The Science behind the myth :) :) :)

Just like all the religions in the world, the Hindu religion is robust in its offering to its followers. Rich in its cultural heritage and religious intricacies there is a lot more to Hinduism than its widespread beliefs.

In this post I decided to write about one such fact I recently read.

Temples are an integral part of the Hindu religion. And each temple is an architectural marvel. Erected centuries ago by the kings and emperors of earlier eras, they still stand testimony to the lavish architectural extravaganza.

So, if you look @ the architecture of  any temple, the dome or the "kumbh" forms the central piece. The entire temple and the sanctum is built with the dome in the center.

The "Kumbhmela" or the "kumbhabshishekam" is an event which is celebrated every 12 years.

Prayers are offered and the kumbh is sprinkled with holy water and other holy substances.The "kumbhabshishekam" has more of a festive spirit attached to it than a religious proceeding. It is often accompanied by cultural programs like music,dance and discourse.
   But, over  the years the actual reason behind celebrating the "kumbhabshishekam" has long been forgotten.

The science :)

As it is with most of our beliefs, there is a far more logical and practical reason behind celebrating the "kumbhabshishekam" .

 The "Kumbh"  or the inner dome is replaced every 12 years with grains, pulses and other essential seeds. In olden times, the temple was the center of every village or town. Upon the outbreak of a natural disaster or a calamity people often took shelter in the temple. The temple had the infrastructure and the space to hold all the people during such times. It takes weeks and sometimes even months for the people and the town to recover from a calamity of a large scale.If a huge calamity were to take down the town, it would wash away the agricultural lands leaving the town with nothing.
Agriculture is the backbone of our country and it takes a heavy toll to reclaim the washed lands and start cultivation all over. And during such times the "Kumbh" serves as a deposit of seeds and other valuable items that acts as a reserve for them. And the "kumbh" also acts as a "lightening arrester" safeguarding the town and its people from lightening strikes :)

So in the pretext of celebrating the "kumbhabshishekam", the kumbh is replenished every 12 years ( "12 years" ,because the lifespan of the seeds and grains is roughly about 12 years)with such substances safeguarding the residents of the town or  the village from a natural calamity :)

I was quite spellbound when I first learnt about this. It gave me a sense of pride knowing that the "kumbhabshishekam" was not just a cultural extravaganza, but rather, a well thought, and a  well planned idea to prepare ourselves for an uncertain future :)

In the end of the day what the "kumbhabshishekam" teaches us is that,it is always better to be prepared to tackle an unforeseen future. And it teaches us to save for tomorrow ,save for troubled times that might befall us. In the end, it all boils down to simple logic.

Simple logic, which has been the binding force of our cultural heritage :)

Cheers,
Sandy :)

Who will bell the cat ?? :) :)

One fine morning the city woke up to the news that " Auto meters" are making a comeback.Speculations went rife over the comeback.

Chennai city which has long been deprived of the "auto meter" system woke up on the 16th of September 2013 to a new dawn ,it is the day the government decided to "bell the auto drivers".

The rule was passed, deadlines were given, then extended and then once again finally given the nod, the new rules and regulations were flashed across all news channels and dailies. So, basically the news went viral. Special teams were formed and sent to monitor the implementation of the new rule.

 Every step was taken to make sure that no loop hole could override the rule  :)

A week later...............

I waved my hand to stop a running auto, the auto stopped,
" olympia techpark "?
 "OK".
"how much ??"
"80"
" 80 ???? where is your meter ??
" I don't use meter "
"it's the government rule to use meter"
" I don't follow any rules "
"I don't want to ride in your auto then"
Saying so I walked away, and waited for the next auto.
The same routine followed with 4 more auto drivers. Just when I was losing my patience, I decided to give one more try.And finally the 6th auto driver who came by had a meter in place,and ,upon reaching my destination I paid Rs.35/-.

For over a year, I have been paying Rs.80 for the 10 minute ride from Ashok Pillar to Olympia, which is almost twice the actual amount.The despicable behaviour of the auto drivers is not new to us, but for over a decade we have been putting up with this menace and the outrageous amounts they quote for the nearest of near places. And even after so much law enforcement in place there is little being done in practise.

The auto drivers have a well rehearsed arrogance which they often unleash on the poor public. It is sad to say that easily 9 out of 10 drivers have no regard for any form of rule or regulation Such nasty behaviour on their end has created a dislike among the people when it comes to using auto as a means of transportation. I think this is one of the direct reasons for the call taxi industry thriving in our city.Very rarely do you come across an honest auto driver who does not demand more than the actual cost.

Among the various outrageous experiences I have had with the auto drivers one of the most daunting experience was once when I had to pay Rs.500/- for a ride from Velacherry to Ashok Pillar. So, I was one among the happy folks when the government decided to tighten the ropes around the auto drivers.

But when the reality comes back hitting us hard on the face there is little we can do.Then again we should not succumb so easily.We have to fight back and make sure the system is in place. The government and the law system have done their part. Now we have to take it froward from here. We have to take a vow not to step into an auto which does not have a meter no matter what. It might take a while for the auto drivers to understand that we will no longer allow them to take us for granted. We have to fight and defend the system.
 It is time we stood up for ourselves. It is time we fought back and dispel the stigma the auto drivers have created in our city :) so lets join hands and "bell the cat".

Cheers,
Sandy :) :) 

“Shhhh, can you keep a secret “??

How many times have we done justice to this statement??

Apart from the million other things which the mankind will never understand about the womankind, what intrigues me the most is why women find it so hard to keep a secret?

Is it a blind inability or is there a more scientific explanation to it ??  Whatever be it, on a personal research, at least 95% of the things that come under “please don’t tell it to anyone” will have to be shared with that ONE TRUSTED FRIEND, from whom you simply cannot keep things away. We all have such friends don’t we ??  

And off course there is this 5% of deadly secret that does not reach the trusted friend either, coz they are “top secret “and remain deeply buried, sealed with double locks and iron gates, so that even the keeper of the secret visits it occasionally and so rarely and at such quick instances that it will not become a matter to ponder over, thereby reducing the risks of letting it out even in a casual conversation :/

Women love secrets, we thrive over the excitement of being a part of a secret. Be it the one who shares it or the recipient J there is joy in being both J And, if you are the receiver, the moment you hear the words “ I have something to tell you “ , you start speculating over the numerous possibilities, will it be this, will it be that ?? and more than half the secrets end with the classical “ I knew it!!! I knew it was about this “.

I don’t think I can vouch for this with any logical theory,  I guess women are simply made this way. It is not that they are insensitive to others feelings, it is just that women always live in company; we always have someone to share our things with. Be it our friends, parents, siblings or colleagues, there is always one person who knows everything about us and it is simply difficult to keep things away from that person J  Whatever be it, the earth shattering secret has to be shared with that one special person J  Even before the secret is shared with you, you know that one person who will definitely see the light of this J

So, to all the men folks, I have let a really huge cat out of the bag and now please don’t get judgemental about your women, we don’t mean any harm or we don’t mean to be numb to your feelings, it is just the intrinsic quality of every women J So the next time you say the golden words “please don’t tell it to anyone” to a women, remember that the promise is a promise but that never includes her BEST FRIEND J J

Cheers,

Sandy J J

PS: The joy of sharing the “forbidden” with a best friend is something a man will never understand J

All along :) :) :) :)......

Sitting around a pile of books, propped in my hand was an old copy of chetan bhagat's ," 2 states".My mind instantly raced back a few years ago.I was in my 5th semester in my college when this book was launched. I remember reading a lot about the upcoming book and was very keen on buying a copy of it :) And like all good things I received one copy of that book for my birthday as a gift :) :) Needless to say I was swelling with happyness :) And then, began my rendezvous with the book...

A sneeze from the dust gathered around the pile of books around me brought me back to reality.

I was rearranging the books in my new house :) Amidst all the papering and arranging, the book, temporarily took me on a little trip down the memory lane :)

My love for books and bookshelves date back right to my school days :) I grew up with fancy and trendy bookshelves in my room. My mom had a canny ability to pick bookshelves which would always standout distinctly , so , it was only natural that I  grew up to be like her :)

In every house we lived so far, in every room I shared with my sister, we always had a book shelf :) Many a times it was not a book shelf as such, it was a slab or a makeshift shelf, or a cozy little corner which doubled as a bookshelf :)

Papering the bookshelf , dusting the book cover, lining them on the shelf are some of the little things which always gave me big happyness :) :) 

Every book is a lovely piece of memory. As I take and place them on the rack, I can't help reminiscing the special bond I shared with that book.Some of them could be gifts, some could be special editions, some might have been passed down in the family and some like my beloved harry potter series were brought by standing endlessly in the bookstore queue.

Looking @ the book, the characters come racing back into my mind, reminding me of the endless nights I lost sleep over speculating and connecting the plot in the book ,wondering what would happen to the characters in the book long after having read the last chapter, and creating my own sequences with the plot beyond the pages of the book was one of my favorite pastime :) It takes crazy book lovers to re live the book just by looking @ the cover :) and trust me, if you are one such, then, you will definitely understand what I am taking about :)

It is surprising how book memories can be so strong and powerful. Years later when you open your once favourite book, turn the yellowed pages of the book, when an old greeting card or a  note slips from the book reminding you of something so special and near to you, are those little instances that makes life so precious and worth living :)

Its time I get back to my papering and arranging :) :) And next week I have a carton full of books from my husbands collection arriving home :) :)

Cheers,

Sandy :) 

Mid Day Mayhem

If you thought “well begun is half done", then, think again.

Going by the current rate of incidents, the old quote no longer holds good. 

The mid day meal scheme which started out as a strong policy to provide healthy food and  draw more children into the school has lost its way over the years.

Most of the children belonging to the struggling families of the society prefer work over education.Their justification being, that a child going to work brought more money to the family enabling them to meet their food demands.

 Their justification is fair in their own way. For people who struggle for one square meal a day, education is never a preferred choice.

Started with a good intention, the mid day meal scheme ensured good food for all the students attending school.

If not an appropriate means to sow the roots of education and its importance, this scheme ,at least saw more children from the lesser fortunate people making their way into school.

 It was a win win situation for the people and the policy makers.

But over the years, what once began as a goodwill scheme is now lost in its implementation. The recent revelation about the  poor quality and unhygienic means of preparing the mid day meal has sent shock waves across the country.

It is appalling to see the level of carelessness meted out @ every level. It is not enough to just provide food.Good , healthy, nutritious food has to be provided. 

It does put us to shame when one of the longest policies of our country is being taken with such little regard.

We need to ensure  appropriate end to end implementation of every policy. A minimum level of basic hygiene and standard has to be maintained. We need to guarantee a basic level of consistency. 

The world is facing severe food scarcity. There are over 1000’s of people dying every year due to acute food shortage. Hence it is highly unfair to waste food @ any level.

It is not only about implementing the policy accurately, @ a grass root level every person should be conscious about wasting food. Food simply cannot be wasted. Right amounts of food must be cooked, food stocked in the store rooms and refrigerators should be preserved properly, excess of food should not be binned, a moral feeling of giving it away to the needy or creative methods of re using the dish has to be practiced in  every household. 

"Food, shelter, clothing..".. goes the list of basic requirements of mankind, Food being the top of the chart, each and every one of us should go any length to ensure a future abundant in food.

Cheers,
sandy :) 

PS : " A  picture is worth a thousand words", so,before you throw away your last piece of food , or before you plate your food with more than what you can eat and mindlessly throw away the excess , please remember the following images. 

The Journey ahead......

Pink little ribbons dangled from her braid, the laced pink frock danced around her hips, the bright yellow shoes sparkled in the night light, and I couldn't resist a smile when I saw that baby girl. Childhood is a celebration of life for most of us. It is always filled with rosy memories of fun and laughter. It is not surprising when most of us long for those care-free days, those days of endless playtime and delight, those days of abundance and happiness. You never had to worry about anything, there was always someone to take care of you, feed you when you were hungry, buy you new and exciting things to play with and you always had someone to hear you out and help you.  But when you look far and beyond, you realize that the rosy tales of childhood memories are not for everyone. For many children their childhood has been a daunting experience.

Many young girls grew up with no toys to play with, no new clothes to wear, no proper food and medicine, and with no proper access to education. They grew up learning and doing the little household chores, fetching buckets of water from the nearby pond or well. Eventually these girls grew up and lived their life even without realizing the abundant possibilities outside their little world. And some of them probably grew up and led silent abusive lives within their establishment unaware of the opportunities that lay outside. All of this would have never happened only if the family or the society around was educated enough to understand the power women symbolize today. A girl child is often taken for granted and is deprived from many of the little pleasures. The negligence of a girl child in the early days slowly transforms in the later stages as abuse on women. Abuse on women is lurking around every corner, at home, at work, in the bus, in the train, and frighteningly it has crept into every aspect of daily life, making each day a herculean challenge to sail through.

It frightens me sometimes to watch the news channels or read the newspaper columns, there is not a single day without a mention of some form of abuse on women and children. The exploitation of women has sadly been on the rise of late. With gruesome stories making its way into the public every day, it makes me wonder if we are anyway close to becoming a super power by 2020.

The laurels, the achievements, the technological advancements, the breakthrough discoveries seem meaningless when the women of the land are not treated with dignity.

The need of the hour is stringent law against the people who assault women. Only when we have a strong judicial system in place, the crime doers will think twice before indulging in any mistreatment. The accessibility to justice should be made easier, the burden or the trauma of a civil procedure should not haunt a victim from seeking justice.

Creating a strong legal, fool proof platform will probably take its due course, but that cannot stop us from addressing this issue now. Let the law take it own course, but, as responsible citizens of this country there are many other things which we can exercise from our end.

In today’s world of technology and information education still seems a distant dream to many children, and specifically to the girl child. Education is not about stacking degrees and certificates; it is a process of learning and understanding the world around us. Education is a way of channelising your mind to understand the world around you better and to be a more active contributor to it. When you are educated, you know when injustice is meted out to you and you know the platforms and the means to seek justice. Whereas an uneducated women on the other hand is taken for granted and she will never probably realize that she could have undone the injustice shown to her. Every girl child must be educated, she must be taught about a world outside, about the numerous possibilities, she must be educated and well informed about what the society holds for her and how she can be an active part of it. NGO’s and government organisations and several private contributors have made tremendous contribution to the empowerment of women. But today it is not enough if only these people do their part, it is the moral duty of every citizen to ensure that he or she in some way will help or contribute.

Educating women and enlightening them about their civil and legal rights alone does not win the game, it is also an equal responsibility of everybody else to understand their role in women empowerment. The environment, the people around, everything has to be conducive enough for women to stand tall and proud and above all feel safe in our society.

So let us promise, that from this day on we still strive towards a better tomorrow, a better platform for the future women of our family and our society.

Women are the delicate part of the society, they are the gentle and the lovely part of mankind, they bring in different abilities and skills with them, and it is time we took care of them, nurtured them and promised them a safe, happy and prosperous future.

On deaf ears (* sigh *)

Well, if you thought ambulance drivers were the only ones who siren all the way from the start till the end, then ,you are probably not aware of the new age ( or is it rage ??) drivers who simply cannot get their hands off the horn.Where do I begin ?? Is it the abysmal honking that bores into your ears, or is it their utter impatience on the road?

Driving in the city is a challenge any day and now we have to combat such drivers as well.

I wonder if these noise polluters think that such repeated blaring will get them any sooner to their destination?. What they don't realize is that, they are going to get caught in the traffic just like anyone ,but,  also earn the wrath of other fellow drivers.

And most of these horns which drone your ears are not permitted within the city limits , but that does not stop them from blowing away .

The need of the hour is stringent action against such drivers.One of the most basic requirement of any driver is patience on the road. The cities are expanding and so are the car owners population, hence, driving is not going to get any easier.

So, if you are, which I certainly hope not, one of those impatient drivers on the road, it is a humble request from many of us, please stop this awful blowing , all of us have deadlines to chase, buses/trains/flights to catch,meetings to get on time to, so , lets not make this any more difficult than it already is.


cheers,
Sanz :)

Bride Series .... :) :) :) :) -The list continues

The list continues.. :) :)

This is a really short one :) it has been long due from my end :( I had promised a list of designer saree stores, so here we go :) 

1. Manmandir , Nungambakkam,

2. Moksha, TTK road,

3. Rangoli, Nungambakkam,

4. Kajal, TP road,

5.Varasidhi, G.N ,Chetty road. 

All the above mentioned stores specialize in designer sarees and lehenga's :) They all have lovely and exquisite collections with each store specializing in its very own style of clothing :)  So i would suggest the "Designer" lovers to check every store mentioned above :) :) Trust me, it is worth your time :) :)

Cheers,

Sanz :) :) 

*** Its Happening**!!! :) :) :)

Today my blog view touched over a 1000 views :) :) This is a small milestone in my blogging years to come :) :) I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my blog readers , it is the constant rise in the blog view count that has kept me motivated to write :) So a big thanks to each and everyone of you :) I would also like to make a request to all my readers to please leave a comment as well so that I can improve my blogging skills. Looking forward to more reads and comments :) thank you all once again :)

Cheers,
Sanz :) :)

Bride Series..... :) - Mix and Match

Mix and Match :) :)

 As I promised, I am back with a post on mix and match from old Nalli :) :)

Old Nalli apart from living up to the traditional and sentimental aspects of our people, has a lot to offer to the trend lovers as well :) A wonderful blend of material rolls rendering traditional designs laced with a twist of modern prints and patterns is found in abundance here :)

It is amazing to see how you can customize these materials into any desired style. Be it a Banaras silk bit for a blouse or a lehenga top, these materials create a lasting impression :)

 Most of the Sarees these days come with attached blouse:) But for those who are ready to experiment, I would suggest, make a trip to old nalli with your saree. Pick a contrast blouse bit for your saree, the deeper the contrast the better it would look :) But i should also warn you that such contrast patterns work well only when the body of the saree is plain or less bling, too much stone or zari work on the body of the saree might steal the contrast look you are trying to bring in :) 

The cost for these materials range from 350 per meter to over a 1000 per meter:)

In my next post (post name " Material magic" I will share a few pictures of some of the mix and match ideas me and my sister did for my wedding :) Nothing like a picture to describe things better :) :) The pictures will be up soon:)

Cheers,
Sandy :) :)

Bride series... :) :) - Material Magic

Material Magic :) :) :)

1. This is a picture where a traditional 9 yards saree is teamed with a multicolored puff-sleeve blouse :) 

2. This is a picture of a lehanga which has been fully designed with the material rolls in Old Nalli :)

3.This lehanga also has been designed from the material rolls, this is a simple pattern with emphasis on the color :)

4.This pretty pink skirt with a silver lace border is also from the treasure trove in old nalli :) :)

Cheers 

Sanz :) :)

PS: Photo credits - Prasanna Krishnamoorthy @  http://prutos.com/

Our country , Our society ........... :)

The issues plaguing our society are aplenty, addressing all of them and setting up a stable society is no child's play. These issues go way beyond changing the constitutional laws, policies and
amendments. As responsible citizens of this country each and everyone of us have an important
role to play.

I am an average Indian who feels enraged and angered by the indifference's and the favoritism shown in our system, it boils my blood, pushes me to question the very foundation of our society,
but beyond that i am helpless. We all know that one man's anger cannot stem a revolution that could change the society forever,it is a collective responsibility that all of us share.

So what do we do when we are faced by the hard realities of our system? turn our heads and walk away, or blame the corrupt system and shy away from taking responsibility ?
No, as educated and responsible citizens of our country it is time we took some of these matters in our hands.

The need of the hour is action.There is no dearth of issues and problems that need attention.There is little we can do about the high level scams and scandals, but there are a million other
issues within our reach which need attention and probably the intervention of people like us.

How many of us are aware of the acute power shortage faced by the suburban towns of Tamil Nadu, how many of us are aware of the food shortage,water problems and lack of medical and
educational facilities in our country.

Today it is not enough if you just live for yourself and your family. your family might flourish but eventually you will fall prey to our system. Society and family must flourish hand in hand only
then we will have a balanced economy.

What we need is social responsibility and accountability. Just like how little drops of water make a mighty ocean, very small but consistent contribution from each one of us is sure to cause a wave
of positive change in our society.

Lets start small, every drop of water and every unit of electricity saved could could go a long way in leading a sustainable life. There are people in our country who walk for miles together to fetch
a pail of water. Just remember this when you let water run down the tap, wash your driveway with buckets and buckets of water, when we leave the tap running for hours together even without
realizing that, there are people, even today who fight and struggle for the very basic things in life.
There are people who face power cuts up to 16 hours a day, lots of small scale industries are shutting down due to the lack of power , there are families who are losing their livelihood because of this.

Your small act of responsibility could save someone someday. You might not be able to see the direct result of your judicious saving of water and electricity but you can always pride over the
noble initiative which you have in-cultivated.

These are simple yet powerful things we could do everyday on a regular basis. These are things which we can easily imbibe in our daily routine.

So,lets start small, and gradually grow many folds, in being effective contributors to our society.

Cheers,
Sanz :)

The begining ... :) :)

There is a first time to everything :) this post is on the first attempt I made @ writing a story :) I wrote this when I was in college :) I was DE-cluttering my inbox today when I came across this.
 here we go :) my first piece of writing ... :) I should warn you though that it is a bit high on drama! :) :)

      

…….8 kms to munnar, the board on the highway read. This was our second industrial visit. It was a three day tour to Cochin and munnar. We were on our way back to munnar after a long and tiresome day. Earlier this evening we went for a  trek uphill. The breath taking natural beauty of this wonderful hill station enthralled all of us. We were spellbound by the beautiful landscape. We wanted to trek more. In spite of the pouring rain and the freezing weather we remained unabated. Now the mood in the bus was very different. All of us were tired and frazzled by the long trek. We were all dozing off into a blissful sleep unaware of what awaited us. We were a group of 13 people travelling by this van. The remaining 52 were far ahead of us in a deluxe bus. By the time we reached our destination it was pouring. Two of my classmates were waiting for our van to arrive. They held out umbrellas and helped us out. We climbed out of the bus happily chatting about our trek that day. But the look on the two friends  told a different story, something was wrong. They refused to comment on anything. They accompanied us to the hotel lobby. Upon reaching there everything became clear, we could understand the glum look on their face. About 15 of my classmates had taken ill suddenly. It was total anarchy out there at the lobby . People were running in all possible directions to help the needy ones. One of my classmates and the tour manager rushed to us. They were allocating rooms for our stay. Finally the tour manager  ‘insisted’ we occupy the first room on the ground floor, we gave in. We got ready quickly and started to help our friends. About 7 of them were bitten by leach and about 5 of them suffered from severe vomiting and fever. One classmate of mine blacked out all of a sudden and he was carried by 5 boys to the transport vehicle to a nearby hospital. There were many others who suffered breathing difficulties and developed wheezing problem. Medical facilities near the hotel were very poor. There were no doctors in the vicinity. We finally managed to contact a local doctor. A vehicle was arranged to transport the affected ones. After about an hour and a half of utter chaos things slowly began to settle down. The fear in me started soaring. There were strong rumours that the classmate of mine fainted seeing something horrible. An eerie feeling stated to develop. Suddenly the hotel felt deserted. People were asked to stay in their respective rooms. There was power failure  every ten minutes. The entire area went into pitch darkness. Fear started creeping in. ours was the first room on the ground floor. The only room with a balcony. Once the power was restored I decided to step out into the balcony to breathe some fresh air. I unbolted the door. It opened into complete darkness. There was a faint source of light. It was too dark to make out what the balcony opened into. But one thing was sure it opened into an uninhabited area. It was too silent for half past eight in the night. I was afraid to step out so I decided to stay back at the room. When I tried to bolt the door I noticed that the lock was not proper. It could be  easily broken. Another fear added to my already growing fear list. But somehow I fastened the door and stepped out. Staying back at the room did not make me feel any better. So I decided to wait in the lobby. Once I stepped out into the lobby I noticed a bunch of drunken men checking into the hotel. Frightened by it I went back to my room and joined 3 of my friends there. I told them what I saw at the lobby and expressed my fear. They were equally frightened. We decided to support each other and stay calm. After sometime I started to lose the calmness of my mind. I decided to call my mother. I spoke with her for about twenty minutes. By the time I  ended the call tears were steaming down my eyes. For the first time ever I cried out of fear of what I myself did not know of. Gradually fear became panic. There were so many questions buzzing on my head, Why did the travel manager insist we take the first room on the ground floor, Why wasn’t  the balcony door not proper, Why was there frequent power failure, drunken men all around the hotel, what was it that my classmate saw that drove him to such a state of shock, was there something supernatural… It was too much for me to take. I broke down. My friends came rushing to me and enquired what happened. I explained  my fears, they consoled me and said they would make sure things were fine. I felt better after that. Finally the people who went to the hospital were back. They were all treated and were provided with proper medical treatment. We then went into the dinning hall for dinner. After dinner we all decided to sleep early. The fear still persisted in me. Finally we decided  to switch rooms with the guys. They were willing to take our room on the ground floor and we shifted to their room on the first floor. I had left my umbrella at the balcony but was frightened to go and get it. One of my friends offered to collect it for me. She was the stronger one in my group and was less fearless. Suddenly everything seemed to get back to normal. The new room felt much safer. There was no balcony to fear about. I felt much safer. My fears sometime back seemed so baseless. Finally we all  went into a peaceful sleep. The next morning when I woke up sun was shining brightly and was descending down our room through the window. The memories about the previous night were fading out. I felt much happier and safe. Finally all of us woke up. We all sat around the bed and were sipping coffee enjoying the morning weather. Then one of my friends spoke up she had been waiting so say this since last night. Last night when she went out to fetch the umbrella, she saw something there which she wanted to tell us. There was a stone steps leading up to the balcony. Ours was the only room with a balcony, the balcony door never locked properly and there was this stone steps  from the basement of the hotel leading up to the balcony. A chill ran down my spine………………….   

  Cheers,

Sanz :) 

Bride series ... :) :) - Planner pictures

Planner pictures :) :)

Bride series.... :) :) - Sarees and more

Sarees and more :) :)

Inevitably the most important item of purchase for  south Indian weddings are "sarees" :) And, especially a south Indian Brahmin wedding is never in short of occasions for that :) And I don't have to dwell much if you are the bride :) at least 7 Sarees have to be purchased for the bride on a minimum scale :) So, that gives you lots of space to try and experiment with different styles :)

Chennai is fast emerging to be one of the best places in south for saree shopping with specific emphasis on wedding sarees.

 With enough and plenty options to confuse anybody I hope this post will bring some clarity for new buyers :) :) I am not going to give a detailed description  on each of the stores , I will just give a list of must try shops and a short note for each one of these :)

1. Pothys , T. Nagar:

Pothys is almost synonymous with wedding shopping. It boasts of one of the widest range of sarees in the city. It caters to all categories of people :)

Bottom line : value for money :)

2. RMKV , T. Nagar :

RMKV was one of the first silk stores to introduce the idea of        "concept sarees". RMKV is also abundant in collection and variety :)  The wedding sarees are a bit on the expensive end here, but sometimes a wedding saree is worth the " extravagance" :)

Bottom line : Good collection but  a bit high on the pricing.

 Note :

RMKV has a low price range of silk sarees. If not a choice for the brides, a wedding involves buying sarees for a lot of people as well, so, this could be a good bargain for mid range sarees which are not only affordable but silk as well , so some of the " specials " on the guest list can be pampered with such buys :)

3. Kumaran Silks , T. Nagar :

 On a personal note I have always felt Kumarn silks caters to the non-bride category of people.The sarees are wonderful indeed but not exactly " bridal types". The "9 yards " saree collection in Kumaran is splendid . They not only have variety in terms of materials , but they also have a wide  variety in terms of colors and patterns. Starting from the traditional silk 9 yards to the silk cotton 9 yards it boasts of the best 9 yards saree collection in the city :) 

Bottom Line : One of the best stops for 9 yards :)

4. Sundari silks , T. Nagar:

Famous for its exquisite silk designs, Sundari silks is one of the most visited outlets for Bridal shopping. The collection is elaborate and stunning. Though it comes on the list of high end budget shopping , Sundari silks is a must visit :)

Bottom Line : Wonderful collection but very high on pricing :)

5. Palam silks  , T. Nagar :

A joint venture by 2 famous silk giants, Palam silks has lived up to the dream of every bride. There are a lot of occasions in  a wedding were the bride is expected to dress in a mild demeanor and Palam silk specialises in this style. The pricing also comes @ a nominal level. Simple yet rich in elegance and grace is the genre of this store. Mostly specialising in unique pieces of work it is not only a must place to visit but a Saree from Palam is a must as well :)

Bottom Line : thumps up! :) Must visit :)

6. Sarangi , T. Nagar :

What captures you first about this store is the ambiance. Gives you a feeling that you are probably in a plush bungalow rather than a saree shop :) Sarangi is a very high end saree store in the city. The collection is good indeed but the pricing does make one wonder if it is worth spending so much after all . It does have some of those rare special colours, so you could check this store if you are looking for something out of the box :)

Bottom Line : strictly only for those willing to spend a lot!! :)  

7. Old Nalli/New Nalli , T. Nagar : 

  

 I was saving my favourite for the end :) Nalli is a must stop for most Chennai-ites This shop has been there for decades and is one of Chennai city's all time favorites :) Nalli holds a " sentimental" place in most of the households and is considered a "good charm" to buy from for weddings :)  I don't have to elaborate on the saree section here, but ,what really keeps pulling me back here is the wonderful material rolls collection. I have no words to describe  the splendid collection they have, I would love to write more on this in a separate post :)  I ll come back soon with that post :)

Bottom Line : Must go!! and must buy!! :) and off course parking is never a problem in Nalli :) 

Above mentioned is the list of silk saree stores :)  A list of other stores specialising in other types will be up in my next post shortly :) :) 

Cheers,

Sanz :)

Bride series... :) :) - Lets get started

Lets get started !! :)

Now that we have charted out a planner and have categorised and identified the important tasks , lets get started!! 

Before that , let me give you a heads up about something.

There is no end to what you can buy and how much you can spend when it comes to wedding shopping. We have to draw a line somewhere.So, if you happen to share my idea of being an " economical Bride" without burning a hole in your dad's pocket, then, let me tell you a little secret,   in being an "economical bride" you are not giving up anything or living your dream of being a perfect bride any less ,instead, you are just discovering the best ways to do it economically :) In short you are going to be a "smart shopper" .

Before the actual shopping it is always best to do a through research on all the options available :) Remember what I told about "satisfied buying" in my very first post :) . So, list out all the shops you would like to visit , and add the other stores and suggestions made by friends and families. Take a considerable time in researching each one of these stores :) Check all the collections they have to offer, make a note on the various pricing and the choices available in each of the stores :) Do not be in a hurry to buy. Even if you come across one of those " I have been waiting all my life to buy this saree" you have to learn to restrain yourself from doing that impulsive buying,  trust me, you will find yourself doing that more than often:) 

If there is a Saree you simply love in that case you can always ask the store to keep that piece away for you to come back :) most of the shops offer that service these days :) 

After the research there are a few places which you would have made a mental note to go back and check :) start your shopping with these stores :) and be ruthless in discarding the ones which failed to impress you, don't fall prey to " they might get better collections " next week or next month. Better options are always available and we cant keep waiting for it :) so don't think too hard :) just get started :) 

And one of the most important aspects when you begin your shopping is keeping the " shoppers spirit alive" . A wedding shopping is no joke, it takes a lot of physical and mental effort not to mention the financial blow .So be in your " best moods" when you shop :) a good mood reflects on your shopping a lot :) It is a long and tedious process, so prepare yourself for it :)

Keep your stomach full before you set out on your quest :) we do not want , hunger and problems like acidity,headache to damper the shopping spirit :) Never forget your water bottle, umbrella, cap, sun tan lotion, your priceless "wedding planner " and off course your wallet :) and  last but not the least don't leave your smile behind :) We want to look our best when we shop for the big day of our life :)

Now with everything in place , lets not wait any further :) lets get started !! :) :)

Cheers

Sanz :)

PS : list of saree stores will be up in the next post :) 

Bride series ..... :) :) - charting out

Charting out :) :) :)

I promised a fortnightly series and now I have disappeared for weeks! phew! * apologies*. Now, without further ado let me get started :)
So where do I begin ?...
Hmm.....
Going by my love for organizers and sticky notes naturally the first thing I did was to create a wedding planner for myself : I didn't want just any book to be converted into a wedding planner :) I decided the  book should be something special :) I didn't have to think hard, I had this book I always carried around with me. It was my book of favourites, as I called it. It had everything that I always wanted. Everything!!Pictures,quotes,graffiti, pictures of stuff I wished to own, pictures of how I would like to decorate my house ,one liners from movies, the innumerable to do and to be accomplished lists and so on..
The first step towards creating a planner is to decide on the various categories :) For example you could create a page for each member in your family , and in the respective page you could indicate the pending task for each person :)you could also mention on what task you have completed so that you are well aware of what is done and what is not :) The main idea behind the planner is to keep you updated on where you are with respect to the wedding preparation. There is no hard and fast rule to create a planner . It should just contain all the important facts and information like due dates for clothes from tailor, parlour appointments , completed shopping list, the to be completed list,invitees list,important delivery dates and so on.You could also have a page for new ideas and options to try out :)  Let your imagination run wild while creating your wedding planner :) after all its your wedding planner and you would want it to be the best:) so bring out all the notes and memos and lets get started with charting out  the work :)

cheers
Sanz :)

PS: will share my planner pictures shortly :) :) :) :) :) 

Bride Series :) :) :) :) - Being the bride

Being the bride :) 

I know i skipped writing about a major event in my life. I couldn come up with any " intelligent reason " behind not writing , nonetheless I am still a "new Bride" and the journey is still vivid and fresh in my mind :) So, i have decided to start a fortnightly series on the passage from Bride to wife :) I am going to write about all the fun, all the shopping we did, all the accessories we purchased, all the plan Bs we made, all the laughter, all the tears shed till the big day :) I hope this long list of memories I wish to share will keep the writing spirit in me alive :)

Love

Sanz :)