The Wedding Season is in the Air

This season we have all that golden zardozi border, brocade work, chanderi silks, velvets, raw, cotton, pure silks etc to name a few. We all want to look the best of the best on this special occassion.

Now, who doesn’t love Indian weddings? The music, the food, the drinks, and the uncles with their “screw the light bulb” and “pet the dog” (whatever that saying is) awkward dance moves. This is the time when each girl shines. She looks the best she’s ever looked and she’s going to dance like no one is watching her, this is OUR time girls! Who knows, maybe you’ll even find the man of your dreams at one of these weddings

As the wedding season approaches, everyone wants to try different wedding color combos you’ve never seen. From old age to kids, all start picking the golden, silver, wine, mauves, browns, reds, fuschia, yellows, oranges, purples, greens and you name the color its present in the weddding.

One’s Wedding is a new step into new life but for some its a nostalgia as everyone is lost in their own memories. Everyone wants to be a part of theis glam sham season.

The wedding season is here, and every bride-to-be and groom-to-be would have discussed a zillion times how they want their big day to be.

Some great ideas for the Lifetime Affair called Wedding –

Let’s see :- What’s in for this Wedding Season?

For Dashing Dulheraja / Groom / Men :-

For Wedding :- We have Silk choga, kurta and churidar and jootis

For cocktail :- Tweed suit and cotton dress shirt and Silk tie

For Sangeet – Linen achkan with buttons, silk dhoti and one can go for sandals
Interestingly, men too are opting for this colour, in subtle shades though, if not for their wedding, for the pre and post ceremonies.

Slightly toned-down shades of coral are being used in kurtas.

In fact, some are even opting for coral silk dhotis with black or white kurtas for morning weddings.

Coral jackets with gold or silver zardozi work look extremely dapper when paired with royal blue or black kurtas.

For Beautiful Dulhan/ Bride / Women :-

For Wedding :- We have Silk choga, kurta and churidar and jootis

For Engagement :- Embellished halter neck satin blouse and net and velvet saree, Jhoomar, bangles.

For Bachelorette Party we have Sequin sheeted dart silk dress,

For Mehndi :- Tussar silk lehenga embellished with gota work, net dupatta, Earrings, bangles, bracelet and maangtika,

For Sangeet – Velvet embroidered underbust anarkali that flairs into a multi-coloured tulle panel.

For Cocktails – well fitted lace gown with sexy heels.

Be it their wedding trousseau or makeup, this mix of orange and red is finding favour with brides this wedding season.

A lot of women are wearing sarees, lehengas, anarkalis as well as corsets in this colour for the festive season.
“Coral is the new red and gold these days.

Not just clothing, but a huge chunk of accessories are inspired by this shade that’s a cross between red and orange.

In fact, the best part about this colour is that it has a lot of variants.

One just needs to match the right degree of coral with their outfit and complexion and they are bound to make a statement.”

A coral dupatta with a white lehenga or a coral saree with a bright blue or white blouse will do the trick.

In fact, coral shaded accessories like bracelets, necklaces and danglers can make any simple outfit stand out.”

Earrings or necklace sets in this colour start as low as `200.

“Coral foundations give a soft blush to the skin, rather than making it look powdery.

Coral lipsticks and nail paints are versatile. Make sure they are matte in texture. In fact, coral nail paints are a range among youngsters; they’re seen sporting it on a regular basis, since it an brighten up any look.
So, for what we are waiting for we just need to get it going and ready for the new BIG day and this is the first post on wedding talkies where everyone in their lifetime is going to meet this affair called marriage ceremony, wedding ceremony, nuptial ceremony, nuptials, union.
Till then see you next time with some more interesting topics related Wedding.

The Power of Words

Words have incredible power in our lives. For one, they provide us with a vehicle for expressing and sharing our experiences with others. Most of us don’t realize, however, that the words you habitually choose also affect what you experience.

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say.” There are words that need to be spoken consistently and when they are they can have a great impact on your life.

Here comes the beautiful song :- “More Than Words” by Westlife

Transformational Vocabulary is about how you can take control of your habitual vocabulary to change the quality of your life. Simply by changing your habitual vocabulary—the words you consistently use to describe the emotions of your life—you can instantly change how you think, feel and how you live.

According to Compton’s Encyclopedia, the total number of words in the English language is around 750,000. Of that number, guess how many words we habitually use: 500 to 2,000 at the most, which represents only one half of one percent of the language.

In Roget’s Thesaurus there are more than 3,000 words describing various emotions. Of those, there were 1,051 words for positive emotions and 2,286 for negative emotions; roughly twice as many negative words as positive words!

Think of the implications.

Giving encouragement to others infact encourages us only in a way that we are totally in syn with the environment that things start turning in our favor and we are happy in doing anything in life.

The great Russian author Leo Tolstoy continually fought against suffering. Even when he was excommunicated by the ecclesiastical authorities, he contemplated events with composure and poise. He retained his blazing single-minded spirit of struggle. He reached the conclusion that he would retain his creed of “rejoicing no matter what”:

“Rejoice! Rejoice! One’s life’s work, one’s mission is a joy. Toward the sky, toward the sun, toward the stars, toward the grasses, toward the trees, toward animals, toward human beings- you may as well rejoice.”

The more we are happy in our life the more we attract all the good and positive things in our life.

I believe in The Power of Words and have full conviction that words have the power to change the things in one’s life.
So, every day holds magic and we can feel the magic around just by picking up the right words that we can use in daily life. I am really looking forward for all the replies in a way you all share great experience with me.

Inspiration that keep me going

There are different peoples in the history of mankind who performed extraordinary tasks despite of major disabilities. When someone with a disability is able to overcome all the hardships of life then it becomes a legend and golden history. It takes a lot of strength and a complete no-fear attitude to go as far as these highly successful people with disabilities have.
What I, had learnt, from my life till now that we all have the power inside us and we all are wearing cloak on us and we believe that someone else from outside will come and will lend a helping hand so that we can come out of any obstacle or hardship we are facing.

Actually, there is nothing as such obstacle or challenge its all in the mind. We just need to open the door of our mind and we will see so many doors are already open and we have the key for our own happiness.

You don’t believe me just look into mirror and you will find the best person to answer all your questions and know better you that what you know about yourself.

I bet you, will have a BIG SMILE on your face.

Ok not convinced yet, fine.

Let me take you to the real world example :-
1. Sudha Chandran

Sudha Chandran is considered as a golden and great legend of human history. She was born to family in Chennai. She completed the degree of Masters in Economic from Mumbai. She remained one of the most talented students of her university and she also got certain certifications on different achievements. But unfortunately, on one of her return trips from Mumbai to Chennai, she met with an accident that resulted in amputation of her right leg.

After a successful therapy, she was given an artificial leg and after that she did different excellent tasks. She performed different extraordinary tasks despite of this major disability. One of her achievement with this ability includes that she got enough fame after becoming most accomplished dancer of the Indian Subcontinent. She received different invitations from different parts of the world to perform the dance shows in their countries. She received different awards from different organizations on her extraordinary performance.

2. Marla Runyan

It is said about her that at the age of nine, she suffered from a problem which was considered a form of macular degeneration that left her legally blind. Despite this major diability, she performed different extraordinary tasks. She remained there time national champion in the women’s 500 meters race. There are also different types of research studies on her that shown the fact that she also won four gold medals in the 1992 summer Paralympics.

In 1196 Paralympics, she also won silver in the shot put and gold medal in the Pentathlon. She was also officially declared as first legally blind Paralympian to compete in the Olympic Games that were arranged in Sydney at that time. She has also written her autobiography under the title of “No Finish Line”.

 3. Albert Einstein

 

The Mathematician/Physicist who had a learning disability and did not speak until age 3. He had a very difficult time doing maths in school. It was also very hard for him to express himself through writing.

I had always had this one question is WHAT is the main factor that gets them going despite of these physical challenges?

I got the answer is ATITUDE.

“THE ATITUDE IS THE ALTITUDE OF THE SUCCESS.”

“SUCCESS IS NOTHING, SUCCESS IS EVERYTHING”

So, dear friends here’s the most inspiring video of the song that had inspired me a lot.

 

Lets us all create our beautiful story despite of little little pops ups or obstacles.

 

 

My Crisis Angel

Crisis Angel is an angel without wings and yes it does appears in everyone’s life ! Its all about the time, situation, and how you take that situation to affect you it depends upon you entirely !

I remember the beautiful quote ,”Bad things do happen in the world, like war, natural disasters, disease. But out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”

“When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.” John F. Kennedy

It was the last day of my cousin coming back from Kashmir and when we heard about the news of J&K floods a national disaster where there was no possibility of living beings to be alive also. The more we tune into the stations the more we came to know about the disaster.

We were not able to connect with him as network connection everything was missing and we were in the cross roads as from where to begin and where to left? That day, in fact we all were together forgetting everything happened in the past and once again we stood as a Family against this strange situation, where we don’t know whether where to start or to end with . Yes! We were worried about our cousin but at the same time all other living beings also came into our minds.

We were feeling so helpless and suddenly, my mother told everyone that all of us to pray so that there is no loss of any living being. With this thought we started but my aunty was totally inconsolable and was bursting into tears.
I remember my mother sharing the lines of Bhagwat Gita,” Life and Death is in nobody’s hand”.

It was very difficult to control her as we did try a lot. It was mother’s heart and it will be at peace if she will be hearing any news of her son. We showed her news as how many mothers are waiting for the children and how mothers of Army People are so brave and courage at this time of crisis and are helping others to reach at safe places.

Somehow, she gathered courage and she stopped crying and had something as it was 3 days now so everyone start having something.

The Law of Universe works wonder as everything we gives to the environment it send us back. The whole family was at our home and we all starting spreading hope and positivity in our environment and when we spread hope and happiness we are also getting encouraging at times.
It happened after 5 days we had received call from my cousin that he is fine and will be with us the next days. As the flights will open and yes he did mention that during these 5 days Life did taught him some important lessons of life. Life is short and one should enjoy as much as it can.

What I learn from Crisis is :- Through each crisis in my life, with acceptance and hope, in a single defining moment, I finally gained the courage to do things differently.”
Little about #NEFLOODRELIEF :-

The on-ground team at Assam has concluded needs assessment and thereafter completed relief distribution in Kamrup district. The focus now is on 2 villages, Badaka and Sildubi of Goalpara district where 180 families are much in need of basic necessities. In Meghalaya, the survey is in progress in the hilly regions of the Garo hills.

Please connect with our Assam Ground Coordinator Baishalee (+91 99549 60506) or Meghalaya Ground Coordinator Allanson Wahlang (+91 98638 48041), faculty St. Edmund’s College for more inputs and any assistance you may be able to provide. We are also in communication with Garo DC Mr P. Bakshi .

Over 2000 families in Garo Hills area alone are in need of urgent relief. And add to that areas of Assam (such as the 180 families in Badaka and Sildubi in Goalpara, Assam) and you have a substantial number of areas needing relief.

To support the #NEFloodRelief work, we need extensive and generous contributions. Due to bad road conditions and lack of airlift provisions, we cannot ship materials, instead, will be procuring relief materials locally with the help of our on-ground partners and distributing them to the affected areas.

The details of the donation centers where you can send your funds are given here.

Do your Bit here http://incrisisrelief.org/

The India You Don’t Know

Travellers in India usually have their itinerary all mapped out—it’s generally the tried and tested routes. The Golden Triangle (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur) or Goa. And since unstable Kashmir is out, Kerala is in. That is an Indian holiday in a nutshell. There are a few who do special interest tours.

Lakshadweep and Andamans for the diving, Kipling Country for jungle safaris, the Buddhist pilgrim trail, the heritage train rides. But beyond these busy pockets, there is a vast treasure trove of secret places.

Talk to any Indian about a favourite childhood memory and he or she will wax poetic about their “native place.” Ponds they used to swim in, fruit eaten straight off the tree, family feasts, temple festivals. They may also speak of memorable holidays to special destinations, often very close to home but still unexplored, preserved as if in amber. Here are seven spots off the tourist map but well worth seeking out.

 

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

 

For Mumbai-based model Ashutosh Singh, Lucknow is home. “Whenever I return, it’s as if I’ve never been away. There is an old world courtesy unique to my town.” He says that the frantic development that characterizes other Indian towns hasn’t altered Lucknow’s essential structure. The Old City still preserves the fading glories of this capital of the Nawabs of Awadh.

Towering gates, domes and arches define the cityscape. Even the Charbagh railway station looks like something out of the Arabian Nights. There are also charming havelis with intimate courtyards and interconnected rooms, just like the one where Ashutosh’s own family still stays. In the evenings people would stroll out unhurriedly to socialize over Lucknow’s famous chaat, sweets or paan.

Many of Lucknow’s iconic landmarks have made their presence felt in films like Umrao Jaan and Shatranj ke Khilari: The Bara and Chota Imambaras, Rumi Darwaza, the labyrinthine Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Chattar Manzil and Jama Masjid. The Bara Imambara complex, which also houses the famous maze, is essentially a Shia Muslim shrine. This grand project was undertaken by 18th-century Nawab Asaf ud Daula to generate employment during a time of famine. While the common people worked during the day, the equally impoverished but unskilled nobility were secretly hired to destroy what was constructed during the night, so that the task would continue till the crisis was over. He was the general architect of much of what we see today. “The magnificent Lucknow University buildings are an architectural marvel, with a vast campus,” says Ashutosh, “I’m proud to have studied there.”

Delhi-based writer and filmmaker Vandana Natu Ghana fell in love with Lucknow while she was a student there. She recommends the old markets of Chowk and Aminabad for delicate shadow embroidery (chikan), rich zardozi and badla work in silver and gold threads. This bustling area also houses the legendary Tunde ke Kebab shop, over a century old. “You can base yourself in Lucknow and do some fascinating day trips out of the city. Barabanki, with its ancient Mahabharat connections, and Malihabad, famous for its mango orchards, are redolent of a bygone era and only 25 kilometres away from the city centre,” she suggests. There is also the village of Kakori, which has given its name to silken smooth kebabs, created to indulge a toothless nawab. Lucknow is also very much a gourmet destination. Vandana, who has an Army background, advises that I not miss the British Residency, said to be haunted by ghosts of the 1857 Mutiny and siege, and the long drive through the cantonment area to the War Memorial, fringed by laburnum and gulmohar trees. “In summer, the road becomes a carpet of red and yellow flowers. People tend to visit Delhi, Agra and Varanasi and bypass Lucknow altogether. They don’t realize what they’re missing,” she sighs.

Kasauli and other cantonment towns
I have always liked cantonments. They stave off rampant development, preserve heritage structures and are often in beautiful locations. If you’re interested in old churches, military graveyards and history, you will definitely have a sense of stepping back in time.
Married to officers of the Indian Army’s Gurkha Regiment, Naji Sudarshan and Daphne Chauhan live in Delhi, but have had homes in cantonment towns all over the country. “It is a world all its own,” says Naji. “We are a stone’s throw away from chaotic towns and crowded metros, but the instant you enter Army territory, everything is disciplined and beautifully maintained.” A cantonment town is a time machine. And still properly British. You need a dinner jacket to dine at clubs where the menus have been the same for generations. Gardeners maintain seasonal flowerbeds with military precision and since wooded areas are protected, you find an astounding variety of birdlife.
Self-contained cantonment towns like Ranikhet, Lansdowne and Deolali have a quaint character all their own. Foreigners are not permitted to visit Chakrata in Uttarakhand, which is a restricted access area while Mhow, near Indore, is actually an acronym for Military Headquarters of War. There are artillery and combat schools, sanatoriums, military colleges and regimental headquarters scattered through all of these.
Army families keep getting posted to far-flung stations, but everything remains reassuringly familiar within the cantonment. “So while you get to discover a different place every time you are transferred, the set-up never really changes. Cocooned within the Army, you couldn’t be more secure,” adds Naji.
Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh is one of Naji’s favourites, a flower basket of a hill station with its typical upper and lower mall roads, a delightful bazaar and Victorian cottages with roses around the door. It is also across the hill from Subathu, where the Gurkha regiment has its headquarters. Daphne returned recently to Wellington, home of the Madras Regimental Centre in the Nilgiri Hills, where they had been posted 20 years ago. “Nothing has changed. It is still the same sleepy town, with perfect weather. Yet it is close enough to the social whirl of Ooty,” says Daphne. “A good place to base yourself for treks and tea gardens. Not many hotels, but there are home stays and farms in Wellington as well as in nearby Coonoor.

Ashtamudi, Kerala
Ashtamudi is a sprawling expanse of water, the second largest and deepest wetland ecosystem in Kerala.
Like an octopus, it is eight-armed (ashtamudi literally means eight locks of hair). Vembanad (which includes Kumarakom) is larger and much promoted by Kerala Tourism, but lesser known Ashtamudi has much to offer. All the canals and creeks of these backwaters converge at Neendakara, a hub of the state’s fishing industry.
For Naresh Narendran, a rubber businessman in nearby Kollam (formerly Quilon), Ashtamudi is home territory. “Unlike the other backwaters, you see dense stands of coconut trees, rather than the usual scene of rice paddies,” he says. “There are also sand bars in the estuary which fishermen use. From a distance, it looks like the man is actually walking on water.”
I remember visiting an uncle whose backyard extended to the water’s edge. We could buy karimeen (pearl spot fish) and river mussels straight off the fishing boats. For fresh coconut water or toddy, a man would be immediately despatched up a coconut palm. Much of what we ate was picked from the kitchen garden. Naresh himself is proud of his own “little farm” not far from here, where he experiments with varieties of banana, yam, fruit, and vegetables. This is quintessential, picture-postcard Kerala with palm-fringed lagoons and dense tropical vistas in a hundred shades of green. “You could rent a boat and go around,” suggests Naresh. “But there are commuter ferry services to Alleppey at a fraction of the cost, which will give you much the same views.”
The much-photographed Chinese-style fishing nets of Cochin are seen around Ashtamudi as well. You could use the ferries to visit neighbouring islands, villages and lesser-known towns in and around the backwaters, much as the locals do. There are temples, sacred groves and churches to discover. Water birds like cormorants and herons abound. “I love photographing the backwaters in its many moods. In the monsoon it is quite spectacular,” says Naresh. “A few resorts are coming up here but it is still largely unspoilt.”
Kollam itself is a historic port town worth exploring. The coir and cashew industries made it prosperous but it was well known on ancient trade routes. Marco Polo came here, as did Ibn Battuta, the famed Islamic scholar and traveller. Not far from Kollam town is Thangassery, a little Anglo-Indian enclave that was once settled by both Dutch and Portuguese colonizers. It has a layout reminiscent of towns in Goa, beaches and a stately lighthouse. But the Anglo Indian community which gave it much of its character has largely emigrated.

source:- http://www.readersdigest.co.in/

 

A Girl With Colourful Socks

I am wanderer by mind and it keep on travelling from one thought to other. There is one impression on my mind that still leaves me in thoughts about a girl with colorful socks.

I know there is nothing as such special about the colorful socks as we all wore them these days. I am sure after reading this post you all will agree with me too.

I still remember her smile, glow in her eyes, those tiny hands freezing in cold and she was rubbing her hands to keep them warm but all in vain, her dress was just below her knees and her legs were covered with long colorful socks.
Her legs were trembling because of the chilly wind that was blowing and every time she was trying to stop the wind by simply sitting on the ground so as to cover her legs and hiding her face beneath the knees.

Looking at her makes me more appreciative and gratitude for every thing I had in my life. There was something special about that girl whom had seen and met when was on the way to Rohtang Pass. The conscious did n’t allow me to cross that stretch so get down from my car and covered her with blanket and ordered good breakfast for her. And finally, she was wearing good woolen colorful socks :).

She was filled with happiness and she smiled. Suddenly, her parents came from nowhere. I was completely taken back to see them covered in woolen clothes from head to toe. Her mother scolded and abused her in her native language. Suddenly, her face turned pale with fear.

Her mother hold her arm and snatched food from her. I hold her arm from other side and asked her to finish food first. Her mother gave me a look and understood her thought behind it.

After that had long conversation with her parents and made them understand that this is not the right way for their little children. They had their story behind it and somewhere was not convinced by their false promises. With the help of local people we get connect with police and to my utter surprise the police was always want to arrest them.
Finally, the girl was free from their clutches and was connected with Local organisation for her further studies.

These chilly winds remind me of this incident and am left behind with lots of questions that are related directly or indirectly to me.

My Encounter with Her After So Many Years

I met her some years ago but today i found her totally different person. I really like the way she talks, smiles and her fines lines on her face were the signs of her growing where she had won many battles of feelings, emotions and thoughts. The time was running and really want to go away as was looking into her eyes constantly without realizing anything else suddenly heard voice from back and when i turned it was my husband looking at me and said,” You are looking gorgeous. I simply smiled. And, when i turned towards her and i smiled and she also smiled back at me. I really love her. It was none else then my own reflection in mirror.