My Written Musings

I recently read an amazing article that changed my perspective on life. The article was written by Celestine Chua and she talks about having a bucketlist.   The author's encounter with someone else's bucket list sparked their own desire to create one and share their insights in a post. A bucket list is a collection of goals, dreams, and life experiences one wishes to accomplish before passing away.  By living without clear objectives, we risk being consumed by mundane daily tasks. The bucket list serves as a reminder of what truly matters, encouraging us to seize every moment and make our lives meaningful.  Creating a personal bucket list is a cost-free and invaluable exercise that provides clarity and direction in life. It opens up possibilities beyond societal norms, allowing us to plan and relish every highlight of our unique journey. The objective isn't fear of death, but rather the desire to maximize our existence and focus on what truly brings fulfillment.  So, if you

In the modern age, where progress and enlightenment are celebrated, it's disheartening to witness the persistent struggles faced by women. A recent incident on television, as I was channel surfing, left me questioning the plight of women in our society. I stumbled upon a scene of a saas (mother-in-law) berating her bahuraani (daughter-in-law) for a seemingly trivial act - adding onions to a curry. The young woman, in her delicate saree, wept profusely, her tears tarnishing the beauty of her jewel-studded attire. Why does such injustice persist? This portrayal on television, while seemingly dramatic, reflects the bitter reality of many women's lives. The issue of dowry, which may not have been about onions in this case, has been a longstanding menace. Mother-in-laws tormenting their son's wives is not an uncommon story. Countless women face abuse, both emotional and physical, when they fail to meet unreasonable dowry demands set by their husbands' families. Records illus

The Journey of Love Through Ages Every one of us at any point in our lives must have wondered, what is love? The real definition may be a mystery or not because science actually doesn't approve or have proof of love, yet people say they have fallen in love. Maybe love is like water. It molds itself to the changing situations. Let us have a look at the journey of love through ages.. Earlier (man) stages: There was nothing called love. Even if there was, it made no sense. People just lived to eat and they satisfied their physical needs with maybe anyone or anything. Later the same time: There may be...was love, but people didn't pay much attention to it. People lived with each other for the sake of living or maybe lived with the person who fetched them food. Last stages of this stage: People had multiple partners so that they had their options open! Especially m

INSPIRATIONAL AND FUNNY IISUPERWOMANII She is exceptionally talented and extremely hardworking. Can sing, dance and take a joke to her face. Her vlogs provide you insights on her daily struggles and her never give up attitude and her main channel videos will tickle you pink. You can't help but fall in love with her.  Check her out! https://www.youtube.com/user/IISuperwomanII   https://www.youtube.com/user/SuperwomanVlogs KID PRESIDENT/ SOUL PANCAKE Just his smile will make your day. This uber charismatic kid poses as a president and shows the world how its done. Check out his videos - Pep talk and an open letter to moms . He oozes kindness, compassion and charisma. Check him out!    https://www.youtube.com/user/soulpancake INSIGHTFUL AND EDUCATIONAL LACI GREEN Taking taboo topics and feeling deeply for causes and breaking stereotypes - that's Laci in a nutshell. She runs a sex education channel - a must watch for practically everyone.

Summer Tips Summer is right upon us, but fret not. We have something just for you. Now stop praying "save us from the sweltering heat, my Lord! We bow to thee." Agreed that the heat is harsh, but it is definitely not going to kill you. Not when you follow these handy tips. Now sit back and say hello to summer. Do not forget to wear sunscreen: This goes for both boys and girls. It's been said on a loop that the sun has UV radiations that are harmful to the skin, and you need to protect yourself from its harshness. Not only to maintain your skin health but also to avoid sunstroke and fainting. Also, exfoliate your skin in summers. Dead cells are caused due to increased sweat. Wash them away with granulated face washes. Sleep well and stay indoors: Now that's not hard to do, is it? But it's not possible all the time. Travel in covered vehicles when going ou

Thought Pieces After nine months of nausea, vomiting, a bloated feeling, and uneasiness, and countless doctor visits, and finally the grand finale -- the excruciating pain of childbirth, you become a different person. You and your partner will start to view the world differently. Nothing in this world feels exclusively yours like this little stranger who switched the poles of your world. Welcome to parenthood. They say a woman is complete only when she becomes a mother, but in reality, a child will make the family complete. Gear up for these top 5 surprises that parenthood will throw at you. You understand the miracle of life: You will be wondering how a small seedling like a baby evolves into a full-grown one and how on earth did it come out of you? As you grow with your baby, you feel connected to its soul, and you realize at every step -- the miracle of life. It will make you an evolv

Thoughts and Writings CAGED You've restricted yourself to four walls, You have no clue there's life outside. You write, speak, care about the world, But do you realize that you have a heart that beats? Filling all your evenings, nights with abuse and headache. Just take time out and see, feel, breathe, To me, you're just a mighty fraud knowingly. You will not be the same anymore for me, You were once a distant dream, But now that you're a reality, the truth I see, I'm glad I will be able to get outta here soon. I thought this life was for me... But I'm thankful it's not, I'm soon gonna be free. PC: Digital Bloggers THE RACE I LOST Strangers! Strangers everywhere! No one even has the time to care! Saw everyone running, picked up my

The Green Tea Benefits Green Tea Benefits Green is not just the color of nature. It has now become synonymous with health. Just as green leafy veggies are good for you, so is green tea. There's so much hype about green tea, but do you know what it is made of? Green tea originated in China and is made from an evergreen shrub called Camellia Sinensis , literally meaning tea flower. But it is not "hyped" because of what it is made from, but how it is made. Unlike black tea and other teas, it is not fermented or oxidized. It is steamed or pan-fired, which also helps retain its color and antioxidants. Green tea has an umbrella of uses, and its beauty and health benefits are unmatched. Let's look at the top 10 benefits of green tea. 1. You can use green tea as a beauty tonic: From a skin toner to a sunscreen, green tea with its antibacterial formula helps heal a majority of skin concerns, sometimes even acne. You can us

Thought Pieces 1. Role Models and Youth Youth are increasingly idolizing film stars and cricket stars for the glitz and glamour in their world. Do you think celebrities like Yo Yo Honey Singh and Sunny Leone are good role models? Are the youth idolizing and following their mannerisms and probably also their footsteps? 2. Reality Shows vs. Reality Reality shows are taking us away from reality. They focus more on drama, verbal abuse, and physical abuse than reality. What are your thoughts on shows like Splitsvilla, Roadies, and Khatron Ke Khiladi? Do you think they are pushing the acceptable limits in society? 3. Nuclear Families and Rebellious Children With the increase of nuclear families, children are becoming more rebellious. Depending on grandparents and aunts for vacations and summer camps has reduced, as the internet occupies most of their time. In this case, can we really visualize a humanitarian society? 4. Changing Social Norm

Women in the Modern World: A Burning Question Women in the Modern World: A Burning Question From female foeticide to child sexual abuse, human trafficking, sex trades, rapes, kidnapping, to eve teasing, domestic violence, and pregnancy complications, the safety of women in the modern world is the most burning question. A woman, right from when she is born, is regarded as a daughter, sister, friend, girlfriend, wife, and mother. In her search for her true identity, she has to go through hell and beyond. She is questioned and judged on her attire, habits, walk, talk, social relations, and career choices in every move she makes. When a girl is born, the family is often concerned about her marriage and dowry. Tragically, in some cases, she is killed in the womb. Her education is sometimes not regarded as important, and she faces numerous restrictions on her freedom, like playing with boys, going out after a certain hour, pursuing a career, or traveling outside

Veganism: A Compassionate Lifestyle Veganism: A Compassionate Lifestyle Planning to turn Vegan? Then say no to any animal-derived products! Not just food, but all aspects of lifestyle including clothing, cosmetics, and entertainment. Embrace a diet that consists only of 100% plant-based foods and avoid all animal-origin foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, honey, and their derivatives. Banish leather, silk, and wool from your wardrobe and reject animal sacrifice and exploitation. Veganism is not just about eating vegetables; it is a sensitive approach to the environment and our health. It embodies a strong sense of social consciousness and reality. Vegans consume healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, cereals, etc., and avoid or reduce junk and processed foods, which helps them maintain excellent physical health. They also strive to develop qualities like charity, compassion, restraint, physical discipline, dietary moderation, and non-violence

Survivor - A Poem I was raped My soul was clenched with iron claws And ripped away from my body My body torn into pieces As beasts feast on it Losing my conscience I barely cling to life I’m burnt to ashes from inside I can’t sleep I can’t breathe in peace I have nightmares haunting me I’ve lost childhood memories I’ve lost memories of love All I have in me are these scars above They’ve imprinted on my very being I am traumatized forever

Assume that you have a chance to study at the NYU. The course just happens to be your favourite hobby; it is your chance to turn what you love doing, into a profession. In no more than 300 words, write an essay, listing the reasons why you should be chosen for that class and course, at NYU. PC:  Clive James NYU — The place where dreams come true. I’ve always been a dreamer, since my childhood days. I have dreamt of being extraordinary, of doing great things, and there’s no place better than NYU to help me carve the niche for myself. In the city where all dreams come true — I have a dream too. I like to call myself a writer, a poet, a lyricist, a traveller, a friend in need, an orator, a believer, an achiever and most importantly a humanitarian. When I first heard about the course offered by NYU in Travel Journalism, my joy knew no bounds and it was then that I realised, this was where I wanted to be. Though I live my life in the moment, I have a few aspirat

Ratta Maar: The Pressure of Education Ratta Maar seems to be the philosophy of today's students. The quest for knowledge is increasingly taking a backseat in such cases. Going to schools for grades rather than education is becoming the norm. With parents also encouraging this culture more and more, solely to boast their child's 99% to relatives and friends, children are undergoing a lot of pressure. Our education system as a structure is a great approach, as in the 10+2+3 system, which aims to advance the quality of content. However, the quality in reality seems to be missing. The lust for engineering, medicine, and the new entrant MBA is zooming at the speed of a light year. Children of working parents are put into care centres, then play schools, immediately followed by kindergarten, and school education follows. There seems to be a competition among parents even for the fastest craw

Dependency on Technology There have been numerous short films, debates, discussions, and videos in the past few days on our increasing dependency on technology. Whether it's the addiction to selfies, social networking sites, games, or even general news, we are breathing and thriving on technology. The raging debate of the hour is, can we survive otherwise? If not for all this technology, can we call ourselves developed or developing? Probably not. There was a time when man discovered fire, and there was a time it burnt his entire habitat. It is now that time of the hour when the match is ignited with absolute precision, and it will have the elastic or boomerang effect on all of us. We are increasingly seeing school-going kids handling smartphones and iPhones like experts on a space mission. In the name of se

Intercultural Weddings (image is extracted from Google) I think globalization has done us all a huge favor by not only eradicating physical boundaries but also diluting the caste system in a way. More and more inter-state and intercontinental weddings are taking place, and we are evolving as humans, accepting same-gender marriages as well. This is the perfect time for everybody to get married. With the air reverberating celebration, we are counting down on the things that'll make intercultural weddings a bliss to attend. You have so much to learn: You are visiting the wedding ceremony of your Tam Bram cousin to a Punjabi munda (Easy guess where that came from!). There is so much diversity to observe. The bigger picture where the groom is decked up and on his ghoda at three early in the mor

Knowing Sitaram Knowing Sitaram: Having been born and brought up in a family with its roots firmly held in a rustic setting, my interest in agriculture sprouted at a young age. After finishing my master's in Microbiology, I swayed away towards a career in the Pharmaceutical sector. In this endeavor, I learned team building skills and effective sales. I also got promoted to key positions and received several accolades and awards. Though I enjoyed my work, I had a persistent urge and inclination towards farming. The Newton Moment: The distress experienced by the farming community, from suicides to their unfruitful migration to cities, had a profound impact on me as a teenager. I tried deciphering the reasons behind this escalating tragedy. I could see certain unaddressed issues like the depletion of water resources, increasing input cost, lack of proper market linkage, etc. I put myself