Camouflage of life

(One friend and a cup of tea.) Dear Readers, What a weekend!!!. The January winter is my favorite time of the year and I believe there is nothing better than enjoying it with hot tea, family and friends. Since, we will be saying our goodbyes to the season soon, I thought I will push my comfort zone and explore evening chill of Jaipur's busiest streets in Rajapark. My search , along with some friends, led us to a cozy tea corner which was filled with people like us who wanted to feel the tingling of cold hands and red noses that the winter brings with it. We went along to find our table and hot tea was soon brought to us with tastiest snacks we could get. The stories, jokes and little excerpts started pouring in from all around the table. One of the excerpts from a story actually made me think deeper. It goes like this. A waiter asks a man, "what else will you have with your tea?" To which the man replies, "some old friends with their silly little talks". I immed...

  Did you fly kites today? Did you stuff your mouth with delicious til laddoos and deep fried pakodas? Are your ears hurting with all the music competition on your terrace from your friendly neighborhood?  If the answer to all the questions above were yes by you, then you had a great day today celebrating Sankranti. Just like you, I did all these things and can proudly call it a day well spent.                                      The festival of Sankranti is all about celebrating the harvest season of the year marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days. Makar Sankranti is observed with social festivities such as colorful decorations, fairs, dances, kite flying, bonfires, feasts and children going house to house, singing and asking for treats in some areas.  Since I am a big fan of traditions, I tried to include all the elem...

  Dear Readers, It is the second weekend of this year and cold mornings of January 2021 ensured that I stay indoors and enjoy hot tea while reading my favorite books. I found myself withdrawing from any plans to go out and explore my interests in the confinements of my lovely home. I picked up "Power of Subconscious Mind" by Dr. Joseph Murphy which was given to me by a friend as a New Year gift. I can say it is one of the best reads I have had in sometime.  So when I start reading a book, mornings turn into afternoons and evenings pretty fast. It's as if time on its wings, flies! But, I assure you that any time spent reading a good book is time well spent, and I hope you give yourselves a break too with a good read as it is the best thing you will do for yourselves.  While reading books comes naturally to me, modern technology has it's effects on me just like anyone else. So, while Netflix and chill is very 2020, it is also a way of turning off my brain and explore ma...

                                                                                                                            Col. Kishan Singh Jhala                             MD Rajendra Singh Pachar It's finally 2021!!! A year we have been eagerly waiting for what seems like an eternity. It was a united expression all across the globe and all we wanted to do was let our guards down a little. But, Universe had a different plan just like 2020. So, instead of going out with friends and family, we all had a quiet and relaxing time with them at our cozy homes. It was ...

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 Traditions follow us everywhere. Sometimes we are raised with it and other times we make room for new ones. I have too created traditions just like any of us and my one absolute tradition is to enjoy holidays. I was excited about Christmas this year not only because I and my friends were playing Secret Santa with each other but also because I knew that it will mark the final days of the year 2020.  It is funny how one day can fill you up with hope, smile and absolute content. My weekend started with a cold morning and lots of hot chocolate on Christmas day. There is something about a cold morning and a hot beverage that reminds you of the serenity around us. Christmas wishes poured in from friends and family and gifts exchanged were making rounds on social networking sites which shrieked laughter from the photos (I could somehow hear them!). I too had a small spread of gifts with my friends and we were excited like little children to tear the wrappers apart and find our ...

There is no glory in death. Nor happiness. The silent decay of the body is a testament of all the stories and secrets of a mind which dared to go on.  In its wake, touching and creating realities that intertwined with time to materialise a world around it. What was the story? What were the secrets? The laughter that died with time. The sorrow which was felt at the end. It all comes to this moment of passing. Leaving behind a legacy and moving on to a different journey. One can only wish farewell, suppressing the choke building a lump in your throat. The old ones are leaving and the young ones are not ready. Author: Stuti Sharma

Inspiring, filled with hope, kindness and determination. Michelle Obama's Becoming will take you back and tell you a story that was happening in your own time. When you were busy studying, hunting a job, or chasing your love life, history was taking shape. It is an overwhelming feeling when you understand how much of the world you have not been a part of. The hardships of generations after generations, bond of a family, beloved memories of the departed and challenges of a becoming leader. The story of Michelle Obama has various flavors and it is not so different than any other person on this Earth. The only difference you will find in your own story and hers is that she did not stop. She did not stop believing in herself, she did not stop challenging the status quo and she did not stop when she was said and I quote from her book "not Princeton material". Turns out that she was not only a Princeton material, but of a Harvard and also of being a First lady. Michelle Obama i...