It's All About You, Says DP!

What?

Launch of 'All About You', by Deepika Padukone and Myntra.

When?

Tuesday, October 20.

Where?

The Claridges, New Delhi.

Tuesday afternoon was All About You. Kidding you, not!

It was the perfect setting for the launch of an apparel line, conceptualized and designed by a diva - an actress who has been impressing the Indian audience with her impeccable personality ever since 2007.

None other than Deepika Padukone had flown down to Delhi in order to launch her own fashion brand All About You in association with leading e-commerce giant, Myntra.

All About You from Deepika Padukone celebrates the beautiful actress's elegant yet unique style. It was a pleasure to witness the actress carrying off her stylish best self while bejewling her creations with adjectives of the likes of 'comfort, romamtic, feminine, and fun'.

~~~ 

Boasting of floral prints and pastel hues, the pleasant, charming and aesthetically crafted silhouttes were exhibited by some professional models over a ramp-walk session.

Doesn't she dazzle the ramp, once and for all? 

Deepika Padukone! 

~~~ 

Deepika candidly let members of the audience know how she had spent nine months designing and perfecting the collection in collaboration with French design agency, Carlin and Myntra's in-house team. 

She effortlessly shared her experience: 

"It was a pleasure working with the design team to create a collection that is simple, elegant & comfortable, with styles that match my sensibilities. All About You aims at enabling girls to showcase their personal style." 

Mr. Ananth Narayanan, CEO, Myntra was elated and remarked that All About You lived up to its promise of being a collection that connects with young women. The brand will widen our reach and the secret ingredient of its success would be the brand philosophy of simple designs that were easy to wear. 

~~~ 

Yours Truly had her minute of fame with the lady of the evening when I was handed the mic during the QnA with her. She was quick to choose her profession over her passion, i.e. acting over designing when I asked her about what gave her a higher 'high'. 

Also, my knowing that white was her favorite color of sorts made DP quip with a giggle. Afterwards she added to her answer by saying that pastels go well with the concept of All About You. 

~~~ 

Since Myntra has since long, gone app-only, All About You has been launched exclusively on the Myntra app. 

All About You has been rolled out at a well-within-reach price point of ₹1500 onward. 

~~~ 

Well, that's not all that the evening had to offer, though. Knowing that it had upset my daughter to compulsarily choose attending college over meeting (atleast seeing) Deepika in person, I made sure that I obtained a surprise for her from DP. 

What do I receive for her? 

With this, I close the piece for the day. :) 

Redeem Them From Doom...

Lady Lua's her name,
Who now, isn't the same!
Something amiss in her homely Ranthambore,
Which has to be brought to the fore!

The day her kin started to disappear,
Was when she was engulfed by thoughts of fear!
Where have all the tigers gone?
She kept thinking on and on!

The rationale driving their sadism was unknown,
Gradually, to extinction, her species was prone!
Seriatim, she came to observe and understand,
The perpetrator always had a gun in hand!

~~~ 

Lady Lua thus thought to herself, 

What was it, that did overwhelm? 

What was it, that benefited them, 

This fickle-mindedness - where was its stem? 

Why was this happening? 

So much blood was spine-chilling! 

Poaching wasn't good at all, 

Fright-inducing sights were not her call! 

The onus of rescuing them was upon mankind, 

Busy jeopardising her streak were they, she did find! 

She and hers were being pained by barbarity, 

So much so, that she had fostered animosity! 

 ~~~ 

After them for their precious striped fur, 

Cruelty masked by symbolism of power! 

Forest land being encroached for cultivation, 

Reduced them to just 2226 across the nation! 

Unmindful of the disruption to ecological balance, 

A moment to reflect on the storm beneath the silence! 

It's not only about Lady Lua and her streak, 

But also about the entire food chain, to shriek!  

Until we embrace this harsh reality, 

It will lead to their petrifying scarcity! 

A question, it is now, of moral duty, 

To preserve our national integrity! 

~~~ 

Their fates lie in our hands, 

For hope on barren lands!

Extinction for Lua, won't happen, 

Her worries won't deepen! 

~~~ 

These were some stanzas of self-written poetry recited by my eight-year-old niece to an auditorium bustling with parents and teachers, whilst essaying the portrayal of the endangered species that we Indians refer to, as the National Animal of India.

This was in 2010. Coincidentally, the theme for their school's Annual Day Celebrations that year was centered around the International Year of Biodiversity. On being prompted, my niece voluntarily chose to focus on the Panthera Tigris and its plight, while each of her classmates chose to represent a unique creature from the zoological and botanical expanse.

The keen observational skills of a child skip no detail. Well, that's true, of course. What we men and women on the face of our beautiful planet, choose to intentionally ignore, is what caught the eye of tiny tots who hadn't seen enough of the world to fully appreciate its goodness and look down upon its wretchedness.

Why my niece bonded with the regal beast was because she had quite recently that it stood symbolic of a nation's pride. Her excitement to represent an animal that enjoyed such an exclusive privilege was evident in her mannerisms ever since she had begun getting into the 'skin' of her character.

What her innocent mind failed to comprehend was the dismal status quo, as that nation's pride was gradually being visualized as a head hung in shame, instead. It goes without saying, that even today, we are in the grip of a biodiversity crisis. It is not only one species which bears the brunt when subjected to suffering by mankind, but the entire ecological manifestation is tipped off the balance.

However, the tables would turn for the better only when man realizes his folly and resolves to act towards the betterment of all species than only his own.

It all begun with an apple, 

And we continue to grapple! 

He greedily extends his hand to grasp all, 

Which is slowly but surely leading to his fall! 

~~~ 

Specifically for our national animal, the sequence of events haven't been favorable enough, though the situation has bettered over the past year with their statistical figures pointing towards the pedestal of 2,226 across Indian soil. 

There is no better a way to inspire change in others than to do it for ourselves, as a first. For, one must lead by example. Fostering the emotion of mutual respect towards all species and upholding the perception of 'living in harmony' are what will go a long way in sustaining our graceful survival.

Being a teacher, I could as well propose the excursion of school children to various informative Tiger Safaris, which would prove fruitful only when that information is positively acted upon, and not just turned a deaf ear to. To up the awareness quotient of school children towards this endangered species, the curriculum could also incorporate organizing an Eco-Quiz of sorts.

Being a blogger, I would want to believe that the pen is mightier than the sword and would want to blog for this critical cause if it would help raise some red flags. Also, the power and reach of social media channels cannot be overlooked in this regard because it is this perpetual communication which has zeroed in on geographical boundaries, at least.

Come to think of it, the promptness which has been displayed by organizations and media houses on the forefront, of the likes of World Wide Fund for Nature - India (WWF - India) and NDTV-Aircel Save Our Tigers initiative have been commendable.

One such brand, whose efforts have been applause-worthy and that has been actively endorsing the cause of our nation's pride has to be Aircel India. As long as I can go back through the abyss of my gray cells, I vividly recall their endorsements with M.S. Dhoni and Amitabh Bachchan as brand ambassadors. As a consequence of their continual efforts, the four-legged beast has gone from being 1,411 in 2006 to 1,706 in 2010 to 2,226 in 2014.

By rolling out their Strokes For Stripes campaign, they've been able to bring out the creative best among all of us. Their Save Our Tigers merchandise puts the motivating statistics in print for us to flaunt.

Quite recently, on the occasion of World Tiger Day, Aircel had been successful in prompting the masses by means of their adorable Tigojis (which have been incorporated into this post):

Don't Just Talk... 

ROAR! 

#AircelSaveOurTigers now leads the way ahead. 

As a closing note, I would like to remark that we all must realize our responsibility as a species, coexisting with and respecting the way of life of the other species in question. It is thus the key to peaceful and harmonious coexistence.

For, Lady Lua and her kin reach out, 

You must let go of each and every doubt, 

After all, she and hers are counting on thee, 

For, You Are The Power Of We! 

~~~ 

P.S.: This post has been written in support of #AircelSaveOurTigers. 

The copyright to Tigojis belongs solely to Aircel, whilst any image apart from these bears the blog's copyright. 

~~~ 

About The Blogger: 

Poonam is a parent, teacher, and now, a blogger. She holds an M.Sc. in Anthropology. For the past three decades and counting, she has been the one who teaches not only by curriculum, but by practicality. She aims to invoke a sense of responsibility in her readers by her blog.



The blog also sees poetry, photography, creative writing and her musings on life.

She comes from a family of bloggers, with her husband and daughter, giving her company in the world of blogging.

The author can be reached at poonamkhanduja@gmail.com.

The Little Red Cap...

Have we thought about a little red cap ever? The little red cap that we keep missing in our lives is really missing all the time, everywhere in life. This little red cap has no size and no shape. This is a symbolic cap - a symbol of our emotions, a symbol of our love and care for each other. Do we really have no time these days to express ourselves? Are we so bogged down with the jittery and emotionless lifestyle? Are we really caring? Are we not too engrossed with the mechanical lifestyle right from the moment we open our eyes every morning when we wake up, till the time we go to bed?

We have just become a cog in the rusty robotic mechanism. Each member of a family is so busy in their own mechanized routines that there is no time to look at other members of the family. While I stand in my balcony, I watch other families around and feel that everyone is living in a self-mesmerizing world with no space or place for anyone else. The kids of one of the families, which stays just opposite my house are not seen playing together. One kid is busy with her own puzzle game while the other one is busy in his jigsaw game. An elder one is engrossed in her mobile phone all the time, running her fingers through the keypad in a rapid and confused manner. The eldest, a teenager, is always having a headphone stuffed in his ears, engaged in some music all the time. Their mother is always busy with her smartphone, talking to someone, with her hands moving in various directions as if creating her own world in the air. Their father is always seen leaving early every morning in his car, for his office, with his Bluetooth earphone, talking, giving instructions, or taking instructions. The same happens when he is back home in the evening, rather late evening.

I tried talking to those kids many times, but it seems as if none of them have any time for anyone around them. Even their mother is not interested in talking to anyone in the neighborhood. Probably the digital lifestyle has made us all a body without any heart or soul. None of the families in my colony seem to be aware what is happening in the houses in the vicinity. There is always a wall of silence that is apparently invisible but is having a strong existence.

Do we need a messiah to come and tell us what we are missing? Do we really know that we are not living at all? Rather we are all just killing every precious moment of our lives. Nobody is bothered at all. Nobody cares. Nobody has a heart for listening and talking to each other. All are aloof, entwined in the abyss of life.

Does it interest you to search for that lost little red cap? It could be longing for togetherness, within us.

CookGourmet - Delight At My Doorstep...

It is a thing of two weeks past when an invite had been extended out to me by the gastronomically inclined folks at Cook Gourmet. They expressed their interest to 'end my long search for new & exciting recipes every day'.

'We'd love your review' was what prompted the Blogger in me to go ahead and check out what was on offer.

These were what I noticed on their website at first glance.

After a mail from their Marketing Head, who was quick to explain to me, that their mission is to make incredible home cooking accessible to everyone - from the novice cook just getting started to the experienced chef, I decided to give it a try.  

Each week they send all the pre-measured and perfectly proportioned ingredients a budding kitchen connoisseur needs, to prepare delicious and healthy meals at home.  

They introduce their members to new ingredients, flavors, and cooking techniques with seasonally-inspired recipes that are always delicious, fun and easy to prepare. 

With around a dozen recipes segregated according to Meal Preference (Veg/Non-Veg) and Timeline (Previous Week/This Week/Next Week), the What's Cooking section looked like this: 

As you could very well guess, I ordered the Crispy Crusted Red Snapper with Sweet Chili Sauce & Red Pepper Salad prepared by Chef Nikkhil Kanwar. 

Finer details such as the calorie count of the dish, the utensils to facilitate preparation at home and explicit specification of the trivial ingredients (like salt) which would not be provided had also been taken care of. 

 ~~~ 

  ~~~ 

Along with the attention being paid to customer-friendliness of the entire website, a week-long Days slot and a two-hour time slot await you at Checkout. 

You could choose any particular day in the week, ahead of the present and a particular timing (say 3-5) to get your recipe box delivered, with compliments. 

After I had cooked my savory recipe, I promptly reviewed it on their portal first. I found my testimonial to be one among many other positive ones. 

Are you wondering about the snapshots of what was delivered and made for, in reality? I have saved the best for the last. 

Presenting,  the ingredients to Crispy Crusted Red Snapper with Sweet Chili Sauce & Red Pepper Salad cooked at home by Yours Truly, thanks to CookGourmet! 

Dry ingredients came in small zip-lock pouches. Fluids like oil and sauce came in air-tight bottles. Sliced and chopped veggies came in air-tight packaging. The main ingredient, Red Snapper was shielded by a Freeze Pack - all stickers labeled appropriately in Green circles or Red. 

The Recipe Box was also accompanied by an elaborate recipe card which made preparing this savory delight a piece of cake.

~~~ 

Now, for the plating: 

~~~ 

My first experience with Cook Gourmet has been pleasant. I would like to suggest to them, two improvement points - a minor one for the website and one for the packaging of their recipe box. 

• On the 'My Account' page, my profile picture loads as a broken image. This had happened thrice. I do not know whether it is because my network connection is managing with tortoise speed this week or an error at the backend, but I found it proper to bring it to their notice as a part of this review. 
• I know that I'd be suggesting a complete makeover to their packaging but presently - if mishandled - the fluid ingredient bottles slide and wobble. They have been made air-tight to prevent spillage, thankfully. Could Cook Gourmet go ahead with a packaging similar to that of stationery kits, that have slots for appropriate items? It would be a pleasant change, in my opinion. :) 

I look forward to ordering, receiving and preparing many more CookGourmet delights in the future! Thanks CookGourmet for an opportunity to host you over. 

Yours is a finely crafted concept and I wish it keeps going strong. :) 

#ChampIsBack, And Says #NaMosteUSA!

#NaMosteUSA took the Indian tabloids by storm,

Once bitten, twice shy, was PM Modi in the USA. 

The Town Hall with Facebook's prime was warm, 

A visit to the Silicon Valley earned a unanimous Aye! 

This affair echoed in and around Indian homes,

However, a bit twisted was the scenario in ours. 

What fun is some sugar sans its spice? 

NaMo in the USA, Google captured my fancy! 

Was it because he met Indian CEO Pichai? 

Or their planning of a WiFi Rail Net in India? 

None, I say, as you are gravely mistaken,

Their launch of Nexus 5X instead, caught my eye! 

In dreams, an aspiration turned to reality,

LG & Google's Nexus 5X restored normality. 

What went wrong in the first place, you may wonder,

The PM's most reliable device had been stolen - a blunder!

The thieves were smart, the device, however, smarter,

Penetrated the security cover, but failed through Nexus Imprint.

It was but, an essential feature to privacy, no starter! 

Fingerprint sensing put to use, no intruder would it mint! 

They succeeded in stealing, not in stalking,

All of NaMo's love for Google - succinctly organized. 

On the Drive, YouTube would have his Gmail streaming,

Unable to fathom hacking his lifeline, however hard they analyzed!

Helpless chaps, they were forced to return, take a U-turn,

Only and only NaMo's Champ it was - the Nexus 5X.

Its battery cried over their numerous futile attempts,

Marshmallow recruited USB Type-C for lightning speed! 

Ten minutes past plugging, NaMo's Champ lasted four hours.

Celebrations at Townhall - #ChampIsBack, all rejoiced! 

The Champ united with its premier owner,

Those thieves were now in prison, having underestimated Nexus! 

Nexus 5X saved the day, 

Top-line performance was a star!

In the dimmest ambiance, was found, a way,

Features which were assets, to take it afar!

~~~ 

I am participating in the #ChampIsBack activity at BlogAdda.