Friends

Some remain close, few fall apart;

After all, they are all pieces of art.

The utmost satisfaction of expression;

Probably, the best way to escape from the discussion.

They are best friends for sure;

Discrete moments & they are the cure.

Happiest of all, rejoice it loud;

Angriest of all, scream & shout.

Something went wrong, perpetually share

Feeling low, there won't be a tear.

They are the remedy to every suffering in the world;

They will bring out 'you' however best you try to be reserved. 

Harela: A festival that reminds us to remain grounded and get back towards our roots and culture

"Live long & stay aware. May this festival come, again and again, may your family keep flourishing like the cow grass, may you expand wide like the Earth, and lofty like the sky, may you have the courage of a lion and the wisdom that of a fox. May you live till there is snow on the Himalayas and water in the Ganges.”

Above mentioned are the blessings offered by the adults of the family on the auspicious occasion and holy folk festival of mainly Kumaon region of Uttarakhand ‘Harela’. As the name suggests, ‘Harela’ means ‘green leaves' and  s celebrated on the first day of Shravan month to mark the beginning of the monsoon and the onset of the sowing season of crops and a prosperous harvest year.

The preparations are high and start about 9-11 days before the festival and seeds of cereals like maize, wheat, barley, rice, gram, soya bean, mustard etc are sown in a pot and kept in a dark room away from sunlight. This also gives a reality check on how the seeds and harvest of the year would be. The number of seeds sown is either equal to or more than the number of family members. The outgrowths are cut on the day of the festival, offered to God and then placed on the heads of the family members. Traditional dishes like vada, puri, kheer, raita, saag etc are prepared mostly with one's harvest and after offering to God is served in pattal of timil (Timil tree's leaves) to the whole family and rejoiced together.

A lot has happened in the hilly state of Uttarakhand from migration to exploitation of nature. The migration of children for better study facilities and opportunities to metropolitan cities and urban areas has cut off their connection with the environment and the culture. They lack tnformation about the crops, folk festivals, culture, rituals and dialect as well. It is a shame that being Kumaoni, Kumaoni children neither know how to speak Kumaoni nor many of them understand it. 

It is our responsibility to help and stand united for the conservation of our pride ‘Our Kumaoni boli, culture and festivals'. It is we on whose shoulders lie the responsibility of promoting and keeping our culture exists. 

Who will speak our Kumaoni? Who will celebrate our existence and the existence  of our culture? Who will sing and dance the Jhodas? 

These questions alarm us to be aware and conserve our society and culture. 

Our culture is chiefly related to the nature and greenery. Festivals like Harela are the medium and connection of ourselves to nature and our community. We should come together and celebrate the festival spreading awareness on planting trees and practising afforestation, caring and conserving the environment. We should converse with children in our dialect to promote our very own beloved mother tongue and tell them about all our festivals and the reason behind celebrating them and why much importance is given to mother nature and most festivals are based primarily on nature.  Moreover, with the celebration of festivals, we should also emphasize getting closer to nature through keeping the environment clean and promote greenery.

The festival of ‘Harela’ is believed to bring peace, happiness and prosperity in life. May the festival is celebrated for millions and billions of years to come and however advanced we become, we may always be connected to nature.

Smartphone: Boon or Bane

Smartphones have prevailed as integral parts of our lives. The world has become smaller with the invention and further development of this rather small gadget. Being bulky, fat and wide in the early days, smartphones have come a long way.

Initially, they were used for making only phone calls but forthwith they come with wide uses from calls to texts, internet, video calls, social media, maps,  directions and the list goes on. They have become smarter with colours, design, manifestation and are lightweight and slim. 

Gone are the days when phones were mere a mode of communication. Nowadays, you name a task and the phone will either do it or suggest to you the ways to do it. One just needs to tap on the phone and it provides you with every detail possible in the world. A person at any corner of the planet is just a phone call away. It can guide you to almost any location and notify you about the traffic, shortcuts and time needed to reach the destination. You can book tickets for the latest movie or watch any movie by yourself on your smart device. They have emerged as gaming devices and have gained huge popularity. It has made bill payment, sending emails, ordering food, shopping for things from around the globe way easier. 

During the pandemic, it made interaction between students and teachers easier. It made work from home possible and updated about every news. 

People have used this device as their career by blogging, vlogging and working with it. It has proven to be a blessing so far.  

Christian Lous Lange said, "Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master."

Children and adults have become used to such devices and constant eyes on the screen weaken their eyesight. Time wastage is another factor in the problem. It has made ordering food and other things easier but people lazier. Sitting at a place and getting everything has made mechanical movement rather less which has bestowed problems like obesity, heart diseases and numerous pains in the body from a very young age.

Nevertheless, it is your choice to make it your assistant and use it for purposes that matter and not yourself become a subordinate to it. 

So, it is indeed a boon when used appropriately and smartly. 

Covid 19 Second Wave Awarness

The world was perpetually a perfect place to live and be cheerful until December 2019 when it’s estimated the initial cases of people infected from the coronavirus were reported. Infections spread like wildfire and soon most of the countries were in their grip. WHO (World Health Organization) further declared the outbreak a pandemic and a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30th January 2020 after a large mass of people infected from the virus from more than a hundred countries was reported. Even the most powerful countries of the world with the highest technological advancements in medical fields had to bow down before the virus. 

Several countries announced lockdown due to the pandemic and India was among the firsts to do so.

After the situation got normal, the second wave smashed in March-April 2021, grabbing more than 3.5 lakh people per day. It is an abrupt upswing in cases largely due to our careless behaviour after the downshift of the first wave. People stopped wearing masks and there were large public gatherings along with no cautious regulations being followed which lead to such a hefty rise in positive cases.

The second wave is more severe than the first wave. Researchers suggest that the second or third waves are fatal than the initial ones. The young population is getting more affected and there are high death rates. However, the only promising ways to fight against the virus is to be careful and —

• Use Masks.

• Wash hands frequently.

• Use Sanitiser.

• Stay home.

• Take proper medications when feeling unwell.

• Get tested if there are symptoms.

• Maintain social distancing.

• Go out only when important.

• Get Vaccinated as soon as possible.

• Take consultation from doctors when falling sick.

• Follow guidelines given by the government.

Leo Tolstoy once said, “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”  In panic situations like these, people need to remain calm and patient because it is high time to fight against the virus and defeat it. It is time to be positive and hopeful. People should raise helping hands and funds to help those in need, follow guidelines suggested by the government and maintain measures to stop the spread of viral infection. 

This is indeed a rough patch in our lives but ‘Every dark cloud has a silver lining’ so we should rather be optimistic and deal with this situation and learn from it.

Book Review: Pride And Prejudice

Jane Austen was an English writer. A novelist who has written tremendous works like Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and more; she was among the first women to convey humour, moral issues, wit and intelligent matter through her beautiful works. She inspired women to make an extra effort and do what they love doing. Her novels depict eighteenth-century England with realism and Victorian Literature as well. Here's a book review of the novel which is undoubtedly considered the best work of Jane Austen — Pride and Prejudice. 

The novel focuses on romance, family, relationships, love, affection and misconceptions. It describes the life of the upper class during the Victorian era. 

It is a romantic comedy about the pride of a man and the prejudice of a woman. The protagonists of the story are Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman Mr Benett, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a prosperous aristocratic landowner.

The story revolves around Elizabeth and her Benett family. Mr and Mrs Benett have five daughters and no son so Mrs Benett wishes to have her daughters married to well settled and financially stable men.

Elizabeth is generous and lively and she favours her father’s hatred for the conventional notions of society regarding the importance of prosperity and status. She is thus originally unfair and prejudiced against the noble hero, Fitzwilliam Darcy, in whom she sees exaggerated pride and arrogance.

On the other hand, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy is a proud and arrogant man, specifically to those that he assumes of inferior social status.

But later he falls in love with Elizabeth and it's a happy ending of the story.

It is a very unique novel with a touch of romanticism. It is worth reading and one can feel the characters and events as the tale proceeds. 

Happy reading!

travel blog: Badrinath... breathtakingly beautiful !

There is vivid memory somewhere in my mind that takes me five years back from now. I was 15 then and had just appeared for 10th board exams. A sudden plan to visit the Badrinath Temple was proposed by my father,  things went really smooth and we left for Badrinath two days later. The journey itself was worth remembering- the cool breeze, streams and rivers besides the road after every few miles.

I had always heard about the beauty of the place but it was now my turn to experience it. It was a long journey of 14 hours but the sights were prepossessing. The magnificent mountains, the sound of running rivers, the men and women of that place in traditional attires were all delight to the eyes.

It felt as if the river was taking us to the destination.

     Image: Badrinath Joshimath Highway

Once we reached the Badrinath Temple, the spiritual atmosphere made me experience peace, calmness, heaven, tranquility and silence. The natural lukewarm water in the kund refreshed my mind and soul. I forgot all the tensions of life and felt the stillness. It felt that I wanted to be there forever. The glimpse of the statue of God Vishnu filled me with positivity, strength and energy.  We stayed there for few hours enjoying the landscapes around and getting idols of gods, some malas, prashad and pictures of the temple and beautiful mountains around. 

I wanted to capture the whole scenery in my mind forever. We returned the next day but it feels my heart still stays there.

  Image: Badrinath Temple 

It was such a pleasure to even listen the silence at that place and these feelings stay with you forever.  A minute throwback can give you beautiful memories to cherish for lifetime.

       Image: View of a mountain (during sunset) near the Badrinath Temple 

It is very important to take out some time from our busy lives and relax. Away from the chaos of the city, the traffic jams, pollution and hectic schedules are places that welcome us with open arms ready to heal us from the innermost. So without giving a second thought we should just pack the bags and experience nature whenever we get such an opportunity.

     Image: Badrinath Valley 

Buyers Guide: Conditioners which are BEST !

Hello pretty ladies! Are you having a bad time managing your hair? Do you want the perfect frizz-free and silky hair for the party tonight? 

Having a bad hair day is common but do you know how a perfect conditioner for your unique hair can work miracles for you! 

Looking at a variety of hair conditioners in the mall might put you in a dilemma about which one to get. So here's a buyers guide to the best conditioners available. Prefer buying them online to save money (trust me it's fun when everyone else in buying paying extra bucks and you save).

1. L'Oreal Paris Total Repair 5 Conditioner

Pros.

• Protects from heat caused by styling and blow drying.

• Consistency not very heavy and not very light.

• Less amount of the product works pretty well.

Cons.

• May cause hair fall in initial uses.

2. TRESemme Smooth & Shine Conditioner 

Pros.

• Works well for all hair types.

• Makes hair shiny and soft.

• Has good texture and effective from initial uses.

Cons.

• might cause hair fall as all conditioners made of chemicals do.

3. Pantene Advanced Hairfall Solution Conditioner

Pros.

• Best in price range and very effective from first few uses.

• one of the best conditioners till date.

Cons.

• has chemicals.

4. Mama Earth Argan Conditioner

Pros.

• Paraben & Silicon free.

• For all hair types. 

• Contains natural ingredients like coconut oil, almond oil etc.

Cons.

• Bit expensive

• Might not be useful for too frizzy and long hair.

5. Biotique Bio Theme Conditioner 

Pros.

• 100% ayurveda and chemical free.

• Has no side effects.

• Gives volume to hair.

Cons.

• Can make hair rough.

• Has dilute (water-like) consistency which makes it difficult to apply.

6. WOW Skin Science Hair Conditioner 

Pros.

• Pure and organic product that works on thin and weak hair.

•Sulphate-free.

Cons.

• Expensive.