to be performed side by side, on two burners, for both variants of Custard Powder.

1. Boil full-cream milk. 
2. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. 
3. Add Pasta and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring ocassionally. 
4. Dissolve the custard powder in half-a-bowl milk. 
5. Pour the dissolved powder in the boiling milk, while stirring. 
6. Switch off the burner. 
7. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. 

Plating: 

For Twinning Custard:

1. Take one rectangular serving dish. 
2. Alternately layer the dish with Strawberry and Vanilla Pasta. 
3. Garnish each layer with sliced assorted nuts. 
4. Also, plate both the variants in two separate bowls, and top it with one chocolate cube each. 

Pro Tip: Try making a smiley face using raisin and chocolates, as you fancy. I did it and my niece's reaction was priceless. 

For FruPasta: 

1. Two one Gourmet bowl with lid. 
2. Arrange three layers: Vanilla, Strawberry, Vanilla Pasta, while garnishing each layer with sliced assorted fruits. 

~~~ 

The homemade Cassatta ice cream was set aside for some other day, while my FruPasta Duet Twinning Custard ousted the Pizza and won me an 'Excellent' from my niece, with five stars - in true blue school project style. 

The twinkle in her eyes and the wide smile won my heart though. :) 

Come over the virtual way, 

For some FruPasta, some day! :) 

The 'Jadu' of Javed Sa'ab!

What?

A Book Reading hosted by the leading publishing house, HarperCollins India.

When?

Monday, July 27.

Where?

India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi.

Monday Blues were there no more when I received an invitation from the pioneer in publishing, HarperCollins India. A Book Reading, it said.

I have attended plenty, I thought to myself. This one was bound to be different, I realised.

Why not, when you have the Wizard of Words to give you company?

The one whose is an enigma of expression.

None other than the legendary lyricist, poet and scriptwriter, Javed Akhtar! :)

~~~ 

I could not wait for Monday evening to arrive and for the clock to strike 7. That was when Javed Sa'ab would be amidst us. As for me, I was there at the said venue well before time.

The Stage Was Set. :) 

Karthika was there too. Yes, the Publisher and Chief Editor at Harper, Karthika V.K. whom I had met later this month at the #GetPublished Book Launch.

Meenakshi gave a warm welcome to the luminary in our midst, as he stepped on stage at a punctual 7:15.

Accompanying him, was Ali Husain Mir, who had taken the onus upon himself to translate Sir's writings into English.

That's Mir, attentive to Meenakshi's introduction, while Javed Sa'ab glances at his writings. 

Javed Sa'ab was thankful to the members of the audience for having taken the time to attend the session. 

We were thankful to him for having given us the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He courteously laid out a pointer for the audience, though. That was very humble of him though.

अगर आपको लगे कि नज़्म कुछ ज़्यादा लम्बी हो गई हैं, 

तो खाँस दिजिएगा। 

There was profound poetry, that followed. 

Introspective. Reflective. Real. True. 

Questions. Seeking Answers. 

An elaborate audio recording of the same, awaits towards the end of this post. 

Twenty-two minutes of time, for you to sit back and absorb yourself in Javed Akhtar's voice, on a relaxed Sunday. 

An exclusive shot of Javed Sa'ab enveloping the audience with his interactivity! :) 

A succinct QnA followed, which consisted of reflections on the language 'हिन्दुस्तानी', the fact that there are schools to teach skills - paint, dance, music et al - but not writing. That is because writing skills develop with reading skills. 

Also, the fact that discipline to sit down and write, in a defined time-frame on a regular basis counts. 

There was also a discussion on the basis of which a language is formed. 

Javed Sa'ab opined that it was the Grammar of each Language which defined its foundation and set it apart, endowed upon each, a certain uniqueness. 

~~~ 

Did I also tell you that Yours Truly got her one-and-a-half minutes of fame too? 

My interaction with Sir also awaits your attention towards the closing of this post. 

Amid the paucity of time, and Meenakshi prompting some 'last question(s)', Javed Sa'ab wittily remarked: 

जी, अगला Last Question किसका है? :) 

Towards the end of such an inspiring evening was the customary photo-op for media representatives, which was followed by book signing. 

Here's leaving you with an exhaustive recording of the choicest writings from Javed Sa'ab's pen, which spans over twenty two minutes and a short recording of my interaction with this gem of a person. 

I asked him something concerning Zoya and Farhan, and that lent a light moment to the evening too. 

Hear both the audio uploads for yourself! :) 

~~~ 

~~~ 

जी, हस्ताक्षर तो एक उपहार हैं ही, 

पर यह एक-दो मिनट की गुफ्तुगू भी एक अनमोल तोहफा है। 

~~~ 

तहे दिल से शुक्रिया, जावेद साहब! :) 

Have You Attempted The #Airtel4GSpeedTest?

Airtel India, @airtelindia has made a smart move, being one of the most popular telecom majors in the country. They have given their Indian consumer-base a taste of speed and a run for their money!

#Airtel4G has been the topic of hot pursuit ever since it had been launched a few days back. Its ease of use, high-speed performance and equivalence to 3G in terms of weight on the pocket has been luring speed-savvy netizens of this country to come and experience the extravagantly high speed of #Airtel4G first hand.

I had been an Airtel customer many years back. In fact, it was the first network I was a part of, at the time when Internet was in its 'trying and testing' phase. However, there had been a fallout in the network speed some time back, which made me switch to Vodafone.

Sensing this probably, Airtel decided to play game changer by being the first network in the country to launch #Airtel4G nationwide.

I am a consumer who relies on what she witnesses rather than what she hears and thus, when I saw the #Airtel4GSpeedTest trending, I decided to test it first hand!

The #Airtel4GSpeedTest is a first of kind direct twitter response campaign wherein, users tweet to Airtel in the given format - @airtelindia #Airtel4GSpeedTest <App Name> to find out how much time a particular app will take to download on 4G vs 3G vs 2G. @airtelindia instantly responds with a Twitpic infographic simply depicting the same.

All you have to do is this...

Boy oh boy, I decided to key in Twitter as the <App Name>, as I am quite active on it and I was mighty impressed!

The reply came within minutes and provided a stark comparison.

The claimed speed of download is amazing indeed, and once given the chance, I would surely want to switch over to Airtel once again.

Would you dare to take the mighty #Airtel4GSpeedTest for yourself? :) 

I #WearToExpress My Freedom To Fashion!

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रोटी, कपडा, मकान 

Is Now... 

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Fashion. 

Food. 

Family. 

~~~ 

Freedom! :) 

The foundation of Freedom lies in the three most basic necessities of life - the 3Fs of Fashion, Food, and Family. 

The support of a Family in testing times, good Food to satiate your appetite, and the confidence to sport your own sense of Fashion, are like the x, y and z-coordinate to a spatial existence. 

With the Indian Independence Day having just gone by, it is important that we realize the essence of being free - free in all respects - be it physically, emotionally, psychologically et al. 

After all, the secret of Happiness is Freedom. And, the secret of Freedom is Courage. 

The courage to take the boldest of decisions in the hardest of circumstances. 

~~~ 

Even if that bold decision is that of a rip-me-apart choice from an array of looks in your wardrobe and that circumstance is a have-to-attend occasion! :D 

I swear by the multitude of experiences which have bettered my decision-making skills year by year. 

Categorically speaking for the the domain of style, my fashion sense has seen the era of monochrome as a two-teethed kid, the vibrancy of Retro as a teenager in a nation which is obsessed with cinematic trends and the evolution of a perception as an entire era in itself. 

Yes, that's me with my elder brother, in the days of monochrome. :) 

The hues of black and white overshadowed the essence of being dolled up, as it hardly mattered to that generation, in those times. 

With  the advent of color however, our sense of creating our own wardrobes was endowed a new vision altogether. 

Be it men or women, we learnt of complementary colors, of contrasting hues, and of accessories which 'went well' with our outfits. 

A sense of self-consciousness ensured an outlook towards how the people in society viewed us and opined on our so-called 'dressing sense'. 

~~~ 

They say, wear your heart on your sleeve. I am of the opinion that our choice of outfit and all that complements it defines our personality. It is like showcasing your individuality for that world out there to see. 

I believe in setting my own trends, and not blindly following the 'in-thing'. I am proud of the fact that I do so, for it lends a certain iota of uniqueness to my character. 

Suiting my decisions to the situations at times, coordinating my situations with my decisions at others, is what sets me apart! ;) 

~~~ 

Of course, you wouldn't want to be a misfit, by only dressing to kill. You must also dress on point. For you wouldn't want to be bombarded with both criticism and embarrassment at once, would you? 

It is essential to realize the need to maintain a balance between the art of blending in, whilst standing out. For, society is intimidated by a wolf among the  herd of sheep. 

Either be there in your sheep skin or prepare to be ousted by the oppression of the crowd! ;) 

It doesn't suffice if you completely blend in. Not if you completely stand out, either. :) 

~~~ 

Contemplating on the question of how Fashion sets me Free: 

Embracing the perception of fashion comes with the realization of self-appreciation. 

For me, over and above the fact my sense of fashion is unique to me is the fact that my body is unique to me too. 

For all young ladies out there, my motto is only one - Shed all your bodily apprehensions and let the breeze feel your soul. :) 

Had it not been for the societal apprehensions and the distorted perceptions of 'beauty', our world would have been a much more inclusion-friendly world to inhabit. 

Who tells you how to differentiate between fair and ugly, slim and voluptuous, and all such distinctive terms? 

None but yourself and your impression of societal norms. :) 

~~~ 

As far as my Look-Book is concerned, I have an array of outfits spanning over three decades! :) 

Have a look for yourself, and you'll see me transform from a bachelorette to a married lady to a blessed mother, with the transformation adopting the stylish way. 

Note also, my modern avatar towards the recent times, thanks to a thought process makeover by my daughter who urged me to go the free-spirited way. :) 

Six subtle looks from the venerable archives,

The humble सलवार-कमीज़ has been a suitable companion. 

Be it as a means of daily-wear outfits,

Or as a silken embellishment in tandem. 

My most loyal counterpart to holidaying, 

As comfortable as this dress can be! 

Each variation in styling,  

Gives a different look, 

Wear the दुपट्टा over one shoulder or both,

You'll look elegant in any which way, for sure! :) 

#BeYou. 

#WearToExpress! :D 

~~~ 

The epitome of elegance, grace, class and style, 

Those six yards of a single piece of cloth, 

With a sea of adaptations in draping to its credit, 

These are your five-minute-fix to sophistication. 

Be it Chiffon, Georgette, Silk, or Chanderi, 

You'll never run out of options, 

Suiting every circumstance, every situation, 

It fits well on each and every occasion. 

The chic साड़ी always comes to the rescue, 

For a lasting first impression! :) 

#BeYou. 

#WearToExpress! :D 

~~~ 

The sense of fashion goes for a whirlwind all together,

When you see a sea-change in perception. 

Travelling so far and wide on the trendy route, 

Your wardrobe takes a turn and gifts you a makeover! 

A convenient dressing style, 

For when there's paucity of time. 

Accessorizing takes priority too, 

Be it jewelry or handbags. 

A complete look is what GenX emphasizes on, 

Some attempts to match up too! :) 

#BeYou. 

#WearToExpress! :D 

~~~ 

While a complete look has been accentuated over all these years, I've also unintentionally been one with the many elements of nature, more often than not. 

Have a look. :) 

At all these occasions, I have enjoyed the sweetness of doing nothing. 

Yes, I did nothing. Yet, I was able to color-coordinate the hues which I had donned, to frame picture perfect moments. 

Be it the snow laden Christmas tree, which matched my Snow-white cardigan, or the wheatish haystacks which matched my orange hues. 

Be it the pinkish Bougainvillea which complemented my reddish chrome, or the topaz-turquoise shade of the sea and sky which accessorize my cool blue tone! 

Awesome, ain't they? :) 

It is in 'Dolce Far Niente' and its pleasant idleness that I discovered the myriad hued me. 

~~~ 

As I close this post, I would like to mark a tribute to the erstwhile Independence Day, by amalgamating Jabong's Creative with three of my twenty looks showcased here. 

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This post has been written for a Blogging Contest hosted by Jabong. (http://www.Jabong.com/) 

Wear your independence on your sleeve, and leave your mark at Jabong.com! :) 

Flaunt Your Freedom With Your Fashion!