Monday 23 November 2015

SANSKAR-FRIENDLY BOND


So thanks to the CBFC and its head Sant Pahlaj Nihalani, Indian cinema houses will now screen a toned, 'Sanskaar-friendly', '50% saturated kiss-free' version of the latest James Bond flick - Spectre. The CBFC, which would rather show flowers coming together than two people making out on screen has snipped out sex/kissing scenes by almost 50% and also a few swear words from the movie, which means that the movie's running time has now been pared from the original length of 2.5 hours to maybe just over an hour and a half. That leaves us with not one, but two boring family-oriented movies playing in multiplexes, the other being 'Prem Rotten Ratan Dhan Paayo'.

I'm sure if the CBFC, under Sant Nihalani, were ever given the choice to make changes to Bond flicks retrospectively, they'd jump at the opportunity.

In fact, rumours are afloat that the CBFC has reworked and retitled some Bond flicks of the past. They have also outright banned a few movies that they deemed were beyond repair. Some of these repackaged Sanskari Bond flicks are as follows:-

  1. Dr. No - Since CBFC chiefs traditionally take pride in saying 'no' to everything that passes under their noses, this movie has been reworked to look like Sant Nihalani's biography.
  2. From Russia CBFC With Love Cuts - The plot revolves around a CBFC chief, who considers it his moral responsibility to censor any and every thing that comes his way. The movie features a controversial scene in which Sant Nihalani goes scissor-happy on a movie scene featuring a guy milking a gaai, only because it technically involved the display of bare teats.
  3. Gold Finger Unglee - The CBFC initially set out to Sanskaarify it with a desi translation, but since doing unglee on screen was not a sanskaari thing to do, they eventually decided to ban it.
  4. Thunder Ball - Another banned flick...because thunder thighs and 'balls' are too sexual for Indian audiences.
  5. You Only Live Kiss Twice - The release of this movie was a mistake. The CBFC decided to re-release an old Bond movie in its original format, albeit with a million cuts. However, they forgot to cut two kissing scenes. Since it was too late to make amends by the time they noticed the faux pas, they gave the movie an apt title. But hey, they gave the movie an 'A' rating as well.
  6. On Her Majesty's Maata Raani's Secret Service - A musical movie on Satsangs, Maata Ki Chowkis and Jaagrans, featuring the effervescent Shri Narendra Chanchal in a leading role. On overwhelming demand from the Indian Catholic community, another version of the movie, with the title "On Mother Mary's Secret Service" is being planned.
  7. Diamonds Mangal Sutras Are Forever - The movie is a tribute to the ever-loyal, faithful till death sanskaari Indian biwi, who stands by her hubby by all means, even if he's Lucifer-ka-baap and has 'koti-koti' misdemeanours to his credit.
  8. Live And Let Die - Was rechristened as 'Jeeyo Aur Marney Do'. Since the title eventually did not suit their agenda, they decided to sell its rights to either movie channels screening dubbed/poorly-translated South Indian movies, or the Ramsey Brothers.
  9. The Man With The Golden Gun Shorts - This movie is a tribute to a group whose cadres wear khaki shorts and serve only one section of the nation.
  10. The Spy Who Loved Me - Since the movie was assumed to revolve around a spy and his love making, and because the CBFC was too freaked out to actually check, they decided to play safe. Accordingly, the movie now only consists of opening and closing credits.
  11. Moonraker - A movie about Karwa Chauth - It's All About Loving Your Hubby
  12. For Your Desi Eyes Only - As the title suggests, this movie has been strategically and intelligently reworked to include images of bees, flowers coming together, birds chasing each other and other subliminal imagery to suit the Indian sensitivity. The CBFC was smart enough to show a few scenes of hands and feet rubbing, just to tease audiences and to alleviate sagging ticket sales
  13. Octopussy - Banned, because a movie about 'pussies' is evil.
  14. A View To Kill - A movie about getting rid of em no-good beef eaters
  15. The Living Daylights Diyas - A documentary on the power of  prayer
  16. License To Kill - A sequel to #14
  17. Golden Red Eye - A medical documentary on Conjunctivitis
  18. Tomorrow Never Dies - A movie about an Indian businessman who keeps delaying payments to his vendors, employees and lenders by saying the cliched ''Kal Pakka''. Featuring a Vijay Mallya lookalike
  19. The World Is Not Enough - An engaging and popular story about a Prime Minister who loves globe-trotting
  20. Die Another Day - A sequel to the hugely popular #14 and #16
  21. Casino Royale - Gambling is bad...banned!
  22. Quantum of Solace So Less - A movie made by the CBFC to poke fun at and troll 'perverted' minds who criticise the CBFC and its snip-happy ways. The story reveloves around the dismay faced by Bond movie fans who complain that the CBFC cuts leave "so less" (sic) to watch in the movie
  23. Skyfall - The movie is portrayed to be based on true life incidents. The story revolves around an aircraft from ancient Vedic times that enters Indian skies during Kalyug, but is tragically brought down by ugly high-flying political hoardings
Fancy watching any of these? I'm not a big James Bond fan...frankly speaking I haven't watched a single Bond movie till date, but I don't mind watching any of these CBFC-certified versions if you give me company.

Game for some clean fun, anyone?

This post was selected by Blogadda as one of the Tangy Tuesday Picks for the Week ended 24th November 2015.


Tuesday 17 November 2015

DON'T LOOK

The room was dark and silent, exactly the way I had seen it the last time my eyes were open. The fading embers of a torch on the wall was the only source of light, offering limited visibility in the dingy surroundings. The silence was deafening to the point that the only sounds I could hear were those of mysterious insects. The ambience of the room was far from inviting, but I had gotten used to it. Besides, I wasn't looking forward to having guests over anytime soon.

Hours of lying down in the same position had made my back sore. Barely had I shifted my once heavy frame to get into a more comfortable position when I saw those faces. I was certainly taken by surprise.

There were three of them, two males and one female. They were all standing, leaning over me. Their faces were pale and impassive, almost as if frozen, absolutely bereft of emotions. I felt extremely uncomfortable, because they were all staring at me. I hate being looked at.

I'm not sure whether my dislike of being looked at stems from my social phobia or from my inferiority complex. I had been grossly overweight and ugly for most of my adult life. Years of being ridiculed and laughed at for the way I looked had made me weary of social gatherings. I always detested being looked at because I thought people who were looking at me were judging me negatively.

They were still staring at me. I began thinking about the kind of pictures they were probably painting in their minds about me. The feeling was not so great, because I was pretty sure that those pictures were most probably hideous. I grew even more uncomfortable. The way they were looking at me...oh, I hated it!

I wanted to ask them to leave at once, but I couldn't speak, no matter how hard I tried. I could think, I knew what I wanted to say, but I couldn't speak. I knew quite well that the reason was obviously natural wear and tear. But I could not stand these intruders any longer. They were still staring at me...I hated it.

As always, all I needed to do to chase the intruders away was to sit up in my casket.


Tuesday 3 November 2015

WHY I SHAVE MY HEAD

Image Source: www.straightrazorplace.com

I shave my head, almost everyday.

People ask me why, some
lout of genuine curiosity, others just for fun.

I hate both types.

Some people think it's funny when they ask bald guys for a comb. I wish I could take that comb,turn it sideways and shove it up the joker's Tundra region.

Although it's none of your bloody business, here are some possible reasons why I shave my head. One/all/none of these answers might be true. Choose any one to suit yourselves.

I shave my head...


  • Because in my case (absolutely) nothing is better than (a scarce) something.
  • Because I firmly believe that all men will eventually go bald, and I wanted  to enjoy first movers' advantage
  • Because I'm fully aware of the power of aero-dynamics
  • Because I wanted to get in touch with my inner Chanakya
  • Because shampoos cost a bomb these days
  • Because I wanted to keep my inner-Samson in control and Delilahs away
  • Because I heard the NBA were looking for Indian recruits
  • Because I wanted to maximise the absorption of Vitamin D
  • Because I love to keep people guessing whether I'm a gentle Buddhist or a mercurial Hell's Angel
  • Because yanking the hair off would be really painful
Please leave us baldies alone.

(Bald) Jann-Hith Mein Jaari

Cheers
CRD

Sunday 25 October 2015

CHEESY (IN A NICE WAY) SMILING FACES


Kids these days are really fussy eaters. Many a times, if the food brought to them doesn't cause the air to be filled with aromas that are intoxicating enough, you'd better be prepared for a pretty long battle to get them to eat. Sometimes, preparing something that's visually appealing can do the trick. After all, animal crackers and alphabet soups didn't become popular without reason. So much for fun food for kids. But what if adults could indulge and enjoy too, without feeling stupid? "How", you ask? Get yourself McCain's range of French Fries and Potato Speciality products. Their products are largely cholesterol and trans-fat free and filled with the goodness of potato. They're all pre-cooked in pure vegetable oil, and you only need to shallow-fry or bake them, for about three minutes.

My kid is usually not a fussy eater. Like me, his policy is 'if there's anything that can be eaten, it surely must be eaten'. But sometimes, he has these strange twists to his mood, twists that make him really selective about what goes into his mouth. At such times, the wife and I know that food will have to be made a little visually-appealing. The evening of last weekend was one such occasion, The little fellow was not interested in cake or biscuits. We struggled for almost an hour, but eventually gave up. By then, we were hungry too. I was desperately craving for some kind of crispy fried snack. In a moment, my thoughts raced to the pack of McCain Smiles that we has bought from the supermarket a week ago. Suddenly, I forgot all about my kid's snacking options. The thought of biting into crispy smiley-faced potato nuggets left me spellbound. I was brought back to reality only by the sounds of my wife chasing my kid with a bowl of fruit. How could I get my kid to join us in having McCain Smiles, and have fun while having it too? The smiley image might have been enough to grab his attention, but I wanted to add some flavour and personal touch to it. So yours truly came up with the following recipe, which is extremely simple to execute. The recipe is inspired by a brand of cream biscuits that I used to eat as a kid (and still eat secretly, when no one is watching :P).

CHEESY SMILEY SANDWICH

Ingredients:-
  • A packet of McCain Smiles
  • Garlic-flavoured cheese spread
  • Tomato ketchup
  • Pudina (mint) chutney

Procedure:- Shallow fry the McCain Smiles till they are crispy-hot. Smear the cheese spread generously over a Smiles nugget, and place another nugget over it like a sandwich. If you can manage to get some cheese to flow out of the Smiles' eyes and mouth by pressing the sandwich' together it would be a visual treat for your kid, but it's okay even if it doesn't work out that way. Serve the 'sandwiches' with thick tomato ketchup and/or freshly made pudina (mint) chutney.

Although it is not likely to happen, if your kid prefers to give the dish the 'cream biscuit treatment' by licking off all the cheese and leaving only the Smileys for you, I'm sure you're not going to complain ;)

For other interesting recipes, visit the McCain India website - http://www.mccainindia.com/

Bon Appetit!

Sunday 18 October 2015

AN ODE TO THE WITCH-HUNTERS

Image Source: https://dianeowens1124.files.wordpress.com

When All We've Ended Up With Today,
Are Long-Dead Legends For 'Redeemers',
Thugs And Murderers For Leaders,
And The Alternatives Are Simply 'Different Faces, Same Demeanour',
We're But Easy Prey, Suckers For Lousy Bait,

And Every Thing We Do Or Say,
Is Judged, And Branded 'Black' or 'White',
When To Disagree, Even Honestly, Is 'Not Quite Right',
And We'd Dare Not Ever Stand To Fight,
Lest We Find Our Lives In Dire Straits,

When All Of A Sudden,
What We Deign To Eat,
Whether Pulses & Wheat,
Or 'Holy' Meat,
Is A Question Forged To Seal Our Fate,

When Mobs Decide The Way To Go,
When Rules Protect The Weak No More,
When The Meek Are Pummeled To The Floor,
And The Helpless Find No Welcome Door,
When It's Sacrilegious To Demonstrate,

Then It's High Time To Pull Up Our Boots,
To Pump Up Our Fists,
To Raise Up Our Chins,
And In One Collective, Brazen Voice,
Bring The Guilty To Shame,
Put The Megalomaniacs In Their Right Place,
That Soon T'is Okay For Men To Debate,
And To Disagree, Without The Fear Of A Backlash Of Hate.

Sunday 5 July 2015

BENEATH THE GREASEPAINT

Musicians, especially from the Rock and Metal fraternity, tend to have a reputation of being druggies, bad-boys and wild brats, with all the musical talent in the world, but zero brains. Ask any average Joe what they think when they think about Rock Musicians, and they’ll either say "Sex, Booze, Weed and Rock & Roll" or "Getting Wasted".

But what if I told you that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to some of these musicians? What if I told you that some of them are brilliant, and not just in music? What if I told you that some of them can give geniuses a run for their money? What if I labelled some of them as sources of inspiration and motivation? You might dismiss these statements as figments of imagination or fantasy. But guess what, you’re about to be proved wrong.

Let’s check out some Rock Stars who have surprised the world:-

DUFF MCKAGAN

Former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan (born Michael Andrew McKagan) was a high school dropout, whose only aim in life was attaining rock 'n' roll superstardom. Somewhere down the line, however, his life took a 180 degrees turn. After having reached a point where he nearly drank himself to death, Duff sobered up. While attempting to check the band’s finances, he realised that he couldn't understand a thing. Embarrassed, but determined to change things, he enrolled in a community college and got himself a Bachelor's degree in Business from Seattle University. Furthermore, he went on to get a high-school diploma in 2012. Duff currently owns a financial management company called Meridian Rock. His musical pursuits never took a backseat though.

BRIAN MAY

Brian May is the lead guitarist of one of the greatest (and apparently most educated) bands of all time – Queen. Unknown to many, even before the band made it big, he had graduated with honors way back in 1968, and had begun working towards his PhD in Astrophysics. Along the way, however, making music with the band prevented him from getting his PhD for nearly 40 year, although he never let go of his passion. In 2006, he was invited back to the Imperial College, London, to finish what he had started. Finally, in 2007, a long 37 years after he began working on his doctorate, Sir Brian May finally got himself a PhD.

MARILYN MANSON

Shock-rocker Marilyn Manson (real name Brian Hugh Warner) is known for his controversial stage image and antics. His shocking and provocative antics, effective use of loud and heavy make-up and accessories, evil lyrics and 'satanic' album imagery paint a horrifying image. However, beneath the stage persona is a man who has a degree in journalism and who has had a stint as an Associate Editor with a magazine. The 'gentleman' also happens to be a painter and an actor. The man's intelligence can be gauged by watching or reading some of his interviews.

TOM ARAYA


Tom Araya, the Chilean-American bassist and vocalist of American Thrash Metal band Slayer is ranked among the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of all time. His persona, his attire, his voice, the songs his band sings, the seemingly 'anti-religious' themes of the band's songs would make you believe that he is a Devilish ghoul. Beneath the 'evil' facade, however, lies a spiritually-inclined man who once upon a time worked as a respiratory therapist at a hospital for five years. He used the earnings from his job to finance Slayer's first album, 'Show No Mercy'.

BRUCE DICKINSON

This guy is a personal favourite. Bruce Dickinson is the frontman of British Heavy Metal band 'Iron Maiden'. Regularly featuring in lists of greatest metal vocalists of all time, Bruce has a wide vocal range, and is the pioneer of the Power Metal sub-genre of Heavy Metal music (which makes use of operatic vocals). Interestingly, besides music, he manages to juggle a plethora of roles. Apart from being a devoted family man, he is also a pilot. In the past, apart from commercial operations, he has been involved in rescue flight missions in war zones like Afghanistan and Lebanon. Furthermore, he is also a TV presenter, having hosted aviation-related shows on BBC and Discovery Channel.

RICK ALLEN

Rick Allen's story is one of courage, determination and true friendship. Rick is the drummer for British Heavy Metal band 'Def Leppard'. "What's so special about being a drummer?", you might ask. Well, Rick happens to play drums with only one hand. In 1984 (eight years after the band was formed), at the young age of 22, Rick's left arm had to be amputated after an accident. As expected, he slipped into depression. He thought it was the end of his musical career. But the band vowed not to carry on without him. Rick's bandmates helped him customise the drum kit by consulting engineers to carry out a few tweaks in the foot pedals. They were patient with him as he set about on an uncertain journey of unlearning and re-learning drumming. Within a year's time, Rick was back to performing with the band, and the rest, as they say, is history. The band's popularity only increased with time.

LARS ULRICH

Lars Ulrich is the Danish-born drummer of the American Thrash Metal band, 'Metallica'. He is one of the most popular drummers among metalheads, The son of Denmark's popular tennis pro Torben Ulrich, Lars himself was a top-10 ranker on the junior tennis circuit in Denmark. However, at some point, his love for music eventually took centrestage, and he left professional tennis to make history in rock music. Needless to say, he still plays tennis casually.


SERJ TANKIAN

Born to Armenian parents in Lebanon, Serj Tankian is the frontman for American Nu-Age Metal band 'System of a Down'. Most of the band's songs, although they deal with subjects like human rights, politics, religion and the environment, have risque and provocative titles and lyrics. Serj, however, is not a brainless joker that laymen would assume all rockstars to be. Unknown to many, Serj has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and Business from the California State University. The picture on the left is quite geeky, ain't it?


GLENN MEDEIROS

Glenn Medeiros is the Portuguese-born American popstar who, as a teenager, made the song 'Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You' the anthem for love-struck couples the world over. Somewhere down the line, however, the strapping young man felt that teaching was his real calling. In a move that takes a lot of guts, one fine day he bade the music industry goodbye and took up teaching. Today, he is the Vice-Prinicipal of  Maryknoll School in Honolulu, USA.


DEXTER HOLLAND

Dexter Holland is the lead vocalist of the punk rock band ‘The Offspring’, which gained fame in the late 90s for hits like "Why Don't You Get a Job?" and "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)". Interestingly, Holland has a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a Master's in Molecular Biology from the University of Southern California. Long ago, before the band had gained fame, Dexter had actually commenced a PhD in Molecular Biology, but eventually had to let it go when the band began to make it big. Today, Holland is a doctoral student at the Laboratory of Viral Oncology and Proteomics Research and has published research papers on the subject of HIV.

SALMAN AHMAD

Salman Ahmad is a musician, popularly known as the lead guitarist for the now-defunct Pakistani rock band that made Sufi Rock cool...'Junoon'. Salman's profile is impressive. He is a singer, songwriter, film presenter, author and a social activist. He is also a professor at Queens College (CUNY) where he teaches music and poetry from Muslim culture. Unknown to many, he is also a qualified Physician, having completed his studies in the USA.


FAWAD KHAN

Most of us know Fawad Khan as the lead actor paired opposite Sonam Kapoor in the movie Khoobsurat. Not many know that Fawad actually started his career as the lead vocalist of one of Pakistan's most popular Heavy Metal bands, 'Entity Paradigm'. On the academic front, he is a graduate of the National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Lahore.





PALASH SEN

Closer home, Indi-Rock band Euphoria’s frontman Palash Sen is quite popular in India for his energy levels and voice. In a country that is not known to be too kind to its home-bred rockstars, Palash is known as a songwriter, musician and an actor. How many of you, however, know that he is also a Doctor, with an MBBS degree from the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) in Delhi?




There are three things that can be learnt from this write-up on rockstars and their perceived images:-

Looks can be deceiving

Most people have talents and traits that lay hidden, but can certainly surprise you

If you have passion to do something, nothing can stop you

Cheers
CRD

This post was selected by BlogAdda as one of the Tangy Tuesday Picks of the Week on 7th July 2015.


Tuesday 31 March 2015

E-INDIA : INDIA'S MARCH TOWARDS DIGITIZATION AND E-GOVERNANCE

Image Source: www.tribuneindia.com
Imagine a situation maybe around 10 years ago. Let's consider a situation where your passport is about to expire and you need to renew it. The very thought of a renewal procedure is likely to send a shiver down your spine, because you're already thinking long lines for the application form, filling up of long forms, long queues for submission of forms, police verification, and so on. You might curse your fate for having had a passport in the first place.

Fast forward to 2015. Today, all you need to do in order to renew your passport is to log in to the Government of India's passport website and follow a simple set of procedures which includes filling up the application form online, taking a few printouts, setting up a date for submission and then finally going to the passport office for submission without standing in long queues, simply because you are coming by appointment.

This is the power of technology. Technology-driven digitisation has brought the ever-expanding world closer together. It redefined the parameters of  time and distance and enabled expedition of processes that were once long-drawn, time-consuming and vulnerable to red-tape. To put it more precisely, this is the power of E-Governance.

What is E-Governance? Electronic governance or 'E-Governance' is the application of information and communication technology for delivering government services, exchange of information communication transactions, integration of various stand-alone systems and services between government and its departments, stakeholders in an economy, businesses and citizens.It also facilitates integration between back office processes and interactions within the entire government framework.

The progress of E-Governance has been one of the most striking developments of the web. E-Governance initiatives are not a phenomenon that has suddenly made an appearance. In fact, the seeds for E-Governance were sown during the IT-revolution of the early 90s, that was sparked by our late ex-PM Rajiv Gandhi. E-Governance has come a long way since then.

The National E-Governance Plan (NeGP) was approved in May 2006. It was formulated by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DEITY) and the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).

The NeGP had certain elements, mentioned as under:-

1) It involved the setting up of common support infrastructure

2) The Plan provided a framework for monitoring and co-ordinating the implementation, along with standards and guidelines, provision of technical support and capacity building

3) The plan facilitated decentralized implementation in spite of centralized initiative

4) The Plan encouraged Public-Private Partnership so as to enlarge the resource pool, without compromising on the security aspects

5) It laid down the requirement of unique identification codes for citizens, businesses and properties, in order to facilitate integration and avoid ambiguity

6) The Plan enabled and promoted a concerted programme approach at the national and state levels

7) It laid down the role of DEITY as a facilitator; and

8) Under the NeGP, various MMPs were to be owned and spearheaded by the concerned line Ministries

The wonderful  thing about E-Governance is that it inherently encourages participation of citizens in the day-to-day functioning of various government departmental machineries. The rollout of citizen services is made possible through the use of the web. Such a system also facilitates transparency and reliable record-keeping.

India has taken significant steps in the area of e-governance, with most states having launched e-service portals. Notwithstanding the fact that constant efforts are directed towards enhancing the IT infrastructure and user-friendliness of government bodies' websites and public service portals, progress has not been at the optimum pace. The new government at the Centre, headed by Shri Narendra Modi, promises to expedite the process of digitization so as to make #DigitalIndia an efficiently-running reality. In fact, digitization is one of the most important factors that will enable Shri Modi's vision of catapulting India from a currently abysmal global position with respect to 'Ease of Doing Business' to a position among the top 50 countries. Accordingly, it becomes imperative to overcome the hurdles affecting the evolution of e-Governance to enable efficient governance & administration.

So let us join the government, Intel, and other stakeholders in bringing the dream of a #DigitalIndia closer to reality, and quickly.



This post is my entry for Indiblogger and Intel's contest on the topic "Digital India"

Visit http://www.intel.in/ for more information on Intel

Tuesday 24 March 2015

KELLOGG'S 'ANAAJ KA NASHTA'

Guptaji (as Mr.Gupta is fondly known) is a simple man. He's not a particularly fun person to be with. He has a few odd habits, some of which might put you off (burping is one :p). He is usually quiet, but once he opens his mouth to speak, he can disengage you with his horrible and crass sense of humour. However, if you look closely, you will see that he is a very popular man. Almost everyday, you will see him having friends over for breakfast.

"Why", you ask? Because his family is a Kellogg's family.

What's a 'Kellogg's Family' you ask?

Well, simply put, the Gupta family religiously has Kellogg's cornflakes as a component of its breakfast spread.

Corn, as most of us know (hope you do too), are one of the world's healthiest foods. They are rich in phytochemicals, and provide protection against a string of chronic diseases, like diabetes, heart ailments and hypertension, among others. It also reduces the risk of hemorrhoids and colo-rectal cancer. It is also a rich source of vitamins, minerals like magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron and copper, and anti-oxidants which have anti-aging properties. Kellogg's Cornflakes, which are essentially flattened corn kernels, pack in the goodness and nutritional benefits of corn, while making a tasty breakfast. Even better, Kellogg's Cornflakes do not use preservatives, some of which can be really harmful for the human body, especially for kids.

I see you nod in agreement. But "How Boring to Have Cornflakes Each and Every Day", you might say.

Well, I agree. But I discovered something, and would like to share this with you.

What if I told you that the way cornflakes are dished out can be tweaked and experimented with, to come up with a unique breakfast spread every day? Guptaji's wife uses almost a 100 breakfast recipes using the humble cornflakes?

Hard to believe? Maybe you should visit the Kellogg's India website.

Still think I'm bluffing? Allow me to name a few breakfast items:-

  • Cornflakes Khatta Moong
  • Cornflakes Chana Chaat
  • Chikoo Banana Cornflakes
  • Choco Mint Cornflakes
  • Choco Cornflakes Peanut Chikki
  • Cornflakes Sesame Modaks/Dumplings
  • Cornflakes Almond Payasam
  • Cornflakes Anjeer Porridge
  • Cornflakes Guava Milkshake; and many many more

Is your mouth watering yet?

Check out more recipes on the Kellogg's India website. Here it is http://www.kelloggs.in

Also visit Kellogg's Youtube page for useful information here:-


“What if Cornflakes are not my thing?” you might ask. Well, Kellogg’s offers other options too. Kellogg’s Muesli Nuts can be a god choice for those who want a quick power breakfast. Kellogg’s Oats is for those who are very conscious about healthy food, because it is extremely good for the heart, and is known to reduce bad cholesterol. Fussy kids with a sweet tooth can have Kellogg’s Chocos. 

As you can see in the video below, everyone wants to have 'Naashta' with the Kellogg's Waale Gupta family.


Everyone will love to have breakfast at your place too, if only you were a Kellogg's family. Check out Kellogg's 'Anaaj Ka Nashta' facebook page here ==> https://www.facebook.com/anaajkanashta

Thursday 19 March 2015

BRINGING OUT THE OPTIMIST

Image Source: www.synnovatia.com
All people who are close to me have some good things to say about me. For many, I might be a pillar of support, and a source of good counsel, or honest feedback, or someone they can expect unwavering loyalty from. However, if they were to be asked about me, each and every one of these friends would point out the same negative trait, and that is super pessimism. Although for certain situations, I can vehemently say that I am more practical than pessimistic, it would be absolutely dishonest on my part to deny this. In fact, I am an eternal pessimist (well, almost).

If you were to ask me what I think makes pessimists turn out to be so cynical, I think it could be because of an abject fear of failure. This fear can either be by inherent nature, or due to a past experience of failure that resulted in dejection and humiliation. Also, the greater the degree of effort and toil that went into an attempt before the failure, the bigger the degree of cynicism.

I've had my share of failures. I wouldn't say that I always got a raw deal, but I guess it wouldn't be wrong to say that there was a stage in life when every time I failed, I was made to feel depressed about it. To get humiliation instead of encouragement at every fall tends to make you avoid walking on certain paths. And that is what happened to me. I avoided trying too hard, since I always thought I would fail and face humiliation.

There was this professional course that I had attempted many times, but somehow failed to crack. Loved ones who were initially supportive eventually lost patience. Loss of patience soon translated into taunts and jibes, which would make me really depressed. Also, since the course was what was keeping me from a full time job, I began to feel like a burden. Eventually, I took up a low paying job, just to keep myself busy and to stay away from the feeling of being a black sheep. I avoided meeting friends, thinking I was embarassment personified.

One day, I met a friend after a long time. During the course of our conversation, I learnt that he had joined a coaching class for management course entrance exams. Out of curiosity, I asked him to show me his study material. The books covered interesting stuff like English, visual reasoning, logical reasoning, maths, and so on. It didn't look hard at all. He told me that although the study material was interesting, scoring well enough to secure admission at a premier institute was not an easy feat. A candidate needed to firstly score well in the written exam, and then also do well at a round of Group Discussions and Personal Interviews (GD-PI). He then asked whether I would consider attempting the entrance test myself.

I wasn't ready for another potential failure yet. My response was a quick "No", without thinking too much about my chances.

My friend, however, was not willing to give up without trying. He said, "Look dude, you're intelligent. Maybe you've had bad luck with your professional course, but hey, maybe a management course will help you turn the tide. Why don't you give it a try?"

"Nah", I said, determined to keep my resolve intact.

"Look, even if you don't do well, you have nothing much to lose, right? Also, enrolling yourself for the entrance exam isn't very expensive. Why don't you try it out?"

"What if I fail?"

"What if nobody knows you've attempted such a test?"

"How am I gonna join this coaching class?"

"Why don't you take photocopies of my study material for yourself and read up in your spare time?"

I smiled, "Thanks dude."

"Don't worry dude", he said. "We're together in this"

I promised my friend that I'd give it a try.

Well, I ended up doing reasonably well in the written test. I messed up the GD-PI a wee bit, but it was enough to get into a well-known institute. I mustered up courage, informed my folks about the test.

The best thing is that my family supported me, both emotionally and financially, and I ended up with a Management Degree in Finance in 2010.

All this was possible because of the pep talk, encouragement and advice of my friend. He brought out within me a ray of optimism that had somehow gone below the surface.

This post is written as a part of the #together campaign by https://housing.com

Thursday 12 March 2015

TURNING A NEW LEAF

An extract of a very popular Catholic hymn titled 'Be With Us Mary' goes like this - "No man can live as an island, journeying through life alone". True enough, mankind needs relationships for nurturing and to grow, and surely even to survive. No matter how much of a loner a person might be, deep inside he always craves for some kind of human contact.

Everyone has relationships. As kids, we have our parents and grandparents to raise us and give us solid ground in health and values. Without care in early childhood, no one can survive. In our adolescence and teenage years, we have our friends and peers, along with family, to help us through. From there on, even though we might have a sea of friends and family, we crave for that one special companion, with whom we can share our feelings, our needs, our desires, and intimate moments, without feelings of guilt or the fear of being judged. Everyone needs a lover/spouse.

Like everyone else, I too had dreams of finding that someone special, falling in love with her, making my feelings known, having the same feelings reciprocated, and living happily ever after. Even better if she had to do all the hard work. Either way, I wanted to experience a romantic love life. I had promised myself that I would only have a love marriage. The idea of spending my life with someone I did not know and whom getting to did not entail any sort of pursuit simply did not appeal to me. 

So when I hadn't found love (of the requited type) even after finishing my studies, fetching a job and turning 28, I was utterly disappointed. Like all Indian parents, mine also began getting worried about my future and experiencing pseudo panic attacks when I wan't showing signs of wanting to settle down. Motions to get me consider getting married were very subtle initially, but very soon turned blatant and eventually to threats and ultimatums. Then came the dreaded profiles created on my behalf on matrimonial sites. But yours truly offered fierce resistance, not ready to have anything lesser than a love marriage. Soon I was being told to phone and/or meet girls. Sometimes I was tricked into attending functions/events to meet someone. Most of the time, I was able to fend off interest with my not-so-attractive looks and boring demeanor. Of course, there were a few times where the parents did not approve of the girl. Either way, I wasn't complaining, and life was good.

My parents were getting anxious. My brother already had a girlfriend and my marriage was the only thing that was keeping him waiting in line. I did feel guilty, but I also thought it was unfair on their part to expect me to toe their line just to match their expectations. But I decided to cede some ground by at least wholeheartedly meeting girls, even if only to keep my family happy. 

One day, my mom sent me to an aunt's place to go and collect something. My aunt handed me an envelope and said that there are a girl's photographs in it. This made me livid, since my family hadn't taken me into confidence. Having concealed my anger from my aunt, I simply came home and handed the envelope to my parents without even looking at the contents.

The next day, being a Sunday, our family went to church. As soon as service was over, my family asked me to wait with them outside. Very soon, another family consisting of a lady, her sister and her two young daughters joined us. Both families exchanged pleasantries, and me and one of the girls were introduced to each other. I immediately realised that I had been tricked. This time though, I somehow wasn't angry at all. In fact, post conversing with the girl, I realised that I actually enjoyed her company. Somehow, I had become keen on meeting her again.

I searched her up on facebook, sent her a friend invitation, and set up a date to meet so as to get to know her better.

A few meetings later, we conveyed our assent to get engaged in a couple of months, and to get married six months after the engagement.

Today, I and my wife have been married for more than three years, and we have a 15-months old kid to stand witness to our deep love for each other. I am so glad that I had altered my stance of not meeting someone and shutting people out of my life. If I had to remain adamant, I would have probably missed meeting my soulmate.

Truly, when you decide to turn a new leaf in your life, changes become possible and dreams come to life.

Watch the video below to know how to bring to life your housing dreams.

For more information on how to start a new life, visit https://housing.com/in

Friday 6 March 2015

DRY BABY, HAPPY BABY

"A Child Can Teach An Adult Three Things - To Always Be Busy With Something, To Know How To Demand With All His Might That Which He Desires, and To Be Happy For No Reason." 

- Paulo Coelho

There couldn't have been a more accurate quote about children, especially toddlers. A child is free from all the worries in life, the same worries that are as burdensome as huge rocks strung around necks for us adults. It doesn't take much to make a kid happy, sometimes something as simple as calling out his/her name can make a child beam from ear to ear and cackle like there was no tomorrow. Also, their smile is infectious. When you seem them happy, you end up with a smile across your own lips.

They say a child cries only in three scenarios - when they're hungry, when they're sleepy, and when they need a diaper change. Of course, sometimes kids cry when they crave for your attention and care. So, by and large, if you are able to meet these needs, you are keeping your baby happy.

My son, Nigel, is one and a half years old now. From a grumpy child with a perpetual scowl on his face as an infant, he has turned into a very naughty toddler who always smiles, loves to babble at everyone, whether known or strangers, and always has a trick or two up his sleeve and mischief in his eyes. He loves playing hide and seek, opening bags, playing with shoes, tossing and turning playfully in bed, pretending to have fallen asleep, and many other things. He has his moments of tantrums, where he's absolutely hell-bent on getting what he wants, and such moments, on certain days, are less spaced out that we'd like. But by and large, it is not hard to keep him happy.

Presenting a few things that keep my son happy:-

1) A Lift - Most kids love to be lifted. It gives them a sense of being loved and protected. Also, it also gives them a sense of power and achievement to be able to see the world from the same height as you. I think it also makes it easy for them to speak to you face to face, without straining their necks while looking up at you.

2) Going Outdoors - Toddlers are curious beings. although some kids are happy being safe and rested at home, most kids love to see the world and to experience new sights, sounds, touches, smells, elements and experiences. The outdoors are like a whole new world for toddlers. An outing is like a learning experience, and makes kids very very happy. So much so that when I or my wife leave for work, my son bawls when he is not allowed to come along with us.

3) Gadgets and Gizmos - My kid stares in amazement every time the TV is switched on. It's not a good habit at all, but sometimes running behind a kid makes us feel helpless at time when we need to rush, and that's when the TV comes to our rescue. My son starts clapping every time Taarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma plays on TV. Baby TV and Home Shop 18 are his favourite channels. Apart from TV, he loves mobile phones a lot. When we're occupied with other stuff, he loves to fidget with our phones. The way he learnt to unlock our phones by swiping across the screen with his thumb is simply astounding. He thumb moves in one single stroke, and with a flourish, and leaves onlookers dumbstruck and laughing.

4) Pampering by Loved Ones - Kids are loved by one and all. Young girls play with them for hours and shower them with hugs and kisses, oldies give them loads of pampering and parents just run behind them like they are royalty. Nigel has two sets of grandparents, who absolutely adore him, and literally dance to his tune and his whims and fancies. It makes us parents very envious, because all our ideas of strictness and discipline, that we encountered as kids, suddenly get tossed out of the window when it comes to him.

Thursday 5 March 2015

LOOKING FORWARD

The waiting room seemed packed to the rafters. Although the open windows offered us a lot of fresh air, there weren't enough seats for everyone. I, for one, had been standing for almost three hours now, one outside the clinic, before the shutters were even up, and two more inside the clinic, awaiting my turn. I had reckoned that not many people would come an hour early to book their slots for a consultation. I was wrong.

I had my biopsy report with me. It had cost me a bomb, this 20-pager bland sheet filled with a lot of numbered readings and medical terms that I would never be able to decipher in a hundred years or two. All that concerned me was the fact that I had strange lesions all over my scalp, and that they hurt and bled, and that they had begun to spread to my face. A new unwelcome update was that diagnosis and treatment was making a sizeable dent in the household savings. I couldn't afford to let this monster get bigger.

A good 45 minutes later, my turn finally came. The doctor, a lady slightly older than my mother welcomed me in. After the customary asking about general well-being, she asked me for the biopsy report and the histopathology laboratory slide that came with it.
I broke the silent moment, "I've done a little reading about this alopecia mucinosa online. Is really a precursor to lymphoma?"

She huffed, "In 40 per cent of the cases, yes, people do end up with lymphoma within a span of three years." Then she smiled. "But you don't have to worry too much. Just go ahead with the treatment religiously."
A more worried and 'woe-is-me' look came across my face now. "I'm scared Doctor. My wife is pregnant, and we have our hands tied due to our housing loan.”

She cut in, “You worry a lot son, you need to relax.”

“But…”
“Listen son”, she continued, “Life is full of problems, it never has been easy, and it never will be easy. Difficulties will come at unexpected points, sometimes you will have your plate full and you will feel helpless.”

I nodded half-heartedly.

“Seriously son. You need to have faith. Do you see that lady at the reception table out there?”

I looked outside. A young, thin, but seemingly healthy girl sat t the table, ably taking down appointments.

She continued, “Yes, her. She had exactly the same problem as you did. That was 5 years ago. But she wasn’t depressed like you are. She stayed busy and left the rest to treatment and to fate. You need to stay strong son. Life is hard, but you need to keep your chin up, otherwise you’ll lose your battles before they even begin.”

She prescribed me some medicines. But I don’t know if the medicines were even half as effective as her pep talk. It changed my outlook towards life and gave me renewed hope.

As luck would have it, the problem was not life-threatening at all.

 To look up innovation and optimism, visit https://housing.com/lookup

Sunday 1 March 2015

WHAT MY FATHER TAUGHT ME

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My Father is a very emotional man. He's also a hard taskmaster, and tends to get very impatient when a task is not done the way he wants it done, and within his preferred time-frame. If he's pissed, everyone gets to know, because he makes his displeasure known very expressly. There is another aspect to his personality, he loves his family. However, like most 'Indian Dads', he is not very expressive when it comes to showing love and caring.

Since childhood, my dad has always made sure that we had a disciplined upbringing. As kids, me and my two siblings were always told to follow a disciplined lifestyle. A very important rule was that money had to be valued, and that wasteful expenditure would not be acceptable. We never got things easily as kids. If we ever had a an item on our wishlist, whether it was something we wanted for our birthday or otherwise - clothes, shoes, toys, books, go to a movie, etc. - it would always have to be something our parents approved of. Also, even after getting approvals, we always had to earn them through good conduct or by doing a good job - whether in terms of chores or tasks or in our studies.

I have never been someone who has too many expectations. I find it difficult to ask for things, and it is hard for me to say no. Even when asked if i wanted something, I would feel shy to ask. My dad's strict persona also made me hesitate to ask for things. As a result, I hardly had too many fancy belongings while growing up. There were many times that I would see my peers - classmates, friends...and even siblings - flaunt their stuff, while I would have nothing. I would sit quiet about it, but deep inside I would actually indulge in self-pity and disappointment on what I didn't have.

But as I grew up and started working, I slowly realized that I somehow had a trait that not many friends of mine could claim as their strong points. I realized that I had not picked up habits that were expensive and that would burn a hole in my pocket. I had somehow developed an ability to save a significant portion of my earnings, nevermind what my salary was, while my friends seemed to struggle like crazy while trying to finance their lifestyles. Initially I would wonder what I was doing differently. Eventually it dawned upon me that it was the value system that demanded that I be cautious with my spendings and save more that held me in good stead, and continues to keep me secure even today. The best part is that I don't even have to look stingy, because I have my share of fun and leisure, albeit in moderation. 

I can only thank my parents for this, especially my dad. I am glad that he did not raise us to become spoilt irresponsible brats. I wish I can teach half the lessons he taught me to my son.

He truly has taught me to live life 'Apne Dam Par'.

Sometimes it takes a little motivation, a little inspiration and a little support to live life on your own terms.

Watch the video embedded below to see how HDFC Life supported a father in helping his daughter get to her feet, literally.


For information on HDFC Life, visit http://www.hdfclife.com

Thursday 19 February 2015

RITUALS FOR MY BABY

All living beings (at least most of them) need their share of sleep every day. It's sleep that gives our minds and bodies the time to relax and recharge our batteries. Without our 40 winks (or more), we would never have the energy to do any work. Research has shown that man can survive for a month or more on just water, but without sleep, he will SURELY die in 11 days.

Human adults, no matter how busy their lives might be, never compromise on their sleep. They devise innovative methods and put to use all their time and situation management skills to get some sleep. Some of us are fortunate enough to have chilled out working hours. As a result, most adults tend to have more or less fixed sleeping hours. With kids, however, things are a little complicated. They obviously don't follow a fixed sleep pattern, their body clocks are simply not from this world, and adults have to struggle to tuck them into bed so that they themselves don't lose out on their sleep. All parents will vouch for the fact that kids have given them sleepless nights and drowsy days.

My son is barely 15 months old now. But at close to 2 feet in height and enough strength in his limbs to knock out Chota Bheem, he's way past the days when swaddling could get him into slumber mode. Me and my wife have spent sleepless nights dealing with a cranky kid in the wee hours. A cheerful kid on a night prowl isn't any better, what with him practicing hair pulling on the wife and WWE-style wrestling maneuvers on yours truly at 3-friggin-o'clock in the night, or even  simply jumping up and down and making eerie noises or shouting and laughing aloud in the still of the night.

But being resilient adults, we tried and tested a few methods to manage mayday. Some work most of the time, some worked only initially, and some gave the false impression of working only because our son had pity on us and played along. So, for the benefit of young parents, and soon to be parents, here's what we did:-

1) Hum a tune - You need not be a Shreya Ghoshal or a Kishore, or even a sleep-inducing singer from the 50s to be able to pull this off. You don't even need to know lyrics - you could fit the lyrics of Jack and Jill to the tune of a kid-friendly version of a Marilyn Manson track to get the desired effect. Use his pet name to come up with a song like "Shonu boy, sleepy boy" to the tune of the Spiderman song (old tune) for best results. Psst: Avoid taking a video clip of your antics to avoid embarrassing yourself in front of family and a grown-up kiddo in the future.

2) Pretend you're sleeping - This initially seemed to have a wonderful magic wand-esque effect. Within a minute (or maybe 10...patience is a virtue), your kiddo is likely to go into hibernation like you. Beware: This is one game in which he/she can be a step ahead of you and play along for some time before giving you a rude shock later.

3) A head massage - Works wonders, especially when it's done by a favourite grandparent. Here again, it's not a privilege that your kid might have accorded to you, so no guarantee.

4) Hand him/her a feeding bottle - Some kids tend to sleep during breastfeeding. Using a feeding bottle can replicate the effect. Dunno why it works.

5) Entertain the kid - A lot of times, kids are hyperactive simply because they need your attention and want you to indulge them. Reading a story book, getting into an impromptu jig, playing with toys along with them can give them a reassurance of your presence and their well-being. On the flip side, you might end up losing your sleep for the night while he/she bids goodnight.

Watch the video below to see how Pampers can ensure at least 12 nights of peaceful and comfortable sleep for your child.


Tuesday 17 February 2015

FIVE THINGS I WOULD HAVE DONE IF I COULD LIVE BEFIKAR UMAR-BHAR

Source: http://sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/
There is an English phrase that sounds cliched and done-to-death. It goes "Live Life to the Fullest". A simple phrase, without any difficult spellings, without words that are hard to pronounce, and yet a phrase that is JUST SO HARD to put into action.

Why?

Because our lives have become so mechanical that we hardly find time to do much. Everyone wants a piece of us - our bosses, colleagues and partners, our families, our neighbours, our subordinates, the government, society, and even ourselves. Most of us end up giving 99% of our lives to work and family, with less than 1% left for ourselves. Life is a mad rush, which begins as soon as we begin to work and start setting and achieving one goal after another. Thereafter, we get caught in an endless loop of never-ending worries.

So what would I do if life was without worries? What would I do if there was no fear of failure? What would i do if I was guaranteed a chance to start afresh after every failure without much damage from a fall?

Here are 5 things I would have done if life was BEFIKAR UMAR BHAR:-

  1. Go globetrotting - Those close to me know that I love places of historical importance. So be it a fort, or a palace, or a museum, or maybe even an ancient torturing device, I'd love to take a piece of history away with me on every tour. I wish I could visit as many historical sites in the world - right from castles in England/Scotland/Wales/Ireland, to the pyramids in Egypt, to Indian Forts, to ancient underground tunnels, to medieval churches. I'm sure though, that one life isn't enough to see everything.
  2. Play a musical instrument - I'm a great fan of music - be it ghazals, or filmi stuff, or R&B, or Gospel, or even Death metal, I listen to a wide range of genres. I always wanted to play the drums, but I figured it would be expensive to buy a drum kit. As a college kid, guitars fascinated me too, like all young dudes I'm sure (they still fascinate me). I tried learning the guitar, but I guess I lost patience too soon when I couldn't pick barre chords or identify chords by ear. But someday I wish I could play an instrument like a pro. And maybe even do a gig with friends.
  3. Try out all kinds of cheese - I'm a big cheese lover. I love my cheddar and gouda, and wanna try some other varieties. Unfortunately, cheese tends to get converted to lard on various parts of my anatomy, and so I have to shy away from indulging (besides the fact that some varieties of cheese are too heavy on the pocket as well). But someday, I wanna indulge without a care in the world.
  4. Write a book - I always thought that writing a book is a difficult task, but after having interacted with a few writers, I realised that the actual struggle starts after the book has been written. It entails a lot of money (if you want to self-publish), time (writing, proof-reading, editing, promotions, approaching publishers, etc.), and patience. But if life was any simpler, I wish I could write a book - maybe an anthology is more practical.
  5. Go on a killing spree - The world is becoming an increasingly horrible place to live in, what with heartless terrorists and criminals gaining power and control, and doing their stuff at will, without any resistance. If life was BeFikar, I'd like to go trigger happy on these scum.

Unfortunately, those who have responsibilities and loved ones depending on them can not feel Befikar, no matter how hard they tried. But there are some things that can give you some sense of security about your dear ones' well being and future, no matter how little it might seem. Insurance is one such thing.

For 5 reasons to be Befikar Umar Bhar with IDBI Federal in association with Ageas, visit the link http://bit.ly/BefikarUmarBhar

This post is written for IndiHappyHours Campaign  #BefikarUmarBhar

Saturday 24 January 2015

‘CUPIDEST’ WAYS TO ASK YOUR CRUSH OUT ON VALENTINE’S

http://cupidgames.closeup.in/

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. For young parents like me whose kids’ birthdays fall in the month of November, this day can make you feel real nostalgia…*ahem…wink*. For younger people, this day offers a great excuse to ask your crush out, and a wonderful opportunity to get away with subtle advances. For those who are really religious, it is an occasion to attend mass at the nearest Church and pray for St. Valentine’s soul which might definitely be experiencing grave unrest as we speak.

So, you came here looking for some real ‘kewl’ ways to ask your crush out on Valentine’s Day. From the perspective of a young parent like me, the best Valentine’s Day possible would be your toddler allowing you to stick to your planned schedule, and finding time to have a quiet dinner somewhere without running behind baby with a bib and a bowl of baby-food. For youngsters, on the other hand, the world is your laboratory to try out anything you like (as long as it does not violate the Indian Penal Code…haha…‘Penal’ ;) )

Presenting some decent/bold/funny/classy ways (depending on your personality, traits and mental balance) to ask your crush out on a date, and some important caveats. Try them out at your own risk, and please remember that we DID NOT have this conversation:-

  1. Book two tickets for a movie/concert/Carnatic music recital beforehand and tell your crush that you have an extra ticket. Make sure though that your target relates to the event, or you’ll have to give those tickets out to your friend and his date, for free. Do not give your crush both the tickets, or someone else will be going on a date with him/her at your expense.
  2. After a long and tiring day at college, assuming you are college students and have to attend college on Saturdays (poor you :p), ask your crush if he/she wanted a free back massage/head massage/foot rub, and so on. If they comply, you could pop in your question and hope you get a Yes. Of course, if he/she agrees to both propositions, you’re a winner all the way. If he/she agrees only for the free service, you still have your personal ‘touch’ to flaunt. Some of you might lose on both counts, so brace yourselves for the eventuality of weird suspecting and disgusted stares for the rest of your lives.
  3. A V-Day card can be real cliché, if it doesn’t have some added flavour. If you make it all yourself – the card cutting, images, sketching, lettering, poems, et al -  maybe you can score with him/her. Don’t try the ‘khoon se likh raha hu, syaahi mat samjhna’ stunt, lest you end up in prison for stalking.
  4. Go on a group date maybe, where there are equal number of boys and girls, and everyone goes around in pairs. He/she won’t suspect anything amiss, and maybe after you had a great time, you can let him/her know that you felt it from within. Make sure you don’t have dumb friends who keep giving you the ‘I know what’s going on’ and giggly look from time to time.
  5. Go on an adventure sports trip in a group. Try to set yourself up with your sweets for a couple sport like sky-diving (how you ask? Go figure yourself, nothing in life comes served on a platter). In mid-flight, scream your lungs out into his/her ears about how you feel about him/her (you’ll need to scream, the air pressure on your ears while descending makes it hard to hear). Maybe the thrill of the moment, or pure delusion will make him/her ‘subscribe to your scheme’. Make sure you activate the primary and/or secondary parachute at the right time and altitude, lest you miss out on your date and other possible action.
So there you are, choose your option. Let's see if you lie to tell your tale.

For daring ideas on how to get closer to your crush this Valentine’s Day, visit http://cupidgames.closeup.in/

Saturday 17 January 2015

DABUR CHYAWANPRASH - A MOUTHFUL OF IMMUNITY

https://www.liveveda.com/dabur-chyawanprash/3x-immunity.aspx

There is nothing more endearing than the laughter of a child. Nothing sounds better than the cackling of little children, especially if they're your own. A healthy child is an active child, and an active child is always laughing and playing around.

So what happens, when your child becomes sick? Obviously, it's a time of lots of tears, crying, bawling, and a sight no parent would ever want to behold.

I have a son who's just over a year old. A really naughty kid, there's not a single moment that you can leave him unattended. He's always up to some kind of mischief - pulling things out of cupboards, pulling down the bed sheets, opening the kitchen drawers and pulling out utensils, dropping things on the floor, and much more. It sometimes gets on our nerves, because supervising him means leaving all other tasks on the back-burner.

When he falls sick, however, our hearts sink, because all of a sudden there's no giggling, no running around, no pulling of hair or clinging. We'd prefer a naughty kid over a dull one any day. Not to mention the fact that we're extremely anxious about his health whenever he falls ill. My kid falls ill quite regularly. Most of the time, it is cough and cold that puts him out of action. It probably has something to do with the Mumbai pollution or the extremes in weather that the city encounters. Whatever is the case, the home suddenly becomes a dull place.

Every single time he falls ill, we take him to a doctor. Some doctors will JUST NOT prescribe medications for a child, no matter how worse his/her condition becomes. And at the other end of the spectrum are doctors who are dangerously generous in prescribing medications, sometimes for very small things. I've been through both extremes, and worry for my child.

Ultimately, it all boils down to the child's immunity. If the child's immunity is given a boost, illnesses stay at bay for a good amount of time. Medications do the trick, but is it really safe to put your child in a condition where he/she will have to rely on medications for a lifetime. What if there was something natural, without side-effects and safe to boost your child's immunity?

The answer has to be Dabur Chyawanprash. Old-timers or elder will vouch for its health benefits. It is known to be a time-tested, age-old formulation. It encapsulates the power of an array of herbs and fruits. Some of its ingredients are Amla, which is a superior antioxidants and a major source of Vitamin C, Giloy (Guduchi), which is known to have immuno-modulatory properties, and 40 other natural ingredients. Dabur Chyawanprash's anti-oxidant properties helps to strengthen the body's immune system, thereby providing resistance to infections such as cough, cold, etc. It strengthens the body’s natural defence mechanism by stimulating the body's 'Natural Killer' cells, which assist in fighting with viruses and harmful bacteria. Scientific studies conducted on Dabur Chyawanprash seem to prove Dabur Chyawanprash's immunomodulatory and anti-allergic potential.

For those who are skeptical, Dabur Chyawanprash need not be used as a substitute for conventional medical care, but to complement the same. Being absolutely natural, there are no risks of an overdose, or side-effects. In layman terms, it can be used as a top-up to heathcare services. 

So adopt Dabur Chyawanprash in your daily life to keep illnesses at bay, especially for your child. Prevention is better than cure after all. 

For more information, visit https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/