Awakening the Netbook

The desert is endless. The sands stand still, save for when they shift ever so slightly in the evening breeze. In front of me there is a solitary figure walking hastily towards the horizon. She exudes an aura of royalty. But if you look closely there is a weariness in her gait, a sense of broken heartedness even, perhaps from all the battles she has seen.

She is not really alone. Her companion is short, almost like a child, armored in a white with orange patterned suit. ‘It’ seems to be rolling along speedily to match her stride. I call her companion an ‘it’, because it is most certainly not human.

“Who are you?”

“I am no one.”

“What am I doing in the desert?” I ask myself. The sun has disappeared completely beyond the horizon. There is an eerie red glow in the luminosity of twilight. I watch mesmerized when suddenly a streak of brilliant scarlet cuts across the dark skies.

I wake up with a start. It was just a dream after all!

Shillong: Scotland of the East

Tucked away at an elevation of 1496 m, Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, is set amidst thick pine covered hills. This magnificent hill station is also known as the ‘Abode of the Clouds’. It is said that Shillong’s beautiful lakes, waterfalls and rolling hills of conifers reminded the European settlers of Scotland, hence it had also earned the sobriquet ‘Scotland of the East’. The British legacy is still visible in the architectural design and food habits of the locals.

A miracle called Compassion

In 1995 I was twelve. Keya, my little sister was four. It was the year Keya started school. God! She was so excited. She loved everything about school right down to the homework assigned at the end of the day.

As for me, I was annoyed to be saddled with a little sister even in school. Not that I saw her much, or at all during school hours. It just irked me that my parents expected me to keep an eye on her. Don't get me wrong. I loved her but I rather spent my free time hanging out with my friends than baby sitting even in school!

The Call of the Wild

Kaziranga National Park, the home of the famed One-horned Rhinoceros (also called the Indian Rhinoceros or the Asian One-horned Rhinoceros), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of Assam. This expansive grassland is the home of two-third of the world’s One-horned Rhino population.

LG NEXUS 5X: The Dream Phone

I take my smartphones very seriously. And why not? It has replaced my watch, my camera, my music player, my calculator, my phone book, my diary, my calendar - well, I could go on and on but I am sure you already know what I mean.

Image Source: Firefly Daily

Celebrating Smiles!

~* This post was declared a Runners Up in the 'Let's Put A Smile On That Face' Contest organised by McCain & Indiblogger. *~

My little sister was born at the stroke of midnight. So every year on her birthday we would throw her a party at 12 o clock – a small family affair with balloons, steamers, candles, cake and of course snacks... lots and lots of snacks.

My parents were spending their summer in London, so this year it fell on me to uphold this sacred family tradition.

Protect Her Heart

~* This post was declared a Winner in the #ProtectHerHeart Contest organised by Saffola & BlogAdda. *~

So I took the Weight Heart Test at the Saffola Life website and I am very happy with the results! This is one place where 0% is A+ grade.

Choosing Happiness

Until about a couple of years ago, I was stuck in a rut. Working on onsite assignments in the USA, bound to my desk 9 to 5 and often late into the nights, targeting the next promotion, attending inane meetings… in short, my days had all the usual trappings of an ordinary life in the IT industry.

Did I hate my job? No. Not at all. I liked my colleagues, respected my boss and hell I was even good at my job. In fact I loved the fat pay check which made its way into my bank account every fortnight.

The Dinner Debacle

For almost a month after we got married, my husband and I were swamped with dinner invitations at one of our many many relatives. I probably cooked two dinners in our first month of marriage, both times because my husband had an upset stomach and had to cancel postpone the plans for the evening.

I don’t know about you, but in my side of the world a plethora of otherwise unknown relatives crawl out of the woodwork during weddings and they try to outdo each other by inviting the newlyweds to the most extravagant meals.

So it was not surprising when Tutan da – my husband’s second cousin two times removed – invited us home one evening.

Airtel 4G promises to be the Fastest Network Ever

Like most young people today, I spend most of my time online. My smartphone is choc a bloc with social media apps and any spare minute I have I like spending it online; checking social media, playing online games or just surfing the net.

So, anyone who is so attached to the internet as I am will tell you that there is nothing as annoying as slow internet. I subscribe to the highest speed Wi-Fi possible at home and even though I have a pretty decent data pack, I have been missing the 4G speed which I had become so used to while working abroad.

I for one am pretty excited about the nationwide launch of Airtel 4G in India. Let’s have a look at what we already know about the new service rolled out by Airtel India.

My Blank Canvas

My room is a blank canvas.

No really, my bed room is actually totally devoid of furniture. Having spent most of my life living away from home – boarding school, residential college, PG and shared apartments – it’s hardly surprising that when my parents bought an apartment in the city they did not furnish my room. Given that we hardly spend time in the city – average two days per month – and my parents had no intention of moving to the city for at least a couple more years, mom wanted to keep the furnishing to just functional for now. Way easier to clean up that way I tell you. You cannot imagine the amount of dust an empty house can accumulate, especially one by the river as mighty as the Brahmaputra. So all that the apartment consists of is: one fully furnished bedroom (my parent’s), one partially furnished bedroom (my sister’s), a functional kitchen and a dining table.

Now by some crazy twist of fate, I landed in the city last month and have taken up residence in the apartment. So, I now face the daunting task of adding colors to my blank canvas of a room. Needless to say I have spent an inordinate amount of time trolling the internet looking for inspiration, most of it a tad unrealistic, but then did not someone say ‘in dreams begin realities.’

Stay Fit, Feel Young.

The importance of eating well cannot be stressed enough. The short term benefits of eating a healthy diet is that it helps us feel good, look good and of course stay a healthy weight. As far as long term benefits are concerned, a healthy diet reduces the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and even some types of cancer.

UC Cricket on UC Browser

India is a land of a billion people and nothing has ever come close to cricket when it comes to uniting Indians. The gentleman’s game has captivated the heart of the young and the old, the rich and the poor. We Indians live and breathe cricket!

I grew up watching and playing cricket. Well, more watching less playing. My brothers did not want a girl in their team but given my knowledge about the game, they would ask me to be the umpire in their matches.

Learning Together

I had been up all night studying for my last Board exam. Mathematics, my favorite subject. As the golden rays of sunshine slowly crept into the room I decided to take a break and went to stand by the window.  The beauty of a breaking dawn never ceases to amaze me. There is hardly anything more beautiful than a sunrise accompanied by the distant songs of the birds leaving their nests.

I contemplated what I should do next. Should I take a walk to refresh my mind? Should I catch a couple of hours of sleep? The exam wasn’t until the next day.

Heaven on Earth - 5 North East Indian Summer Vacation Destination.

This year, it’s my turn to plan the annual summer getaway for the family. As I surfed the web looking for inspirations I came across this list of summer getaways tantalizingly titled – Heaven on Earth - 5 Indian Summer Vacation Destination.

While I completely agree with the author who has picked Ladakh, Kerela, Ooty, Kashmir and Goa as the perfect destination for a summer vacation, I was a teensy bit disappointed that North Eastern India had not made it to the list.

So here is my list of 5 scenic destination in North East India you should definitely add to your bucket list this summer.

A letter to my Father

Dear Papa,

Happy Fathers’ Day!

I know being a father is no easy task, especially to a daughter as handful as I am. So what better than today to take a minute or two to say thank you for being a great father.

Five Simple Tips for Radiant Skin

For over 3000 years, the ancient science of Ayurveda has been a way of life. It is a holistic approach which emphasizes on the prevention of diseases rather than its cure. Ayurveda helps create an environment to eliminate all toxic imbalances from the body and attain good health.

An Ayurvedic skin care regime has no harmful side effects unlike the various cosmetic facials available in the market today. Listed below are five simple tips to achieve a more radiant skin.

Breath of Fresh Air

I am not entirely sure what woke me up. Perhaps it is the persistent ringing of my cell phone. It could also be the midday sun shining fiercely on my face. I do not know. What I do know is that my head feels as though it is being repeatedly hit by a biscuit tin.         

Eyes still closed, I reach out to switch off my cell phone only to find myself on the floor. The thought, “Where am I?” takes shape in my barely functioning brain. I long for someone to turn off the sun. With an effort of mammoth proportion I finally manage to open my eyes. It takes some time for my vision to get adjusted to the light.

The last wedding

Image Credit: Marry Me Weddings

For my family, 2015 will forever go down in history as the year of the weddings. After an interlude of seven years since the first wedding of the new generation, for some unfathomable reason three of my cousins (and not to mention a second cousin) had chosen this very year to tie the knot.

A lot extra for a little more

~* This post was declared a Winner in the Paisa Vasool Contest organised by Lufthansa & Indiblogger. *~

You have probably heard of Sheela Aunty. You haven’t eh? Arrey, Sheela Aunty, your “friendly” neighbor who has a complaint an opinion about everyone and everything under the sun. Nothing is ever good enough for her. The steaming plate of bhajjis you rustle up for her unexpected visit is either too spicy or not spicy enough. She thinks your hair is either too curly or too straight and she has a remedy for both. And not to forget that saree you bought your mom last week, of course, she could get you a much better deal. Yes, that Sheela Aunty!

My Airtel app

Airtel is a name that connects millions, not only across India but across the globe. The company’s journey from a regional operator limited to the city of Delhi to second largest mobile operator in the Asia Pacific region is a truly inspiring story. Today, company offers various products such as 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, High Speed Internet, Fixed line telephony and DTH services. In a span of less than two decades, the company went from offering mobile telephony services in one city in India to expanding its operations in over 20 countries. The brain child of Sunil Bharati Mittal, Airtel has always had innovation in his heart.

My Mom

~* This post was declared a Winner in the Stress Free Mom Contest organised by Parachute & BlogAdda. *~

For almost 25 years now, my mom has been the only MD (OB/GYN) in a sleepy little town in Assam. The government hospital, she works in, is the only full equipped medical facility in the district; so more often than not people from neighboring towns and villages find themselves being referred here. Also, the fact that the nearest Nursing Home is a minimum 5 hours of travel away via treacherous mountainous roads prone to frequent landslides, this one government hospital is our lifeline to Healthcare.

The one and only expert in all things ME.

1995:

This was the year I turned nine and my parents threw me a fairy tale themed birthday party. To say I wasn't pleased would be an understatement. After all, fairy tales were for little girls and I was starting high school the next week. So while Maa supervised the kitchen staff and Baba put up fairy lights around the garden, I decided to do what any infuriated nine year old would do, I decided to run away!

But even before anyone had realized I had run away, I was on my way home, with a scrapped knee and a muddy blue dress. Long story short, Subho, the neighbor’s son was playing a solitary game of Robin Hood and I, an unwitting victim, tripped and fell into a big old puddle while the heroic outlaw gave chase.

#EkNayiLeague with Kapil Dev

In India, cricket is not merely a sport, it is a religion. One that unites millions of Indians better than any religion ever could. The young and the old, the rich and the poor, people from every walks of life are captivated by the charisma of cricket. Given the chance, majority of the Indians would probably plan their lives around the schedule of the Indian Cricket team! Such is our passion for the gentleman’s game.

A Happy Wife is a Happy Life.

When it was time for my wife, Priya, to resume work after our son Vihaan was born, I decided to take advantage of my company’s policies and work from home. Though Priya never voiced her doubts out aloud but I knew she had taken my decision with a grain of salt. She was right to have doubts, after all she knew I was the kind of person who on reaching home at 3 am after a Business trip would still be on time for office the next day. Also, it was not as if either of us had to stay home for Vihaan… we had the luxury of having a very accomplished nanny who was more than capable of looking after the kid while we were at office.

Green is the new Black.

I dedicate this post to the Earth in honor of Earth Day.

I could probably fill pages with ideas that I have come across on how we can contribute to the green cause, small changes in our daily routine that could ease the burden on our groaning planet and help support a healthier Earth. But today I am taking my inspiration from the words of Robert Swan, who said, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it”, and hence I would like to share a list of 5 things that we have done in our home to try and be better keepers and inhabitants of Earth.

ASUS Zenfone 2: Redefine your smartphone experience

A study has revealed that there are more than a billion active smartphone users worldwide. With a market that big, it is hardly surprising to see manufacturers pushing the limits of innovation and coming up with better technology with every new launch. Taking center stage this time is the Taiwanese company Asus’s newest darling the ASUS Zenfone 2. Here is 5 reasons why this phone has the potential to redefine your experience as a smartphone user.

First Day of Boarding School.

She was 10 when her parents decided to send her to boarding school. “You will love it here”, her dad said, “Kids your age, piano lessons and you can even go horse riding.” He tried to make it sound like a vacation, she thought but offered no response. “We promise we will bring you back home at the end of the term if you don’t like it there”, added her mother. Her mom was using her fake enthusiastic voice again, the one she used when she tried to get her to eat those hateful broccoli and spinach for dinner or make her accompany her parents to those boring adult parties.

Digital India: Embracing Technology Enabling People.

~* This post was declared a Runners Up in the Digital India Contest organised by Intel & Indiblogger. *~

My first reaction on reading about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s One Lakh Crore ambitious e-governance project ‘Digital India’ was an incredulous – Now that’s a lot of zeroes!

OK. OK. I am only kidding. But not about the incredulous part. Because last time I checked, which was yesterday, the internet connection in my old school did not work; every time I try to update my passbook the link is down in the bank and the countless emails I have been sending the Passport Offices to follow up on an extremely delayed passport are never answered.

Right as rain

She did not know how long she laid there but she did not want to move. Especially now that the sun was low in the horizon and the sky was a delicious tinge of marmalade. Probably she could just lay there forever. Would anyone notice that she wasn’t around anymore? It had been months since her last conversation with her mother or with anyone that was not related to work. It had been months since she was more than just a ghost of person.

A touch of whimsy.

 “I think I want to eat pongal”, I declared, “But not the sweet one, the one which tastes like khichidi and has dollops of ghee. That’s the one I want”.

“That’s called ven pongal, you silly girl”, he said amused, “So dinner is official ven pongal.”

“Hold it. You can’t trick me into making something I can’t even name. So unless you are planning to miraculously cook a perfect dish of ven pongal, dinner is pizza”, I said as I started to reach for my cell phone to call Papa John’s.