A Quaint Evening In Bustling Mumbai


 

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Pics from the place I visited in Mumbai

Juxtaposing to the busy life of Mumbai is this scenic place, a quaint cosmos altogether with lush green and all hues of nature. I stumbled upon it being a nature lover, I love all picturesque places, the solitude, and the quiet they offer. A mini fantasy land which caught my fancy as I was walking by. The earthiness of cobblestone street, the rustic seating, an avalanche of nature in all colors, filled my mind with a landscape of imagination to pen down some stories. A place that put all of my tumult to rest. It reminded me the philosophical side of life we tend to ignore quite often. What beauty, serenity, and harmony does to your subconscious mind, and the easy fix to clear your head if taking a long walk on the beach is not in the vicinity.

Nature mother is the most potent medium to answers to lot of complexities of life. In the serene and harmony I sit and watch the beautiful drizzle which wet the cobblestone pathways, glistened the rustic rooftops, and dressed the leaves and foliage making them blush. There are many more green pastures in Mumbai to explore for those who love solitude and inner peace. This place is a sanctum of serenity and harmony. I personally believe, you cannot pass a single day fruitfully without feeling inner peace. Inner engineering, a path to abundance you feel from within and live life mindfully.

Mindfulness is what nature teaches you. Stillness is not a programmed practice, but what you start to experience when you explore the nuances and tranquility nature offers you. It sets in with every tryst of nature making you want to look at the beautiful side of life you can consciously choose to look at and imbue. You can a choice to drain yourself with anger, anguish, painful emotions, or flush them away looking at all the wonderful things in life that are there sitting right in front of you to explore and take a cue from.

In the manicured greenery I was feeling still. A kind of stillness that is essential to practice daily and feel one with the universe. Everyday is a journey into mindfulness, the quaintness, the stillness you can choose to imbue to find more meaning in everything you do. There is more to Mumbai than street shopping, nightlife, and Bollywood. You can rediscover yourself strolling through these quaint pastures at your own pace and bask in the serenity.

 

Musical story behind making this sabudana khichadi


This is real….no kidding….
So, one day…after getting bored of making ‘tawa chai’ yes, this is my invention, making chai on  a tawa, it is real, it doesnt taste that bad. you should really try sometime. Sometimes, it evaporates before you make it; you know mistakes always happening in the kitchen. but, its okay,sometimes, i get to drink it when it doesn’t evaporatel
But now, back to the story, searching online for kitchen appliances, after an hour of browsing through every other item except kitchen appliances, that is, I suddenly remembered..”I think I kept sabudana in one vessel.”Too much info appearing on the internet,…like ,hello,?my mind is not interested to be encyclopedia. so…I was thinking, okay…lets reads the tidbits about dhinchak puja…,.oh nevermind, let me put on some music…so, I was listening to spoof music by bart baker…on happy parody…then i was like, hmm….now I think, in all my happiness I can makes sabudana khichadi…so i made and eated it…pic of what is made is given below.

How Green Roofing Systems Can Protect Mumbai and Weatherproof From Mumbai Rains


Green Roofing Lasts for More Than 50 Years and is a Long Term Effective Solutions for Mumbai Rains 

Mumbai rains are world famous in India. This year, 29th August 2017, Mumbai had experienced a problem similar to Houston. Flooding and walking in murky water can lead to several infections and ailments. Downpour and water clogging is the severe problem that cannot be resolved over night. However, implementing easy and highly effective solutions like green roofing for all residential commercial building, old and new, helps in increasing vegetation and weatherproofs buildings, while utilizing rainwater that prevents water clogging. It is also effective in maintaining the drainage systems and manage the run off water from continuous downpour.

Hello, Mumbaikars, do not blame the BMC or Government for everything. Green roofing systems are DIY solutions that you can implement and keep the vegetation high and resolve all the water clogging and drainage problems while also protecting the buildings, new and old during all weather conditions.

I have been reading and writing about green roofing over some time, and though, why is Mumbai lagging behind in implementing this idea…it solves all the Mumbai rains 2017 problems, like, for ever!! Green roofing lasts for more than 50 years once implemented.

Here are umpteen advantages of implementing Green roofing systems with the help of professionals

  1. Absorbs rain water and prevents flooding.

  2. Cost effective, easy to implement solution. 

  3. It reduces waste water as rainwater is used to process vegetation and other utilities.
  4. It keeps the temperature of the buildings at optimal levels in all seasons.
  5. Mumbai, which experiences heavy rains can be highly benefited by this system.
  6. Makes Mumbai greener and Eco friendly.
  7. Better landscaping options for all types of buildings.
  8. Making unused space to good use.
  9. Keeps the roofs clean and protects the buildings from water clogging and drainage problems.
  10. Extends the life of the buildings by weather proofing it.
  11. Acts as a sound proof shield and cuts down the outside noise.
  12. It also improves the quality of air and enhances the quality of life.
  13. Naturally resists fire.
  14. Does not allow water to retain within the buildings and prevents water clogging on the ground as well.

 

There are umpteen benefits of green roofing. There are many DIY green roofing systems that can be built which can permanently help resolve the problems with Mumbai rains and flooding.

 

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10 Natural tips for Your Daily Beauty and Skin Regime


Beauty is skin deep because it has pores to fill! Natural ingredients from the pantry can do wonders to your skin. These are simple recipes to take care of your skin in every season.

Honey and lemon

Honey has been used since ages for hair and skin. It cleanses the skin pores and is rich in antioxidants. The nutrients present in honey cleanses and hydrates the skin. Honey can lighten skin by a few tones. You can mix one tablespoon of honey with two tablespoons of coconut oil to cleanse the skin pores and hydrate the skin. Coconut oil has antibacterial properties and leaves the skin tone balanced.

Apply a spoonful of raw honey on the skin and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and rinse it. It works as a wonderful moisturiser.

To lighten up the skin, mix 1 tablespoon of lemon and 1 tablespoon of honey and apply it on your face. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water. This is a simple facial recipe to radiate the skin.

Oats For Skin

Oats is a cereal that acts as a cleansing agent. Soaps have chemicals and are incapable of pampering your skin. Skin dearly loves to be treated with oatmeal facemasks. Oats has proved their loyalty to skin to its grain.

If you don’t find eating oatmeal appealing, powder oats and fill it in a nice looking jar. This fine powdered oats is useful in creating a variety of face masks with natural ingredients that work wonders on the skin. Oats eliminates acne and many other skin problems.

  • For removing tan, crush 2-3 almonds, add some milk, and 1 tablespoon of oatmeal. Apply this mixture on the skin and leave it on for 15-20 minutes, and rinse. You can also use a mixture of buttermilk and oats and apply on face to remove sun tan.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of oatmeal, a pinch of turmeric, and mix it with rose water. This is a facemask that works well for all skin types and gives a smoother skin. Rinse after 15 to 20 minutes of application.
  • To get oil free skin, puree 1 tomato in a blender and add 2 tablespoons of oatmeal powder to this puree. Apply it on face and leave it on for 10 minutes before washing it off.

Fruits and Vegetable Slices for a Smoother Skin

Potato and tomato slices are well known bleaching agents for the skin. Wash your face in the morning and rub these slices of the face for a few minutes and rinse your face with lukewarm water. This makes the skin smoother.

Pulp of fruits like papayas, green apples, and avocados keep the skin young for a longer time. They make the skin radiant and moisturize it naturally. They promote blood circulation of the skin, leaving the skin looking younger.

Mash a Banana and mix it with 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon of yogurt for a glowing skin. Another alternative is to use 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix it with ripe banana mash and apply it on your skin. Wash it after 20 minutes for a smoother skin.

Oiling for Beautiful and Blemish Free Skin

Argan oil is a concentrate made from Argan trees in Morocco. It offers umpteen benefits of skin. It is Vitamin E rich and is high in antioxidants. Vitamin E prevents fine lines, wrinkles, and reverses the process of aging in skin. It also lightens darks spots on skin and protects the skin from sun burns.

Jojoba oil is usually the first choice of facial oils by beauty enthusiasts. This is a commonly used face oil as it is light and gets absorbed easily into the skin. Leave it on overnight, you will wake up with a clearer skin.This is a popular oil for giving your skin some bedtime treatment.

Castor oil reduces acne, breakouts of skin, and prevents the skin from feeling dry. This is not a fragrant oil like its counterpart face oils. If your skin needs a pragmatic treatment to remedy skin problems like, acne and to keep the bacteria at bay, say yes to this oil treatment. This is not your daily skin treatment trusty side kick. Use this oil for treating minor skin problems.

Avocado oil is useful for people with dry skin. It takes care of the cell function of the skin and leaves the texture of the skin looking stunning!It is rich in Vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. For dry skin problems olive oil can also be used.

Water and Ice and Everything Nice!

Rubbing ice on your skin can increase blood circulation. Add a drop of moisturizer on the ice cube and rub it, your skin can feel the smoothness and glow instantly.

Drinking 8 to 10 ounces of water everyday cleanses the toxins from the body and keeps hydrates the skin. This is one of the most inexpensive beauty treatments for your skin and works better than applying topical creams. Drinking a good amount of water everyday prevents aging of skin.

Flours that Keep the Skin Glowing

Gramflour is made from garbanzo beans or chickpeas. Add milk, honey, turmeric, or rose water to this flour and apply it on the skin, it makes the skin smooth, radiant, and prevents many skin problems. You can keep pimples, acne, dark spots, and a dull complexion at bay when you use this face mask daily. Leave it on for 15 minutes and rinse with water.

Rice flour is made from uncooked white rice. Add milk to this flour and apply it on the face. This is a simple skin whitening tip. Ferulic acid in rice powder acts as an antioxidant and protects the skin from sun.

Spice Up Your Beauty Regime With these Spices

Mix a spoonful of paprika with honey to create a moisturizing face mask. Mix half a spoon of nutmeg powder with milk to make a paste. Apply this paste to exfoliate the skin. Turmeric is the spice that can be added to milk, honey, and sandalwood powder to make a paste for a face mask. Use this spice to apply a face mask only at night.

Milk that Your Skin Loves

Almond milk has zinc, and vitamin E that helps keep the skin blemish free and prevents skin cancer.

Goat milk contains nutrients like selenium and vitamin A that are a treat for the skin. It also contains alpha hydroxyl acid(AHA) and lactic acid. It lightens the skin.

Coconut milk prevents aging of skin, dark spots, and sagging of skin. For a wrinkles free look, you can apply this milk regularly on your face.

Flower Recipes for Skin

Crush some rose petals and add honey to them. Apply this mixture on the lips. Rosewater acts as a good skin toner.

Take Jasmine flowers petals and crush them. Add a few drops of coconut oil and apply this mixture of your skin. It gives a glow and removes dryness of skin.

Take marigold petals, add 1 tablespoon of honey ,and 1 tablespoon of milk. Apply this mixture of the face. Leave it to dry for 15 minutes and give it a rinse.

Herbal Teas Good for Skin

Green tea, black tea, peppermint tea, ginger tea, and chamomile tea are good for skin. Drink them daily a cup or two and keep your skin healthy and happy.

Disclaimer

This is only an informative article. These tips may or may not work for you. I am passionate about beauty, homemade remedies, fashion, and wellness. I only provide information that is correct to the best of my knowledge. How this information affects you is not my responsibility.

Iconic and Quirky Bollywood Characters You Can Never Forget


These are characters from the brigade of Bollywood cinema that have stood up tall beyond decades. Archetype in their depiction, these iconic and quirky characters in Bollywood movies are memorable.

Ranchoddas Shamaldas Chanchad aka Rancho

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He gave the ‘aam janta’ of India the ‘uncommon gyan’ of being passionate and doing what you love in the most entertaining style. Who can forget the quotes of this Rancho boy from the movie ‘3 Idiots.'”All izz Well”

“Bachcha kabil bano, kabil … kamyabi toh saali jhak maarke peeche bhagegi”

and etc etc…why don’t you go watch the movie again?

Crimemaster Gogo From Andas Apna Apna

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If only gangsters were so funny, crime would be a tragic comedy. This is one of the most epic roles of Shakti Kapoor, dressed like Superman meets stoned vampire.

“Crime Master Gogo naam hai mera, aankhen nikal ke gotiyan khelti hun main”

“Yeh Teja Teja kya hai … yeh Teja Teja”

Geet from Jab We Met

 

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 A dream every girl wants to live in her teens, wanting to portray individuality amidst nusicence. ‘Kyon ki mein apni favorite hoon.’ yehawww!! thumbs up for that!!Bharat Bhusan from Bheja Fry

 

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An income tax inspector who carries a scrapbook depicting his musical life to self promote himeself is something that will always leave you in splits. This is one character that is etched and played very well by Vinay Pathak.

Ganesh by Vijay Raaz in Run movie

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Run is a movie you can watch for the quirks and comedy of the gullible character played by Vihay Raaz. A prodigal son who sets out to meet his friend without a lot of plan, goes through series of tragic comedy incidents in the movie.

Baburao Ganpatrao Apte  from Hera Pheri Series

This is a funny character from Hera Pheri movie. Paresh Raval’s acting in this movie has been epic!! The eccentricity of this character can make you burst in laughter.

Priyanka Chopra as Mary Kom

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Are you looking for some gritty inspiration? Watch her in this movie. Enough said!!

Bajirao Singham in Singham series

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Ata majhi satkali, mala raag yetoyee!!! This is the alternative to our legendary angry young man- Amitabh Bachchan in Zanjeer. If you need a doze of Maharastrian mirchi with some Zhunka Bhakar, this is the role to relish watching!

Munna Bhai MBBS and Circuit

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Rajkumar Hirani creates iconic characters in most of his movies. Need I say more!! This doc has some quirks and a rowdy assistant, who can only make you laugh and cry at the same time!

Raj Malhotra DDLJ

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Raj Malhotra, just in case you forget his surname! This dew eyed boy is in the field of yellow flowers…oh but what are these yellow flowers…hmm… I love gardening!! okay, now back to this character description. He can never stop romancing the minds of the, especially, millenials. No, no, the aaj ke bachche will never find him romantic! They might as well mute this film and come up with some spoof of their own…and prolly, post them as web series! oh…there there,..there goes an idea!

Chocolate boy, you still rock!!

Plants I Love to Grow in My Tiny Space


I love gardening. I didn’t want to be a horticulturist. But, in my tiny space, I prefer to grow perennial flowers. Torenidas, ixoras, Zinnias, Rose, Basil, Tuber rose(seasonal), oleanders, asters, and more. I love flowerbeds made from bulbous tulips, asters, petunias, and the sunflower breeds. These flowers grace my balcony. A few are seasonal, so I have to keep changing them…I prefer annual. So, there is more to come.

Your Grandparents are The Best People That Happen to You


I Love My Grandparents. They are no more. But, those memories of happiness are forever. They teach you fundas of life with a blend of love, and minus the dose of strict self righteousness that is patented to parentology. My maternal grandmother was avant garde. Ahead of her times. She knew flawless English. She loved cricket and Sachin Tendulkar. Highly artistic, she made jewelry, the famous halva ke dagine(worn in Maharastrian Weddings). She read the newspaper and could hold intellectual discussions. Neverthless her taste in selection of colors, clothes, and saris, simply outstanding! What a woman I have always been proud off. She was a highly creative and a talented person. A very patient, enduring, sweet, and a compassionate person, whom I simply can’t stop loving. Nobody could make rotis and the famous ‘Maharastrian Varan’ like she could. My maternal grandfather was a noble man. Simple, sweet, hard working, would never say a word to hurt anyone. They are the best examples and ideals in my life. I don’t need a Richard Brandson or any hot shot’s biography to imbue.

I have had the privilege of experiencing the love and company of my great grandparents too. They were happy, cheerful, dynamic, avant garde people, who exemplified the finer things in life. My great grand mother was an epitome of kindness, compassion, and goodness. Her values about life is something we cannot find in books or parchments. My great grand father was a humorous man. His timing of wit and enthusiasm for life and everything new is hard to find in people of today. They showcased the lives of people who have been through real struggles and honored them through their trust and organization, Vypari Foundation. Educationists true to the core, who define the very definition of ‘Guru’ in its truest sense.

The ideals and principles my grandparents lived by are enough for me to follow for the rest of my life. My paternal grandmother was a dynamic, strict, and highly organized woman. Her sense of understanding relations and life is on par with what you wouldn’t even find in ‘The Secret.’ It’s hard to find people like them in this life, you know. The values they lived by, the gumption they had were so urban, it would put a modern man to shame. She was always up for learning something new. I have such deep admiration for them all, they have left indelible imprints in my subconscious. My paternal grandfather had a great sense of humor, was disciplinarian, sweet, hard working, religious man.

When I look back at these memories, and see the way they lived their lives, facing bitter and bigger challenges, our lives look less challenging and simpler; it works like an epiphany. I love them all, through to the core. Grandparents are special! They are like your guardian angels. Those are the kind of people so full of love and kindness. All of your mischief and rebel is accepted with warmth only to condition you into a better human being.

How I began Glass Painting


242330_10150203182781400_7947154_o240423_10150203184871400_7139226_o When I took down my bespoke studio, Faporazee, I had brought glass shelves from my studio to home. Since, they all were 8 inches wide, I was thinking how to utilize them. I first, cut them into round rectangular shapes and fitted them like tiny wall mounted arrangements. The rest of the pieces, were too many. So, I decided to paint them instead of throwing them away. How many shelves can you have at home anyway?

246633_10150203183691400_6465022_nSo, I started with my favorite, abstract design, then go onto doing floral motifs, birds, and random stuff. I loved pottery too. I had done some pot painting as a kid, using sand paper and plaster of pares to do up the texture. The next thing to do was paint it in motifs that I love by stenciling them first. I have always been good with arts and painting works. I never had to use a stencil for glass painting at all. I started off with the motifs in my mind directly onto the glass. I painted around 10 to 12 pieces in a weeks time. So, next time, I have a bottle or any glass piece that I do not use, I paint it and utilize it for decor. The pictures in this blog are my glass painting works done a few years back.

My Love for Language, Words, and Scrabble


Scrabble is to me what Superbowl or cricket is to many. Scrabble and cricket with one tup catch is something I am up for any time. There is no maaza in playing cricket without the chalk drawn wickets and one tup catch out. What if this was a real rule? Hahaha, that would be fun, wouldn’t it? The best part about playing an outdoor game is, you can have your own rules. Word games, language, come to think about, why don’t people focus on the language they use? You are not going to lose authenticity for showing some civility. Why are these values passe? You don’t have to sacrifice assertion for the sake of being polite. Rudeness is a camouflage for lack of faith in self. It is a way of projecting a made-up image to compensate for lack of confidence and belief in self.

Fluid language and expression is an ideal diet for a mental floss. Words and language carry beauty of thoughts and the mental markup. What sounds better? Poetry or expletives? I have always written abstract poetry since the time I learnt the usage of language. My love for scrabble is eternal. I could grow so old and not have teeth in my mouth, but a game of scrabble might just light me up. I am not an elitist. I do not have intellectual snobbery. I have no patent over these matters. What I love is language, culture, music, literature, words, poetry, thoughts, thinking, gumption. I make my inner world rich, no matter how I come across to as a person.

Our values are digitized. You will not fine someone penning Oscar Wilde gumption like a common place. Language and expressions are not enough to verbalize emotions. You need emoticons, GIF’s, and maybe even infographs to express the flowchart of emotions. The process of how they come to existence, needs to be explained, else, you will be passed off as a phony or someone who lacks empathy. “Oh, so you DO use emoticons, therefore, you could have an emotional streak.” This is how we infer the emotional nature of an individual now.

 

My interesting Routine Speaks of My Love for Life


Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity- Lao Tzu.

My day starts at 6am. I do the breathing exercise for 5 minutes before I get out of bed. I love my king size breakfast. I rustle up a planned breakfast every day. Mostly salads, doused in seeds and olive oil and a whole glass of fruit or vegetable juice. I have been on an organic diet for a really long time. It helps me keep chronic ailments at bay. I look at the silver lining of a good routine despite challenges.

This is my routine. I get better at it everyday. At least, I am not running inside the hamster’s cage, day in and day out. I don’t feel the onus to deal with the daily grind of  compulsions. I retain my natural, spontaneous, spur-off-the-moment independence. I wouldn’t give away my sense of freedom for million dollars or the mousetrap of true love. I do miss people and socializing daily. I would love that too, but my love for ideas is high!! Higher than the need of finding a middle ground that trammels my sacred religion of being free spirited. I don’t give a dime to epochal thinking, or doing something with the intent of creating an epic. I cannot miss the pleasure out of doing things I love.

Freelancing, working from home, afflicts social life, but you do not miss out on the rich inner world. You might communicate more with birds and plants than humans everyday. The ‘Me’ time becomes so potent, you develop a strong reason to shut down the rigmarole and the mundane small talk. I have never been the small talk kind of a person. Though, it is an ice breaker in any conversation. My self absorption with ideas has taken over social life. I jot down, write, read, sketch, cook, clean, and create.

I have a heavy breakfast and lunch light. I love cooking for myself, as well as people I love. There is true joy in doing that. I think, I have come so far because I have not given up holding on to good dietary habits. I am a massive foodie. But, I prefer not to get into temptation habits, not cause of self righteousness, but for the love of my own well being.

Then my work starts at 7am or 9am, depending on random stuff I choose to do early morning. Sometimes it could be a morning walk, or listening to music, or grooming plants, or just sitting still. Stillness is vital to me. I have a dislike to be shaken up. I, especially, like my mornings quiet. Then goes on the roster of things planned ahead of the day. Writing, mostly. I pen thoughts for myself and also take up the technical and mundane formats of writing as a part of my daily work.

This has been a long, unwinding journey having its own pitfalls. But, in all the chaos, peace, and a motley of incidents, my yearning for a disciplined life remains consistent. My core values have not changed, and nothing will change them. Nobody or nothing is so potent enough to change them. I love the pace at which I move my own life. i love it, because I get to choose the pace of my own life, in the case of happiness as well as adversity. I love it that I am incapable of being pushed for anything that does not coincide with who I am. No temptation of money, fame, or allure of true love is so big that it can put a veil on me. There is hardly a scope for boredom, with or without people. I am comfortable in my own skin.