Shocks and Shoes

Beautiful

8:49:00 pm

Can you count the number of times that someone has told you that you are beautiful? Quite a few, right? Now how many times have you told yourself that? Hmm, not that many, I’m guessing.

For most of us women, it really takes an effort to actually admit that we are beautiful. How can we, when we have those thunder thighs, or that huge butt right? It is so much easier to find stuff to hate about ourselves.

Image Courtesy: cct300-f08.wikispaces

My sister and I look very different – I’m short and she’s tall; she’s skinny and while I’m within a healthy weight for my height, I’m tipping towards the upper limit :-). Sometimes we joke that it would be great if we had some kind of a machine where I could transfer some weight to her!! But when you think about it, if we really had a machine like that, we would all look like clones of each other (our celebrities are already beginning to look like that). Scary thought, right?

In India, the obsession with being skinny is not as much as it is in the west, but it does exist and affects a lot of young girls with impressionable minds. The media, of course is everyone’s favorite punching bag when it comes to this issue, and it is true that it plays an important role. Movies, ads, magazines - everything sends out the message that you need to be tall, thin, have lustrous straight hair, blemish free skin, a sexy pout and curves in the right places. What are these ‘right’ places? Who said they were right in the first place?

This is where blogging plays a huge positive role. We have bloggers of all shapes and sizes and colors who belong to various nationalities/ethnicities/religions and they are all, beyond doubt, beautiful. The one common characteristic all of them share is self love and a wonderful confidence that actually comes through in their pictures. I admit, I’m still a work in progress and have yet to accept parts of my ‘mommy’ body, but these wonderful people really inspire me.

Speaking of self love, I love the song ‘Beautiful’ by Christina Aguilera and believe every girl should listen to it (Of course, there are hardly any who haven’t :-)). Here’s the youtube link:

Have you ever battled body image issues in your life? How did you deal with it?

Food

Recipe for the Week - Fruit Custard

9:48:00 am

This is a really popular recipe, not to mention a healthy, fruit-filled dessert :-). You can use low fat cream, but it would be better to use whole milk for thicker custard. All the fruits need to be chopped into small pieces of the same size.

What you’ll need (6-7 servings):

4 tbsp Custard powder
2 tbsp cornflour
1 litre milk
1 cup + ½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 apple chopped
1 mango chopped
250 g chikoo chopped
2 cups chopped pineapple
3 small bananas chopped
200g low fat cream

What you’re going to do:

1. Make a paste with the custard powder, cornflour and ½ cup milk.

2. Place the remaining milk with 1 cup sugar in a large vessel and bring to a boil.

3. Add the custard paste and keep stirring on a low flame for 3-5 minutes. (If you don’t stir, you’ll get lumps in your custard)

4. Turn off the heat and add vanilla essence and mix well.

5. Pour the custard into a large bowl and leave it to cool. When cool, place in the refrigerator to chill.

6. In the same pan, put in the chopped pineapple and ½ cup sugar and bring to a boil.

7. Lower the heat and leave it to simmer for approximately 15 minutes.

8. If it looks too watery, evaporate most of the water.

9. Put the pineapple in a bowl and leave it to cool.

10. When cool, add the remaining fruits, and place in the refrigerator to chill. At the same time, place the cream to chill as well.

11. When the custard, fruits and cream are thoroughly chilled, take it all out.

12. If the custard looks too thick and lumpy, use a hand blender to loosen it up a little.

13.Put the fruits into the custard and then add the cream and mix everything together well.

14. Pour into individual bowls and serve.

This is, without doubt, my favorite dessert :-) It’s so cool and refreshing, especially in the hot summer months or when breaking your fast after a long day of no eating and drinking. Another major plus: One of the best ways to get kids to eat fruit! Do try it out!

Social Issues

What They Should be Teaching in Schools Today

5:01:00 pm

I’ve been thinking about this topic for quite some time now, long before starting this blog. So today being the eve of Independence Day and all, I thought I might actually put those thoughts into words and thus this post was born!

Everyone agrees that the kind of education we get in most Indian schools today is of hardly any use once we are out in the big bad world. So I have put together a list of subjects that I personally think all kids should be taught, regardless of gender, caste/religion, socio-economic conditions, school syllabus, medium of instruction etc. Ok, I am certainly no expert on this, so these points are purely based on my experience :-)

Health and Nutrition

This should go beyond the ‘We should eat fruits and vegetables to stay healthy’. How many servings of each food should we eat a day, how can you determine how much a serving is, what are the benefits of each food group, what are the cons of consuming an excess of any food group. Also, portion control, the importance of eating at the right time every day, and preferably sample menus. Every kid should grow up informed and able to make healthy food choices.

Basic Cooking Skills

It would be great if everyone could prepare a basic meal of rice, lentils and vegetables by themselves. For one, it would do away with the gender stereotype of women slaving away in the kitchen while men watch the news waiting for dinner. Then it would ensure that no one would have to depend on any one else for a healthy meal – you can cook it yourself!! It would also introduce kids with talent to a whole new world of opportunities.

Yoga

I have yet to meet someone for whom yoga hasn’t been of any help (after consistent practice). It is a workout for which you require no equipment/shoes etc. It ensures health and mobility in old age and anyone, at any age, in any place can do it. It’s best for kids to get trained as early as possible.

Self Defense

This is especially important for girls, for obvious reasons. Domestic violence is an ugly reality in many households in India, and a girl who can kick some a** will stand a better chance of good treatment in her marital home compared to a doormat.

Basic Laws of the Land

These would include the very basic laws regarding women’s empowerment, crime against women, consumer rights, the RTI act etc. Here it would also be necessary to learn basic traffic rules and also the consequences of breaking seemingly trivial laws – urinating in public, spitting on the road etc. Kids need to learn that there really are laws for such things and fines to pay for breaking them.

Basic Banking Operations

There are so many educated adults I know who seem kind of lost when they enter a bank. Every boy and girl needs to be acquainted with basic banking terms and what they can do in a bank. Financial independence, specially for women, is a necessity and everyone should be able to handle their finances intelligently by themselves.

Use of basic tools

This is also true of a lot of ‘educated’ people. Many women leave the ‘light-bulb’ changing task to their men, and then crib about it when they take too long. So the use of basic hardware should help everyone take care of minor repairs themselves, instead of forever waiting for the plumber/electrician/carpenter to show up for every tiny thing that goes wrong.

Sex education

This is a no brainer. I don’t care who thinks sex information is taboo, it needs to be communicated to all children in the right dose by the right experts and NOT the Internet. This should obviously include how to differentiate ‘right touch’ and ‘wrong touch’ and what to do in case of the latter situation. Prevention is always better than cure.

Fundamentals of most common Indian religions

Religion is this huge, explosive topic in India, at the root of which lies a lot of ignorance. Teaching all kids (caste/religion no bar) about the fundamentals of the most common Indian religions will help in some level to gain an understanding about what their brothers and sisters of other religions believe in. This should help in increasing tolerance and peace –

after all, isn’t that what all religions ultimately preach?

Environment Friendliness

The Earth is not going to solve its pollution problems by itself, we have to do it. And everyone needs to realize the gravity of the current situation and start acting upon it. There are a lot of simple things that even kids can do – avoid littering to begin with, recycling, avoid plastic bags/bottles, saving water, harvesting rainwater etc. Awareness from a very young age onwards is bound to ingrain these acts naturally in them.

Basic courtesy and manners

Ok, this might seem superficial and unimportant, but the fact is that a lot of people consider Indians an uncouth and rude people. We might argue that we don’t want to judge ourselves by the Western standards of culture and refinement, but the truth is we definitely have room for improvement here. Kids should learn to be considerate of their fellow passengers, to stop yelling, jumping queues, pushing others to get through and in general making everything seem like someone else’s fault. Agreed, the sheer size of the Indian population makes it difficult, but isn’t a billion smiles better than a billion frowns?

Image Courtesy: shemford

Well, those are my views on this topic, but I know that this list is far from complete. What do you think they should be teaching in schools in India today? Do add your thoughts in the comments section!!

Fashion

Accessory Organizers

4:18:00 pm

I’ve always loved checking out how other women organize their closets, makeup, jewellery etc. on their blogs (Nosey, right? :-)). So, I thought I’d share some of my organizing solutions on my blog as well. Here goes!

Disclaimer: This is a picture heavy post!

1. Makeup Organizer

This little plastic organizer has little compartments that are perfect for a lipstick/mascara/kajal to fit in. It’s also got a drawer at the bottom for wider stuff. This clever little guy is from Dubai.

2. Cadbury Jewels Chocolate Box

This is to show how much I am into recycling :-). This box was a gift from an uncle. Once we finished up the goodies inside, we wondered what to do with the box – it looked too useful to throw away. And so it became a home for hair accessories. However, this doesn’t hold much, so I have the rest of my stuff stashed away in another Cadbury chocolate box!!

3. Bunny Basket

I got this basket from Crawford Market, Mumbai. I liked the bunny and the lace and didn’t really have a specific purpose at the time. I use it to put in sundry items like pins, a clip, phone etc.

Close up of the bunny pulling the basket:

4. Cutlery Tray

Yup, you read right, a cutlery tray! My drawers were a mess till I put this in. Now its all neat and organized.

5. Scarf and Belt Hanger

This red plastic hanger is really useful behind a cupboard door or on the wall behind the door. This one is from a store in Bangalore.

6. Trouser Hanger

This Trouser Hanger from Big Bazaar comes in handy for heavier shawls and stoles. Also, it saves space since I can hang stuff in vertical layers.

7. Ferrero Rocher Box

I can hear you asking, “What’s with all the chocolate boxes?” Can’t help it, we have relatives abroad who always land at our place with boxes like these. And all the pretty boxes find alternate careers once the chocolates have gone their way :-). This one’s for my earrings. I might have to get another one soon, the pairs have begun waging war on each other!

8. Divided Plastic Box

This is a commonly available box with a lid and works for me since I don’t have a huge necklace collection and need to put just one or two pieces in each compartment.

9. Plastic Bangle Box

Another commonly available plastic commodity. It's not very durable however, and trying to get at a bangle stuck in the middle is a bit of a chore. Also, my chunkier wooden bangles don’t fit here.

10. Travel Makeup Pouch

Ok, this isn’t an organizing solution, just thought I’d show it here anyways :-).Got it as a gift.

Bonus two (not exactly my solutions :-))

11. Foldable Earring Box

This one came at an exhibition. It’s actually my Mom’s, I just sneaked it away for this post :-)

12. Wooden Bangle Stand

This one is my sister’s. She hangs her bangles, bracelets, necklaces all on this stand. I really like this and I’m gonna get one for myself soon. My Dad got it while on a train to Delhi. Honestly, you get some really cool stuff on Indian trains!!

So those were my (and Mom’s and Sis’) accessory organizers!! How do you guys organize your stuff? Do tell!!

This post is a participant in Org Junkie's 52 weeks of organizing. Check it out!

books

Book Review - Chanakya's Chant

11:21:00 am

‘Chanakya’s Chant’ is the book I received from blogadda as part of the Book Reviews Program. Here’s a snap of the book:

This book is basically about the wily but brilliant political strategist, Chanakya and his avatar in new age India, Pandit Gangasagar. Scheming, calculating and extremely intelligent, they are the forces behind the making of leaders in their respective times - the kingmakers.

Title: Chanakya’s Chant

Author: Ashwin Sanghi

Plot: Vishnugupta, son of Chanak, the great teacher, takes on the name ‘Chanakya’ (son of Chanak) after his father is gruesomely murdered for standing up to the king’s atrocities. Chanakya flees the kingdom, only to return years later having completed his education and with a determination to achieve his father’s dream – the dream of a united Bharat. But that is no easy task, considering that there are several small but proud kingdoms to unite; and the fact that Alexander is marching this way with a huge Macedonian Army.

However, Chanakya, now a revered teacher himself, is not deterred. Along with a few selected students and the support of his father’s friends, he weaves intricate little webs to trap every man, Indian or Macedonian and makes them dance to his complicated tunes. He gets his way everywhere, and though his decisions are devoid of any morals or ethics, he finally realizes his dream and succeeds in establishing his main protégé, Chandragupta Maurya on the throne. He then retires to write about his special brand of science in the Arthashastra.

But history has a knack of repeating itself, and so Chanakya’s modern version, Pandit Gangasagar, is born in post independence India. Having to support a family of 4 after his father’s untimely death, Gangasagar gets a job with a wealthy and shrewd businessman Agrawal. During his early days of employment, he stumbles upon Chanakya’s chant, and from that minute onwards, his life changes as it revolves around this chant. From a lowly employee, he soon transforms into Agrawalji’s trusted advisor, and they start a political party. And then the games of politics begin. This is the perfect ground for Gangasagar’s fertile mind who, not unlike Chanakya, becomes a master puppeteer, controlling the various facets of the government – first the local mayor, then the chief minister, and finally the Prime Minister of India. Again, like Chanakya, Gangasagar’s activities are all behind the scenes and he succeeds in putting his protégé, Chandini Gupta, in the most important position in India.

Review: The stories of the two protagonists travel along parallel lines, alternate chapters, to be more specific. For some time the story of Gangasagar and Chandini Gupta also appear to be in parallel. This gives a nice touch and helps the reader be in sync. Little icons in the chapter headers also explain the time period:

Chanakya’s story picks up steam right in the beginning, but Gangasagar’s takes some time to build up. But once the pace picks up, it goes on at full speed. The plots and subplots are very intricate and Sanghi seems to have done a lot of research. Minute details are present everywhere, be it the time system of the old days, or the technicalities of the Indian Constitution. The reader is sucked into a vortex of scheming, lying and hypocritical characters who have absolutely no sense of morals. The extents to which these shrewd political advisors go appear shocking at times, but more or less reflect the current state of Indian politics. Like Gangasagar says, “Clean politics is an oxymoron”.

Both Gangasagar and Chanakya are Brahmins, from poor families, and are completely self made men. Even the names of their protégés, Chandragupta and Chandini Gupta, are similar. Rarely, the comparisons seem a bit labored, but on the whole they move quite smoothly. Chanakya’s Chant reverberates throughout the book, and as we move towards the end, it gains more meaning.

On the whole, this was a very interesting read, quite unputdownable. Ashwin Sanghi has done a great job and I would recommend this book to everyone. It is a wonderful reflection of politics in India – then and now. Great book!!