Who you should be?

Should you always be what you pretend to be?

We have always pretend to be someone or atleast tried to be similar to a particular genre as per the society. What I mean to say is that we have all accustomed to a particular profession and also have aligned our life style with it. Even if we are actually not the person whom we are pretending to be, we have so much accustomed ourselves to a particular genre of the society that we have actually forgotten what we actually are.

Let me  elaborate.

We all live in a society with most of us dragging ourselves in the 9 to 5 rat race. We have a perfect yearly schedule. On most days we wake up to reach our workplace tired with hopeful dreams and we end our day without any productive work for ourselves. On festivals, we come out wearing traditionals, click selfies with fake smiles and that's how our years are ending. Haven't we ever thought of giving up pretending to be someone and really be ourselves?

We, who are dragging ourselves to work every morning have forgotten that their lives a different person in us with a different hidden dream. If we all go back to our childhood, do we remember saying that our dream was to work 9 to 5? I am sure nobody would have said that. We wanted to be a musician, a traveller or a writer. Perhaps a few of us also wanted to be fire fighters, join the army or play soccer. We have already given up on our dreams or are shattering it everyday and by that it shall be destroyed itself. Is it right? We are working hard to fulfill somebody else's dream. We are all afraid to put our job security at minimal risk just to pursue what we always wanted to do. We are dragging ourselves to work 40 hours a week denying our dreams which would need perhaps 80 hours a week at the beginning. The double effort will yield exponential happiness. 

It would cost a little to be yourself but the effort is worth it.

Submitted for Indispire

Travel To Discover

Why to Travel? Is it seriously to explore new places or try out new cuisines or have an experience about different culture or food habits? Or it is just to load your instagram with fancy selfies and fish around for more double-taps or check in at new airports and let the world know that you can afford to travel? Is it seriously for yourself or a status quotient?

If you are travelling to save your social status amongst your network then its seriously an issue that you must give a thought. In this era of global village, where you are stuck between presentations and EMI's, you hardly get to know who lives on the other end of your apartment. If you are getting a chance to explore then you must go on with discovering your inner peace and exploring things that probably you won't even dream about while you are in your conference room. Some of you might find it strange but there are people who are more bothered about their facebook likes on their pout selfie in front of an international airport than have the real fun of travelling.

I like to travel. Whenever I go around to explore a new place I either do it alone or with the least possible company. Having someone with whom you can share a similar thought is what matters more to me than a group of noise making dissimilar crowd. That gives me a lot of benefits. I  get peace which isn't so easily available these days. I get to know the  place better as lesser people means lesser priorities and more similarities. Also, if I am travelling with someone special then it gives me a chance to know the other person better. It is about discovering our common likeness and common dislikeness.

Written for Indispire

Best Proposal Scene Ever

We all have proposed or received proposals. While some hide themselves behind the cellphone screen and drop a simple text over whatsapp, there are quite a few who prefer to do it vehemently. Movies have always had a great role in idolizing love in our lives. The scene from 'A Walk To Remember' where the Landon asks Jamie if she would marry him while they were gazing at  the sky with a telescope  even after knowing that Jamie was fighting against cancer. Also, the scene from 'He's just not that into you' where Beth is about to throw away the trousers and Neil asks her to check the poskets and she finds a ring and turns around to find Neil on his knees saying, "I love you so much, so much, so much and I want to make you happy. I need to make you happy for  me to even have a shot at being happy.

There are quite a few remarkable from bollywood too. The scene from Saathiya where Aditya proposes Suhani in front of his friends in a moving train. Also the scene from Wake Up Sid wheer Sid runs to Aisha and hugs her in Marine Drive while it  was raining. Even in Rang De Basanti Ajay took his entire gang to an old fort and proposed Sonia in an utost serene environment. 

However the best scene that I have ever seen is from Jannat where Arjun takes his car to stop in front of Zoya's car at a traffic signal, gets down on his knees and proposes her. While you can call it as overrrated bollywood or a bookie's crazy on the moment instinct reaction without any damn fear, it is still the best scene ever. It can also a try to copy real life businessman Mukesh Ambani's proposal style to Nita Ambani where he stopped his car in mid traffic and proposed her and he only agreed to start it again after she agreed to his proposal. 

Barbados - A Dream in my Bucket List

Nature is always an underrated beauty. There is more thrill in travelling to explore nature, culture and customs, than just travelling to places to try out cuisines and shopping around. Barbados is a dream destination for all nature lovers. With tide pools, cliffs, coral reefs, underground lakes and caves, coral rocks and beaches with palm trees the island stands as one of the most sought after travel inspiration destinations across the world. The land is an unspoilt haven for many creatures and houses some of the indigenous flora and fauna.

Barbados is an island country in southeastern Caribbean Sea, covering an area of 432 square kilometres. English is the official language of the country. Barbados has tropical monsoon climate round the year with mild breeze. The period from June to November witnesses rain in the entire climate.

The playful waves and pink sand makes the Crane Beach one among the top beaches of the world. The gentle breeze that sways the coconut grooves also adds to it beauty. The beach is famous for Boogie boarding and body surfing. The beach has always been a favourite for honeymooners. The Crane Beach Resort, located near the beach ensures great stay for the visitors and also ensures every possible comfort to the visitors.

Bathsheba is a rugged beach towards the eastern coast. At Bathsheba beach, large rock formations stand in the beach giving the view of picturesque beauty. These rocks are broken rock formations from the ancient coral reef. The pools of Bathsheba are carved in inshore coral reefs. Visitors sit in them with a drink and enjoy the enriching experience of the natural whirlpool created in them.

Oistins Bay Garden is a small fishing town towards the south coast. Different vendors have different cooking style. They have wide range of fish and meat which is prepared in front of the customers. People take their seat in informal setting and enjoy their food while enjoying music. During weekends, late night visits general keep the customers waiting for long time as the queue gets longer. Art and craft items like jewellery, pottery, wood carvings, pottery, clothing and accessories are also available for sale at the beach.

Bajan Bus is one of the historic treasures of this island country. The bus gives the tourists a tour around the scenic beauty, the life of locals and sights of some of the photogenic places. The bus takes around 30 passengers on shared basis or rent. The bus stops for a rum punch and buffet lunch.

Andromeda Botanic Gardens houses several flowering plants and tropical plants. The garden houses, humming birds, resident monkeys and over six hundred different variety of plants. The garden is a delight for horticulturists. There is also a cafe and a place nearby to buy crafts.

The Atlantis Submarine tour is a forty minute journey to 150 feet below the sea level and allows visitors to the sea the sea bed as a playground. The journey leaves the visitors enthralled by the view of amazing coral formations and sea life. The co-pilot shares different information and adventures about the sea life.

Barbados Earthwork Pottery is located near St. Thomas and it manufactures some of the attractive and usable pottery in the finest class. Dinnerware and serving pieces come in 150 shapes and 36 patterns. The entry is free but the aesthetic tempts almost every visitor to buy a gift or a dinner piece. This Caribbean pottery place is a must visit.

Barbados is the birthplace of oldest distilled spirit – rum. Mount Gay Distillery, founded in 1703 is believed to be the oldest manufacturer of rum. Rum has been the essence of Caribbean culture and Barbados rum is considered to be the best rum in the world. There are several recipes of rum across Barbados and each the uniqueness of each recipe adds a better experience of self-exploration.

The nightlife at this island is also highly appreciated. There are plenty of places to grab a cocktail, dance, play arcade games or even set out on a dinner cruise. There are plenty of festivals happening all throughout the year where crowd from all around the year drop in.

A visit to this island will definitely prove to be more than awesome. The experience here starts with a gentle smile, goes on with inquisitiveness, builds more delight with every different facet of the island and leaves everyone with an urge to visit again. The narrows roads and colourful lives give a wonderful experience of Caribbean culture exploration.

This post is submitted for Lufthansa's #TheBlindList contest.  So pack your bags and #SayYesToTheWorld.

What's you last meal..??

In the S01E10 of Prison Break the cop walks over to Lincoln with his meal and hands him over a paper to note down his wish for the last meal before he his electrified. It suddenly got stuck in my head that if God would have asked me about my last meal before my death, then what it would be.

I would prefer a complete vegan meal, because that's the way my parents are having their food for more than two and half decades and their's not even a hairline trace of any non-vegetarian ever at my place. My mom is a fantastic cook and I shall prefer everything that's only cooked by her. I will start with the main course directly and then jump over to the desserts. I will stay away from Indian breads and directly jump to pulao. With pulao I would prefer some arhar dal tadka, which is my classic when my mom cooks over and then just before serving she pours some ghee over it. I would like the meal to be accompanied with all the dishes of paneer that my mom can cook. I have seen her cook so many different dishes and as a child I would be disappointed if any of my meal didn't have any paneer in it. My mom made it sure to have paneer, at least for me in every dish that she cooked. I would like to have paneer butter masala, kadai paneer, paneer burji, shahi paneer, paneer khorma, palak paneer and I shall also be delighted if small pieces of paneer is mixed with the pulao. After that I would like some mixed vegetable sabji. I will also not exclude that jackfruit curry, which my mother cooks. I will also love that sewali (night flowering jasmine) fry, which my mother used to specially cook for my grandfather when he was alive. I will also not leave the traditional boil potato fry. Assamese dishes like mashed potato and roasted brinjals should also be included. Perhaps I will be full after this.

This is not all, I will still long for the dessert. Anyways I shall be ready for bowel disorders, if there were to be any. I won't have to long for a doctor after death. I will prefer kheer and rasgulla's. I will prefer at least 4 to 5 rasgulla's. I will also like rasmalai, as that is the sweet that I remember crying for when my dad used to take to the sweet shops and I never remember him denying for it. 

After all this I will be full and be ready for it. Rather than longing for the great sleep of life, I will be more delighted if I could take a nap for a while and have the entire meal over again.

The pic above is no way what my mother cooks. She can cook far better than that. Obviously I would like to thank the guy who uploaded this after having a good meal, For his sake, I could use it in my blog.

Indian parent's and their fallacy

The journey of compulsion and misguide starts from post matriculation itself when a so-assumed known man says, "Science le lo beta.. bahut scope hai" (You must opt for science, it has a lot of scope).

I have also come across such jerky people. I am fortunate enough that neither my parents nor anyone of my blood relative is such narrow minded. I was given the utmost freedom to opt for anything after tenth.

I have seen a friend of mine. She's very intelligent. She has always been a good student till tenth. She wanted to join arts and continue with Mass communication and then finally choose Journalism as her profession. She couldn't because of the typical mentality. She had to opt science even if she didn't want to. She couldn't opt for journalism. She was manipulated to take something which she never really thought of choosing. There she is today, cursing her fate and struggling with drafting tools & pantographs. I respect her parents for everything but not their compulsion upon their daughter to live her life according to their way.

This typical misguided mentality has started disappearing from the society. Today parents have understood that it is more important for the child to live their dream than to study engineering or medical with the hope of scope.

Dreams and passions do exist and also their is ample amount of social support to pursue them. Away from the world of engineers where they are bound to work under heavy stress in night shifts in the IT sector, there are many parallel worlds where people are more successful, happy and less stressed. Let us see the world of musicians and sportsmen. They have more glory & happiness and even they are living their dreams. If we see ourselves and our world of fellow bloggers and freelance writers, we can find millions of happy faces living their passions.

The belief that doctors and engineers are the only one's who are happy has almost become a myth in our country. Today children are allowed to live their life their way.

Submitted for Indispire