The Cleanest City Chandigarh

Being the daughter of an army man, I have travelled and stayed at quite a few places for a considerable period of time. So when I got this opportunity from Tata Motors to choose and write about my favourite city in India, I was in a fix as to which one to choose. Because I have been in love with almost all of them. After giving a lot of thought, I finally chose Chandigarh over all other cities. Well, I do have a soft corner for Chandigarh because I spent some of the best years of my schooling period over there, but even otherwise, it is a very beautiful city. It has a unique distinction of being not only a union territory but is also the capital of the states of Punjab and Haryana. Anyone would fall in love with Chandigarh given its cleanliness and greenery. It is surely one of the best cities to live in, in fact it is one place where I can live forever.

If I would describe the city in terms of its design, drive and connectivity,

Design:

Though it is not as big as the metro cities like Delhi or Mumbai, but you will be amazed to see how meticulously the coty has been developed. No wonder it is well acclaimed as the most well-planned cities in India. The city is known for its design and beauty. In fact it was the first planned city in India after attaining Independence. Its master plan was shaped by Le Corbusier, the famous Swiss-French architect and urban planner. The city is divided into various sectors that are very well connected to each other. It is designed in such a way that one would easily come to know which sector would come next i.e. finding the routes is easy to follow.  

Photo: www.topyaps.com

The roads are broad and there are enough number of service roads to keep the traffic flow in check. Add to that, the lush greenery on both sides of the roads make it a joy to drive. Thus without a doubt, the city stands up to its epithet of "the City Beautiful". 

Drive:

The Punjabis are known to be very industrious and Chandigrah epitomizes that very fact. Not only does the city boasts of having some well-known multinational companies and thereby generating opportunities for employment, it also lays emphasis on development of pollution free industries. In addition to that, there are also excellent educational opportunities in Chandigarh. The city provides a very conducive environment for work and academic development. Chandigarh already possesses an IT Park that houses some major IT MNCs like Dell, IBM, Infosys and TechMahindra. Due to so many good educational institutions in and around the city, there is never a shortfall of skilled manpower in the city. The quality of life in Chandigarh is one of the best you will find in India in the country

Connectivity:

Chandigarh is very well-connected to all the major cities and states in India through roads and railways. It also has air connectivity with all major Indian cities. It has got a well-maintained and a user-friendly public transport system (buses, taxis and autos). 

Not without good reasons do they say that once someone has lived in Chandigarh, she won't find any other city as beautiful or liveable.

No matter how many times I visit Chandigarh, I always look forward to going back again.

*** Written for "Made of Great Favourite city Zonal Wars" sponsored by Tata Motors. For more details, please visit http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/

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Eat Caramel Custard without guilt - thanks to Sugar free Natura

Most of us, I am sure, at some point in time would have experienced intense cravings for sweets and desserts. While there are some who manage to hold themselves back and get satiated after having a tiny bite of a chocolate or a cake or some other sweet but otherwise probably most of us fail to control the urge to have some more. Since sugar is addictive, so we tend to not stop at having a restricted amount of sweets, rather we often end up indulging in a large portion. The worrying part is that sugar is not good for our immune system. Not only does sugar play a harmful role in tooth decay but excess sugar in our body also robs it of vital minerals, affects our pancreas, can lead to diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer and so also can make one feel weak and less energised. In addition to that, since eating sugar results in adding up empty calories, so it is one of the major contributors to obesity.

Thus if we wish to have a healthy and fit body, we will have to minimise our sugar intake. However that would mean that we will have to give up our favourite sweets and desserts. Wouldn't that be too harsh?

What if I say that we now have a healthier and safer alternative to white sugar - Sugar free natura - which not only gives the same sweetness as the normally available sugar but with the advantage of negligible calories. Also since it is made from sucralose, which is highly heat stable, so it is an ideal replacement for sugar to use for cooking and baking. Not only can the weight-conscious people eat desserts made with sugar free natura but also those having diabetes.

Since the last few months, I have been religiously trying hard to shed the extra kilos from my body. Therefore I have been exercising rigorously and so also have cut down on sweets and desserts. But every once in a while, I do treat myself a sweet dish or a dessert made with Sugar free natura. Not only do the taste good (just as sweet as they would have tasted if made with normal sugar) but also without the unwanted calories. I couldn't have wished for a better gift. Recently I prepared Caramel Custard using sugar free natura and it tasted very yummy.

Ingredients
Sugar free natura - 1/4th cup + 1/4th cup
Whole milk - 1/2 cup
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Condensed milk - 1/2 cup
Vanila essence - 1/2 tsp
Corn flour - 2 tbspn

Procedure to make Eggless Caramel Custard with Sugar free natura

In a sauce pan or fry pan, add 1/4th cup of sugar free natura and to it, add about 1 tablespoon of water and keeping the burner on medium-high flame, keep stirring gently so that the sugar starts melting. After a few minutes, it will start boiling, keep moving the pan all around so that it spreads and melts evenly.

After abt 5 minutes of cooking, it will start changing its colour to slight golden. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, continue to stir it or else the sugar at the sides may crystalise.

When it becomes slightly brownish, take it off the flame and pour the sugar syrup to the mould (I am using a small sized steel bowl). Now move the mould around so that it gets evenly coated with caramelised sugar syrup.

Now in a mixing bowl, take 1/2 cup each of each of whole milk, yogurt and sweetended condensed milk - all of these need to be at room temperature. Then add 1/4 cup of sugar free natura, 1/2 tsp of vanila essence and 2 tbspn of corn flour and whisk everything nicely so that they turn into a smooth solution.

In the mean time, take a pressure cooker and add that much of water so that its height is approximately 2 inches inside the cooker. Place a stand as well in the water. Now heat the water over medium heat.
Then pour this custard mixture into the mould or bowl containing the caramelised sugar solution, cover it with an aluminium foil and place this mould or bowl inside the cooker over the stand.

After removing the whistle and the rubber gas kit of the cooker, close the lid and keep over low heat for about 25-30 minutes or till the custard gets ready.

To check whether it's ready or not, insert a tooth-pick into the caramel custard. If it comes out clean, that would mean that it has been fully cooked.

After 30 minutes, turn off the gas and give the cooker a standing time of 5 minutes. Then opening the cooker, take out the mould or the bowl containing caramel custard and remove the aluminium foil. Using a knife, loosen the sides of the custard from the mould. Now placing a plate over the mould, give it a flip, so that the caramelised custard comes onto the plate.

Now you may start devouring it

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Hold me tight

If a time comes when I become unable to express,

will you be able to read from my eyes?

If a time comes when I am left all alone,

will you be there for me?

If a time comes when I need a shoulder to cry,

will you lend me yours?

If a time comes when I feel really cold,

will you hold me tight never to let go?

If a time comes when I reach out for your hand,

will you hold it with love, never to leave?

If a time comes when I need a hug from you,

will you give me one?

Image Courtesy: www.rapgenius.com

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Life is Beautiful

Image Courtesy - Anja Roehrich

There are times when we would be feeling low,

and we forget to look around for inspiration,

We fail to appreciate the beauty around

We fail to notice the chirping birds,

and the gentle breeze of the evening

or the shimmering light of the silver moon,

But we ought to believe in life,

we can't give up hope so easily

Every moment gives us an opportunity

to see things differently, to start afresh

Each day gives us a chance to open our eyes

to this beautiful world and 

to make positive changes in our lives.

It means a lot to be alive

and if we keep carrying on with hope in our heart,

we will achieve our goals for sure...

We live and we learn,

we may fall down sometimes

but we can always rise again

If we can appreciate life's beauty,

we will never be short of inspiration.

We will find all the answers to our problems

There may be struggles along the path but

Life is still beautiful!

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My Guardian Angel

Image courtesy - catholicireland.net

All that I have asked for, wished for is love,

someone to love me and

someone to have to love.

All that I have ever longed for

is someone to hold me tight,

someone to keep me warm!

Someone who would understand

that my heart is fragile and so

it needs to be cared for and protected,

All I have ever asked from God is

someone who could read my eyes,

someone who see the pain

someone to reassure me that

everything will be alright

someone to have with me

when things don't go right,

Can I have someone, God, 

to give me company 

someone who wouldn't let me feel alone?

Someone who would guide me

through this maze and take me out

of this confusion?

I wish I had someone to hug me tight

someone wouldn't let fear

but I find myself all alone once again

like the countless nights that I have spent alone

I still wait for my angel to come

to take me away to the dreamland

and clear my heart of all fears, 

who would wipe away all my tears

When will my angel come

to help me understand the ways of life?

Will I ever have someone to care for me,

who would hold my hand and guide me

through this troubled land?

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Bring a Smile

Image courtesy - Godvine

Hey you... 

Yes, I am talking to you,

Yes, the one with a perfect smile,

Why do you no more flash it like before?

It's been a while since I saw you smile freely!

I hope you are doing good

and have no pain to prick you.

Are you feeling heavy in your heart? 

Are you feeling burdened?

Well, I want you to know that

you have a beautiful smile,

as beautiful as your heart.

and I want you to know that

you are only a day away

from a perfect tomorrow.

So don't let your worries and pain hide your smile,

Bring a Smile and see its magic, 

how it lessens your pain

and gives you courage to fight.

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Experience blazing speed with Airtel 4G Internet

I am not a big fan of TV watching, I would rather prefer to curl up in bed with a good book when I am at home. But I have got a TV and a cable connection too, meant for those days when my family is here or else they might get bored. Otherwise i hardly ever watch any programme on TV. However this Sunday it was raining vigorously outside and suddenly I felt like watching a movie. So I started surfing the channels. Just as I was going through the various movie channels, a particular ad playing on a certain channel caught my attention. 

This was the ad I am talking about - 

I was so wowed by the ad that immediately I ran to my laptop and searched for it on Google to know more about it. Before watching this ad, I had no idea that Airtel had already launched its 4G internet service in India. Actually Airtel has rolled out its 4G internet in 296 cities in India and very soon, it will be available in other cities as well. So in other words, we are going to witness an Internet revolution with Airtel 4G. Since early 2000, internet has been evolving quite fast in India and the Indians have been one of its largest users in the world. This launching of 4G internet in India by Airtel is definitely a significant landmark in that regard. 4G internet is said to be the fastest internet currently available and so now with airtel 4G, we shall get the fastest surfing experience anytime and anywhere. At the blink of an eye, we shall see webpages containing heavy graphics open up and heavy downloads finishing in mere seconds or a few minutes at best. They are saying that Airtel 4g is significantly faster (actually 10 times faster) than Airtel 3G. Wow. Isn't that great? 

More than my laptop I use my cell phone to access internet, mostly to read books or to access various social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and so on. But primarily for video chatting on Skype. I video chat with my parents at least two times every day and so I need a reliable and fast internet connection. Sometimes i face connectivity issues and my video calls get disconnected. With Airtel 4G having been launched in our city, now I won't have to worry about slow internet or network issues or disconnection of calls.

That is not all, Airtel 4G is being provided at a comparatively lower price. When Airtel announced that they will be providing 4G services to their users at 3G prices, I couldn't believe it at first and thought they were joking but that's true. Thus Airtel 4G is not just the fastest network in India but it is also the most affordable internet connection that one can get.

As a brand, Airtel has earned the reputation of being a very reliable service provider over the years, especially when it is about internet - be it the broadband network or its 2G and 3G internet over mobile phones. Now with the availability of its 4G internet, people will be able to experience blazing fast internet speeds for smoother and faster web browsing. It will also ensure uninterrupted streaming of HD videos, downloads and uploads of photos and other data files and so on.

Getting a 4G SIM is also fairly easy. In fact Airtel is providing SIMs for free. We only have to send a tweet to their official twitter id with a hashtag #GetAirtel4G and in turn, they will courier us the 4G SIM on our postal address. At present, Airtel is the only telecom operator in India to offer 4G services to its users. Like always, Airtel has once again set a high benchmark!

For further details, please visit www.airtel.in/4g/ 

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Go for Dabur Honey Diet to lose weight

Youngsters of my generation who grow up eating fast foods like pizzas, burgers, cakes and sugar-contained colas often end up with health issues, specifically due to obesity. Such processed foods do not have the essential nutrients that a body needs, instead they contain lots of calories and fat. Add to that a less-than-active life-style -- spending more hours before the computer screens and with smartphones, rather than doing any significant physical activity, and thus most youngsters these days are far from being physically fit. Now a days we have so many labour-saving appliances and gadgets at home that most of us don't spend much energy. Even to go to a nearby place, say to the colony grocery store or the vegetable market, most of us prefer using motorbikes and cars rather than using a bicycle or taking a walk to that place. Similarly we opt for taking the lift or an escalator rather than going by the stairs! But in the end, we pay a price for this laziness. As time passes on, we only end up adding kilos to our body weight!

When I was a teenager, I too had got into a lazy routine and almost abused my body like crazy - not only would I overeat on most occasions but I was also eating the wrong things - the junk foods. I would also often remain awake until very late hours in the night. Sleep deprivation also leads to obesity as the liver needs enough time to burn off excess fat. However when we remain awake until late hours in the night, it puts a lot of stress on the liver. As a result, our metabolism gets affected and slows down considerably, thereby storing fat instead of burning them off. I was never active at all and nor was ever serious about exercising. However gradually as I started putting on more weight than I had ever wanted and when my friends started making fun of me due to my shapeless body, only then did I realize the gravity of the situation.

One often feels embarrassed and ashamed when they get judged by others due to their body weight and outer appearance. One feels less confident about herself while facing others. Thus it often leads to low self-esteem and depression, which can affect their career as well as their relationships. I too experienced all of these negative emotions due to my over-weight. I felt as if I had lost control of my own life.

I realized that I had a responsibility towards my own body and that I needed to make changes to my habits. Initially I too was tempted to try crash dieting, for such diets often give fast results. However better sense prevailed and I chose to undertake Honey diet accompanied by physical exercising to lose my excess flab. Crash diets may give you fast results, you may succeed in losing weight quickly, but they would be only for a short period. You will eventually put on weight as soon as you resume your old, normal diet. Also crash diets are not healthy as the body misses out on most of the essential nutrients when you drastically cut down on your food intake. Such diets only induce a feeling of weakness and lethargy.

On the other hand, the honey diet is not only a healthy and better option because it gives positive results without causing any side-effects but it also provides you with energy. So you don't feel weak. Daily intake of honey improves your body's metabolic rate and so more fat gets burned. When you follow a honey diet (replacing the intake of sugar with honey, like taking a spoonful of honey with cornflakes and milk instead of sugar for breakfast; cutting down on all cakes, pastries, pizzas and other junk foods; drinking low skimmed milk (instead of full cream milk) with a spoonful of honey  and so on), you are bound to see positive results in quick time, actually in a few weeks. Not only will your skin get better but you will also feel very energetic.

With Dabur Honey, one can opt for Honey diet for an effective way of losing weight, instead of going for the unhealthy method of crash dieting! Visit their website to know more.

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Dream big but Dream real

Image courtesy - lovethispic,com

It's not wrong to dream big

but you shouldn't be sleeping all the time,

It's not wrong to try feeling all pain

but you shouldn't spend all your time in shedding tears

When you see a shooting star,

don't just stare at it,

Try catching it with all your might,

Let your mind, heart and inner-being

be ignited by its bright light.

It's alright to derive inspiration

but also try to be an inspiration yourself

Lend your ears and listen attentively

and you may become

the voice of a generation

It's alright to daydream,

it's alright to look beyond what all seem

but also act in time

and fulfill those dreams

Have some reign over yourself

and you will have your freedom for life

Keep your eyes on your goals

Dream as much in reality as in sleep

and you will be able to fulfill

most of your dreams!

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Will you hold my hand?

Image Courtesy - glogster.com

No one sees the pain behind my smile,

No one understands what it is,

No one has the time for me,

No one stops by to ask

what I need!

All I need is someone to hold my hand.

There is nothing more assuring

than having someone's fingers intertwined with yours

It makes you feel like

everything is okay and 

there is nothing to worry about,

One finds comfort in a togetherness,

You don't feel cold any longer

when you have the warmth 

of someone's hands in yours,

You no more feel scared and alone

when you have someone to tell you

that he won't let go of your hand,

that he will hold you tight.

I long for someone to hold my hand too,

I cry yearning for a hand,

knowing that if I have a hand to hold mine

my tears too will be gone

and my broken heart will get mended

I still wait for someone to come to me

someone who won't leave me alone

someone who will hold my hand forever...

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Lost in your Smile

Image courtesy - pinterest.com

I wait for that day to come

when my days would start with your smile

and when I wake up in your arms, 

No matter how sad I may be but 

the world seems so perfect when you smile,

I feel no more weak and alone,

you make feel secure and reassured,

Every time you give me that smile of yours,

I'm inadvertently lost in it

and time flies by

Sometimes I don't even know who I am anymore

As you lead me on a path that I'll never astray,

In each and every single word that you say

with your sea-deep eyes,

I find so much of love and warmth,

I forget my worries and find another reason

to be in love...

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Unanswered Love

Image courtesy: Quoteshunter.com

You see him from a distance

and your heart feels a twich

You love to see him happy

You go weak once again on his smile

and wish that he might be yours

even if for just a few moments...

How you wish that could be true!

If only he could see 

the love for him in your eyes!

How quickly things can change!

People become strangers in no time,

You see him coming your way,

Your heart skips a beat

and he goes past you

as if he never knew you!

You try to move on,

try with all your might to forget the memories

but your heart fails you yet again.

How you wish you could tell him

that you still love him...

How you wish he could feel your love,

You wish, you pray, you hope and you dream

about a day when he would realise

how much you love him

and value your love it always deserved!

If only he could see 

the love for him in your eyes!

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Let's paint our World

Image courtesy - Mariana Britto

Beneath the starry sky, I sit and write,

thinking about our happy times

and about the perfect world we dreamed of,

a world filled with only love,

a world where there would be

no jealousy, no hate, no anger

a world where everything would be divine,

Come honey, let's paint that world now,

Let's paint our own world

A world where the skies would be forever smiling

where the sun would always be shining

where the rainbows would greet me with a dance

where the colours would forever hug me...

Come, let's paint the sun with our laughter,

and splatter all colours across the dusky horizon.

Won't you help me paint such a world?

Won't you come to reside with me

in our love paradise,

the one we would paint 

With our own colors?

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I am glad that there are still Gentlemen around

It's such a huge mistake to judge a person on the basis of his outer appearance only but sadly we often do just that. Without knowing much about them, we tend to let our imagination get the better of us. But as someone had rightly said, "Do not look at the bottle, look at what is inside it". Not all men in Delhi are ruffians or potential molesters. But given the high number of cases of crimes against women that occur in Delhi, girls are often scared to trust a man, especially someone like me who is an outsider! One incident however proved me beyond doubt that there are still some gentlemen around.

Last December I had gone to Kolkata to my home to spend my winter vacations. That was right after my first semester had ended. After having a good time with my family and friends there, I boarded the train to Delhi on the penultimate day of my holidays. However like it often happens during the month of December, the whole of North India was in the grip of an intense winter spell. Most of the trains, including mine, were running late due to poor visibility caused by the dense fog. As a result, by the time, my train finally reached Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi, it was well past one o'clock late in the night. When I got off the train, the coolie informed me about another bad news - that i wouldn't find an auto or a taxi as they were on a strike since the last few days. He suggested me to spend the night at the waiting hall but I was such a fool not to believe him. I thought, he was lying and that I could find a taxi at the main entrance of the railway station. So he took my luggage until there and left. He was true, I couldn't find a single auto or taxi there. I waited there for a few minutes and then I thought I might find a bus if I could reach the nearest bus-stop outside the railway station. So I came out of the station and walked down the road for a few minutes until I saw a bus-stop. But given the time of the night and the winter chill, the station wore a deserted look, there was no one to be found. That was a grave mistake not to have stayed back at the railway station to wait for the morning, I realized that pretty soon. I was feeling nervous, I had stayed in Delhi only since the last six months soon I took admission in the college, I had no relatives in Delhi to call for help nor did I know any one. I didn't want to stress out my parents, they were so far away from me and could do nothing but would have only worried for me all night.

Thus I was stranded at the bus-stop and I didn't know where to go or whom to call for help. Almost an hour had passed but there was no sight of a bus. It wasn't a safe place for a girl to be out by herself in the dead of the night. Delhi is notorious in that respect.

Just then I saw a young man go past me but after having gone a few metres, he turned back and stopped his bike near me. I couldn't see his face clearly in the dark but he was of medium build and height and was wearing rather shabby clothes. I got scared when I saw him coming towards me. He tried to assuage my fears and doubts about him and told me that he worked in a BPO and was returning home after his late shift. That's when he saw me alone at the bus-stop and so he stopped. He then inquired as to why I was there at the bus-stop at that late hour of the night and when I told him everything, he informed me about the auto-taxi strike (just as the coolie had told me earlier) and so I wouldn't find one. He then offered to drop me at my hostel but I was reluctant. Though by his words he came across as a nice person but I couldn't still trust a random stranger! He then insisted that he too will wait with me at the bus-stop until I found a bus or some other reliable mode of transport, as he did not want to leave a girl stranded at a secluded place all alone at the dead of night.

We didn't talk much but his presence was comforting enough. I wasn't feeling scared any more. Another hour passed but there was still no sight of any night bus. I was already feeling fatigued after the long, strenuous train journey and this wait was only adding to my woes. I was only wishing to get back to my hostel room at the earliest. So finally I agreed to his offer and he gladly dropped me at my hostel. No words would have been enough to thank him for all the help hat he gave me. I was so wrong with my judgement about him, he was such a noble, considerate man and in fact came as an absolute Godsend. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't met him that night.

Thus gentlemen do still exist in the world. Sadly we live in an age when most people shy away from helping a stranger in trouble. So, if and when someone comes forward to help us during our times of trouble, we often misjudge their kindness, we assume that he is doing it with some ulterior motive. However not all men are bad, there are still enough kind men around, not for gains or with any bad intention but because it's their nature to help!

Housing.com too envisions a world filled with positivity. It tells us that optimism can be found all around us. Visit their website to know more.

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Starting a New Life

image courtesy Twitter

I think the first major and the boldest decision that I took in my life was when I decided to leave the comforts of my home and come over to Delhi to do my engineering. All young girls or boys perhaps at some point in their lives, wish to step out of their homes to start living on their own, to have a first hand experience of the "real life", whether for higher studies or to look for a job. I too wanted to taste the freedom, I too wanted to feel like a grown-up girl. That moment eventually came when I cleared the engineering entrance exam of the Delhi Technical University (DTU) and so needed to stay in the hostel. I was so excited about entering the new phase of life when I could actually act like an adult, I was so enthusiastic about the new skills that I was going to acquire, I was equally excited about the new relationships and new friendships that I was going to forge. However my parents weren't too keen to let their only daughter go and live so far away from them in an altogether new city. They have always loved me a lot but they were sometimes too protective of me to let me take a risk whereas I wanted to become an independent girl, I wanted to be able to take my own decisions, I wanted to do things on my own. I knew all the time that I would fail at times but I was ready to learn from my mistakes, I wanted to face the challenges of the real world and become confident, I wanted to stand up for myself. So I insisted on coming to Delhi for my engineering and though they were reluctant at first, especially momma, but they finally relented to my wish.

No doubt, it was n't easy at all in the beginning. I knew all along that it wouldn't be easy to live away from my parents, in a new place among strangers, more so because I had always been a shy and quite a timid girl. But I was prepared for the challenges and I was ready to make the compromises. More than anything else, it's the feeling of home-sickness that one finds the most difficult to cope with. I had always been treated like a princess at home, I had never lived away from my family, so getting used to the ways of the hostel life surely seemed a daunting task. It takes time to get out of the comfort zone of home-life. I didn't have momma to bring me breakfast to my bed if I wished to, nor did I have any maid to do my laundry. Thus hostel life taught me so many small but invaluable lessons that would help me in the future as well - like I learnt washing my own clothes, how to arrange and organize all my stuff within the two shelves that I got in the room, how to cut down on the unnecessary expenses and saving money to last an entire month. It might sound very silly but I had never purchased a thing on my own before, because whatever and whenever I needed something or wished for a thing, my parents used to get me that. So even buying the bucket for the first time, all by myself, felt so good that I called up my parents to inform them about my purchase.

There were other smaller and bigger challenges to face too. Like though I had always been a good student but I had my parents to motivate me all through. Both momma and papa were always there to encourage me to work hard so that I could achieve my goals, I always had them to give me the push when I needed it, while I was at home. Sometimes I would be too lazy to wake up early in the morning and it was momma who used to be my alarm-clock, and she did all that with so much love. Papa too would always be around to guide me whenever I faced any problem, be it with my studies or during any of my crisis-time. But here I was on my own. Of course my parents are always only a phone call away but still in the hostel, I am on my own. This situation actually acted as a blessing in disguise for me, because it taught me to become independent.

No doubt I still miss my parents and my home-life but the hostel life has inculcated in me the qualities of discipline and responsibility. It has also helped that I have Priya as my room-mate. I was apprehensive initially about how my room-mate would be, luckily I got a very friendly girl. Not only do we share the room and the other things but in her, I have found a true friend for life.

Thus hostel life has turned a naive, shy girl into a more matured person, it has given me an opportunity to learn so many new things that I didn't know earlier. Of course it involves making some compromises but it has also taught me some life lessons that would help me in the long run. The first time when I went home during my semester break, my parents felt so proud of me when they saw me become so organised. "Our little baby has now grown up into a sensible and independent girl, she has now learnt how to fly", remarked Papa.

Housing.com too teaches us about moving forward, living better, and giving ourselves the chance to be the best we can possibly be - #StartANewLife. Visit their website to know more.

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I wish I could fly like a bird

image courtesy Deviantart

O my dear feathered friend,

I so wish to be like you,

I too want to become a bird,

I too wish to have wings,

to be able to fly freely, 

up above in the sky.

Sometimes I envy you,

I wish I had such freedom as you!

You are an inspiration to me,

O my feathered friend,

When I look up at you,

I find so much hope,

I wish my soul could soar as high as you,

and no one could reach it, 

however much they tried to ground it down...

You are an inspiration to me,

O my feathered friend,

Keep flying free,

my heart follows you,

To be able to fly like a bird,

that is what I wish in my prayers,

with all my heart.

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The New Year's night at Hostel

image courtesy youtube

Hostel life can be so much fun. It has not only given me a sense of freedom and has made me independent and more responsible but it also has taught me how to have a little fun in life and that is all due to my friends. Initially I didn't like staying at this unfamiliar place,  away from home, among strangers. I had never lived away from my family before. But gradually as time passed on and I got to know my classmates, I settled down and started to feel better as I made quite a few good friends here. Even then,  during the semester breaks, usually I used to leave for my home. Prior to this, I had never stayed back at the hostel. However this time around, things were different as I had my semester exams coming up in the first week of January and since I had fallen sick a few days earlier and had missed quite a few classes, so I felt my preparations weren't that good. I was nervous and I feared that I won't be able to clear my exams. So I thought it better to to stay back at the hostel and prepare rigorously for my exams rather than going home during the winter vacations to be with my parents. Being a book-worm all my life, it didn't matter to me much whether it was Christmas or the New Year's night, I would have anyway remained lost among my books. My friends were actually true, that I was very boring. This year too, during the winter vacations, I remained busy with my exam preparations even on the Christmas night. The last few days of December were spent with my study books and shuttling between my hostel-room and the library.

My room-mate Priya, however is so unlike me. She is a free-spirited and a fun-loving girl, she is such a live-wire that she can bring energy to any dull room. She never misses an opportunity to enjoy the happy occasions. Though there were times when from inside, I too was wishing to join her, but my shyness used to hold me back and somehow I would decline her invitation every time. This time too, she informed me that she along with some of our other classmates were keeping a costume party on the New Year's night to welcome the New year and asked me if I would like to join them. I was reluctant at first but I don't why, I accepted her invitation. May be because I wanted to see for myself, how they used to enjoy. Because back home, I always used to have a very quiet new year's night with my parents. Momma would prepare some Bengali dishes for the night and sometimes even used to bake a cake, if she was in a good mood. We all would have an early dinner and then would sit together watching the new year programmes on TV. Just as the clock would strike twelve, we would wish each other and would make a few phone calls to our friends and relatives too to wish them, before going back to sleep. But here, at New Delhi, I had no idea how these girls celebrated a New year's night at the hostel.

As the evening approached, I could hear some faint music coming from the downstairs, some of the girls had probably already started their party but they were my seniors and so I was too fearful of them to go and see what all they were doing. Priya stayed back and didn't come to the room after our dinner, but I knew that she would be busy preparing for the party. So I remained in my room and continued studying. A few hours later, I heard a few knocks on my door. When I opened it, I couldn't hold back my laughter after seeing Priya and the others dressed up the way they were. They all looked like vampires and ghosts but rather than feeling scared, I found them very funny to look at. They had all sorts of colours on their faces and they were hardly recognizable. They told me that we were all going to have a costume's party that night, on the hostel's terrace, to celebrate the New Year and also asked me to get dressed as a ghost. I had never celebrated a New year's night outside nor had ever spent it with friends. So though I was feeling nervous, fearing the punishment that would have been given to us if we were caught by the hostel authorities for spending the night on the terrace, but I couldn't resist the temptation either. The idea definitely seemed exciting. So I too joined them, after getting dressed up as a ghost wearing white clothes and smearing my face with the colours that they had brought. Smriti, another classmate of mine and the smartest of us all in the group, had made all the arrangements for food - she had bought eatables from the money that we all had contributed - there were pastries, cakes, samosas, packed biryanis and roasted chicken pieces too along with a big flask of hot ginger tea. She had also brought a few crackers like anars and colourful rocket bombs. Now winter remains at its peak during the months of December and January in Delhi and that night too was freezing cold. The girls had even managed to bring some firewood, we lit it up and sat around it. But it was so cold that night that we all were still shivering, and clattering our teeth. We could hardly keep ourselves still in our costumes given the bitter cold that had engulfed the night. However it all changed in the span of a few minutes when the party began. We got so absorbed in the party mood that we forgot about the cold. In spite of the chill in the air, we had a wonderful girl's night on the terrace. We danced together, we ate together and we even played a few games. For the first time in my life, I had so much fun. Then as the clock was about to strike twelve, we all got ready with the crackers. Exactly at the stroke of the midnight, we lit them up. We all then looked up, gazing open-mouthed as the horizon came alight with colourful fireworks. The sky looked so beautiful that night with the sparkle of the fireworks. We hugged and wished each other, we also made the customary new year's resolutions (knowing fully well that they would get broken only a few days later) and we danced again for a few minutes more. before going back to our respective rooms.

I had never had so much fun before. I never knew that a new year party that too spent at a hostel, could be so much fun and exciting. But more than the occasion, it was the time I spent with my friends that made the night so memorable. I got to know each of them better that night and in a way, I too opened up with them for the first time ever since my admission. I remained totally oblivious of what would anyone think of me if they found me dancing wildly on the terrace. Owing to my shy nature, I could never express myself freely before but that night I felt so unburdened, I felt like a bird. Prior to this girls' night out, I was feeling so tense about my exam-preparedness but the fun-time that I had with my friends that night, the few hours that I had away from the books, acted as a medicine and cleared up my cluttered mind. I felt so relaxed and happy from within that I was no more scared about my exams. I felt so positive. That was all because of my friends, I can never thank them enough. I hope I will have many such happy times with my friends in the coming days too.

Housing.com too teaches us about the power of being #together. Visit their website to know more.

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Keep Going

Image courtesy - Jan Stewart

The Journey may seem long

Your destination may seem far away

but if you keep hope

and keep going on,

you will surely reach there one day.

There will be obstacles,

You may have doubts too

that will try to hold you back,

they will try to drag you down

but don't let them win, keep fighting

One day you will vanquish them all

It may take some time to reach there

but it's a journey worth the time

Don't feel scared by the thorns on the path,

Don't feel scared to take a new road,

You may struggle along the way, 

and you may have doubts in your mind,

that's okay but if it asks you to give up, 

don't listen to it, just keep going

The harder the path is, 

the more stronger you will be at the end of the road,

You will surely reach your destination

if you believe in yourself

and keep going on!

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I am your Inner Voice

Image courtesy - Themes Company

Hey there... are you listening?

Can you hear me?

I am your inner voice. 

Why have you kept me locked up inside?

Free me and I will help you free your emotions

I will teach you how to speak your mind,

I will lift up your spirits and 

you will be able to fly again

You know you are strong,

let time take its course but don't you feel low,

Bad times don't stay for too long,

So don't give up your smile...

Hey heartbroken, don't you worry

You are never alone, you always have my company

I am here with you, always

I will help you heal your heart,

I will keep you safe, my dear.

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You Can Do It

Image courtesy - AND then WE SAVED

Sometimes life may seem like too high a mountain,

its height may scare you and make you nervous,

You may feel like you might never reach its peak,

It's exams may seem very difficult,

they may come across as insurmountable... 

Yes, your anxieties are true,

Of course life is not easy, 

it will be a hard fight

but you can surely win,

if you give it your all

and never give up!

You will never lose

if you choose

to believe that 

you will make it. 

It takes a lot to reach to the top,

You may have to make some sacrifices,

You will have to labour hard,

but in the end, you will meet with success

if you believe you can!

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Love Marriage or Arranged Marriage

"Marriages are fragile. They must be nurtured and potected if they are to survive for a lifetime."
- Dr. James Dobson

Image Courtesy - The Hindu

Ah! This perennial debate of whether arranged marriages work or the love marriages. As per me, it doesn't really matter whether one has a love marriage or an arranged one with his/her partner. What really matters is how they make the marriage work :) And so ultimately it comes down to the two persons in the relationship who make it or break it. Sometimes even two good, mature persons prove to be incompatible with each other and sometimes two diagonally opposite persons fall and remain in love all through their life. Such is the conundrum of Love.

Some marriages fail not because of their type (not because it was a love marriage or the arranged one), rather because they had got it all wrong while forming opinions about their partner they got married to. And sometimes we would have formed some expectations which they don't meet.
We carry expectations and wish that our partner would fulfill them. But when they don't meet our expectations, we feel disheartened. You get to know a person better and correctly only when you live with him/her for a considerable amount of time (No, I am not advocating for the live-in relationships here). But the fact is that every relationship needs time to evolve and these days we are judging people very fast, we aren't taking enough time to understand the other person. Say for example, Mohit and Shriya fall in love and eventually get married. But after marriage when they find that they have more differences than similarities, instead of working out their differences, they take the easy way out to end it, they don't make that much efforts to make the relationship work. Every relationship needs some adjustments to be made. But not everyone is ready to make some compromises. It takes love, understanding, a whole lot of communication and a bit of compromise -- some give and take -- from both partners (it should, no doubt, be two-sided) to make the marriage work. No two individuals will ever be similar in their thoughts and opinions and so there may be times when they disagree with each other and but what will make their relationship more stronger is when they both understand and respect each other and their opinions and views inspite of their disagreements. whether the love between them keeps growing inspite of their nok jhonk and tu tu main main, whether each person feels as much independent as before and yet be dependent upon his/her other half for emotional support. As they say, it's not about how you ended up here (love marriage or arranged one), it's more about how you take it from here and live through the journey and make it enjoyable, it's more about how you bring about that matrimonial bliss in your relationship.

Be it a love marriage or an arranged one, a marriage works only when the couple love and respect each other in spite of their differences. Mutual respect and accepting the differences is the single most factor that determines whether a relationship would work or not. All strong relationships especially marriage and friendships thrive on accepting and respecting their differences. Both the partners need to understand that if they want to have a thriving, healthy relationship then it would require some give and take, some adjustments and all of that would be worth it in the long run. They also need to communicate more between themselves. One doesn't really need words to communicate with his/her other half. Taking out time for him/her and even doing the little tid bit things (preparing coffee for your tired wife or helping her out in the kitchen will do, I am sure will elicit a smile.

But sadly there exist in this world another group of people who we have come into a time when people judge you by our outer attributes, form opinions about you going by the inanimate objects you possess or the expensive gifts that you give them! And if that is the case, I am afraid, you will never be able to meet their expectations and no matter how much harder you try, the relationship won't work (be it a love marriage or an arranged marriage). One needs to understand that we all will age oneday, we won't remain as beautiful from outside as we are today. But what will stay forever is his/her kindness, the goodhearted nature, his/her thoughtfulness. If you can find these qualities in your partner, trust me, he/she is the one for you :) Then it would not matter whether yours was a love marriage or an arranged one.

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Love hurts

Image courtesy - Deviantart.com

A year has passed to the day, but nothing has changed. I still miss you. You always remain right inside my heart, all the time, no matter how far I sometimes try to move apart, try to move away from you. But the truth is that I fail each time to take you out of me and my heart. I don't know why.
I loved you with the whole of my heart and I still do as madly as ever. But now that you are gone forever, sometimes I too try to move on but I fail each time to the over-powering memories of our old times. There comes a certain feeling inside me that makes me forget all hurts that you caused and instead I start longing for you once again.
It's kind of strange that even after what happened, I fail to take you out of my thoughts, even when I know that you are now gone forever and will never come back into my life.
It's not easy when you feel helpless to your own heart
I wish to start anew but something holds me back, I fail to say goodbye, I can probably never forget you. I have been failing each time.
I am really trying to let go your memories with all my might
but flashbacks run through my mind, they are so intense that my body gets numb
There are times when I feel like you are right here, right beside me. But when I open my eyes and look around, and on not finding you, that searing pain gets unbearable.

Yes, I am hurt, the way you betrayed my trust, but I have forgiven you. Because I can never hate you. Actually I am still in love you. I hope you know that no matter how hard life will be, you will always have me, whenever you need me.
Placing my hand on my chest, and letting words to come out straight from my heart, I need you to know one last thing before I go - that I have always loved you from the core of my heart, with every bit of me and I continue to miss you every moment of every single day. But I will try once again with all my might to stop feeling so blue. 

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