tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73674770920155870622024-03-14T06:22:30.828+05:30Nilu's NatterRandom musings on life, experiences, relationships....Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-21980281474580559192024-03-11T13:04:00.024+05:302024-03-11T14:37:28.794+05:30The Great Indian Kitchen - a movie review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">OTT<span> </span><span> </span><span> : Prime Video</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Language<span> </span>: Malayalam</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Director<span> </span><span> : Jeo Baby</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cast<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span>: Nimisha Sajayan, Suraj Venjaramoodu</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The movie was highly recommended by some friends recently. Watched it with subtitles since I do not follow Malayalam. True to most Malayalam movies, I was expecting a thriller, despite the title. But the movie turned out to be so much more. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdLnjk2CuJhvxbKZsKdwOK8dTAX0I3xy6Ue115KmR5GHz-3JsXsth6vG48q0u3NUvle3yi1-n6SoXohm1w6ehCzlSiH6yYwaquCx60bb8xYaTjtfao0cMul_72kQT10QKyhePpqeoLhiHT38CIreYIGemy9Z1NdEJ2lgXF05z9vVOlHynuXjs7qneEkk/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-11%20at%2011.54.43%20AM%20(2).jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1600" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdLnjk2CuJhvxbKZsKdwOK8dTAX0I3xy6Ue115KmR5GHz-3JsXsth6vG48q0u3NUvle3yi1-n6SoXohm1w6ehCzlSiH6yYwaquCx60bb8xYaTjtfao0cMul_72kQT10QKyhePpqeoLhiHT38CIreYIGemy9Z1NdEJ2lgXF05z9vVOlHynuXjs7qneEkk/w333-h166/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-11%20at%2011.54.43%20AM%20(2).jpeg" width="333" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">The viewers' attention is riveted right from the first frame, as the visuals from a typical Indian kitchen blast their senses. Intricate scenes of vegetables being chopped, dough being kneaded, meat being washed at the sink, delicacies being fried, dosa and sambar being cooked diligently, making of tea, filter coffee etc. get your gastric juices flowing and you can even smell their aroma! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Surely, such mouth-watering fare can only foretell blissful times ahead, right? Wrong.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3GKrgP67JsxWQMsaalql1c73c5TuzK-_5_9NnedfK0FCx6EVMwRRFdDkgCJ84zOGLI7tfSn6kSahtzKzPdJHGpI3bcCZMEO6gnnObdcThyuHX-zNRNE_mzuPxQnwvo_PoDTjbRx_VHL36yF5YWn0I8_A5bC2JVKjcIQy9sJ4X99JI92UUnUXsS5qrNM/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-11%20at%2011.54.43%20AM%20(1).jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="1600" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3GKrgP67JsxWQMsaalql1c73c5TuzK-_5_9NnedfK0FCx6EVMwRRFdDkgCJ84zOGLI7tfSn6kSahtzKzPdJHGpI3bcCZMEO6gnnObdcThyuHX-zNRNE_mzuPxQnwvo_PoDTjbRx_VHL36yF5YWn0I8_A5bC2JVKjcIQy9sJ4X99JI92UUnUXsS5qrNM/w348-h165/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-11%20at%2011.54.43%20AM%20(1).jpeg" width="348" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The story begins with a typical arranged marriage, where a girl from an urban family ends up marrying into a prestigious yet rural family. The traditions of her new home require her to give up her aspirations for a career, and she becomes a full-time unpaid maid. She assists her hard-working mother-in-law (MIL), helping her day in and day out, in all the household chores uncomplainingly. The the two men just relax and do nothing to help.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3z2nvKejxt0gPEkoQaBiZkrnf3GyqB-SJ6pQD9JnfdR-VXcUnWp8a7wn-fjYEQa4XpT3KRUPEmCWKN9wi7GkvbxSOuHy0oNLeMegWhNIjVJg9K83G0-M4HCgIya_emoo4d6Aiy99jqzHEJ2KJ6Ox0s8Tsd4fAS4gro4-RkqTavwhAK7gXKZmVPqc6jME/s2876/Screen_Shot_2021-01-27_at_11.59.17_AM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="2876" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3z2nvKejxt0gPEkoQaBiZkrnf3GyqB-SJ6pQD9JnfdR-VXcUnWp8a7wn-fjYEQa4XpT3KRUPEmCWKN9wi7GkvbxSOuHy0oNLeMegWhNIjVJg9K83G0-M4HCgIya_emoo4d6Aiy99jqzHEJ2KJ6Ox0s8Tsd4fAS4gro4-RkqTavwhAK7gXKZmVPqc6jME/w341-h144/Screen_Shot_2021-01-27_at_11.59.17_AM.png" width="341" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The chutney has to be ground only on the stone slab and rice has to be cooked on the <i>choolha</i> - as the head of the house likes it that way. The use of pressure cooker, mixer etc. are frowned upon. This is in stark contrast to the girl's urban home that had had all the modern amenities. There is no relief in the regime to partake previous evening's refrigerated left-overs, or have rice instead of <i>chappatis</i>, if the lady is indisposed.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPUsIT7uBds7ddX62CtNviVvF7_TtpoYKI9ZmjWdwLSCfNUn-ILXjCtO0TPmNgkygAUPQEkR74mz2cTF4HM1rKnKQVEMXrTlJFwNyNTLKc-cl53kijje4GIpaSAE273n271fB3Z-5r9Qe3f6DL61tjsHXNSMV2cx-eOfVAo4fjU-5Dec09ofr7nRMbSaA" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="600" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPUsIT7uBds7ddX62CtNviVvF7_TtpoYKI9ZmjWdwLSCfNUn-ILXjCtO0TPmNgkygAUPQEkR74mz2cTF4HM1rKnKQVEMXrTlJFwNyNTLKc-cl53kijje4GIpaSAE273n271fB3Z-5r9Qe3f6DL61tjsHXNSMV2cx-eOfVAo4fjU-5Dec09ofr7nRMbSaA=w295-h143" width="295" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>The father-in-law expects to be waited upon hand and foot. His wife brings him his toothbrush every morning and his chappals when he steps out of home. Though he is soft-spoken and polite, the steel in his voice as the head of the house, is palpable. The husband, a professor who lectures his female students about the importance of a formal family structure, cannot even be bothered to call in a plumber to fix a leaking pipe in the kitchen sink. </div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1uLuPi4-yn1Y7WwVvWvPrMEda2XVO6rYNtg7VG8TxR-NuQkmvlGoyRBVkxQ5oqSMgGHnBk0tNICvQc88tDHWqhLqR1rEpotUZOgBqYlJA_ssWevzIpPbTYepZiPXh9etirq3vRjmNhrHkL19PEEWsVB8-5VNdHThuFftVnucCdOOKdHRQo4drMtSR5cw" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1uLuPi4-yn1Y7WwVvWvPrMEda2XVO6rYNtg7VG8TxR-NuQkmvlGoyRBVkxQ5oqSMgGHnBk0tNICvQc88tDHWqhLqR1rEpotUZOgBqYlJA_ssWevzIpPbTYepZiPXh9etirq3vRjmNhrHkL19PEEWsVB8-5VNdHThuFftVnucCdOOKdHRQo4drMtSR5cw" width="320" /></a></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The men have abominable table manners. The ladies can eat only after they have eaten, that too on a messy table. The stench from the drain water accumulating from the pipe leakage, slowly permeates the bride's life. There are not many characters or dialogues or even names spoken. The expressions on the characters' faces do the talking. The MIL soon exits for her daughter's delivery, leaving the bride to deal with the rigorous monotony on her own. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The endless chopping, cooking, washing and cleaning up scenes flow into each other. Surprisingly, no one is ever shown bringing the groceries, veggies or meat to replenish the rapidly consumed ingredients!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIs1UPhQhPoNtJYNQWmXqQd0wd30wwQ04SBrjLD3aLt4t53b2fIOGpuPjbWNNamtFaxvySpTjAU97IFQJE-1O1zrLSgIl4-Q8Jpt4IIgBWnuzveV2Wg9ZIpUxvituMIHw4UP3EL_jpjLWIAUegfScPDVElrpcR3tBH6yWVRQSXs-xVMyo1RWVU_SJmy8/s1200/TheGreatIndianKitchen_190121_1200x800-2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIs1UPhQhPoNtJYNQWmXqQd0wd30wwQ04SBrjLD3aLt4t53b2fIOGpuPjbWNNamtFaxvySpTjAU97IFQJE-1O1zrLSgIl4-Q8Jpt4IIgBWnuzveV2Wg9ZIpUxvituMIHw4UP3EL_jpjLWIAUegfScPDVElrpcR3tBH6yWVRQSXs-xVMyo1RWVU_SJmy8/w362-h211/TheGreatIndianKitchen_190121_1200x800-2.jpg" width="362" /></a></div><p></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The honeymoon period between the newly-married couple, stealing hugs in the kitchen and dining room, soon deteriorates into a stifling prison sentence for the bride. Barbs, verbal abuse and physical dissatisfaction, seep into the stagnating relationship as the husband's colossal ego cannot handle candid observations by his wife. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The introduction of two new characters do nothing to improve the plight of our female protagonist. The paid substitute maid does chores in others' homes whenever the lady of the house is suffering from that time of the month. The elderly widowed aunt appears at the behest of the FIL, who prefers not to wield the reigns. Both these ladies end up mimicking the pre-ordained drudgery. The maid, Usha, hides her own menstrual dates and sings while working. She seems happiest of the lot, possibly because she gets compensated for her toil. The aunt represents females who espouse patriarchal values to other women, on behalf of the men.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The enforced isolation, discomfort and judgment during her menstrual cycle, soon takes its toll. As the men treat her like an untouchable at such times, especially during a festival, there is backlash from other men for a Facebook post made by her. The girl finally rebels when she is ordered by her husband to delete the post or leave. While her MIL is still slaving away at her daughter's lavish bungalow as a salwar-kurta clad maid this time, our heroine finally walks away into sublime freedom. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMk5Q94hhos5F7fi-L5fnZzK4vHtxhC6vJsNPt1wtsYA5WTwzIthP51eYqOVZFDtmI41d1QAzc-6FNd29iZICxV4k8yS_gXcTJHLXjpXEq9yWqIrdzV0Jm4ofBisdiU6V-rweNkwwDBrs41Xn0l9OntuIMZRZpIXiA0XFsVDG3udkKr8eixvI7vHFo2x0/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-11%20at%2011.54.43%20AM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1600" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMk5Q94hhos5F7fi-L5fnZzK4vHtxhC6vJsNPt1wtsYA5WTwzIthP51eYqOVZFDtmI41d1QAzc-6FNd29iZICxV4k8yS_gXcTJHLXjpXEq9yWqIrdzV0Jm4ofBisdiU6V-rweNkwwDBrs41Xn0l9OntuIMZRZpIXiA0XFsVDG3udkKr8eixvI7vHFo2x0/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-11%20at%2011.54.43%20AM.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What I liked is that there is no attempt made by the director to show a happy ending in terms of the husband apologising to her, or her finding a more understanding and broad-minded partner. There are no children to complicate the divorce either. Instead, she is shown to be an independent career woman, teaching dance, thus returning to her first love. She does this despite the severe disapproval of her own mother. While she has embarked on a journey of liberation, another woman is now the wife and slave, in her place. And so it goes on. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Why do women not put their foot down in the first instance instead of waiting for the dam to burst? Why do even highly educated women tolerate so much before throwing in the towel? Why do others tag along with the men despite suffering themselves?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hats off to the director for bringing out the contradictions in our traditions and the lopsided male-female roles in a family. </span></div><p></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-37482780156419662642024-03-01T22:53:00.051+05:302024-03-03T12:59:02.374+05:30Writer's retreat at Dorian House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">I recently returned from a</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> truly memorable retreat at the picturesque Dorian House in the heart of Auroville!!</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">The hiatus provided a rejuvenating break from my relentless routine and urban luxuries. Walking to and fro between various bungalows, lounging on the floor for hours during class, interacting with an eclectic bunch hailing from diverse geographies, vocational backgrounds as well as writing</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> expertise, was a novel experience indeed. After the recent career pivot from a corporate employee to an author, I was yanked out of my comfort zone yet again!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv6HGHQNNGGczKMeDMpLQyk26idyp8WSe6Xz6SFVAyv2teg2B4RF74GWvZVccF_r7X3u0jjeSpWmN4Lm0VlkFvrdB41XwISw75mu_pf-NGOxVvO6ld-0Jq2lUAL2wd5Uin38aUqtgSawzEPOmNCZ7OQhh6ZOalBSCXqGIski1w3e2MR4kpOpsdE3qEKFc/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.58.55%20PM%20(2).jpeg" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv6HGHQNNGGczKMeDMpLQyk26idyp8WSe6Xz6SFVAyv2teg2B4RF74GWvZVccF_r7X3u0jjeSpWmN4Lm0VlkFvrdB41XwISw75mu_pf-NGOxVvO6ld-0Jq2lUAL2wd5Uin38aUqtgSawzEPOmNCZ7OQhh6ZOalBSCXqGIski1w3e2MR4kpOpsdE3qEKFc/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.58.55%20PM%20(2).jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; text-align: left;">The bungalows were idyllic, verdant and pleasingly aesthetic. The vibrant colors, tasteful decor and thoughtful use of natural light, provided a soothing yet stimulating ambience.</span></div><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-uosW9JLF6TIs8-0U10p-uT5XEkub_Xlz6mivPT70uPYAZNX0zPsB12PP0p_0bJlkMKWtZq09DSbLU-7fbnOO39Dj5WFcc9uCX9d9VFY_GzlNQXSfJfQ0nUkk49rZqNjRJnjcUYcjEq5G-ju5dkuzV_gwGpzaiWmJzXSs-sW68Cx-ppXP4R_DLKA_gU/s1280/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.43.25%20PM.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-uosW9JLF6TIs8-0U10p-uT5XEkub_Xlz6mivPT70uPYAZNX0zPsB12PP0p_0bJlkMKWtZq09DSbLU-7fbnOO39Dj5WFcc9uCX9d9VFY_GzlNQXSfJfQ0nUkk49rZqNjRJnjcUYcjEq5G-ju5dkuzV_gwGpzaiWmJzXSs-sW68Cx-ppXP4R_DLKA_gU/w343-h257/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.43.25%20PM.jpeg" width="343" /></span></a></div><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJemHgW5nUwYeXWg9znJTcPOSav9jRmbPXbjIogdWSHFtcSRYaXd0d-sYpyzaCfSJ2ANoovbe__9f9fX9wYLkDNhoW9nvyijipbTyD4THiRKWTCK8smneXhkd7dLPn3m1Bk3BcKZZC9g4vuEW6hiQebDub5Qyx7Q3Iy5lPHrpHwb4T71QoX92otEk5Zkc/s1280/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.48%20PM.jpeg" style="clear: right; display: inline; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJemHgW5nUwYeXWg9znJTcPOSav9jRmbPXbjIogdWSHFtcSRYaXd0d-sYpyzaCfSJ2ANoovbe__9f9fX9wYLkDNhoW9nvyijipbTyD4THiRKWTCK8smneXhkd7dLPn3m1Bk3BcKZZC9g4vuEW6hiQebDub5Qyx7Q3Iy5lPHrpHwb4T71QoX92otEk5Zkc/w257-h257/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.48%20PM.jpeg" width="257" /></a></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The morning walk through the Revelation forest, breathtaking</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> views</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> and spontaneous meditation in the middle of the woods, was enchanting and exhilarating!</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAknjxwx6nymSqeKPAnsD_IN5qEIe-1fOwu0gATpyUR8-hYXEAz-KlFG_OOYYT5wNkcevFOJc_XVLmQLZfpI0Mo_z4yTJGBBJOyKssNGsJC11vWm5YyExLF0Pow75tNDqM-BdX_d2zB78AgaWTYnd41PDFyTTQDqkWpkEgpceRsmIXAcCBmnqBtR9ebUY/s1280/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.58.55%20PM%20(1).jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAknjxwx6nymSqeKPAnsD_IN5qEIe-1fOwu0gATpyUR8-hYXEAz-KlFG_OOYYT5wNkcevFOJc_XVLmQLZfpI0Mo_z4yTJGBBJOyKssNGsJC11vWm5YyExLF0Pow75tNDqM-BdX_d2zB78AgaWTYnd41PDFyTTQDqkWpkEgpceRsmIXAcCBmnqBtR9ebUY/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.58.55%20PM%20(1).jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZU6VABnrfJpJQWXKHj94Gpoc4FBmUaJqGhucHKYkC2QnRQuLHZEwqWnsbdfVO-0tN3g1EKF4qiyf3xGTSVyJ8_Qd8fCRm2FQbOX36gxy6U1HSI0bffG37p5w4SwmaMu80w-HPC1NhngW0FFcoJFLuLlPpxGIn4Rnz3WFrU1VQowavgy5C_gqM1tc9q8/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.48%20PM%20(1).jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZU6VABnrfJpJQWXKHj94Gpoc4FBmUaJqGhucHKYkC2QnRQuLHZEwqWnsbdfVO-0tN3g1EKF4qiyf3xGTSVyJ8_Qd8fCRm2FQbOX36gxy6U1HSI0bffG37p5w4SwmaMu80w-HPC1NhngW0FFcoJFLuLlPpxGIn4Rnz3WFrU1VQowavgy5C_gqM1tc9q8/w288-h385/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.48%20PM%20(1).jpeg" width="288" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSCBaDsGR8Ptij5jtbHn1_dU9fwFaZfQsmACzz44t2ouSPOFWneEFT9lQAXH9mywOg_w0qUdX4xbTszQ0br9QzCm5zjGE65yk6mglawW1FA16avAiNU0stc-cozLDP509xS3I2fGSSKGcYUXraTettYiOr8fp0eSEh-RQpzmKV6Bl4pQAe99pgtN8M5RU" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSCBaDsGR8Ptij5jtbHn1_dU9fwFaZfQsmACzz44t2ouSPOFWneEFT9lQAXH9mywOg_w0qUdX4xbTszQ0br9QzCm5zjGE65yk6mglawW1FA16avAiNU0stc-cozLDP509xS3I2fGSSKGcYUXraTettYiOr8fp0eSEh-RQpzmKV6Bl4pQAe99pgtN8M5RU=w291-h389" width="291" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="font-size: medium;">T</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">he various sessions were enlightening and the classroom assignments were eye-opening. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">What bowled me over was that I was finally among people who did not hold back from expressing themselves, were unapologetically authentic, while coping valiantly through the barriers of language, food and creepy crawlies. The environment supplied nourishing fodder to write and explore genres I have hitherto </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">found</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">daunting.</span></span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"> </span></div><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLHiZszYYm4zWHI_rfmpbAPYQruF2zFP8nOu3Zg4bTctlshBOq8uHgjECOw6g6wjHG0e2O_84-EsmA-yB9DI6fccD5zOoQB_iXEdOdkuL7l3v2gpCl2uTVT_sCvPwKQHZzAIXI7WIRcUdOW3y1xddyuwqfxH0QNIq-l1HRS9hso5SetZTOOZeYnnlz6Q/s1405/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.54.41%20PM%20(1).jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7hU97nFW1ntLcNhslMRwydkq5LGaKCYTaytTRHGMDGfBE3g4_iVAOc9fqkG-75Frl7jxw-VTvvO-aEpZDibF-HjGymJJUt26w3bBbeBlCHaJaDh9GiR2DNOT3q2PyY8EFP4G7CFD-fr0A4o0SNRCVO2fiMpaGeDCT_FX0ckwL5Hdgo4602UIQSXIqQo/w320-h240/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.54.40%20PM.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjL8jkPHcCsmtdS0lbmyZ2hzzwvYB-EHdp1jIF0Prri9qZnbpyvukX7P4zjV_Hppq7g90-FQ1ZPWx7ofEDDUhJ_Hl_SzPW7KFVafawhmmEW1JdVrWhmjS-0MSnAN3yTOHirKn2BWmsBnY9dUB9wGYChC_mZe0JEiOIGhFh5SW1dqfS7Xf27E-uOz0tfcKw" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjL8jkPHcCsmtdS0lbmyZ2hzzwvYB-EHdp1jIF0Prri9qZnbpyvukX7P4zjV_Hppq7g90-FQ1ZPWx7ofEDDUhJ_Hl_SzPW7KFVafawhmmEW1JdVrWhmjS-0MSnAN3yTOHirKn2BWmsBnY9dUB9wGYChC_mZe0JEiOIGhFh5SW1dqfS7Xf27E-uOz0tfcKw=w327-h243" width="327" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The musical and “reading” night unveiled the talent of all artists. Each of us had a signature style. While an author astounded with his musical prowess, a musician read out some of his writing! The party introduced bohemian newcomers </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">who regaled us with majestic performances.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2WR9Hvl2x-Q_9o5MW4xtywVYAUH6sj6UkIx6dkHptsHS6GJ6ozpc7dV6xvLAOruKgDqR8C63RaAtAht8USU9HkhN4WQ1miJj5hGRpC2weDaJYasULpqHZ1AgzB3-fzqwLQZi55I3otb2S4-C0HnSjK_FrTzUUuZPrmdgapQsUAwaCkVTdTVLy5xHGTI/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.50%20PM.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2WR9Hvl2x-Q_9o5MW4xtywVYAUH6sj6UkIx6dkHptsHS6GJ6ozpc7dV6xvLAOruKgDqR8C63RaAtAht8USU9HkhN4WQ1miJj5hGRpC2weDaJYasULpqHZ1AgzB3-fzqwLQZi55I3otb2S4-C0HnSjK_FrTzUUuZPrmdgapQsUAwaCkVTdTVLy5xHGTI/w177-h235/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.50%20PM.jpeg" width="177" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs87w8uTF98NJ8JcHJxxehAENof9P5DUSYQTIRvMvzFHSPA0NisuO4Tw9HgImNoW80IdjM9srN8ETYf78o_Ido-W1O_VUNSltoi5ehLHrtKa4rR4mB-2_kdxssn60fVMikO4ktPdoWqtqh6nYhcbLxrGh8cClJ-5VpRGoOxTdMZwoopz4idHueTRwzkL0/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.46%20PM.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs87w8uTF98NJ8JcHJxxehAENof9P5DUSYQTIRvMvzFHSPA0NisuO4Tw9HgImNoW80IdjM9srN8ETYf78o_Ido-W1O_VUNSltoi5ehLHrtKa4rR4mB-2_kdxssn60fVMikO4ktPdoWqtqh6nYhcbLxrGh8cClJ-5VpRGoOxTdMZwoopz4idHueTRwzkL0/w310-h233/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.46%20PM.jpeg" width="310" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;">The full moon and sunset were exquisite and provoked poetry. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; text-align: center;">Somehow, they seemed more magical than usual in this place. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;">The various plants, flora, dogs and peacocks added to the atmosphere.</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8sIdKzz0kDymLmb2GV4ZKdYXCXrwmiNRoh2YNcwxBfvAltdWDftSTJVtlAPtExfMM_L9_kzpQkO2BXx0OczVerks3kSyOG9dfGOXRi0IXP5LJppAAON9AUQYV1dnC1tC7P_KtMezzApimg2jdKgreeqQECiQqtwk7t2ekNJtNNoXPhNsjyfMj30MT20E" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6rrWyRZ2Q1chRwFfsXT0XC5Q9aMUkUkBwSIMCFkvyHiqNqbPO0gTiOd4-9zalla0eDKQuCjwzKyYDLGwB0_V4AZC3fFRIMLq0qYI_hERbdyIK-xgMr447bStkrJtRAVpQAzvFyt2FhwcuVyoVbTqzYybd2hMa3cji4SQzbaKnz94PeouSBtDEG6jIpXM" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="1405" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6rrWyRZ2Q1chRwFfsXT0XC5Q9aMUkUkBwSIMCFkvyHiqNqbPO0gTiOd4-9zalla0eDKQuCjwzKyYDLGwB0_V4AZC3fFRIMLq0qYI_hERbdyIK-xgMr447bStkrJtRAVpQAzvFyt2FhwcuVyoVbTqzYybd2hMa3cji4SQzbaKnz94PeouSBtDEG6jIpXM=w280-h237" width="280" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8sIdKzz0kDymLmb2GV4ZKdYXCXrwmiNRoh2YNcwxBfvAltdWDftSTJVtlAPtExfMM_L9_kzpQkO2BXx0OczVerks3kSyOG9dfGOXRi0IXP5LJppAAON9AUQYV1dnC1tC7P_KtMezzApimg2jdKgreeqQECiQqtwk7t2ekNJtNNoXPhNsjyfMj30MT20E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8sIdKzz0kDymLmb2GV4ZKdYXCXrwmiNRoh2YNcwxBfvAltdWDftSTJVtlAPtExfMM_L9_kzpQkO2BXx0OczVerks3kSyOG9dfGOXRi0IXP5LJppAAON9AUQYV1dnC1tC7P_KtMezzApimg2jdKgreeqQECiQqtwk7t2ekNJtNNoXPhNsjyfMj30MT20E=w177-h237" width="177" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since childhood, I have been happiest amidst nature and books. And this place provided both! The flaky power supply and intermittent connectivity did little to dim our morale. We found respite in the cosy cafes, quaint bookstores and street-side shopping.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdSdEVcJ6iCE_U0KFfMeO4oSx7hbH95bG5vw_v2yaNri_KHs5Miq58wsqEGNOuFTnhc0uA6dAOTmZNxAf3cOz6juE1pkgm0UFez0B_Wj6Dp8zZrJsvf2zAVbYHKPxojI_RJhLOuqOevPbNSlBpi4iseR87LXocDaUKrJUPPGGPgZNm7IAn0rPgCpTWbk/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.47%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdSdEVcJ6iCE_U0KFfMeO4oSx7hbH95bG5vw_v2yaNri_KHs5Miq58wsqEGNOuFTnhc0uA6dAOTmZNxAf3cOz6juE1pkgm0UFez0B_Wj6Dp8zZrJsvf2zAVbYHKPxojI_RJhLOuqOevPbNSlBpi4iseR87LXocDaUKrJUPPGGPgZNm7IAn0rPgCpTWbk/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.47%20PM.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The camaraderie, leg-pulling and poking fun at each others’ foibles, ensured that I never became homesick. This bonding among virtual strangers was unbelievable in such a short time, that too across multiple age groups.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWXjJVVcPfKN9IUbhjyrHEOWIRG-suEDDVQGBCw2aNheQCOO1RMLhkakQVZYc8r-D7zuYVQETfXqJlBEBIwX0mC4oPYBUY-hvgfStTPb5JtLMCakEvOS4tC8SeDXmVA8rLf5DMlH_x4FBnazpqucjA9mLWk8jhJHR5pfEW8sRZ2WvOel1gN3k6bLWPsE/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%2010.06.30%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1387" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWXjJVVcPfKN9IUbhjyrHEOWIRG-suEDDVQGBCw2aNheQCOO1RMLhkakQVZYc8r-D7zuYVQETfXqJlBEBIwX0mC4oPYBUY-hvgfStTPb5JtLMCakEvOS4tC8SeDXmVA8rLf5DMlH_x4FBnazpqucjA9mLWk8jhJHR5pfEW8sRZ2WvOel1gN3k6bLWPsE/w277-h240/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%2010.06.30%20PM.jpeg" width="277" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaDv8CNIykPO0CW25aLAGUfx1jft4m1_zZstxFgNo491SX8tYec55aOLwCZIgIBSYWQlY8xY3IfOJ0Q7wHvd948uSPJg1CpkBjC_yMt1VebxAQyHwkq3K_n2OLEv0M96BZfqPNEwPEzQ3w-kcxcy2-r53SI9Ekl0h0LMi6lItm-d5knudPfviSvHqLUJw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaDv8CNIykPO0CW25aLAGUfx1jft4m1_zZstxFgNo491SX8tYec55aOLwCZIgIBSYWQlY8xY3IfOJ0Q7wHvd948uSPJg1CpkBjC_yMt1VebxAQyHwkq3K_n2OLEv0M96BZfqPNEwPEzQ3w-kcxcy2-r53SI9Ekl0h0LMi6lItm-d5knudPfviSvHqLUJw=w318-h240" width="318" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When I returned home, my family immediately noticed the calm in me. My passion for writing glowed even brighter after all that external and internal stimuli.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3k-yyT0HXA2sPy4yaYUtIfRZYZAphP6-AJCfzEJNade2iFhhetPXUnRNUR7ypX7mHyoOfX0O3rT9_uXT_Kde1bXxVMfb_HySXhnuqYDct6DIpuFhGb4YCn951o1vEKCVqCKAlOMLTny9acU0ydeZuS7Guk76vCHYXtbAUlvUNrpVCtUkjik8ZD-GoJU/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.49%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3k-yyT0HXA2sPy4yaYUtIfRZYZAphP6-AJCfzEJNade2iFhhetPXUnRNUR7ypX7mHyoOfX0O3rT9_uXT_Kde1bXxVMfb_HySXhnuqYDct6DIpuFhGb4YCn951o1vEKCVqCKAlOMLTny9acU0ydeZuS7Guk76vCHYXtbAUlvUNrpVCtUkjik8ZD-GoJU/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-01%20at%207.40.49%20PM.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div></div></div></div>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-82493802984168572332024-01-01T22:11:00.009+05:302024-01-02T10:12:51.481+05:30Some Hindi movie reviews<p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>1) 12th fail</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Theme : Biopic</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Director : Vidhu Vinod Chopra</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The plot is based on the real-life story of IPS officer, Mohan Kumar Sharma, a best-selling book written by Ashok Pathak. It is a simple story of a 12th fail student, who through sheer grunt work and perseverance against many odds, manages to crack the UPSC examination to become an IPS officer.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Vikrant Massey has literally gotten into the skin of the protagonist by looking appropriately sleep-deprived and malnourished for this role. His look of the character is balanced by his outstanding performance to bring alive Mohan Kumar Sharma's noteworthy achievement on screen. Inspite of hailing from a village in Chambal (MP), where schools push students to cheat in order to clear 12th grade; he takes inspiration from a local cop, decides to study with integrity, and become a police officer like him. The righteous path is never easy, and indeed in his case, you really feel the burden of his failures weighing him down yet never completely breaking his spirit. The theme of "restart" is very much required to keep up the volatile spirits of today's youth, and relevant even for adults.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">He could not have done it without the sacrifice of his grandmother, the values instilled by his father and the unstinting support of some friends, well-wishers as well as his lady-love. Ably supported by Medha Shankar, Anant Joshi, Sarita Joshi, Priyanshu Chatterjee and Harish Khanna, the director has woven a truly impactful story which will be an inspiration for the current mall-hopping generation.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>2) Dunki</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Theme : Illegal immigration</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Director : Rajkumar Hirani</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rajkumar Hirani is that magician who has taken up extremely diverse yet relevant topics and made blockblusters out of them through comic screenplays. It is very apparent that he goes to a lot of depth to flesh out his characters and wields the baton such that they become unforgettable.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I have to say that the movie plot was refreshingly original even for a movie-buff such as myself. The topic is quite serious but it has been handled so deftly by the director, that though its light-hearted to watch for the most part, it leaves a massive after-thought and provokes debate regarding the ethics of illegal entry into any country. This emotional roller-coaster, backed by SRK's charisma, a tight screenplay, as well as flawless rendition of the unforgettable characters by the cast, packs a solid punch at the very end of 2023.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Set in the backdrop of Punjab, the characters are all Punjabi and speak the dialect fluently. Taapsee Pannu is extremely credible as a go-getter, wanna-be wrestler, Punjabi kudi. Vicky Kaushal's cameo is nothing short of mind-blowing, while Boman Irani, Vikram Kocchar, Anil Grover all give superb performances as the supporting cast. But the outstanding performance is by King Khan himself, who did not just ride on his phenomenal star presence, but made Hardy Singh an extremely relatable and loveable protagonist. Though the love story angle of the movie is far from satisfactory, it brings out the stark contrast in the priorities of the lead couple when faced with a life-changing decision.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It took courage to make a movie on this topic for the masses instead of sticking with a documentary and I heartily applaud the effort as well as the end-product!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3) Kathal</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Theme : Social satire on politics, police</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Director : Yashowardhan Mishra</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This is an underrated, under-marketed movie that did not get its due credit.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Kathal - a jackfruit mystery, is a heavy topic handled light-heartedly by the director and enacted very well by the cast : Sanya Malhotra, Anand Joshi, Rajpal Yadav, Vijay Raaz & Neha Saraf. It starts off as a case of two missing jackfruits from the tree of the local MLA, who pulls rank with the police to give it undue priority over other more relevant cases. Sanya is the officer in charge of investigating the missing fruits and given a carte-blanche as well as award money for finding the thief and returning the fruit before it turns ripe. Ironically, by following a text-book investigation of the same, she ends up bringing to the fore, and cracking, a much more serious crime, with the help of a well-meaning journalist and her trusted aides.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">How thrilling can the chase for 2 missing jackfruits be? Well, the movie not only manages to make it interesting, but handles the topic of caste divide, romance across ranks, women's liberation as well as fighting the "right battles", alongwith the who-dun-it thread too! Sanya Malhotra turns in a performance with undeniable versatility and confidence.</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><b></b><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><b></b><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>4) Dasvi</b></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><b></b><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Theme : Importance of education</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Director : Tushar Jalota</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This Abhishek Bachchan, Nimrat Kaur & Yami Gautam starrer was a surprise package.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What starts off as the story of a typical illiterate yet powerful politician, quickly transforms into his spiritual ascension through education - giving his matriculation exam while in jail. The reverse transformation of this wife, Nimrat, is also equally thought-provoking. All 3 have done great justice to their roles - definitely one of the best of Abhishek's career, and they got the dialects bang on too. The challenges faced by the protagonist to learn the various subjects, especially his nemesis : Maths and Hindi, totally resonated with our teenage daughter too.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">While it spans across politics, importance of education and what one can accomplish if one is committed to the goal - it is basically a human story that needs to be watched by all.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>5) Atrangi re</b></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><b></b><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Theme : Mental health</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Director : Aanand L Rai</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So much has been shown about love over the years. Indeed there is so much literature about it, that there can be hardly be any aspect of love that is novel. Yet 'Atrangi re' manages to pull this off.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With superb performances by Dhanush and Sara Ali Khan, and a contemporary theme about mental health, this one was a pleasant surprise! It definitely exceeded my expectations as far as storyline and acting are concerned. Akshay Kumar, in his cameo, lends steady support.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The various layers of the traumatized mind are unraveled gradually as we head toward the climax; the sensitive handling of the subject is a credit to the director. Definitely one of the memorable performances by Sara Ali Khan; Dhanush excels as usual. The other characters are sketched extremely well and each has their own footage and significance, even if only in a supporting role.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><b></b><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-30250073381218518142023-11-26T22:27:00.116+05:302023-11-28T17:01:06.262+05:30Nov 2023 - Madhya Pradesh diaries
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">This Nov
2023 Diwali, my family (of 7) took a vacation touring the state of Madhya
Pradesh.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span class="hgkelc"><span lang="EN">Madhya Pradesh is known as the “Heart of India” because of the variety of things
it has to offer. It has been home to cultural and spiritual heritage of almost
all the religions. Innumerable monuments, intricately carved temples, stupas,
forts and palaces are dotted all over the State. There are many national parks
& wildlife sanctuaries too - MP leads the country for its tiger population.</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span class="hgkelc"><span lang="EN"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span class="hgkelc"><span lang="EN">As per the map below, the places we visited (by road) were-</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span class="hgkelc"><b><span lang="EN">Gwalior -> Jhansi -> Orchha ->Khajuraho -> Panna -> Jabalpur
-> Bhopal -> Ujjain -> Indore</span></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span class="hgkelc"><b><span lang="EN"> </span></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span class="hgkelc"><span lang="EN">Jhansi is technically in Uttar Pradesh. Also, we visited Sanchi &
Bhimbetka - 2 UNESCO heritage sites, close to Bhopal. We had to drop
Bandhavgarh & Panchmarhi as they require separate trips to do full justice
to them and we could not really afford the added time in the itinerary of 6
busy working and schooling parties.</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJduESZj41aqSIRQSU2NOd0LMNVWhqXbFzQytpxoqbQpbBiRZosDb_aEn_TeE32oxX2dfxv6dHWofWZaXVzPvzRG3XDlb1UIiS6JBdpcXFPqYj4tGR3h-u6uUxzGCYHLJVvnpHIgvT8e30Ort8vt-qKdg0pPIPCFyhi6rkYMI5wgQGBhYbpJrmstrHT8E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="600" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJduESZj41aqSIRQSU2NOd0LMNVWhqXbFzQytpxoqbQpbBiRZosDb_aEn_TeE32oxX2dfxv6dHWofWZaXVzPvzRG3XDlb1UIiS6JBdpcXFPqYj4tGR3h-u6uUxzGCYHLJVvnpHIgvT8e30Ort8vt-qKdg0pPIPCFyhi6rkYMI5wgQGBhYbpJrmstrHT8E=w489-h415" width="489" /></a></span><br /></div><div><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">As can be
seen from the map, MP borders with the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. There are traces of cultures from all
these places found at different places within MP. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">My first impression –</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">MP is truly vast, as
could be seen from the distances we had to travel. When our flight landed at
Gwalior airport, only sprawling farmlands and open spaces were seen from above.
Throughout MP, there are hardly any tall buildings visible anywhere, and the
roads look quite clean. Even the public restrooms on highways, as well as the
tourist attractions, were odorless and had running water. The weather was
pleasant during the day and got bit chilly in early mornings and evenings. The
sun sets bit earlier than in Pune. Also, the weather was usually
bit cloudy, the heat was never too intense during the day.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Gwalior :</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Day 1 was travel plus
sightseeing at Gwalior. We were met by our guide at the airport. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">After a lunch stop, we
immediately set off for the Gwalior fort so as not to miss the daylight for
sightseeing for the day. </span><span>Gwalior Fort, situated on top of a hill, finds
its place among the best fortresses of India. It is also considered to be one
of the most impenetrable forts in the country.</span> Gwalior Fort is believed
to be over a thousand years old. It is strategically located on a steep
sandstone hill, which provides a natural defence advantage. The fort showcases
a unique amalgam of architectural styles, including Rajput, Mughal, and Hindu.
This blend of styles is a proof to the various dynasties that ruled the region. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPMjulvEo_cj1Wg7EJ47UnxMCaOzzeA-hu9TChjvxPaSJD6VgbXXcDQ7hsJ7J8rlI71Q2uCr3mWrwXM6pPtZEtQSi5-U_y9iUIXIEbIB-cIkYS9HtpkB1H1Y4WC0-xsBWSyXgJaFaOV0NKWskBAn7Zp_CyAICv3tBOq7VHEmk-MdHcWUGeEmkxqxUV8Tk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPMjulvEo_cj1Wg7EJ47UnxMCaOzzeA-hu9TChjvxPaSJD6VgbXXcDQ7hsJ7J8rlI71Q2uCr3mWrwXM6pPtZEtQSi5-U_y9iUIXIEbIB-cIkYS9HtpkB1H1Y4WC0-xsBWSyXgJaFaOV0NKWskBAn7Zp_CyAICv3tBOq7VHEmk-MdHcWUGeEmkxqxUV8Tk=w512-h385" width="512" /></a></div><b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Jai Vilas Mahal, the palace of Gwalior, is a fine example of
European architecture. It was founded by Jayaji Rao Scindia, designed and built by Lt. Col. Sir
Michael Filose. The palace is a combination of the architectural style of the
Mughals and the Medici - the first storey is Tuscan, the second Italian-Doric
and the third Corinthian.</span></p>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">The palace
serves as a residence for the descendants of the Scindia family.
It also serves as a museum stretched over 35 rooms, houses the Chitrangada Raje
Art Gallery and a library that comprises more than 5,000 books. Each<span> </span>room in the regal palace contains curios of
historical importance, including a collection of swords that date back to the
times of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, and the original Dhal (shield) that belonged
to freedom fighter Rani Laxmibai</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBa_nlGTC2Hq52jxBedHs0IpOGcoHS-lScWxklcxYZ0WFQQS5K-_j3ND-k3LLgAWIfLhMO-T8tMMHSPylmYtsVXCmLr7QdnWcArMsg5cx_STJGuGJ_Hx7EeJwBG228r9ixuPdp5ZXrB9ENA3CPpD_BZKwF7wuPmsF6XoIQu8zV_75m_NnDPglyxhD64VU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBa_nlGTC2Hq52jxBedHs0IpOGcoHS-lScWxklcxYZ0WFQQS5K-_j3ND-k3LLgAWIfLhMO-T8tMMHSPylmYtsVXCmLr7QdnWcArMsg5cx_STJGuGJ_Hx7EeJwBG228r9ixuPdp5ZXrB9ENA3CPpD_BZKwF7wuPmsF6XoIQu8zV_75m_NnDPglyxhD64VU=w537-h403" width="537" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Scindia</b> (originally Shinde), the Maratha ruling family of Gwalior,
dominated the politics of northern India in the 18<sup>th</sup> century. The
dynasty was founded by Ranoji Scindia. By his death in 1750, Ranoji had
established his capital at Ujjain. Eventually, the Scindia capital moved to
Gwalior. The greatest of Ranoji’s successors was Mahadji Scindia, who created a
north Indian empire virtually independent of the <i>peshwa</i>. He emerged
from war with the British East India Company as the recognized ruler of north-western
India, and was named as the <b>S</b>upreme <b>C</b>ommander of <b>India </b>(that’s
when the original name Shinde became SCindia - I am a little skeptical of this theory, though).</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrr9hdFWYXI7DqE6_b5A4hX0IP6-qf9zQW7fmD5gHBgAJxzKCd59fR7nA1d3Q7h2o4jiKo1rOFmpe3HnWumCzyT5DiyeASPBg3GK5VHPiZXoKjYzSaVv2N5fx4-VNJnfbiF_BuIrVfiXqFS0J12YGpkBRsmfnIupSG1pOID4QoQyPSmC4igdEt3chALFQ" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><span style="font-family: arial;">The map shows the extent of the Maratha Empire during 18<sup>th</sup>
century. The Maratha Empire reigned from the late 17th to the early 20th
century. At its peak, it covered much of the area south of Afghanistan, Pakistan
and east of India, also known as South Asia. After being checked by Britain’s
East India Company in the Third Anglo-Maratha War, it started declining and
somehow lost an impactful mention in Indian history. The picture below depicts the Scindia family crest, a combination of the
British horse insignia as well as snake emblem of Scindia family. Legend behind snake emblem is that a cobra protected Mahadji Scindia, by shading the baby from the sun with its hood. An astrologer thereafter fortold that he was destined for greatness which came to be true.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQKntOCeLo4cGcNXv30v9ZPSxn2xWDfes_SUx4XZQzQc-A1I_JFRiLCxh_7LyIsFtd7wK9UDV8VAHbsR6xcJXhMptZ0AicM0prOnh_bH1H06c-tTCnw2BOAhIabNoyTnG_CPgw33VPB_X7eUQ9-2d6CUWsbl2hs72jnHTalfBCzNcAzuHJR5Q9edzlx8A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQKntOCeLo4cGcNXv30v9ZPSxn2xWDfes_SUx4XZQzQc-A1I_JFRiLCxh_7LyIsFtd7wK9UDV8VAHbsR6xcJXhMptZ0AicM0prOnh_bH1H06c-tTCnw2BOAhIabNoyTnG_CPgw33VPB_X7eUQ9-2d6CUWsbl2hs72jnHTalfBCzNcAzuHJR5Q9edzlx8A=w291-h389" width="291" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrr9hdFWYXI7DqE6_b5A4hX0IP6-qf9zQW7fmD5gHBgAJxzKCd59fR7nA1d3Q7h2o4jiKo1rOFmpe3HnWumCzyT5DiyeASPBg3GK5VHPiZXoKjYzSaVv2N5fx4-VNJnfbiF_BuIrVfiXqFS0J12YGpkBRsmfnIupSG1pOID4QoQyPSmC4igdEt3chALFQ" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="527" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrr9hdFWYXI7DqE6_b5A4hX0IP6-qf9zQW7fmD5gHBgAJxzKCd59fR7nA1d3Q7h2o4jiKo1rOFmpe3HnWumCzyT5DiyeASPBg3GK5VHPiZXoKjYzSaVv2N5fx4-VNJnfbiF_BuIrVfiXqFS0J12YGpkBRsmfnIupSG1pOID4QoQyPSmC4igdEt3chALFQ=w306-h390" width="306" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br /></div><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div><div><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><p></p><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span>
<p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Last stop on Day1 was the<b> </b></span><span class="fulltext">Saas-bahu
temple, a shortened version of the original name "Sahastrabaahu
temple". The entire temple is covered with carvings, notably 4 idols
of Brahma, Vishnu and Saraswati above its entrance door. History
has it that Rani Laxmibai escaped from the Britishers from Jhansi to Gwalior,
and jumped from here after realizing that the King of Gwalior(her cousin) has
betrayed her. We finally checked into our lovely resort around 8pm and relaxed
there until breakfast the next day.</span><b><span lang="EN-US"> <br /></span></b></span></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Jhansi, Orchha : </span></b></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph">
</p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Day 2 was a long one – our MP road trip officially
commenced from here. We headed toward Khajuraho and passed Jhansi and Orchha
along the way. First, we visited the
historical Jhansi fort – very well covered indeed, by our local guide. He
brought out the contrast between the valor of Laxmibai, the widow-queen,
vis-a-vis the Jauhar of Rajasthan queens. We then visited 2 temples in Orchha :
Shri Ramraja mandir and the Lakshmi Narayan temple (famous for paintings on its
ceiling). Orchha</span> is renowned for the classic mural paintings, frescos and Chhatris
(cenotaphs) that were constructed to commemorate the Bundela rulers. <span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></span></p><p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">We reached Khajuraho after sundown.</span></span></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPIVUfAg-Uv614lefbP1KAtYYuQ9e14la6WPKwvVB9q3H8cjc1yGggd1Ub6ZkR2PljU22O9ldMCOdIQhUFUAlIh50f6JfaDfJhiDfsHsuuOLh0dyAcK0cISQLV6GQJ0C0fPiNGZKx3YyZIsoTlUeoLUYMTvwolOLrORsd9JIGmL8ZXRhbDx1LdkSceaPs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPIVUfAg-Uv614lefbP1KAtYYuQ9e14la6WPKwvVB9q3H8cjc1yGggd1Ub6ZkR2PljU22O9ldMCOdIQhUFUAlIh50f6JfaDfJhiDfsHsuuOLh0dyAcK0cISQLV6GQJ0C0fPiNGZKx3YyZIsoTlUeoLUYMTvwolOLrORsd9JIGmL8ZXRhbDx1LdkSceaPs=w633-h475" width="633" /></a></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><style>@font-face
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<p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Panna : </span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span>
<p class="topic-paragraph"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">On Day 3, we set off for the safari at
Panna Tiger Reserve very early in the morning. Panna is roughly an hour's drive from
Khajuraho, so some additional time got added for the commute back and forth.
The woods are vast and lovely; it was a treat to watch the forest come to life
with the rise of the sun! Though we failed to sight any of the big cats, we did
witness many deer species, monkeys, elephants as well as the tiger, leopard and
hyena footprints in the forest. Despite our acute disappointment we joked and
laughed sportingly while consuming our packed breakfast.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Khajuraho :</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">Back to the hotel, we
bathed, changed and set off to witness the grandeur of the UNESCO world
heritage site of the Khajuraho temples.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOFru2bTt9DgM3AZrL3zOA8Ig0cPGHTwYggmrlV9XjjmFOaajipn1zQHBzuGbTixyp8HeDrR2nRRQT_m4EcIXgZ_D5JeHulxyP0ya5TiZtGgGEEpDtuLPo6_43wfe9uRMXxXDGMj3suBY1OUijQXN5d8YHiqRGi1VQj3ztrJqyNOiZLWwbGHZdEDFPWtk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOFru2bTt9DgM3AZrL3zOA8Ig0cPGHTwYggmrlV9XjjmFOaajipn1zQHBzuGbTixyp8HeDrR2nRRQT_m4EcIXgZ_D5JeHulxyP0ya5TiZtGgGEEpDtuLPo6_43wfe9uRMXxXDGMj3suBY1OUijQXN5d8YHiqRGi1VQj3ztrJqyNOiZLWwbGHZdEDFPWtk=w315-h420" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFcnlhIMI9fsP04x-xeEPVDacHB9FexCNI_duutKYm7Cg5DVVlhVlEqHa4Wx5rx1epFO2HIDTIVelc2kVE8MHuIm_KT_OkI8am6gQlnsehDgOOlI1zDiV3Y54-r801mTGM6ZPhWy041cK0iMKKxOD5iZX3SZlgWBQVRB9FK3E5EBDbSoJiDP3fKB1HT7k" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFcnlhIMI9fsP04x-xeEPVDacHB9FexCNI_duutKYm7Cg5DVVlhVlEqHa4Wx5rx1epFO2HIDTIVelc2kVE8MHuIm_KT_OkI8am6gQlnsehDgOOlI1zDiV3Y54-r801mTGM6ZPhWy041cK0iMKKxOD5iZX3SZlgWBQVRB9FK3E5EBDbSoJiDP3fKB1HT7k=w317-h424" width="317" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">The temples are truly breathtakingly sculpted and the detailing is mind-blowing. They are not functional temples, however, and we even saw bats inhabiting some. Got to
hand it to our
guide, who was super sincere; he did not leave any of the details out.
Some new things I learned from him - </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">These
world-famous temples were built during the Chandela dynasty, most
temples were constructed between 950 and 1050 AD during the reigns of Hindu
Kings Yasovarman and Dhanga. Of the 85 (Hindu & Jain) temples, only 22
survive today. Most were destroyed by Muslim invaders. Thanks to Captain T.S.
Burt (a Britisher) who ‘re-discovered’ and introduced these temples to the world in 1838.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">Apparently, the
sculptures were installed in temples to lure men back to a life of marital
bliss, from one of monkhood, that had become prevalent with the advent of
Buddhism.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"> Jabalpur :</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">On Day 4, we commuted
from Khajuraho to Jabalpur and arrived the our hotel in evening. The evening
Aarti at Gwarighat of the Narmada River is a treat to watch for its spiritual
experience. It is like the more famous Ganga Aarti of Haridwar & Varanasi.
The Ghat has been renovated and is surprisingly quite clean. One can enjoy a
short boat ride to watch the ceremony from front and offer <i>diyas</i> into
the river. Since it was Diwali night, it was not crowded at all, nor did the river smell. The overall experience felt soulful!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFm5d6sbeqSIl5jJ6Qtunlg2z2Nu5vNzvAAmGy83_TMMOxIX26fTqgc9TYEDG_D-TSd3MvCqCZDqttOZQEVrEjMX_bugHKftGdvcprgTPIrRgkASDB6d0BKUmKAs3XP9miw33E6gcvpRUMo0qsILRQKtK8Cr1G5z2FCA5ie2OCtbEon7m0gdbnE9KzrmE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFm5d6sbeqSIl5jJ6Qtunlg2z2Nu5vNzvAAmGy83_TMMOxIX26fTqgc9TYEDG_D-TSd3MvCqCZDqttOZQEVrEjMX_bugHKftGdvcprgTPIrRgkASDB6d0BKUmKAs3XP9miw33E6gcvpRUMo0qsILRQKtK8Cr1G5z2FCA5ie2OCtbEon7m0gdbnE9KzrmE=w449-h337" width="449" /> </a></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Day 5 covered ropeway to Dhuandhar falls, and boating at Bhedaghat, before proceeding to the city of lakes – Bhopal. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Dhuandhar water fall and marble rocks are the major tourist attractions in Jabalpur. The fall is formed by the booming Narmada river on its way to the deep gorge of marble rock. The panoramic view of the fall from cable car is really magnificent. Bhedaghat is famous for the high marble rocks making a valley through which the river Narmada flows. Hindi movies : Asoka and Mohenjodaro, were shot here. The local guide spoke in a sing-song tone, with rhyming last words in alternate lines in his monologue.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJ7vQEwR6PX3e1E0foQnoO7T52M-GwRWFKAgYCfSuV3zixSpM-Q8iLrBbkGDS8Uu4epka7L-eF_tNRETAZIRg1vRTDf-hrWcmt-f8CmT1wvSXrsjd6PGYD1ArgAKSq-vUUxgdk8dIJejx9hGwaxaAqGioKw0-CExDblnt1a2MMcZKgiIdAQfFO58CaeYg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJ7vQEwR6PX3e1E0foQnoO7T52M-GwRWFKAgYCfSuV3zixSpM-Q8iLrBbkGDS8Uu4epka7L-eF_tNRETAZIRg1vRTDf-hrWcmt-f8CmT1wvSXrsjd6PGYD1ArgAKSq-vUUxgdk8dIJejx9hGwaxaAqGioKw0-CExDblnt1a2MMcZKgiIdAQfFO58CaeYg=w444-h333" width="444" /></a></div><div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Bhopal :</span></b><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Day 6 & 7 were
spent in Bhopal. On first day we covered 2 more UNESCO world heritage sites :
Bhimbetka rock shelters & Sanchi stupa.<br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site that
spans the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods. It exhibits the earliest traces
of human life in India and evidence of the Stone Age starting at the site in
Acheulian times. Some of the caves feature prehistoric
paintings - the earliest are dated to 10,000 BCE. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIW0ikfmoBGfvbOShhgib8uXQxfQa7rRabCQKS9-vGLwxT0-kNbklh_5DIZxo3YYaO2J1xQWSDtZjNOzadR2APjVINkDbie32ibtRbiu35o1Gel9QlFt9-zm9P1GhQ2fSWtAteEjfePmoDm0pkQ3VAka78D7KeNVfpidN7ptKHRpFqSErgCAN4QXDj-I/s1024/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-26%20at%2018.24.30.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIW0ikfmoBGfvbOShhgib8uXQxfQa7rRabCQKS9-vGLwxT0-kNbklh_5DIZxo3YYaO2J1xQWSDtZjNOzadR2APjVINkDbie32ibtRbiu35o1Gel9QlFt9-zm9P1GhQ2fSWtAteEjfePmoDm0pkQ3VAka78D7KeNVfpidN7ptKHRpFqSErgCAN4QXDj-I/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-26%20at%2018.24.30.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Great Stupa at Sanchi has been the focal point of the
Buddhist faith in the region. The inception of Sanchi as a sacred centre is
attributed to the Mauryan emperor Aśoka. His reign in 3rd century BCE was instrumental to the spread of Buddhism throughout the Indian
subcontinent. Depicting Buddha through symbols, the sculpted art shows the
evolution in sculpting techniques and the elaboration of icons, especially
depicting Buddha. Also, the kids got to learn of the Maurya dynasty, the wily Chanakya and Asoka's disillusionment with war that led him to seek solace in Buddhism.<br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Day 6 evening was spent in shopping around New
Market. On Day 7, we covered the famous Upper lake, followed by visit to Tribal museum. Spanning 7 acres, the museum
is an ode to the lives, art, aesthetics, and philosophies of various tribes who
constitute 30% of MP population. Through the fusion of materials,
lighting, imagery, mythography, and traditional modernism, Tribal Museum at Bhopal
reimagines the spatiality of museums.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEUlJLlZOtuTvizc-ukdtgUUj64NyENyo1349KyVlGSlYYLC-w6bfuHdu1zw-KU3wHcWyCzv5WNXx_q5rh3vqM39bF1cDfIKwq_q6-J1KwrfFPqczpmbTVVd9CyWpi2I1lYA0Q-Or9L9L7hfQtoDmCMx9mj9SqwlU3KO1GoIjvSzqPvBv5vOtHnw3YW0E" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEUlJLlZOtuTvizc-ukdtgUUj64NyENyo1349KyVlGSlYYLC-w6bfuHdu1zw-KU3wHcWyCzv5WNXx_q5rh3vqM39bF1cDfIKwq_q6-J1KwrfFPqczpmbTVVd9CyWpi2I1lYA0Q-Or9L9L7hfQtoDmCMx9mj9SqwlU3KO1GoIjvSzqPvBv5vOtHnw3YW0E=w277-h369" width="277" /><br /><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8YnU4kTrmmXwcryhbrUcDfzIY_I3FY4LwT5xEqPFwd_WGHeyqORlx_LgMaSV_KVqy8_wnsnV7VvrBoE-OYBekEG4OtqaEw6vW7gbmjfgJjoBaBocytK2Pc6CpKhO044K0ggAW8eYfBE3_gCpenYaxENtI4BoCrc1J-ZXbiWL_2oCmaCK9cdbii5BDnC8" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8YnU4kTrmmXwcryhbrUcDfzIY_I3FY4LwT5xEqPFwd_WGHeyqORlx_LgMaSV_KVqy8_wnsnV7VvrBoE-OYBekEG4OtqaEw6vW7gbmjfgJjoBaBocytK2Pc6CpKhO044K0ggAW8eYfBE3_gCpenYaxENtI4BoCrc1J-ZXbiWL_2oCmaCK9cdbii5BDnC8" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8YnU4kTrmmXwcryhbrUcDfzIY_I3FY4LwT5xEqPFwd_WGHeyqORlx_LgMaSV_KVqy8_wnsnV7VvrBoE-OYBekEG4OtqaEw6vW7gbmjfgJjoBaBocytK2Pc6CpKhO044K0ggAW8eYfBE3_gCpenYaxENtI4BoCrc1J-ZXbiWL_2oCmaCK9cdbii5BDnC8=w353-h353" width="353" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: arial;"> <br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Ujjain :</span></b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: arial;">We </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: arial;">reached Ujjain on evening of Day 7. Immediately, we took off for the darshan at
Mahakaaleshwar temple and witnessed the light show. This is one of the 12 <i>Jyotirlingas</i>
and is inevitably crowded. Ujjain is one out of seven salvation-providing
cities. It is famous for Gadhkalika and Harsiddhi, the two Shakti <i>Peeths</i>,
and sacred Kumbh mela that takes place in four cities of India. The cave of
king Bhartari is found here, and it is believed that Ujjain has footprints of
God Vishnu. On Day 8, we visited Ramghat, Har Siddhi Mata mandir and Saandipani
Rishi ashram, where Lord Krishna & his childhood friend, Sudama, completed their education. Some members of our party painstakingly read about each of the 64 art forms taught at the Gurukul. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: arial;">Finally, we
proceeded to our last destination – Indore.</span></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Indore :</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">Day 8 & 9 were
spent in Indore. On the first day, we checked into a very posh hotel, regrouped from our travels so we could do some serious shopping and snacking! After shopping
for Maheshwari & Chanderi saris at the cloth market near Rajwada, we were
eager to sample the goodies at Saraafa bazaar. Since Diwali had ended by then,
the crowd in this narrow lane was nothing short of scary. Yet we managed to
taste quite a few famous dishes, while balancing the various shopping bags and
hardly any place to sit! The fatigue of last many days had finally caught up
with us. The next morning, after relaxing bit more than usual, we finally
set out on the last day of sight-seeing to the Rajwada and Kaanch mandir. Lacking
the energy for any other places viz. Mandu fort or Maheshwar, we directly
headed for lunch at 56 Dukaan, after which we chilled at the Treasure Island
mall until we had to depart for our flight to Pune. <br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">Some of the mouth-watering
snacks that we enjoyed at Indore :</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Bhutte ka kees</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Khopra patties</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Joshi dahi bada</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Garaadu</span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Jaamun shots</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Shikanji</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Pani puri, Aloo tikki</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Coconut crush</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US">Shaahi Falooda & kulfi</span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <br /></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"><b>Closing note- <br /></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">And so ended our super
happening trip around MP. I had not heard of MP beyond the jungles that house
tigers as well as dacoits (by which so many Hindi movies were inspired), and of
the Bhopal gas tragedy. I discovered so much more! Though there wasn’t any of
the usual excitement for kids, they thrived in the quality time with family. We
learned so much about the history of India right from 10,000 BC till the 18<sup>th</sup>
century! The road trip via our tempo traveler was smooth; we enjoyed listening
to songs, world cup cricket as well as some repartee during the journeys. Keeping pace with teenagers as well as senior citizen, looking out for each other, being
without our office laptops, absorbing the landscapes from the bus- window,
are some of the things that stand out in making this trip truly memorable.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">It was good to have a
flexible itinerary where we could include some things that we heard of later on and
excluded some too. Leaving the shopping and food for the end turned out to be a
good decision as we were too exhausted by then; our dipping energy as well as jaded senses were rejuvenated with yummy food as well as retail therapy. Bhopal &
Gwalior stand out for me for the variety and historical significance, but every place had something novel to offer and lovely memories. Jabalpur was a surprise indeed; the mighty Narmada flowing through the valley of marble rocks is a magnificent sight. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">Indore felt very like my hometown, Baroda, albeit a bigger, and cleaner, avatar.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;">There is a sense of accomplishment whenever a task is completed satisfactorily. Especially, if its been in the works for months! That's the feeling we are all experiencing currently. <br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p></div>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-65223067066969730212023-04-23T17:52:00.006+05:302023-04-23T18:01:38.825+05:30Movie reviews : Gumraah, Jana Gana Mana<div class="separator"><p style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="" class="r48jcc pT0Scc iPVvYb" height="320" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ0FLdExWlB9yeN4JQdJxQ0PQp6_xKZxTG9GpvGWuRxCoDeaL1X" style="max-width: 739px;" width="219" /></p><p style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img class="r48jcc pT0Scc iPVvYb" height="320" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQwh2XCwZ9BFNDA8mQRsku1nPNLHqchzvqlhu0rRnUqSAPK3Piy" style="max-width: 638px;" width="211" /></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Watched a couple of movies </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">this weekend. Both were about seeking and delivering justice via the legal route. However, turns out that truth & justice are relative - they are not black and white terms as we are used to believing. The human bias, mass sentiment and flawed assumptions always create havoc in the path of true justice. </span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b>Jana Gana Mana </b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">This malayalam movie is simply awesome. The movie literally unravels like the layers of an onion and makes you cry (figuratively) more and more as it unravels. What starts as an obvious case of crime against a woman, slowly escalates into discrimination, bureaucratic corruption and attempt to mask the reality underneath massive public outcry. One should always question what one hears in media, never blindly trust the law upholders, ask pertinent questions and only then arrive at any judgement. Our legal system is in place for a reason; justice should be served after rigorous research and meticulous thought; not like instant coffee. </span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The film is definitely influenced by many real-life incidents,
especially the 2019 Hyderabad gang rape case and the ‘extrajudicial
execution’ that followed the incident. It shows what exactly is the
problem with the police breaking the law through these actions.<br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Both protagonists Suraj Venjaramoodu and Prithviraj Sukumaran have done abundant justice to their
respective roles, and the crew behind the film also deserves applause
aplenty, for boldly narrating such a relevant story on screen. </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Its a serious and thought-provoking movie that addresses the many gaps within the Indian society and legal system. Watch with sub-titles - it has mix of Hindi & English too, so easy to understand.<br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Gumraah </b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This 2023 Hindi who-dun-it (remake of Tamil film 'Thadam') starts off showing the killer clearly. However, as the police start investigating the murder, they come across two possible suspects who look exactly like each other. The movie flicks through the lives of both, in flashback, and eventually the relationship between the two is established. However, the scales keep tipping between which of the 2 suspects is the murderer, so much so that eventually, the case drags in court for 6 months with no concrete decision made! </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Every tool in the book of investigation viz. crime scene recreation, forensics, alibis, motive, surprise witnesses etc. is exhausted to no avail. The climax offers the solution and the reasoning behind the crime, as well as, the clever fogging of truth. The plot twists and the grip of the movie is retained till the very end. <br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Aditya Roy Kapur as the look-alike has performed both his roles extremely well. Both the emotional as well as the intellectual personalities are portrayed convincingly by him. The two investigators, Ronit Roy as well as Mrunal Thakur, are both extremely smart & seasoned at their jobs but get distracted by their personal biases due to which they are defeated. <b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">All in all, its a must-watch movie </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">for the nail-biting</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> clash of wills and wits between the cops and the (possible) criminals.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p></div>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-45815687079483615192023-04-22T19:51:00.007+05:302023-11-28T15:43:21.587+05:30Lessons from renovation 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhZ5ujjfbjTQySf6f-gTSC_WXEfC6BGaWlZiAwiDQxu3kfRkD7JDXf9ItatkumHPNRZwDsj6Jrhwc7uvqn85Q9bKmSNjm3pLX4aBZ6Ut2YCZq1sWXZo0QQ5_cldv079-oDo7U7yxXAMGup9BfQdXZ_zA6uEDorATErd39zxEEL0QOWiDW0S_ut6wc/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-04-19%20at%2018.22.45.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1600" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhZ5ujjfbjTQySf6f-gTSC_WXEfC6BGaWlZiAwiDQxu3kfRkD7JDXf9ItatkumHPNRZwDsj6Jrhwc7uvqn85Q9bKmSNjm3pLX4aBZ6Ut2YCZq1sWXZo0QQ5_cldv079-oDo7U7yxXAMGup9BfQdXZ_zA6uEDorATErd39zxEEL0QOWiDW0S_ut6wc/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-04-19%20at%2018.22.45.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My home is undergoing some major renovation and repairs this summer. In the initial 3 weeks, our family split up and stayed separately. We are now together since last one week but continue to live through disruption, loud noise & constant dust, workers coming and going at all hours while our work and school go on.<br /></span></span><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The entire house, our routines and mindset has undergone a sea change in this last one month. Its been a major shock and awe experience for my teenage daughter. Her room, that is her haven, has been under attack, and rejuvenated into a new avatar, right in front of her eyes. She used to lie awake at nights and had withdrawn into silence initially, to absorb this shock. On top of that she was missing her friends and confidants in this sensitive time. Hubby stayed away from us for so long for the first time and was visibly out of his comfort zone. We had basically cleanly split the responsibilities of our home and daughter for a good 3+ weeks which was not easy on either of us. I have been doing a fine balancing act managing the moods of everyone, including my own, while my home was literally torn down and is being resurrected. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We have each of us discovered new ways to cope with the situation. Not being at our own place for extended period, and adjusting to another space, is not trivial. Staying alone in a broken up home is another level of tough. Coping with work related pressures, new grade school routine and social commitments amongst all this takes resilience.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes life needs this kind of a major overhaul to come back to a better track. Change is a constant and being out of comfort zone really makes one stronger and more confident. Houses, relationships and routines sometimes need to be torn down so that a stronger and healthier foundation can be established. The pandemic and enforced lockdown had put us all into a comfort zone that we are now shaking off (or having to) in different ways.</span></span><br /></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-3875121201742159122022-12-04T12:46:00.004+05:302022-12-04T12:49:28.776+05:30Tadka - Love is cooking<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkG1NcefFSwZ1NZWdAjiUhYpVdXTX4E45ZmTbZbtPipS5T3ba2wK2e-AJ89hXBMt6X3DeW2RJ6brAYYzNEZVZu4osZn7yhoasslsdm6rf-8y3U8yetqva3iJK8yJJdXZlo737AGt8eAXsLH7Z0OQhuhsbKuz7cnsA-8GHc0ttkcgbZfgH6vCEGUpD/s393/Tadka-movie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkG1NcefFSwZ1NZWdAjiUhYpVdXTX4E45ZmTbZbtPipS5T3ba2wK2e-AJ89hXBMt6X3DeW2RJ6brAYYzNEZVZu4osZn7yhoasslsdm6rf-8y3U8yetqva3iJK8yJJdXZlo737AGt8eAXsLH7Z0OQhuhsbKuz7cnsA-8GHc0ttkcgbZfgH6vCEGUpD/s320/Tadka-movie.jpg" width="249" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Name<span> </span>: 'Tadka - Love is cooking'</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Cast<span> </span></b><b><span> </span>: Nana Patekar, Shriya Saran, Taapsee Pannu, Ali Fazal, Murali Sharma</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Director: Prakash Raj</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>OTT<span> </span><span> : Zee5</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Though the genre is 'romance for the middle-aged', surprisingly my tween daughter enjoyed watching it till the end with me. Set against the backdrop of Goa, this directorial debut of Prakash Raj, a remake of the Malayalam film "Salt N Pepper', is a delightful fare! The romance is triggered through a wrong number dialed, and the plot thickens over slow flame into a soulful serving indeed.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Nana's character is a deep, sensitive character who views life and people through the lens of food (or how it is prepared). True to his vocation of archeology, he lives in the past and is fast losing his grip on the present, due to which he is still single in his middle age. His friends mock his rejection of potential life partners based on their culinary likes. He, however, explains in latter part of the movie, why that is important for him. The bond between the protagonists (who do not see each other in the flesh until the very end), between friends, and the other couple in the movie, is brought out really well by the director. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Nana Patekar is 71 in real life and Shriya Saran is 40. Its amazing that he managed to play a 50-something character so realistically - he truly rocks!<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">I, and my daughter, have been people who never set a lot of store by food. We cannot wax eloquent on how a dish is prepared, its aroma, texture, quality etc. - for us food is just fuel to keep our bodies functioning. But to many people its an art form, its something to talk about and definitely something to enjoy at leisure. This movie taught me that its also something that reminds people of key people in their lives. Food is sometimes closely tied to emotion. We have talked about audio-visual memories & flesh memories. But food memories run deep too. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As they say, stomach is the second brain of the body. Possibly, the tongue is the second heart? The movie is a treat for all foodies, romantics and Nana Patekar fans.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-3155085876857426392022-09-18T17:26:00.009+05:302022-12-03T08:51:50.543+05:30Return to workplace ?<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">In a world polarized by WFH enthusiasts vs those who thrive
at the office, Malcolm Gladwell's recent statement supporting the latter has
been making waves. A very thought provoking insight on the ensuing debates is
found in the <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/malcolm-gladwell-is-right-to-criticize-remote-work-heres/434790" target="_blank">article</a> - "Your brain wants autonomy. Your soul needs
connection."</span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">I have always been people-centered and gain energy from
being among people. I am naturally drawn to activities that involve this. The
last couple of years have been tough for me to say the least. But I've also
grown to enjoy my own company quite a lot. Recently, when I returned from my
workplace (I follow the hybrid model), my husband actually commented
"Being among people lights a bulb inside you - you are literally
glowing." I was super exhausted after a long commute and back to back
meetings, but I guess the spark showed.</span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">It’s not just about gaining strength from people. Its also
about identifying with the place which connects you with what you do best.</span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">e.g. A proud homemaker is in her element at her home - for
that is her work. A dedicated teacher is most happy at the school where she
creates an impact for the next generation. A spiritual person gains strength
from the place they do their spiritual work in viz. meditation centre, temple
or places of spiritual gatherings. Similarly a person who is passionate about
work (it could be software development, sales, number crunching, etc.)
identifies with the place they usually operate from and gain strength from it.</span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Everyone has a different "primary" work in their
life. The place where they perform it becomes most significant for them. For
some its their home, for others its the office, some others have changed or
quit careers. Hybrid model definitely is a win-win because it gives one the
opportunity to spend time at one's primary work even if it does not happen to
be one that pays the bills. Its a more "tolerant" approach to what is
traditionally regarded as work.</span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">The pandemic and vaccinations have introduced irreversible
changes in our body, psyche and routines for sure. A lot of mindsets will need
to be revisited in this context in future - what worked before may not work
anymore. We are in the midst of a massive transition - it will require more
patience and introspection.</span></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-35150847826906296222022-08-10T21:42:00.005+05:302022-09-18T17:28:33.324+05:30Volunteer woes<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">I am part of a volunteer group in my organization called Harmony@Symphony. Infact, I head this group. It is an informal body that seeks to address various issues in the organization by drawing upon the extensive mind-share it has with various support functions and senior management. We try to find the root cause for each of the issues, discuss at length with involved parties and try to arrive at a mutually satisfactory resolution.
Recent circumstances impelled me to pour my heart out in the following poem. The above context was essential to understand the poem, hence the lengthy preface!
<i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>Some say we are the optimists, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>Some write us off as mavericks, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We prefer to see the silver lining, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>In a crowd of whiners and critics. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>The crashing elevator at GA, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>The frequently non-working lift; </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>Management said its good for our health </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We applauded – what a paradigm shift! </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We braved the stifling summer heat at AG cafeteria, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We waded through ankle-deep water in rains, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We relished being so close to nature, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>After all, no pains - no gains! </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We rallied during the mass exodus, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>The talent drain and the resource crunch, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>The Finance hiccups, the Network woes, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>With determined optimism, we faced each punch. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>A potpourri of various Enterprise Applications, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>The sadly unused Intranet Site, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We’re growing, we’re growing - is the cry, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>What are we doing to improve our plight? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We moved our belongings from GA to AG, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>And then from AG to our campus. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>And now some of us will trudge back to AG, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>Oh why this entire rumpus? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>While everyone around us railed, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We sailed though all the hardship. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>And bore the discomfort, the chaos </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>With the proverbial stiff upper lip. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We reasoned, we cajoled, and we communicated, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We strove for peace and harmony. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>We tried to see both sides for all issues, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>Oh for a voice of reason, amidst this cacophony! </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>Are we beating against a closed door? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>Are we going about this the wrong way? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>It is time to take stock, my friends, I thee implore.</i></span></div>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-82663920285084885022022-07-27T16:36:00.012+05:302022-09-18T17:29:45.466+05:30Focus - my "one word" for 2022<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>In the last couple of years, the world took a crash course in going digital. Groceries, food, parcel
deliveries, as well as OTT platforms, have taken the world by storm. Since folks could no more gossip
or vent in cafes, bars & gyms, they took to chatting, celebrating, exercising over Zoom. The pandemic
fed our captivation for 24x7 news via social media. With work and school going online, and multiple
Wi-Fi connections becoming a necessity rather than a luxury in homes, we are officially captives of
distraction.
</span></span></span>
</p><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Personally, I have rolled </span><span style="font-style: italic;">chappatis</span><span>, helped my daughter with her school work, shopped for groceries
online, tracked & received deliveries, counselled family over phone, in between attending work
meetings. Conversely, folks have “managed” to take a bath, eat or sleep, while working, in the last
couple of years.
</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Though the world is gradually returning to offline, this rampant multi-tasking has surely taken its toll.
Sleep has been the biggest casualty. Health issues are on the rise due to continuous sitting in front of
gadgets. Focus, on any one activity, is a struggle. And hence there is so much emphasis on
meditative practices, mindfulness.
</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>My 2022 new year resolution has been to consciously enhance focus in each of my activities.
So what is the big deal around Focus?
</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>We have all heard the famous </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Mahabharata </span><span>tale of Arjuna’s concentration. When his archery guru
</span><span style="font-style: italic;">Dronacharya</span><span>, set up a target in form of a bird on a tree, he asked all his pupils what they could see.
While all others claimed to see the tree, the leaves, the bird, its feathers etc., Arjuna said he could
only see the eye of the bird. On being asked if he could see the bird, leaves, tree etc. Arjun confirmed
that he could not see those. When asked to shoot his arrow, it went straight to the bird on the tree and
brought it down.
</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>That’s when his guru preached – “When you want to achieve something, you must focus on it. Close
out all other distractions and concentrate only on your target.” This is true for teenagers aspiring to be
actors, musicians, dancers, sportspeople or writers. The more concentration you pour into your craft
the more the chances of being successful at it.
</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>So, why is it so hard to concentrate and so easy to get distracted?
</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>In order to concentrate on one thing you must, by default, ignore many other things. Concentration
can only occur when we have said ‘yes’ to one option and ‘no’ to all other options. In other words,
elimination is a prerequisite for focus. Most people don’t have trouble with focusing - they have trouble
with decision making. Instead of doing the difficult work of choosing one thing over others, we often
convince ourselves that multitasking is a better option. This is ineffective.
</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>We have heard puzzles like-
</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>"A man was driving from work to pick up his daughter from school. On the way, he received a call on
his cell from his best friend’s wife. She was in tears as her husband had collapsed at home and
needed urgent attention. Their home was a bit far from where he was and he would need to get there
fast if he chose to help." He turned his car in that direction, called his wife who was at a conference, to
pick their daughter, called the school to have her there until his wife arrived. He then sped to his
friend’s place and drove him to the nearest hospital. He focused on the driving, the hospital formalities
and ensuring his friend was stabilized. He ignored the concern his daughter may have felt, that he
may not be able to get back to his work that day and that his friend’s wife was visibly distressed.
Thus, when it comes to these kind of dilemmas, our brain is able to choose what to focus on – his
friend’s life was his priority.
</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>However, in daily life, such a conscious choice is not easy. In order to decide on which option to focus
on – we must go over all the options and shortlist the top 3 as the most urgent. The rest must ALL be
ignored – meaning some sacrifices are in order. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Having prioritized goals is not enough. It is good to h</span></span><span>a</span><span>ve a goal to be a best-selling author - but to reach there, one must love the process of writing. You
need to write something every day, and keep getting better at it over the years through measuring &
tracking your progress via metrics and feedback. It requires discipline, consistent effort and falling in
love with it. When you keep chipping at the wood like a woodpecker, you eventually do fell the tree!</span></span></p></div></div></div><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column">
<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>As they say, anything you focus your attention and energy on, grows. Be it your children,
relationships, work, health or life goals. Even within relationships, we need to choose which ones are
most important and require consistent effort. We are all leaders in whatever role we are in – need not
be in a formal leadership role. A leader is the one who is in control – not only of herself but for
anything under her purview. Thus, focusing our attention on what needs it most at any given time, and
giving it your best, will always fetch the results we strive for.
</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>In IT parlance, I remember my managers emphasizing on running daily scrums. Do not cancel or
reschedule scrums & meetings, I was told ad infinitum. You may not realize the importance of this
week by week, but over the months, the discipline and knowledge that you build for the product pays
off in terms of the delivery and business it garners.
</span></span></span></p>
</div>
</div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>To sum </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>up, Focus teaches you- </span></span></span></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Saying No</span></span><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>
Decision making </span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Consistent effort </span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Measurement
</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Passion
</span></span></span></li></ol></div><div class="column">
</div>
</div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="layoutArea"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="column"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>We have all heard these in relation to leadership. Make Focus your number 1 leadership lesson for
2022!
</span></span></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-1605791188704450472021-11-10T20:58:00.022+05:302021-11-11T21:38:05.080+05:30Rajasthan diaries<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDZPwpYx3hlXmY1HYKMFcs19TjoHyCcOByoUBpNwa3mGmr2q364Yi1mwwvSSb1O_qVNGtInZ7lIAgNFR_8crXDh1VpQ5zUa8z7iw8GADwVAwkJ3f_oCgVElr6BURqvEtoy1huvJRfjt4/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2021-11-04+at+1.29.27+PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDZPwpYx3hlXmY1HYKMFcs19TjoHyCcOByoUBpNwa3mGmr2q364Yi1mwwvSSb1O_qVNGtInZ7lIAgNFR_8crXDh1VpQ5zUa8z7iw8GADwVAwkJ3f_oCgVElr6BURqvEtoy1huvJRfjt4/w410-h308/WhatsApp+Image+2021-11-04+at+1.29.27+PM.jpeg" width="410" /></a></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Khamma ghani</i></b> !! <br /></p><p>Diwali 2021 saw our family of eight travel to Rajasthan. A lot of planning and preparation went into the trip, especially working around six different calendars (4 adults working hectic IT jobs and 2 busy preteen kids). A lot of thought went into the itinerary, whether to go it solo or via a (tourism) partner. Eventually we settled on Strawberi tour of Kesari Travels. We even had to plan for kids' RTPCR tests.<br /></p><p>After much deliberation and taking people's health and age limitations into consideration; we finally converged on a plan. There were some hiccups with the flight and tempo traveler booking, but thanks to the perseverance of a couple of members, they were soon ironed out.</p><p>The trip covered Mount Abu, Udaipur, Pushkar, Ajmer & Jaipur cities, with a stopover of 1 night at Ahmedabad, Gujarat.<br /></p><p>Our guides, throughout the journey, were founts of information. The name 'Rajasthan' literally means "Land of kings" as it was formed in the year 1949 by merging 22 royal kingdoms. It is the largest state in India, in terms of area. The glory of the state is retained by its majestic palaces, forts
and monuments. The vibrant culture and rich heritage of this princely
state draws innumerable tourists from across the globe every year.
</p><p>Its major attractions include the ruins of Indus Valley
Civilization, the oldest mountain range - Aravalli, a Jain pilgrimage
site known as Dilwara Temples, Karni Mata Mandir, Ajmer Sharif dargah, the largest fort in Asia - Chittorgarh, the only hill station
of Rajasthan - Mount Abu, Keoladeo National Park (formerly Bharatpur National Park), the Ranthambhore National Park and the Sariska Tiger Reserve. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">This princely state hosts various colorful
fairs and festivals which are known for their uniqueness; one of which is the Pushkar fair. Pushkar claims (debatable) to have the only Brahma temple in the world. Another legend associated with this place is that Lord Rama
did the “<i>Pind daan</i>” of his ancestors here during his exile. Since then,
people come here to do the same for their ancestors so that they attain
‘Mukti’ or freedom from the cycle of birth and death. This is why this
place is also called <i>Tirthraj Pushkar</i>. We also offered puja for our ancestors on Diwali (<i>amavasya</i>) day at Pushkar - a truly moving experience!<br /></p><p>Some of the things I loved about the places we visited-</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Dilwara temples of Mount Abu (they are older than the Taj Mahal and certainly much more of an architectural wonder) </li><li>Peaceful ambience of Brahmakumari ashram at Mount Abu <br /></li><li>The city palace and lakes of Udaipur</li><li>Chittorgarh fort and its historical significance<br /></li><li>Brahma temple and the holy Pushkar lake (the main deity is the holy water of the lake and not any of the idols)</li><li>Ajmer Sharif dargah (though it was super crowded due to Diwali holidays)<br /></li><li>Amber Fort (<i>Diwan-e-Khaas</i>), Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar at Jaipur</li><li><i>Malpua </i>& <i>ghevar</i> sweets, <i>pyaaz kachori, </i>Rajasthani <i>thali</i><br /></li><li>Aesthetically appealing buildings, shopping experience and Diwali lighting in Jaipur</li></ul><p>Rehashed school-time history and connected some of the dots
between Lord Rama's lineage, Suryavanshis, Mughal rulers, Krishna's devotee Meerabai
and some of the Rajput royalty viz. Maharana Pratap, Padmavati,
Prithviraj Chauhan, Jodhabai etc. <br /></p><p>The desert safari jeep experience, especially the guides' expertise with clicking innovative pictures, was absolutely memorable. The drive through the rose fields, and 'stealing' gooseberries (<i>amlas</i>) from the trees, was exhilarating :) Another experience was that after unsuccessfully hunting for rickshaws post sunset, the eight of us were crammed into a single rickshaw at Fatehsagar lake. As we collectively oohed and aahed at the bumps in the road, it ran out of gas in middle of traffic! We had to split up into two rickshaws eventually. <br /></p><p>Historically, the state is divided between kingdoms that were aligned with the Mughals and those that were not. The constant reference to <i>sati</i> and <i>Johar</i> customs was disturbing - told of the plight of women in those times. There is clearly a lot of pain and tragedy suffered by the people and the scars persist even today. Despite being a traditionally patriarchical society, some of the queens left a lasting impression viz. Rani Padmavati, Meerabai and Maharani Gayatri devi. The title '<i>Sawai' </i>was first given to king Jai Singh by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb as the former displayed 1/4th more intelligence than others. Later on, he proved his wit even in warfare. The <i>Sawais</i> applied their knowledge of astronomy and astrology to warfare. Jantar Mantar is an excellent observatory for astronomy and physics enthusiasts.<br /></p><p>Though one typically tends to relate <i>dal-baati-churma</i>, Rajput pride, <i>ghunghat</i>
clad women, arid desert climate, camels and colorful, ornamental attire
with Rajasthan; there is so much more to this place! Spotted ladies
wearing interesting fusion of ethnic & western garments and men sporting attractive Jodhpuri jackets & ear
jewelry. The architectural splendor of buildings, paintings and art
galleries bear proof to the emphasis on aesthetics in a predominantly
warrior populated state. Its also home to many water bodies, verdant, sprawling gardens and a luxurious lifestyle. Loved the rickshaws,
double decker buses and multi-laned roads of the various cities. Jaipur
airport is quietly impressive. </p><p>Our tempo traveler witnessed many games, friendly banter, competitive photography and even some melodrama during the week. We enjoyed home made Diwali snacks, sumptuous Gujarati snacks provided by a friend in Ahmedabad and old hindi songs via the tempo's USB drive. Even managed to steal snippets of quiet contemplation and ME time amidst the constant company. </p><p>Only peeves were a decided lack of variety in food / cuisines. Kids were hankering for pizzas and fast food by the end of it. All in all, an extremely satisfactory getaway after the harrowing months of WFH & lockdown. Even the repeated packing and unpacking at various hotels did not faze us :) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrL5u9WpqMrRbV2tT1tCs-_XTPuQFz3isbRo2mtDQ0ZYcylTtL20tKzGTJJmpkSN-umrv15BPmoQecoKth-Dw8xnyUVZiqpTXpZxUA3qw6q4OG0gae8gzhBxEciaz_LLxbB2kP98_JPg/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2021-11-04+at+1.30.21+PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrL5u9WpqMrRbV2tT1tCs-_XTPuQFz3isbRo2mtDQ0ZYcylTtL20tKzGTJJmpkSN-umrv15BPmoQecoKth-Dw8xnyUVZiqpTXpZxUA3qw6q4OG0gae8gzhBxEciaz_LLxbB2kP98_JPg/w232-h309/WhatsApp+Image+2021-11-04+at+1.30.21+PM.jpeg" width="232" /></a></div><p></p><p></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-83281221372263396502021-08-25T10:06:00.005+05:302021-08-25T10:37:11.651+05:30Boys will be boys, however fast their toys! <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCXuPWjebQStVIreWNHvoppEsZo6wMOCFZstUhdd7Z4D2P04hGo-UNHSPL50lWozym7WlY1agFxGgAu_ff6hgsTZsiKDQtI6oEqVGrEdUZiWZvDV4Aqt2IQiSVxqND8q1z2GzeMbq_ok/s474/fordposter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCXuPWjebQStVIreWNHvoppEsZo6wMOCFZstUhdd7Z4D2P04hGo-UNHSPL50lWozym7WlY1agFxGgAu_ff6hgsTZsiKDQtI6oEqVGrEdUZiWZvDV4Aqt2IQiSVxqND8q1z2GzeMbq_ok/s320/fordposter.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"></h2><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ford Vs Ferrari - movie review <b> </b></span></span></h1><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><b>Director</b> - James Mangold<br /><b>Cast </b>- Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas, Cationa Balfe, Tracy Letts</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A couple of years ago, back when we used to go to office, one of our leaders had mentioned about this movie and how it had left an impression. I have been meaning to watch this movie since then but never got an opportunity until recently. Too bad I couldn't watch it on the big screen.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Directed by James Mangold, and given spectacular horsepower by dual male leads Christian Bale and Matt Damon,
“Ford v Ferrari” is a period sports drama, that not only appeals to the "need for speed" population, but also lends a sensitive human touch to this true story. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The story unfolds with Damon's (Shelby's) voice over about what it feels like to hit 7,000 RPM with a car, that gives an insight into why some people race - its not just a passion but a calling. Shelby is an ex-racing star turned car engineer & designer owing to health issues. He finds his soulmate in Bale (Miles), who is a feisty and formidable car mechanic as well as an expert behind the wheel.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My take on the story is that its about the MALE ego and revenge :) It recounts a business deal gone wrong and the reaction of a stubborn, egotistical automotive titan who is determined to get his pound of flesh. Henry Ford II (Hank the Deuce) is worried about the sales of Ford in 1963. To boost the sales, Lee Iacocca proposes a bold marketing strategy– to win one of the most prestigious car races in the world – 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ford needed a sports car in his portfolio and since there was no plan to build one, he decided to acquire Ferrari that was a legend in that space. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">However, Enzo Ferrari took objection to one of the clauses in the contract and withdrew at the last moment. He insulted Ford to his representatives and added fuel to the fire by selling a majority stake in Ferrari to fellow Italian automaker Fiat. This enraged Ford to an extent where he decided to build a sports car that would humiliate Ferrari where it mattered the most - the Le Mans race. The seeds for the legendary GT40 car were sowed.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That's where Carroll Shelby, one of the only American drivers to ever win at Le Mans, is entrusted with the design of the winning car. Together with a second world war veteran, British talented but volatile driver, Ken Miles, he reinvents the GT40 and works through all the bugs. These are two stubborn, headstrong individuals who inadvertently become strong allies and forge a lasting friendship. But they are ultimately only cogs in the vicious wheel of corporate rivalry. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ford didn’t
just defeat Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966, it humiliated the Italian
stallions. While Ferrari didn’t even have a car that completed the race,
GT40 Mk. II’s captured first, second and third places.The
finish wasn’t without controversy. Late in the race, Miles was well
ahead of the competition, on his way to ending Ferrari’s dominance at Le
Mans and becoming the only driver to win the world’s three biggest
endurance race—the 24 hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours
of Le Mans—in the same year.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ford’s PR guru Leo Beebe wanted to celebrate the win with a picture of
the trio crossing the finish line together. So, he had Shelby order
Miles to slow down and let the other GT40 teams catch up. After crossing
the line, Miles was informed that he did not win the race. His teammate
Bruce McLaren did. McLaren started several cars behind Miles. Anyway, the mutinous Miles did turn into a team player and learned that it comes with a cost.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Some of the better scenes of the movie go to Miles' wife - Mollie (Caitriona Balfe) and their son. Despite his unpredictable temperament, he is a family man and devoted to them. Though she doesn’t have a heap of screen time, Balfe is forceful in all
she does. Annoyed with Miles, Mollie guns their station wagon at such a
furious clip that even he, seated beside her, begs her to slow down. And
Balfe is there again, in the movie’s best scene—no cars, no crowds,
simply a sunny day in suburbia. Shelby and Miles are slugging it out on a patch of grass across the street.
Mollie emerges, takes one look, and, instead of rushing over to stop
them, fetches herself a garden chair and calmly settles down with a copy
of <i>Better Living</i> to watch the bout unfold. Auto racing in the mid-sixties was a male dominated world but Balfe manages to leave a mark nevertheless. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The more dangerous fight is reserved for the track—for many tracks, from
Willow Springs, an hour or so north of Los Angeles, to Daytona, and
thus, climactically, to the course at Le Mans. The racing sequences are so authentically mounted that you can almost
smell the burning rubber as the squealing tyres pierce your soul. The movie is 2.5 hours long, could have been shorter, but its a great watch!<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My husband's take was its a movie about answering your calling, whereas mine was, boys will be boys :) </span></span><br /></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-14068799914835198802021-08-16T10:03:00.006+05:302021-08-16T10:07:50.140+05:30Samrat & Co. - movie review<p><img class="lead-img" data-original="https://th.thgim.com/static/img/1x1_spacer.png" src="https://th.thgim.com/static/img/1x1_spacer.png" /> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7WGikOc0yGzyrm4f3DtUgQz1pFoVGG6maGEcKbPGDZD64T4A95Kqhr5UsNZknQ5Mt5c6P_35GYC-1YMdTbj9CziXG7Wn7WuRa2zsVBTK4eKjqqAaVEISpmIcro2R2D_jbe_PcQh4T8b8/s960/27CP_SAMRAT_AND_CO_JPG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="960" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7WGikOc0yGzyrm4f3DtUgQz1pFoVGG6maGEcKbPGDZD64T4A95Kqhr5UsNZknQ5Mt5c6P_35GYC-1YMdTbj9CziXG7Wn7WuRa2zsVBTK4eKjqqAaVEISpmIcro2R2D_jbe_PcQh4T8b8/s320/27CP_SAMRAT_AND_CO_JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">I watched this movie without reading the reviews beforehand - which was good because its not as bad as they make it sound :)<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Samrat Tilakdhari (STD) is a brilliant detective (heavily inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes) who is a bit jaded on not receiving any meaty cases off late. Like Holmes, he takes to heavy caffeine intake, smoking and street fighting, when not meaningfully occupied. His 'company' consists of his bumbling right-hand Chakradhar (CD) and his housekeeper/cook. Both are again inspired by Dr. Watson and Mrs. Hudson in the original work. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rajeev Khandelwal has taken up the challenge of creating a parallel of Robert Downey Jr. or Benedict Cumberbatch in Bollywood quite sportingly. He has copied some of their mannerisms, even pulled off the combination of intelligence and agility well. The camerawork, direction and cinematography borrows heavily from their films too. Its truly a "Holmage" to the legendary detective! If only they had not succumbed to the inevitable hindi film romantic angle and needless songs. Rajshri productions too has dared to branch out into the thriller genre (from syrupy family dramas) in an attempt to create a lucrative series - but judging from the boxoffice failure of this film, it may not be on the cards anymore.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">A lovely and loaded heiress from Shimla arrives at Rajeev's doorstep and enrolls his services to investigate her family mansion's dying garden, her father's suddenly deteriorating health and some mysterious happenings. All of them are being attributed to a dead person's spirit hovering over the mansion but Samrat obviously does not buy into that and agrees to take on the case. The action begins when bodies start dropping with the old man dying first. There is even an attempt on Samrat's life but the heiress gets embroiled unwittingly which gives rise to an action-packed rescue scene. The characters are drawn well and contribute to the plot's complexity - three threads running independently have tangled it and Rajeev has to unravel it to get to the bottom of the mystery. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">All in all, its a good watch if one does not try to compare Rajeev with Cumberbatch or Downey Jr. Bollywood is not well known for delving into whodunits as a genre as its tough to serve with the usual <i>masala</i> for our audience - there is bound to be some dilution. Also, except for Rajeev, the other characters do not hold up their own in the movie though they are quite good at what they are supposed to be doing - most of them are not known to public. Rajeev has certainly done his homework well but somehow fails to leave a personal stamp on the character. <br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-70790490915145097502021-08-09T08:47:00.007+05:302021-08-25T10:47:06.388+05:30Achanak - hindi movie review<h2 style="text-align: left;"><u><b>Achanak (1973)</b></u></h2><p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Genre:</b> Thriller<b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Director:</b> Gulzar
</span></span></p><p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cast:</b> Vinod Khanna, Om Shivpuri, Lily Chakraborty, Farida Jalal, Asrani, Iftekar</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Story:</b> Khwaja Ahmed Abbas</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Written by:</b> Gulzar</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Music:</b> Vasant Desai</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Box office status:</b> Hit</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've acted out this movie name in dumbcharades mutliple times over the years but never actually got around to watching it. Finally got the opportunity yesterday. It was chosen due to its genre being "Thriller" and we were expecting a juicy murder mystery - also the fact that it was directed by Gulzar, intrigued us.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">It, however, turned out to be a totally different ballgame altogether, yet entertaining. Both the director (Gulzar), and main lead (Vinod Khanna), were a pleasant surprise. Its definitely the best performance by Khanna and he looks great too! Inspired by the true life story of </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kawas Nanavati, a naval commander, who killed his wife’s lover Prem Ahuja, </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gulzar pegged the narrative on a story by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas where the protagonist kills his philandering wife too. Gulzar delved into the layers of the human psyche and came up with a
riveting moral battle between judiciary and medical science. Mounted
like a thriller, the 90-minute song-less narrative goes back and forth
in time as the director keeps you hungry for more.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Though the identity of the killer is no secret, the plot has a couple of moral dilemmas that have been handled sensitively (Gulzar's forte). </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Vinod Khanna goes
against his popular image and makes an entry on a stretcher. Shot
through the chest, the doctor(Om Shivpuri) has given up on him but Khanna
survives multiple operations. The flashback tells us about his army
background and how he used his training to kill the two most important
people in his life. Instead of showing the act of killing, Gulzar
smartly cuts to training sessions where Khanna learnt the tricks to
neutralise the enemy.The soldier has won medals for his stint in the army and is even shown telling his wife in a flashback that his medal reminds him of the people he has killed. Yet, he does what he has been trained to do when he eliminates his enemies in personal life by killing them. That's the first moral dilemma - is war justified? </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Khanna is expected to underplay and he does it without turning into a cardboard.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Om Shivpuri as the cigarette smoking doctor Chaudhary takes the quandary
to another level. He and his team (Farida Jalal and Asrani) save Khanna only to be sent back to the gallows. It says something about the
criminal justice system which waits for the guilty to be healthy to be
punished. Gulzar doesn’t come up with any clear cut answers. But the
ambiguity is not boring as he opens a debate that continues to rankle.
And the moral impasse does come in the way of the pace of the thriller
best exemplified by the sequence where dogs chase a bare-foot, and bare-chested, Khanna. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gulzar has a knack for finding humor in the mundane and his wordplay is
legendary. When the colonel father-in-law (Iftekhar) tells Khanna he
is not only his sir but also <i>sasur</i>, it comes as a relief amidst tense
moments. Letters recorded on tape create an interesting romantic
tapestry giving us a sense of the times.</span></span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The repeated use of “<i>Sun Mere Bandhu Re</i>” (Sujata) as a refrain giving
this battle of heart and mind a lyrical expression. That heart is not
just a pumping station. Though, Gulzar steered clear of songs, towards
the end during in an emotional parting, Khanna and his father-in-law,
who, by the way, also wants to save him, salute each other, one could
sense the tune of “<i>Koi Hota Jisko Apna Hum Apna Keh Lete</i>”.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Achanak” as a fairly well made film apart from the disappointing climax. The way the director kept shuttling back and forth between past and present, the boldness of some of the dialogues, the dog chase scene, and the light syrupy scenes between Khanna and Farida Jalal in latter part of the movie, are well ahead of its times. Its definitely a classic and surprisingly was well received by the audience too.</span></span> <br /></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-29101631004030549592021-08-08T18:58:00.008+05:302021-08-25T10:44:40.114+05:30Free rein<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the schools having gone digital since Mar 2020, its been a challenge to ensure that the kids do not go out and mingle with others. Keeping them occupied meaningfully at home has been a challenge for parents. While balancing the household chores, increased work hours, kids' studies, everyone's health, keeping an eye on what the kids are watching / reading is a HUGE task. Many parents have been turning a blind eye leading to gadget addiction, exposure to foul language and titillating stuff. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">My 11 year old (she was 10 last year) took to the MS Teams platform of her school pretty well and is quite independent in navigating her way through it. She even downloads the question paper, scans the answer sheets and uploads them by herself now! While school is one way to occupy them, gadgets and digital entertainment has taken their world by storm. Its daunting to monitor what they view on the internet and also on platforms like Netflix etc. They are smart enough to exchange notes and tips with their peer group and I am always focused on not exposing her to content beyond her preteen age. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the help of MY peer group, and my own research, I've introduced her to some series (books as well as Netflix) that not only kept HER entertained but piqued our interest too :) I'm also thankful that they have helped her learn certain life skills and made her ponder some dilemmas too. These avenues are a good way to give our kids wings or giving free rein to their sponge-like learning abilities. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are some -</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3D20DhuasVZLRK7BlA_LK7wPZji2nF8GjBoW2rsqUqh5UmYmgXwIPzw945aXR-3DgsoFzvkLhM5lUcKRm6EMKObix1_tJKtYktkRqXAKef6qP7mg8L89emocueF-HDuAtZ6KwjIpDKEk/s310/howtotrainyourdragonlrg1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="310" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3D20DhuasVZLRK7BlA_LK7wPZji2nF8GjBoW2rsqUqh5UmYmgXwIPzw945aXR-3DgsoFzvkLhM5lUcKRm6EMKObix1_tJKtYktkRqXAKef6qP7mg8L89emocueF-HDuAtZ6KwjIpDKEk/s0/howtotrainyourdragonlrg1.jpg" width="310" /></a></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>How to train your dragon</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hiccup is a slight, scrawny Viking who lives
in Berk, a mountainside village, where his fierce, machismo father - Stoick, is tribal leader. The village has been dealing with a "dragon problem" for a long time.
The village teens go
to a special training camp to learn how to kill dragons. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">During one dragon attack, Hiccup sneaks out and uses his own specially
built weapon against a dragon. He thinks he might have hit it but isn't
sure until he comes upon a young black dragon with green eyes in the forest the next day. The dragon is injured, cannot fly away and as scared as him. Hiccup brings some food and much to his surprise, the boy and the
beast bond. Now his challenge is to convince the other kids in his
dragon-fighting class, especially Astrid, and his
father, that everything they thought about the dragons is wrong. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWM20lGF165DS2UDNq9wvmd4I0AeNFkoRMT7KvUqrw03sLn7R7J51qvCXGcW2i8o3G0lDmifXZtZyuMw37tOXWGypy-f5EmmrXOiHwuNJvXqfZpcEdbxLcyGBIbm9Lw43fWf16DaegxI/s255/free-rein.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="170" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWM20lGF165DS2UDNq9wvmd4I0AeNFkoRMT7KvUqrw03sLn7R7J51qvCXGcW2i8o3G0lDmifXZtZyuMw37tOXWGypy-f5EmmrXOiHwuNJvXqfZpcEdbxLcyGBIbm9Lw43fWf16DaegxI/s0/free-rein.jpg" width="170" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Free rein</b></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is a horse-centric teen drama </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">which follows 15 year-old Zoe as she ventures with her overprotective
mother Maggie, and fashion-obsessed younger sister Rosie, from L.A. to her
grandfather’s home in the English countryside. Zoe makes some new friends there, even manages to tame a dangerous horse named Raven (a tad incredible).</span> </b><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Over the course of 10 episodes Zoe and her new friends investigate
the mystery of the horse thieves thought to be responsible for Raven’s
disappearance. The typical life lessons about hard work, friendship
and loyalty abound. One aspect that stands out is that <span style="font-weight: 400;">Zoe, the main character, is black. The equestrian world has a diversity problem, and a big part of that
problem is fueled by the public perception of what the equestrian world
is. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">This show has anything your aching heart could desire: the vibrant
British country side, horsey fantasy, bucket load of drama, and attractive British
lads! Yes, Free Rein has it all. And it has my kiddo's heart :)<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXxt5D6VH1B4Uj1K1hifkU1pT_5oxPEWhr8wcJktopUo5gLo4mG504r0K6S46txJBnPors4Y4evSR9epmq_ryUqi_U97e0npCxr-FgYOYVIAaiFSuuRisfF2pF9RpiZDboPZYeAb6QYs/s1440/InBESTigators.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXxt5D6VH1B4Uj1K1hifkU1pT_5oxPEWhr8wcJktopUo5gLo4mG504r0K6S46txJBnPors4Y4evSR9epmq_ryUqi_U97e0npCxr-FgYOYVIAaiFSuuRisfF2pF9RpiZDboPZYeAb6QYs/s320/InBESTigators.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The InBESTigators</b></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The <i>InBESTigators </i>is an Australian series
featuring four unlikely friends who form a detective agency to solve
mysteries brought to them by town locals. Ezra, a precocious, tech-savvy
kid, Maudie, the wickedly smart and socially awkward new girl, Kyle,
an immensely likable goof, and dramatic Ava are as different as could
be, but each bring unique talents to the team. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Though not officially an
educational show, the pint-sized detectives use the critical thinking
skills of observation, analysis, evaluation, and explanation in the
course of their investigations. Themes of kindness, teamwork, and
responsibility make this a solid pick, which also has a racially diverse
cast that often defies gender roles. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">All of the characters are endearing and there is always an explanation
at the end as to why certain choices were made. It’s also great to see
the children apologize for their mistakes. Yes, there are stereotypes but nothing that a discussion with the children can’t resolve. </span></span></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-33817699369373109252021-07-22T14:25:00.006+05:302021-07-22T15:04:17.004+05:30My pandemic story<p class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5OsDzU_aEjHMt4K5UV41G5188j9iEdfsDlCcfnk6qd_ioF59QwVxJx1kEnvbDRL45RFE0GZ0qdYcb3RKNYdWVg5iTwr7Lgk609Wim0WFIHlzZd7tOiSHj3Lm85hOb2QXezyXFdrdq-0/s720/WhatsApp+Image+2021-07-21+at+12.38.05+PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5OsDzU_aEjHMt4K5UV41G5188j9iEdfsDlCcfnk6qd_ioF59QwVxJx1kEnvbDRL45RFE0GZ0qdYcb3RKNYdWVg5iTwr7Lgk609Wim0WFIHlzZd7tOiSHj3Lm85hOb2QXezyXFdrdq-0/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2021-07-21+at+12.38.05+PM.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Everyone
has a story to tell in this pandemic. It could be about themselves or about
someone close. In the last 16 months, there is scarcely anyone who has not
undergone a (mini or major) crisis in their lives.
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">While I
managed to sail through the domestic help challenges, lockdown hassles, hectic
work-life & school-life integration, health issues of close family members,
multiple Corona cases in my society and workplace; my time eventually arrived
after I had taken 2 doses of vaccination. No, it was not covid. It started with
a mild swelling in my lower left leg which became painful quickly so much so
that I was only able to walk by limping. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After
clearing all the orthopedic tests (they ruled out joint inflammation, varicose
veins), I was advised to do the venous Doppler test. I could not clear that one </span>:-(<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I
was diagnosed with DVT (deep vein thrombosis). For the laymen, I had a clot in
my left leg just below the backside of the knee. Apparently, it had been a guest
for a while, and my body had been trying to circulate blood around it for a
couple of months already! Basically, I had been living with a time bomb in my
body. The thought of what could have happened rocked my world off its axis. I
vowed then and there NOT to google about it. I haven’t till date, but others
have, and have been telling me how lucky I have been.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When I met
the vascular surgeon that same day at Joshi hospital, he asked me to get
admitted immediately. That was not even an option as I had to meet and prepare
my 11-year-old who was completely oblivious. Doc suggested I go meet her, pack
a bag and get myself under his care that same night for 5 days. He promised that
there need not be any surgery, but immobilization of leg and observation of my
body under anti-coagulants would be the mode of treatment. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I called up
my brother, who in turn gave a heads up to our mom. We all left for my home
together. I got a few mins head start, time enough to have a conversation with
my daughter, which was punctuated with a lot of crying. Then the cavalry arrived,
and there was a flurry of packing & planning. By 11 pm that night, I was
ensconced in my hospital bed that was to be my home for the next few days.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The time at
the hospital gave me a break from my immediate responsibilities at home, work,
and daughter – and most importantly, it brought my health into sudden, sharp
focus. Rest was the need of the hour. I underwent multiple tests during this
time as doctors could not pinpoint the root cause. The doctors and staff were extremely
cordial, empathetic, and tried to keep things as stress free as possible. There
wasn’t a problem with my blood vessels, but blood itself needs to be
replenished by eating frequent and nutritious meals, healthy hemoglobin levels
need to be maintained moving forward and stress-taking nature needs to change. It
was good to understand how my body was doing and which course corrections to
make.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It wasn’t
all hunky-dory. The leg elevation on Bohlar frame, not being allowed to put any weight on
my leg, was quite uncomfortable. Some of the nights were sleepless. There were many painful
pricks from the various tests they had done, injections administered and the IV
they had connected to the back of my right palm. I was rendered left-handed for
a few days. There were constant checks on my temperature, blood pressure and
oxygen saturation. What I ate, how much I ate, and all my bodily functions were
scrutinized. Even my gynaec health was under scrutiny. My progress was good, however,
and my body responded well to all medication. I was finally discharged after 7
days. I had completely forgotten Covid during that time (though I used to don
my face mask religiously). Quite a lot of my extended family called or visited
me in the hospital, and we had many insightful conversations. When people see
your vulnerability, they feel emboldened to unburden themselves. Even hubby and
I got to spend many quality hours together which we never did during the
lockdown. It felt good to be the recipient of so much concern, care and goodwill
– the pandemic really starved us of human connect. It felt special to receive homemade
food from relatives, being fed fruit by my brother, given feet rub by my <i>bhabhi
</i>and total pampering by hubby.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I was not bothered about work or by colleagues, thankfully. Even after returning home, it feels
good to enjoy the consideration shown by maids, daughter, and my colleagues.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Complete
recovery is still some time away, but my daily progress continues to fill me
with hope. Life has slowed down literally as all walking & movements have
to be slow. I hate that my near and dear ones had to be so worried, even now I
see them watching me covertly to see if I am in any sort of discomfort and
hiding it from them. My daughter too has become fiery in her consideration of
me – orders me to sit down after I stand for too long (I am not to stand or sit
for too long). Luckily there are no stringent diet or any other restrictions to
be followed – just to take it easy, take timely medication and not take stress.
Easier said than done but I can sure get used to all the pampering </span>:-)</span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What amazed
me in all of this, is how it all came together so smoothly – it was as if a divine
force guided everything to fall into place with minimum ripples, despite these
being difficult times. The place where I got tested for DVT is close by and was
open at the time I needed the test to be done; other centers are quite far apparently.
We did not have any choice with the hospital, but it turned out to be decent. The
rains held up until I was in the hospital, so no one was inconvenienced. My daughter
studied and gave her periodic exam by herself. My mom underwent her cataract procedure
and after care without any fuss. My FIL too is cooperating with my SIL, undergoing
tests for his ailment diligently. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My faith in
the divine has certainly been strengthened. Also, my priorities in life have
undergone a sea change – yes, practicalities need to be taken care of (such as
making a will) but we also need to cherish every relationship, relish every moment,
get rid of the drama & conflict. Declutter, simplify and detox is the way
forward. Life is so fragile and precious.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjMny-9koIhOBe25eD3xeHNR-0ZEybk_zrhBKrIptSryFJp4suaX4Pld_0aM0_JlzNxVEZdPleoINL3bexWNeQfGfAMO_ls1b4oFcIDhKJ2AEYaG3wgQWsUbEE4G7SLhMTdr0vNw0TMM/s1280/WhatsApp+Image+2021-07-21+at+12.38.26+PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjMny-9koIhOBe25eD3xeHNR-0ZEybk_zrhBKrIptSryFJp4suaX4Pld_0aM0_JlzNxVEZdPleoINL3bexWNeQfGfAMO_ls1b4oFcIDhKJ2AEYaG3wgQWsUbEE4G7SLhMTdr0vNw0TMM/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2021-07-21+at+12.38.26+PM.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-47978764230069187572021-05-22T18:27:00.008+05:302021-08-25T10:47:42.656+05:30Socializing during lockdown<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">My school friend asked me to share a video with my wishes for the 50th wedding anniversary of her parents. I actually sat down and wrote about marriage and what it means to be married for 50 yrs! And then shot a video on my phone speaking about it. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Birthday parties and
family get togethers on zoom or google hangouts, service anniversaries
and release parties on webex, writing blogs, articles, poems on pandemic
and the various ripples caused by it - these are some positive side
effects of covid-19. </span></span> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJWf1tGM4WNlh-LW524Mx9xo2oD3n6qDwfAoQNrlwL6ke9L75a-sHTe_ZbEcTVd_BXxg-H3yYEgTtMU58mXBpzs3rmxXZzUeZ1SdhQXC9bO08rROOOJ8en8FVGBQ7sE_iAlFs_wh3HIo/s2048/Shirodkar-zoom-party.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJWf1tGM4WNlh-LW524Mx9xo2oD3n6qDwfAoQNrlwL6ke9L75a-sHTe_ZbEcTVd_BXxg-H3yYEgTtMU58mXBpzs3rmxXZzUeZ1SdhQXC9bO08rROOOJ8en8FVGBQ7sE_iAlFs_wh3HIo/s320/Shirodkar-zoom-party.png" width="320" /></a></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everything is getting the due scrutiny and recognition that was previously denied in the hustle and bustle of life. Life has come to a standstill, freedom of movement is literally curtailed, sometimes even the breath is labored - but this extended pause has led to so much introspection, appreciation, gratitude and expression of the same in creative ways e.g. Sankranti haldi-kumkum this year had women sporting matching silk face masks alongwith their finery :)<br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOGT51NO2C2_iKoOb8dmHKeVHslYQB-9OylEn6TBVhm28zEEkFL7rZqp1Z6Q9I2jxKuADx7lJcz_07J_RxZoaqMXCl7Oi58b2brFA8JE-N_oh-SN6T4QsQtwWWqiEhBUz90Ol2XLvaN4/s1280/Friends.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOGT51NO2C2_iKoOb8dmHKeVHslYQB-9OylEn6TBVhm28zEEkFL7rZqp1Z6Q9I2jxKuADx7lJcz_07J_RxZoaqMXCl7Oi58b2brFA8JE-N_oh-SN6T4QsQtwWWqiEhBUz90Ol2XLvaN4/s320/Friends.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Children's
summer camps are so much more interesting - Anu attended a creative
writing and logical thinking class so far. They actually taught how to
write a story, and also how to think, via playing live, online games,
solving puzzles etc! The fact that it is virtual is hardly a barrier to
learning - infact minute nuances are being registered and applied by
the students. Anu amazes with surprisingly insightful opinions sometimes. I may not have aged much in last 15 months but my daughter
sure has matured by leaps and bounds! </span></span>My colleagues, family, friends, neighbors, maids, and even acquaintances, have a much better understanding of who I am and vice versa. Socializing may have been halted but social life goes on virtually via social media, conference calls and online forums. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Man has once again proved that he will not be defeated by nature :)<br /></span></span></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-39352896580912772112021-05-14T10:52:00.004+05:302021-08-25T10:48:12.468+05:30Whatsapp status - the pandemic culture<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZH2HO4dFI5rhWKp3igkcvN1eB5BzIsRZ7jxfkdW04YJgjP-5au16KQwofHnQf5QllIkyPt0JoTpUHsiK2cTDRgQipWaaVjaBId81sAE4Yq0xMfv0AZS8aKDNXgtD9j-Hg43wwyyNU4w/s240/wa_image.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZH2HO4dFI5rhWKp3igkcvN1eB5BzIsRZ7jxfkdW04YJgjP-5au16KQwofHnQf5QllIkyPt0JoTpUHsiK2cTDRgQipWaaVjaBId81sAE4Yq0xMfv0AZS8aKDNXgtD9j-Hg43wwyyNU4w/s0/wa_image.jpg" /></a></div><br /> Ever since WFH got enforced since last year, I've gotten into the habit of updating my Whatsapp status daily. It is either an old or current click or its some thought / learning that resonated with me. <p></p><p>Though I started this as a passtime it turned out to have many side effects! </p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Apparently, it gave hope and inspiration to folks who could not handle the lockdown and pandemic.</li><li>It gave a chance for well wishers to reassure themselves about my well being.</li><li>A colleague commented that I was his social media icon! He checked my status daily though he never commented - it was his way of keeping in touch!</li><li>Someone challenged me by saying I am a showoff that's why I share pics everyday :)</li><li>Many others commented on some status or other and I realized that we thought similarly or felt strongly about certain common things!</li><li>For some it gave a semblance of normalcy in their routine to check my daily whatsapp status and if I stopped sharing they became anxious.</li><li>For some it was a source of entertainment and curiosity.</li><li>I managed to connect with so many disparate groups through that one medium - it was interesting to see who all checked my status :)</li></ul><p>I had stopped this habit consciously as a new year resolution. But off late I have resumed it. <br /></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-23918425710509769852021-05-13T00:10:00.012+05:302021-08-25T10:48:55.230+05:30Mental health – the silent pandemic<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">2020 was an
unprecedented year. We experienced a drastic change in our daily routine, and an
overnight upheaval in our freedom, luxuries, social fabric,
even livelihoods. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">2021 is level
2 of this calamity wherein we are witnessing a closer impact to human life and
humanity. India has been hit harder this year and we have seen personal impact
in almost every family due to the deadly second wave of corona. The virus is
mutating rapidly and our readiness to handle this pandemic has fallen short
despite having had a year’s head start, even with burden of our dense population.
</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As a people
manager in an IT company, I’ve been privy to challenges faced by many team
members in 2020 as well as 2021, across multiple cities. The horror of this
year is unspeakable. I had given up following news in newspapers and TV long
ago. I am now scared to check the same on social media. Whatsapp has become the
bane of my existence – I hear of so many +ve cases of known people, deaths of those
I knew, as well as suffering of people due to scarcity of life-saving
resources. And then there has always been the impact to several industries, decline
of entire businesses, loss of jobs, insecurity in work and life. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No amount
of yoga, breathing exercises and meditation is able to contain the anxiety and
anger anymore. Tempers are flaring at the drop of a hat; people are either
walking on tiptoe with family, friends, neighbors and colleagues, or they are
getting into verbal or physical spats. Suppressed emotion, intolerable grief,
constant anxiety is giving rise to depression and mental health issues. Children
too are caught up in it now. Everyone is so busy trying to cope and survive
that it’s difficult to be there for others anymore. I read an article where
even the mental health experts and counselors were experiencing fatigue due to
the sheer number of cases they were handling daily.</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The enormity
of this historic disaster in the intellectual 21<sup>st</sup> century cannot be
denied anymore. The collective human ego has been crushed into oblivion; our so-called
progress and limitless knowledge have failed us when we need it the most. The facade
of sophistication has been removed and the ugly faces of many have come to the
fore (nothing to do with lack of salons). </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are
still those that find fulfillment in helping the less fortunate, praying and
following the social distancing rules. But am wondering if their numbers are
enough to sustain this species or we are on the brink of witnessing the extinction
of the homo sapiens. If the disease does not take us, will our mental health
issues destroy us through suicides and general anarchy brought on by this calamity?
Will the disruption in formal education of the young ones cause them to rebel
and self-sabotage?</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Survival is
the name of the game currently, but what comes next? Surely, it’s a long road
ahead to recovery. Or maybe the human species itself is mutating due to this
pandemic and we will never get back to whatever felt normal before. The outside
world may get restored to normalcy eventually, but our internal landscape will
be transformed for eternity. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This situation
reminds me of this difference between Hell and Heaven-</span></span></b></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There is a kitchen where soup is prepared in huge cauldrons
and the only tool available to drink the soup are long-handled spoons. People who had landed in Hell were standing around the steaming pots,
starving but unable to serve themselves the soup due to spoons being too long to reach their mouths.<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The people who were in Heaven did not give up. Someone thought of an idea. If I take soup in the spoon and
point it to my neighbor’s mouth, he can eat it at least. Soon, everyone stood
in a circle, fed their neighbor and survived the ordeal.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCCCgRw6KXcjPQ0hDIzTeO-Z4FXMsy6y3ENTrXfUJcG7bIpDinFTzhAKh5XqvGz7GDW7SWoEjHUfcORoERXUttVfaNvHDHRvAa5bFyjLfi09kzdTc8tkfcJQu8C9QXZkISxR16Z6KN7g/s566/spoon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCCCgRw6KXcjPQ0hDIzTeO-Z4FXMsy6y3ENTrXfUJcG7bIpDinFTzhAKh5XqvGz7GDW7SWoEjHUfcORoERXUttVfaNvHDHRvAa5bFyjLfi09kzdTc8tkfcJQu8C9QXZkISxR16Z6KN7g/s320/spoon.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Let us try
to hang on to our sanity for as long as we can. Each of us will have to find his/her
own way of coping but know that we are all in it together. Let us control the
judgements, the expectations and the angst. Let us try to find catharsis through non-destructive
ways and support each other along the way. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">God bless.</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-32170899207089393522021-04-08T22:19:00.020+05:302021-08-08T22:19:50.897+05:30The Pandemic - a kid's perspective<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgef9AiupwfIUNBOyVifKYg4Y7OJXu-MJaEe1oHPFqRab0eotnkoQ_hyphenhyphen_mtyZGApQEM1rUcepjLXdxXcEFDYMuzKIay2zBfeEubivktaCNLZPX7INKkfKtJ8W4fg3YSqINbrM_jPaLGVNI/s1280/WhatsApp+Image+2021-04-08+at+9.58.43+PM.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgef9AiupwfIUNBOyVifKYg4Y7OJXu-MJaEe1oHPFqRab0eotnkoQ_hyphenhyphen_mtyZGApQEM1rUcepjLXdxXcEFDYMuzKIay2zBfeEubivktaCNLZPX7INKkfKtJ8W4fg3YSqINbrM_jPaLGVNI/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2021-04-08+at+9.58.43+PM.jpeg" width="320" /></a><div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDo5l738f7JEQsckqcBwxeQmgkkBFFyqwbS8lEksHETQbQO5Uz9tg_M3C_Gyrg68k_BqAvSOwvIqRZITy9nArNKDFdncvruMVLpwoFo8AE3Bs7e62Zyds8Rpeg66XWe3SBMbIRLZqTnzo/s1280/WhatsApp+Image+2021-04-08+at+10.04.46+PM.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDo5l738f7JEQsckqcBwxeQmgkkBFFyqwbS8lEksHETQbQO5Uz9tg_M3C_Gyrg68k_BqAvSOwvIqRZITy9nArNKDFdncvruMVLpwoFo8AE3Bs7e62Zyds8Rpeg66XWe3SBMbIRLZqTnzo/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2021-04-08+at+10.04.46+PM.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> This pandemic, and subsequent lockdown, has given some unforgettable memories to our children. They have had to attend digital classrooms and give online exams. They have had to entertain themselves while their working parents are in endless meetings or phone calls. They have been separated from their teachers, friends and extended families for months. They have had to find solace in activities like cooking, helping with household chores etc. Some have had to undergo online classes viz. origami, programming, pottery etc. Some good memories include being creative, watching interesting movies, reading lots of books, online games viz. Minecraft, Roblox, solving endless puzzles, playing cards or board games and enjoying loads of family time! They even took to wearing masks and sanitizing like fish to water. They gave up their favorite restaurants, mall and travel experiences.</span></span></span><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">The only outside experiences allowed to them were nature retreats but most of them did not mind. Even the hair cutting experience was wrought with a lot of anxiety as self grooming became a chore.</span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Some have had to counsel their friends when their families were impacted by Covid, whereas others have had to deal with actual quarantine of one or more family members. But the fact is that these kids are what has kept us adults sane throughout. Praying that this experience will not scar them for life. God bless them.</span></span><br /></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqChGZEk31h3rTbXHLU_xU68pqwPc6L96G0TuhMmLVJKk7pOWBuNkKgH9TcFSkqTgb0PF6wG8uhJlUS_nOs-0QJwvYO7a32N1SKJd9-LJgDXlGXdLijDtFoiLrW1ifS_WwuUcNzluo_c/s1280/WhatsApp+Image+2021-04-08+at+10.09.27+PM.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqChGZEk31h3rTbXHLU_xU68pqwPc6L96G0TuhMmLVJKk7pOWBuNkKgH9TcFSkqTgb0PF6wG8uhJlUS_nOs-0QJwvYO7a32N1SKJd9-LJgDXlGXdLijDtFoiLrW1ifS_WwuUcNzluo_c/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2021-04-08+at+10.09.27+PM.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM39k7NB5vdU13fqd9UGs_ReW5XqZu1JtjIAJZG9w9ulPtloSRzOOy5FCCbY92gpzkZFQNGcnGDJk47x_IcszDF587j369dh05a63gTn6TMN0iWFgcl9BaUGWHVTuIxSjlMQgNrR9q3PM/s1280/WhatsApp+Image+2021-04-08+at+10.03.15+PM.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM39k7NB5vdU13fqd9UGs_ReW5XqZu1JtjIAJZG9w9ulPtloSRzOOy5FCCbY92gpzkZFQNGcnGDJk47x_IcszDF587j369dh05a63gTn6TMN0iWFgcl9BaUGWHVTuIxSjlMQgNrR9q3PM/w290-h218/WhatsApp+Image+2021-04-08+at+10.03.15+PM.jpeg" width="290" /></a><br /><p><br /></p>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-3968279918680102482021-02-06T21:09:00.036+05:302022-12-03T09:02:28.962+05:30The seduction of Tarot<p><br /></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg39gJrrjviJYOjaXP0rEnXTgKo0yOmK_n4w0rIFldwElR1gYm76sQMe3enmKa4QrLRXQCIOPJiduohtZr7IjREjoyq7zhnwUEV0EkQV5b4VOBikfoDeKtIa58O9BcPZOyZfuse19fbIg/s1170/Tarot4.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg39gJrrjviJYOjaXP0rEnXTgKo0yOmK_n4w0rIFldwElR1gYm76sQMe3enmKa4QrLRXQCIOPJiduohtZr7IjREjoyq7zhnwUEV0EkQV5b4VOBikfoDeKtIa58O9BcPZOyZfuse19fbIg/s320/Tarot4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">2020
has been a year of addictions. Some got hooked onto Netflix, Youtube,
learning, yoga, fitness, diet, cooking, cleaning - the list goes on!</span></span> Astrology was another thing of interest as most people were curious to know when this historical time(pandemic) was going to end and the pause lifted from their lives. This was the first year when I watched a tarot reading on Youtube. And then I watched the next one, and the next, and soon I was sucked into the world of tarot :) </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am not a total convert, but watching them provides hope, and entertainment, sometimes. </span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeDsPWLvL_6Fo52c_0XY4qTUlajkRXYwkHZtOhBzvXLvokUhrXXs2jsA0FGe37PUSvnkhnV9RW-MUHfyonzjMM8KlS14vk1FXjq_gpdumG5YawiyA-IuwU1b7Um0xKKclAACKm8iWIE4/s1170/WhatsApp+Image+2021-06-08+at+5.30.38+PM.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeDsPWLvL_6Fo52c_0XY4qTUlajkRXYwkHZtOhBzvXLvokUhrXXs2jsA0FGe37PUSvnkhnV9RW-MUHfyonzjMM8KlS14vk1FXjq_gpdumG5YawiyA-IuwU1b7Um0xKKclAACKm8iWIE4/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2021-06-08+at+5.30.38+PM.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some of the rituals around it have become reassuring. The candles, decorative trinkets, spectrum of colors, tarot readers' attire, hair, jewelry, accent, the pets or children in the background, the cards themselves - all create a soothing yet </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">stunning ambience in which to lose myself for a few minutes. The info about the different tarot decks, vivid description of the figures in the cards, and their unique interpretation of the spread is quite interesting! Titles of the their Youtube videos are clickbait :)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzK1IHPmpLxtAaZ9HFU5tX_ljH4vf6j84ktF9zcrLBL_pe4b9oyJmi5w0jXacFGYcc5Vto-rSf7UMwMUSDBq39g7j_ouRBcfYYNmk_PN8NQvZEhIWnbD7HrJFMOvqBBkVmGlv7voL2Sc/s1600/Tarot-6.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1600" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzK1IHPmpLxtAaZ9HFU5tX_ljH4vf6j84ktF9zcrLBL_pe4b9oyJmi5w0jXacFGYcc5Vto-rSf7UMwMUSDBq39g7j_ouRBcfYYNmk_PN8NQvZEhIWnbD7HrJFMOvqBBkVmGlv7voL2Sc/s320/Tarot-6.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>The readings themselves have been entertaining as well as enriching. I have learned so many new turns of phrases (viz. synchronicities, situationship, manifestation, mirroring, glow up), spirituality concepts (viz. karmic cycles; soulmate, karmic connection, twin flame, </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">lightworker, shadow work</span></span></span></span>)</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> and some profound <i>gyaan</i> on how to deal with heart-wrenching pain. Healing from emotional pain itself has 5 stages, and it requires steadfast discipline and perseverance. Love is not just the filial or romantic one, but one for the self and the Holy spirit, is also very much required to bring balance into our lives. It is all connected - our emotional health impacts our relationships, our performance at work, success in life and also our physical health. </span></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX4Fd0FlMLrevBwcmIsxwfsV5SNXfeqJHql200RQV-kDaSgr8LOszfgidhA27wdEJv8XYCUf5IlBLE9ATPCSGaHk1oWnJqW_BGdf08I7X4Mi9wfZnOuKpL9qL2C0z-96a9w46uYlXwe8/s1170/WhatsApp+Image+2021-04-21+at+11.27.05+AM.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1170" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX4Fd0FlMLrevBwcmIsxwfsV5SNXfeqJHql200RQV-kDaSgr8LOszfgidhA27wdEJv8XYCUf5IlBLE9ATPCSGaHk1oWnJqW_BGdf08I7X4Mi9wfZnOuKpL9qL2C0z-96a9w46uYlXwe8/w320-h148/WhatsApp+Image+2021-04-21+at+11.27.05+AM.jpeg" width="320" /></a> Though they talk about using precious stones or crystals for mitigation, its really our faith that brings about the change. It is difficult to just pray and wait in inaction. Various rituals, fasts or "remedies" were invented so people can be distracted via something while trudging through their journey of hope. Meditation & breathing techniques that they recommend is really useful in spiritual healing, I've found. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdsOGJQUkUmMHJ5AKR2QGtXaZyq1-pFQCCIdlY5ul84ibXml10Qifoqk_3Jhn2FvwThiCGbDH6Qf5iuWGFpAQ29boxr-DDVr9eRgxO1J4390ADKv_jkTuDDwhWAh3nLUhxaARvKRerZ4/s1600/Tarot-5.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1600" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdsOGJQUkUmMHJ5AKR2QGtXaZyq1-pFQCCIdlY5ul84ibXml10Qifoqk_3Jhn2FvwThiCGbDH6Qf5iuWGFpAQ29boxr-DDVr9eRgxO1J4390ADKv_jkTuDDwhWAh3nLUhxaARvKRerZ4/s320/Tarot-5.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have benefited from some of the advice provided by the readers myself. </span></span>Self love,
forgiveness, perseverance, following your intuition - all are solid tips. Life becomes easier, and healthier, after you heal with their advice. Once you are vibrating at a higher frequency, you start attracting only the high vibrational people thereby reducing the stress and angst. Eventually the
readings are not required anymore :)</span></span></span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU9WBI7ncu7QMm2rXYjQaS7Lpr_C2g4w5mCGRygkIjlBdwqqkOqwP2XzjDlv00arX_UD0xF8qOwIcMmLPjpo-YqACxIE4DVH1_QTt1t2FU_Ib8rkV5aNJY9GZRDTZGvuUq2maw3d8Y7U/s1170/WhatsApp+Image+2021-06-08+at+8.48.28+PM.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div></span><p></p><br />Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-34965094465645305452021-01-13T13:53:00.023+05:302021-05-08T22:29:07.681+05:30Transforming into a butterfly...<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97oqezGloT2kKf5Oi2rzgQao78qxJHhJCgNbxOF1erw7bE5oRvAyVhsHwMgwftKBo-YeEjDqtiMGRTNnVUsxTdsIGNxil0SjZTXfE6ZCgDP-R5P7Ml5GvaL0OTwUNN35-AQP3zQO8itg/s544/WhatsApp+Image+2021-05-08+at+2.32.24+PM.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="454" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97oqezGloT2kKf5Oi2rzgQao78qxJHhJCgNbxOF1erw7bE5oRvAyVhsHwMgwftKBo-YeEjDqtiMGRTNnVUsxTdsIGNxil0SjZTXfE6ZCgDP-R5P7Ml5GvaL0OTwUNN35-AQP3zQO8itg/w250-h301/WhatsApp+Image+2021-05-08+at+2.32.24+PM.jpeg" width="250" /></a></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><span> 2020 has been a tough and humbling year for </span></span></span></span>most.
Those who managed to escape with their ego intact missed out on a
golden opportunity to lose it :) Through some of the knocks from life in
this tumultuous year, I like to think that I managed to absorb a lot of
pain and turn it into a path-changing soul journey. Some of my
learning- <br /></span></span></span></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span>Its not necessary to be the most positive, strong person in a relationship always. Its OK to show, or feel, vulnerability.</span></span></span></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span>Its
not important that things have to be in the format that you are used
to, or expect. Be open and accepting of others’ formats (even though its
inferior / incomplete in your opinion).</span></span></span></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span>Its
not important to always have some action / interaction to reach a
conclusion in a situation. Sometimes a pause, a time off is required to
preserve a relationship.</span></span></span></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span>Do
not pour yourself into anyone, or anything, without thinking of
yourself too. Its important to establish firm boundaries and equal give
& take</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span></span></li></ul><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span>Some things unfold in divine timing only, one cannot control or rush the outcome. Learn to let go of the reigns. </span></span></span></span></span>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-79994907489001336892020-12-27T12:42:00.012+05:302021-05-08T22:31:58.732+05:30As I bid good-bye to 2020<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>As we bid good-bye to this historical year 2020, I wanted to
pen down some of my learnings from this year.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>Firstly, it was a year of penance for all the new year
resolutions you had been cheating on for the past years. In case you wanted to
lose pounds, eat healthier, breathe more, become fitter, connect with your
maker, engage with the family more, be an interested participant in your kids’ education,
DIY, give to thy neighbors, spare the environment, introspect and meditate, cut
the spending on needless shopping, traveling, entertainment etc.…you get the
drift <span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span>
Karma and payback are real. If you have not done any of the above in 2020, well,
you missed the bus.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>Secondly, those who had always felt that going digital, gadgets,
technology and robots were only for the elite, or the nerds, had another think
coming. Digital is here to stay, and you better upskill and embrace it as a way
of life. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>Thirdly, it is possible to study, work, get a medical checkup,
attend various classes, celebrate festivals, birthday parties, reunions, play
games, attend conferences & events, even host virtual exhibitions and enjoy
global cuisines from your own home. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>But what I was most impressed with were the below two lessons
– </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>The buck stops with you</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>It all depends on how well you manage time</span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>2020 saw a lot of our support system falling apart abruptly.
Whether it’s the freedom to roam around freely, the dependence on domestic help,
beauty parlors, gymnasiums, physiotherapy sessions, our friendly grocer, dhobi,
autowala, cabbie, even television channels, newspapers, cinemas, chit-chat
groups, family doctor etc. We had to really depend on ourselves most of the
time for a lot of our necessities. Sometimes people we depended on in our families,
or at work, were not around to shelter us and we had to make do without them. We
had to tap into our inner reserves of strength and resilience. And we saw the
effect of it immediately too – a haircut gone wrong, a recipe messed up, muscle
injuries through unnatural bending or stretching during cleaning, acidity or other
health issues due to eating what we liked all the time etc. We learned that we
cannot blame anyone else for all of these boo boos anymore – its upto us and
unless we improve, things will not. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>The lesson on time was the toughest one-</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>If you are in quarantine by yourself, well too much time on
hand is depressing. If, however, you have a super busy workday AND have to do
chores at home OR time-slice the computer or broadband with other members of
your family – well you better plan well! How to squeeze all of it into a teeny-weeny
24-hour day was a daily challenge. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>If you lost your job, time spent in searching and waiting
for the next one was a painful and stressful process. If you are retired, unoccupied
or your work is not WFH-friendly, then whiling away the time at home without
the usual sources of distraction was sometimes suicidal. And then there were
those who were waiting for the time to be right to migrate to some place, tie
the knot, start their family, end their relationship, start their graduate education,
etc. For them, waiting for things to happen in “divine time” was learned
prematurely. For some, their bodies degenerated before time and for others, it’s
as if the aging process slowed down. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>
</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span>For me, the most precious learning is that there is no beating or cheating Time. It is the most
important asset and there is simply no way to expand or contract it at our
convenience. A healthy respect for this precious asset is what determines our success and
happiness eventually. It is not important to fill every slot in our day to
manage time better. It is most essential to leave some empty slots too to
recuperate, build resilience and grow. Time is finite; and once gone, it can
never be recovered. So, it’s critical to make the most of it, create and
document memories and help others manage it too. After all, our happiness depends on
those around us.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExBqMgeh4GhhjoR7KPPJtNohlSV_gkOJd-CTl2N3qId0YegvWhx98y6HPcdggoIe1bNNwMrdRKw5TcF6aNK1r3EbmdE1l9OpmnU0AFRNLpgSX1Qwdu1alfgQV2ljVYqEqXiSfA-0PmNk/s640/farewell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExBqMgeh4GhhjoR7KPPJtNohlSV_gkOJd-CTl2N3qId0YegvWhx98y6HPcdggoIe1bNNwMrdRKw5TcF6aNK1r3EbmdE1l9OpmnU0AFRNLpgSX1Qwdu1alfgQV2ljVYqEqXiSfA-0PmNk/s320/farewell.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span><span><br /> </span></span></span><p></p><p></p><p><style>@font-face
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{margin-bottom:0in;}</style></p></div>Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-91120838494702945612020-07-12T19:17:00.001+05:302021-08-09T09:24:45.030+05:30Social media during the Covid-19 lockdown<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">The only way to stay connected post the first lockdown, and social distancing,
was via social media viz. whatsapp, twitter, facebook, Instagram etc.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
I was trying to recall what all transpired on all these media in the past 4
months - I am on 2 family, 2 college, 2 alumni school, 3 office, 1 school
(daughter's) and 1 society whatsapp groups.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
<b>School group-</b></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> Is the school open tomorrow? No, they declared holidays
till Fri. Summer vacation begins Mon.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
<b>Family group 1-</b></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> Covid-19 spread from China because someone ate an
infected bat. This had been known years ago, even a Hollywood movie was made
about it!</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
<b>Family group 2 -</b></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> Importance of sanitizers, soap, hand washing, masks</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
<b>Family group 3 -</b></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> Video of car exploding because the driver sanitized
hands with sanitizer before starting the ignition</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Salt water gargling, steam, tulsi tea, neti, Coronil, Arsenic
album, Hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir, Becozinc, Vitamin C, garlic, ginger,
turmeric for immunity boosting</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
<b>Office group - </b></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> This is all planned as a bio-war by China. They want to
kill the US economy. Is there a WFH for us? How long is it for?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Business continuity planning(BCP), crisis management team
(CMT) established</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> They should continue with the board exams, its so unfair, kids
have been studying all year </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
<b>Friend group -</b></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> US and UK friends have seen the peak already. Full of
advice for their India friends. Videos of folks stranded outside India on how
they are surviving</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
<b>Society group -</b></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> Instructions for lockdown, do not go out without masks.
Instructions for milk, paper distribution, parcel receipt, vegetable vendor
availability etc.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> I am ordering mangoes in bulk, let me know who all wants to
order. The person is a friend, hygiene is taken care of</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Are you paying the maids?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
<b>Twitter - </b></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> Discussions on how the disease spread in all the
countries. How lax US, UK and Italy were in containing it and how well China
curbed it.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> How irresponsible of the MP, and Kanika, to attend/host
parties after traveling back from abroad? They managed to infect so many?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> How irresponsible to assemble in large numbers at mosques,
churches, temples? Close down all the religious places</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Modiji addressed the nation so well. Felt so good to complete
the pay-tribute-to-doctors and light-a-candle tasks. The day and time was
chosen inline with astrology too. We are in safe hands.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
<b>Facebook - </b></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> Dalgona Coffee, Sari challenge, travel pic challenge,
recipe challenge,</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Books, Netflix, Doordarshan recommendations, discussions,
reviews</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> How to do eyebrows at home, easy haircut and coloring </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
<b>Instagram</b></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> Pics of self made food, kitchen garden, nostalgic travel,
family pics, sky, rains, scenery captured from behind closed doors</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">>> Online classes to begin from Mon, Have you installed MS
Teams? How do I login?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Puzzles, games, apps</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Mango van stopped due to intercity commute blockage. Mangoes
delayed by a week.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Containment zones, color coding of areas, Mumbai, Pune,
Ahmedabad are the worst! How are you guys coping? We are leaving for our
hometowns - you take care </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Online classes for yoga, meditation, kathak, bharat natyam,
chess, music, drawing, sketching, Japanese, coding </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> YouTube recipe channels by friends, family and sundry
acquaintances</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Are you still paying the maids?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Please do not chat in private groups, kids!</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> How to sanitize groceries, parcels, clothes</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Anyone have a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Lets meet on Zoom over the weekend. Please ensure that elders
are on video too. </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> How do I set up PayTm, G-Pay, mobile banking on my phone?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Watch parties - storytelling, music, talent, yoga, spiritual
talks </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Are you still paying the maids? </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Endless webinars on reviving economy, upskilling in latest
skills, emotional well being</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Baking a cake is a MUST else pandemic will not end</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Brooms, mops, vacuum cleaners, robotic cleaners, dishwashers
in demand</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> No newspapers, no maids/drivers, no sweepers allowed. You have
to dump your trash at the pre-destined location, collect milk at the main gate</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> WFH extended by another month. Oh, I miss my office, when can
I go to office? I miss my office chair</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> I miss the school and my classmates. Its hard to follow what
the teacher is saying, many times someone mutes her</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Did the Italians go through all this too ? Boy, did the
Americans mess up big time.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> I am ordering fruits, vegetables, grocery boxes, dairy and
bakery items. Interested folks, please DM me. </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Unlock 1 : Let the maids, sweepers come. We cannot cope
anymore. We want to order food.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Will the schools be reducing fee for this year?
Transportation, facilities and cafeteria fees should be pardoned for
sure. </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Lets install sanitization booths, temperature guns and enforce
masks. Let us restrict visitors though.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> I am having network issues, ma'am. Can you repeat?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Travel passes between cities, OTP for visitors </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Elaborate sketches, coloring, photography - what art!</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> xyz maid was not wearing mask today. Please ensure your maids
wear masks.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> WFH extended one more time. Horrible pain in neck and back.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Those poor migrant workers. The government should have thought
about them</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Cyclones, floods, locusts</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> How to recognize early symptoms? </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> George Floyd, racism, black lives matter</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Power cut at my place, cannot come online</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Anyone needs anything from Nature's basket? I am stopping by
today.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Are you happy with these online classes? I am not too
sure. </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Are you allowing your maid to knead the dough? I do it myself
and when she is in kitchen, all of us withdraw into the bedroom</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Riots everywhere, film stars dying or committing suicide,
celebrities testing Covid-19 positive</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Nature is thriving, dolphins observed in Venice lake,
flamingoes in Navi Mumbai, wild animals take to the deserted roads in North
India</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Cases are rising, these police and politicians are corrupt</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Real numbers of Covid test not being revealed. </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Flights and trains are running, people are traveling, parlors
are open finally</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Migrant workers are the reason the disease is spreading
everywhere.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> How to make attractive yet practical masks?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Mental health awareness, clinical depression, are you talking
to your loved ones often?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Work, work, work</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Started home catering business. Here is the brochure, taking
orders from tomorrow</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Bored, bored, bored</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Started counseling from home. Call me for any issues you have </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> We have all sinned, collective karma caught up. Pray, pray,
pray</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Eat, eat, eat </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Our next door neighbor tested +ve. Oh is it? Lets not go out
into the lobby.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> So many died of Covid - it will happen to all of us one day.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Lets ban all Chinese goods, delete Chinese apps and stop
eating Chinese food</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
>> Silence, silence, silence; ignore, ignore, delete. </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br />
And so it goes on. Life continues on its roller coaster, uncertain path. </span></span></span><br />
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Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367477092015587062.post-6503165798185454182020-05-10T09:53:00.003+05:302021-06-08T21:04:20.984+05:30Lockdown Diaries<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">On
completion of 2 whole months of lockdown and WFH in the wake of the COVID-19
pandemic, I thought of penning my thoughts. </span><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">Social media
has been rife with latest updates on the pandemic, the political situation, the
categorization of various zones and what it entails, how certain sects are
violating the norms of social distancing more than others, patriotism in the
form of completing tasks given by our PM, nature mending itself due to this
unexpected respite, cooking, cleaning, self-grooming, fitness, learning,
spiritualism, psychoanalysis are the new hot skills etc.</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">Initially,
there was a lot of struggle to manage so many tasks on our own. We have been so
used to domestic help in India that those who have never undertaken any
household duties were caught napping. As people gradually settled into their
new normal, there was more focus on where the next meal on the table would come
from. Some lucky households had the inhabitants doing the chores in a round
robin fashion or distributed them. Whereas other households still struggled
with traditional “roles” for each member. The person who was working from home
was always “working” whereas the others picked up the backlog at home. If only
the working person had focused more on helping the other members, there would
have been much more balance all around. </span><br />
<br />
<span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">Managing
children at home was another herculean task. Most parents felt that the kids
needed to be engaged all the time with meaningful activities and enrolled them
in various online activities. Personally, I felt they should be involved in the
domestic activities and taught life skills which some of us adults had never
picked up. This is a disrupting phase in all our lives, and the children need
to learn to cope with it in their own way – not in the way we want them to.
Schools struggled to get their systems ready for online classes, at least in
India. But soon many gaps came to the fore as they found that the children were
distracted by the new-found access to digital collaboration tools.</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">Zoom
& other video conferencing tools, FB watch parties, WhatsApp video
calls, all became a rage with even the non-IT folks. However, all soon realized
that there is not much to share in these meetings – after all how long can one
talk about what they cooked today, what kind of family drama unfolded and which
workout they followed. Each day is merging into another with such monotony that
there is not much to share with others anymore. After having exhausted all
means of such distraction in absence of pubs, malls, travel, or eating out,
hopefully people will finally turn within themselves to find solace. The only
place that is agog with activity is one’s inner world. There is so much
introspection, observation, epiphany happening there – if only people will take
the time to do it. It has the power to not only build our immunity but make us
stronger to face the obvious repercussions of this extended lockdown and
history-changing events. All this thinking is also very disturbing and one
should step past the inevitable regrets, guilt, depression, or suicidal
thoughts. The real metamorphosis is not of the nature, or the economy, or human
relations – the real evolution happening is that of the Human Being. This
evolution will definitely entail writing new rules for civilization,
relationships, work, economy, etc. </span><br />
<br />
<span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">Trying to
apply all that worked before COVID-19 (e.g. taxes) is a fruitless move – need
to anticipate the changing dynamics in every aspect. Maybe family members are
colleagues now and colleagues are family? Time to rethink all that we have
accepted as the immutable facts till now.</span><br />
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Niluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881009190943901923noreply@blogger.com1