Let Us All Be Victorious!

Fear is just a precursor to victory! Darr ke aage jeet hai! Mountain Dew’s iconic statement has managed to make its ways into everyone’s hearts since a long time, with good reasons. Every single person is fighting a unique battle in this war –zone called life. And in this battlefield, we have only one choice –either to fight in the best way possible or give up! And those who fight it through are real winners. The point is excellently made in this wonderful video which is making a lot of waves on all platforms of social media right now-

 

Of course, not every battle need be grandiose! Every fear we face, every little tremor in our heart is a battle to be fought and risen above and they are all worthy of being a part of a bravery gallery. Whether it be a fear of ants, or fear of heights, or fear of loneliness or fear of darkness or fear of ghosts and so on. Overcoming one’s fear of oceans and going out to do solo watersports is as worthy of mention as a simpleton overcoming his/her fear of advanced technology and learning the latest Smartphone or Phablet!

My biggest fears have been Darkness and Vertigo. I find it absolutely horrid to live in dark surroundings even for a second! Blame it on all those creepy horror movies I have seen since childhood or just a natural instinct, when it is dark, I start running around like headless chicken! As a child, I would even scream like a banshee,but over the years I have started trying to overcome this and am proud to report that recently  I was able to sit through a whole 15 minutes of blackout in my apartment, all alone, in my room, without screaming or feeling like a heart attack was coming on! Of course I spent that time reading an e-book on my laptop but still,it is a huge step,where for those 15 minutes I did not let my mind wander towards thinking about monsters under the bed for even a second! I say it is a huge achievement :)

Vertigo is probably one of the commonest fears on this planet. The way I have tried to combat it is taking up activities like Hiking! Recently, I went to  Kodaikanal with my family on a leisure trip and I made it a point to hike around all the beautiful mountains with my family and try and stand near the edge of those hills (within enclosures of course!). This does not mean I will be trying bungee jumping anytime soon,but surely enough,taking baby steps at a time is improvement enough :)

What is important for me is that I retain control of my life and my destiny. By giving power to my fears,I will be giving them control over my life. And that is not how I wish to live my life! Darr ke jeena bhi kya jeena, Let us all overcome fear and be victorious!

Shame Shame,Whose Shame?

#ToiletForBabli –Is this the same Babli from that fun,frothy movie ‘Bunty Aur Babli’? Maybe,maybe not. She is just one of the millions of faceless girls whose lives are at stake simply for want of something that most of us take for granted-> Toilets!

Some time ago,I was surprised when I saw Vidya Balan on TV not promoting a movie but appearing in a social ad exhorting women to say 'No' to marriage if their in-laws did not have toilet in the home! ''How could an issue like building a toilet be so vital that a superstar is being roped in for such cause'', I thought! After all,we all have grown up listening to our grandparents talk about taking the ‘lota’ in the ‘fields’, haven’t we? And then that ghastly scene from ‘Slumdog Millionnaire’ where those boys in Dharavi lived surrounded by heaps of garbage,defecating in open-something we see every morning while commuting.What is the big deal?

And then I started reading newspapers even more intently. More than 597 million people defecating in the open. Girls being raped when they had to venture out of their homes in the dead of the night to answer nature’s call. That is when the point struck home! It is not only a big deal, it is a question of humanity!

Digestion is one of the normal bodily functions. We eat and we drink and we get energy from the same while the waste products have to be excreted. That is why we need and have toilets. Now I am trying to put myself in the shoes of someone who has to live without toilet. Where do I go to answer nature’s calls? In the open. Where does all this waste product go? In our rivers,lakes and seeps to the underground water reservoirs. Who drinks this water? I,my family, my friends. We also eat crops which are grown in the same soil contaminated with all kinds of garbage and bacteria from putrefying human excreta. So who is at biggest risk for diseases like Diarrhoea, Dysentry? Who else but of course me,my family, everyone around me. Add to that the fact that I am Babli, a girl. I have started menstruating and my school doesn't have a toilet. Will I be able to go to school during my monthly cycle? No! Of course, no wonder that so many government and social schemes have also not been able to get 100% girls’ education and that too because of a simple thing-non availability of toilets for girls in schools! I used to read all these like a boring piece of statistics in newspapers but now,I can seriously see the ramifications!

It is especially a dangerous and humane issue in a country like India, where women are among the most vulnerable and preyed upon social groups. Not only is a woman’s ‘dignity’ a big deal and forces her to ‘control herself’ when it comes to defecating when she wants to and ought to; with possible molesters and rapists lurking in every  corner of our poorly lit streets, it is downright dangerous for a woman to venture out at night for a simple task like-answering nature’s calls. Imagine how many innocent lives could be saved if only women had access to toilets in their own homes! No wonder I grew up listening to my mom talking about her mother and grandmother as women who used to drink nothing while travelling so as to spend the entire day without having the urge to urinate anywhere (while of course the menfolk always have it easy!)

Not only is this open defecation a serious national issue, it comes loaded with a host of sanitation, health and criminal problems. I am so thankful to Domex for having taken a wonderful initiative to do something about this. Here is a little something about Domex Toilet Academy-

Domex, HUL’s flagship sanitation brand, currently runs the Domex Toilet Academy (DTA) programme. Domex Toilet Academy was launched on 19th November 2013. It aims to become a sustainable and long-term solution to provide sanitation that benefits the local community and helps stimulate the local economy. The Toilet Academy makes toilets accessible and affordable, while promoting the benefits of clean toilets & good hygiene. Our effort has resulted in bringing the change in the villages of Maharashtra and Orissa and we aim to build 24000 toilets by 2015 in rural areas faced with the problem of open defecation.

Friends,This is an Appeal :) -> You can bring about the change in the lives of millions of kids, thereby showing your support for the Domex Initiative. All you need to do is “click” on the “Contribute Tab” on www.domex.in and Domex will contribute Rs.5 on your behalf to eradicate open defecation, thereby helping kids like Babli live a dignified life.

I am in to do my part in eradicating this National Shame and I hope all my friends are in too!

My Dream Home..Oh Sweet Home!

You know how girls grow up dreaming about their perfect weddings (at least according to the chick flicks this is 100% true)? Well,I grew up dreaming about my perfect home! Maybe it had something to do with having spent an inordinate amount of time with my best friend Manu who was a born Interior Designer, who would enter a birthday party and immediately pick out 10 different ways to arrange the cushions and the flowers in the room (needless to say,we were kicked out of countless birthday parties)!

So anyway, since I have always been bit by this Home decoration bug-and also owing to my dad’s transferable job we never had any permanent roots, I have always been dreaming about having my own home which I would decorate with world’s best artifacts and what not! It has been a life long dream and ever since I heard about the entry of Numero Uno Porcelanosa in Asia with Kolte-Patil Developers Ltd. for their luxury brand #24KLiving - I had to check it out and and the moment I did, my mind was again filled with images of my Dream Home! Trying not to get overwhelmed with all the choices, here I list down some of my most dreamy ones that are definitely making it to my sweet home :)

I have always had a thing for Natural Wood floor tiles as I want my home to exude an earthiness, a down-to earth quality which is naturally elegant and all-encompassing! Having chosen my floor tiles,I want something sturdy for the walls and I am going to use Natural Stone tiles which will provide a solid overall look, something I value and something that doesn’t erode with time!

Now I will move on to one of the most important rooms of my house-The Kitchen! While I don’t claim to be a Masterchef, my kitchen is definitely one of the busiest hubs of activity since I believe in freely experimenting (palatability is not always a concern for me :P) and my kitchen needs the best for this. Fret not, since I have my eye on some wonderful Kitchen furniture like G500 / G575 Blanco Brillo G670 Roble Camel Vintage that comes with ample storage space and G936 Cristal Verde Oliva / G625 Roble Niebla / G575 Moka Brillo will come handy for all the versatile uses I can think of for as many ingredients as possible :D And of course, the Krion worktop is exactly what I have been waiting for since eons! Classy, elegant, stylish and most importantly, so functional! My dream kitchen is right here!

Another very important room-Bathroom-is where I am getting so stuck! I cannot pick out 1 from so many wonderful choices! I want the Next Roble Coco Vintage as well as In Luxury Blanco Mate / Oro Mate as well as Spirit Collection!  Each one of these signifies a ‘less is more’attitude and exudes an aura of unparalleled vintage style that I adore! And the Shower Set is the stuff that dreams actually are made of!And Escalera K is what I need to keep all my shower accessories in place, spic and span. I love how every piece of furniture and accessory is designed keeping in mind ease of use and functionality and not just as pretty props to be flaunted (though the flaunt quotient is simply off the charts too).

Having spent more than an hour looking through (ogling is more of an apt description) it is time for me to glide back to reality-but with this hope that someday I shall own my dream home and posting pictures of the same,all of them from this beautiful Catalogue that I hold so dear. Oh Sweet Home!

Health Is Wealth

'Aakchoo! Mummy,I don't feel good.'

It is funny how 1 simple sentence,with 5 simple words, has so much potential to terrorize one entire family to bits. All because of that one eventful month 2 years ago.

It was August 2012. The month when we celebrate India's Independence Day. The month in which St. Xavier's College organizes its Inter-Collegiate Festival 'Malhar'. The month my little sister had been waiting eagerly for 6 months now. She had just taken admission there that very academic year and was exploding with excitement at having an opportunity to showcase her talent in Dancing, Singing, Photography, Debate and what not. You know, the usual teenage excitement at going to a top notch college and having a gala time at the mega-popular youth festival.

Until, 1 fine day, we heard her going 'Aakchoo'. No big deal, just pop in some herbal tea and maybe a couple D-cold and it will be all fine. The next day, Fever joined the list, albeit mildly. No issues, it is monsoon season after all. Pop in a couple Crocin and it will be okay. Body pain made an appearance on the 3rd day. Hmm,maybe something is wrong after all. So there was that mandatory trip to the family doctor. A couple of impressive looking tablets, syrups and we came home satisfied, nothing more than one of those pesky monsoon infections.

Except that it was not. Fever kept rising, so did mom's, dad's and my blood pressure. 2 more days and finally she herself decided to go to the nearest hospital for a detailed check-up. Final diagnosis? Typhoid! Course of action-Immediate hospitalization for at least 3 days and then bed rest for at least a week!

What? How is that possible? We eat healthy, we are vegetarians, we eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, we are not supposed to get so sick!

Well, it happened,as such things tend to happen. And so the circus began.

Wake up, run to hospital, do household work, make special (read-boiled, spice-less, taste-less) food especially for 'the patient', feed her, come home, call up her friends to make sure she did not miss any important test, go meet them in case there are some important notes to be taken. And who exactly was involved in doing all this? Of course, The Entire Family!

When the child of the house gets sick,it affects the psychology of every member of the family and shakes the very roots of the home. Going to office, doing regular work, watching TV-nothing seems possible as the mind is always engaged in debating with oneself over futile questions like-how did this happen? what can we do to avoid this in future? what could we have done? how long does she have to suffer? And of course the doctors do not make it easier by ordering a 100 tests one after the other making everyone even more anxious! The whole atmosphere is tense and almost on the verge of a mental breakdown!

It is in such situations that one realizes the important role Health plays in our lives. Something we all take for granted. We all know that 'Health is Wealth' but very few of us actually realize its importance till we are hit by the presence of a gaping hole in our hearts by the absence of someone we all love so much! Missing a child's innocent smile, their incessant questions, their sense of wonder, their curiosity-it is hard to come up with anything that could hurt one so much!

That is why my family has made Dabur Chyawanprash our resident doctor. We know first hand how important it is that we take care of our immunity. Eating fruits, vegetables, drinking water, sleeping properly and such good lifestyle tips are well and good but to be Truly Healthy from within, the immune system has to be as strong as cast iron. And Chyawanprash is a time tested formula, a blessing we have gotten from our ancestors.

Of course,it does not mean we are now perfect beings. We sometimes do gorge on junk food. Sometimes we do take the risk of eating roadside chaats. Sometimes we also do 'Aakchoo' :D But we always remember the Golden Mantra-Health is Wealth!

When Diwali Comes Knocking..

..I could finish this sentence in so many ways-'..my asthma acts up' or '..I miss my nani the most' or..but the point is, you wouldn't know what I am talking about,right? So let me start from the beginning :)

It is a Sunday morning and like all Sundays,my ritual is to browse around the net lazily looking for something unique and so I ended up at this wonderfully colorful and festive site 'Pepsi Ghar Wali Diwali' and then this wonderful Video which made me reminisce about my own Diwali moments, especially during childhood!

Diwali-the most important festival in our home. Growing up, I looked forward to Diwali vacations as much as Emraan Hashmi likes kissing scenes in his script! It was the only day day in the year I voluntarily woke up early and assumed the responsibility of looking after my little sister and getting her ready while mom prepared savories and sweets. Most amazing part of every Diwali was our nana-nani coming down from Varanasi and staying with us for a month-every night of which was spent in nani's godi listening to stories of Shiva and Vishnu..My Naani is really democratic,she freely told us stories of every God possible no matter what the occasion, so yes Diwali was also spent thinking about Krishna and Brahma for us :D

                      

So, right about when I was 11, one fine Diwali, as always, I woke up at 6 AM and jumped out of bed like a mongoose, running right up to mom and dad, screaming, 'Diwali aayi, Diwali aayi!' This made my sister (who was 5 at the time) join me in creating an even bigger stampede which was doused only when nanaji intervened and enjoined us to take shower and get ready. Mom was already busy making Gujhiyas, Namkeen, Shakarpara, Malpua,Puri-Bhaaji, Naariyal Ladoo, Boondi Ladoo..all supervised by naniji ofcourse :) Dad was soon off to market to get our supply of flower pots, fuljhadis, anaars and chakris. As a rule, my mom-dad always celebrated Diwali as a Festival of 'Lights', not 'noise'-so no bombs, no rockets, nothing that could turn midway to bite any of us in our butt !

                       

Dad and Nanaji then also got off to get a tokri full of flowers which were woven into huge garlands for decorating the house and Ganpati-Laksmi ji in the evening for Pooja...Afternoons were reserved for decking up, putting aaltas on all the ladies' feet, braiding our hair, getting the new clothes out, trying them on a 1000 times until naniji yelled, 'ab bas karo', putting on lacto calamine to save our skin from all the harmful chemicals.

                         

After Lakhsmi Pooja and stuffing ourselves with sweets and savories, we would go down in the apartment complex garden and play with all the crackers. Now on this particular Diwali my nanaji had,on a whim, got some really powerful rockets and light bombs too..reason-he was a big fan of noisy crackers as a child and even though his grand-daughters did not play with them, he knew there were enough boys in the complex to get excited with them. So he had got about 2000 rupees worth of such burstling crackers and dad had played along as long as my sister and I kept at a safe distance.

But of course, who could have read the mind of a 11 year old? There was this particular bomb, not very noisy, but emitted a lot of smoke which was purple in color and I LOVED IT! I kept going back with nanaji to burst it and dad let me go because,well, I was in safe hands. But 10 minutes later and I suddenly had the nastiest Asthma Attack you can imagine! I get these very rarely and had never got one during diwali earlier! So I was rushed to this doctor we fortunately had in our compound and obviously, he diagnosed it as the inevitable result of that 'purple smoke'! Boy,was that nasty! I can still feel my lungs covered in purple soot as naniji cradled me in her godi and I slept the rest of the night,coughing and drifting in and out of sleep while the rest of our apartment children enjoyed the crackers with my dad and nanaji!

Till date, whenever I smell crackers or even a diya-whether it be mom burning the evening diya or celbrations after India wins a match, or when Ganpati comes to our apartment complex or yes, when Diwali comes knocking, all I can remember is that Asthma Attack and naniji ki godi! 

Oh, How I Love Diwali!

                           
                      

(PS-All pictures taken by my sister Prachi Shailendra during various Diwali days in our household over the years. You can admire more of her pics at CLICKOLOGY but if anyone tries to steal them without her permission,she will perform the nastiest kind of Black Magic on them, trust me!!!)

PPS-Thank you PepsiCo and Indiblogger for bringing #GharWaliDiwali Campaign in our midst and making us misty eyed with all the memories :)

Baba Elaichi Saffron Blend Mouth Freshener -Review!

Mouth Freshener? Me? Review?

The answer is a Big YES to all of these! Yes, I am doing a Mouth Freshener Review on my blog! In other words, Thanks to the Baba Elaichi Blogger Outreach Programme, I have been motivated to put my procrastination aside and do something useful :) So if you are still with me, read on!

A long time ago, in the 90s to be exact, I was a little girl growing up in a small town in North India. I remember some ads from those days when we used to watch 'Chandrakanta' and 'Mowgli' on TV! BABA Pan Masala, I remember seeing its ads. My Chacha used to be very fond of the same and he used to bring these little containers of the same and that was my ONLY exposure to the brand name of BABA!

In college, like everyone else, I started favoring chewing gums and even today my first choice when it comes to mouth freshener is either a Sugar Free Chewing Gum or Listerine mouthwash. Elaichi, Mukhwaas and such Desi Mouth Fresheners have never been high on my list. However my parents completely love Elaichi, Saunf, Mukhwaas at the end of most of the meals.

So when I got a sample of BABA Elaichi (Saffron Blended) Pure Silver Coated Mouth Freshener, I thought, 'Well, I am not a fan of such products, but maybe my parents would like it'. I wasn't even including myself in the target group, but...oh well, let me start from the beginning :)

Here is a look at what I received.

When I first saw the little box, I thought that it resembled one of 2 things-A Lip Balm or a Sindoor Box (Ha Ha, such interesting choices :D). However it is cute and sturdy and classy at the same time. So that is one positive point in favor of this product right there.

I do have a little trouble with the box in terms of opening and closing it. It says 'Click Clack' which sounds like something very easy, and there are even instructions at the back on how to open and close it. But honestly, it is NOT easy at all in reality. I found it very easy to open (just pressing on top in front) but very difficult to close it properly (pressing on sides?!). Now that I have done this for over a week, it has become easier for me, but my mother still has trouble closing it. I don't know if everyone feels this way or just my family has the problem of ape hands!

Leaving that little problem aside, the box is really good at keeping the product's freshness sealed inside for a long time.

Now, for the product itself.

Opening the box is a revelation. You can open it in one corner of a 300 Square Feet area room and be assured that the aroma of the product will roam to the other corner within seconds! The first time I opened it, my father was sitting in one end of the room reading a book while my mother was sitting 10 steps away watching TV. And within 2 seconds of opening the box, they both turned around like sparrows, sniffing the air and asking me, 'What is in that box?!' I asked them both to guess and they both said at the same time, 'Kesar?!' Yes, the fragrance of Saffron is THAT GOOD in this product! Within seconds,it spreads everywhere in the room. Moreover, it smells FRESH! Imagine the scent of Saffron, Elaichi, Mukhwaas, Saunf, Mint-all kinds of  'fresh feeling' giving ingredients that you know and imagine them all together -THAT is how this smells. Cool and Fresh! You want to taste this product because of its aroma. Fantastic :)

A BIG Plus-when I open the box, a little bit of this aroma lingers on my fingers for quite some time and I LOVE IT! It is very difficult to resist the temptation of opening the box again and again just to smell it :D

And then have a look at the little treasure sealed inside- Little Silver Pearls that enclose the freshness of Elaichi and look at those strands of Saffron, Brilliant! The aesthetics of the product are a complete 10 on 10 :) It looks like the product is very less-but you need to use ONLY 1 pearl at a time (My mother pointed this when it gave it to her for tasting) and thus,this box will last for a considerable period of time. Complete value of money (Rs. 65 for 5 Grams) considering it is such a genuine product with ingredients like Pure Silver, Pure Saffron, Pure Elaichi!

                        

I wanted to get honest review of as many people as possible over a period of time, so I gave this to my parents, some of my mother's friends, some of my work colleagues, my sister and some of her work colleagues over a week to see their reactions over time.Moreover, I did not tell them anything about the brand or the product until the last day (today) and simply gave them a pearl each everyday after meals to taste and let me know how they liked/ disliked it.

To my surprise, they all reported same reaction to the product from the first day till the last. This was surprising for me since very rarely do we come across a product that does not lose its potency/ attractiveness/ efficacy over a period of time. This is a very positive thing since it shows that this product is successful in terms of what it aims to achieve plus its packaging is really good since it keeps the freshness intact.

My parents unequivocally LOVE it. They say it is one of the BEST mouth fresheners they have EVER had. Just 1 pearl is enough to make one feel perfectly fresh after ANY meal and effects last for a good 6-7 hours. My mother is in fact, very particular about oral hygiene (I get it from her too) and if left to her own devices, she would be brushing her teeth 4 times a day! That is why she has 4 different brands of Mukhwas tucked away in kitchen. Now she is planning to keep 1 tin of this little treasure with her at all times :)

My mother's friends in our apartment colony are also big fans of post-meal Elaichi and Sunf ritual and liked it a lot when my mother shared some pearls with them. One of them even took a pearl for her husband and the next day,she told my mother, 'My husband is a heavy smoker, I gave 1 pearl to him last night and there was NO smoke breath at all! I think I am going to buy a tin for him so he can chew on these pearls every night and leave smoking when he feels this freshness being much better than that stinky cigarette smoke breath!' Everyone complimented the efficacy of the product in terms of instant results which lasts for hours, at least 5-6 hours. In fact, one of my mother's friends suffers from Gingivitis which makes her mouth taste sour sometimes, she says that when she took 1 pearl -she could not taste that sourness for 5-6 hours at a stretch which rarely happens :)

My colleagues at work were surprised when I got them these little pearls and thought maybe I was offering a new version of 'Paas Pass'. I asked them to take one each after lunch and report to me how it made them feel. They ALL LOVED it. Especially since Pav Bhaji is a very popular lunch item in our office, which means a lot of Raw Onions! And any post-lunch meeting is usually full of onion and garlic stinkies, Ewwwww! Just 1 pearl after lunch and NO Onion, NO Garlic, NO Ginger breath at all for hours altogether. Tried, Tested and Guaranteed!

Almost same thing happened at my sister's office. Dosa, Uttapam, Pav Bhaaji, Sev Puri, Kanda Bhajji, Grilled Fish-No matter what the lunch item was, just taking 1 pearl of this was enough to say Bye Bye to any post lunch breath odour. My sister said, 'It is especially good since working in an enclosed AC environment, breath odour becomes a big problem. It is nice to have something that spreads freshness around instantly'. She is a big fan of Meetha Paan and pointed out that there is a faint taste of Paan-maybe because of the aromatic spices, which makes it a wonderful post-meal freshener for her :)

Moreover, my personal observation is that AC makes our mouths dry a lot. We don't have to worry about lunch or dinner odour only, the dry mouth syndrome is also something worth worrying about and I find this to be excellent remedy for that too :)

Finally, I tasted it after I had gotten 100% positive reviews from all quarters for 3 days straight. I was thinking, 'Why do I need to taste it? I already have my chewing gums and Listerine,right?' But I am so glad that I did :) The reason is -I can't carry and use Listerine around anywhere,anytime. And while chewing gums are great, their disposal is always a problem and moreover, I cannot use them while sitting in a meeting in office. Enter Baba Elaichi Saffron Blended Mouth Freshener!

-Easy To Carry Around
-Sealed Freshness
-Instantly Eliminating ALL Bad Breath Issues
-Instantly Cooling
-Long Lasting
-Strong Flavor of Both Elaichi and Saffron Plus Pure Silver Coating (Yes,I can discern it too!)
-Tastes A Bit Like Paan,Enhances Fresh Feeling

I Love that this can be used anywhere, anytime and gives such amazing results irrespective of many variables involved- Individual preferences, Individual age/ gender, Meal choices, Time, Place and so on. No matter whom I gave this for tasting, they reported back with only positive things. I know for a fact that not all of them are Mukhwaas fans or Elaichi fans or Paan fans, but it is to the credit of this product that it manages to bring Freshness to Every Palette :)

Well Done :)

Full Disclosure-I received this sample from Baba Elaichi. But NO Compensation was awarded for the review. All opinions expressed are honest by real people, none of whom were intoxicated, drugged or bribed in any way. I clicked these images and wrote these words myself. For those willing to copy my hard work without giving me credit, be forewarned since I know many witches in real life, perfectly happy to help me by cursing my enemies with black magic. For those simply wishing to know more about the Blogger Outreach Programme or the product itself, do visit these links-

https://www.facebook.com/mouthfresheners
http://www.baba.in/

Thank you :) 

Indiblogger Aur Zee Zindagi #JodeyDilonKo - Dosti Ki Khushbu Sarhad Ke Paar!

Wahi Shaam Hai Wahi Savera,
Aisa Hi Des Hai Mera, 
Jaisa Des Hai Tera...

Something is wrong. Flashback to some key dialogues I remember from my childhood, spent in many little hamlets and towns throughout India thanks to my dad's transferable job....

'Aei,Wapas Pakistan Ja Re..'

'Pakistani Cricket Team Jeetti Hai To Ye Aatishbaaji Karte Hain..'

'Islam Is A Disease..All Muslims Must Go To Pakistan..'

'Ye Khans Ko Dekho, Pakistani Hain Sab Ke Sab Aur Bollywood Mein Baithe Hain Dawood Ibrahim Ke Spy Bankar..'

'Wahan Pakistan Mein Inko Muhajir Kaha Jaata Hai, Aur Yahan Ye Hamare Sar Par Baithe Hain?..'

'Ye Zaroor Hamare Padosi Mulk Ki Chaal Hai..'

'Those Who Do Not Support XYZ Politician Will Have To Go To Pakistan After The Elections...'

How do I remember all these? I did not say a single one of them, but had the opportunity to first-hand listen to each one of these in some context or other...

Once when there was a cricket match going on in our school and some Muslim child dropped a catch...Once when there was a crucial Indo-Pak match was going on and some celebrations started somewhere in the vicinity of our apartment when Pak scored runs..Once when one of my father's friends was describing his hatred for the Khan trio at top of Bollywood food chain..Something I read in a newspaper sometime near the 1993 Bombay blasts..Something that cropped up during the Indian General Elections..Something that was repeated often in many 80s and 90s movies where they showed fighting at the border and had to blame someone evil...

Snippets All Of Them. But Powerful, Yes. I remember each one of them like they were personally directed to me.

Once I asked my father what did all these barbs against Pakistan and mostly,by extension, Muslims meant? I don't remember the exact explanation he gave but I do remember him being as pained by the question, as the fact that his 10 year old daughter was asking him something like this which ideally, a child should not.

A 10 year old child is supposed to be so engrossed in his/her toys and storybooks and fairytales and Kabbadi matches that such harsh realities of life shouldn't even touch him/ her. But in India, it is not possible, is it? I suppose it is the same case in Pakistan. Our News Outlets, Our Movies, Our Stories, Our Media by and large -at least the part catering to the masses - finds it more profitable to spew venom against Pakistan. Needless to say, the wounds of Partition are also not completely gone and politicians on both sides have become adept at scratching them again & again. Result-people on both side have been turned into virtual monsters for each other, haven't they? After all this is the natural result for those who have had almost no contact with each other in a normal way for decades!

I try and remember. I have seen countless American sitcoms and Hollywood movies. It feels like I can glide through New York, Washington, Chicago and nearly half of America without any guidebook or map, they are that familiar to me! I see American, European, Japanese, Korean tourists all the time. I have read wonderful books written by American, British, Mexican, Norwegian, French, Chinese, Japanese writers. I have used South Korean & Japanese electronics, European cosmetics, American websites, Chinese home decorations, Taiwanese Laptop, Swiss chocolates...

But what about Pakistan? Oh, like every Indian I have devoured hours of News and General Entertainment worth of them being branded as heartless, evil, monsters learning jihad in every school, every house apparently containing terrorists ready to blow India to kingdom come...

Dharti Sunehri, Ambar Neela....
Aisa Hi Des Hai Mera,
Jaisa Des Hai Tera...

So why could I not hate Imran Abbas when he sang these lines that day? Well, I am a complete failure. I have refused to be swayed by the grisly murderous call given by the dirty politics on both sides to hate somebody..and guess what, I am not alone :)

Chupke Chupke Raat Din...

Through Music, Poetry, Theater, Arts & Culture,the biggest wounds of the world have been healed successfully. And when it comes to Indo-Pak relations, many stalwarts have tried to mend hearts on both sides for a long time. It is an open secret how Pakistanis love Bollywood movies, songs and Indian TV serials and women there have cried buckets when Mihir died! Listening to Mehdi Hassan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Adnan Sami, Ali Zafar, Strings over the years; Watching Javed Sheikh, Zeba Bakhtiar, Veena Malik and others in Bollywood while Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Kirron Kher among others starred in some famous Pakistani films-nobody can blame the creative community for not trying. But these were still not enough. Sure, I listened to an Adnan Sami song and head-banged to String's album. And then what? I switched on TV and saw 10 terrorists roaming through Mumbai and attacking The Taj Hotel and news headlines screaming how Pakistan is THE Hotbed of terrorism in the world for months afterwards. What changed?

Dhaani...O Dhaaaaaaani...Chunariya...

Something changed when I got this email from Indiblogger inviting me to 'Zindagi Indiblogger Meet'. I am a new entrant to Mumbai and to the world of blogging (and a lazy one too, must add rather shamefacedly!) I had been watching some ads about a new channel being launched named Zee Zindagi with stories from across the border. But since I sporadically watch TV, I wasn't really sure what to make of it. Were they going to adapt Pakistani stories and make them with Indian actors? Were they actually showing Pakistani shows? Or was this similar to one of those cross-border initiatives like Aman ki Asha with both sides co-creating shows? In any case, my interest was piqued :)

Tere Bina Jiya Nahi Jaaye...Tere Hi Maine Hain Sapne Sajaaye...

On Saturday, 21 June 2014, I reached The Leela,Mumbai. First Indiblogger Meet of my life. And first time I was part of an event that had anything to do with Pakistan. Trying to keep my small towns' upbringing, that streak of ignorance, my inherent shyness and cobwebs of insecurity away, I entered this gorgeous ballroom where the stage was set up for Bloggers from Mumbai and Delhi to interact with each other as well as with officials of Zee behind the idea of Zee Zindagi as well as Imran Abbas, an actor from Pakistan! Whew, was I in for a treat or what!

                                     

Good food, Good Company, Chitter-Chatter of excited bloggers all around-some of whom I recognized as celebs in their own right with gargantuan readership and followers! The Tech team was ready to connect the bloggers in 2 different directions of India and not only that, a very special someone from Pakistan too! The camera team was hard at work capturing all the moods and expressions for posterity. And I was wondering what am I doing here!

The lights dimmed and the wonderful host started making things easier for me (I have a little social anxiety!) With jokes, anecdotes, I could feel the atmosphere getting lighter and easier. Then there was this wonderful game of wits -a sort of debate between the Delhi and Mumbai blogging teams. Without getting further into the questions and the insane way it threatened to spiral out of control, it is important to note the critical issue it brought forth -It Is So Easy To Divide & Fight, So Difficult To Unify! Brilliant point! We humans have this distinct tendency to pick up fights with everyone else based on any excuse- language, color of skin, gender, socio-economic background, religion...Guess how difficult it is to unify us all, and when it comes to cross-border love, it must be a mammoth task,isn't it!

Kinna Sona Tenu Rab Ne Banaya..Dil Kare Dekhda Rawan...

This is where the creative team behind Zee Zindagi and Imran Abbas came to fore. Explaining the rationale behind introducing Pakistani shows on Indian television so people could connect, their hearts could connect in the realest way possible, that is the aim here. Myths that Pakistanis are all terrorists,that their women are all burkha clad and forced to stay at home with no independence, that Pakistani society is one big conservative ball of doom and gloom are bound to dissipate once we see them smiling, singing, eating, talking to their friends and families, thinking, sleeping, dreaming just like us on this side of the border. Isn't this an admirable aim?

Imran Abbas spoke about the time his parents & grandparents used to talk about catching Doordarshan on their TV sets by fiddling with their antennae. He spoke about how he has been shooting for a movie with Bipasha Basu and has faced no kind of problem, discrimination or hatred of any kind. He waxed eloquently about his love for Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd. Rafi. And I sat there listening to him. He is not a monster. He looks like someone I could have gone to college with! He reminds me of this really good looking guy in my earlier neighborhood in a city in Bihar where everyone coaxed him to come to Mumbai to become a model. And here I was, listening to an actor who looked just like him. What was the difference between them? One is an Indian, One is a Pakistani. But if I did not know Imran Abbas's name, would I be even able to tell he is a Pakistani? NO!

Panchi, Nadiya, Pawan Ke Jhonke..Koi Sarhad Naa Inhe Roke...

Same questions arise every time. Same answers are given every time. Why is there so much hatred between Indian and Pakistan? Why are both the governments and military of both countries at near permanent loggerheads? And how has this percolated down to the masses? Shared culture, history, food, manners, traditions, family values..and still so much barrier between hearts? It was heartwarming to see many bloggers talk about their warm experiences of having been to Pakistan and first hand experience of warm hospitality. And about watching many Pakistani serials even back in 90s. Having been brought up completely removed from this cosmopolitan environment I was not privy to any of these honors, but the stories gave me goosebumps, and unbelievable happiness. 

Sitting there, listening to all these intelligent, accomplished men and women talk about this noble initiative I kept wondering about the world I come from, about the childhood I just spent, about all the bile and hatred I have glimpsed over the years and only one emotion could overwhelm me -HOPE! Hope for a better future, for lasting peace that is formed on a bond cemented by this proof of shared dreams, aspirations and love for humanity!

Afreen Afreen...Afreen Afreen...

Finally it sunk in. I am going to be able to watch Pakistani shows! I am going to peek into their homes and hearts. It is reminiscent of Neil Armstrong's words - 

Small Step For A Man, 

Giant Leap For The Mankind. 

May each child now grow up watching Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Aunn Zara so that 10 years later he might not identify a Pakistani as an enemy,but as that person who is a part of the culture where they make soaps lasting only 25-30 episodes and not 100 years! 

May each family now sit in front of their TV sets every night keenly noticing the home decoration tips to be gathered from each other's shows!

May all the womenfolk now go to their tailors asking for a suit that is just like-''Arre wo Zara ne kal ke episode mein jaisa pehna tha na shaadi ke scene mein..''

May normal conversations now include Pakistani actors and actresses, may plans be now made keeping these serials in mind!

When this starts happening, do you think a true, lasting peace that comes from the heart-be far behind?

No :) And The Giant Credit for the same will always go to Zee Zindagi -Sachhi mein jo #JodeyDilonKo :)

Traveling AND Connecting With Humanity- Dil Se!

Dil Ka Rishta..Sigh! Such romantic notion,isn't it! The thought that all of us are connected not by words but by these little invisible threads that tug at our heartstrings? I really don't know if I believe in romance and romantic notions per se..but this particular thought, well, I think it definitely possesses some merit!

I belong to a family of Banjaras..well, not literally speaking, but yes, in spirit for sure! We don't have any roots, none at all. In this big blue planet, there isn't one particular place or even a house that we can call our home! My grandfather (dadaji) left his home in Bihar at age of 12 to pursue higher education in Varanasi and ended up as a teacher in Assam where he met my grandma (dadiji). My Nana on the other hand left UP for a job in Orissa where my mom was born and brought up. After a series of what can only be described as divine coincidences and astonishing serendipity, my parents were married and settled in Jamshedpur! However, thanks to my dad's transferable job, we have never stayed at one place for more than 5 years at a time. Add to that, the Super Travel Bug that has infected both my parents which keeps them ready to leave home and move on to an adventure in less than an hour at any given day (Yes, I have timed their packing!) THUS my sister and I have grown up traveling more places than actually staying stationary at one place! Not that we mind it :)

Aah, coming back to the point at hand...Through all these travels and adventures, we have seen some of the worst circumstances that can befall any tourist and some of the best side of humanity. A Dil Ka Rishta, if you will :)

Way before we knew that one day we would be living in Mumbai, our family actually spent a fortune to travel here as a tourist..even then the cosmopolitan culture, the openness and warmth of people here has warmed the cockles of our heart..not to mention (as my mom puts it)-generosity of loads of streetside vendors helped her tackle many a diaper emergencies (ahem!)

A Rolly Polly 2 year old at Konark Temple..hmm..my mom says this was one of the best trips of her life where despite having an infant around, she needed to worry about nothing as just adjacent to our hotel room was this huge group of American tourists who spent the entire trip taking care of me and playing with me like their own child! What better way to demonstrate a universal Dil Ka Rishta!

A trip of Mahabaleshwar-where I was besotted with high fever for a few days, again not to worry, the guest house in which we were put up was run by this awesome couple who used many a traditional remedies to get me back in ship-shape for traveling around (That awesome expression on my face is NOT due to fever,rather it is the PDA going on behind me! :P)

Traveling through Kathmandu about 12 years ago..Nepal is such a beautiful memory! Pashupatinath Temple, Bhaktpur (better remembered as being featured in Hare Krishna Hare Ram movie!), the bazaar, the food, the people-there isn't a single thing that I don't feel like a part of my own family. Nearly same language, a bond of brotherhood woven through every single word and deed. Impossible to describe and equally Impossible to forget!

Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath..exactly 11 years ago we went on the massive adventure of our lives. The first time we really incorporated a lot of trekking and walking in our travel plans. No fancy hotels business, just us, our bags, our legs and our eyes! Trekking through the mountains, visiting Char Dham was an experience none of us can ever forget not only because of the beautiful sights we were lucky to behold but also because of the most friendly people we ever met. No matter how lost we thought we were, there was always someone willing to share their bottle of water, their wind-cheater or a pack of biscuits on the often lonely and long paths we were taking!

 \

The latest family trip we took-Madurai and Kodaikanal. Ooh, the trip! Our tickets were waitlisted till the last moment, we had waitlisted tickets even for the return journey, our hotel and sightseeing booking person absconded at the last moment and still our bags were packed and we went off. At every step, we felt like we were made to go through everything to see THE BEST of humanity! First, the people in our coach adjusted with us, giving us atleast seats to sit in through the 36 hour journey (Bless them!). Food and conversation flowed aplenty and once we were engrossed in the landscape passing by, there was no looking back!

The famous South Indian cleanliness and discipline served us well. Everything is structured, organized, people are helpful, instructions are clearly spelled out and the food-oh yeah, lip smacking!

Architecture, nay, marvels, simply marvels! Whether it be the famous Madurai Palace or the Majestic Meenakshi Temple, we could not avert out eyes for even one second! All the stress of the train journey vanished within one moment!

Kodaikanal is called the Queen of Hills in Tamil Nadu, and it seriously is! Capturing my dad in the bazaar while he was completely unaware is one of my crowning glory moments, seriously :D 

 

Trekking through Pine Forests where many movies have been shot, Boating on the famous Kodaikanal Lake, Trekking again through forests to visit famous falls like-Bear Shola Falls, Liril Falls, Neptune Falls (which hardly have any water right now thanks to summer season!), mesmerized by the beauty and natural splendour, it is easy to remember the uniqueness we all share as being bound by the same thread in this vast universe, thoughts like how significant are we in the larger scheme of things and being able to wonder about the majestic-ness of it all cannot be overstated!

So Newton has his apple and Kodaikanal has these Gravity proving flowers :D Makes my scientist dad very happy,and seeing him happy, well it is my whole life :) 

The day we were supposed to leave Kodaikanal was the day we realized our tickets were still waitlisted-even though we had decided to trust a local agent who had used the Tatkal route to re-book our return journey! So we were-in one moment-squashed to the status of-No hotel, No return ticket, stranded at Kodaikanal! Well, as I said, Best of Humanity-remember? The manager of our room graciously accommodated us-at NO Extra Cost for 2 more days and in fact even shifted the family that was supposed to come to our room to another one! My mom personally talked to them and they were so understanding that it made our hearts sing (could also be a mini heart attack, who knows :D). The local agent who could not get us confirmed Tatkal tickets paid out of his pocket to cover the cancellation charges and got us confirmed tickets on a train 2 days later, apologizing to my dad about 100 times! It is times like these that one is reminded of the divinity working through us all, isn't it!

Oh, and while on point of humanity and dil ka rishta, how can I forget the very generous restaurant manager at our hotel who -at our special request- got us homemade Chapatis as we were fed up of having rice with every South Indian meal?! A 1000 times salute to such kind souls :)

Having talked about all the ways and means in which generous, kind, well-wishing humans made our life easier..let me also touch upon something else I have stumbled upon-not for the first time, but something makes it special for me having felt it first hand. The Milk of Human Kindness flows freely, yes, that is true. Humanity also seems to possess this unique superpower that does not need any particular language to waft through-the Power of Love and Brotherhood. All through our travels through the length and breadth of India and Nepal, we have been brought together to the ONLY core-that humans everywhere are THE SAME! 

We all laugh, we all cry, we all work, we all die! 

We all want the best for our families, we are capable of sacrifice, 

we are a little bit selfish yes,

 but we are also willing to go the extra mile!

The foods we ate, The sights we saw, the way people helped us through, the way they opened their homes and hearts when they found out we were in distress, the way they did everything in their power to make us feel comfortable, they way they shared a part of their soul with us..even the small things-sharing a bottle of Bisleri on a long winding road, the way the bazaars everywhere are stocked, the way we all bargain, the way we all have an eye out for the 'best deal'..oh it all ties together beautifully, almost like a cosmic dance. And it is this cosmic miracle that brings out all those moments that epitomize the emotion behind #JodeyDilonKo !

This Post has been written as a part of #JodeyDilonKo organized by zindagitv.in and Indiblogger :)