In our part of the world Tulsi is considered a very sacred plant and it is mostly planted in the front of the main entrance of the house. It is believed to be sacred not only due to its religious importance but also for the medicinal value. It can cure cough, cold, fever, flu, chest congestion, throat infection, joint pains and many more. It is a cure for almost every type of fever. You can just chew the leaves or make it’s paste to apply on skin or just boil the leaves in water to drink it as a tonic. 
Fortunately I have got this Tulsi plant near my kitchen garden, beautifully maintained by the previous occupants. I was so happy to see this small pillar surrounded with green hedge. I daily water the plant and lit a diya. You can call it sacred, let me call it a habit, a ritual I have been doing it since my childhood. I believe that in our religion why they must have called a number of trees sacred so that the coming generations keep on planting these species. Even if they do so please Gods there is no harm until they become superstitious. We have to draw the line and understand the difference between sacred and fear of religion. Hope I conveyed my point.
Category: Positivity
WHERE TO STOP?
Yesterday my blogger friend told me that in her country one cannot construct where one wants to and today I am reminded of her statement as soon as I saw today’s prompt.
These were her words, “Where we live there are certain areas that must be left to agriculture. You cannot build where you want to. So much space must be left for farmers. Switzerland is a small country and you must be careful what you do with the land you have.,”
I wish that was possible in our country too. Not that we don’t have rules and laws but implementation is a kind of hypothetical term when you have abnormal population growth. Over 1.21 billion people need house and government has it’s own constraints therefore corruption rise and people tend to construct illegal colonies. The problem cannot be dealt effectively in absence of will and a strong mechanism to fight against it.
Illegal housing in India consists of huts or shanties built on land not owned by the residents (i.e., squatting) and illegal buildings constructed on land not owned by the builders or developers. Although illegal buildings may afford some basic services, such as electricity, in general illegal housing does not provide services that afford for healthy, safe environments. 
The pictures above is a common sight of any big or small city. I wish there would have been sustainable development. It hurts when you see these cramped houses build without any blue print or proper planning where once used to be fertile fields full of yield. Even the hills did not remain untouched and they are bleeding due to reckless deforestation in the name of tourism and employment generation. Recently I went to one of the most beautiful hill station and was shocked to see the rapid construction going on there. It was no more that lush green valley of flowers, surrounded with tall pine and Deodar trees and waterfalls. This is what the landscape looked like.
Wish what my friend told me the other day is possible here too. For that we have to first control the population explosion. I would love to see long agricultural belts and evergreen forests in future too to maintain the ecological balance on the earth.
MEMORIES DON’T FADE
I constantly move to deserts and valleys
Climbing mountains, passing from cities
Exploring the woods, meeting the locals
Learning tribal culture, enjoy their fests
Having a bag full of memories to cherish
That don’t get faded with time, stay fresh
Love going back to the memory lane
Calling old friends, close they remain
The nostalgia lingers on forever
Nothing can replace the sheer joy
Looking at the pictures, smiles and tears
Sweet memories can never fade away.
CULTURALLY RICH
- Who can beat the Indians when it comes to culture and traditions. It is deeply rooted in us right from our childhood. Children grow up watching their mothers and grandmothers doing all rituals dedicately. Though the joint family culture is declining fast and working parents are finding it difficult to preserve the values, they still try to pass it on to their generation next.
- Presenting you a collage of pictures where you can see me sharing and preserving our culture.
Recently we shifted to a new house. As luck would have been we entered the house on the most auspicious day of Hindu calendar…. it was Diwali festival on that day. You can see the rangoli, diyas and my temple where I made my idols sit so that they can bless us. 
My house looked so good in blue lights and what a beginning in the new city! My boys enjoyed and are ready to learn their culture and traditions. 
Looking forward to culture all around the world. Right now I am going to watch ‘Dr. Strange’ in a mall. See you all after the show. Have a good day.
VIBE AND VIGOR
I have left little in me for sure. Since last month I have literally utilized my strength and stamina in packing and then opening huge trunks and boxes and not to forget the furniture, skillfully packed by “Movers and Packers”.
Therefore when I saw the prompt I was in no mood to discuss it any further that how vigorously I set up, organised my nest and how tired I was until last week though we explored the city, watched movies, hit the food joints and attended our dining in party and musical fest all along it.
I am sort of settled now, enjoying my stay in a palatial house. while I’m typing I faintly remember a picture of a leopard, clicked by one of my acquaintances, a wildlife photographer, Mr.Chandrashekhar. I guess it can very well define Vigor.
There is something more to discuss on Vigor. How about sharing something known as smart textiles for well-being. Today I read an article, published in the Finnish magazine “Tekstiililehti” written by Kristi Kuusk which featured — amongst others — the Vibe-ing and Vigour projects. What about allowing the garments or textiles take care of us? Just think about it that a gentle tap on a shoulder given by a garment rather than an app reminding us to straighten our backs?
The article was published by The Finnish Textile Technology Association (STTL Association), which is a community for the technical professionals in the Finnish textile, clothing and footwear industry. The article takes a service perspective on several issues surrounding the topic wellbeing.
Vibe -ing is a self care tool in a form of garment which invites body to feel,move and heal through the vibration therapy.
Vigour is a product service system that enables geriatric patients, their families and their physiotherapists to gain more insight into the exercise and progress into rehabilitation process.
Smart textiles combine traditional textile canvas with electronic and digital materials, and hold the properties of both – the soft skin friendly fabric and the dynamic data components. The combination of textiles and technology opens up opportunities for societal sustainability and wellbeing. Those go beyond the product-oriented sustainability aspects for textile items and are moving towards service-oriented thinking.
Smart garments offer care and support to workers.I don’t know how much comfortable or reliable these are but it’s good to see people thinking on these lines. I wouldn’t mind to gift a vigor cardigan for sure. That’s all on Vigor by me today. Good night.
I moved again to a new city……
If you don’t like where you are
Move, you are not a tree
That was not the reason I moved
I moved because I ought to
Not because I was deprived of anything
Rather it was time to detach myself
My husband had completed his tenure
Two years gone and it was time to pack
Time to leave my work place,
beautiful house, lush green lawns,
Wonderful friends, the fields, the plateaus
Everything related to that place
Moved to a new land, finding my roots
Searching for the new world, my world, our world……
It’s easier said than done
The experience makes me stronger
At the same time I want to stay longer
Adapting to every situation
Leaving behind all that you achieved
In terms of profession and personal
My son is again a new kid on the block
And I am a new member in the ladies meet
The scene looks too chaotic in the beginning
Slowly it becomes manageable
That’s why was away for last few months
Juggling with boxes and cartons
Altering curtains and filing rations
Wandering, what would have happening
in the lives of my blogger friends
But used to snore like pig after day’s slog.
Now that the house is functional
I look forward to have more interaction
Life is a big roller coaster…. Moving faster
Countless Blessings
Really we received countless blessings and wishes for our younger son Pratyush who by God’s grace has scored 87% in his ICSE higher secondary boards. His result was out two days before and from that day onwards there has been celebration time in our home.
We took him to nearby water park for party. I cooked his favorite pepper grilled fish, egg bacon pie and stuffed veg cheese garlic bread. 
We watched two movies- Captain America and X-Men Apocalypse back to back, did shopping for both the sons. Luckily my elder son also came home last month to spend his summer vacations.
I know I couldn’t read and write blogs but last two days were dedicated to my son no. 2. All relatives and friends congratulated him for his bright future ahead. He has to now focus on his intermediate. Also he has to take the big decision of chosing a right stream. As of now he is going strongly on Commerce stream. Science is totally out.
I hope he takes the right decision and moves ahead with confidence. I will be visiting you all soon. Right now very tired and off to bed. Good night.
