Tis was the festival of colors

Holi has become just another festival, a date on a calendar that comes and goes away. However this was not always the case . There was a time when Holi used to be a pivotal point in our lives. The preparation for which started many weeks ahead of the festival of holi. This was the festival that the entire family celebrated together. In those times families were not nuclear instead it meant all the uncles and aunts and even the neighbors gathering at our home. Every one would don there crisp whites and start playing with yellow tesu flowers that were soaked in water to color it with the organic color. If you thought this was boring then wait. This used to be just a warm up session. Soon this mild form of Holi would turn into a riot of colors with everyone smearing each others faces with gulal. This used to be the way of getting everyone  into the mood. Then with each round of color play with gulal the battle of colors would intensify. Gulal would give way to faster and darker colors and everyone would be running after one another trying to outdo in smearing colors. By the time this ritual would have reached feverish pitch and by now everyone would be covered with layers of color from head to toe. The hair would be all filled with colors and so was the face. If this was not enough the abandoned bathtub in the backyard would be filled with fast colors and one by one each member of the family would be chased and literally pushed into the tub. All this was in good fun and care was taken that no one got hurt.The only protection that I know used to be the “Tail Ka Jod” or the oil massage that my mother insisted that I apply on all my exposed body parts and my hair. This coating of oil would help us wash of the color after the festivities stopped . Now a days neither do the relatives get together nor are there festivities. Everyone avoids playing Holi on one pretext or the other .Suddenly “Celebrating Holi” has become a taboo word that no one wants to touch even with a barge pole.In all this aversion to playing Holi I miss all the togetherness, that care free running after one another,that smearing of colors and then eating sweets and Namkeen together. It was not the time of Selfies as no one had cell phones yet the visions of those carefree Holi festivities and the memories  are etched clearly in my heart and mind and I yearn to relive those funtastic Holi moments one more time.So this year I and my family have decided to relive those happy times once again. We plan to recreate those happy times and relive a colorful Holi once again. So the mood this year at Holi time at my home is going to be #KhulKeKheloHoli . All are invited and care would be taken that no one leaves our home without being drenched in buckets full of fun so let the festival of Holi begin.

“I’m pledging to #KhulKeKheloHoli this year by sharing my Holi memories at BlogAdda in association with Parachute Advansed.”

I am going to play Holi Khulke

Our lives are a long series of work, work and more work. It’s a very long list of endless meetings working out strategies, working on projects. The daily grind takes a big toll of your energy making your life lackluster. The year continues to drag and every thing seems dull and black and white. Festivals come and their coming brings no thrill and they pass away without bringing any thing special with it.
We celebrate the festivals because it the norm to do so and every one is doing do. The festivals now mean for us a day to take expensive gifts for the boss in order to please him and get that long cherished promotion. This has robbed the festivals of the spirit of enjoyment
There is one festival that is singular in catching our attention and that is the festival of colors. It is a celebration of colors of every imaginable hue. This festival is a big favorite of the old and the young alike. When the winter season begins to recede and the spring makes the flowers bloom, then comes this fun packed occasion called Holi. Children start making plans for this glorious event by buying pichkaris, gulal and water colors. Every market has shops stocked with these items. The children can be seen displaying their treasures to their friends. The hottest topic is what all colors they have bought and whom they are planning to drench with their colors.
We the adults may not be that enthusiastic as some of us shirk playing holi either out of laziness or may have planned a vacation or the biggest reason being the fear of the skin and hair being spoilt by the harsh colors. But one should not fear the ravages caused by the onslaught of colors as an application of oil on the hair, face and hands acts as a protective shield.
I still remember that as a child I used to plunge myself whole heartedly into the exercise of mixing colors into different buckets of water. This done I would fill my pichkari and get ready to take my friends by surprise as they come running towards me shouting Holi Hai. It was a stiff competition as to who would color the friend first. Gobbling the juicy gujiyyas we would run together in search of our fresh victims. Soon we were so drenched with colors that it was difficult to recognize the faces. I can never forget how my friends mother caught hold of me by the ear and took me to her home scolding me all the while. My friend followed along with our bunch of friends. They tried not to laugh but could not contain themselves and burst out laughing. Hearing the laughter my friend’s mother stopped to look back and seeing her son in the group caught my face in her hands to have a closer look. Realizing her mistake she also could not help but smile. As a compensation for her mistake she gave me two gujiyyas instead of one. This event made my Holi most remarkable.
This year I have decided to invite all my friends for a Holi party so that we may relive our old memories and play #KhulKeKheloHoli this year!



“I’m pledging to #KhulKeKheloHoli this year by sharing my Holi memories at BlogAdda in association with Parachute Advansed.”

Time to share the load

Once in a meeting at work my female colleague was asked as to how many hours does she work? She replied that she works in two shifts. After finishing her paid job she comes home to the second shift. This
answer of hers made me think as to  how selfish we male are. We have been ever demanding. We want perfect clothes, perfect house, perfect food and every thing perfect around us including a perfect wife. But we have never realized what sacrifices our mother, wives do to gives us all the comforts we get. Today women spend more time of their lives working at office and at home. Women put three more hours each week then men doing the laundry. While the male enjoy these three hours enjoying television or spending leisure time the women of the family are working hard to do the laundry or cleaning the house. Even mothers
who work full-time will still put in a week and a half’s worth more time on household tasks than their male partners each year. Women spend twice the time on child care, housework, cleaning, doing the
laundry than dads do. There is no biological determination for house work or doing the laundry then why this double standard and injustice. Girls are asked to do more work around the house than boys. Girls did two more hours of chores a week while boys got twice as much time to play. This dynamic carries a lesson for both genders. Girls learn that housework falls on their shoulders, and boys learn that girls will clean up after them. As the girls are given the housework, they are trained to do the house work that is why boys tend to assume domestic chores are women’s work. All the women do the chores without pay. Women are told by parents, advertising agencies and a host of other societal forces that they are responsible for keeping the house clean, cooking food, taking care of their husband and children and doing all the laundry of the household. Society molds the way each gender views unpaid work, its household chores. Now it’s time to think of a long term solution to this problem by nipping the prejudice at the bud. Children learn what they see and what they are taught by their parents. So if they see that household chores are the exclusive domain of women, they will carry this prejudice well into adulthood.81% of married men in India agree that their daughters must learn household chores.78% of girls in India agree that they should learn laundry as they will have to do it when they grow up. Now its time to change the way people think or the society thinks. I have started doing my own work and help my mom to do the laundry.

 “I am joining the Ariel #ShareTheLoad campaign at BlogAdda and blogging about the prejudice related to household chores being passed on to the next generation.”

I am going to share the load

  In a male dominated world the task of doing the laundry has been relegated to the women. This notion has been passed on through generations, but its not necessary what has been followed through generations has to continue for ever. I did the same and so did my mother. We have been taught since childhood that the house belongs to the women and the outer world belongs to the male. I still remember my father was completely dependent on my mother for all the clothes and laundry and so was I. Without even thinking twice I ordered her to get my white dress for Friday ready for school or the special dress which I had planned to wear on the weekend. I never thought why laundry is my mother’s domain or rather the work of the women of the house. It does not require any special skill to wash one’s clothes. The technology has become so advanced that it does not take much time to wash the clothes. Moreover Ariel has introduced such good quality washing powders that washing of clothes is hassle free and helps to get rid of stains easily. Our society's mentality is such that we men think that its not our job to do house work or laundry I would like to apologize to my mother for all the trouble I have given her. She always did my work with a smile and without making a complaint. But I vow from now onwards that I would do my own laundry and won’t burden her with my work. When I will have my kids I would make sure I teach them to do their job themselves. Women are not made to do housework only. They have their own lives and have the right to spend their time in whatever way they want. In a way we are passing on the prejudice of household inequality to the next generation. It is time to stop this injustice. I support Ariel to further the cause of equality within the household to get men and women across the country to #ShareTheload. No one has ever thought this way.

 It’s a remarkable initiative. Ariel made me realize this otherwise I would have followed the same way and passed on this injustice to the next generation. This issue is often overlooked. We have to understand the root cause of this prejudice and prevent it from passing down from one generation to the next. Children learn from what they see and hear. They do the same what they see their parents doing and the onus is on us to set the right example. We must take steps to end this prejudice.  Its unfortunate that 76% of married men in India believe that not helping with laundry at home still make them a great role model for children and this is the reason that 2 out of 3 children think that household work is a mothers job which is not true.




“I am joining the Ariel #ShareTheLoad campaign at BlogAdda and blogging about the prejudice related to household chores being passed on to the next generation.”

Delhi Calling

DESIGN

Delhi or Dilli as it is called colloquially is not just the capital of this country where rules are made to govern our great country India but it is also the city that pulls the strings of the heart and rules the hearts of over a crore people. Though initially it consisted of two parts the old Delhi and the New Delhi. Old Delhi was and still is not just an inter mesh of lanes and by lanes but also of cultures. The New Delhi or the lutiens Delhi as it was initially designed by the British and had a mark of the British architecture.
Over the centuries Delhi has proved to be a peoples magnet and has caused millions to come,work,live and settle here and make Delhi their home.
Delhi is a large heart-ed city with large hear ted people. So when it began to burst at its seams and could not accommodate more people then Delhi decided to expand and take the nearby suburbs into its fold.
Delhi has now become Delhi-NCR.
DRIVE
The people of Delhi have a great drive to work hard and improve their lot. Talking about Drive. Driving on the wide roads of Delhi ,specially in Central Delhi with tall green trees forming an arch on either side can be make each drive a memorable experience.With Delhi becoming NCR Noida and Gurgaon have come into its fold and going on long drives on national highways to visit nearby towns and attractions over the weekend or for day trips is not only very relaxing but also a definite plus of living in Delhi. Cities like Agra ,Jaipur , hill stations like Masoorie, Nainital, Shimla are within 5 to six hours motoring distance of delhi and provide great opportunities to DRIVE out for holodays.
The Delhi Connect: Delhi has its unique charm. It is like mini India in a lot of ways. Here you will find people from all parts of the country coming and living here. Every festival of theirs is being celebrated with equal gaiety and fervor. Its not just Indians who like to live and work here. People from various nationalities have opted to live here for study,work or live a retired life. Such is the charm of this beautiful city. So be it the festivals ,cricket matches ,other sports or the marathon runs. The warm hearted People of Delhi are always ,bonding,communicating and remain connected with each other and the rest of the world such is the charm of Delhi and its people.
Delhi is blessed with so many foods that it would not be wrong to call it a foodies paradise. There are restaurants that serve food from not only all parts of India but practically all parts of the world. Delhi walas and food has an instant connect. They love food and love to try different cuisines walk into any restaurant in Delhi or the food court of any mall you would experience people of Delhi enjoying a hearty meal or a snack and there would be endless chit chat and flow of laughter and sharing of jokes transforming the mealtime to a large and happy party time indeed you can take a Delhi lover out of Delhi but you cannot take Delhi out of a lover of Delhi.

http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/

Healthy gajar ka halwa

Ingredients
Carrots 8-10 medium
SugarFree Natura 18 measures
Pure ghee 3 tbsp
Skimmed milk 2 cups
Pista blanched 10-12
Green cardamom powder 1/4 tsp

Method
Heat pure ghee in a kadai. Add grated carrots and sauté for about 5 min.Add skimmed milk and cook.Add green cardamom powder,Sugar Free Natura and mix. Cook for 10-15 min.Cook till the mixture is almost dry. Garnish with pista and serve hot.

http://sugarfree-india.com/

Pamper your baby's skin

It is said that a child is a new thought of god.The advent of a baby in the family is the opportunity to relive our childhood. As we live and try to take care of a baby we lean to understand and communicate with a human being who can only cry when in discomfort or in need of a feed. So it become a thing of utmost importance to be able to understand its needs.

1) For anyone who has touched a baby would realize how delicate the baby's skin is. Moisturizing the baby's skin is required so that it remains healthy.
When a child is born its skin is soft and delicate. It has not been exposed to the external elements like the sun the wind and the changing weathers. This is why it is more susceptible to hurt and harm caused by reasons like coming into contact with objects that are rough and sharp. Now we have to condition the baby's skin by using lotions and creams specially designed for the babies.
Always use a moisturizing cream that is labeled to be suitable for the child's skin.

2)Giving a bath to the new born is of key importance. An oil massage is advocated to relax the baby's muscles and for the general growth of the baby it also increases the blood circulation and most importantly keeps the baby healthy and prevents it from becoming dry and scaly. It removes any scab that may have formed. While giving the baby an oil massage ,the baby should be place on a soft towel in an area where there is no direct wind which may cause the baby discomfort. Then gently apply oil and gently massage till the oil is absorbed in the skin. This process also prepares the baby for a bath.

3)Soap used for a baby's bath should be mild and gentle and care should be taken to avoid them going into the eyes and mouth. Water used for bathing the baby should always be lukewarm neither too hot nor too cold. The mother can check by dipping her elbow the temperature of the water.

4)Always pat the baby dry. Never use force or scrubbing its gentle delicate body as it may harm and bruise the tender skin. Care should be taken that the baby's towel and clothes are always washed and dried separately and never mixed with other peoples clothes.

We should choose the clothes for the baby with great care. They should always be of a material that allows the skin of the baby to breathe.This is why cotton is the preferred and recommended choice for baby's clothes.

5) One of the most important part of keeping your baby safe and healthy is the nappy or the diaper.
Normally people used cloth nappy's which resulted in discomfort for the little ones as nappy's can retain traces of soap and can also be rough in texture. This is the reason that Pampers Premium Care Pants is the favorite of all mothers. These diaper pants are #SoftestForBabySkin and have a cotton like touch that is soft as cotton and protects the baby against any abrasion,irritation or rashes. In the case of a new borne whenever it passes urine does potty it tends to get wet. Frequent nappy changes and regular washing of that part chafes the skin which inturn makes the baby cry with discomfort.
Here Pampers Premium Care Pants comes the resue of harried mothers and distressed babies. With its #SoftestForBabySkin it becomes the natural and the obvious choice to be the best friend of the mother and the baby.

“Pampers brings you the softest ever Pampers Premium Care Pants. Its cotton-like softness is #SoftestForBabySkin and allows it to breathe, thus keeping baby’s skin soft and healthy, and your baby happy. ”