Versatile Blogger Award

My co-blogger ZRADAR had tagged me for this fantastically sounding "Versatile Blogger Award".  I am honoured and humbled that despite not writing for such a long time, my blog is not completely vanished out of the radar of my co bloggers (pun not intended).  Thanks a ton ZRADAR for tagging me. 

The rules for the Versatile Blog Awards are:

• Nominate 15 fellow bloggers.
• Inform the bloggers of their nomination.
• Share 7 random things about yourself.
• Thank the blogger who nominated you.
• Add the Versatile Blog Award picture on your blog post.

So, I have to nominate 15 fellow bloggers.... here goes the names of my favourite bloggers..

Prathama http://prathama-raghavan.blogspot.in -She writes from her heart, so honest and so sensitive and covers a lots of topics, many of which are not even known to me.

Reema http://opinionsandexpressions.wordpress.com - She is so full of life despite being a busy professional and her spirit is visisble in her posts on movies, books, life etc.

Sharbouri http://sharbori.wordpress.com - A wonderful person who has deep insights in the minds of people due to her profession as well, she writes as she thinks. She is away from blogging these days, hope this post brings her back.

Vaish  http://www.vaish143.blogspot.com - She is my blogging sister! Lovely and simple at heart.. she writes about various things which touch her life - books, travel, photography and photography! Love to read her!

Harish (Conscientous reflections) http://diaryofaragingbull.blogspot.com - A voracious reader who writes about book reviews and movies and life. There is not just a simple review, but a certain in depth analysis about the states of things. Its always enriching to read his blog.

Psych Babbler http://www.overacuppacoffee.com Whatever little i know about her is due to her posts,which are so straight out of her mind... and i feel i know her somehow.  She too has a great understanding of things and people and expresses them without mincing words. She is an amazing and versatile blogger.

Vee http://psychesvisage.blogspot.com He had been there since i started blogging..is my blogger pal... writes about things which affect his life..his work... his friends... his books and movies. He too is not blogging.. i hope to hear from him after i tag him!

Prateek http://prateek-bagri.blogspot.com  - A spunky young boy.. who makes his reading go ROFL and sometimes sit up and think... he is wonderful blogger pal.

Anshul http://aestheticblasphemy.blogspot.com - Is very very versatile and unpredictable.. as far as his posts are concerned! Has a great fan following too!

Uncle Jack http://niceguy251.blogspot.com 'Uncle' as all his readers address him affectionately, is a grand pa, but its really nice to see a person do blogging and write about his expereinces of life around him.  Many a teenagers visit his blog regularly for his pearls of wisdom. Regards... uncle.

Rocksea  http://www.rocksea.org He is a professional in the field of science... an observer... his posts.. and photographs speak for themselves. He too can write about anything.. u can't guess it! 

Niket http://niketgupta.blogspot.com The ever cheerful young man Niket had been a blogger pal for a long time now. Reading his blog is life reading him...he too writes about things that affect him... which are so varied.

Pooja Desai  https://poojashahdesai.wordpress.com Blogging sister....writes from her heart... and its always so soothing to read her blog.

Nikhil Garg http://nikhil-garg.blogspot.in A versatile blogger, a young guy who writes with so much joy and excitement.

Restless Souldier http://restlesssouldier.blogspot.in We share a common word in our profile name... that's how he reached my blog! He writes wonderfully.. and topics can be so different each time... travel... his mean machine...and yes he won a prize in a contest where he wrote about something like what is real beauty...he is amazing. Again away from blogging... hope this brings him back!


A special mention : I haven't tagged u BookWorm, but u r and remain the person who showed the way to blogging, and always wrote encouraging and honest comments on all my posts...even when i never gave feedback on urs.  You had been lending me ur books.. and i had been keeping them for long shamelessly! And now i am watching ur movie collection...thanks a ton for being such a huge support. Thanks :)

I will inform all of you, and hope that u pick up the tag, if u have not done it already.

Sharing 7 random things about me :

1. I am a "to do list" and "Reminder" person.  In fact, i keep reminders in my phone, write in my diary about things to do today, by the end of the week, or by next month.  I live maximum for next six months.

2. I can't remember numbers!  Although, I store all birthdays and anniversary dates in my mobile as I cannot remember dates.

3.I love mountains to much that I want to die in a small cottage in some hills.

4.I love nail paints and well groomed nails and hands! 

5. I consider myself as a very effective car driver ( take a lot of pride in this, as women are considered bad drivers)

6. I cannot tolerate very hot and very cold weather.  Both make me irritable.

7.  I love to (read have to!) moisturize my skin meticulously, as I have a very dry skin (but u can't tell that seeing it!)

RESTLESS


PS: Made certain changes in the content later.

I'm turning 36 !! And Loving it!!!

My facebook wall reads "It's hard to believe that you are growing another year older, as you still maintain the spirit of a teenager".  It was just a day before my birthday, ie yesterday, when I found this little scribbling on the wall (well literally!) And , yeah I smiled ear to ear.......... rather, I grinned, thinking "how lovely it feels to a woman reading a thing like this!!" But wait a second, what does it mean "only in spirit" huh! and what about looks?! Forget it! But, then I read this sms sent by my brother "tum umar chor ho" (roughly meaning, you don't seem to age!), am absolutely glad and brimming joy.



Happy Birthday to Me!



Yes, today I've turned 36 and it's fun! I think it gets better as you age! I mean, a woman is much in control of her life around this age.  She knows what she wants in life and also knows how to balance-out various aspects of her personal and professional life.

Moreover, I feel a marked change, which I guess is a generational shift!  Do you remember how our parents felt about their birthday? I'm sure most of time there was no celebration, in fact, they hardly bothered about it.  And mostly, they thought birthday celebrations etc are for kids and not for them, the grown ups.

From that point of view, I don't seem to have grown up!! I'm still so excited about my birthday! No way can I tell my kids " Oh, mama's birthday, leave it, I'm old enough for that" (!) On the contrary, I've bought new dress for myself and made sure I get a good bouquet of roses early in the morning! And, now I'm looking forward to having lots of fun with family and friends in the forthcoming days, starting from today!

About gifts, well, I got to wait for that (!!) But the sweetest thing I can get is a few birthday kisses from my kids early in the morning, as they jump out of their beds to wish their still sleepy mom! 

I guess, the way you look at your birthday tells a lot about you as a person. This morning, a friend called me up and asked did I go to the temple in the morning? No, I didn't. For me, God is with me, in my heart. What do I look for in a temple, in the idol, in the Aarti, and the Poja vidhi?

Another aspect of being excited about one's birthday, especially if you have crossed 30, is about how good you feel about yourself? I think, women need to put in a lot of hard work to look pretty, and remain healthy and still balance their home, kids and office work.

So, if you are on the other side of 30, then share with me, how do you feel about your birthday? Does the growing years make you feel good and wiser or do you fear getting old?  Many women like to hide their age... I still haven't felt like hiding mine! (It's because each time I tell my age, I see a big surprise on people's face!!!) (hmm, well not to mention those 5-6 grey strands, which is the latest development !!)

But, on a serious note, looks are not about not having wrinkles around your eyes, or a deep laugh line, or about having no or minimal grey hair.  It's about your attitude towards life, which gets reflected through your eyes and your face.  Remaining happy and positive in any given situation is something which makes you radiate always. It's really important to remember that there are no PROBLEMS, but there are only SITUATIONS. And each situation gives an opportunity to learn and LEARNING is the way of life, and it's not related to age.

Restless would love to hear your story....how do you see physiological age.... ageing.... your birthday... how it should be celebrated as per you..... or how do you celebrate your birthday.

Do share with me and wish me a Happy Birthday too!!!

RESTLESS (WHO ME?!!)

PIC COURTESY : dailycookie.net

PS: Not getting much time, and really missing my blogger pals' blog posts. But will be back to you as soon as my life falls in the right track.

Hi! I Am Restless, And You?

Many a times, many a co-bloggers have asked me that why did I name myself as RESTLESS MIND?  I really didn't know what to tell them.. Of course, there had been a restlessness in my soul all these years... a strange feeling which always troubled me.... I could never feel settled.... or content.... whatever I did. 

There was one distinct feature... one distinct thought which kept disturbing me.... intriguing me for last 10-12 years.  There was this one question, which of course many a people have tried to understand and answer in their own way, that was about my self... as to Who Am I, and Why Am I here? What I am here for? What is the purpose of being here, in this life, on this Earth?  It kept pestering me.... whatever I did... I would begin to think about the larger picture of life.

I always felt, I am just a tiny speck in the huge universe. I'm born in a family, a country, am doing things which I don't understand why I'm doing... yet I will living a mundane life (and this thought was truely painful for me)... I'll be living like this without knowing the main aim of my being here. It was a disgusting feeling. and one day I will die... again there will be traditions and customs followed.... people will gather, say prayers (or whatever!) and that would be the end of the story, end of the mystery called life, my life, I mean.  All this was disturbing... no... not the death part... but the aimless wander part.

And then, I used to look around  and see how do people live. What is their philosophy of life? How are they living.... meaning, how are they explaining to themselves why they are living.  The one thing which struck me and I found very similar in most of the people was they said, they are living for their children.  I would get quite amused (and upset too) knowing this.  How can the aim of one human being be only and only to take care of his or her off spring?  Is it all we are supposed to do? 

It all started years back, when I was 25 and someone asked me this point blank question - "Who are you, and why are you here?"  I still remember that day, when I stood still.... and blank...looking into his eyes. I had no answer.  I still have no answer.  But definitely, that question stirred up a storm in head.... as I was always wondering what am I doing in this set up of this society of this country, which is only a boundary created on the face of the planet by a few men.

My restlesssness was visible in my poetry....I could never understand it though.  I wrote this Hindi poem, titled Phirkiyan (spinning tops) 2-3 years back, as if summing up the business of life, questioning the existence of myself.  This poem depicts human beings as spinning tops, which swirl endlessly, spinning around demarcating boundaries for self, for respective families, then socieities and then countries.  If you are interested in Hindi Poetry, then here it is - Phirkian.

Meanwhile, just very recently, I happened to read this little article by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar titled "Are You Restless?" (and you can imagine, how I would have jumped from my bed reading it!!)  It was a eye opener.  It explained what are the types of restless states and which one is the best.

All these years, this restlessness of my soul had troubled me, but after reading what was written, I somehow feel better now.... I have placed that article as a separate post, as it's so complete without my blabbering about myself! Please have look at this one - Are You Restless?

A final word, no way am I saying that I am so much into sprirituality.... in fact far from it.... far from religion too.... never followed the way my mother wanted me to do Pooja! Never was that religious good girl, as I was supposed to be.  The policy I follow is that I should not hurt or harm anyone. Humanity only is my religion. 

Meanwhile, I am learning to reap the fruits of being a restless soul!

Dear reader, do let me know what did you think what you wrote... do you also feel this way... sometimes? Do write to me.


RESTLESS !
PS: Pic coutesy  www.jahroc.com.au/DavidGiles

Understanding Restlessness

I blog by the psudonym A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart, and lovingly (or otherwise!) called RESTLESS in the blogosphere.  Restlessness inside me is something which I cannot explain,  I wrote  about it in this post.

Recently, I just happened to see this article "Are You Restless?" by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in the Times of India Newspaper's Speaking Tree spiritual magazine and thought of reproducing it here in my blog.  As the title suggests, there are various types of restlessness and there are ways to get rid of them. Read on....

"The first type of restlessness is due to the place you are in. When you move away from the place, street or house, you immediately feel better. Chanting, singing, children playing and laughing can change this atmospheric restlessness. When you chant and sing, the vibration in the place changes.

The second type of restlessness is in the body. Eating vata or the wrong food or food that tends to aggravate; eating at odd times, not exercising, and overworking can all cause a physical restlessness. The remedy for this is exercise, moderation in work habits and going on a vegetable or juice diet for one or two days.

The third type of restlessness is mental restlessness. It is caused by ambition, disturbing thoughts, likes or dislikes. Knowledge alone can cure this restlessness.  Seeing life from a broader perspective, knowledge about the self and the impermanence of everything.  If you achieve everything, so what? After your achievement, you will die.  Knowledge of your death or life, confidence in the Self, confidence in the divine, can all help in calming the mind and reduce restlessness.

Then fourth is emotional restlessness.  Any amount of knowledge does not help here.  Only kriya or action for purification, helps.  All that emotional restlessness vanishes.  Also the presence of the guru, a wise person, or a saint will help to calm your emotional restlessness.

The fifth type of restlessness is rare.  It is the restlessness of the soul.  When everything feels empty and meaningless, know you are very fortunate.  That longing and restlessness is the restlessness of the soul. Do not try to get rid of it.  Embrace it! Welcome it! Usually to get rid of it, people do all sorts of things - they change places, jobs or partners;  they do this, they do that.  It seems to help for some time, but it does not last.

Restlessness of the soul alone can bring authentic prayer in you.  It brings siddhi or perfection and miracles in life.  It is so precious to get that innermost longing for the Divine.  Satsang, the sharing of experiences and thoughts in the presence of the enlightened one, soothes the restless soul."

I hope you'll also find these words useful, as I did.

RESTLESS

PS: You may like to read this too.

How Do You Welcome The New Year?

I, along with all of you, have reached the last day of the year 2010.  At each year end, I'm reminded that just after another month, I will be celebrating my birthday.  My birthday still thrills me, as it used to when I was little girl.  I still smile ear to ear thinking about the day and how I would be celebrating it and what the people close to me would be gifting me. I still smile and my eyes still shine thinking about it!  Although, now I'm thinking of using an under eye cream to scare away those would-be wrinkles (did I say would be?!!)

Jokes apart, but, really this year is coming to an end. I'm trying to sum it up.  Remembering what I was doing the last year at this time. What all happened this year in personal and professional life.  I see some clear cut phases, devoid of the flow of time, the measurement of time.  There were phases of joys and sadness, like a cycle which went on.  Probably, now I'm used to it. Probably, now, at 35 I've learnt to see every problem as a situation. and every situation as an opportunity to learn and to grow.

I always wanted to say this, and today I'm saying it, but ironically,  to the people who don't know me as a person.  I'm thankful to all the difficult situations I've faced, because it is that testing and trying times, it's that difficulties of life and people related to my life which made me stronger, which made me sensitive and humane. (I say stronger and I say sensitive, in the same breath.  Yes, you can be strong along with being sensitive, only if you know how to manage your sensitivities, which can be quite a pain!!)

I thank all of them who hurt me.  If not for you, I would never have been able to question the meaning of life and would never have thought about searching for it.... my search is still on..... but am glad, that hardships pushed me to this level.... the level of being eternally RESTLESS.

Meanwhile, everybody is talking about taking a resolution for the new year.  I ask myself, do I have a resolution for the new year? Nah! , comes the reply.  Why wait for the close of an year to decide something about yourself.  Each day, each new day, we human beings are capable of making amends in ourselves, capable of learning and capable of unlearning.  So, I don't think, I need to take any resolve today. 

The only thing I can do is to reaffirm to myself that it's fine being myself and that my thoughts decide what I am, (ie., we are what we think).  So, I reaffirm to myself that I keep my thoughts pure and that I never intend to hurt or harm anyone.....

Having said that, let me tell you dear reader, a majority of which are the youngsters that Restless is not just about musing and pondering over things, Restless has got restless feet too!! I will be partying all night with close family friends and would be having a blast at the dance floor too!! But, that is just a part of the celebration, not THE celebration for me.  If I had not expressed myself and my heart felt thoughts at this juncture and to this wide array of reader and blogger pals, I would have felt "frivolous", would have felt incomplete..... So, I sign off now.... you too get ready for the celebration!

Have a beautiful and blissful times ahead....

Have a Happy New Year 2011

With love

RESTLESS

I'm Back!

It was quite a long break, I guess.  Suddenly, I am fumbling for words.  Not that I have nothing to say, but suddenly I don't know where to begin with.  My blog is really my sweet heart!

On the wings of the silver bird, I'm coming home to you!

When I was away from it, I was always thinking about it (read thinking about what to write in my next posts!).  You just won't believe it, that while I was studying for my exams, reading the chapters of Sociology (yeah, I want to be a student all my life), I was relating things to blogging, all the time! 

In one of chapters of Sociology, the structure and functionality of society is explained and understood through various ways, means and types of communication patterns people have set with each other.  It classified communication as subjective, objective, manipulative etc (not the exact terms, I am using) but believe me, while reading all that I was thinking about you - ie., all my co-bloggers and their blogs!! 

How, many of us write, sharing experiences and thoughts (Jack, you know that!) and some write very objectively. Of course, there would be many who write as if giving an impression of something, as if highlighting some aspect of their personality which would be liked by all.  (No, dear, am not pin-pointing on anyone here!) But surely, I found some connection of Sociology with Blogging.  And yes, why not, because blogging is again communication, with the whole world - known and unknown people around us, who write back to us through comments, who connect with us by empathizing with us, who laugh at our jokes, who share stories of their lives.  When we thought, we were alone feeling bad about things around us, we just had to write something, and we had so many people around us to tell - "they felt the same".  And we were not lonely anymore.

We agree and nod when there are things which affect all of us, as a society.  We disagree and argue, sometimes, bitterly to prove our points.  At times, we get in touch with a friend, by dropping into his or her blog, only to write some sweet nothings.  We know it! We do it at times!

Because ultimately, blogosphere is a social circle, it's a social network (suddenly these two words have a different meaning to us, first after the rampant use by all and sundry of Facebook, twitter etc and secondly because of the movie of the same name).  But, what I meant, when I said Blogosphere is a social network, is that it's a society again, it's a bonsai society.  You will disagree, may be.  True, that more and more people are getting connected through Internet now, even Govt organisations are waking up to it, and this circle is increasing day by day.  But, let's not forget that this is just the urban story.  Education is yet to reach the corners of our country.  So, I would say, it's a Bonsai Society, a little sample of real society.

Don't you see those patterns of blogging? Following, reciprocating comments, building a blog, an image of the blog and ,of course, writing and communicating how YOU would like people to see you.  We wear masks here too.  Well, many a times, we have to and many a times, we can avoid it and be real.  This reminds of another term used in the course book "Impression Management", yes, it was again a theory understanding the social behaviour, yes, it does cross paths with psychology, may be that's why it interested me so much. 

So, now you know, my blog and my co-bloggers were never out of my mind all this time!  I was thinking about it all the time!

But, let me say this naughty thing to you, that the way you feel when you meet your sweetheart after a long time, I was feeling the same for my blog, I was just, so....hmmm.... shy to speak! (Read, so blank to write a post!)  that I kept thinking what to write for last 3-4 days, when I got free from the work, for which I took  the blogging break.

Hey, does that happen with you too?! When you gave blogging a break for sometime, did you feel how I was feeling last few days, thinking what to write??

Or else,

You may read the question like this too, that, "do you also feel so shy and speechless meeting your sweetheart after a long time?"!!! ( am just kidding!)

Do write to me....

And yes, I missed you all so much... will be visiting my blogger pals blogs soon...

Take care

RESTLESS :)

PS: By the way, I'll be writing about why am I RESTLESS, in my next post!

The Sports Period!

Buy Official Cricket and Football jerseys

online at
Myntra.com and visit the largest community of Indian
Bloggers at BlogAdda.com

Every time the school bell would ring, announcing the commencement of 'sports period', all the students of my class would turn into a jubilant crowd, tossing aside the books and notebooks, hurriedly stuffing the pencils, eraser and small ruler in their pencil box, they would jump and jostle with each other to reach the play ground as quick as possible.

And there was me, cute, little girl, short, petite, shy and disciplined, who would nicely fold all the books placed on her wooden bench and keep them properly before leaving the room, with frozen feet, walking slowly.  Was I so meticulous then? .... or was I just killing time?!  I think the latter!  Yes, I did not like that 'sports period', not one bit.

I hated the sun glaring in my eyes (why were we not allowed goggles in school?!), I hated the soil particles vigorously dancing in the air and getting in my eyes covered by my spectacles (ok leave it, no use of goggles!).  I hated the children running madly in the play ground, hated their loud crackling voices as they enjoyed playing - kho kho, chain-chain (a human chain of players chasing other players), kabaddi, langdi-tang (hop on one foot and chase others!), tug of war, cricket, football and throw ball.  Although, some years back they used to play stapoo, burfi, paali, I-spy, tipi tipi tap- what colour you want?, pitthoo, and I used to like those mild games.

But now, this was not a happy time for me. Not having the courage to fight with them, I would join my classmates with half a heart, one fourth of enthusiasm, one tenth of confidence and on hundredth of desire to play, only to be 'out' in one go. "Oh what a  relief, now they won't call be back to play", I would tell myself secretly! Was I reluctant to play or was I scared? I think the latter!

Always averse to games, rather scared of games, I chose to stay away from the sports equipment room, liked Library instead! 

Somewhere I had justified my non-performance in games with my good marks and interest in studies and active participation in debates, extempore speeches, poetry, drama and dance competitions (yes, I was good at blabbing even then!).  Somewhere I had accepted and believed that being good in studies and cultural was far better than soiling your clothes with mud and sweating like a pig.  Somewhere I had embraced the very popular saying of my growing up years " पढोगे लिखोगे, बनोगे नवाब ; खेलोगे कूदोगे तो होगे ख़राब "

Somewhere, I had given in to my comfort zone. I did not feel the need to challenge myself. Never understood the true meaning of sports and it's capability to educate a person.  Never knew sports help in improving concentration power, teaches virtues like - will-power, endurance, goal setting.  Never could appreciate that team games teach us leadership, initiative, responsibility, being a team player (that means letting go of one's ego and being one with your fellow players for a common goal).  Never could realise that above all sports channelize the burst of energy in teenagers and youth.

Sports also teach us a wonderful lesson of congratulating the opponent on his/her win and learning to accept your own failures or shortcoming.  Learning various games as a discipline teaches us big lessons on life skills which books don't teach.  It took me years to understand it.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I got my first flavour for any sport throughout my schooling when my classmate taught me Table Tennis one fine day, when we were waiting for the extra classes of school to begin before our 12th board exams.  That was my rare visit across the sports room when I saw this boy, a good friend of mine, waiting with two TT bats in his hand (probably for someone else).  He encouraged me to learn, taught me the way to hold the bat...he told me it was simple... it was... first I played coyly... an embarrassed smile stuck on my face, but was soon engulfed in the ecstasy of the game... it was quick, spontaneous and such a coordination of eyes with the limbs.... I was jumping with joy that I could play! I just needed some guidance and encouragement.

I was left wanting for more.  Alas! those were the last few days of my schooling, with not much chance to play this game again in my life ever.  But the memory still brings a rush of excitement in me,  more so on that sweet evening with my child, years after my school got over, when I was running... sweating... holding the bicycle of my little son, while he peddled it on the road next to the park.  It was his first brush with the little machine, without supporters, so I was running along with him.

I know how important it is for him to learn cycling and many more sports activities in school.  I was thinking,"I will tell him that even in this age of expensive public school education his teacher won't tell him". 

And I did so, dear reader, as he grew up. No, he is not a sports hero in his school, he is a team player, but he knows what I didn't know at his age.  Let the next generation understand what we were not told, we were not taught.

Let the children go out and play.... enjoy.... participate....be a team member.....learn to accept the falls and feel proud on their little victories.....let them not worry about who will win and who will lose....ultimately what's important is participation.

 

RESTLESS

PS 1 : Thanks Blogadda for such a wonderful topic, it was introspection and confession time for me!

PS 2: I have written passionately about how we don't need games.  I still reiterate my stand. Sports as a discipline, as a subject, as learning is very good and essential for our overall growth, but sports as career, or organizing sporting events spending crores of rupees is not what I would support.  Using what you have learnt is important and not just learning and honing your skills for the sake of records is.

Mind Your Mane Baby!

I wrote about my trysts with my tresses in my last post ! Quite funnily, I realised that I can write so much about hair, so here I go blabbing about women's hair - this time cuts, styles and hair care  - then and now!

Hair and beauty of a woman:

The hair and  the hair-dos have been a very important part of a woman's beauty, but external beauty, as I have always believed that there is so much more in a woman to be and feel beautiful about apart from her looks.  The beauty of a woman, and for that matter a person is deeper than the skin, it beyond the physical form, it's intrinsic, a person exudes beauty, if he/she is beautiful inside, as a human being.

Although, interestingly, I read about this research a few years back that facial features hold a key to one's mental makeup or one's psyche. Hence, a face is more than a face really. 

Hair - then and Now

Hair of a woman are indeed one factor which not just affect her looks but also reflects so much about her - her ethnicity, her socio-religious background, her mind, her choices and yes, not to forget the trends of the times!

Talking of hairstyles and colouring in last twenty years, myself in 30s can say, it has undergone a tremendous change, just like the dress up of women.

Cuts - The Long And Short Of It !

During my school days, apart from the plain Jane, plaited look (one or two plaits) or a better version - pony tailed look, girls also sported short hair - mostly, boy cut (boy?!!), bob cut,   blunt cut, steps cut.  If you did not want the whole length to be altered, then you would go for a fringe cut in a layer, of course the part of hair close to the forehead.  Which cut to choose would depend on the shape of your face, the quality and texture of hair.

In last few years, the hair trends have changed and are changing so much. Years back, came the perming of hair.  Hair were curled permanently (lasted for a few years) in spirals or ringlets of various diameters, sometimes half length of the steps of cut hair and sometimes, the full length.  That was a rage at that time. 

Then came the straight silky look, with a shoulder length hair or little longer.  Since, I naturally had straight silky hair, so I suddenly realised I was having a trendy hairstyle, though without any effort.  And I was so flattered when girls would ask me, how do I manage to keep them straight? and what shampoo do I use?!  I would just smile and say - "Ah! it's natural!"

Since, then cuts mostly keeping the hair length till shoulders or little longer, with steps, layers, razor cuts, curled or straight are mostly kept by girls and women.  Sometimes, our bollywood beauties have donned a short crop or even bald look, which is not so common. .

Hair Buns And Knots :

Plaits or Braids :  The plaits have vanished gradually. Earlier, I was an unsaid code that unmarried girls used to make two braids and married would make one brain or a bun.  But all that has changed now.

Buns, Judas and knots: also started becoming a symbol of being elderly and were avoided by young married girls, even for family functions.

Moreover, earlier, growing up girls, would learn different types of Judas, before marriage, this trend has died down completely, with the blooming of beauty parlour culture.  In Delhi, you will find a beauty parlour in every place, small lanes, homes, posh areas or small colonies.  Women get buns and hair knots made for special family occasions by hair dressers in beauty parlours. The yesteryear's puffed up hair from front with a voluminous bun on top looks fabulous for traditional Indian marriages.  A French knot, my personal favourite, goes well, with traditional as well as formal wear.

Hair Extensions And Accessories :

extensions in many shades!

This cannot be complete without the mention of hair extensions.  Traditionally also, these were used by Punjabi women to make a long plait, with a further colourful and shiny glittery extension called paranda. 

The style in extensions also changed with very fine quality of hair extensions in various shades came to make the buns like chignon etc. Various hair accessories, pins, clips, highlighters etc also catch the fancy of many women. 

Washing And Care :

Even, washing hair was a ritual in those days(!). My mom would soak, amla, ritha, sikakai in a black iron vessel (kadai) overnight, boil them in the morning, and the cooled down matter was strained and hair were washed with this water (Jet black in colour). 

Then came the age of packed shikakai power, and the need to soak and boil was done away with.  Shampoos and soaps were also there, but were used sparingly. 

And now, nothing except a shampoo, with or without conditioner does anything to our hair. Although, excessive or concentrated use of shampoo damages hair.  Proper care should be taken while selecting a shampoo, keeping in mind the hair type.

Have a good hair day!

RESTLESS (Mane!)

PS: images courtesy- PINKVILLA.COM

PPS: The author has given her personal view and is no way should be taken as a professional approach

(This post in second in the series of three posts on womenfolk's hairy tales! this is the first one)

My Trysts With My Tresses!

I was always fascinated by my hair. Always wanted to do things with them. Sometimes, wanted to grow them long, some other time of my life, wanted them sweet and short! The crowning glory  of women has a special place in history as well as art, be it paintings, photography or poetry. Also, I think many women like me would have tried various hair styles in different stages of their life.  So, here I am writing about this girly thing!

To start with, as a little girl, I always wanted long hair like my mom. The kido me, used to cover my head with her chiffon dupatta and let the two ends of it flow and wave like long tresses, really loved that feeling!

Then came the school days, when my mom wanted me to have long hair, no cutting, no trimming. Of course, I had hair till little above my waist, so every morning combing, and tying the two plaits was quiet a torture. 

And the Sunday ritual of oiling the hair with coconut oil by my mom was a sticky mess. Mind you, this was done after washing and drying the hair (naturally). And this oil was supposed to be on my hair throughout the week, with no time to wash in between (eeks, how did I live like that?!). At that time,oiling and the rigorous massage of scalp, with involved merciless handling of hair, was considered a boon for hair growth. Thankfully, now it has been downgraded from the pedestal of respect as it is said to be cause of breakage and the oil attracting too much dust and dirt from all around, hence has suffered the plight of Pluto, the ex-planet.

Once, err twice..... hmm... may be thrice, i must have got my hair cut, a good length! The hair dressers would refuse to cut my long shiny and healthy hair, but somehow I would convince them!

Got my hair permed root to end, completely! Got streaking done once. Got various cuts, but preserving my long hair, long steps, short steps, razor cut, 'V' and 'U' shaped trimming and what not. Yes, finally I am sticking to the long straight simple hair style. You can see my love for my hair in my profile picture too!

Technology and hair styles

 Technology has played a good part in hair styling also. Earlier, girls would see the hair styles in magazines on those models, and would ask the hair dressers to do the same to their tresses. Of course, the result won't be the same, as the shape of the face and quality of hair play a big role in hair styling.  But now, I mean, for last 10 years or more, you have softwares, where you submit  your picture and see how you would look with a hair style, before a cut.

Feeling Blue - get a hair cut!

 

There is another interesting thing about hair and woman's mood (swing) . I have heard that when depressed, women like to change their hair styles!! Yeah, I can understand that a woman who feels depressed over not being able to change her life situations, sometimes MAY think of changing her hairstyle! It sounds funny, but I have heard this from many of my friends, that "when you cannot change anything, change your hair style"! They laugh as they tell me this, but somewhere I see some logic. In fact, I got my hair cut mostly when I was unhappy!! So, some proof. Let me know, have you ever felt this way?!

RESTLESS !

(This post in first in the series of three posts on womenfolk's hairy tales!)

image from:worldhairstyles.com and sidereel.com

I Dream To Instill Dreams In Their Eyes !

This is a winning post of the Blogadda Contest

"My Dream Job"

At 10 years of age, I used to practice “seeing” the world with my hands;  closing my eyes, I used to move around in my small study room, stumbling on to the furniture, finding my way to my almirah, and then trying to feel and figure out the things placed over there, trying to tell the skirt from the scarf.  I was practicing to be BLIND.

At the tender age of 10, my mother could manage to put this in my head that with those spectacles resting on my nose (the power of which was increasing every six months), I will become blind by the time I am 18.  A high myopic and a lover of comics, I was devastated to know that one day, all I will be able to see is darkness. It rattled my young mind and I decided to practice seeing the world with my hands.

(On the lighter side : In class 9, when I read about Genetic Engineering, I thought that at least I can have babies with the corrected genes, ie, no spectacles! Sounds funny today?!  But the biggest problem my mother had with my specs was this question “meri beti ki shadi kaise hogi”?!!!  Here I was planning about my babies, and she was wondering whether I will get a suitable match or not!)

Anyways, my life went on smoothly, but the little girl in me grew up with a soft corner for the visually challenged people.  And when I read about this topic, my heart went out to the cause I had been supporting in my own little way.

MY DREAM JOB OR RATHER PROJECT IS TO RUN A SCHOOL FOR THE VISUALLY CHALLENGED

People with physical disabilities are called differently-abled. And that’s so true.  With the non- functionality of one sense organ, the rest become very sensitive and sense things in a very unique way.  When blind children are nurtured and cared for from the very beginning of their lives, they grow up to be very self reliant, independent and become a indispensable part of the society.  But, unfortunately, they are treated as a burden, as the state lacks proper amenities for them.

For running my school, “Braille” is what would like to learn to first “read” with my hands.  I would do the direction orientation training which is given to them, so that they are able to move on their own.  And, moreover, with the advent of user friendly computer software for the visually challenged, life can be a little easier for them. 

That’s my dream,  to be able to set up a state of the art school for them, where they not just learn to live in the society, but they can hone their skills of their other senses and discover the talent hidden in them.  There are a few schools in Delhi, and I had been a part of one of them, recording textbook matter in cassettes.

We dream, we want things for ourselves, but we forget about the lesser advantaged in the society.  Trying giving a little back to these sections of society in your way and you will know what happiness is!

dreaming about flowers!

I will be dishonest, if I don’t disclose here that my heart harbors another little dream….. I want to be a florist too! Flowers are as lovely as children!  This would be my part time job.  A little stall of flowers right out of my house, and I will be able to admire them each beautiful morning.

Have a great day! 

 

A RESTLESS MIND WITH

A SENSITIVE HEART !

All photographs courtesy Google images
This post is a response to the blog adda contest (powered by Pringoo) on the topic " My Dream Job"