LIFE...go slow!!!

Dear Life,

I try to live you to the fullest but why are you so funny!!?? At times you make me feel like I'm the luckiest girl alive and sometimes you suck so hard that I feel I was better off without you! 

    Can you turn back time so that I can become a small baby again? Also maybe live life differently, all I'm saying is it's not fun to grow up! Where is the love?? Where is the humanity??? 

Dear Life go slow, take your own sweet time Plz, I don't want to grow up so quick! Let me just sit back and enjoy you a little...I want to enjoy being a child again, I don't know why but, All I know is that as babies we were safer, we did not have to worry about many things, but times have changed and I worry about the safety of my children everyday. As kids we never had to face the dirty politics in families that have prevailed, family was FAMILY whether ur own or far off relatives or ur friends parents....they were all FAMILY!

Life you are my best friend and sometimes I just want to talk to you with nothing else to do...off late you have made me feel like I'm almost 60yrs old and I have forgotten how to relax and have fun! Please slow down!!! I cannot keep up with your fast pace, I get tired and everything just goes blurred. 

I look at myself in the mirror and it's like I've lost myself on the way, so please I request you again please slow down don't run please!!!

VIENTO- the new way of living!!

VIENTO the first modern lifestyle project coming up in Satara, in the lap of the beautiful mountains of Sahyadris.

True to it's name VIENTO will be a luxurious experience, with all state of the art facilities at your doorstep, emanating the grandeur which is hard to get in the busy cities in today's time.

      With 2BHK apartments of 1260 square feet and 3BHK apartments of 1500 square feet; it is more like living in a HOUSE which looks like an APARTMENT.

             Visually stunning and always situated on a gorgeous backdrop, Infinity pools are surely the most beautiful man-made pools in existence. So think of all those leisurely moments where you can just sit back and soak yourself in one of these pools just outside your home.

   With skating becoming a favourite hobby among the kids nowadays, it becomes a problem having enough space to let them skate, enjoy and at the same time be safe. VIENTO promises not only the best, but also the sturdiest skating rink to keep the young ones busy.

        It doesn't stop here, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls welcome to your very own personal lawn tennis court. With manicured lawn courts and an amazing backdrop, teach your young ones tennis with the help of experts to become champions of tomorrow.

     Life in VIENTO promises to be in sync with the modern and fast-paced life for the young, and a relaxed, peaceful and healthy lifestyle for the elderly.

       Right from waking up to the sounds of birds chirping, to the breathtaking view of the waterfalls, with the elderly growing younger with loads of activities taking them back to college days, to simply relaxing in your own spa! Having a family time at your very own classy restaurant to sneaking out for coffee near the poolside.....VIENTO has it all!!

         With fully automised homes, state of the art marbonite as well as wooden flooring; VIENTO  is a perfect blend of exclusivity, panache and glamour.

10 Reasons Why you should visit Udaipur

Article Written By : Guest Author @UdaipurBlog

Udaipur was founded in 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh II as the final capital of the erstwhile Mewar kingdom, located in the fertile circular valley – “Girwa” to the southwest of Nagda, on the Banas River, the first capital of the Mewar kingdom. Being a mountainous region and unsuitable for heavily armoured Mughal horses, Udaipur remained safefrom Mughal influence in spite of much pressure. The rajvansh of Udaipur was one of the oldest dynasties of the world. In the recent years Udaipur has become very popular destination for people from all over the world! Being born and brought up in Udaipur, it will always be a HOME to me, I have often met people who either start swooning after only hearing the name or they ask me what’s so great about Udaipur apart from the Royalty and the lakes!!! Well this blog is my answer to them…

Udaipur is known as the city of lakes which one can read all about on the net, Here are My top 10 reasons! 

 

1. The Lakes:

Photo Via: worldtouristplace.com

Lakes make a perfect backdrop to the romantic setting of Udaipur. Udaipur is truly famous for its beautiful lakes and watercourses. The city is popular by the phrase of ‘The City of Lakes’.  The Picturesque lakes offering fabulous view of the mountains make Udaipur, a dream destination of every tourist. Since ages, these lakes have been providing water to the city dwellers.

Lake Pichola:

Located in the heart of the city, Pichola Lake is the oldest and one of the largest lakes of Udaipur. In 1362, the beautiful lake was built by Pichhu Banjara during the ruling period of Maharana Lakha.

Lake FatehSagar:

Fateh Sagar Lake is the second artificial lake of Udaipur, the first being Jaisamand lake. Built in 1678by Maharana Jai Singh, Fateh Sagar Lake got its name from Maharana Fateh Singh, who later made additions to it.

Lake Jaisamand:

Jaisamand Lake is renowned for being the second largest artificial lake in Asia. Located at a distance of 48 kms from the city of Udaipur, Jaisamand Lake is also known as Dhebar. In 1685, Maharana Jai Singh built this lake while making a dam on the Gomti River.

On a 40 Acre Island in the midst of Jaisamand Lake is another resort worth going to stay called Jaisamand Island Resorts, it is the only resort in North West Region of the country to be built on a Private Island of 40 acres. Jaisamand Lake and the Sanctuary are rich in fauna with counts of over 300 bird species. So it is a must stay for all those Bird lovers!

 

2. MONSOONS!!

Udaipur is at it’s best during monsoons, surrounded by the Aravali ranges on all sides, the rains during monsoons are what make the entire city look lush green. The Temperature drops, the sky stays overcast and the  roasted corn on Fatehsagar , long drives on Rani road  slow drives on Badi lake are just a few things that make you fall in love with this city!!

 

3. EklingNathji Mandir:

Photo via : rajasthantourismbuzz.wordpress.com

Eklingji Temple is one of the most famous temples of Rajasthan. Located in the town of Eklingji (Kailashpuri), the place got its popular name from the temple. The temple boasts of a striking four-faced idol of Eklingji (Lord Shiva) that is made out of black marble. Its height ranges around 50 feet and its four faces depict four forms of Lord Shiva. The east-facing part is recognized as Surya, the west-facing part is Lord Brahma, the north-facing part is Lord Vishnu and the south-facing part is Rudra i.e. Lord Shiva himself. The zenith of the multifaceted idol is known as ‘Yantra that stands for the ultimate reality. The Shivlinga garlanded by a silver snake, acquires the major attraction of people. For one seeking solace, the cool, beautiful and calm surroundings of Ek Ling Nath Ji Temple are a must visit.

 

4. Shilpgram Utsav:

Photo by: Mujtaba R.G.

It takes place in December around Christmas and so I always wait for this Utsav to begin! As the name suggests it actually is an UTSAV, not only the local craftsmen but craftsmen from all over the country participate in it. Shilpgram is a miniature man-made village, so every year during winters there are not only stalls of clothes but also of craft, jewellery and eatables! The entire day just flies once you are here. As the sun sets in the backdrop..the evenings are the best time of the entire day, cold breezes and the typical Rajasthani good of Dal, Bati, Choorma and the Raab!! The hot food served with warmth and lots of love by the people here, accompanied by the Rajasthani folk dancers and folk singers just add to a whole new level of amazement; hearing them just takes you to a whole new world. There are many activities for kids too, but Ladies be sure you wear Flats or Shoes and not Heels!! We wouldn’t want swollen feet now do we!!?? 

 

5. Hariyali Amawas Mela/Fair:

It is one fun-fair which takes place only in Udaipur during monsoons, to be precise in the month of  August! As the name suggests, it is to welcome the rains and the greenery it brings along.

Being a 2 day fun-fair celebrations, it has one day exclusively for men and the 2nd day for women! The entire road right from Fatehsagar till the road ofSaheliyon ki Badi, everything stays jampacked and closed for vehicles! The only fair where you still get the village version of a yo-yo called ‘Ullu ka pattha’ No! I’m not abusing!! It’s what they’re called…they are basically water-balloons suspended by a rubber string!

 

6. Gangaur Festival:

Celebrated till date in the same way as it used to be during Udai Singhji’s reign!! His highness Arvind Singhji Mewar has ensured that this festival has the same essence to it as it did when he was a child! Attending the Gangaur festivities brings back memories of childhood and makes one proud of belonging to Udaipur, to Mewar!! Hats off to him for keeping it alive till now and celebrating it with the same zeal and enthusiasm.

 

7. SILVER:

Photo by: Aman Bhandari

Yes u read it right!! Shopping in Udaipur is one of its kind. Silver is the best thing to pick up, you get excellent jewellery and show pieces made of silver in Lal-Ghat area and the entire Palace Road! There are silver pieces which one would not find anywhere else in the world. Then there are Stoles which are famous, you get all kinds of work, whether you want plain, shaded, printed work, Jamawar work etc are just a few to name! For women who love buying borders or old sarees(like me), Palace Road is the place to go! There are awesome tailors in the city area who stitch kurtis, jackets, sherwani’s etc very nicely and very quickly! You get very unique and cute suits and ghagras for little kids and grown ups too, here in the city and jootis too!

 

8. The Erstwhile Royalty:

Photo By: Yash Sharma

To get the feel of how the erstwhile Royals lived during the golden years one MUST visit The City Palace! It is one of the architectural marvels of Rajasthan, located peacefully on the banks of Lake Pichola. This majestic  Palace is the most-visited tourist attraction of Udaipur. It is often distinguished as the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. It was Maharana Udai Singh who initially built this superb wonder, but the present form of the Palace is the result of subsequent additions made by his successors. City Palace has several gates that are known as “Pols”. ‘Bara Pol’ (Great Gate) is the main gate to the City Palace complex that leads to the first courtyard. On passing ‘Bara Pol’, one comes across a triple arched gate, which is known as ‘Tripolia’. Between these two gates, are visible eight marble arches or Toranas, where Kings used to weigh themselves with gold and silver. Besides Tripolia, there is an arena where elephant fights were staged. After ‘Tripolia’, one enters the ‘Elephant Gate’ or the ‘Hathi Pol’.

The highest point of this Palace is Amar Vilas which has wonderful hanging gardens with fountains, towers and terraces. City Palace is structured in a way that it offers a splendid view of the lake from all its Balconies, cupolas and towers. It has amazing interiors with delicate mirror-work, marble work, murals, wall paintings, silver work, inlay work and colored glass. The exquisitly carved work of City Palace cannot be confined in words. To experience the beauty and to capture the real picture of this grand palace it is a must to visit this palace.

 

9. ROMANCE:

In a country less known for its romantic getaways, Udaipur offers tranquil nights, splendid strolls, and an exotic seduction that’s hard to resist, making it an ideally romantic honeymoon destination for newlyweds.

Right from long drives at Rani road and Badi Lake to dining out in places like Jagat Niwas, Sunset Terrace and Ambrai(to name a few) with the perfect view overlooking the Lake Pichola, cool breeze blowing and mouth watering food, one can’t help falling in love with this picturesquely beautiful city

 

10. Jagdish Temple:

Photo by: Dimpy Chundawat

This imposing white Hindu temple, with intricate architecture and carvings, is an unmissable landmark in the Lal Ghat area near the entrance to the City Palace. It was built by Maharana Jagat Singh in 1961 and houses a black stone idol of Lord Jagannath (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu). The highlight there is the evocative Aarti every sunrise and sunset.

Udaipur should not be visited for all the reasons given above…. NO!! Udaipur should be visited for an experience of a lifetime and to make your own reasons to come back!!

My question is WHO are YOU!??

Have you ever had that feeling or realisation that you are not the person you try to be, that you are a totally different person in reality but are pretending to be someone you are not, only to fit into your surroundings!!?That feeling when you feel you are caged???

All your life you want to be like everybody you love, you try and subdue your real self to be the person that everyone loves!! But in trying to keep everybody happy you end up punishing yourself! Then one day you get up with the realisation that the person you see in the mirror is not you! The Real you is forced to sit in a corner, just with a gleam hope of being let out someday!

The real you pleads to come out many times and you end up ignoring all the pleads since you feel that the people around you might not like it.  But my question is that how can you love others if you do not love yourself???

So love yourself and please be YOU.....the REAL you whom you also love!

If you love yourself others would also love you!!! So ask yourself just one question...WHO are YOU???

A crazy thought!!!

"Haan haan main crazy hoon!!" 

                        Okay so you might think I have lost my mind or that I have gone mad!!! Some of you may even think I have a bad choice or have an attack!!! But I have to say I loved Humshakals!!! Sajid Khan if you ever read my blog....I love you for making movies like Housefull, Humshakals, Housefull 2!! 

I really think a guy who can laugh at himself and make fun of himself, can definitely make a good movie!! The Film industry is full of directors making nice movies which are always welcomed to watch!! But I think only Sajid Khan makes movies which are brainless and hysterical...these kind of movies are made for us to forget all our day to day problems and just laugh!!

Most of Salman Khan films and Akshay Kumar films are also of the same genre....we are not supposed to speculate them....so why not give our brains that 2 and a half hour rest and just enjoy the movie without being a critic!!!

Sweet Memories!

My husband was invited with me and our kids for the "Passing out Parade" in Deolali, which is the army cantt near nasik. Our kids were very excited since they were going to see the helicopters, tanks and how the army soldiers fight in the war! Deolali is one place which I love but equally hate too!!! My father passed away when I was very young! Call it anger or fear, I swore never to go back to Deolali( that's where we stayed). Our nana Nani took my mom, sister and me to Udaipur and basically that's where I grew up blocking the memories of Deolali completely out of my head.

After I got married my husband too tried taking me to Deolali to see my old school and the house we stayed in, but I always refused. I always felt that pain and anger(with god) when anyone asked me about my father or mentioned the army.

I was 8 yrs old not remembering much of how my father was...but he was a wonderful dad! 

Being an Army officer, He was an adventurous, fun loving and a caring man! He loved dogs and his passion for flying is what made him known throughout his regiment, he even founded the flying adventure wing ! He was respected and loved by all his colleagues and family!

So after 22 years I finally agreed to go there since I knew sooner or later I had to go there to make peace with this part of my past. The entire journey to Deolali I had a feeling of excitement building up like I was FINALLY going HOME, but as we started nearing I became nervous and  finally as we entered Deolali I had tears in my eyes. I could see me with my father standing at the entrance, I was starting to feel I made a wrong decision of coming to this place!

I had to gather up my courage since we were staying with my husband's friends. Once we reached their house, they were very welcoming and I did not even once feel like I was meeting them for the first time. The next day we went to see the Passing Out Parade, it was beautiful and made me Proud of being an Indian, after the parade got over I met a few old batch mates of my father, who were very happy to see me. Our friends (with whom we stayed ) made it a point to make me visit all the places I wanted to see, my old school, the house I stayed in as a kid....I did not want to go in seeing the condition it was in, but my husband along with his friend went in and spoke to the occupants of the house and took me in to give them a tour of the house. Later they took me to the famous Levet Market, the army hospital, the THI institute, my old play school, etc!! Next day I was totally taken by surprise when they told me that we were going to Sharma Hill( named after my Father). As we reached the hill I knew it was finally time to come to terms with everything and let go of the bitterness I held in me for this place and so I climbed the hill and just as tears rolled down my cheeks I remembered a very dear friend had once told me that I have a beautiful smile which I should flaunt...so I looked up in the sky and gave the best smile I could and called out to my father saying that I will always remember him with happy thoughts that make me smile and never with tears! Suddenly I felt a lot lighter and calm and I know that I would definitely be going more often to Deolali not just as a daughter going to her dads home; but as a friend to my new friends whom I can never thank enough for going thru the trouble of making me feel like me again, and Alok who knows me more than I know myself....I would be lost without you!!

My Dad!!

Daddy's not so little girl , is a huge fan of daddie.

Walking in the air , with the swing of arms in the most relaxed way,he entered our lives.

Strong shoulders, a perfect place to park our energetic selves.

Mesmerizing charm ,A powerhouse of energy , 

Spilling enthusiasm to all around.

A passionate flying officer ,sporting the famous Chuck Norris Moustaches of his times.

My daddie , is my half baked dream.

But still the snippets of little time spent with him, have been just enough for the three girls in his life ," spend A Lifetime with Smile".

Leaving home and going HOME!!

I thought of starting this blog with a quote or a poem to express how I feel, but the fact is that not only me but all those women who leave their mother's home to go out to face the world, married or no, feel something that cannot be expressed in words. It is a sadness which can only be felt!!! Why does leaving our loved ones have to be such a pain? 

I still remember when I first fell in love, it was like a whole new world where everything was all rosey! Then with marriage on the cards, I was  on cloud #9, as the date for the wedding came closer, I started having wedding jitters.

There was the calmness of finally being with the one true love of my life, but then at times just the thought of leaving my entire family, my home, my cocoon and my comfort zone, and entering a life full of responsibilities, a new family where I did not know anybody and everybody was a stranger, gave me the SHIVERS!! It dawned in me that I was no longer a small girl who always talked of not marrying because I did not want to leave my family! I was a big girl who herself was in a hurry to get married and not even once it occurred that I'm going to leave my loved ones behind to be with a family that would be called as MINE, enter a home that would be MINE!

With the D-Day approaching giving me no time to spend with my family, my heart became heavier with each day passing quickly. After the wedding when it was time to leave my family I couldn't hold back my tears even though I was very happy to be married to Alok. Leaving them has been the toughest thing I have had to do. My mother, grandmother( whom I have been very close to), grandfather( who has been my father), aunt, uncle, sisters, brothers etcetera, all with tears and me howling like crazy. I was leaving home to go to MY HOME!! Even now after soo many years when I see my wedding pictures I cry!

The first time after my marriage when I went home to stay for a few days( as per the rituals), I was happy seeing all the roads I used to travel on in school and college days! For soo many years it's been the same thing. Even this trip of mine to Udaipur, being a mature mother of 2 kids of 7&6 respectively, made me excited as soon as the flight landed, again the entire way I told my kids stories of familiar places that I saw on the way home! Everything has been same including the fights I have with my mom who wants me to still be her baby, to the heartache of leaving this place!!

Looking at the same roads that while coming to Udaipur made me very happy and excited, now brought tears in my eyes. I did not want to leave, but I also knew that this was inevitable. Even 8 years after marriage going back to my house from my moms place is the toughest!

This is one feeling that never goes, no matter how much we quarrel with our parents....leaving their house and going back to your own is always very tough! With a heavy heart I bid adieu to Udaipur....my moms place! 

It's simply Udaipur!!!

"This used to be my playground (used to be)

This used to be my childhood dream

This used to be the place I ran to

Whenever I was in need

Of a friend

Why did it have to end!"

These were the exact sentiments that I felt when I  revisited all the places in Udaipur where I used to play and go to during school days!

I wonder why is it that we change as we grow up but do not like to accept changes around us! 

I'm sure most of my friends and infact anybody who has gone through this would agree with me when I say this that no matter where in the world we go, we want the place where we grew up...be it our home or the city we grew up in to be unchanged!

Seeing the ever-changing transient world, I knew about the changes happening in Udaipur...but wooah!! It's a whole new city!! Living in this city for almost 14years I knew every possible place but my stay this time in Udaipur made me rethink about my knowledge of this beautiful city!

Known as the city of lakes and the Venice of India, Udaipur has always been a tourist attraction, I remember growing up here was fun, not many vehicles on the road, I used to cycle around with my friends, we could practise learning our two-wheelers on the road with ease not bothering about accidents, now Udaipur is full of tourists from all over the world but the sad part is that nobody cares about it as a city anymore!

With shopping malls and buildings taking over the small shops and cute lil houses, this city is like any other place in India, nothing beautiful or admirable anymore! The roads are full of vehicles and impatient people, all ready to fight at the drop of a needle. With the help of a friend I went to the city area where my school is and a few more areas where my friends used to live(now all married and gone to different cities), the roads are the same but buildings cropping all over the place, made my heart sink!!

I thought this commercialisation has eaten up a beautiful small city like Udaipur too, but I was wrong! Some things haven't changed like Sukhadia Circle...the paani puri guys still have their lil stalls('Thela' as we call them), near some garbage heaps and made with every possible unhygienic possibility one can think of, but amazingly tasty to the core!! The famous Red Thela Sandwich guy at Fatehsagar, so many years have passed but the taste and quality of the sandwich and the green chutney remains the same...TASTY! Rani road still has the guava guy and still has cars parked on the sides of the road( people I hope u know what I mean) Then there is The Palace Road...the shopkeepers still recognise me and still have that bargaining touch to them( though they all say I do not look like a 'Local' anymore)!!

So I guess u can change everything possible about this place but we still would manage to find our Good ol' Udaipur somewhere in all this!

Aaj Kuch toofani kartein hain!!

"Aaj Kuch toofani kartein hain" I guess this is what must be going on in the minds of the organisers of SUV junction!!! With the summers taking its toll, Times Of India and  Atul Enterprises jointly organised an off-roading event( SUV Junction)for all the adventure enthusiasts in Pune...people who love that adrenaline rush!!

With the track set up in Western-Hills(an Atul enterprises project) and the dates decided..my husband(Alok) and his friends were all geared up for the event!! Not to forget...my son(Naman)too was equally geared up for this event( having this love for off-roading, racing in his genes)!

Alok told me that me and the kids were also going along with him for the race, and me (being the smartass that I am), very confidently asked him with whom would the kids stay with over there since I was going to Navigate him!

He laughed his head off and I knew instantly that it was a dumb question to ask since his navigator has been only one guy for years now....Soham Shah!

The 1st day we reached the venue and it was full with teams from all over Maharashtra with maximum Jeeps and Gypsies apart from a few other SUVs like Lexus, Land cruiser Toyota fj pajero etc.

It was a Relay event on day1, where tag-teams were made of 3 cars each and winners were decided on the basis of the cumulative time taken by the team! My son all excited, full of energy and a twinkle in his eyes, was busy running from one point to the other on order to see the vehicles complete their tasks.

He even took an extra walkie talkie from Alok to hear what he and his navigator would talk! Sitting in the tent put up for their team, getting tanned in the hot blazing sun and surrounded by men covered in sweat and mud, I told my son I wanted to go home. He was shocked to hear it and assuming that maybe I am not following what's happening around, he sat next to me and started explaining me the works! Seeing his interest it was decided that I would stay till it got over.

Day 2 started with a Bang, with most of the vehicles broken or out of the league due to the previous day event. It was an Individual race event! Navigators were compulsory for all participants, with vehicles going over the obstacles and in the water it was an amazing event, very nicely organised and equally well executed! 

Alok and Soham came second in the Individual event, with a difference of three seconds from the person on the first position and their team came First in the Relay event! 

A lovely dinner, lots of chitter-chatter and an extremely tired set of people enjoying it, was the perfect end to two extremely power packed toofani days!!!

Haily Rain!!!!!!

Not one single day in your life is an ordinary day, no matter how boring or mundane it may seem. It does not matter where you are or what the setting is....the point is that you are there because YOU are meant to be there, whether on a holiday, at home or a picnic!! 

That is exactly how I got another interesting day worth cherishing in my life!

It is true that the first drops of rain get tears in our eyes and a smile on our face, The smell of wet soil, the different shades of green spread around with wet plants, wet grass and trees, the slosh of puddles under our feet make us want to dance!!

Well I did all of this yesterday after a long time all thanx to our kids and my husband!

We enjoyed the rains!! Enjoyed getting wet, enjoyed eating the hailstones, enjoyed making each other wet! In short enjoyed being together

The day started off with the sun shining brightly and since we had heard about the hailstorm in Baramati and Nasik, it was taken for granted that Pune would also receive rains soon.  Post lunch while seeing off my husband outside the house it started drizzling and being the lady of the house, my first reaction was getting the clothes inside the house. Once done with that, I told the kids to see the drizzle, that's when we had a hailstorm in Pune. 

The kids were thrilled to see the hailstones and tried catching them too!! My husband pulled us out to get wet in the rain, pop a few hailstones in our mouth and splash some water too! This has been the first time that our kids have seen hailstones. 

This got me thinking when was the last time we did something for the first time??? Thanks to our kids we really did something for the first time in ages we went back to our childhood with our children and we made memories!! 

A truly amazing birthday!!

Yes, so the people who know me know how excited I get about my birthday. I behave like a 4 year old all jumpy and crazy!!

Anyways so unlike every year the countdown for my birthday began rather late...a week before( usually it starts frm December, after my husband's birthday gets over!!), I tried my best to not show my excitement,  but I couldn't stop myself from becoming that 4 year old!!

Since February is a month with loads of celebrations,the entire month is full of surprises! Me (I become a detective in February), trying to know what planning is going on in my husband's head for our anniversary and my birthday. With the help of a few common friends, we scheme together to try finding out!!

Yes! We fail every year to know his plans but keep trying new tricks every year, with the hope of succeeding some day!!

My husband knows how much I love our anniversary and my birthday and makes it a point to make them special every year!! On the eve of our anniversary after dinner we went off to bed only to be woken up by MY darling husband holding a cake and flowers in his hand!! Being gifted a  customised   car for our anniversary, my husband took his surprising me to a whole new level!! Not only him but our kids went around telling all their friends' parents to wish us for our "anninersary"( that's how they pronounce it), the entire day we had people meeting us and congratulating us!!

With the month approaching my birthday and noticing how busy and occupied my husband had been with his office, work and travelling; I had decided not to pester him into anything...but he being the sweetheart that he is, ensured that he made it on the eve of my b'day back to pune to ring in my birthday with me! 

 He got my favourite cake baked by my favourite bakery(which is not in pune) specially for me with a new phone placed on the cake!!

That's not all! Our kids and my husband  ganged up and booked movie tickets for me, my kids and my very good friend along with her kids for a movie. I was sent with the kids out and was told the driver would know where to go! I was sooo surprised to reach the movie hall!! 

I guess these lil things that are done to show how much you mean to your family and how much they love you means a Lott. At the end of the day no money and no diamonds can replace the pleasure and happiness we get in simple things....for me his coming all the way just to be with me on my special day  and my kids arranging an outing for me to have some fun with them says a lot about
their love for me!!

Live your Life

Opinions are important but it's not important to always follow these opinions.

Twisting and tweaking , these opinions is always the best way to tailor made it to offer solution to your need.

After reading through one of FB statuses,I wondered on the impact of these opinions

Instead of learning the hard way its better to do things that would make us happy, opinions are formed no matter what we do. So, stop whining....the best way to live  life is the way we wish to! 

Don't just wait to celebrate birthdays , anniversaries but celebrate YOURSELF,EACH DAY,EACH MOMENT.Everyday is a reason to celebrate, the womankind who have their husbands busy with work don't fret it....just take one of your girlfriend or your kids or better still just take yourself and go out!! 

A very sweet person once told me if you are bothered over something,just dress up ,put on your shoes and go get your hair cut !! Try it, it is indeed a mood elevator.

Most of us bother too much about others opinions about us that we start living our lives according to other people. Most of our lives are spent trying to keep everyone around us happy, that we forget our likes and wishes.It is these ' Uncustomized opinions' of others that intervene in our personal space and ultimately creep into our relations.

Entire life we just try to 'Fit' into other's perceived opinions but how can one fit in to what is not for them.

Better is to look crisp and clean in being you than being 

 in being a MissFit.

Jai Hind!

India celebrates its 65th Republic Day today...I am proud to be an Indian but I also feel sad about what is happening in this country RICH IN CULTURE!!
Seeing the Republic day parade this morning on television I felt very proud seeing that despite the cold and fog, many people came to see the parade, I felt proud seeing the weapons, tanks, missiles etc that our country has to defend us. Seeing the glimpses of all the states and their culture made me happy.
I remember the terrorist attack we had in Mumbai, it showed how brave and united we stand! The Mumbai Police showed such bravery and the  people helped the survivors without bothering about religion or caste.
The Politicians of India call themselves the 'Game Changers' but most of the time make fun of the whole system.
It makes me sad to see politicians forgetting the promises they make during elections. We talk of 'Women Empowerment' but how safe are the women in this country? Almost everyday we hear about a new case of either female infanticide, domestic violence or rape! Its sad but India is rated amongst the unsafe countries for women.
Just the other day, I forgot my debit card in the ATM machine; I realised it after reaching home and immediately rushed to that ATM branch....to my horror it wasn't in the machine!! I was very scared & angry with myself for forgetting something so important! But humanity still exists, honesty and honest men still exist...the watchman of that branch saw me and recognised me, turns out that he saw the card and kept it inside so that if I return he could hand it over to me!
It made me realise that no matter what I will always be Proud of this country and that there are more reasons to smile!!!

Another Fun-Filled Holiday!!!!!

Getting bored of the same old routine, me and my husband again wanted to get away from the Shor of the city, so we sat down to decide where to go for a holiday, where the kids would enjoy and we would have some family time together. After going through all the options (me being biased as usual) I decided to go to Tarkarli( the kids haven't been there) Situated 6 kms south of Malvan and 546 kms away from Mumbai on the coast of Maharashtra is Tarkarli.

Okay so, finally after loads of pouting, eyelashes batting and pleases(since I have been to this place many times and my husband wanted to go somewhere else), we started packing for our lil' looong drive to Tarkarli! We booked ourselves in the MTDC resort online. The location is what makes this resort distinct from any other resorts / hotels in Tarkarli.

Both my kids love the beach and after hearing about this place from me, they were all excited about our holiday. So finally we set off for our self-drive holiday!
This place has gained prominence because of its long and narrow stretch of beach with pristine waters and water sports. On a clear day, one can see the bed unto a depth of 20 ft. It presents a panoramic view with tall 'Shuru' trees in the background. The wide river, the beautiful sailboats and the tiny hamlets situated on the riverbank, add to the picturesque beauty of Tarkarli. Sighting dolphins is not a rare event here. This place fishes throughout the year, the sea during summer and winter and back-waters during the monsoon since the sea water enters this area and also due to safety reasons

We checked ourselves in the boat houses instead of the bamboo cottages at MTDC. The view from the deck of the sea was breathtaking! We rested for sometime & since it was evening by the time we reached, we decided to just rest a little. The kids kept themselves busy by running around the deck of the boat-house, after sometime we ate dinner and took them on the beach( which by the way is just a short hop skip and jump away from where our boat-house was located). The fishermen in that area usually come back from fishing at night so there are many fishermen trying to take out their fishing nets at night to see and claim their catch! With torches & lanterns shining we managed to find ourselves places to stand and see their Catch Of The Day! Both the kids were jumping with joy to see the different kinds of fish they had caught...ooh and then there was the Sting Ray, which the fishermen were sweet enough to make our kids touch and hold!
Tired we called it a night early to gear ourselves for the next fun-filled day. Next morning we ate our breakfast & left to show the kids Dolphins! Like I said they are very common in this part of Malvan...with a little bargaining(which my husband is good at ;P) we took the kids for Dolphin spotting...the dolphins were jumping in the water at just a few feet away from us which made the kids not only cling to us but also made them jump with joy! There are other sport activities too like snorkeling, para-sailing, scuba diving but the kids being too small for them we did not go for all the activities

Then, of course there is THE fort, Sindhudurg, one of Maharashtra's most popular and important sea fort and the First naval base and the First Indian armada, built in the 17 th century by Shrimant Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. My son being a huge Chatrapati Shivaji admirer was very thrilled to go to this fort and see Shivaji's foot impression in this fort!
Having spent a lovely day out we were tooo tired and finally went back to the resort to spend some quiet time to relax. Another refreshing holiday it was for us as a family to create memories!