Deepika Muthusamy's Blog: My Fun, My Memories, My Life..., page 21
March 9, 2014
Expectations and Possessiveness in a Relationship
Expectation and Possessiveness are two toxic elements which is a slow and silent killer in any relationship. Possessiveness comes only when we have the fear of losing the person and the real problem comes when we try to possess the person as "MINE
People do say, Possessiveness is sweet and that a romantic relationship always comes with possessiveness and expectation. But it’s a pathetic truth that our mind is programmed in that way. Possessiveness will definitely result in nagging and expectation will result in disappointment. If these 2 have negative outputs then why to be in a relationship and spoil the strength of a relationship? So, let’s come out of the shell and think just a little different for a healthy relationship.
Remember that if you try to control and restrict your partner's life according to your preferences, you are greatly disrespecting them and you don't love them. If we truly love our partner, we love him or her unconditionally, without expecting him or her to love us in return and love us the way that we want them to love us. We will only wish him or her to be happy
If you are being possessive, it is “YOUR issue - Your deficiencies.” Why to put your partner in a tough spot because of your doubts?
Instead of feeding your mind with negative thoughts just focus on the word TRUST. Re-iterate your mind that, this is just a feeling, not the truth."
If he is online in what’s app for 24 hrs and if she is dropped in a bike at late hours, instead of infecting your mind with negative thoughts, just trust him or her and you can’t really change a person by attracting their behaviour. So accept the person as she/he is. More than anything, if you like someone, give them the space they need and accept them as they are
Only a relationship without possessiveness and expectation will bring peace and freedom. If you are in love with extreme possessiveness and expectations its not Love.
Detach yourself from expectation and possessiveness...slowly disappointment, anger, hatred, jealousy, frustration, fear, worry, and feelings of hurt will subjugate and happiness will come to picture
There is always a difference in "changing your partner" and "Accepting as they are and trying to grow with them". Do I need to point out that the first one sounds dominating, and if you cant do the second one then the relationship is pointless?
People do say, Possessiveness is sweet and that a romantic relationship always comes with possessiveness and expectation. But it’s a pathetic truth that our mind is programmed in that way. Possessiveness will definitely result in nagging and expectation will result in disappointment. If these 2 have negative outputs then why to be in a relationship and spoil the strength of a relationship? So, let’s come out of the shell and think just a little different for a healthy relationship.
Remember that if you try to control and restrict your partner's life according to your preferences, you are greatly disrespecting them and you don't love them. If we truly love our partner, we love him or her unconditionally, without expecting him or her to love us in return and love us the way that we want them to love us. We will only wish him or her to be happyIf you are being possessive, it is “YOUR issue - Your deficiencies.” Why to put your partner in a tough spot because of your doubts?
Instead of feeding your mind with negative thoughts just focus on the word TRUST. Re-iterate your mind that, this is just a feeling, not the truth."
If he is online in what’s app for 24 hrs and if she is dropped in a bike at late hours, instead of infecting your mind with negative thoughts, just trust him or her and you can’t really change a person by attracting their behaviour. So accept the person as she/he is. More than anything, if you like someone, give them the space they need and accept them as they are
Only a relationship without possessiveness and expectation will bring peace and freedom. If you are in love with extreme possessiveness and expectations its not Love.
Detach yourself from expectation and possessiveness...slowly disappointment, anger, hatred, jealousy, frustration, fear, worry, and feelings of hurt will subjugate and happiness will come to pictureThere is always a difference in "changing your partner" and "Accepting as they are and trying to grow with them". Do I need to point out that the first one sounds dominating, and if you cant do the second one then the relationship is pointless?
March 7, 2014
Happy Womens day
I always owe women who have succeeded in their Personal and professional life while keeping their passion alive and growing them, rather than a person who just succeeds only in a particular field. In that list, I always respect and admire 2 women; Vaishali Kasture - Managing Director of Goldman Sachs, Mother of a kid, an avid runner and sports freak, and Shoma Narayanan - the first Indian Mills and Boon author, and a banking profession.With simple change in our attitude, we too can reach those heights. And in this women’s day, I would like to share few points which I gained through my experience.
Make Right choice at the right time and stick with that decision. Never ever feel guilty about that decision in future.Life is a car race. It’s practically not possible to always run in 4th Gear. It’s okay to take a step back and be in the first gear for a while.Networking - Build a connection with the people you meet and be in touch with a bunch of people who are your supporters.Always think of some way to become better and improve your skills.Life is not a snake and ladder game that teaches you the survival of the fittest. It is instead, a game of chess- to win, you have to make a move.If you don’t invest in your personal or your technical skills you will be unhappy. one unhappy women = 1 unhappy family.Take a break from your daily routine and do different things.Keep upgrading yourself and Stay up-to-date on the industry/Current RoleWork-life balance is not a complex one! Think it instead as "work - life integration" and you can juggle family and career well. Plan! Plan!! Plan!!! Spend lot of energy pre-planning than the Post work. Once the planning is done, then make sure you go through your sequence of planning.Planning is the most important thing. Not perfection. It’s okay to do mistakes at the initial stage and learn from it. It is a fact that every human, be it one belonging to the aristocratic society or the peasants, he/she makes 7 mistakes each day ! The Quest for perfection comes when you accept yourself with your inabilities and be happy with what you areInvest (spend time) in yourself.Life is a long game. Have a mission, both personal and professional. Strive to balance between both keeping in mind to be comfortable with the choices you make.Give importance to the ME-time. That period of incubation is what gives life its productivity. It is okay to be greedy and resilient in the long run.Role models and inspiration does not mean that it has to come from some big personality. Every person, big or small you meet in your life will teach you something. Take inspiration from your surroundings, the place you live and breathe. You may fail quite a number of times. But always carry the ray of hope, for it is that hope, that distinguishes a man from a Woman.
Happy women's day !
February 22, 2014
BRIDE and PREJUDICE!!
This is a guest post by Vijayeswari Muruganandam
This is the first time; I have tried my hands at writing. Bear with me!! Yes I am writing on something, which I don’t have a profound knowledge. But felt that, this could be tit-bits for all my friends, who are actively involved in their partner search!! As the title infers its about Marriage, Prejudices, DO's and DONT's.
Matrimony!! Reading this word itself would have flashed you with million feelings!! I am just two months old in matrimony search, so I am just sticking with a small post!!
This is purely based on my personal opinion and observation/experience. No Psychiatric evaluation done on this!!
The DON'T's...HERE YOU GO..
Don’t try to judge people and be open to know, what they are!!
- Very often, when we tend to judge people on the looks, with their mail communication etc. Most of the cases do not work out, because there are high chances for miscommunication. Writing is a therapy and you can express yourself without any inhibition, but you can’t guarantee that the intended reader gets it right!! If you are interested in a person and want it to work out, just pick up the phone or arrange for a meeting and get to know each other better. If it is going to be long distance proposals, need to consider carefully, the associated risks, uncertainties and constraints.
Don’t have a Stereotype and Pseudo Modern Mentality!!
- Allow the other person to express their feelings or emotions freely. It is absolutely fine, as you are trying to find your soul mate and this is not any ordinary relationship. The more you have the stereotypic views about a person, the more you have the chances of ending up in a wrong partner!! EGO factor plays an important role here. When the other person expresses their interest, you may don’t have to reciprocate or encourage it, but respect their feelings. The human DNA is wired in a way, that it can’t accept things which come easily. Often I have heard/seen men showcasing the “HUNT & CONQUER” characteristics. Men get the sense of achievement and a source of great pride, going on knees for a woman, who is hard to get. Believe me, 99% of the women do not express their true feelings, because of this nature of men. If you want any relationship to sustain, throw the EGO out of you. Admire them, Ask sorry, Say thanks whenever required and just try to be yourself and if someone does all this for you, don’t take them for granted. It means they value “YOU” more than their “EGO”. If you let your EGO in, people try to hide their emotions and present a fake personality. Do you really want that??
Don’t try to customize people!!
- Perfect man/ woman do not exist in the world. Never try to influence them or customize people, as this may not lead to a long lasting relationship. Try the ones, who best suits you. If they are not your type, just move on. Instead don’t try to tailor them according your expectations.
Don’t juggle with too many options!!
- There is nothing wrong in looking out for more options, as the human brain looks out for the best. But I personally prefer, to go one by one. Give some time to consider every person and look out for the qualities you expect. If you come across a person, who meets almost or majority of your expectations, just fix with them. Comparisons can never stop and at any point, human mind is insatiable.
Don’t Pester!!
- Nobody in the world wants to be pestered. Expressing your interest should not appear like a menace to your potential partner. Relationships may fall out because of this, no matter whether it is before or after marriage.Men usually do not seek attention, but women do!! So boys try to pay attention to your girl, admire them. Dear girls try not to be over expressive, as men hate that!!
NOW WHAT ARE the DOs???
If it is worth doing, its worth over doing!! Yes, if you like someone, just try to be rational enough in considering the background, their interests and passion. Also be emotional enough to understand the person, analyse their emotional quotient and see whether this could work out for you. As every person is unique, some may express their interests soon and some may take long time to admit the interest. The moment you realise/ start to develop emotions for your partner, express it and don't wait for them to express it first. There is nothing wrong in expressing your feelings with the potential partner. Be empathetic!! Play it safe to avoid any last minute disappointments.
AND FINALLY … A SMALL PIECE OF ADVICE!!
If you get rejected, don’t lose heart!! It’s just that people reject EXPENSIVE things, as they CAN’T AFFORD!!
This is the first time; I have tried my hands at writing. Bear with me!! Yes I am writing on something, which I don’t have a profound knowledge. But felt that, this could be tit-bits for all my friends, who are actively involved in their partner search!! As the title infers its about Marriage, Prejudices, DO's and DONT's.
Matrimony!! Reading this word itself would have flashed you with million feelings!! I am just two months old in matrimony search, so I am just sticking with a small post!!This is purely based on my personal opinion and observation/experience. No Psychiatric evaluation done on this!!
The DON'T's...HERE YOU GO..
Don’t try to judge people and be open to know, what they are!!
- Very often, when we tend to judge people on the looks, with their mail communication etc. Most of the cases do not work out, because there are high chances for miscommunication. Writing is a therapy and you can express yourself without any inhibition, but you can’t guarantee that the intended reader gets it right!! If you are interested in a person and want it to work out, just pick up the phone or arrange for a meeting and get to know each other better. If it is going to be long distance proposals, need to consider carefully, the associated risks, uncertainties and constraints.
Don’t have a Stereotype and Pseudo Modern Mentality!!
- Allow the other person to express their feelings or emotions freely. It is absolutely fine, as you are trying to find your soul mate and this is not any ordinary relationship. The more you have the stereotypic views about a person, the more you have the chances of ending up in a wrong partner!! EGO factor plays an important role here. When the other person expresses their interest, you may don’t have to reciprocate or encourage it, but respect their feelings. The human DNA is wired in a way, that it can’t accept things which come easily. Often I have heard/seen men showcasing the “HUNT & CONQUER” characteristics. Men get the sense of achievement and a source of great pride, going on knees for a woman, who is hard to get. Believe me, 99% of the women do not express their true feelings, because of this nature of men. If you want any relationship to sustain, throw the EGO out of you. Admire them, Ask sorry, Say thanks whenever required and just try to be yourself and if someone does all this for you, don’t take them for granted. It means they value “YOU” more than their “EGO”. If you let your EGO in, people try to hide their emotions and present a fake personality. Do you really want that??
Don’t try to customize people!!
- Perfect man/ woman do not exist in the world. Never try to influence them or customize people, as this may not lead to a long lasting relationship. Try the ones, who best suits you. If they are not your type, just move on. Instead don’t try to tailor them according your expectations.
Don’t juggle with too many options!!
- There is nothing wrong in looking out for more options, as the human brain looks out for the best. But I personally prefer, to go one by one. Give some time to consider every person and look out for the qualities you expect. If you come across a person, who meets almost or majority of your expectations, just fix with them. Comparisons can never stop and at any point, human mind is insatiable.
Don’t Pester!!
- Nobody in the world wants to be pestered. Expressing your interest should not appear like a menace to your potential partner. Relationships may fall out because of this, no matter whether it is before or after marriage.Men usually do not seek attention, but women do!! So boys try to pay attention to your girl, admire them. Dear girls try not to be over expressive, as men hate that!!
NOW WHAT ARE the DOs???If it is worth doing, its worth over doing!! Yes, if you like someone, just try to be rational enough in considering the background, their interests and passion. Also be emotional enough to understand the person, analyse their emotional quotient and see whether this could work out for you. As every person is unique, some may express their interests soon and some may take long time to admit the interest. The moment you realise/ start to develop emotions for your partner, express it and don't wait for them to express it first. There is nothing wrong in expressing your feelings with the potential partner. Be empathetic!! Play it safe to avoid any last minute disappointments.
AND FINALLY … A SMALL PIECE OF ADVICE!!
If you get rejected, don’t lose heart!! It’s just that people reject EXPENSIVE things, as they CAN’T AFFORD!!
February 17, 2014
I love him for so and so reasons...
"I love him for his smile, his personality, his warm eyes, intelligence." - When I asked my friends, these were the replies I got. Some could say that the person they love were "key" in keeping their enthusiasm up and roaring, that they cheer them up, motivate them, advice them. Few could even say, “He is so rich. He’s got lot of money”.
Is this Love?. Will it last forever?
When you fall for anyone who meet these SPECIFIC REASONS it’s just an attraction or mere-exposure effect.
All these reasons are like a mirage in a desert. These things might be just an illusion .They just disappear when u move forward in journey of life. When these reasons are not met, It is human nature to get frustrated and disappointed. This is where our mind starts questioning our decision.This is where u begin to ask those question above. Is this love?.This is the point where We stop appreciating him for all the good qualities he possess and start blaming him for not meeting our expectations. We cling to our fairy tales until the price for believing in them becomes too high.Unhealthy relationships starts at the point where u grow irritated and start regretting your decision You start losing your patience and even a small thing would look like a huge mistake and you start reacting with hatred ,fear and ignorance. This is where the reasons fades away .
Does that mean “Love without reason lasts forever” Maybe. But when you fall for a person just for matching your checklist...At one point of time, you will regret it.Love knows no reasons and it is beyond reasoning. Love connects your soul. It is the music of your heart.
So Let the love happen the way it has to be Naturally. The most beautiful things in the world are not seen and heard...But sensed...Your heart feels the love for him. Once the mind intervene its just a commitment not a feeling.
Keep falling in love over and over again without any reasons. Just enjoy every bit of your love without any reasons. Only one thing is constant in this world. Love. Only people fade, thoughts fade, not Love.!!
Reason is powerless in the expression of Love.
January 17, 2014
January 9, 2014
Do not eat fruits after a Meal
Can we eat fruit after a meal? If you browse google, you get 1000 of results, which says "Its okay to eat fruits" and other 1000 results say, "Its not advisable to eat fruits after meal"
Here is the accureate answer from medical team.
• This is true that one should not eat fruits after meals as fruits contain simple sugars that are easily digested and take less than half an hour to digest. Other foods which contain starch, protein and fats take a longer time to be digested and will stay in our stomachs for a longer period of time. So, if we eat fruits after our meals, the fruits will be mixed together with what we have previously eaten. This causes the fruits to ferment and even rot as they wait to be digested together with other food. Hence, causes acidity & bloating.
• Best time to consume fruits is between breakfast & lunch i.e., mid-day or in evening time as a snack option.
• All fruits especially banana, jackfruit & mango should be consumed in fewer quantities as they add extra calories when eaten immediately after meals.
Here is the accureate answer from medical team.
• This is true that one should not eat fruits after meals as fruits contain simple sugars that are easily digested and take less than half an hour to digest. Other foods which contain starch, protein and fats take a longer time to be digested and will stay in our stomachs for a longer period of time. So, if we eat fruits after our meals, the fruits will be mixed together with what we have previously eaten. This causes the fruits to ferment and even rot as they wait to be digested together with other food. Hence, causes acidity & bloating.
• Best time to consume fruits is between breakfast & lunch i.e., mid-day or in evening time as a snack option.
• All fruits especially banana, jackfruit & mango should be consumed in fewer quantities as they add extra calories when eaten immediately after meals.
January 2, 2014
Bangalore Trekking Club - Happy Birthday
"Can I ask you something," He shrugged.
This kind of question from a guy makes girl's mind swirl around lot of guesses and imaginations.
"Y....ea...h. Please go ahead," I said with a gleam of excitement glittering in my eyes.
"Well. Why do you trek!?"
"Ahh!?," I exhaled with dismay and replied him, "Well.. To keep me fit"
"Come-on. You are already fit" That one compliment took my heels to heaven.
He snapped and said, "Weekends are meant to take rest and partieeeee!!! Don't you really feel bored to wake up at 5(sometimes even before) on a Sunday and go for a strenuous activity?"
Well that question really made me to think and even understand the view of people who don’t wish to accelerate their body.
Why do people do trekking? Below are my own thoughts and experiences.
To keep fit:
Trekking burns lot of calories. Trekking on a long run keeps you strong and fit. Observe the passionate trekker figure and fitness.
Someone complained, "I do trekking from past 1 month, but not a single pound lost". Well, eating lots of junk foods will balance your physical activity.
Avoid eating Junk foods during trekking and replace it with healthy fruits.
Rejuvenates the Mind and body:After 5 days of stressful work, people tend to think taking “rest and party are the best way to recharge their batteries.”
"Rejuvenate Yourself! This Winters!! Pay Just Rs.2500 for a body message and pamper yourself," I can’t assure whether those beauty parlor advertisement can rejuvenate. But trekking definitely boosts you to the core and keeps you recharged for complete week.
Forget worries:
Most of the articles on love failure in google will suggest "ENGAGE YOURSELF.” But the best way to indulge is TREKKING. You fall in love with nature and all your worries, daily stresses just melt away
Explore the Natural Beauty and learn the history:
Get a chance to explore the untouched treasures of nature. You tend to google about the place and enhance a lot about the place, if-not; one of the co-trekker would tell the history behind it.
Bazillion Photos in Facebook:
Photography has become ubiquitous and photography lovers opt trek to capture the nature. Their clicks never take the excuse, “not a good one”. And of course it’s the best souvenir and always treasures us about the exciting voyage!
P.S: Itching them to capture you more is in your hands :P
These cherished moments would have not been captured in my life without Bangalore trekking club. I would like to thank and congratulate Bangalore trekking club which is celebrating the first anniversary and its massive success. I also thank the Founder Virander, Co-founder Chaitanya Kumar, Organizers Meghraj, Ajita, Anthony, Sangamesh, Channa, Santosh, Abhishek, Kirubadevi, Sushma, Deepthy for taking pain in planning the events and my co-trekkers who helped a lot to come out of my downtime, made me smile, caused stomach ache by making me laugh, Narrate the ambience in my novel :P, gifting a bunch of good friends who cares and value a lot, strengthened my faith, giving new direction to life, sharing the foods, sharing goggles exclusive for photos… much more
Non-trekkers are now excited about trekking!? How, where, what to do? For those who live in Namma Banglore, Bangalore trekking club is a good option.
When I was a first came across Bangalore trekking club (BTC), many questions popped up!? And my fellow trekkers also said they had the same questions in mind.
I tried to answer few of the repetitive amateur questions that you may be hesitate to ask
If it safe for girls? This is the first question that got in my crazy mind.
Its absolute 100% safe. "No smoking and No alcohol". Their goal is to ensure that all the trekking enthusiasts feel safe and explore the nature. They are youthful and energetic team.
I still remember when one of my friend took kinfe with her during her first night trek :P
I am humpty dumpty. I never walked even for 1 kms in my life, Will I be able to trek?
Check out the trekking difficult level. - Very easy, easy, moderate and difficult. Just give out a try by choosing Easy mode and give it a try. “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” My personal opinion, it does not matter with the difficult level, people who come for trekking are very constructive and supportive. They will help you, guide you and motivate you. All you need is “I can do it” attitude.
I always had an aversion towards the people at managing level. Principal at school, Manager @ work and oh no!! Again organizers at Trekking!?
BTC organizers are so friendly, down to earth and very open. Have you seen any organizer helping in removing the leeches around your legs by their hand and applying Dettol to leg? They care and do! Have you seen at least in movies any organizer carry your bags along with their bag to the hill top, in case if you are not able to!? They carry and help you!
I don’t have that much money to spend for those leisure activities?
It’s not an expensive one. For one day trekking, it hardly cost you Rs.250-500 and it’s not a big deal when compared visiting a mall and purchasing a dress!! Remember you are investing this for your health and nature!!!
People will be coming with their own SET OF friends, I will be isolated in the entire trekking, If I enroll all alone :(
Of course they are strangers for initial 5 minutes. But the next moment, you hang out like BEST-BUDDIES-FROM-BIRTH. And yes, they do come with friends. But you will be surprised to hear that the friendship was built only in trekking.
Trekking with strangers? Oh no, people may be of personality traits - rebellious, arrogant, ego-centric.
People who come for trek are a bunch of candid, affectionate, flexible and enthusiastic. To till date, I never met anyone who showed an attitude, or with negative mind.
The unique experience you get every time won’t be gathered anywhere. So get ready to derive happiness from trekking and you will realize that trekking has changed your everyday experience.
The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences - Chris McCandless
It’s time to trek and become a slave to nature!
Did I miss out any questions or experience you gathered during trekking?!
Please do mention in comment, I would love to add it
This kind of question from a guy makes girl's mind swirl around lot of guesses and imaginations.
"Y....ea...h. Please go ahead," I said with a gleam of excitement glittering in my eyes.
"Well. Why do you trek!?"
"Ahh!?," I exhaled with dismay and replied him, "Well.. To keep me fit"
"Come-on. You are already fit" That one compliment took my heels to heaven.
He snapped and said, "Weekends are meant to take rest and partieeeee!!! Don't you really feel bored to wake up at 5(sometimes even before) on a Sunday and go for a strenuous activity?"
Well that question really made me to think and even understand the view of people who don’t wish to accelerate their body.
Why do people do trekking? Below are my own thoughts and experiences.
To keep fit:
Trekking burns lot of calories. Trekking on a long run keeps you strong and fit. Observe the passionate trekker figure and fitness.
Someone complained, "I do trekking from past 1 month, but not a single pound lost". Well, eating lots of junk foods will balance your physical activity.
Avoid eating Junk foods during trekking and replace it with healthy fruits.
Rejuvenates the Mind and body:After 5 days of stressful work, people tend to think taking “rest and party are the best way to recharge their batteries.”
"Rejuvenate Yourself! This Winters!! Pay Just Rs.2500 for a body message and pamper yourself," I can’t assure whether those beauty parlor advertisement can rejuvenate. But trekking definitely boosts you to the core and keeps you recharged for complete week.
Forget worries:
Most of the articles on love failure in google will suggest "ENGAGE YOURSELF.” But the best way to indulge is TREKKING. You fall in love with nature and all your worries, daily stresses just melt away
Explore the Natural Beauty and learn the history:
Get a chance to explore the untouched treasures of nature. You tend to google about the place and enhance a lot about the place, if-not; one of the co-trekker would tell the history behind it.
Bazillion Photos in Facebook:
Photography has become ubiquitous and photography lovers opt trek to capture the nature. Their clicks never take the excuse, “not a good one”. And of course it’s the best souvenir and always treasures us about the exciting voyage!
P.S: Itching them to capture you more is in your hands :P
These cherished moments would have not been captured in my life without Bangalore trekking club. I would like to thank and congratulate Bangalore trekking club which is celebrating the first anniversary and its massive success. I also thank the Founder Virander, Co-founder Chaitanya Kumar, Organizers Meghraj, Ajita, Anthony, Sangamesh, Channa, Santosh, Abhishek, Kirubadevi, Sushma, Deepthy for taking pain in planning the events and my co-trekkers who helped a lot to come out of my downtime, made me smile, caused stomach ache by making me laugh, Narrate the ambience in my novel :P, gifting a bunch of good friends who cares and value a lot, strengthened my faith, giving new direction to life, sharing the foods, sharing goggles exclusive for photos… much more
Non-trekkers are now excited about trekking!? How, where, what to do? For those who live in Namma Banglore, Bangalore trekking club is a good option.
When I was a first came across Bangalore trekking club (BTC), many questions popped up!? And my fellow trekkers also said they had the same questions in mind.
I tried to answer few of the repetitive amateur questions that you may be hesitate to ask
If it safe for girls? This is the first question that got in my crazy mind.
Its absolute 100% safe. "No smoking and No alcohol". Their goal is to ensure that all the trekking enthusiasts feel safe and explore the nature. They are youthful and energetic team.
I still remember when one of my friend took kinfe with her during her first night trek :P
I am humpty dumpty. I never walked even for 1 kms in my life, Will I be able to trek?
Check out the trekking difficult level. - Very easy, easy, moderate and difficult. Just give out a try by choosing Easy mode and give it a try. “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” My personal opinion, it does not matter with the difficult level, people who come for trekking are very constructive and supportive. They will help you, guide you and motivate you. All you need is “I can do it” attitude.
I always had an aversion towards the people at managing level. Principal at school, Manager @ work and oh no!! Again organizers at Trekking!?
BTC organizers are so friendly, down to earth and very open. Have you seen any organizer helping in removing the leeches around your legs by their hand and applying Dettol to leg? They care and do! Have you seen at least in movies any organizer carry your bags along with their bag to the hill top, in case if you are not able to!? They carry and help you!
I don’t have that much money to spend for those leisure activities?
It’s not an expensive one. For one day trekking, it hardly cost you Rs.250-500 and it’s not a big deal when compared visiting a mall and purchasing a dress!! Remember you are investing this for your health and nature!!!
People will be coming with their own SET OF friends, I will be isolated in the entire trekking, If I enroll all alone :(
Of course they are strangers for initial 5 minutes. But the next moment, you hang out like BEST-BUDDIES-FROM-BIRTH. And yes, they do come with friends. But you will be surprised to hear that the friendship was built only in trekking.
Trekking with strangers? Oh no, people may be of personality traits - rebellious, arrogant, ego-centric.
People who come for trek are a bunch of candid, affectionate, flexible and enthusiastic. To till date, I never met anyone who showed an attitude, or with negative mind.
The unique experience you get every time won’t be gathered anywhere. So get ready to derive happiness from trekking and you will realize that trekking has changed your everyday experience.
The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences - Chris McCandless
It’s time to trek and become a slave to nature!
Did I miss out any questions or experience you gathered during trekking?!
Please do mention in comment, I would love to add it
December 24, 2013
Chitra Durga Fort, Jogi Matti Forest, Chandravalli/Ankalagi cave Exploration
“Friends! Interested in Visiting Historic place CHITRADURGA!?”As soon as my eyes captured the word “HISTORIC”, I cast an eye over “DELETE” option and trashed the email. History was always a boring subject. Remembering monarchs, dynasty, dates, and places were always a problematic one. Neither, I did not had a handsome teacher to fall in love with the subject (SIR?@$) to score good marks or to explore about history.
Second main reason for not registering - At the time of registration, I was down with high temperature. So the possibility of making to the ChitraDurga Exploration was not at all an option. Time Fled way and the Registration was closed.
Just 2 day before the event, I got an email stating there were two drops out and interested folks can make it to ChitraDurga Exploration. Instead of sitting sluggish at home, I thought of making to the trip.
It’s always the people who fight and knock down each other like Tom and Jerry fall in love at the end. Similarly, my aversion towards history had changed after Chitradurga excavation. Now, I am addicted to archaeology.
Enough of my Purana.. Coming to our experience..
Friday Night:
We started our journey by bidding bye to Virender, who was there to give send off. We invited him to join the trip, but he stayed back to watch Dhoom 3 (Oooopps…No comments)
The night ride to ChtiraDurga was an excellent; the road was too good. Of course it has to be, since its a Bangalore – Pune Highways and its a part of Golden Quadrilateral Highway Project. Road Biking to Chitraduraga from Bangalore would be a suggested option.
Drive to ChitraDurga:
We reached ChitraDurga district around 2 AM; Chetan and Shruti were guiding us to the hotel perfectly including Small Street. When we reached Yarti Nivas, I was curious to appreciate their street view knowledge but stepped back when I observed mobiles in their hands and was using google maps for navigation. Thanks to Lars Eilstrup without your google map technology, at those odd hours, it would have been very difficult to find our stay. But a moment later, we realized that we were on wrong Yarti Nivas and drove to the right one finally.
Lodging:
The lodging was simply the best. A Beautiful grass lawn on a balcony exactly opposite to the Fort, 3 puppies playing near the lawn and a hot cup of Coffee as soon as we woke up made the lodging and stay so attractive.
Saturday (Day 1)
We got up well before the sunrise, hired a Guide and started to explore the fort. The Fort welcomed us by treating with a bright Sunrise over the hills, strewn with windmills. The guide started reciting in English, Kanada and Hindi. Apart from him, none understood his English and Hindi narration. So, we requested him to stick to Kanada and appointed Shruthi and Ashwin as translator.
Below are the few attractions from Chitra durga Fort:
Snake Inscription: Snake Sculpture at Chitradurga Fort Entrance. - This is a symbolic representation of the fort. Since the way leading to Fort is spiral like a snake. Yenne Kola: A huge rock which is used to store oil.
GYM
I eagerly gawped into the Gym expecting Treadmills, cycling and Rowing Machines if not at least olden Dumbbell and Kettlebell. But the room was completely empty. Even the door of the Gym was very small, literally just a window. The door was left small purposely for the protection of the king. Just in case, enemies plans to attack him during his work out, only one can enter through the door(window)
Akka Thangiyara Honda: (Elder and younger sister ponds) Folklore - Two sisters who were married to the king Madakari Nayaka(last ruler of Chitra Durga) jumped into the ponds after his death.Rocks: The rocks in the fort were all of different shapes. Ship shape, elephant shape and many more. On seeing the Ship shaped stone, I thought of posing the famous titanic still of Jack and Rose. But climbing on the stone was difficult so dropped the plan (Note – Me being Rose, Jack would be either Shruti/Swathi/Shwetha)Onake Obavva: Obavva - Wife of a soldier called Kalanayak was guarding a fort tower, substituting for her husband during a lunch break. She was guarding the Chitradurga Fort at a crack opening, a secret opening (where only one person could barely squeeze through). While fetching water, she heard the muted sounds of enemy soldiers attempting to enter the fort through the crevice. With great presence of mind she immediately hid behind the crevice in the fort and hit at each soldier trying to squeeze through the crevice with Onake, the name given in Kannada to a masse or pestle, a wooden rod used for pounding paddy. In this process, she bravely killed several enemy soldiers. By the time her husband appeared on the scene, she had already dragged several bodies of dead soldiers into the fort wall and was standing around the dead bodies with the blood stained Onake in her hand. Kalanayak blew the bugle when other soldiers also joined him and killed all the enemy soldiers. This brave act saved the fort on that day from further attacks by Hyder Ali’s soldiers. And the Legend Onake Obavva.
Our professional photographers trying to capture(in memory card) the enemies
All adventure lovers squeezed through crevice and Shruthi was standing beside the crevice and hit everyone who popped up their head with Camera Bag. It was little challenging, and few took the other route to come out instead of crevice.
Gali Mantapa:
There was a huge swing and a lamp post. Those days king worshipped this during festivals. Even now, there
Monkey man: We were not able to meet Kothi Raja, who climbs the fort walls without any harnesses. Still we were treated with the amazing skills performed by our Santhosh.
Jyothi Raj Alice Kothi Raja – Spider man of Chitradurga
Santosh Kumar – Monkey man of BTC
Murugarajendra Matt:
A place that was completely quiet and peaceful.
Lakshmi tiffin:
We decide to have breakfast (Khali Dosa) at Lakshmi tiffin – The oldest and famous hotel in Chitradurga. But we postponed to Sunday due to time constrain
Jogi Matti Forest:
We took permission from forest officers and started our ride. All the Kilometre Stone that indicates Jogi Matti forest had a bird picture which gave a hint that it would be a heaven for bird watchers. But we could not watch even a single bird. We explored the district, by climbing into the view point. Definitely the place would be a calm and full of birds in the early hours. But getting permission from forest officer would be a tough one.
Adumalleshwar zoo:
This place was full of school kids playing. There were quite few animals and it’s a worth place to watch. By the time, one of our Wicket Chetan was down. So we decide to hit our room. Our day ended by playing UNO game for hours and hours.
Day 2:
Sunday:
Doddahotrangappa Hill (Lord Ranganathaswamy temple)
I loved this temple. The villagers requested us to remove the shoes and slippers saying respect and worship. But there were few of us, who were not used to climb without shoes. We had a tough time in explaining them. Finally few of us trekked without shoes and few with shoes. This was an excellent one for trekking. Infact, had a good peace after visiting the temple.
Chandravalli/Ankalagi cave - A maze of secrets:
The thrilling Experience and interesting facts found during the cave exploration was one of the reason to fall in love with Archaeology.
The Chandravalli cave is present 80feet under the ground and it’s a interesting/confusing maze with multiple secret exits. The cave is moon shaped and it is hugged between two giant rocks. This is like a mini-Ship. Yes, you have everything inside the cave. Temples, mediation hall, bedrooms, shelves, bathroom with a well-planned rain -harvesting system and finally the SECRET conference halls. The challenge was to find the secret conference room, luckily we found the room by ourselves. Still we took a guide. Its better to take a guide as he explains the signifance of minute things. Must say, our guide English (vinglish) was good. Though we requested him to explain in Kanada, he was stubborn to explain in Vinglish. On reaching the secret hall, We switched off the light and observed a complete darkness and silence. Don’t miss out the paintings in cave. It was painted purely with natural elements (herbs). It has been ruined almost 99% now. There were no ventilation inside the cave and it was full of dust, few people got dust allegory and felt suffocation.
Holalkere:
We went to holalkera to reconnoiter the Ganesha statue which is more than 500 years old. We started back to Bangalore with a plan to visit Vanivilas Sagar Dam on the way
Vanivilas Sagar Dam:( Mari Kanive)
It’s the oldest dam in the state. We were on the right time and observed the sunset. The Specular reflection of sunlight with sunset was the best part we enjoyed in Marikanive dam. Myself, Swathi, Swetha almost tortured Santhosh to take snaps. One snap with Sun, One in-between sun, One with hill background, one with monkey, One with sunglass, one with hat… and the list goes on.. finally we kept quite when his battery got dried out.
Finally it was 7 PM and we wanted to reach Bangalore by 10, so that we board BMTC buses to our home. We were stunned when the driver stopped the cab and started washing the vehicle. Chaitanya decided to give a hint to him and said we need to be in Bangalore by 9.30 (Almost 150 Kms in 3 hours)
The reply gave him a jerk. “We can reach by 8.30 Sir”.
Immdeitaly he said, “No issues.. Take your time and reach by 9.30”
After his Zig-Zag ride, just like Fort symbolic representation spiral like a snake, we reached Yeswanthpur at 10.00. We took loads of histoieees with and bid bye to them
Highlights of the trip:
Cave explorationSunrise among the Windmills at Chitradurga and Sunset in Marikanave Dam.Endless hours of playing UNO game just to make Saravanan score 6 Points.
Final Touch – A weekend with Archeological Exploration + climbing + Zoo + UNO + Photography
Second main reason for not registering - At the time of registration, I was down with high temperature. So the possibility of making to the ChitraDurga Exploration was not at all an option. Time Fled way and the Registration was closed.
Just 2 day before the event, I got an email stating there were two drops out and interested folks can make it to ChitraDurga Exploration. Instead of sitting sluggish at home, I thought of making to the trip.
It’s always the people who fight and knock down each other like Tom and Jerry fall in love at the end. Similarly, my aversion towards history had changed after Chitradurga excavation. Now, I am addicted to archaeology.
Enough of my Purana.. Coming to our experience..
Friday Night:
We started our journey by bidding bye to Virender, who was there to give send off. We invited him to join the trip, but he stayed back to watch Dhoom 3 (Oooopps…No comments)
The night ride to ChtiraDurga was an excellent; the road was too good. Of course it has to be, since its a Bangalore – Pune Highways and its a part of Golden Quadrilateral Highway Project. Road Biking to Chitraduraga from Bangalore would be a suggested option.
Drive to ChitraDurga:
We reached ChitraDurga district around 2 AM; Chetan and Shruti were guiding us to the hotel perfectly including Small Street. When we reached Yarti Nivas, I was curious to appreciate their street view knowledge but stepped back when I observed mobiles in their hands and was using google maps for navigation. Thanks to Lars Eilstrup without your google map technology, at those odd hours, it would have been very difficult to find our stay. But a moment later, we realized that we were on wrong Yarti Nivas and drove to the right one finally.
Lodging:
The lodging was simply the best. A Beautiful grass lawn on a balcony exactly opposite to the Fort, 3 puppies playing near the lawn and a hot cup of Coffee as soon as we woke up made the lodging and stay so attractive.
Saturday (Day 1)
We got up well before the sunrise, hired a Guide and started to explore the fort. The Fort welcomed us by treating with a bright Sunrise over the hills, strewn with windmills. The guide started reciting in English, Kanada and Hindi. Apart from him, none understood his English and Hindi narration. So, we requested him to stick to Kanada and appointed Shruthi and Ashwin as translator.Below are the few attractions from Chitra durga Fort:
Snake Inscription: Snake Sculpture at Chitradurga Fort Entrance. - This is a symbolic representation of the fort. Since the way leading to Fort is spiral like a snake. Yenne Kola: A huge rock which is used to store oil.
GYM
I eagerly gawped into the Gym expecting Treadmills, cycling and Rowing Machines if not at least olden Dumbbell and Kettlebell. But the room was completely empty. Even the door of the Gym was very small, literally just a window. The door was left small purposely for the protection of the king. Just in case, enemies plans to attack him during his work out, only one can enter through the door(window)
Akka Thangiyara Honda: (Elder and younger sister ponds) Folklore - Two sisters who were married to the king Madakari Nayaka(last ruler of Chitra Durga) jumped into the ponds after his death.Rocks: The rocks in the fort were all of different shapes. Ship shape, elephant shape and many more. On seeing the Ship shaped stone, I thought of posing the famous titanic still of Jack and Rose. But climbing on the stone was difficult so dropped the plan (Note – Me being Rose, Jack would be either Shruti/Swathi/Shwetha)Onake Obavva: Obavva - Wife of a soldier called Kalanayak was guarding a fort tower, substituting for her husband during a lunch break. She was guarding the Chitradurga Fort at a crack opening, a secret opening (where only one person could barely squeeze through). While fetching water, she heard the muted sounds of enemy soldiers attempting to enter the fort through the crevice. With great presence of mind she immediately hid behind the crevice in the fort and hit at each soldier trying to squeeze through the crevice with Onake, the name given in Kannada to a masse or pestle, a wooden rod used for pounding paddy. In this process, she bravely killed several enemy soldiers. By the time her husband appeared on the scene, she had already dragged several bodies of dead soldiers into the fort wall and was standing around the dead bodies with the blood stained Onake in her hand. Kalanayak blew the bugle when other soldiers also joined him and killed all the enemy soldiers. This brave act saved the fort on that day from further attacks by Hyder Ali’s soldiers. And the Legend Onake Obavva.
.JPG)
Our professional photographers trying to capture(in memory card) the enemiesAll adventure lovers squeezed through crevice and Shruthi was standing beside the crevice and hit everyone who popped up their head with Camera Bag. It was little challenging, and few took the other route to come out instead of crevice.
Gali Mantapa:
There was a huge swing and a lamp post. Those days king worshipped this during festivals. Even now, there
Monkey man: We were not able to meet Kothi Raja, who climbs the fort walls without any harnesses. Still we were treated with the amazing skills performed by our Santhosh.
Jyothi Raj Alice Kothi Raja – Spider man of Chitradurga
Santosh Kumar – Monkey man of BTC
Murugarajendra Matt:
A place that was completely quiet and peaceful.
Lakshmi tiffin:
We decide to have breakfast (Khali Dosa) at Lakshmi tiffin – The oldest and famous hotel in Chitradurga. But we postponed to Sunday due to time constrain
.JPG)
Jogi Matti Forest:
.JPG)
We took permission from forest officers and started our ride. All the Kilometre Stone that indicates Jogi Matti forest had a bird picture which gave a hint that it would be a heaven for bird watchers. But we could not watch even a single bird. We explored the district, by climbing into the view point. Definitely the place would be a calm and full of birds in the early hours. But getting permission from forest officer would be a tough one.
Adumalleshwar zoo:
This place was full of school kids playing. There were quite few animals and it’s a worth place to watch. By the time, one of our Wicket Chetan was down. So we decide to hit our room. Our day ended by playing UNO game for hours and hours.
Day 2:
Sunday:
Doddahotrangappa Hill (Lord Ranganathaswamy temple)
I loved this temple. The villagers requested us to remove the shoes and slippers saying respect and worship. But there were few of us, who were not used to climb without shoes. We had a tough time in explaining them. Finally few of us trekked without shoes and few with shoes. This was an excellent one for trekking. Infact, had a good peace after visiting the temple.
Chandravalli/Ankalagi cave - A maze of secrets:
The thrilling Experience and interesting facts found during the cave exploration was one of the reason to fall in love with Archaeology.
The Chandravalli cave is present 80feet under the ground and it’s a interesting/confusing maze with multiple secret exits. The cave is moon shaped and it is hugged between two giant rocks. This is like a mini-Ship. Yes, you have everything inside the cave. Temples, mediation hall, bedrooms, shelves, bathroom with a well-planned rain -harvesting system and finally the SECRET conference halls. The challenge was to find the secret conference room, luckily we found the room by ourselves. Still we took a guide. Its better to take a guide as he explains the signifance of minute things. Must say, our guide English (vinglish) was good. Though we requested him to explain in Kanada, he was stubborn to explain in Vinglish. On reaching the secret hall, We switched off the light and observed a complete darkness and silence. Don’t miss out the paintings in cave. It was painted purely with natural elements (herbs). It has been ruined almost 99% now. There were no ventilation inside the cave and it was full of dust, few people got dust allegory and felt suffocation.
Holalkere:
.JPG)
We went to holalkera to reconnoiter the Ganesha statue which is more than 500 years old. We started back to Bangalore with a plan to visit Vanivilas Sagar Dam on the way
Vanivilas Sagar Dam:( Mari Kanive)
It’s the oldest dam in the state. We were on the right time and observed the sunset. The Specular reflection of sunlight with sunset was the best part we enjoyed in Marikanive dam. Myself, Swathi, Swetha almost tortured Santhosh to take snaps. One snap with Sun, One in-between sun, One with hill background, one with monkey, One with sunglass, one with hat… and the list goes on.. finally we kept quite when his battery got dried out.
Finally it was 7 PM and we wanted to reach Bangalore by 10, so that we board BMTC buses to our home. We were stunned when the driver stopped the cab and started washing the vehicle. Chaitanya decided to give a hint to him and said we need to be in Bangalore by 9.30 (Almost 150 Kms in 3 hours)
The reply gave him a jerk. “We can reach by 8.30 Sir”.
Immdeitaly he said, “No issues.. Take your time and reach by 9.30”
After his Zig-Zag ride, just like Fort symbolic representation spiral like a snake, we reached Yeswanthpur at 10.00. We took loads of histoieees with and bid bye to them
Highlights of the trip:
Cave explorationSunrise among the Windmills at Chitradurga and Sunset in Marikanave Dam.Endless hours of playing UNO game just to make Saravanan score 6 Points.
Final Touch – A weekend with Archeological Exploration + climbing + Zoo + UNO + Photography
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December 13, 2013
5 special Christmas gifts for Sanju
20th December 2013.Friday.
"Hey Deepika, I got struck up in a meeting. Can you pick Sanju from school?" My sister made a request over the phone."Alright, will do." I wheeled my car to his school. As I was waiting for my sister’s son a Christmas tree that was lit up beautifully decorated caught my eyes. Christmas is just around the corner! The School will be officially closed till January 1st for exam holidays and it is a common practice that they celebrate the Christmas on the last day of the exam.
“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Dashing through the snow. In a one-horse open sleigh..." 6 year old Sanju came singing with full enthusiasm.
I continued, “Over the fields we go. Laughing all the way…Ha ha ha ha”“Chiti, You know these song?”“Of course. Your Chiti, know everything” I winked and collected the school bag.“You know, Santa Claus came to our classroom and gifted all my classmates" he showed me a small gifted wrapped packed. He continued, "Will Santa Claus come to our home?"
"He will come only if you do your homework's regularly, being punctual to schools and obedient to parents and chiti" I tried to act smart in front of him, forgetting the fact that kids are always ready with their smart answer. "Haiyoo. No homeworks. No school. Its exams holiday" he sighed and turned towards the window.
We play Santa Claus every year at my office. Since my contribution to his secure future plays a vital role, I thought of playing Santa Claus with him. I quickly sorted a plan. I thought of giving him everyday a gift for the successive 5 days until Christmas.
Day 1: 21th December 2013. (Saturday). Cultivating a savings habit from a young age is must. So, I gifted him a undiyal and advised him to save all the Festival money that he receives from his parents, grandparents and relatives. Also I insisted him to add 1 Rupees every day morning as soon as he gets up.
Day 2: 22th December 2013. (Sunday). Last month, he won second prize in drawing. He was awarded a trophy and other competitor was given a small car toy as a consolation prize. He kept his face pale and dull and was worried that he has not given that small car toy. Finally, the organizer gave a smile and handed him a car toy. He is that much crazy about cars even though we have a collection of 500 car toys at home. And this is the main reason for selecting the day 2 gift.
I gifted him a car toy and took a promise that once he grows big and earns lot of money, he will buy a real car and will take me a ride in it.
Day 3: 23th December 2013. (Monday). Securing the future financially alone will not be sufficient. Staying fit and healthy is equally important to enjoy those benefits. The best way I can assure that he will be fit is by doing some sort of physical exercise everyday. I don’t want to force anything at him at this young age. I knew he had had interest for swimming and swimming coaching classes are just 10 minutes away from my home. So on 23rd December, I gifted him “Life time membership for swimming”
I am sure, I have gifted him life time fitness.
Day 4: 24th December 2013. (Tuesday).
If I am a kid, I would definitely hate this day 4 gift. Yes, I gifted him educational books and CDs.
I will also make sure, Every year, I am upgrading him with new CDs according to his age.
Day 5:
254th December 2013. (Wednesday).
HAPPPPPPPPY CHRISTMAS :)
I dressed myself as Santra clause and played jingle bell song on my mobile. He could easily recognize me but was curious to know the 5th and last day gift that he is going to receive in few minutes.
The final gift was..
HDFC SL YoungStar Super Premium which will build savings for his education, marriage, among other needs.
This post is a part of the 1001 Gifts Activity by HDFC Life in association with BlogAdda.
"Hey Deepika, I got struck up in a meeting. Can you pick Sanju from school?" My sister made a request over the phone."Alright, will do." I wheeled my car to his school. As I was waiting for my sister’s son a Christmas tree that was lit up beautifully decorated caught my eyes. Christmas is just around the corner! The School will be officially closed till January 1st for exam holidays and it is a common practice that they celebrate the Christmas on the last day of the exam.
“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Dashing through the snow. In a one-horse open sleigh..." 6 year old Sanju came singing with full enthusiasm.
I continued, “Over the fields we go. Laughing all the way…Ha ha ha ha”“Chiti, You know these song?”“Of course. Your Chiti, know everything” I winked and collected the school bag.“You know, Santa Claus came to our classroom and gifted all my classmates" he showed me a small gifted wrapped packed. He continued, "Will Santa Claus come to our home?"
"He will come only if you do your homework's regularly, being punctual to schools and obedient to parents and chiti" I tried to act smart in front of him, forgetting the fact that kids are always ready with their smart answer. "Haiyoo. No homeworks. No school. Its exams holiday" he sighed and turned towards the window.
We play Santa Claus every year at my office. Since my contribution to his secure future plays a vital role, I thought of playing Santa Claus with him. I quickly sorted a plan. I thought of giving him everyday a gift for the successive 5 days until Christmas.
Day 1: 21th December 2013. (Saturday). Cultivating a savings habit from a young age is must. So, I gifted him a undiyal and advised him to save all the Festival money that he receives from his parents, grandparents and relatives. Also I insisted him to add 1 Rupees every day morning as soon as he gets up.
Day 2: 22th December 2013. (Sunday). Last month, he won second prize in drawing. He was awarded a trophy and other competitor was given a small car toy as a consolation prize. He kept his face pale and dull and was worried that he has not given that small car toy. Finally, the organizer gave a smile and handed him a car toy. He is that much crazy about cars even though we have a collection of 500 car toys at home. And this is the main reason for selecting the day 2 gift.
I gifted him a car toy and took a promise that once he grows big and earns lot of money, he will buy a real car and will take me a ride in it.
Day 3: 23th December 2013. (Monday). Securing the future financially alone will not be sufficient. Staying fit and healthy is equally important to enjoy those benefits. The best way I can assure that he will be fit is by doing some sort of physical exercise everyday. I don’t want to force anything at him at this young age. I knew he had had interest for swimming and swimming coaching classes are just 10 minutes away from my home. So on 23rd December, I gifted him “Life time membership for swimming”
I am sure, I have gifted him life time fitness.
Day 4: 24th December 2013. (Tuesday).
If I am a kid, I would definitely hate this day 4 gift. Yes, I gifted him educational books and CDs.
I will also make sure, Every year, I am upgrading him with new CDs according to his age.
oWnmBSYQl7Zyg!~~60_12.JPG)
Day 5:
254th December 2013. (Wednesday).
HAPPPPPPPPY CHRISTMAS :)
I dressed myself as Santra clause and played jingle bell song on my mobile. He could easily recognize me but was curious to know the 5th and last day gift that he is going to receive in few minutes.
The final gift was..
HDFC SL YoungStar Super Premium which will build savings for his education, marriage, among other needs.
This post is a part of the 1001 Gifts Activity by HDFC Life in association with BlogAdda.
Touch of Mist Book Review by Khushboo Motihar
Source - http://munniofalltrades.blogspot.com/2013/12/book-review-touch-of-mist.html
I love surprises and if that surprise involves a book then I feel like I am on cloud nine, sipping chocolate milkshake and eating a box full of cookies as I glide on rainbows. What caused me to be this happy? A message from Deepika, a fellow blogger, who asked me to review her book and I obviously, said a big yes! I was caught up with some college assignments and finally finished reading the book yesterday. Here's the review
About the Book:
Reena was distraught. It seemed unbelievable that she too had succumbed to this rat race of life. The consequences had been dire: a marriage that had broken even before the profundity of those three magical words, “I Love You” could sink in.
“Touch of Mist” is a glitzy, modern-day love story of two young, sophisticated, IT professionals, Gautham and Reena, who meet by chance, sparks ignite and they fall head over heels in love with each other.
They tie the knot and start a new life. But no sooner do they do that that fights erupt and egos clash. The first casualty is love, which plummets and marriage turns miserable; break-up beckons and the relationship dies.
Aftermath. Does Reena commit suicide or fall in love with another person? Does she reconcile with her first love Gautham?
This story meanders through different emotions that touch the lives of the protagonists such as love, friendship, marriage, heartbreak, grief, anticipation, humour, disgust, joy, fear and ends with a heart-warming credo that “Life is to Live”.
ISBN: 978-81-8253-440-7
Cover Price: Rs. 250.00
Publisher - Cyberwit
Author: Deepika Muthusamy
Rating: 3.5
My take on the book
Friendship, love, inter caste marriage, romance, silly fights, ego clashes, two suicide attempts, an earthquake, a healthy dose of common sense and a happy/sad ending (I won’t give the plot away by telling you whether the couple live happily ever after or not) are the words that can summarize this entire book.
The story starts off by introducing the reader to Gautam and Reena, two IT professionals living in Bangalore. They meet on a bus ride to office and sparks start flying, at least for Gautam. The story then moves on at a leisurely pace till both of them declare their love for each other and get married, after thoda sa masaledar we-are-from-different-religions drama.
Marriage treats the couple well, till both their egos inflate and they start fighting. Initially, they kiss and make up (literally) but then things start going out of hand. Gautam decides to leave for a 6 month long assignment to another city and Reena is a mess. What happens next? Well, you have to read the book to find out!Touch of Mist is an engaging book and I finished it in two days; you can finish it faster if you don’t have to attend college like me. J
The only sore point is that it turns a little preachy somewhere in the middle and also towards the end. The editing needs to be tighter, too. There are Adam and Eve conversations in between, where they have a mini argument over Gautam and Reena’s conversations. It is interesting initially, but it is overdone in a few places. That said, the plot is original, the characters are interesting and reading it is a breeze. What more would one want out of a book?
I love surprises and if that surprise involves a book then I feel like I am on cloud nine, sipping chocolate milkshake and eating a box full of cookies as I glide on rainbows. What caused me to be this happy? A message from Deepika, a fellow blogger, who asked me to review her book and I obviously, said a big yes! I was caught up with some college assignments and finally finished reading the book yesterday. Here's the review
About the Book:
Reena was distraught. It seemed unbelievable that she too had succumbed to this rat race of life. The consequences had been dire: a marriage that had broken even before the profundity of those three magical words, “I Love You” could sink in.
“Touch of Mist” is a glitzy, modern-day love story of two young, sophisticated, IT professionals, Gautham and Reena, who meet by chance, sparks ignite and they fall head over heels in love with each other.
They tie the knot and start a new life. But no sooner do they do that that fights erupt and egos clash. The first casualty is love, which plummets and marriage turns miserable; break-up beckons and the relationship dies.
Aftermath. Does Reena commit suicide or fall in love with another person? Does she reconcile with her first love Gautham?
This story meanders through different emotions that touch the lives of the protagonists such as love, friendship, marriage, heartbreak, grief, anticipation, humour, disgust, joy, fear and ends with a heart-warming credo that “Life is to Live”.
ISBN: 978-81-8253-440-7
Cover Price: Rs. 250.00
Publisher - Cyberwit
Author: Deepika Muthusamy
Rating: 3.5
My take on the book
Friendship, love, inter caste marriage, romance, silly fights, ego clashes, two suicide attempts, an earthquake, a healthy dose of common sense and a happy/sad ending (I won’t give the plot away by telling you whether the couple live happily ever after or not) are the words that can summarize this entire book.
The story starts off by introducing the reader to Gautam and Reena, two IT professionals living in Bangalore. They meet on a bus ride to office and sparks start flying, at least for Gautam. The story then moves on at a leisurely pace till both of them declare their love for each other and get married, after thoda sa masaledar we-are-from-different-religions drama.
Marriage treats the couple well, till both their egos inflate and they start fighting. Initially, they kiss and make up (literally) but then things start going out of hand. Gautam decides to leave for a 6 month long assignment to another city and Reena is a mess. What happens next? Well, you have to read the book to find out!Touch of Mist is an engaging book and I finished it in two days; you can finish it faster if you don’t have to attend college like me. J
The only sore point is that it turns a little preachy somewhere in the middle and also towards the end. The editing needs to be tighter, too. There are Adam and Eve conversations in between, where they have a mini argument over Gautam and Reena’s conversations. It is interesting initially, but it is overdone in a few places. That said, the plot is original, the characters are interesting and reading it is a breeze. What more would one want out of a book?
