Studying Abroad: Pearson Test of English Academic

Studying abroad remains a lucrative option for many Indian students. Due to the quality of resources available abroad, more and more students choose to study abroad every year.

As the choices get more and more confusing, the students face many problems in their admissions and academic pursuits. Some such problems are:

1. Lack of a proper mentor.

Most students do not know where to look when they decide to move abroad. Simply thinking of studying in a particular university, in a particular country is not enough. You need to know the procedure. A lot of planning from Visa to immigration goes into the whole process.

2. Inability to decide which tests to take.
Here is an English Language Test that can be taken at any of the test centers (there are so many!) all across India. PTE Academic is also one of the most widely accepted tests for English language proficiency world over. If you are wondering which English test to take, it should be #DefinitelyPTE

3. Inability to choose course and university.
Now, it is all a question of choices. And choices need some thinking from the heart also. You need to follow your passion. You need to go after the courses that motivate your mind toward studies. And the lists of all the top universities in countries like UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia are available online.

Why #DefinitelyPTE?

1. What is great about PTE Academic is that it is recognized by universities in USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and Canada. It is also accepted by thousands of universities worldwide. Some of the top universities that accept Pearson Test of English Academic include: Harvard Business School, INSEAD and Yale. 

2. Also, within 5 business days, you will have your results right in your hands. So it will give you plenty of time to plan and apply for universities.

3. All Australian and New Zealand visa and migration applications recognize PTE Academic.

What is more?

The computer based marking system ensures that your results in English language skills like Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing are highly accurate and impartial. So, unlike other tests, there will no more be frustration and fear of bias.

You can also schedule the test merely 24 hours in advance so, all you need is the will. PTE shows you the way.

Oh and one more thing!

With PTE, you can send your results to an additional number of universities at no extra cost. As students, all we require is security and peace of mind and PTE Academic is definitely a step in that direction.

So yes, it is surely time to pick PTE Academic #DefinitelyPTE

Now you might be wondering if you have what it takes to crack the PTE. It is surely a standard test and requires preparation. Well, fret not because the PTE online test preparation kit is also available at low prices. Once you are through with your preparations, all you need to do is take the test at any of the centers. Remember, the advantage with PTE is not just that it is designed to be convenient and student friendly, it also has a lot of choices for test centers so, it is convenient for those who are worried about travel and stay.

All the best!

Book review- The Story of A Suicide - By Sriram Ayer

The Book- http://www.storyofasuicide.com/

A little positivity

Well, 2015 headlines were laced with bad news- intolerance shmintolerance included. But, there was, as always, some positive in all that muck. There were people inventing things, doing things, going places and helping others. One such story is of my Facebook friend Bhawna Khattar. She has been working with an NGO called Project Potential.

Indiblogger #CupidGames Video Entry

The video-



Abridged edition-

In the Indiblogger, #Cupidgames challenges in association with CloseUp, I picked up the following challenge from the list-

• The Gobsmacking Gift
  Wow your crush with a unique gift to ask him or her out for Valentine’s. We’re not going to tell you what to put in the box, apart from ‘think out of the box’. The more eye-popping your gift, the bolder your move! (Hint: Your gift doesn’t have to cost a bomb to be awesome.)

In the box, I put a set of cartoons and a cute message with them asking her out on V-day. The above video is my vlog of completing the dare. 

To check out more about the dares, do visit- http://cupidgames.closeup.in/

Here is a short clip of the cartoons that I actually drew and presented to my crush in the video above-

Until next time then!

IB Happy Hours- Kinley- Sachchai

Prompt- Kitna chain hota hai na sachchai mein
Sometimes when telling the truth could get us into trouble, we tend to lie or omit details to avoid it. Although this seems like a great temporary solution, it weighs on our conscience. In a blog post, tell us about a time in your life where telling the truth was the right thing to do.

I have always sided with truth in all my life decisions- some tough, some not so tough. It was not because I needed to prove anything to anyone. It was only because truth is easy. Yes, sometimes it is uncomfortable and painful, but if you see the long term repercussions, truth is the only way to go. It also helps if you have a bad memory which I do. In case you're telling a lie, you need to remember a lot of details. But in case of the truth, you just state the facts.

One time in my life when I decided to come clean and it helped me in the long run happened in college. I had a huge crush on this girl who happened to be my friend. Now, sometimes if you mess friendships up with love and suchlike emotions, the other person doesn't appreciate it. It almost spells doomsday for your friendship too and that's why most guys keep their emotions under covers.

I was one of those guys. I kept my feelings to myself and carried on with the day to day affairs. Life was great and our friendship was getting stronger. She had no hint that I had feelings for her and I did nothing to display my emotions for the fear of the unknown.

Then one day, I decided that I need to tell it to her just because I needed to know my chances. In my heart, I knew that she had no clue about my feelings and hadn't thought about us being together in her wildest of dreams but I wanted to take no chances. There was a 'what if she liked me back too' there and I wanted that 'what if' to go away and that's when I spilled the beans, told the truth. She was obviously taken aback and wondered how long I had been hiding those feelings. To her horror, I was infatuated with her since the very beginning and the revelation made things quite awkward between us.

She had no such feelings for me and we started growing apart due to my one-sided emotion as expected. I regretted telling her the truth but I knew I had to get it out of my system. It was the only healthy option to me. Days passed and one day she texted me telling me that she missed me. I told her that I missed her too. We joked about old days and old stupidities and started talking again.

The next day, we met and talked like nothing had happened. I took the rejection on my chin and wore it like a medal. I joked about it, she appreciated how I wasn't cross with her. It turned out that her only fear was that I'd become weird once she turned me down. I couldn't but smile at the absurd idea. I had no expectations from her. I had no ulterior motives. It was just something I needed to tell her and I wanted no acknowledgement. If she would have said that she liked me that way too, it would have been great but if that didn't happen, it didn't make me a grumpy ol' fart. She was glad to know that I hadn't changed.

It had been three years to that incident and our friendship has stood the test of time. We are still in touch, we love each other as friends and talk often. If anything, the truth-telling session made our relationship stronger and more honest. Since then, I have been a fan of the art of truth-telling and practise it often.

The magic with children- Indiblogger Happy Hours

Prompt-

Teddy Travelogues

How do Children add magic to your vacations? Tell us how you would ensure that your kids have the best of times during their vacation, so you would have a great time as well! 
The official link- http://www.clubmahindra.com/teddytravelogues/

Children add magic to everything including vacations. They make the whole thing worthwhile with their endless chatter and enthusiasm. You can fall asleep, think of things like work and money but they will make sure that all their thoughts surround fun and merriment of the vacations.

You rarely see a child worrying while on a vacation. 'Living in the moment' finds its true meaning among children and that's why as companions, we want their every moment to be as awesome as possible. The are the most regular clients of 'having fun' and that's why 'fun' finds its way to their hearts more easily. It drips from the ocean sand, the dew-drenched leaves of deodars on the hills and it seeps into the kids' tiny little pockets before they even know it.

Be it hills, be it beaches, children know the best way to have fun and that's why us adults need to make sure that nothing gets in the way of children and fun. (As if it was even possible!)

Although I don't have kids yet (I am a bachelor) but if I had kids, I would have employed the following ideas to make sure that my kids have the time of their lives-

1. Keep them involved.


Most children feel ignored at important events in their families. I would make sure that they get enough attention. I would keep them indulged in a game of Antakshari, dumb charades or would just chat with them about the things we see.

2. Tell them stuff.


Most kids feel ignored when their parents are doing stuff like changing tyres, re-routing their journey, making plans about dinner and hotel reservations. I'd not be that parent. I will spell it all out so that they feel important. It will be healthy for their personal growth as individuals too.

3. Stop for sightseeing.


On a road trip, there are always places which we miss because they are not 'in the plan' and we sometimes end up disappointing the kids. I am going to be the kind of dad who takes a U-turn and takes a short detour so that we cover that fun-looking amusement park in our trip. It is the stuff happy memories are made of.

4. Buy souvenirs
Once we make good memories, it is also important to preserve  them. We remember Ooty from the small wood art-piece that we buy from that small art store, we remember Goa from that sea-shell bracelet that we buy from the flea market. I'd be generous with these small gifts to take away for the children

5. Click a lot of photos

And lastly on this list, is clicking photos! Those trips are the happiest times for the kids and it would be great to grow up and find all those memories neatly tucked in the photo albums. I will make sure that there are a lot of great photos and I will be clicking away when they are busy having fun!

Rise above fear- Indiblogger Happy Hours

Topic-

Rise above fear!

Fear is a fact and one has to take risks in life to succeed. So tell us about the risks you have taken to overcome your fear and claim victory! 

Here is a link to Mountain Dew's Official Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/mountaindewindia

Fear is one of the eternal truths of life and I completely agree with the statement that a person who has never been afraid in his life, has perhaps never done anything worthwhile. Fear is a sign. It is a signal that you're about to do something big. It is a signal to set your body and mind in preparation mode. 'Prepare to conquer' is the only motto and looking back is not an option. That is how it should feel. That is how one should use fear. Yes, use your fear to win against any obstacle for it is a formidable force.

Some great man once said that courage is not the absence of fear but the will to go on even when you're afraid. I had such moments in my life when a decision had to be made and fear gripped me like a vice.  I'd like to recount one such moment that I faced in my Murudeshwar trip. For those who don't know, Murudeshwar is a beautiful temple town in coastal Karnataka where a giant statue of Lord Shiva overlooks the ocean and along with the spiritual aura, the serene calmness of the water soothes the soul. If you haven't seen the place already, get planning and get packing.

I had gone with my college friends and everybody was keen on doing the water sports except me. The problem was, I didn't know swimming. And the 'Banana Boat Ride' seemed like a suicide mission. A bunch of people were dragged to the middle of the ocean on a log-like boat pulled by a speedboat and then the log would be rolled over so that everyone would just fall into the water. I was pretty sure if I was thrown in there, I would drown. I didn't trust the life jacket, I was pretty sure I'd do something wrong like flailing my limbs the wrong way or breathing inside water that'd cause some mishap.

It was fear!

A few of my friends, who didn't know how to swim backed out. So, I stood there with my friends, all of whom knew swimming with the only exception being me. I had the option of giving in to the fear and walking away. My philosophy in such cases has always been and will always be to give it a shot because if I do it, I'd get a story to tell and if something goes wrong, at least I'll know that I tried.

And here I am! Telling that story!

So, I stood there. But then I closed my eyes, looked at the giant Lord Shiva statue and said 'yes' to the Banana Boat guy. We went in the ocean with the ocean breeze caressing my hair like a mommy bird who is about to train her young one to fly. When they reached the spot, the speedboat took a sharp turn and the banana boat, sure enough, turned like a log and we all fell. Splash!

The next few seconds were just heartbeats when I gulped some water, the salt gushing in my nose and mouth. I regretted signing up but not for long.The thrust of the life jacket thrust me upwards and I breathed heavily as I reached the ocean surface. I saw all the smiling faces, all my friends, hooting, applauding my courage and holding hands.

For those few moments, I felt more alive than ever before. I felt as if had finally claimed my destiny. I lay in the lapping waves of the ocean and looked up at the clouds high above. Suddenly, life had a purpose and it was to live. Live to the fullest while you can- that was the message the ocean waves whispered in my ears. I floated like a log in the water and tried to swim. It was tough, so I went back to floating.

Finally, it was time to go back so, we went back, climbing, holding hands and pulling each other back into the boat. That was the day I realized that fear was nothing but a signal. A signal that something awesome is about to happen.

And till date, I crave for such moments, such days which can be used to bookmark my life, days which make it all... worthwhile.

Pre-Marital Sex Debate- Indiblogger Contest

The following post is a part of the Indiblogger contest in association with Poonam Uppal's newly released book-

A Passionaate Gospel of True Love : A Mystical True Love Story (English)

Here is a link to the flipkart page of the book- Click here

I think that pre-marital sex is something that is much frowned upon in all conservative quarters which is unfair because sex is a biological truth while marriage is a social one. Restraint in your sexual behaviour is advised but cannot be enforced. Just like no one can stop you from eating a bag of chips or a bar of chocolate just because they think you should be eating a salad. But then, fatty, oily food is actually bad for you while pre-marital sex, has no such repercussions (unless, of course, your partner gives you Chlamydia).

I think sex should be freed from the dogmas that surround it. And one of the dogmas is that it somehow corrupts the participants. I mean c'mon! It is one of the most beautiful things ever. Of course, there should be some discretion in who you should be having it with but that's only because it requires a high level of intimacy and can join two souls in one. It should be given the respect it deserves but, it should not be put behind a cloak of chastity. It doesn't corrupt. If anything, it only makes your presence of the Earth worthwhile. It is the highest form of intimacy one can share with another individual. It requires trust, passion, love, lust and desire.

My point is, I do not oppose pre-marital sex. It doesn't mean I am saying everyone should be having sex right away but, I am saying it should be up to the individual to decide and he or she should not let fear of values, morals or society guide him. They should think about the level of closeness they share with the other person and then go ahead if they feel comfortable. Again, if they are doing it just for the sake of doing it, I am not radically opposing that idea too. I am merely suggesting how it should be done. But the most importantly, it should be done with consent and you should let yourself feel impure or corrupted once you've had it.

Fear is a bad teacher. It guides your thoughts away from anything that it feels might harm you. Sometimes, it makes you stay away from things you love or should love just because it has some predispositions. Get rid of fear or doubt and just let love guide you. Love is a friendlier teacher, it asks you to walk through fire and makes you do amazing things you never thought you were capable of doing.

Love will make you plan adventurous trips with your partner, go on long drives, make passionate love with him or her. Love will make your heart grow stronger. Fear will make you weak and cowardly. It will also turn you into its agent and you'll be perpetrating the same fear that you felt.

Be a little unreasonable when it comes to following rules, especially those decided by the society and be more playful when it comes to the matters of the heart. I am not asking you to be promiscuous if you don't want to be. All I am saying is- do not be afraid. Love with all your heart. Let your heart bleed if it comes to that, but stay alive.

The dogmas about sex being a corrupting force are more or less related to the male chauvinism where every male somehow invented the idea of a chaste female because he was insecure of his manhood. He wanted an all-obeying wife who he could govern not with love but with fear and thus came this fear into existence.

It is the 21st century and it is about time we free the society from such unreasonable fears. Let's look at our biology and realize that sex is a natural act. Love, and let love.

Top 5 ways every book reviewer covers up for the authors.

1. Dealing with bad grammer

2. Dealing with a dumb writer

3. Dealing with incomprehensible gibberish

4. Dealing with generic thrillers

5. Dealing with romance novels

Indi Happy Hours - #BringBackTheTouch

This post is a part of the Indiblogger Happy Hours campaign. It is sponsored by

Parachute Advansed Body Lotion

Here is the link to their site- http://www.pblskin.com/

And the hashtag is- #BringBackTheTouch

Topic-

Bring Back the Touch

Tell us how?
Explore the sense of touch and share your ideas on how to #BringBackTheTouch in your relationship. 


A touch is like a musical note for the skin. You say so many things in words and yet, sometimes, there is never enough you can say. When you begin to drift apart due to certain disagreements or misunderstandings, all it takes is a little peck on the cheek or a gentle nibble at the fingertip to bring everything that was fading back to your life again.

A touch tugs at your heart and pulls the strings that are attached to your heartbeats. It is like poetry. It can be explained but the real fun is not in explaining but in feeling it. It makes one feel wanted, it gives a purpose to our existence and it brings closure to all the bubbling insecurities within.

The main reason long distance relationships are harder is the lack of touch. We try to keep in touch through phones, laptops or letters but, there is no replacement to the real, solid, affirming presence of a loved one. One that is conveyed by a warm, gentle touch. In long distance relationships, you do not get to feel that and that is why the restless tends to build up and there are fights and insecurities.

The next time your partner starts to worry about you, nag you or feel irritated for no reason, set the words aside and just hold his or her hand. Tell them that they are loved through your eyes and you will see the magic. A hundred words would not be able to convey the thing you would get across in just one moment, one touch.

When I used to have fights with my girlfriend, there were times when she felt like giving up on me. I would say nothing but take my bike and stand outside her hostel gates, ask her to come out. I would just look into her eyes to see if she wanted me to leave or stay. She would extend her fingers and they would intertwine with mine. I would smile, she would smile and the words would become unnecessary. It is a time-tested recipe to good communication. It requires a higher spiritual understanding of your own mind. The mind seeks company not in conversations. It has enough talks running within itself. It seeks company for the individual. It wants the self to be close to another being. And that is why, a touch is important.

So, talk less, argue lesser and just #BringBackTheTouch

Toilet for Babli - Indiblogger Happy Hours

You can bring about the change in the lives of millions of kids, thereby showing your support for the Domex Initiative. All you need to do is “click” on the “Contribute Tab” on www.domex.in and Domex will contribute Rs.5 on your behalf to eradicate open defecation, thereby helping kids like Babli live a dignified life.



This post is a part of the Domex initiative with Indiblogger as a campaign against open defecation in villages. Do visit the www.domex.in site and check out the campaign.


Babli is a small girl, about 8 to 10 years of age. She lives with her mother and father in a nondescript village in the backward region of Bundelkhand. She is scared of leopards and jackals like any normal kid but, she still braves through the fear every morning to go outside for defecation. Yesterday, she heard that Golu, her friend was attacked by some animal in the wee hours of the morning when he was out. She is scared to go out today. She feels like crying but doesn't want to cry as she knows her amma and baba cannot help her. They have no money to build a toilet for her and have more important things to worry about than toilets.


She feels really ashamed when she has to go by the roadside as the jungle is too dangerous. Whenever a car or a truck passes by, she wishes that she was invisible and sometimes she even tries to hold her bowel movements wishing that it would go away. Amma says it is not good for her health but then, is open defecation good for her health?

Her friend Radha fell sick a week ago. The village doctor uncle said that it was because she contacted germs due to open defecation. Babli now is even more apprehensive of going out for relieving herself. She had gone to Radha's home. Radha was vomiting and her face had turned yellow. Her mother had tears in her eyes and her father had a deserted look in his eyes. Babli could not stay there for long. She came back with a heavy heart. Radha too is from a poor family. How will they handle the expenses for Radha 's treatment? Little Babli was growing up faster than girls her age with so many worries on her mind. She felt like a 100 years old already. She looked closely at Amma's face. She too seemed to be aging fast. Babli wondered why are all the females aging so fast and whether it was an epidemic.

Babli took it upon herself to find a solution to this problem. She couldn't let this fear consume her for the rest of her life. She talked to her school teacher about her problems and fears. The teacher happened to be very understanding and kind. She took it upon herself to find out the ways Babli could be helped. After little research, she chanced upon the Domex initiative in Maharashtra and Orissa and decided to build their own toilets with help from an NGO they knew. All the kids from the village and nearby villages started writing to them about their problem and in a few days, they had a dedicated team which reached those places to help build toilets. Babli goes happily and safely to the toilet every morning.


Right now, this is merely a story but we can, with proper motivation and dedication bring light to these homes which remain lacking in basic sanitary privileges essential to human habitation.


Come, let us change lives!

IB Happy Hours - My Dream 24k Home with Porcelanosa

A link to 24k living - Click here

Topic -

Pick as many items as you can from Porcelanosa to build your dream home. Tell us why you chose them!

Before I start, I'd just like to mention how jealous I am of Malini Agrawal who got to go to Spain for the 24k trip. Also, LOOK! They really brought Spain to India! Well, my dream home would definitely have a mediterranean flavour to it as it really speaks volumes about good taste and luxurious living. Now, 24k has many luxury brands building the home of your dreams together and porcelanosa is one of them. They help you design your kitchen, bathroom and other rooms with their tiles and furniture. You can view their catalogue on their official website  - http://www.porcelanosa.com/gb/

I have always dreamed of a home that is the perfect amalgamation of comfort and luxury. Here are the things that I'd specially like to pick out from their website for my dream home-

1. Kitchen furniture

A spacious cooking and dining area is very important for a family to live together. It is a great conduit for forging relationships. The laughter and smiles spread from here and reach every corner of the home. I prefer this particular set because of its squeaky clean white colour and mediterranean feel. It can lighten up any of the Sunday brunches like a charm.

2. Indoor Furniture

The indoor furniture speaks volumes about the house owner's taste and hence is a big part of the setup. I prefer this particular set because it is economical in terms of space management and is also pretty stylish and sleek. The legs of the chairs in contrast to the white floor stand out in stark contrast.




3. PAR-KER® Ceramic Parquet
Coming to the flooring, the most important aspect, at least, for me, is the finish. With the above, finish, the ease of cleaning of ceramic marries the beauty of wooden flooring. There is also the low maintenance aspect that draws me closer to this particular set of tiles. It would go great with a glass door opening to an outdoor green lawn (like in the picture) rendering a close-to-nature appeal to the living room.


4. Bathroom furniture

The bathroom is a place where everyone feels like a king. It is your territory where you can stop caring about the world and just be. This set of bathroom furniture in particular portrays my idea perfectly with the regal finish and design. I would love to own this bad boy due to its royal, artistic yet, friendly appeal.

5. Wardrobe and dressing room

If there is any other place in the house  that signifies the me-time other than the bathroom, it is the dressing area. It is where one prepares himself to face the world. I would love to have furniture like this in my dressing room. The freedom of space would prepare me for the battles of the day and the confidence attained from here can help me get through the day with elan.

There are many more options on the site and frankly, one cannot get enough of these things. Have a look yourself and come back with a list of your own.

Thanks Indiblogger for this opportunity. 

Happy Child Post- Indi Happy Hour

Indiblogger has come up with yet another nice contest in association with Dabur Chyawanprash. Here is a link to the Dabur site- https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/

And here is the Indi happy Hours contest page- https://www.indiblogger.in/happyhours/dabur-healthy-child-happy-home/

Topic- Drawing from personal experience, tell us how a healthy child makes for a healthy home.

Growing up, I was not a healthy child. Far from it. I would fall sick more often than the weathers changed and I was a cause for constant worry and botheration for my parents. I think it reflected on the overall health of the family too. I was born with weak lungs and was prone to all sorts of allergies since I was a little kid.

Dust, changing weather, pollen- you name it and I would fall sick at the earliest sight of it. It was difficult to see my parents worried. I would be wheezing on cold November nights, trying to catch my breath, which would make me go to the balcony and just try to breathe deeply, somehow trying to make the breathlessness go away. This would wake my Dad up. I would see the light in his room being switched on and then he would walk up to me as I'd stand under the starry sky.

My nose would make that whistling noise and my face would be in a permanent grimace. It was difficult to fight. Dad would just put his hand on my shoulder and wonder if he could do anything. Mom would already be in the kitchen heating the water so that I can inhale steam. They would try hard and I wondered why health was such an elusive thing for me. Why others had it easy? Why did it didn't happen to everyone else. Now I know asthma and bronchitis are very common in metropolitan cities but I grew up in a small town and it seemed unfair somehow to me that I had bronchitis.

Inhaler was a major boon later on. The puffs would calm the lungs so that I could sleep briskly but then it felt like pushing a drug in your system. The lungs felt weak nonetheless. 

I moved to Davangere (Karnataka) later to pursue dentistry and that was actually when I could realize the power of nature. The power that nature or atmosphere commands over our bodies is something amazing. We can try all we can to treat an allergy, to make things right but sometimes, the nature just helps us out when it decides to and that's when all the difference is made. Karnataka's weather was milder and it helped my lungs recuperate from the battering they had taken along the course of years. I also started taking natural products like fruits rich in Vitamin C, juice, coconut water etc because they were more abundantly available there. In those 5 years, I recuperated from my chronic ailment and am now happily wheezing-free. I might need an inhaler once or twice a year but that is nothing compared to my childhood. 

It had affected my family's health too, of course, in a positive manner. Now I can go around doing household chores happily and can enjoy Holi and Diwali with my family in the pinkest of my health. I wish nature was kinder to me since the very beginning but I am glad that it eventually showed me the way. I am thankful.

https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/3x_immunity.aspx

Let's Join Hearts #JodeyDilonKo

This post is a part of the Indiblogger event conducted by Zee's latest channel that showcases talent from across the border. The channel brings stories from Pakistan which us Indians look forward to with much excitement! Here is a link to the official website- zindagitv.in

I think visiting a new place, a new city or a new country is in itself a life-altering phenomenon is one's life. You get to soak in all that is new and different and metamorphose into a another, more evolved, more tolerant person. Visiting a place is like opening a new chapter in life; in terms of video gaming, you can consider it moving to the next level! I'd like to recount my #JodeyDilonKo experience when I moved for my BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) to Davangere, Karnataka which initially was a frightening and uneasy phase and later turned out to be one of the best things that have ever happened to me.

When I got admission in one of the leading dental colleges of India, I was nervous because I had never stayed away from home which was in Central India (Madhya Pradesh) and suddenly, I had to shift my base all the way up to South India where the regional language was different! The regional cuisine was different and the way of life was also a bit different. Being an Indian, unity in diversity motto runs in my blood so, I began this beautiful journey with a few similar souls who began as strangers and soon, with time, turned into the gems of my life, my friends.

I visited Davangere for the first time with my Dad. It was a sleepy town in Karnataka where Butter Dosa was the staple food and filter kapi (coffee) was the staple beverage. I realized I will be stapled to this place for the next five years of my life and the feeling of staying away from my family was slowly sinking in. I entered the place as a shy, reticent kid who hardly spoke and didn't quite know how to make friends.
As it turns out, making friends isn't rocket science and my batchmates who were from all over India soon turned to be my great friends, my partners in crime! All I had to do was be nice and smile. I think the rule holds good no matter which part of World you do. Be it India, be it Pakistan.

Making Friends With the Locals

Kannadigas are warm friendly people and they also happen to have a killer sense of humour. I was welcomed in Davangere with the sight of a scooter slamming against an auto-rickshaw in peak traffic hours and as me and my Dad were expecting fireworks, the two motorists smiled at each other and waved a hand in apology and moved on! With that image of Karnataka in my mind, it wasn't difficult to start my journey. With my patients ranging from septuagenarian gentlemen insisting that I should eat more, to scared ladies who'd not let anyone touch their teeth and insist on written prescriptions to relieve pain, I learnt that all it takes to strike a chord with people is compassion. It was the first time in my life that I truly understood the philosophy of vasudhaiv kutumbakam.( The World is one family).

Making friends with my batchmates

Now, I had people from Nagaland to Haryana to Gujarat to Bihar in my batch, plus of course there were locals. I realized that although the World is one family, people can be as different as chalk and cheese. It was my baby steps into the real world where I had to listen to differing opinions and develop my own view, my own personality. A strife that was going to teach me how to live in a sea of emotions and contradictions.

Adjusting
It was never easy to share a room, eat at fixed times, to not be able to complain about the lunch or dinner menu. Hostel life, that too in a whole different place was an experience that required a lot of flexibility. Fortunately, I was keen to adjust and adapt in this new situation. I made friends with the mess workers and consequently I was treated with greetings and smiles everyday as I entered the mess. Slowly, they became my friends and mess workers would come to me and ask what I wanted, would bring me chapatis and even insisted like family members that I ate more. When I was leaving the hostel, even the mess workers came to my room and said their goodbyes.

Surviving
Yes, obviously one misses one's usual ambiance. There was no poha for breakfast in Karnataka. I later came to know that they did. They just called it avlakki. I started doing things that I had never done before. I joined a swimming pool, I started jogging in the morning (which didn't last very long but hey!), I learnt Kannada and I even picked up local slang!!

Falling in love with the new place
And then comes the eventual scenario when I imbibed all the cultural values, the sensibilities and become one with the place. I started loving the smell of freshly prepared crispy butter dosa and I started appreciating the richness of Kannada language. I also fell in love with the simplicity of the people there and people in general. My faith that people in general are always good became stronger. I'd like to end this post by narrating one incident that happened to me while my stay in Karnataka-

An elderly patient had appointment with me for his dentures. He was old and the commute from his home to my hospital was a real hassle for him, still, he used to keep all his appointments and come regularly. There was one day when the work was not ready and if he came, I'd not have been able to perform any procedure on him. I tried to call him to postpone his appointment but he didn't answer my call. By the way, I knew very little Kannada and I wasn't really sure if I'd be able to convey anything if he picked up. I decided to go to his home and tell him not to come the next day, and picked up my bike. The address on his case sheet was really vague and I asked around in the area to find out that there were at least five people by his name in the area. I took a deep breath and knocked on the first door that had his name. It turned out to be his home. I told him with gestures and broken Kannada that he doesn't need to come tomorrow and I'll call him when to come.

As I was about to leave, he grabbed me by my hand and made me sit. I was humbled by the old man's insistence and sat down on their sofa. He asked his wife to bring me dinner. I nodded like an idiot not really understanding at once. Before I could realize and say no, the plate was in front of me. I was humbled and touched by their gesture; they didn't have much money which was evident by their humble abode but the old couple had hearts of the size of the largest mansions on Earth. Their granddaughter came later, she was a small shy kid. I think kids who are under their grandparents' patronage are the best. I talked to her- bright kid, she knew some English too. The Grandpa took much pride in that. With my heart and stomach content, I took their leave and came out. My eyes seemed to have caught some mist and I wiped them and started my motorcycle.

There! That was my greatest lesson living away from home. If you are nice, the whole World is your nest; no matter you are in Mumbai or Karachi or Bangalore or Lahore, it's one and the same!

:)

Thank you for reading. Much love!

Ich will!- Kotak Launch Party

It was a Sunday and a tempting offer in the name of 'B-bar' with an open bar enticed our thirsty souls to unite for the Indiblogger meet sponsored by Kotak Mahindra Bank for its newest product #JiFi.
I alighted fron metro on Malviya Nagar station and started walking toward the Select City Walk (DLF malls) for the venue. As I reached, I started chatting up fellow bloggers on myriad issues from politics to religion but as soon as the announcement of the bar being open was made by Nihal (Team Indiblogger), all conversations came to a screeching halt and we all headed towards the bar. I grabbed myself a beer and soon a 'selfie' contest was announced. The social lubricant that beer is, it made me offer my photogenic profile to various selfies being clicked.

This was also the most social I had felt at an Indimeet due to the novel concept of selfie contest. I made so many friends in the blogosphere and met so many faces that I had already seen online. Then came a weird funny moment when we all headbanged to a German song "Ich Will" which had pretty funny lyrics.

Then came the turn to introduce the product. By that time, most people had already started swaying due to the generous amounts of alcohol in their systems. I wonder whether Indiblogger had anticipated this, the city being Delhi. Simultanously, we were introduced to the chief guest of the event- Chetan Bhagat who was present in body at the Mumbai meet and in spirit at Delhi and B'lore also. Frankly, we'd have liked the body too. The product i.e. Social Banking #JiFi which connects your online twitter and FB profiles to your bank account seemed to be a novel idea. I am pretty sure it can make banking addictive by the sheer accessibility and added features like zero balance account and shopping offers and coupons on the basis of points earned.

It is ideal for youngistan which practically breathes twitter and Facebook. Then came the Q and A session where Chetan took up audience's question over the reliability and accuracy of the system and answered them satisfactorily. He even took up my tweet through which I cleared my doubt about the adherence to KYC norms by the product. Sadly, for KYC, we do need a manual application but they'll soon digitalize the process hopefully. Later on, the product manager from Kotak took up questions from the Delhi audience. It was a nice interactive session.

Then I gave an interview to a camera in a half inebriated state. Let's not talk about it. The table at which I sat was full of interesting people from all walks of life. I met lawyers, a liver transplant consultant, a physics teacher, a Biotech PhD student (Ok, I already knew this one- Nimi Vashi) and many more awesome people.
Later the food was served which was noodles and rice which made me jealous of the people in B'lore because my friend Aparna Lanka in B'lore told me that they had Italian.

All in all, it was a fun meet - the proof of which is the whatsapp group that we formed after the meet. We're called "Blogger Buddies" if anyone wants to know! :P

Movie Review- Sunsilk Real FM : A Film By Anurag Basu

Thank you Indiblogger and Sunsilk for this opportunity to walk the red carpet for this film called Sunsilk Real FM directed by Akarsh Khurana. It premiers on MTV tomorrow i.e. 23 March, Sunday, 7 PM.

 

About the movie-
As suggested by the title of the movie, it's about RJing and the 'real' challenges that these three friends face. The plot is pretty straight with no frivolous attempts to sensationalize. The movie's charm lies in its simple and sober treatment of a well knit, tight plot. The editing has been such that there are no loose ends, neither does the story drag anywhere. The screenplay is eventful and the dialogues are realistic. The heart of the movie lies in its music. It serves as a platform to all the delightful folk music we have in various nooks and corners of our country. I think, after Sneha Khanwalkar's musical experiments, this is another step in the same direction of bringing folk music and local artists to mainstream listeners. Aside from that, there are so many issues raised in the movie and so elegantly that they do not interfere with the pace of the story or the plot. The movie is about reclaiming India from the hands of those who lay thorns in the path of national unity. Discrimination against North-Eastern states' residents, the North- South divide, need for the much required Police reforms, parental pressure, waning patriotism and many suchlike topics have all been touched upon briskly and elegantly.

About the characters-
The three girls adorning the posters and trailers are the central characters of this musical comedy. Rhea's character is charming and stands out due to her fragile frame which contrasts with the rigid determination that she flaunts with nonchalance. Saloni is one character that grows on you with time. The third girl is more like the unsung hero of the film who lays all the groundwork. The film works because of its adorable characters that keep entering as the plot progresses. Be it the Chhattisgarhi goons who steal the show with their solid punchlines or be it the mini- Dabang character of Ajay Desai. Like any other comedy, the antagonists have relatively lesser role to play but their characters too leave a mark with the element of realism and square expressions.

About the screenplay and direction-
I think in the shorter films (In Indian context, anything less than two and a half hours is a short film.. hehe) there can be no dull moments or moments where you let the characters muse for extended periods of screen time. I think Akarsh Khurana has understood that and established the characters easily in a few lines and well- written scenes. He has understood the importance of keeping up the tempo with characters which bring fine nuances of human emotions in just two or three scenes. Be it Ajay Desai's crush on Rhea or be it the Punjabi singer's encouragement to bring out the talent in Saloni. These scenes touch your heart without much effort. There can be no spoilers as far as I am concerned for such movies because you have to watch these scenes, listen to those songs to feel these emotions; and that is the USP of this movie. It is emotionally rich and has a soul of its own.

It is also nice, and was brought up by a fellow blogger, that although it was a branded movie, they did not do excessive marketing. That helped keep the soul of the movie intact.

So, sit back with some popcorn this Sunday and enjoy Sunsilk Real FM brought to you be Sunsilk, MTV India and Anurag Basu!

And stay tuned for the photos from the Indimeet!

Dancing It Out With Indiblogger!!

My #DanceItOut cause- 

We had performed a small skit-based dance about #EducationForWomen in the event. It was a cause close to my heart because as a male member of the society I see women rising, fighting so many adversities and balancing all roles that we assign to them; it humbles me to walk this Earth with one of the most tolerant and benevolent species in the World i.e. Indian Women. This may seem far-fetched for a person belonging to a metropolitan but truth is that the subordinance of women's role in the society is still quite deep rooted in our society. I see even among my female colleagues this nonchalance about their career as they consider marriage their 'escape plan' from every challenge to their professional lives. You know you're fighting an evil demon when even the victims happily resign to their fates.

This ambition-killing exercise sickens me because of its sheer magnanimity in our society. Even the most educated ones take it for granted that a girl has to be married by 25-26, otherwise there is something seriously wrong. We have systematically eliminated her dreams to make room for our conveniences. The women who have broken this stereotype have to pass the test of 'balancing both lives' on a daily basis without uttering a word. And that's just the mild urban face of the problem.

In smaller cities and villages, the situation is much more dismal. It bears close resemblance to all the stereotypes we used in our dance performance. The boy is encouraged to study while the book is snatched away from the girl, she is encouraged, almost forced to learn cooking and other household work so that she can be married off to a 'respectable' family. Later, she is married off in almost a way one disposes off a huge burden from his shoulders. She is now tested on those generic parameters at her in-laws' home and God forbid if they don't like her 'house-making' skills, she is subjected to sharp critique and in some cases, harassment. During all this, her mental aptitude, her ambition, her education- it all just becomes a joke. A sad joke which isn't even funny. True, the pressure is much less in larger cities but this whole attitude is still prevalent as after years of training, now it is self-imposed.

I hope to see a change in this attitude through this post and if I can get my message across to even one person through this, if I can get them thinking, the purpose would be considered fulfilled.

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The Event

It was my first time at an Indiblogger Meet and I now realized what I had been missing till now. In collaboration with Zee TV's Dance India Dance, Indiblogger came to The Oberoi, New Delhi and took our breath away. It was a party that although began a bit late but when it did, it thumped its way all the way to our hearts. The DID judges Mudassar and Feroz danced and partied with the Indiblogger cool gang. As pointed out by the the dynamic host of the evening, it was 'Dance India Dance' and not 'Sit India Sit' so, all of us were given chances to #DanceItOut. Live tweets were displayed on the giant screens in the ballroom, it was fascinating to see the power of social media come alive. It was one big happy family. I was almost a recluse though, humbled by the sheer aura of the event and celebs; also this hot girl was sitting right by my side which made me sort of nervous and jittery. Times like these I wish I was more of an extrovert and had the power to talk to women. Anyway, when she stood up she was like way taller than me, it'd not have worked out. So, grapes are sour. Anyway, I am deviating. I also saw so many celebs from the blogging universe like Anukriti Sharma et al, whose blogs inspire me to create better stuff, but didn't really have the courage to go up and say 'hi'. Maybe next meet. :D

I did meet some amazing bloggers and made friends too. Here are a few photos of mine with Deepika, Swarn, Divyanshu, Yogita and of course Nimi.

I did meet a few friends viz Nimi Vashi (Readers' Cosmos) and Monica Verma (The Forthright). I am proud to say that both my friends left an indelible mark on the event. Nimi through her Amitabh Bachchan-wala step. (She won headphones for that! You go Nimi!!) and Monica through her Lungi Dance stole the show.
The judges were really sporty and they even taught us their signature moves from the the theme song of Dance India Dance. It was a gala time. Later we were served dinner. Now, this is not a food blog but the Bhuna Gosht (Lamb) was particularly delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed the mango pudding too. There was an open bar and I am so sad that I had to hurry back home which meant I couldn't get my hands on the drinks. All in all, it was a fun event. And yeah! We got cool Indiblogger DID mugs as souvenirs.

Ok, this is pretty much it. I'd once more like to mention my cause #EducationForWomen. Please help us trend it and bring more and more awareness about it.

Cheers to Indiblogger and Zee TV DID.

Here are the links to
Indiblogger on FB- https://www.facebook.com/indipage
Zee TV on FB- https://www.facebook.com/ZeeTvIndia
Indiblogger's FB album from the event- The Album