Mesmerising Maharashtra

You might have received the list of long weekends in 2015, which has gone viral on Facebook, Whatsapp and umpteen other social platforms. Reason enough to begin planning for some memorable weekend holidays, eh?

If you live in Mumbai like me, chances are you don't want to venture outside the state of Maharashtra for short holidays. After all, 20-hour long train journeys can drain all the spirit out of you. However, if you talk to people about weekend getaways around Mumbai, you'll keep getting the same answers - Alibag, Gorai, Khandala, Lonavla. Been there, done that. Besides, even if it's a new place you're trying out, staying in a dowdy, dimlit room can take all the fun out of the experience. Trouble is, none of us have gigantic budgets for what should ideally be pocket-friendly breaks.

That's where Airbnb comes in. I've been hearing about Airbnb quite often on social media and I browsed through some of their international listings - they are truly stunning. There is everything from tree houses, European villas, horse ranches, windmills, retro trailers and luxe yachts, thanks to over 34000 local hosts in more than 190 countries.

So, I was sceptical about whether the website would be equally good for Indian listings. I searched for listings in Maharashtra under 2000 rupees. And I wasn't looking for run-of-the-mill rooms in godforsaken lodges. I was looking for something special. And I wasn't disappointed. Click here to join Airbnb (it's free) and view my pick of the top five weekend getaways in mesmerising Maharashtra.

1. Hill top camping near Lonavla

Courtesy: https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/480015

Wake up to the chirping of birds and a glorious view of Pavana valley and lake. Then, spend the day exploring fort Tikona, while you soak in the sounds of temple bells and rustic cows. Go for a boat ride on the lake and enjoy a panoramic view of the mountains. By night, relax with your special one around a bonfire and  dine on a sumptuous barbeque. This camp is located 130km from Mumbai and rooms are priced at Rs 1700 per person. Sounds good? Go ahead and join Airbnb then.

2. Serene eco-village at Pune

Courtesy: https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/3917657

Have workplace demands and the tiring schedule of home-work-commitments exhausted your soul completely? Have you forgotten what peace and silence feel like? Then this quaint bed and breakfast in the midst of a 30 acre forest may be just what the doctor ordered. Feast on homemade organic food and explore the trekking options nearby, or simply go for an excursion to the dam. The property costs only 1200 rupees per night and I think you should give it a try. I certainly will.

3. Swiss cottage tent at Ganpatiphule

Courtesy: https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/4588858

Ganpatiphule has been on my wishlist since a while. It's close to Mumbai and it's renowned for its white sand Arabian beach, exotic birds and the Ganpatiphule temple. This particular property is located close to all the major attractions and is priced at 1600 rupees per night. The idea of reconnecting with nature at the bald eagle nest at Kalbadevi and dipping my toes in the pristine waters of the beach near Suruban sounds very tempting indeed. Aren't you tempted too?

4. Gulmohar homestay at Nashik

Courtesy: https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/3201381

I just love living in villages. The charm of the rustic life, with its freedom from the frenetic pace of cities and alluring proximity to nature truly calms the senses. Nashik is a gem of a getaway with its fruiting and flowering trees, flowering bushes, green lawns and lotus ponds. Gulmohar Homestay is a family-run guesthouse in the village of Belgaon Dhaga, 11 kms from the city of Nashik. The rooms are priced at 2000 rupees per night with a wide range of amenities, rivalling that of any luxury hotel.

5. Crazy camping at Raigad

Courtesy: https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/472620

Raigad Fort has found quite a few mentions in our history textbooks, thanks to its pivotal role in Shivaji's exploits. Green Hill Estate, Khopoli is raised some 100 feet above a lake with a backdrop of the local hills. All you have to do is drive around 80km to get here from Mumbai. Be prepared to wake up at the crack of dawn for a rejuvenating yoga session and a nature walk. Learn the art of pitching a tent and firing up a barbeque grill while you're at camp. You'll return with a renewed spirit and a whole new set of camping skills.

If what you just read has whetted your appetite for some truly amazing holidays, sign up at https://www.airbnb.co.in/invite/?af=3330229&c=IndiBloggerref and make your bookings from my wishlist visit https://www.airbnb.co.in/wishlists/46710192. Happy travelling!

This post has been written in association with Airbnb and Indiblogger
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Frankly Spooking: A review

The Indian easy reading fictional market has seen an upsurge, ever since the path-breaking success of Chetan Bhagat's Five Point Someone. He may not have found much favour with literary critics but he certainly set the stage for a brand new opportunity for aspiring readers and writers alike. He reignited the genre of quick reads that entertain but do not necessarily edify. Many of the novels that are hitting the bookshelves today are written by inexperienced young Indian authors. While some of them are appalling in their utter disregard for grammar or artful storytelling, others like Sriramana Muliya's 'Frankly Spooking', reinforce the fact that with good writers, there is always potential to be better, and perhaps, even truly great.

As the title suggests, Frankly Spooking aims to spook, and the tools it employs are 30 bite-sized short stories, except for a couple which are episodic in nature. While some of the stories are versions of what we've already heard, others are genuinely fresh off the horror mill. For instance, one of the stories reminded me of the plot line of a Hindi thriller film. In this particular selection of tales, the majority are like short bursts of ideas, rather than structured stories with a steady build-up. This method of writing works because of the genre itself. It would be a miserable failure in a genre like romance, where the pleasure of gratification is impossible to experience without a gradual accumulation of events.

The author, Sriramana Muliya, has been posting scary short stories on his blog (imsri.blogspot.in) since a long time, and on the blog, one gets to see longer tales as well. The long-form format has more to offer to the reader as well as the writer in terms of an experience - it lasts longer, has scope to accomodate many different emotions, and allows the writer to experiment with structure, pace and characterisation. For this reason, I would have preferred a collection of fewer but longer stories, on the lines of 'Team Player', and 'Blogosphere', two of my favourite stories from the book. 'Team Player' is modelled on the existing concept of cannibalism but the story is woven well, which ensures that it makes for a suspenseful read.

Frankly Spooking scores high on the variety meter, with everything from gore, mannequins, evil earplugs and life-like tattoos making an experience. Muliya is clearly imaginative and unconventional, taking horror to realms other than ghosts and zombies. In fact, zombies are perhaps the only kind of haunting missing from the book! The book is free of grammatical and lingual errors, which unfortunately, is not the case with many published novels. The language is simple but not dumbed-down, which makes it a good choice for those who do not prefer heavy reads. The stories are entertaining enough that I would reach for a sequel. What better hallmark of readability than that?

And to answer the question you all have, yes, I was spooked by Frankly Spooking. Spook meter: 8/10.

Tete-a-tete with the author

1. Why do you have a penchant for writing horror stories?
I used to believe (still do in more ways than one) that horror was the only thing that got someone's attention almost instantaneously. Be it a conversation between two friends, a group of people, or a large audience, one immediately sat up and listened, or watched anything related to horror. In that sense, I will say the penchant was more to shock and grab attention rather than scare. But after having written a few horror stories on my blog, I realized that my morbid imagination could come up with these weird situations, wherein I could fit the elements of horror quite comfortably without having to explain a lot. I guess that was it. Started with the intention of luring readers to my blog, but then it became a habit after a while.

2. Would you attempt other genres as well?
By all means. My next work is a different genre already. I have written quite a few romantic and humorous stories on my blog.

3. Your writing hints at a good understanding of a younger audience as well. Would you ever write stories for children?
Why not? It's not on top of the list, but should the opportunity present itself, I would make full use of it.

4. You've had difficulties in marketing Frankly Spooking. Can you share some insights on how to get published and read?
I've written at length about this on my blog, but to cut a long story short, yes, despite a fair bit of coverage in the print and social media, thanks to my publishers HarperCollins India, the book didn't sell as it should have. There are various factors to consider - the genre, pricing, time frame and reach. Each one of these plays a very important role in propelling a book towards better sales. Especially these days when Indian English writing is coming of age, each book needs its own mouth-piece, without which it's really difficult to reach the intended number of people. I'm no expert on marketing and publicity, therefore I don't know any formula to that effect. All I can say is one should keep writing and try all avenues of promoting one's work. There are no hard and fast rules. Success of a book, like any other work of art, is ultimately a reader's prerogative. Some times it clicks, catches people's fancy, some times it doesn't. The key is to keep trying harder.

5. Tell us about your upcoming crime suspense novel.
All I can say at this point is, it's a story of a bunch of college friends, and how their past returns to haunt them once they grow up and assume their respective roles in the big bad world.

Who is Sriramana Muliya?

Sriramana Muliya works as a technical editor with Cisco Systems. Besides writing fiction, Sriramana also likes to blog and has been blogging for the last ten years at http://imsri.blogspot.in. He is an avid movie buff and loves watching quality cinema. Sriramana lives in Bengaluru with his wife and daughter. He tweets at @phatichar13.

Now go, get the book and review it yourself. That is, if your fingers aren't shaking so much that you can't type! :P

Amazon: http://www.amazon.in/Frankly-Spooking-Sriramana-Muliya/dp/9350297213 (Rs 175)
Flipkart: http://www.flipkart.com/frankly-spooking-english/p/itmdvcefzhs7gyxj (Rs 275)
Kindle: http://www.amazon.in/FRANKLY-SPOOKING-Sriramana-Muliya-ebook/dp/B00FJ3ECKC (Rs 166)

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Joyrides are safe rides

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25 year old Ashish Ahuja was really excited about going to visit his ex-campus for the first time in years. FLAME Institute of Communications, nestled in the lofty Lavale village on the outskirts of Pune had been his home for a good two years, and now he'd be going on a luxuriously long drive in his new Nissan Micra from Mumbai to Pune, just so he could reunite with his ex-batchmates and relive the memories of those glorious post-graduation days.

He had gifted himself the compact, berry coloured Nissan Micra after getting an early promotion at work. The nation might still be waiting, but for him, 'acche din' were certainly here! "Please drive safely," his mother advised, before he left at 6 AM after a quick cup of coffee. Ashish had entertained the idea of driving over the previous night and waking up in bright spirits for the alumni meet, but he voted in favour of the safer option of driving during the day. And at 6 AM, the traffic would be as negligible as it would have been late in the night.

As he was about to enter the key into the ignition, it struck him that he hadn't worn the safety belt. Although it felt so much freer to drive without it, Ashish inserted the belt into its buckle and sat back to enjoy a secure drive along the Mumba-Pune express way. He normally awoke at 7:30 AM and felt a little groggy, as he cruised along the way. "Let me get another cup of coffee and some breakfast," he thought to himself. He stopped at the first drive-through restaurant he saw, and grabbed a strong espresso and a Subway sandwich to keep him alert for the next two or three hours. As he finished eating and drinking, he felt his energy levels return and smiled, as the morning sun shone on his unshaven face. Yes, his batchmates would be quite surprised to see him in a relatively dishevelled avatar! But Ashish had changed over the years; grown less finicky; although he was as particular about safety as ever.

As he drove, Ashish kept a look out for vehicles around him - before, behind and alongside his car. The car moved like a dream, and the Pink Floyd song kept his spirits even higher. He was glad he had remembered to adjust his rear view and side view mirrors beforehand, so he had an excellent view of the road. Odd, there seemed to be another Nissan Micra a little ahead of him. That one was a midnight blue in colour. "That would have been a nice option too," Ashish mused. At one point, he veered too close to the car ahead and immediately made sure that he put some distance between them. Although it was tempting to speed up on that deserted stretch, Ashish stayed within speed limits, You never knew when you might have to suddenly halt.

There would be alcohol at the meeting, Ashish knew. And that was why he planned to stay overnight and drive back the next morning. That way, he would also have more time with his friends and ex teachers. He was jerked out of his reverie by the chiming sound of his phone. His girlfriend was calling. Ashish checked his watch - yes, it was 7 AM, the exact hour at which Apeksha awoke every day without fail. He pulled over safely and then received the call. "Aren't you getting ready to jog?" "Yes, just thought I'd check on you once," Apeksha said. They spoke briefly and hung up. He didn't want to be late for the meet and Apeksha did not want to miss her jogging session.

To his surprise, Ashish heard the sound of an ambulance siren behind him. It seemed that accidents could occur at any time of the day. He was glad he hadn't turned up the volume of the track although it was his favourite one - comfortably numb. He slowed down to allow the ambulance to pass and fulfil its duty. He smiled, remembering his family's ecstatic reactions to his new vehicle. They felt it was a good choice, considering he had only paid 6 lakhs for it and although it looked small, the car had enough space for his safety toolkit consisting of a spare tire, tire jack, jumper cable and other miscellaneous tools in case he ever had a break down. Ashish's motto in life had always been, 'be prepared for anything, at all times'. And it had stood him in great stead, even as he sadly watched many peers meet terrible fates thanks to their devil-may-care attitudes.

Ashish recalled that there was a school on the way to the campus. Sure enough, there was a 'Stop' sign a little ahead. He stopped, although he was sure the school would be shut on a Saturday. But as soon as he halted, he saw a couple of kids dart out, dressed in their blue and white checked uniforms. Ah yes, the concept of half days. It was surprising how much one tended to forget as time passed! After another half hour, Ashish knew he was quite close to the campus and the winding hilly turns would soon begin. He slowed down, although he was already within the speed limit, because such turns were always tricky to navigate. He recalled how his previous car had displayed steering problems at this juncture. Ashish had had to pull over and look into his tires. But the Nissan Micra gave him no such issues.

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The above story unfortunately, is more fictional than real, because many of us do not behave like Ashish at all. In fact, we are just the opposite, choosing to ignore road safety signs and forgetting our helmets and seat belts with no regards for our safety. The trouble with accidents is that they seldom come with warning. And while no one ever thinks they'll be a victim of one, quite a few end up learning that they were quite wrong in that assumption. It is to encourage the 'safety habit' that Nissan has launched the Nissan Safety Driving Forum. The program,e began as an annual activity in 2012. In its initial phase. it covered three main Indian cities – New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai – and since then, has gradually expanded to several additional cities across India. This year, NSDF would reach eight new cities – Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Vadodara, Nagpur, Chennai, Mangalore and Kochi. The overall reach and engagement levels have phenomenally grown and NSDF has effectively reached close to two lakh citizens. Wondering what all the noise is about? If daily newspaper reports of road mishaps are not proof enough, here are some statistics:

• 138,258 people died of road accidents in India in 2012. That’s a little less than the population of Maldives;
• In recent years, as China has made its roads safer, India has overtaken China as the largest contributor to road accident deaths;
• As per the National Crime Records Bureau, as many as 461 people died and 1,301 more were injured every day in traffic accidents in the country during 2012. This makes it 19 deaths every hour—or more than one death every three minutes;
• All of India’s neighbors have fewer accident deaths per 100,000 than India. Bangladesh is the best at 11.6, followed by Mauritius (12.2), Bhutan (13.2), Sri Lanka (13.7), Myanmar (15), Nepal (16) and Pakistan (17.4).

Nevertheless, there is hope. According to World Health Organization figures, India’s accident death rate of 18.9 for every 100,000 people is only a little higher than the global average, 18. Many countries have a much higher accident death rate—Thailand (38), South Africa (32), Venezuela (37.2), Oman (34), Nigeria (33), Iran (34), Iraq (31), Saudi Arabia (28), Malaysia (25) and China (20.5). Compared to the previous year, NSDF has witnessed an impressive 126 per cent growth in the sensitisation of wearing seatbelts. In addition, NSDF also conducts live simulated experiences to understand how safety features function through a simulated car crash. A 360-degree turn over highlights the use of seatbelts, while sessions on road safety emphasises on road etiquette to stay safe. Nissan seeks to support reducing fatalities and injuries caused by traffic accidents, and NSDF represents the company's commitment in contributing to young, vibrant and mobile India. To know more about the initiative, visit https://www.nissan.in/innovation/NSDF.html. 

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If you wish to inculcate the safe habit, here are some guidelines for you to follow and educate others about:

1. Always wear your seat belt, whether you're driving or in the front or back seat. And insist on everyone else in the car doing the same;
2. Participate, but don't get too distracted by the conversation or music, if you are the driver. Always be alert.
3. Make sure your side and rear view mirrors are adjusted to the correct angle and keep an eye on them at regular intervals.
4. While driving, maintain your focus on the vehicles before, behind and alongside you and maintain sufficient distance between yourself and them.
5. Irrespective of where you're driving, always stay within speed limits. Slow down wherever required - especially at blind turns and narrow alleys.
6. Don't jump signals even if you're in a hurry. Follow road signs that ask you to stop or slow down.
7. Don't use your cellphone while driving. Ask someone else to receive a call or check a message if it's urgent; else pull over and use the phone.
8. Don't test the volume limits of your stereo system. It's good for the car and for your safety, because you might need to hear ambulance and siren calls as well as the honks of other vehicles.
9. Always have a safety tool kit stashed in your career consisting of basic repair tools and a spare tyre. Learn to change your tire and use these tools if need be.
10. If you think your car is giving trouble, don't continue in the hope that it will correct itself. Pull over and look into the problem - it could be something serious.
11. Don't drive when angry or emotionally agitated. Take a few deep breaths, calm down. Get your focus back and only then should you get into the driver's seat.
12. Store emergency contact numbers in your phone in case your car breaks down or has an accident.
13. Never drink and drive. Have a backup ready, if you're going to a place where you might imbibe alcohol.
14. Take your car or bike for regular maintenance visits, so that you can spot any malfunctions in the machinery early and rectify them in time.

For Ashish, #SafetyBeginsWithMe was almost a personal motto. And if more of us believe the same, maybe the school of thought that believes 'fun' can't equate 'safety' will find fewer takers. Happy driving, and remember the best road trips are the ones that are bolstered by safe driving habits.

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This post was written as a part of the #SafetyBeginsWithMe campaign by Nissan Safety Driving Forum and Indiblogger

Goodbye Movember!

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See that woman behind Tom Cruise? She's got that glint in her eye because... Yes, you guessed it - thanks to Cruise's drop-dead gorgeous, clean-shaven appearance! The last one month has been all about beards, beards and still more beards. Now, no one's denying that there is a certain (albeit odd and distinctly devilish) charm to hairy faces and overgrown stubble. But I think, the ladies will agree that the appeal of clean-shaven, well-groomed faces is simply timeless!

I've seen the men in my life moan and groan when they realise they haven't shaved on an important day. Imagine walking into an interview for your dream job with a face that screams "irresponsible". Like it or not, we do associate the ideal, able professional with a no-nonsense haircut and clean-shaven good looks. Still don't believe me? Well even Scottish actor James McAvoy confessed, "I always have a beard between jobs. I just let it grow until they pay me to shave it."

I've heard this story of a guy who was rejected by the parents of the woman he loved, simply because he had chosen to sport a rugged beard that day. Hard to believe? Well it seems that many Indian parents are allergic to the roguish sensibility that comes parceled with a healthy beard. So if you want a good chance at getting your girl to say, "I do," you should probably go say the same words to your razor first.

Then there's the issue of men with facial hair that's really enthusiastic in some spots and practically non-existent in others. All the more reason to create a clean slate. Take a cue from Tom Ford's advice, "I hate tricky facial hair. If your facial hair is too spotty in places, shave. Just forget about it." If you need more inspiration, here's a glimpse of celebrities who look hottest clean-shaven:

Daniel Craig (Wikimedia Commons)

Ranbir Kapoor (Wikimedia Commons)

Shah Rukh Khan (Wikimedia Commons)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (Wikimedia Commons)

George Clooney (Wikimedia Commons)

Jude Law (Wikimedia Commons)

My friend landed his current job with an excellent pay hike as well as a promotion, during an interview where he sported / did not sport a beard. Not much of a guessing game there. There are some moments in life where you have to shake off the lure of your preferences; moments that are so monumentally important that they can make or break your life. At moments like these, your answer to that primordial question 'Will you shave?' - it's got to be yes. It's what differentiates us from the apemen after all. It's what makes us civilised and suave, new-age men and women (yeah, for women, it's not much of a dilemma - whether to shave or not).

To shave or not to shave? If you're still pondering over that question, I suggest you shake off the Movember blues and go pick up that razor that is crying for your attention!

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This post is a part of #WillYouShave activity at BlogAdda in association with Gillette

An ode to Bombay winters.

I'll tell you about Bombay winters
The ones many will scoff at
The ones often called a poor substitute
For snow and frost and curling mist

But I'll tell you about early morning mist
That most miss
Wrapped in their dreams and coverlets and groggy exist
That mist that roams in the laden darkness
And the gifted quiet of pre-dawn solitude
That mist that creeps in through windows aflutter
And watches the shadows of wishes dance across your sleeping face

I'll tell you about the crispy cool streets
And its lightly jacketed denizens
Sporting secret smiles, painted by the wispy wintry air
That wordless, weightless freedom
From sultry heat that sticks to the back of one's hair
That sudden gust of joy reflected in shining eyes
Eyes that feast upon the Bombay winter sky.

I'll tell you about Bombay winters
Magical, subtle and short-lived
Yet, more memorable than months of stifling heat.

I'll tell you that it gladdens me
As much as the snowy slopes of Ooty
And the unbearably stormy chills of Garudmachi
Because the Bombay winter -
She struts into my heart with her understated elegance
Her delightfully cool demeanour
And she lifts my spirits
Colours my day
With so many shades of silvery grey.

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Have you touched the face of God?

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Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God

-   John Gillespie Maggie (‘High Flight’)

Who doesn’t want to fly? To run on land is fine, but to soar amidst wispy clouds and bright bits of firmament would be quite something else. Once, before the advent of aeroplanes, men and women devised methods to fly that we might laugh at today. They tried to strap on wings to their arms and imitate birds, they built hot air balloons that blew wherever the wind desired and in Douglas Adams’ ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, they even threw themselves at the ground, in the hope that they’d soar into the enchanting sky! John Maggie died at the tender age of 19 as a result of a mid-air collision. But his passionate words continue to inspire flyers till date.

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It took a long time indeed to get to where we are today and we have many enterprising innovators to thank. We have English baronets and the Wright brothers to pay tribute to, even as we enjoy the plethora of flight options we have today. It’s nothing short of a modern-day marvel – the idea that one can traverse 6112 km between Delhi and Frankfurt in merely eight hours and twenty minutes, via the new Lufthansa A380 aircraft #LufthansaA380 (http://a380.lufthansa.com/TAKEPART/#/DE/EN/home). That’s less than an overnight bus ride from Pune to Hyderabad! We’ve really come a long way.

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Visit the airport today and the sheer number of carriers is mind-boggling. Time was when the Indian airspace was solely dominated by Indian Airlines and Air India – government-owned airlines. Today, we have a multitude of Indian and international players providing an enviable cocktail of flight options to highfliers. When I began my first full-time job at a business news channel, I was asked to identify industries that I was interested in. My first choice was aviation. There seemed to be something in the news every day, about this dynamic industry! And that was the year in which I’d taken my first solo flight, all starry-eyed and expectant. I was amazed at the ease with which I floated from Mumbai to Cochin airport. I kept reading about the problems some airlines were facing, the price wars among others, the entry and exit of top honchos and the introduction of hitherto unheard of airlines!

Here are a few statistics to put things in perspective:

·         India is the world’s ninth largest civil aviation market;
·         The Indian civil aviation industry is worth around US$ 16 billion;
·         The Indian aviation industry handles 2.5 billion passengers and has over 87 airlines flying to and from India;
·         The foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in air transport during April 2000 to July 2014 stood at Rs 2,348 crore (US$ 383.63 million), as per data released by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP);
·         The total aircraft movements and passengers have registered a compound annual growth rate of 3.3 per cent and 5.6 per cent respectively during FY11 to FY14.

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And now, the latest development in the world of aviation is the launch of Lufthansa’s jumbo A380 #LufthansaA380, with a mind-boggling capacity of 520 passengers in India. The aircraft will fly privileged passengers from New Delhi to Frankfurt every day. The mention of Frankfurt reminds me of my favourite cartoon Heidi, which I have been watching all over again, since the past couple weeks. Heidi is the story of a Swiss girl, who has to leave her home in the Alps to be a companion to a wheelchair-bound young girl in the city of Frankfurt. Now the Lufthansa A380 is the largest commercial aircraft in history and it’s fitting that it will be flying to a majestic destination like Frankfurt.

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Frankfurt has the distinction of being one of the few cities in the European Union to have a Manhattan-like skyline thanks to its numerous skyscrapers and high-rise buildings. Germany’s business capital is bound to have a vibrant cultural scene and for art lovers, it is nothing short of paradise. The stunning city is home to Städel Institute of Art with the Municipal Gallery, the Museum of Applied Art and the Schirn Kunsthalle gallery. Those who enjoy immersing themselves in nature will be wowed by the parks, forests and bits of unspoilt wilderness in the Frankfurt Rhein-Main-Area. And here is a behind the scenes look at the most efficient and comfortable way to get there (https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1010481858977855&set=vb.139211742771542&type=2&theater):

Post by Lufthansa India.

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The first commercial flight took place between St. Petersburg and Tampa and covered just 21 miles of bay waters. The flight took 23 minutes and was piloted by Tony Jannus and his one paying passenger. The plane was a Benoist XIV with a seating capacity of just two! And now we have the Lufthansa A380 with a capacity of 520 passengers! What better evidence of the fact that bigger is better for Indian aviation than the reality that flights can today carry thousands and millions of passengers everyday, to their dream destinations? Imagine if these wonderful crafts were still the privilege of the astonishingly rich alone. You and I, we’d still be taking ferries, braving storms and spending months to touch foreign shores.

This post was written as a part of the Indiblogger and Lufthansa A380 – The dawn of a new era initiative to celebrate ‘why bigger is better for Indian aviation’

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The road not taken: What could have been.

I define myself primarily as a writer. It doesn't matter what I write about or for whom. What matters is, I work with words. I arrange them in a way that they (hopefully) create value. But I did not always plan on doing this for 48 hours a week.

Back in school, I loved animals and plants. I observed birds, wrote about exotic species and obsessively memorised the details of butterflies I hoped to spot. I entertained dreams of becoming an environmentalist or studying biodiversity, at the very least. The reason I didn't do it is really silly - I wasn't great at mathematics. And I was under the (perhaps erroneous) impression that it is impossible to get ahead in the science stream without a passion and an aptitude for numbers. I chose the safer route - I went for Arts. Languages and social sciences were my fortes. There was no way I could go wrong with that. And indeed, I didn't.

Yet when I saw LinkedIn's new hashtag #RoadNotTaken, the one regret that came to mind was the passion I sacrificed at the altar of practicality. There were many things I know now, that I wish someone had told me then. I wish someone had told me that you do not have to study journalism or writing or English, to be a good and even a professional writer. I wish I had known that subject matter expertise actually allows you more scope in writing, as it gives you in-depth knowledge of one area, rather than a shallow overview of many. I wish I had known that one did not have to excel at mathematics in order to study biology. I wish someone had alerted me about the fact that being a scientist was an excellent choice for my introverted personality. Above all, I wish I had had the courage to explore something beyond my obvious strengths.

However, the thing about the #RoadNotTaken is, you'll never know where it might have led. Maybe, aiming to be an environmentalist would have turned out to be a monumental mistake. Yet, I do believe that there are no mistakes in life. There are only choices and consequences. If you're fortunate enough to get an opportunity to take the #RoadNotTaken even after you've made a choice, I suggest you don't let it go. Because the 'what ifs' always return to haunt you, sometime or the other.

The other thing I want to emphasise on is the need to guide students better and make all kinds of practical job-related information available to them. They need much more than a cursory knowledge of the top three careers related to each stream - Arts, Science and Commerce. They need to know about salaries, long-term prospects and the trade-off in choosing one discipline over the other. They require access to well-informed career advisors and counsellors. And they need to be told that fear has no place in the quest for success and fulfilment. Then perhaps, there will be fewer #RoadsNotTaken.

Do you have a #RoadNotTaken story to share? I'd love to hear it.

This post was originally published at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141120110448-47567319--roadnottaken-what-could-have-been

Want to go to Paris? Click here.  

The touch of love

I never thought I'd be a victim of the 'seven year itch'. After all, these were just pop cultural terms you read in magazines and on social media. Little did they invade your own life and confront you with their unsavoury meanings. I was so wrong.

You know how it gets with married couples after a while. You live together, you share everything and eventually, you fall into this comfortable routine that starts to become second nature to both of you. There's nothing wrong with this. The only problem is, eventually, you forget that you're a couple that's meant to love each other and revel in each other's companionship. You forget that you're more than just two people living under the same roof, sharing the same food and the same bed. You forget that eating together is an act of love, and so is spending your days and nights together.

A few days before our seventh wedding anniversary, I came across the new TVC for Parachute Advansed Body Lotion. I was randomly flipping through TV channels on a lazy Sunday and suddenly, these sensual images of the entwining hands of a man and woman arrested my attention. The simple phenomenon of skin-to-skin contact - it seemed so magical as demonstrated in the advertisement. Suddenly, I was seized by a desire to hold my husband's hand. I wanted to feel his reassuring warmth and slip my softness into his. But alas, the skin on my fingers were peeling, thanks to the winter coolness. I was pretty sure our contact would be nothing like what I saw in the ad! Something would have to be done.

I went to http://www.pblskin.com/ to see what this product was all about. I saw that they had three delectable variants, although I only knew about the lavender coloured bottle - deep nourish, soft touch and butter smooth. All the lotions claimed to give you softer skin in seven days. 'Just a gimmick', I thought. But I wanted to do something to make our anniversary special. I stopped weighing the pros and cons and went ahead and ordered the 'butter smooth' variety, meant for rough, dry skin.

If I told you that my husband couldn't stop feeling my skin during our anniversary dinner, you'd probably think I was exaggerating. But I'm not. That lotion worked wonders, both on my skin and my relationship with my husband of seven years. It's not like he's never wanted to touch me before, but the knowledge that my skin was silky smooth, emboldened me to take the initiative myself. I'd forgotten how good it felt to have his fingertips caress the sensitive skin in the crook of my arm and at the nape of my neck.

Do you want to #BringBackTheTouch in your relationship as well? I suggest you try Parachute Advansed Body Lotion. It's perhaps the most affordable option in the winter lotion market right now. And it's superbly effective as well. What more does a woman need?

(This post was written as a part of Indiblogger and Parachute Advansed Body Lotion's #BringBackTheTouch campaign)

The right to dignity

At Pandharpur, a pilgrimage town. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Little Babli thinks it's normal to go about her morning ablutions in full view of the world. Her parents have instructed her to sit with her back facing the world, and so she never sees what they really think of her. Babli is an open target for diseases of various kinds, and even abduction. But this is the only way she knows. She has never used a toilet except when she goes to the school or the doctor. She lives in a shanty with no water supply. Whose fault is this? Her parents? Her destiny? Or society at large?

The lines of children, men and women that we routinely see along the railway lines and along dusty city lanes have become the subject of one of the many jokes that are routinely cracked around India. But for the innocent little children who are subjected to numerous health and safety hazards every single day, it's not really funny at all.

Nobody chooses to subject themselves to the indignity of open defecation. It is a result of poor sanitation facilities, which is the responsibility of the government and society as a whole. The following measures might serve to discourage such undesirable practices:

• Public toilets within every kilometre, with minimal or no charge
• Fines for open defecation in an area with access to public toilets
• Awareness campaigns in schools on the need for sanitation
• Fund-raising and petitioning for building more public toilets

One organisation that is working towards making this world a happier, safer place for Babli and her friends is Domex. Domex, HUL’s flagship sanitation brand, currently runs the Domex Toilet Academy (DTA) programme. Domex Toilet Academy was launched on 19th November 2013. It aims to become a sustainable and long-term solution to provide sanitation that benefits the local community and helps stimulate the local economy. The Toilet Academy claims to make toilets accessible and affordable, while promoting the benefits of clean toilets and good hygiene. According to Domex, their effort has resulted in bringing a change in the villages of Maharashtra and Orissa and the brand aims to build 24000 toilets by 2015 in rural areas faced with the problem of open defecation.This is a noble goal indeed, which if achieved, will go a long way in bringing a smile on Babli's face.

Maintenance is the biggest issue when it comes to public toilets. Often, what starts out as good initiatives falls into disrepair due to lack of funds and monitoring. Take the case of railway station toilets in Mumbai for instance. Most of them are absolutely unusable, apart from the ones at major stations like CST and Churchgate. We need sustained efforts to make low-cost public sanitation available at every corner of the country. And we need to change a mindset that thinks urinating in public spaces is completely acceptable.

You can bring about the change in the lives of millions of kids, thereby showing your support for the Domex Initiative. All you need to do is click on the 'Contribute' tab on www.domex.in and Domex will contribute Rs.5 on your behalf to eradicate open defecation, thereby helping kids like Babli live a dignified life.

(This post has been submitted as part of Indiblogger's #ToiletforBabli initiative, in association with Domex)

Fleeting magic

One hour amidst winding woodsy paths

And secret staircases and hidden, tuneful birds

Grew wings in my memory,

Stretched time,

Let moments wander,

Into the realm of hours.

Now when I dance backwards into time,

I find the music slower, prettier,

Our words longer, more punctuated,

And it almost makes up -

For the sorry shortness of that golden hour.

It's funny how, 

I remember the silences better than the words

And the fleeting magic better 

Than the emptiness that came after.

Now when I dance backwards into time,

I can smell the sunny, sweet scent of the Southern air

I can see the trees watching us with languid eyes

I can feel the sweat making ticklish inroads down my back

I can hear the buzz of honey-thirsty bees 

And I wonder how much of it is embellished memory.

And it's funny how,

I remember the light on your hair better than the light itself

And the arc of your smiles better

Than the arc of the path that brought us there.

Fulfil your Diwali wishes, Quikr!

21st October, 2014 - Day 1

They say there are no free lunches in life. But as BlogAdda (www.blogadda.com) and Quikr (www.quikr.com) have taught me, there are certainly free shopping sprees! What they did was choose a few bloggers, offer them 5000 rupees and ask them to pick up items of their choice, equivalent to that amount. And I was among the chosen few! Since I lost my phone a week ago, this seemed like the Universe telling me - "Don't weep child, you'll be compensated amply for your loss." So, I logged on to http://mumbai.quikr.com/ and my journey down genie road began. You may log on to www.quikr.com and choose your own city, if you want to traverse this lovely goodie-laden journey along with me.

What's Quikr? I'm sure you've seen a few ads and so have I, but even I wasn't sure what to expect when I logged on. I knew that Quikr is a marketplace where anyone can sell - both individuals and dealers, at prices of their choice. Additionally, one can sell both new and used items. Finally, it is a free service for both buyers and sellers, who can interact and negotiate without any middle agent. Now this was an entirely new landscape for me because I'd only bought from physical shops and online retailers until then. So, I saw twelve categories on the website:

I was most attracted to the 'mobiles and tablets' and 'electronics and appliances' categories. But the other categories piqued my curiosity as well. I learnt that one can not only sell products on Quikr but services as well! How versatile is that? There's no other medium in India that offers such a diverse array of options for community buying and selling. Anyway, now on my Diwali wish-list were the following items (in order of priority):

1. 1 TB Seagate hard disk
2. 16GB Sandisk memory card
3. Headphones or neckband 
4. Flip cover for my Micromax Canvas Doodle 3 phone
5. Portable charger with around 5000 mAh or more
6. Bluetooth headset

Initially, I spent hours simply browsing the website and acquainting myself with the kind of ads and offers. Some seemed professional; others more amateurish. It felt like walking through a virtual market - with stalls of different natures and statures, offering deals that ranged from unbelievably low (for the used items) to reasonably priced (matching the market rate or slightly lower or higher). The conclusion I drew? This would require considerable sifting. But there was also the prospect of ending up with something really attractively priced. Quikr makes you work hard - but the rewards more than make up for it!

I went to the Mobiles and Tablets section - http://mumbai.quikr.com/Mobiles-Tablets/cId-18224598 and was bombarded with an offer for a phone exchange, which I wished I'd seen before I bought a replacement for my lost one!

Ah, but I was in the wrong place. The Mobiles and Tablets section listed headsets, chargers and earphones. What I was looking for was a 1 TB hard disk so that I would never have to delete a beloved film or television show again! So I clicked on 'Electronics and Appliances' (http://mumbai.quikr.com/Electronics-Appliances/cId-18222212679) and went to 'Computer Peripherals' (http://mumbai.quikr.com/Computer-Peripherals/w18222211294). There, you will find printers, speakers, keyboards, processors, antiviruses and of course, hard disks. I had more than a thousand results for '1TB hard disk' and that's where the filters came in handy. I wanted a new item, preferably from a dealer and I wanted it to be a Seagate product. I shortlisted two or three options which I 'saved'. Ads you saved are saved in a tab, from where you can easily access and compare all your options.

So if I was okay with a used item, I could get the hard disk for as low as 2800 rupees. However, even the brand new ones were available at reasonable rates. Most of them seemed to match the market rate of 4000 to 4500 rupees, until I found one dealer who was selling it at 3900 rupees - and that too a Backup plus slim model, which is currently retailing for anything between 4500 and 5000 rupees. Now this was a steal! I wasn't sure how exactly to approach the dealer who was located in Andheri. So I'll list the steps that go into purchasing a product on Quikr - from selection till delivery:

1. Search for the product or go to the parent category and look for it;
2. Save the best ads and compare;
3. Click on 'reply to ad' and send a message via Quikr to the chosen dealers;
OR
3. Call the chosen dealers directly (the numbers are always listed);
4. Negotiate the price (though most aren't willing to budge!), get doubts cleared;
5. Set up a place and time for the delivery or arrange for it to be couriered;
6. Unwrap and start using your new find!

22nd October, 2014 - Day 2

As I write this, I'll tell you that I've just received the first item from my shopping spree - a Sandisk 16GB memory card at just 412 rupees! If you want one too, you should contact these guys: http://mumbai.quikr.com/SanDisk-MicroSD-Card-16-GB-Class-4-Price-Rs.412-W0QQAdIdZ183096431 (Other options are available at http://mumbai.quikr.com/Mobile-Accessories/w18222211259)

Or you can search for other brands and memory card sizes here: http://mumbai.quikr.com/Mobile-Accessories/w18222211259. What I got was a really good deal because currently, other online retailers are selling a 16GB Sandisk memory card at anything between 450 and 500 rupees. My dealer Mumbaikaprice was located close by - so they delivered the card right to my office! It doesn't get simpler than that. What's more, one can search as per area - so that you can find a dealer close to you and have the product delivered as soon as possible. Here is what my memory card looks like (as you can see, it came in genuine packaging):

The memory card and the hard disk were essential items on my wishlist but I was really confused about the third item. The memory card cost me 412 and the hard disk would cost me 3900 rupees; so I was left with around 688 rupees. I could get either a pair of headphones or a portable speaker. However, a portable charger with good battery power would be difficult to get under 900 rupees. So I searched for headphones (located in the mobile accessories section: http://mumbai.quikr.com/Mobile-Accessories/w18222211259) and found a mind-boggling array of options. And then this one caught my eye: http://mumbai.quikr.com/Monster-beats-by-dr-dre-Mixr-devid-guetta-headphones-W0QQAdIdZ184113001

Now where on earth do you get Dr Dre headphones for just 650 rupees? They normally retail for anything over 16000 rupees. There had to be a catch. I clicked on 'reply ad' and sent a message to the retailer, expressing an interest in the product, along with my cell phone number. Lo and behold! I got a call back in what seemed like seconds. What Quikr does is send a mobile alert to sellers whenever there is a response to any of their advertisements. That way, they don't have to wait to log on to check and respond to purchase requests. Nitin, the dealer told me that the headphones were a copy. I wondered whether it was worth the risk. Well for 650 rupees, I could take a chance. He offered me four colours - white, black, red and blue. I picked my favourite - red. Nitin was gracious enough to deliver either close to my residence or to my workplace. The very next day after calling, I had my brand new headphones in my hands:

Finally, it was time to clinch the costliest deal on my wishlist. My 1TB Seagate external hard disk http://mumbai.quikr.com/Brand-new-sealed-seagate-backup-plus-1-tb-portable-external-hard-disk-cheapest-W0QQAdIdZ170753138 (Other options are available at: http://mumbai.quikr.com/Computer-Peripherals/w18222211294)

In this case, the dealer, Ashwin did not respond to my message - so I called him from my end. He was able to tell me all about the product - yes, it had a warranty - yes, it was genuine and unused - no, he would not negotiate - yes, it would work on all devices. We have arranged to meet tonight at a location that is convenient for both of us and I can't wait to use all my new Diwali purchases once I'm home!

23rd October, 2014 - Day 3

I'm listening to Sona Mohapatra's 'ambar sariya' on my new headphones as I write this and the sound quality is brilliant - I can hear every beat, every nuance of Sona's voice. My favourite track never sounded better! Here is a better look at my new babies:

Right after checking the sound quality of my Dr Dre headphones, I plugged in my brand new, shiny hard disk into my laptop. I knew it was a slim model - yet I was unprepared for how small, sleek and conveniently sized it was! The folder opened as soon as I plugged it in - no installing of drivers. And I was gratified to see 931 GB space available for all my music, movies and photographs! I began transferring my essential files immediately - around 250 GB of data. The whole transfer happened rapidly and the speed was around 20 MBs per second. If only my memory card was that fast!

And now for the story of how I ended up with this lovely 1 TB hard disk at just 3900 rupees. After several calls and messages, Ashwin and I arranged to meet at Koperkhairane station, which was to be frank, quite out of the way for me. I thought he was being quite inflexible until I realised that he worked at Koperkhairane. He wasn't a dealer! He told me that he'd ordered a few hard disks for a client project and he was selling the three pieces that remained at a steal. I was more than happy with the explanation. I was just happy I had struck off the top three items from my Diwali wishlist, all thanks to Quikr,which turned out to be as quick as promised! (I ended up on the wrong side of Koperkhairane though and ended up burning quite a few calories getting to the right one. I later made up for this with a sumptuous plate of dahi puri). This photograph will show you how small the hard disk is:

I also inserted my new sandisk memory card into my (also new) Micromax Canvas Doodle 3 A102 phone and found my phone to be significantly faster after transferring all my data into the sd card. To recap my original wishlist:

1. 1 TB Seagate hard disk - GOT IT! (Rs 3900)
2. 16GB Sandisk memory card - GOT IT! (Rs 420 instead of 412 because the delivery boy didn't have change)
3. Headphones or neckband - GOT IT! (Rs 650)
4. Flip cover for my Micromax Canvas Doodle 3 phone
5. Portable charger with around 5000 mAh or more
6. Bluetooth headset

I might just get the other three items on Quikr as well, if I can find them at good rates (and I have no doubt I will). In fact, after seeing all the used items advertised on Quikr, I'm wondering if I should get rid of a few items I don't want through this wonderful website. I remember the time when my sister had wanted to sell her perfectly good guitar because she wasn't learning to play it any more. What if she'd advertised it on Quikr? Perhaps, she'd have gotten a better deal than what she eventually got. Another misconception I'd had about Quikr was cleared by the end of my shopping spree - that it was cumbersome and long-drawn. I had all my products within two days of starting to look for them! That was actually quicker than online retailers, who take more than a week to deliver items in most cases. What's more, I now had the contact details of a couple of good dealers whom I might contact in future as well, if I need mobile accessories.

You may still ask (as did I) why you should opt for Quikr and go to the trouble of calling and coordinating when you can just buy products at the click of a button. Well you know how we keep saying that you get gadgets at cheaper rates from a Lamington Road or a Manish Market? And we also lack the time or motivation in most cases to actually comb the streets of these markets and find a product that works for us. So, what if there was an online platform where you could find all these sellers, as well as individuals selling unwanted secondhand products from the comfort of your home or office? That platform is nothing but Quikr and in my opinion, there is definitely a market for a platform like Quikr. I mean, where else do you get a used Kinetic scooter for Rs 2500? (I'm not kidding. Check this out: http://mumbai.quikr.com/Amazing-Kinetic-Scooter-at-a-great-price-W0QQAdIdZ174923201 and http://mumbai.quikr.com/Scooters/w18222213048 for other options) And don't forget, you can even find jobs and homes on Quikr! If you have found some, befikar, do share your stories. :)

P.S.: For more information on how BlogAdda and Quikr made this magical experience of getting three excellent goodies in 5000 rupees possible, do visit http://adda.at/QuikBA 

Healthy, happy and wise

Wikimedia Commons

I've never been a big subscriber of the 'healthy, wealthy and wise' axiom. I'd rather be healthy, happy and wise. And isn't that what we'd wish for our children? Growing up, my sister was a great source of worry for our mother. She was under-weight, disliked food and constantly made mom run around the house in order to feed her a single morsel of food. These words on Indiblogger's contest page particularly ring true: 'Our Children are our pride and joy. We love them and care for them and we let their warmth and energy fill our hearts and our homes. When this precious source of energy falls sick, its effects are felt throughout the house and it sometimes feels like the house itself has fallen ill'. Mom eventually emerged victorious in her battle for a healthier child. She was well-versed with Ayurveda and the magical healing properties of herbs like amla and guduchi. She would prepare potions and poultices using precious powders, sourced from local Ayurvedic stores and slip them into my sister's diet. Over time, she grew robust and active. Even today, we go back to those remedies for everyday ailments like cold, cough and stomach aches. 

However, today's moms don't need to go to all the effort that mine did. Today, there is an easier solution. Dabur Chyawanprash, a time-tested, age-old formulation has a number of herbs like Amla, known to be one of the best antioxidants, Giloy (Guduchi), known to have immuno-modulatory properties, and has more than 40 other natural ingredients. Read more about this modern-age version of a traditional favourite at https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/3x_immunity.aspx. Chyawanprash in itself is not a modern invention. In ancient times, everyone was advised to have a spoonful of this delicious tonic with warm milk everyday for increased immunity; more so during winters when infections and viruses abound. But our schedules today don't allow us to spend time researching and preparing medicines painstakingly. Young mothers today often juggle their families and work commitments. In such a scenario, Dabur Chywanprash presents itself as the perfect solution to a healthy generation and a healthier nation. If you're not convinced, take a look at the product details: https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/.

If you've ever lived with small children, you know that their energy (or the lack of it) can be endearingly infectious. I remember, on the days when my sister fell really sick, I'd feel as though a cloud of gloom had descended upon the house. I'd pray for her to get well quickly so that we could get back to what I considered was our 'normal' life. Happiness is normal. So is health. So, don't be okay with ill health and assume that time will heal everything. Sometimes, time needs a little support from nature and technology. Allow your children to benefit from the best antioxidants, known to have immuno-modulatory properties, and more than 40 other natural ingredients in Dabur Chwayanprash. In fact, daily consumption of this tonic can multiply your child's immunity by three. Why forsake all that frolic and laughter to the polluted atmosphere that we have to tolerate every day of our lives? Children have delicate systems and they need powerful nutrition to battle all the negative elements and bugs.

This post is an entry for Indiblogger's contest 'A healthy child makes for a happy home'. Please visit https://www.indiblogger.in/happyhours/dabur-healthy-child-happy-home/# for more details.